I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 89: Three Choices

Upon realizing that Xuan Yang was truly enraged,

Zhou Heng instantly used the Fooling Card without hesitation.

“Fooling Card [Copper]: It can reduce a person’s intelligence, halt a person’s thoughts, and eradicate a person’s rationality.”

Now, Xuan Yang stood there dumbfounded, clearly affected by the first two effects.

Next, he would lose his rationality.

Once rationality was lost, he would be left only with instincts. Under normal circumstances, he would follow the emotions of anger and fury, falling into a frenzied mass murder, potentially having even greater destructive power.

Unfortunately, his intelligence was decreased, and his thoughts were halted. Whether it was anger, fury, or any other instinctual emotion, none could function in such a state.

Thus, Xuan Yang could not control his body as per his will, could not control the immense power within him, and was even less able to use it to perform various Ghost Immortal techniques.

This meant that he could not resist the effects of the Fooling Card.

He could only wait for the duration of the “fooling” to end; before that time, he could only serve as a shell with power that he was utterly incapable of harnessing.

And with his decreased intelligence, he would be completely unaware of this fact.

He would even constantly agonize over such stupid questions as which hand to move first, which eye to blink first, whether to move his tongue when opening his mouth, or which tongue to move.

Bang!

Just at this moment, there was a loud noise in the air, and the towering hundred-feet-tall demonic Dharma Body suddenly collapsed, scattering into countless shards of purple-black light.

Xuan Yang reverted back to his appearance when he first emerged from the purple-black glow vortex. He had a purple robe, wore a jade crown, abroad forehead, and slender eyebrows, taking the form of a middle-aged man.

The maintenance of the Dharma Body state also required rationality.

Now that Xuan Yang’s rationality was temporarily eliminated, he naturally could no longer maintain the Dharma Body state.

He could only return to his original form.

After reverting to his original form, he still stood dumbly in the sky, like an idiot, not knowing what to do next, let alone how to do it.

Cheng Jianjian and her companions were stunned. They watched incredulously as Xuan Yang in the sky dissipated his Dharma Body, and then turned their shocked gaze to Zhou Heng.

What happened?!

What just happened?

What did Zhou Heng do?

Why did the Ghost Immortal, just a moment ago full of rage and about to unleash an attack that would destroy everything, suddenly turn into an idiot? Not only did his Dharma Body disperse, but he also stood far away motionless? What kind of method was this, it’s too miraculous.

It was beyond all reason!

It was utterly inconceivable!

People in Yuyang County City also looked up at the sky, dumbfounded.

They had already given up all hope, and just when a glimmer of hope had been ignited, it was cruelly extinguished, driving many to contemplate suicide.

After all, it was all death.

If killed by that monster, who knew what the end would be like.

It might be better to end it themselves.

But now, this sudden change was like a streak of light cutting through the darkness, brightening their hearts shrouded in purple-blackness.

The monster turned into a human and seemed to be stunned in place.

Does this mean that a truly powerful being, a real mighty figure, had intervened?

Many cried tears of joy, many knelt on the ground, strangers embraced each other, cheering and jumping for joy, all while anticipating the final victory’s arrival.

At this moment, Zhou Heng had a solemn expression, exuding an air of dignity.

That expression resembled that of an Immortal from the temple’s portraits, his presence mysteriously lacking a certain “human touch” and imbued with more of an “Immortal aura”, as if he might ascend from the mundane world at any moment.

Cheng Jianjian, looking at Zhou Heng’s demeanor, felt an inexplicable sadness in her heart.

She couldn’t help but recall the days she spent recovering from her injuries in Zhou Heng’s home.

The two of them joked and interacted happily.

Though it was only a brief few days, it was a rare moment of leisure for her after leaving the mountains, a time free of worries and the happiest period she had experienced.

It was then that her impression of Zhou Heng had formed.

Someone slightly greedy for money, but kind, gentle, and amusing to talk to.

Someone who trained in Martial Arts day and night, extremely diligent and earnest, of ordinary birth yet very ambitious.

Someone calm in the face of danger, clear-headed, valuing friendship highly, and always keeping promises.

Oh, and he was also a great cook.

This was Cheng Jianjian’s impression of Zhou Heng.

But now, she suddenly felt that her impressions of Zhou Heng seemed to be starting to blur.

The Zhou Heng in front of her appeared to be transforming into another person.

A powerful entity, capable of controlling vital energy and manipulating laws, able to move mountains and seas, pluck stars, and seize the moon, was awakening within him.

Perhaps this was his previous life?

Would this be an irreversible process?

As a True Disciple of the Pure Yang Sect, a Fourth Rank unparalleled master’s direct disciple, Cheng Jianjian was very clear what it was like for a great being to awaken their past life memory after resurrection.

Basically, they treat memories from their reincarnation as a minor episode of life, just as another experience.

After all, how could a few decades of memories from after reincarnation compare with a millennium of cultivation from a previous life? No matter how strong a broth is, its flavor is undetectable when poured into the ocean.

“Is his memory really going to awaken?” Cheng Jianjian suddenly felt worried. Once Zhou Heng awakened his memory from his past life, would he still remember those short two days?

Probably not.

Based on the reaction of the Ghost Immortal, it was highly likely that Zhou Heng’s past life was none other than the powerful being who had imposed the seal on that Ghost Immortal thousands of years ago.

What could two days from a mere decade of experiences after reincarnation mean to such a lofty figure?

Her thoughts turned sadder, and she lowered her head.

Even the joy of having just witnessed the scattering of Xuan Yang’s Dharma Body was completely washed away.

