Chapter 6

The strength of this three-tailed wolf eagle is at least thirty percent greater than mine!

Zhou Heng speculated in his heart but paid no attention to the wound on his abdomen; it was just a superficial cut and did not cause significant harm. However, if his sword had been just a bit slower, that claw would have likely torn open his belly, severing his intestines!

The sharpness of this beast's claws rivals that of a fine weapon.

After a martial artist completes the Skin Tempering stage, their skin becomes as tough as oxhide, and even a sharp blade would need considerable force to cut through it! After completing the Flesh Tempering stage, the muscles become dense, and even if a sword can cut through the skin, it would be entangled by the dense muscles, preventing serious injury.

As for the Bone Tempering stage, it is even more formidable, with bones as strong as fine steel, capable of withstanding sharp weapons! The final Blood Tempering stage brings abundant vitality, resistance to all diseases, and the ability to repel evil. A burst of aura can even scare the timid into fainting.

Zhou Heng had already completed the Skin Tempering stage, yet under the sharp claws of the three-tailed wolf eagle, his skin was as fragile as paper, showing just how sharp and powerful the beast's claws were.

"Roar—" Failing to deliver a fatal blow, the three-tailed wolf eagle let out a long howl that split the air like metal, causing Zhou Heng's ears to ring.

After the howl, the beast pounced again, clearly having gauged Zhou Heng's strength from the previous attack and launching a fearless assault.

Zhou Heng's eyes sparkled with excitement. Recalling the dangerous moment when he nearly had his intestines torn, his mind buzzed as if he were entering a special state, but he was just a bit short of fully entering it.

"Not enough! Not enough! I need more pressure!"

His feet moved nimbly, and his sword clashed repeatedly with the three-tailed wolf eagle, blocking the beast's repeated attacks.

This was an extremely dangerous situation; a moment's carelessness could send him to a place of no return!

Thwack, thwack, thwack, blood splattered from his arms, chest, and back, with the deepest cut nearly piercing his heart! In just a few minutes, he had narrowly escaped death over a dozen times, each time almost costing him his life!

Zhou Heng, however, relished it, his eyes growing increasingly wild with excitement. It was then that he realized how fervently he was devoted to the martial path, willing to risk his life to become stronger!

If he could never cultivate, he would surely die of frustration before the age of thirty!

He was born for the martial path!

Boom!

Zhou Heng's mind shook, and he suddenly entered a wondrous state. The nine images of the Nine Heavens Technique spontaneously emerged in his mind, constantly changing!

So that's how it is!

He let out a long howl and swung his sword, tracing a mysterious trajectory!

The three-tailed wolf eagle's fierce eyes instantly filled with fear, unable to dodge or evade, as if paralyzed, helplessly watching the sword approach!

Pierce!

The sword pierced straight through the three-tailed wolf eagle's chest, the blade entering the body, and a spray of blood erupted as the tip emerged from the back! The three-tailed wolf eagle didn't even have time to groan before its body tilted and fell to the ground, a pool of blood quickly soaking the earth.

Zhou Heng panted heavily, almost collapsing to the ground.

That one strike had drained half of his true essence!

It was precisely because of this that he was able to pierce through the three-tailed wolf eagle's fur, which was an excellent defensive layer, not inferior to the chainmail worn by martial artists, let alone being pierced through completely!

"I finally... completely mastered the form of the first technique of the Nine Heavens Technique!" Zhou Heng's lips curved into a smile, more pleased by this than by slaying the three-tailed wolf eagle.

"If the form alone is so terrifying, how much more powerful will it be when I can grasp the essence and truly execute this sword technique?"

"And there are nine techniques in total!"

He took out clean bandages from his backpack and bandaged himself, though each wound was just a flesh wound, not injuring his tendons or bones. If left untreated, the blood loss alone could be fatal!

His current physique was already very strong, and the wounds were beginning to scab over in just a short time.

After bandaging himself, Zhou Heng's gaze turned to the rock behind which the black broken sword had always pointed during his battle with the three-tailed wolf eagle, never changing direction.

This meant that the black broken sword's reaction was not due to the three-tailed wolf eagle but to something behind the rock, which the three-tailed wolf eagle was guarding.

Just as he was about to walk over, he heard rustling footsteps from behind. Zhou Heng immediately stopped and turned around.

Six men and two women emerged from the side of the forest, all young adults in their twenties, each carrying weapons on their backs or waists. The eight were dressed in tight-fitting clothes, and the two women were particularly eye-catching, their youthful bodies accentuated by their tight clothing, with high chests, round and firm buttocks, and beautiful faces, forming a powerful allure.

When the eight saw Zhou Heng, they were slightly surprised, but their eyes lit up with greed when they saw the three-tailed wolf eagle on the ground.

