The Creation of the Heavens and All Realms

Chapter 29: Treasures of Destiny

In terms of strength, Zhou Tianci was far outmatched by Huang Bai. He was at the early Xiantian True Qi Realm, while Huang Bai was at the mid-Xiantian True Yuan Realm. Zhou Tianci had only cultivated Post-Heaven-level martial arts secrets, whereas Huang Bai practiced the core secret techniques of the Huang Clan, a top-tier martial arts family. Not only did Gu Dali, an onlooker, not believe Zhou Tianci could pose a threat—even Huang Bai himself didn’t think so. Huang Bai unexpectedly struck out with both palms toward Zhou Tianci’s back, aiming for a single, decisive kill—and he struck with all his might. Even before the palm wind reached him, Zhou Tianci could feel a threat as sharp as a sword on his back, and his expression finally changed. “I really did underestimate an Innate-level master!” The thought flashed through Zhou Tianci’s mind. However, Zhou Tianci’s reaction was swift. He pushed off with his legs, doubling his speed as he shot forward at breakneck speed, simultaneously thrusting his long sword backward in a flanking maneuver. Huang Bai paid no heed to Zhou Tianci’s sword; the two Azure Dragons coiled around it. With a twist of his palms, he snapped the high-grade steel sword—issued by the Blood Battle Legion—clean in two. Zhou Tianci acted without hesitation, hurling the broken blade backward as a projectile. His immense strength sent it streaking through the air like a streak of light, a formidable threat. Huang Bai furrowed his brow slightly. Although he was reluctant to let Zhou Tianci evade his palm strike, he had no choice but to step aside to avoid the flying shard. In the blink of an eye, Zhou Tianci had put five or six zhang between himself and Huang Bai, simultaneously snatching up the long halberd he’d thrown earlier. “That was close!” Gu Dali thought to himself. “That was close!” Zhou Tianci broke out in a cold sweat. He had only just obtained the foundational section of the *Nine Transformations Mystical Art* and hadn’t had time to cultivate it yet; his physical body was only slightly stronger than that of an ordinary early-stage Innate cultivator, and was still no match for a steel longsword imbued with True Qi. Huang Bai was furious that Zhou Tianci had escaped. Before Zhou Tianci could catch his breath, Huang Bai charged at him. This time, however, Zhou Tianci was prepared for Huang Bai’s “Roaming Dragon Step” and, with a swift swing of his spear, forced Huang Bai back. “What tremendous strength! Have you also cultivated a body-refining technique?” Huang Bai asked in surprise after being forced back by Zhou Tianci’s halberd. Zhou Tianci had no time to spare for him. After their recent exchange, his control over his own strength had become even more refined. What pleased him most was that the effects of his recent contemplation of the Law of Strength had finally manifested, greatly enhancing his combat prowess. “So it turns out my strength isn’t that far behind the True Essence Realm after all,” Zhou Tianci realized. He had been at a disadvantage earlier partly due to his lack of combat experience and partly because he was unfamiliar with Huang Bai’s techniques. Under the pressure of a life-or-death situation, Zhou Tianci’s understanding of combat had greatly deepened, and he was gradually unleashing his full potential. “Even at the peak of the Posthuman Realm, I possessed 50,000 jin of strength—five times that of an ordinary peak Posthuman cultivator. After advancing to the Xiantian Realm, my body underwent a complete transformation; my strength in a single arm alone is as high as 150,000 jin, comparable to the limit of a mid-Xiantian practitioner. Coupled with the fact that I’ve been delving into the Law of Strength all this time, this immense force of 150,000 jin can be harnessed to 200% of its potential.” Zhou Tianci realized that, in terms of raw strength alone, he still surpassed Huang Bai. Realizing this, Zhou Tianci’s confidence soared, and his aura surged accordingly. Whether in war or combat, aura is of the utmost importance; as his aura intensified, the course of the battle shifted. Zhou Tianci swung his one-zhang-long halberd wildly; the blood-red weapon resembled a blood dragon, holding its own against Huang Bai’s Azure Dragon. Huang Bai was severely pressured by Zhou Tianci’s halberd; he couldn’t fathom why Zhou Tianci possessed such immense strength. Every time his palms clashed with the halberd, he was knocked back; after just a few exchanges, his arms had gone numb from the impact. What troubled Huang Bai most was how rapidly Zhou Tianci was improving during the fight—his displayed power grew ever stronger, as if there were no limit to it. Huang Bai was not one to admit defeat easily. As soon as Zhou Tianci’s technique began to show signs of fatigue, he suddenly clamped both palms around the pike’s head, twisted his body around the shaft, and, with a single “Coiling Azure Dragon” maneuver, snapped the pike in two. Zhou Tianci was somewhat taken aback by this, but his reaction was swift. Holding the halberd in one hand, he transformed his other hand into an axe and slashed diagonally at Huang Bai. With a “ripping” sound, Zhou Tianci shattered Huang Bai’s battle armor and sent him flying backward. “Perfect opportunity!” Zhou Tianci discarded half the halberd and closed in, pounding Huang Bai relentlessly with both fists. Huang Bai had miscalculated; he hadn’t expected Zhou Tianci’s fists to be even more powerful without the halberd. Fists packing over 200,000 jin of force slammed into his body. Even with his True Essence Realm cultivation, Huang Bai couldn’t withstand the impact—Zhou Tianci’s blows actually pierced right through his abdomen! “Watch out, he’s trying to escape!” Gu Dali suddenly shouted. Zhou Tianci narrowed his eyes and, taking him by surprise, grabbed Huang Bai’s right leg. Huang Bai had indeed intended to flee, but his plan was foiled by Gu Dali’s warning. “Gu Dali, the Huang family won’t let you off the hook!” Huang Bai shouted in resentment. “Hahahaha! You brought this