I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 312: Chapter 32 Everyone Has Their Own Scheme

Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian’s arrival at Qingyang Prefecture City quickly became known.

Many curiosity-seekers were invigorated, unable to wait to witness a clash of titans.

These were two Secret Sixth Rank personages, ordinarily out of reach, with commoners seldom having a chance to see them, let alone witness them in combat.

It is often said that an Innate’s external scenery overwhelmingly dominates those below the Lower Third Rank, and that even the most top-notch Seventh Rank Warriors are no match for a Secret Sixth Rank, yet few have truly seen a Secret Sixth Rank Martial Artist in action.

Before long, almost half of Qingyang Prefecture City began discussing Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian.

Chongyang Dojo.

Originally a martial arts school of the Pure Yang Palace, the dojo later fell into the hands of Taixu Viewpoint disciples after its master and trainers were defeated, leaving them too ashamed to continue and thus sold it at an extremely low price to the people of Taixu Viewpoint.

After taking over the martial arts school, the disciples from Taixu Viewpoint renamed it Chongyang Dojo and made it their base in Qingyang Prefecture City. While propagating their sect’s teachings, they also began recruiting apprentices.

For this visit to Qingyang Prefecture City, the Taixu Viewpoint brought two Secret Six Rank, ten Peak of the Seventh Rank, and twenty ordinary Seventh Rank disciples, basically ready to face challenges from all levels.

Especially after the previous few battles, their confidence swelled even more.

This was a delightful surprise for the leader Qin Feng and his companion Kou Guang.

Heading to Yuzhou to preach and suppress the martial arts school of Pure Yang Palace actually made them somewhat apprehensive.

After all, this was Da Qi, not Da Jin, the territory of Pure Yang Palace, where Taixu Viewpoint had little influence, and both of them were prepared for the possibility of unfavorable outcomes.

But they never anticipated things to progress so smoothly.

Seizing control of a prefectural city so swiftly must be the fastest among their peers who came to Yuzhou this time.

While Qin Feng and Kou Guang were immersed in joy, a messenger disciple brought news.

“Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian?”

“They’re the ones sent here to handle it?”

Qin Feng and Kou Guang exchanged glances, each catching the surprise in the other’s eyes.

Indeed, they had long been prepared for Pure Yang Palace to send Secret Sixth Rank Warriors, but they never expected it to be these two.

True, Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian ranked among the top three on the list of fighters when they were Lower Third Rank, vastly outperforming the average Peak Seventh Rank Warrior, but at the Secret Sixth Rank level, these two were undoubtedly “newcomers.”

Regardless of whether it was Qin Feng or Kou Guang, who appeared to be only in their thirties, they were in fact over seventy, veteran True Gang Realm masters.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Moreover, they weren’t ordinary True Gang Realm practitioners—being true disciples of Taixu Viewpoint, both had mastered the sect’s secret and powerful martial arts; their strength was definitely formidable.

Normally speaking, for warriors like Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian who had just entered the Secret Sixth Rank, they couldn’t possibly match up against them.

—— Although, after stepping into the Secret Sixth Rank, Zhou Heng had fought in Anhe Prefecture City of Pingzhou, exhibiting tremendous strength, that battle involved ghosts and even great demons’ contamination, so it was kept a secret.

For the vast majority of people who are unaware of the existence of specters, Zhou Heng had not yet shown his true strength after stepping into the Secret Sixth Rank.

Therefore, the world does not have a correct understanding of Zhou Heng’s strength.

Upon hearing that Zhou Heng and Cheng Jianjian were openly challenging and wanted to measure their strength against the people from Taixu Viewpoint and Jia Ye Temple, Qin Feng couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Does Zhou Heng still think he is in the Lower Third Rank phase, where he can look down upon his peers?” Qin Feng laughed, stroked a small patch of his beard, and shook his head with a smile, “Or does he think that like in the Lower Third Rank, he can bridge the gap of realms by relying on his martial arts techniques?”

He was a Taoist who appeared to be in his thirties, handsome in appearance, who had his share of youthful indiscretions, and reached the Secret Sixth Rank before fifty, often carrying a bit of pride about him.

“Zhou Heng possesses a treasured weapon, not to be underestimated.” Kou Guang was naturally cautious and spoke in a grave tone, “Moreover, I have reviewed his profile; his martial arts are not weak. At the very least, he has trained in a saber and palm technique of the Absolute Fourth Rank, both extremely powerful. Senior brother, you should not take him lightly.”

Absolute Fourth Rank martial arts, usually called ultimate techniques, were extremely rare even within a top martial dao sect with a long heritage like Taixu Viewpoint, usually only accessible to Fifth Rank sect masters who also needed to accumulate a certain amount of merit.

For true Gang Realm martial artists like Qin Feng and Kou Guang, there was simply no chance to learn such ultimate techniques.

“Alright alright, I know.” Qin Feng nodded dismissively, smiling: “Little brother, I think you are being overly cautious. What of an ultimate technique? Without sufficient quality of True Qi, you can hardly exert much power.”

“This person is not weak. If senior brother does indeed go to test his strength against him, you must still be cautious and serious.” Kou Guang advised once again, then chuckled, “Perhaps I am indeed being overly cautious. After all, he’s just a kid with fledgling True Qi, and senior brother should have no trouble with normal exertion.”

“Hah?” Hearing this, Qin Feng burst into laughter and said, “Little brother, do you think I intend to compete with that Zhou Heng?”

“Isn’t that the case?” Kou Guang looked stunned.

“Of course not.” Qin Feng laughed, “The one defeated in front of the crowd is not one of ours but a disciple from Jia Ye Temple. Why should we rush to take the lead? Let those monks from Jia Ye Temple probe Zhou Heng’s real strength instead.

“These monks are so secretive, claiming they are here in Yuzhou solely to spread the Buddhist Law and to bathe the citizens in benevolent light – I find it a bit far-fetched. They may have other purposes. Isn’t it good to have them go directly head to head with the Pure Yang Palace?”

“That’s indeed the case.” Kou Guang nodded, agreeing, “So, shall we still go to see the situation at Zhou Heng’s side?”

“Go, why not?” Qin Feng stood up with a smile, “Isn’t watching the excitement a good thing?”

…

Inside a Zen room in the North District of Qingyang Prefecture City.

Two monks, who looked to be in their forties, one fat and the other thin, were sitting cross-legged opposite each other.

The fat one was named De Kai, and the thin one was named De Sheng, both disciples from Jia Ye Temple, nearing a hundred years old, and had reached the pinnacle of the Secret Sixth Rank True Gang Realm.

Apart from these two, there were no others within the Zen room, and a sound-proofing restriction had been set up, resulting in utter silence.

“De Kai senior brother, what do you think about this matter?” De Sheng, the thin monk, looked somewhat sullen as he spoke in a deep voice, “Pure Yang Palace has actually sent these two people here. What do you think that means?”

“Considering they have just entered the Secret Sixth Rank and are not very strong, yet both are so young, they must be disciples highly valued by the Pure Yang Palace.” De Kai, the fat monk, spoke gravely, “Therefore, Yan Shouyi sending these two people here is likely not to show off military force and triumph over us.”

“Could it be, senior brother means to say that Yan Shouyi sending these two here is just to demonstrate an exceedingly high regard for Yuzhou?” De Sheng’s expression turned serious, and he suddenly stood up.

“Does he already know our true objective?”