I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 65: Plucking Feathers from a Flying Goose

“…” Zhou Heng was a bit bewildered. What’s going on?

Are they really going to kill to silence someone just like that?

They must be out of their minds!

“I really am just passing by.” Zhou Heng emphasized again; he didn’t want to get involved in these pointless conflicts.

Wandering the martial world was to travel, to gain experience, and to steady the soul.

Not to look for trouble or attract unnecessary complications.

In the current situation, he could see the trouble was no small matter; leaving was the best strategy.

Having said that, Zhou Heng spurred his jujube red horse and took off.

Time to skedaddle.

“Hyah!”

Zhou Heng chose to flee without even casting a glance at the woman.

“Think you can escape!?” The man who had said he’d kill Zhou Heng glared, and said to another person, “Keep an eye on this woman. Don’t let her get away. I’m going to kill that kid!”

“Don’t worry.” The other person nodded, placing the blade in his hand against the neck of the woman who had fallen to the ground, and sneered coldly, “Stay put! No one can save you now!”

“Hmph!” The woman clenched her fists and bowed her head, pondering how to escape, while mentally apologizing to the innocent passerby from before.

For that innocent passerby, it was really an unexpected disaster.

So tragic.

At that moment, the man who had intended to kill Zhou Heng had already rushed in front of the jujube red horse.

“You think riding a horse will help you run away?” This person raised a hand and pressed it directly towards the oncoming jujube red horse, “Actually, I know you’re just a passerby.

“Unfortunately, since you’ve seen us, you must die!”

Bang!

With a loud crash, the man’s palm struck the jujube red horse, and the massive force stopped the racing steed in its tracks.

No matter how much it kicked, it couldn’t advance even an inch, and it couldn’t even lift its forelegs, being forcefully suppressed by the man’s lone hand, immobilized.

Zhou Heng sat on the horse, unruffled, and said calmly, “I won’t speak of this incident.”

“So you do know martial arts!” Seeing Zhou Heng composed, the man’s killing intent surged. The palm holding down the jujube red horse burst with power. He leapt up, raised his knife in the other hand, and struck at Zhou Heng, “Only a dead man’s mouth can keep a secret!”

Immediately following…

“Ah!”

A scream pierced through the sound of the rain. A stream of bright red blood splashed out, mixing with the rain and falling to the ground.

“Hey, that’s just bad luck.” The person guarding the woman sneered, and then turned to look, his smile freezing on his face, his eyes wide and stunned, he exclaimed, “How, how is this possible!?”

The figure on the jujube red horse was completely unharmed, simply raising his hand.

However, the assailant who had gone to kill was now frozen in mid-air, his neck sliced open, blood gushing out like a fountain incessantly.

Thud!

The man fell to the ground, body convulsing violently.

He stared wide-eyed at Zhou Heng, breathing heavily, trying to speak but no sound came out, only more blood gushed from his mouth.

This state, it was certain death.

The other person, who had been guarding the woman, was completely petrified with fear, even doubting his own eyes.

What happened?

What just happened??

What kind of strength does this “passerby” have to instantly take down an Eighth Rank expert!?

The woman also widened her eyes, dumbfounded.

Too powerful!

This “passerby’s” strength was incredibly formidable!

She was very aware of the capabilities of the two men pursuing her; even among Eighth Rank experts, they were undoubtedly strong. Yet they were killed in the flick of a wrist!

Seventh Rank!?

But listening to the “passerby’s” voice just now, he seemed very young.

A Seventh Rank expert so young, could he be one of the current heroes listed on the people’s ranking?

Just then, she suddenly felt the blade on her neck disappear; the person who just a moment ago had been guarding her was now rushing frantically into the nearby woods.

He’s running!

This man, an Eighth Rank expert who had pursued her with no escape left, chose to flee without even fighting, just ran away!

Scared by the “passerby” to the point of not even considering fighting back.

“Eh, isn’t he going to chase?” The woman saw the passerby remain on the horse without dismounting or showing any intention to pursue, and couldn’t help feeling puzzled.

Could this person actually be thinking of letting that man live?

Impossible.

The martial world is so perilous, how could there still be someone so naive?

