Chapter 193: Chapter 193: Two More Killing Orders
“Kid, is there a part in this for you to speak?” Yu Chengyang raised an eyebrow, his expression quite fierce. “Looking for death?”
“This young hero, be careful. This Yu Chengyang is extremely powerful. You should step back, don’t get hurt by him.” Jiang Hong swiftly moved in front of Zhou Heng with her sword pointed at Yu Chengyang, saying, “As long as I’m here, you won’t harm anyone!”
“Hahaha!” Yu Chengyang burst into laughter upon hearing this, looked at Jiang Hong who was filled with a sense of justice, and said with a face full of mockery, “Those old guys didn’t tell you, did they? Meddling in other people’s business, poking your nose where it doesn’t belong, will only bring trouble upon oneself?”
“No matter what, I can’t just stand by and watch you hurt someone in front of me.” Jiang Hong said in a deep voice, her gaze unwavering.
“Miss, leave this person to me.” Zhou Heng stepped forward and immediately moved in front of Jiang Hong, facing Yu Chengyang, he said, “Weren’t you just shouting about killing me? Now I’m right here, you might as well make your move.”
“You?!” Jiang Hong was startled at the sight, she had previously felt that this handsome young man moved exceptionally fast, and his strength was probably unfathomable. Now, after hearing such words, she was even more shocked.
In disbelief, she looked up at the tall figure before her.
Zhou Heng?!
Zhou Heng???
He was actually the Purple Lightning Thunder Blade in person?!
Yu Chengyang, this unfortunate soul, had been violently threatening to kill Zhou Heng, and the real person was right there??
That was just too much of a coincidence.
The bystanders were all stunned, looking at Zhou Heng with eyes filled with shock, almost doubting whether they were witnessing an illusion.
Especially that burly man.
He had never imagined that the person who had just sat with him eating wonton noodles, discussing the rumors of the pugilistic world, turned out to be the rising young expert, making waves in the world these days.
The Purple Lightning Thunder Blade, Zhou Heng?!
There were also quite a few who had just been tempted by the reward notice, and they suddenly felt as if they had a thorn in their back, their faces pale as death, wishing they could leave immediately to avoid Zhou Heng settling scores with them.
Zhou Heng, a master ranked high on the list of martial experts, could easily take the lives of these ordinary people of the jianghu without breaking a sweat.
“You, you?!” Yu Chengyang’s face was filled with astonishment, his complexion turned pale in an instant, he looked incredulously at Zhou Heng, and said in horror, “Are you Zhou Heng? The Sixth Generation True Disciple of Pure Yang Palace, the junior brother of the esteemed Pure Yang Yan Shouyi?”
“What do you think?” Zhou Heng’s eyes narrowed slightly, he chuckled and said, “You want to kill me, yet you don’t even know who I am?”
“My God!” Yu Chengyang exclaimed in shock, immediately turned tail and ran, employing his movement technique like a spreading wildfire across parched grassland, swiftly disappearing from the shop.
He actually ran away.
Nothing at all like the grandiose claims he had just made.
As if his just-declared “Kill Zhou Heng, get the reward” was merely farting.
Everyone present was dumbfounded.
No one expected Yu Chengyang to behave this way, running off as soon as he laid eyes on Zhou Heng himself, without even a trace of courage to try his luck.
“He was scared off just like that??” Jiang Hong was equally astonished, never expecting such an outcome.
Although Yu Chengyang was a castaway from the Heavenly Fire Manor, his strength was by no means weak. Ten years ago, he was already among the top ten on the people list, having reached the Peak of the Seventh Rank. Even now, not having stepped into the Secret Six Rank, his strength was certainly not something an ordinary peak Seven Rank could contend with.
Yet such a strong individual had fled upon hearing Zhou Heng’s name?
Was Zhou Heng really that powerful?
Jiang Hong couldn’t help but look curiously at the handsome young man before her, wanting to see what magical and powerful aspects he possessed.
But just as her gaze shifted, she saw Zhou Heng’s figure flash, and like a gust of fresh wind, he leaped out of the noodle shop, pursuing the fleeing Yu Chengyang.
“Zhou Heng! Mercy, mercy, I was just talking, I never really tried to kill you!” Yu Chengyang’s terrified shouts soon came from afar, seemingly in utter panic.
“I’ve always been straightforward. Since you said it a moment ago, I believed it, you must have intended to kill me.” Zhou Heng’s teasing voice came through, then he shouted sternly, “If you can take one palm strike from me and survive, I’ll let you go!”
Jiang Hong, along with the people from the noodle shop, ran out just in time to see Zhou Heng raise his hand, his fingers radiating a clear light, with a dark profundity in his palm, as if embracing all heavens and earth.
Casually, his palm fiercely descended!
The very heavens and earth seemed to invert!
Boom!