"Luck is on our side! We've only been out for a few days and already encountered a beast!" A young man in his twenties laughed, looking very handsome but with an overwhelming arrogance, as if he already considered the three-tailed wolf eagle his.

"Master Zhao's luck is always good!" A teenager of about seventeen or eighteen flattered him, then turned to Zhou Heng, drawing his sword and pointing it at him, "Boy, get away from that beast's corpse!"

The others didn't speak but didn't stop him either, clearly approving of his actions.

They recognized the three-tailed wolf eagle and saw Zhou Heng's injuries, so although they guessed that he had slain the beast alone, they were not intimidated!

—Their Master Zhao was at the Bone Tempering stage and could easily slay a three-tailed wolf eagle with ease!

Thus, they were certain of their advantage over Zhou Heng!

To be fair, their approach was relatively "merciful"; some ruthless individuals would have attacked and killed him without a word!

Why?

Naturally, because of the three-tailed wolf eagle!

Beasts are treasures all over, with their fur usable for armor, being light and soft, not only comfortable and aesthetically pleasing but also highly defensive, even surpassing ordinary chainmail! The sharp claws of beasts can be embedded in weapons, greatly increasing their lethality.

Finally, there is the meat of beasts!

Beasts are wild animals capable of cultivation, equivalent to martial artists among animals, with meat rich in energy, making them highly nourishing for martial artists!

Some beasts have unique functions, like the gallbladder of the Golden-Crowned Snake, which can be used in medicine to detoxify! The bones of the Crimson Fire Tiger, when boiled and used for bathing, can enhance the toughness of a martial artist's skin, flesh, tendons, and bones!

In the world of martial artists, the strong always rule, and no one cares about who came first. Since they had seen the three-tailed wolf eagle, it was now theirs!

Zhou Heng was furious, but the eight were all deep in cultivation, and none were weaker than him. Fighting one against eight, he had almost no chance of winning. More importantly, after using the first technique of the Nine Heavens Technique, his true essence had not fully recovered.

He had to swallow this humiliation!

Zhou Heng slowly backed away. Although the beast's corpse was valuable, he did not place too much importance on it. Instead, he was more interested in what the three-tailed wolf eagle was guarding behind the rock, which had caused the black broken sword to react, indicating that it was something extraordinary.

He memorized the faces of the eight, determined to make them pay back everything, with interest, if he ever met them again!

Seeing Zhou Heng step back, the eight all showed disdain.

However, the ability to slay a beast at the Flesh Tempering stage alone was quite astonishing. Although the eight had a clear advantage, a desperate fight could still drag one of them down.

Thus, Zhou Heng's retreat was a win-win situation.

The young man with the sword walked to the three-tailed wolf eagle, bent down, and lifted the beast. Although it weighed several hundred pounds, it was not a significant burden for his Flesh Tempering stage cultivation.

Moreover, they had eight people who could take turns carrying it.

After taking the spoils, the eight started to move, but one suddenly stopped and asked, "Why was this beast here?"

The question was abrupt, but the other seven immediately understood.

Generally, land-based beasts live in caves and rarely venture out. This place, with only a large rock and no cover, had no reason for a beast to nest here!

"There's treasure here!" another called out.

The eight all showed excitement. Indeed, if a beast encountered a natural treasure, it would guard it until it matured and consumed it before leaving.

"Boy, you can leave now! Or die!" Master Zhao shouted at Zhou Heng.

Clearly, they wanted to drive Zhou Heng away and search for the treasure the three-tailed wolf eagle was guarding.

"Senior Sister, aren't we being too harsh?" A girl with large eyes showed a look of pity, whispering to another girl.

"You're too soft-hearted! In the world of martial artists, it's all about taking what you can. Without strength, you don't deserve to possess treasure!" The other girl replied with a look of indifference.

Zhou Heng's face was expressionless, but the fire in his heart burned brighter. He could tolerate them taking the three-tailed wolf eagle's corpse, but the treasure behind the rock was something he was determined to obtain!

"Boy, don't stand there like an idiot. We are disciples of the White Jade Valley!" A young man with triangular eyes stepped forward, his demeanor full of arrogance.

White Jade Valley, what was that?

Seeing Zhou Heng's puzzled expression, the eight all showed a look of disdain, as if not knowing the White Jade Valley was a sign of ignorance.

This only made them more contemptuous of Zhou Heng, paying him even less attention.

"Get lost!" The triangular-eyed youth, emboldened, reached out to push Zhou Heng.

Swish, a sword flashed, cutting through the air!

The triangular-eyed youth was shocked; he never expected Zhou Heng to dare attack him! It was too late to defend, and he hurriedly tried to retreat.

However, he was horrified to find that his body wouldn't move!