Just as she was puzzled, Zhou Heng broke off a branch from a nearby tree and casually threw it. The branch suddenly shot out like an arrow released from a bowstring, and instantly pierced the neck of the fleeing man.

Normally, the piercing ability of a branch wouldn’t be significant, unlikely to penetrate the flesh and blood of an Eighth Rank expert, yet this branch seemed like a true crossbow bolt, piercing straight through that man’s neck on the spot!

It went right through!

Blood gushed out at once, and while the man’s body was still running forward, he didn’t get far before he fell to the ground with a thud, spitting blood and beginning to convulse violently.

The effect of Sharpness +1 was really useful.

When combined with the base attribute of Great Strength +2, even the most ordinary branch could produce the effect of a sharp arrow.

Once he reached the Eighth Rank, he could even infuse a small amount of Inner Qi into branches or even leaves. By then, he could straighten a leaf and send it flying like a dart, with an effect stronger than using a branch as he did now!

That would truly be a case of “every fallen leaf and flower petal could be wielded as a weapon!”

Although this Eighth Rank expert had been weakened by the long chase and his Inner Qi was greatly consumed, leaving him considerably fatigued and his courage shattered by the scene of his companion being killed in an instant, he was still an expert with considerable strength.

Being able to easily defeat such an expert, Zhou Heng was very satisfied with the outcome.

The woman, on the other hand, was completely flabbergasted, looking at Zhou Heng with disbelief. Even though his head was covered and his face obscured, the astonishment in her eyes was unmistakable.

He had actually defeated an Eighth Rank expert with just a branch?!

What kind of strength was this?

Could this be a young powerhouse of the Seventh Rank, listed on the Hero Rankings??

However, the following actions of this “powerhouse” somewhat disillusioned her.

This “powerhouse” actually got up from his horse, drew his waist knife, and repeatedly slit the necks of the two men, stabbed their hearts several times, and only after confirming they were indeed dead did he start to search the bodies. That’s right!

Searching the bodies!

This “powerhouse” turned the possessions of these two men inside out, taking all the silver they found, and packed up all other items into a bundle as well.

It was outright plundering!

He stopped just short of taking their clothes.

“May I ask who you are…” the woman was about to inquire when she saw Zhou Heng directly mount his sorrel horse, tug on the reins, and gallop away, without even sparing her a glance the entire time.

“…” She fell silent, somewhat at a loss.

Moreover, she suddenly remembered that when that strong man had turned his horse around, he had already covered his face with the collar of his raincoat, so she had no idea what her savior even looked like.

Zhou Heng left in a hurry because he didn’t want to have any interactions with that woman.

To avoid any unnecessary trouble.

Indeed, if those two hadn’t sought death by insisting on offering themselves up, he really would have preferred to be just a silent passerby.

Alas, some people just feel their lives are too long.

Zhou Heng had no choice but to kill them and collect his rewards.

“Congratulations! For killing the weak enemy Jia You, you have received a Fortune Bag [Copper] +1.”

“Congratulations! For killing the weak enemy Yang Si, you have received a

Fortune Bag [Copper] +1.”

Besides these two System prompts,

there were other “rewards.”

Combined, the two men had over twenty taels of Broken Silver, along with several silver notes and items like daggers, tokens, and letters.

He only roughly gauged the weight of the silver.

The rest he planned to examine carefully once he found lodging in Yuyang County.

The rain soon stopped.

And at dusk, Zhou Heng arrived in Yuyang County.

Because he had obtained a map detailing the specifics of Yuyang County City from Wu Zongshan, he knew exactly where to find food and lodging.

Zhou Heng entered an inn and found it quite lively inside, with many people squeezed together, apparently looking at something.

“Waiter, a bowl of hot wontons,” Zhou Heng called for a snack, intending to fill his stomach.

“Coming right up!” the server responded briskly, announcing, “One moment, one bowl of wontons!”

Zhou Heng also listened to find out what kind of group the surrounding people were, and what they were watching?

It was enough to draw such a crowd, it was almost as if they were eagerly awaiting the update of the three Rankings.

“The Hero Rankings have been updated! There’s a newcomer, a new name on the list!”

Just then, Zhou Heng suddenly heard an exclamation, and his eyes lit up, casting his gaze in that direction.