An explosion occurred out of nowhere, deafening, causing all who witnessed this scene to feel their minds go blank, as if the entire world were being crushed, everything collapsing, incomparable destructive power filling their field of vision.
Jiang Hong was exceedingly shocked, being a True Disciple of Heavenly Fire Manor herself, she felt a deeper sense of the extraordinary power and mystery of Zhou Heng’s palm strike, and thus was even more astonished.
“If I had been hit by that palm, I would have probably died on the spot,” she couldn’t help but make a comparison in her heart, which led to an unbelievable conclusion.
Although she had only recently started her journey in the martial fraternity, she was already acclaimed as Tianhuo Mountain Villa’s most outstanding disciple in the past five hundred years. At the mere age of sixteen, she had achieved the Peak of the Seventh Rank, a talent so rare throughout the entirety of Da Qi.
Therefore, when she first entered the martial world, she was filled with ambition, somewhat eager to make a name for herself and ascend the ranks of the renowned individuals as swiftly as possible, to become famous throughout the land.
Until now.
Until she saw Zhou Heng’s palm strike.
“Is this the caliber of the young elites of this era?” Jiang Hong stared at Zhou Heng, not too far away, as waves of shock surged within her heart.
So strong!
When could she ever hope to match the Zhou Heng of this moment?
Bang!
Suddenly, a dull thud was heard; Zhou Heng’s palm had directly struck Yu Chengyang’s head, instantly causing the brain matter of this peak Seventh Rank martial artist to burst, killing him on the spot.
Thud!
The headless body fell to the ground, its blood spreading all over, terrifying the commoners who were passing by on the street and equally startling the martial artists among them.
To instantaneously kill a high-level expert at the Peak of the Seventh Rank with a single palm strike, this Zhou Heng was unbelievably strong!
At the same time, Zhou Heng received a reward notification.
“Congratulations! For defeating the worthless enemy Yu Chengyang, Fortune Bag [Copper] +1.”
However, this did not bring him joy.
In fact, when Zhou Heng learned that the Heavenly Palace and the Plague Emperor Sect had issued a Killing Order against him, he felt somewhat puzzled.
Why did they dare to do such a thing?
Even though the heretical path was inherently hostile to the Pure Yang Palace, such a blatant show of enmity had not truly occurred in the years before. Could it be that the Pure Yang Palace had encountered some trouble?
“Master Zhou truly has remarkable skill,” Jiang Hong approached, giving a respectful salute, the young and beautiful girl exuding an air of valiance, her demeanor generous and poised.
“I must also thank Miss Jiang for speaking up for me just now,” Zhou Heng said with a smile, “However, I heard Yu Chengyang mention that your apprenticeship task was to kill him. Now that he has died by my hand, could this be a problem?”
“This is of no concern,” Jiang Hong replied with a smile. “Yu Chengyang is dead, and my task can be changed. However, I have an indelicate request. Might I ask Master Zhou for a moment of your time to listen to it?”
“Oh?” Intrigued, Zhou Heng smiled, “Please, Miss Jiang, speak your mind.”
“The martial arts that Master Zhou demonstrated just now were truly formidable, and I am deeply impressed,” Jiang Hong said eagerly, looking at Zhou Heng, “But I’m also aware that my current martial arts abilities are too weak to be a match for you, Master Zhou.
“When my martial arts have significantly improved in the future, may I request that Master Zhou strike me with that same palm?”
Just a moment ago, when she witnessed Zhou Heng’s devastating palm technique, her spirit was so stirred that she found herself facing a shadow of doubt when she thought to measure herself against it.
She wanted to face that palm strike directly, to erase this shadow of doubt.
“That is quite an unexpected request,” Zhou Heng remarked with a laugh, “I see no reason to refuse. As long as I am available, Miss Jiang, you may seek me out anytime.”
“Thank you so much, Master Zhou,” Jiang Hong said joyfully.
Tap, tap, tap!
At this moment, a rapid succession of footsteps was heard from afar. Two men, dressed like martial artists, hurried over, their expressions seemingly filled with excitement.
Upon reaching the noodle shop, they announced to everyone.
“Big news, this is truly big news. I’ve just received word that just now, the Honghua Palace and the Nine Deaths Sect have also issued a Killing Order against Zhou Heng!”
“The rewards are very generous! They’re not at all inferior to the offers made by the Heavenly Palace and the Plague Emperor Sect!”
“Now Zhou Heng is truly going to become famous across the land, but it’s strange, why hasn’t the Pure Yang Palace released any countermeasures?”
“This is odd indeed, could it be that the news hasn’t reached them yet?”
The news these two men brought instantly quieted the entire noodle shop, all the patrons fell silent, and every eye in the place turned towards Zhou Heng.
Jiang Hong’s eyebrows also furrowed; she too sensed that this matter might not be as simple as it appeared.
Zhou Heng’s eyes narrowed slightly, thinking to himself, “It seems I must return to Ta Hua.”