I Cheated While Cultivating

The last time he had walked among humans was 1,600 years ago.

Although he had found “Ziwei,” he didn’t go directly to it; the unexpected encounters in the human world were what he missed the most.

“However, the aura of this mortal world remains as disgusting as ever.” Yu Long passed through the bustling streets with a frown etched on his face.

Even though he yearned for his past life among humans, after converting to a Loose Immortal, he couldn’t help but loathe the mortal dust of the human world, and due to some past experiences, he felt an overall disdain for humanity.

“Should I exterminate all these humans before Ziwei?”

Yu Long thought he had a good idea and chuckled to himself, “The Zhou Tian Boundary Officer has always taken it upon themselves to maintain the peace of the human world, focusing on protecting these disgusting humans. Then it would be delightful to slaughter freely before the Ziwei Master.”

As he thought this, his gaze swept over the pedestrians coming and going, listening to their laughter and watching them interact with each other.

The worldly aura of the mortal dust irritated him once more.

Yu Long felt the urge to act on his impulse right away, but he held back, thinking that a slaughter without an audience would be boring.

Suddenly, he noticed someone blocking his path.

“Hmm?” Yu Long looked down and saw a young girl in the bloom of youth, her cheeks flushed as she gazed up at him.

“Hello,” said the girl, clearly moved by Yu Long’s exceptionally handsome appearance. She mustered the courage to approach and strike up a conversation, “May I ask… Uh!!”

But before she could finish her sentence, she was suddenly suspended in midair, as if an invisible hand had gripped her neck, lifting her entire body off the ground.

Crack!

The girl’s neck snapped, the light in her eyes dimming instantly, as life fled from her body.

What followed was her body unnaturally writhing, twisting grotesquely, before bursting into nothingness with a bang.

Nothingness, indeed.

The girl didn’t even leave behind a trace of blood or flesh; she simply vanished into thin air.

“Filthy thing, who allowed you to come close to me?” Yu Long’s face showed utter disdain as he hurried away from the place where the girl had blocked his path.

And all this while, passersby seemed completely unaware, oblivious to the girl turning to ashes, as if everything was normal.

Only an old mother cooking in a nearby house felt something amiss. She walked to her door, puzzled, looking for her daughter who had just run out.

But she saw no one.

“Strange, where has Qianqian gone? She’s disappeared in just a moment, and I even made her favorite meatball soup.

“Sigh, this child, I’ll have to talk to her next time.”

The old mother muttered to herself and returned inside, continuing to wait for her daughter to come home.

…

After his defeat, Li Wuwang covered his face and fled in haste.

He couldn’t accept this outcome no matter what; he had been defeated by a mere Eighth Rank Martial Artist, and the opponent had used only a single palm strike to do so!

Just one!

It was just one palm strike!

And he had lost, was defeated!!

He lost utterly and thoroughly defeated!

“All living things, all living things, could this be the martial art he created himself, to plan and construct the core of his inner world’s microcosm?”

Li Wuwang couldn’t stop recalling the palm strike Zhou Heng used to defeat him, which seemed to contain all variations of martial arts, encompassing all things with its miraculous technique.

From the aura that Zhou Heng displayed during combat, it was obvious that his microcosm’s inner world was also permeated by the will contained within that palm.

Inclusive of everything, embracing all!

“Ridiculously arrogant! Who does he think he is to dare to build his inner world’s microcosm with such grandeur?” Li Wuwang ground his teeth in anger, unwilling to accept this reality.

The Secret Six Rank Innate Realm’s intersection with the external scene’s core is the microcosm’s inner world, equivalent to a more complete external manifestation of the inner world, thereby connecting with the principles of heaven and earth, and commanding natural forces.

Therefore, the strength of a Secret Six Rank martial artist is greatly related to the quality of their microcosm’s inner world. At the same level, different microcosms could result in a power difference of several times or even tens of times.

Undoubtedly, the nascent form of the microcosm’s inner world vaguely visible in Zhou Heng was extremely powerful, stronger than the one constructed by Li Wuwang!

“Damn it! Damn it all!” Li Wuwang’s heart was filled with unwillingness, his fists clenched as he resolved to defeat Zhou Heng and reclaim his lost honor!

But at this moment, he suddenly felt his inner qi trembling, as if it had met another master and was about to leave his body.

“What, what is this??” Li Wuwang panicked as he looked around frantically, only then realizing he had come to a deserted alley without noticing, and a man with a bewitchingly handsome face was approaching him.

With just one look, Li Wuwang’s heart was completely filled with terror. He felt as if he had encountered the source of all his power and involuntarily knelt down, wishing to worship this man.

This man was naturally Yu Long.

“Oh?” Yu Long glanced at Li Wuwang, who was kneeling on the ground, and smiled, saying, “I see, you received some of the seeds I scattered among humans. Pity, the power came too easily, and your character is barely worth mentioning.

“Still, you might be of some use.”

He then left directly as if he had done nothing at all.

Li Wuwang knelt there until long after Yu Long had left, finally coming back to his senses. He prostrated on the ground, breathing heavily, his sweat drenching his entire outfit.

“Just, just now, that person, what, what was that?!!”

…

After the duel ended, Chu Qingchuan and Wang Xiuye came up to Zhou Heng.

They were both astonished by the palm he had used earlier.

Wang Xiuye volunteered to host a banquet for Zhou Heng and Chu Qingchuan, saying it was to thank Zhou Heng for defeating Li Wuwang, and since Chu Qingchuan was traveling with Zhou Heng, it was natural to invite him as well.

Both Zhou Heng and Chu Qingchuan could tell that Wang Xiuye was intent on making friends with them, yet neither pointed it out.

Wang Xiuye seemed decent enough, and in the martial world, having more friends and connections was always good.

Just as the trio was about to leave the city’s arena to find a tavern, they encountered a man dressed in a white brocade robe with a charming beauty almost demonic in appearance.

“This person…” Zhou Heng’s pupils suddenly shrank, his instincts telling him this man was extremely dangerous.

Yu Long’s smile played on his lips as his cold gaze landed on Zhou Heng. He stepped forward gracefully, lifting his hands slightly and said with a smile, “So weak, you’re really so weak!”

He made no attempt to hide his murderous intent.

Zhou Heng’s sense of alarm skyrocketed instantly, and like a bristling cat, he immediately sprang back.

“Run!!!”