upon yourself—don’t blame anyone else. Young man, the Huang Clan acts tyrannically and holds grudges over the slightest offense. If we let this scoundrel escape, we’ll all be hunted down by the Huang Clan!” Gu Dali roared with laughter. Zhou Tianci thought to himself that this was indeed true—all major clans were cut from the same cloth—and immediately beheaded Huang Bai with a single chop of his hand. “Excellent! That was decisive—what guts!” Gu Dali praised. Zhou Tianci paid no heed to Gu Dali. He searched Huang Bai’s body, but unfortunately, aside from some elixirs, he found nothing like cultivation techniques. Disappointed, Zhou Tianci tied Huang Bai’s corpse to a large rock and sank it to the riverbed. Turning back, he picked up Gu Dali and the Li brothers, then vanished into the forest with a few leaps. “Sir, what happened?” Lei Dong hurried forward to ask as soon as he saw Zhou Tianci return. Zhou Tianci tossed Gu Dali and the three Li brothers—four men in all—into the tent: “It’s all taken care of. Go tell Qi Shan and the others to stand down.” Lei Dong relayed the order and returned shortly thereafter. “Li Feng and the others are injured. Help tend to them,” Zhou Tianci instructed Lei Dong. “No problem,” Lei Dong readily agreed. He took a quick look and saw that the Li brothers had only sustained superficial injuries; he had plenty of experience treating such wounds. After seeing Lei Dong and the others off, Zhou Tianci turned to Gu Dali. As an Innate-level cultivator who had also practiced body-refining techniques, Gu Dali possessed exceptional self-healing abilities; in just a short while, he was already able to sit up on his own. “I am Gu Dali, leader of the Giant Bear Adventurers’ Guild. Thank you, young man, for saving my life. May I ask your name?” Gu Dali was a man who knew his place; recalling how Zhou Tianci had slain Huang Bai, he naturally adopted a humble demeanor. Zhou Tianci sat in the seat of honor and asked, “So you’re Captain Gu. My name is Zhou Shi. May I ask why the Huang family is hunting you down?” Gu Dali replied indignantly, “The Huang family is far too domineering. After the last beast tide, rumors of Yuan Jing began circulating in Jiangzhou—I heard them too. So this time, I brought my men to the Barbarian Wilderness, hoping to get a piece of the action. Who would’ve thought we’d run into the Huang family along the way? They attacked without a word. Out of more than 2,000 of us, I was the only one who escaped.” Zhou Tianci nodded slightly; he could tell that Gu Dali wasn’t lying. “What do you plan to do next, Commander Gu?” Zhou Tianci asked again. Hatred flashed in Gu Dali’s eyes: “Naturally, I’m going to seek revenge on the Huang family! Though the Huang family is powerful, as long as I’m careful, it won’t be easy for them to catch me. As long as I’m alive, the Huang family won’t have a moment’s peace!” Zhou Tianci felt a greater sense of respect for Gu Dali; he admired people who were so clear about their debts and grievances. “Although I’d rather not say it, I personally believe it won’t be easy for Commander Gu to take revenge on the Huang family. The Four Great Clans are closely allied and have long managed the City of Tears and Blood with airtight security. Elsewhere, it might be manageable, but within the City of Tears and Blood, it won’t be difficult for them to capture an Innate-level cultivator,” Zhou Tianci said. Gu Dali fell silent. “How about this: Commander Gu, why don’t you recuperate here for now? As long as you stay out of the public eye, the Huang family won’t dare come into the military to arrest you. We can discuss the rest after the beast tide. What do you think?” Zhou Tianci suggested. Gu Dali clasped his hands in a bow and said, “Then I’d like to thank you, Brother Zhou.” After settling Gu Dali in, Zhou Tianci stepped out of the tent to check on the three Li brothers. The army had healing potions, and Lei Dong helped the three apply the medicine; they were feeling much better. “I still have a long way to go before I can build my own team. Lei Dong and the three Li brothers are all Post-Heaven martial artists—they simply can’t hold their own.” Zhou Tianci sighed inwardly. Post-Heaven martial artists were far too vulnerable in the face of Pre-Heaven powerhouses; in this world, only Pre-Heaven powerhouses possessed sufficient ability to protect themselves. “It would be best if I could win over Gu Dali—after all, he is an Innate-level expert.” Thinking about the feud between Gu Dali and the Huang family, Zhou Tianci felt some concern. As the squad leader, he didn’t fully understand just how powerful the Huang family was, but Huang Bai had left a deep impression on him. Zhou Tianci had no regrets. Ever since Huang Jue had threatened his life, it had been clear that he and the Huang family would never be friends. Moreover, with the Li brothers having placed their trust in him, there was no way he could stand by and watch them be killed. “The Huang family—I’ll consider you my first major enemy in this world!” A sense of excitement welled up within Zhou Tianci, along with a thirst for battle. Thinking back on the fight just now, he couldn’t help but feel filled with heroic fervor. “I still need a weapon that suits me well.” Zhou Tianci returned to his tent and began planning his next moves. Zhou Tianci had used a halberd quite often. When he was at the Posthuman Realm, he hadn’t felt anything amiss, but after advancing to the Pre-Heaven Realm, he realized that the long halberd wasn’t suited to him—a sword was the best choice. Although the long halberd allowed him to unleash his strength, its attacks lacked sharpness. If he switched to a sword—given his understanding of power after comprehending the laws of the universe—he could fully achieve the realm of “lifting the light as if it were heavy,” where even a light and agile sword could shatter mountains and split rocks. Zhou Tianci, who had been sitting upright, suddenly lit up with joy. “The Tree of Eternal Creation can actually forge treasures!” Zhou Tianci’s spiritual essence had just received a message.