I Cheated While Cultivating

Another multiple-choice question…

I hate making choices; can’t I just have them all?

Zhou Heng couldn’t help but complain inwardly.

“Wait a minute, what was the reward for using the Five-Color Divine Light to annihilate the Great Saintly Merciful Immortal?” Zhou Heng suddenly felt a shock in his heart because he had not received any notice of killing the Loose Immortal.

Could it be that he’s not dead?

How is that possible? The Five-Color Divine Light should have already obliterated the Great Saintly Merciful Immortal’s Primordial Spirit.

Zhou Heng looked towards the exploding Five-Color Divine Light in the sky with astonishment and doubt, the turbulent mana flows catching his eye, with the green light symbolizing “Wood” being the most dazzling.

Just then, through the last trace of connection between himself and the remaining Five-Color Divine Light, he sensed a True Spirit mark being pulled down from the boundless void above by this green light and crushed in an instant.

Congratulations! You have killed the Loose Immortal ‘Great Saintly Merciful Immortal’!”

“Platinum Treasure Box +1, Gold Fortune Bag +1, Silver Luck Bag +1, Copper Fortune Bag +1, +i to the number of option rewards, +1 to existing base attributes, ₊i to existing additional attributes, ₊1 to the number of special skill cards previously obtained, Martial Arts Proficiency Gift Package +1.” Upon hearing the notification, Zhou Heng was momentarily stunned and turned foolish.

This was the first time he had heard such an explosive rewards notice, quite similar to the feeling of a 999 hit, with equipment bursting across the screen. A bit exhilarating.

However, exhilarating as it was, he still had to deal with the previous multiple­choice question.

First was the “Open Door” option.

This option could be dubbed a life-saving divine skill, as one could instantly return to a safe location when facing life-threatening danger or when restricted by seals.

And it ignored all obstacles, equivalent to having an extra life.

But Zhou Heng already had a Life-saving Talisman. Although it was limited to defending attacks below the Third Rank Celestial Man, the actual effect was similar.

–After the previous restart, the things Zhou Heng had used, including the Life-saving Talisman and the appraisal card for discerning the true information of the “Wordless Stele,” had been restored to their unused state. Granted, he might face a Fourth Rank Celestial Man in the future, which would render the Life-saving Talisman ineffective, but Zhou Heng didn’t think he would have the chance to open a door and escape when facing a Celestial Man. Even instantaneously opening a door to leave took time, and with his current level of cultivation realm, it was simply impossible to open a door under the eyes of a Celestial Man.

This option seemed a bit superfluous.

Then there was the second option, “Prophecy.”

Prophecize something that must happen. The more logical the description of the prophecy, the closer the outcome will be to the prophecy.

This option had a peculiar requirement, actually demanding logical consistency in the prophecy’s description.

Aren t prophecies just random blabberings anyway?

But on closer consideration, this option had vast applicability.

It could be used for almost anything.

For example, if Liu Gaoyang was trying to become an Immortal, he could prophesize “Liu Gaoyang’s ascension fails”.

The description would be, “Liu Gaoyang, driven mad by his senses and obstructed by You Ziheng and the inner seat of the Five Emperors, fails to ascend.”

This was very logical and indeed it happened, but the result was later changed by a Celestial Man who came and resurrected Liu Gaoyang.

If there had been a prophecy, the outcome would have pointed to “Liu Gaoyang’s ascension fails”, and even if the Celestial Man resurrected Liu Gaoyang, he would have inevitably failed to become an Immortal in the end. Besides, prophecy could be used in all kinds of situations, arguably the most versatile option.

The third option “Luck” was very straightforward.

Unimaginably good luck.

Just this aspect made Zhou Heng envious.

Although he always felt he was quite lucky, like frequently getting amazing rewards from opening Copper Fortune Bags, who would disdain a chance to become even luckier?

No one would.

If he really had to choose only one of the rewards as the notice had indicated Zhou Heng would certainly be torn between the second and third options.

But in the recent “grand blast” there was one reward.

+1 to the number of option rewards.

This allowed what was originally a single reward to become two.

So, Zhou Heng resolutely chose the second and third options.

Just to be prepared for any eventuality.

As for the rewards from the “grand blast” earlier, he planned to take a closer look after dealing with the current situation.

“The Great Saintly Merciful Immortal and Liu Gaoyang are both dead.” The inner seat of the Five Emperors, looking at the spectacle in the sky, exclaimed in astonishment, “Who would have thought, all of this was done by an Eighth Rank Martial Artist?”

“I’ve always felt this youngster was extraordinary, hahaha!!” You Ziheng proudly patted Zhou Heng on the shoulder, laughing heartily, “A disciple of my Pure Yang Palace.”

“I heard he’s just an external disciple though,” remarked an inner seat of the Five Emperors with a smile.