In actuality, Zhou Heng’s current demeanor and expression were all an act.

Using the “Fooling Card” had no effect on him whatsoever.

However, since Xuan Yang had mistaken him for a reincarnated great power, he decided to go along with it and act the part to the end.

Until now, he had been worried about how to explain his powerful abilities.

Now he had an explanation.

It was perfect!

To make the effect even more convincing, Zhou Heng decided to add more to his performance.

Activate “Golden Halo Spread Across the Sky”!

“Illusionary Special Effect ‘Golden Halo Spread Across the Sky’: This is a simple visual effect, with no actual power. It causes one’s body to shine with golden light, which is echoed by a golden halo spreading across the sky, achieving Unity of Heaven and Man.”

Thus, in Cheng Jianjian’s eyes, Zhou Heng’s body suddenly shone with layers of golden light, which illuminated the surrounding dark purple, casting his facial features in a deeper relief and rendering his entire being incredibly sacred.

This made her even more heartbroken.

Hum!

At this moment, the sky trembled faintly, followed by strands of golden light that sliced through the dark purple glow and filled the sky.

The sight was like the legendary birth of a Celestial Man, with the Laws resonating and the world producing a spectacular and incredibly vibrant phenomenon.

Especially since, before this sky of golden radiance appeared, the world was shrouded in a gloomy, deathly despair-inducing dark purple light. The contrast made everyone feel that the scattered golden rays were incomparably beautiful.

Although Xuan Yang was not yet dead, and was even still standing in the sky, the people of Yuyang County City, upon seeing the golden light, firmly believed that it was the light of victory and that the monster was about to die!

Even the woman next to Cheng Jianjian, who had earlier taken to the sky in an attempt to stop Xuan Yang, couldn’t help but smile at the golden sky. She pointed at Zhou Heng and said to Cheng Jianjian beside her, “It seems this young man truly is a reincarnated powerful being. His memories must be awakening now, right? Such an impressive phenomenon he’s caused, amazing, truly amazing.”

“Uh, yes, that’s right,” Cheng Jianjian replied absently.

Zhou Heng saw that the special effects were now in full swing and that one- tenth of the Fooling Card’s duration had passed.

It was time to use the “PeakCard”!

” Peak Card: Allows one to attack with the peak proficiency of a single Martial Art or Taoist Formula.”

Sect Fifth Rank Five Thunder Orthodox Gold Book: Not learned (0.000356/1)

Use the “PeakCard”!

In a flash, Zhou Heng felt as though he had suddenly plunged into an ocean of thunder.

All around were golden thunders, supremely rigid and positive, supremely high and mighty, weaving yin with yang, circulating the five elements, channeling the energy of heaven and earth, operating the principles of all things.

The endless mysteries of the Thunder Method seemed to gather in his palm all at once.

And at that same moment—

Sect Fifth Rank Five Thunder Orthodox Gold Book: Twelfth level (12000/12000)

Proficiency rose to its peak state!

—At the Middle Third Rank, proficiency in both Martial Arts and Taoist Formulas is no longer categorized simply as “Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Mastery, Perfection.”

Instead, it is represented by different levels, and each Martial Art or Taoist Formula has its own levels.

Now, the ball of golden lightning held in Zhou Heng’s right hand, flickering on and off, intertwining yin and yang, condensing the five elements, was the twelfth level peak Five Thunder Righteous Method!

Immediately, he formed a seal with his left hand and raised his right hand to the sky.

The qi of the five organs and five elements condensed, uniting the principles of yin and yang, intertwining into the seed of thunder.

This added another layer of “battle armor” made of thunderous light to Zhou Heng, who was already draped in golden light.

Boom!

A thunderous roar like the rage of the heavens sounded; a mountainous, gigantic Thunderball fell from the sky, striking at Xuan Yang, who was still in a state of stupefaction.

And in the moment it struck, the lightning transformed into a towering, penetrating Thunder Sword!

It slashed into Xuan Yang!

In that instant, whether it was the dark purple light or the sky filled with golden radiance, all had to make way for this unparalleled bolt of lightning.

It was as if the majestic will of heaven had descended!

It shattered the decayed and pulled the rotten!

It destroyed all that was evil!

For thunder is the pivot of heaven and earth!

Thus, thunder is the command of heaven; its authority is the greatest, all under the three realms and nine lands abide by thunder’s dominion!

“Five Thunder Righteous Method!”

Boom!

Xuan Yang, this Ghost Immortal, exploded in the air under the might of this thunderous heaven’s fury, dying on the spot, his body and spirit utterly dispersed, ceasing to exist.

But this bolt of lightning, after annihilating Xuan Yang in the sky, did not stop its assault and continued to strike towards the earth!!

Boom, boom, boom!

The desolate area to the south of Yuyang County City completely collapsed under the thunderous strikes, revealing a gigantic hollow beneath, and its broken seals were breached.

Once again, the Five Thunder Righteous Method accurately struck Xuan Yang inside, the remnant within the seals in his true form, also in a state of being fooled.

Under the thunderous assault, he had no power to resist.

He was outright obliterated!

“Congratulations! You’ve slain an enemy ‘Xuan Yang’ who was ten deaths and no life, absolutely no possibility of surviving. Please choose one of the following rewards.”

“® Restart once: Cause everything within a hundred li to revert back three minutes in time, not a reversal of time.”

Resurrection once: One resurrection opportunity for yourself, or to bring a dead life back to life.”

“® Destruction once: Completely destroy an item or a life.”