“If he’s not a true disciple when he returns this time, I’ll cut off my own head,” You Ziheng retorted, unconvinced.

“I heard there’s a secret technique in the Pure Yang Palace’s Zixia Peak called Beheading Technique, which allows one to sever their own head and continue to live for three days,” said the inner seat of the Five Emperors seriously, “It seems there really is such a thing.”

“You!!” You Ziheng was so angered he couldn’t speak.

These two seemed to have known each other for a while, sparring verbally without any awkwardness, perhaps because they had just jointly dealt with a formidable enemy and were in a relaxed and cheerful mood.

“Elder sirs, who was the Celestial Man who intervened just now to protect Liu Gaoyang?” Zhou Heng asked in a low voice.

“You might as well wait until You Ziheng takes you back to the Pure Yang Palace to ask,” suggested the inner seat of the Five Emperors, smiling as he glanced around, “There are too many people here.”

“Alright, I understand, thank you elder,” Zhou Heng nodded, only then realizing there were indeed quite a few people around. If he publicly revealed the identity of that Celestial Man, it might bring great trouble to both himself and these people.

However, this look around also made him notice some oddities.

After the projection of the Qingxia God disappeared, the “Wordless Stele” vanished as well, and the Plague Emperor Sect’s Sha Mishe was nowhere to be seen, likely having been severely injured by the Qingxia God’s projection and having fled.

But Zhou Heng had not received any reward notification for Sha Mishe’s defeat nor for the disciples of the Honghua Palace and the Plague Emperor Sect who ’ were killed by the Qingxia God’s projection.

“Was there something strange about the Qingxia God’s projection?”

Zhou Heng harbored doubts, but there were no abnormalities around him the celestial phenomena had not changed, and it didn’t seem like the Qingxia God was about to resurrect. What was going on?

“What are you thinking about?” You Ziheng asked with a smile, noticing Zhou Heng’s peculiar expression.

”Nothing, nothing at all,” Zhou Heng shook his head, evading the question, Just some doubts about what a Loose Immortal is, how to prove oneself a Fourth Rank Celestial Man, and many other questions concerning the cultivation realms.”

“Haha, curiosity is good,” You Ziheng said, laughing without suspicion, “All these questions will be answered once you follow me to the Pure Yang Palace ”

Since Zhou Heng still had some farewells to say in Yuanhe Prefecture City, You Ziheng and the inner seat of the Five Emperors departed first.

They agreed to meet again the next day.

Initially, Zhou Heng wanted to leave the Wang Family immediately, find Yun Xiu and He Mengqiu, and then go to Bai’s family to say goodbye, but before he could leave, the Wang Family’s old patriarch, along with Family Head Wang Yuande and Wang Xinyue, as well as a crowd of the Wang Family members knelt before him.

Thousands of thanks, immensely grateful, they were insistent on offering a generous gift, and even wanted to send Wang Xinyue to serve at Zhou Heng’s side as a maid, all to repay his kindness.

Scared, Zhou Heng hastily fled.

“Great ancestor, is he looking down on me?” Wang Xinyue muttered, head bowed, lightly biting her red lips, and sighed, “Is it because he thinks I’m too weak?”

“Dear Xinyue, such thoughts underestimate that gentleman; he is a dragon amongst men, fated for great accomplishments. How could he possibly look down on you?” The Wang Family’s old patriarch shook his head, looking in the direction Zhou Heng left, very emotional.

“I will become stronger!” WangXinyue clenched her fists tightly.

As soon as Zhou Heng stepped out of the Wang Family’s gates, he felt a fragrant breeze rush toward him.

Warm and tender like jade.

Rushing into his arms.

It was Yun Xiu.

She hugged Zhou Heng tightly, then turned around with her head lowered, her soft shoulders trembling slightly, as she said, “I have died once before, I remember… from now on, I won’t die.”

After speaking, she turned her back to Zhou Heng and walked towards He Mengqiu not too far away, “Brother Heng, I will continue to wander the jianghu with my master. Your light shines so brightly, I’m sure we’ll meet again. Next time, I’ll treat you to steamed buns.

“Master, let’s go.”

Her voice trembled, her cheeks facing He Mengqiu already tear-stained.

“Hmm,” He Mengqiu nodded gently, addressing Zhou Heng, “We will meet again if it’stated.”

Then, she took Yun Xiu’s hand and flew into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

Under the sunlight, tiny tear droplets refracted rainbow lights as they fell.

Zhou Heng was slightly dazed.

At that moment, up in the sky, amidst the clouds,

Yun Xiu seemed to have finally made up her mind, speaking firmly, “Master, please teach me the ‘Three Dreams Dharma’.”

After bidding farewell to Yun Xiu and He Mengqiu,

Zhou Heng returned to Bai’s family, but as soon as he entered, his face drastically changed.

There was the aura of the Qingxia God!