85: Chapter 85 An unexpected encounter with Ji Cang, a promise made with a single strike!
Zhou Heng meditated and adjusted his breathing in a hidden cave for nearly an hour.
Under the dual effects of pills and the Thunder Breathing Technique, the injuries and exhaustion from the fierce battle with the Rock Giant Ape were finally mostly recovered.
"A Tier 3 demon beast... truly troublesome. Luckily it was heavily injured." He stretched his muscles and bones, feeling the power filling his body again, lingering fear mixed with excitement.
Although that battle was dangerous, it greatly improved his practical combat skills, especially experiencing the terrifying power of divine abilities firsthand.
He walked out of the cave, and his Omniscient Eye scanned the surroundings again, searching for new prey.
On the leaderboard, Ji Cang still held the top spot with a terrifying score of over 5,000 points, while he himself sat firmly in second with 4,665 points, and Lu Chenxin had also caught up to around 4,300, trailing closely.
"That guy Ji Cang... just how many Tier 3s did he slaughter?" Zhou Heng muttered, both admiring and a bit unwilling to lose.
He chose a direction with strong yuan energy fluctuations and was about to set off.
Suddenly!
[Warning! Extremely dangerous and pure energy source detected approaching at high speed!]
[Speed: Extremely fast!]
[Energy Attribute: Peerless sharpness, slaughtering aura, White Tiger Star Fiend!]
[Target: Ji Cang (S-rank White Tiger Blade Master)]
[Realm: Spirit Awakening Nine-Star peak!]
[Status: Peak condition, high fighting spirit, no malice?]
[Skills: Saint-grade White Tiger World-Slaying Saber Art, White Tiger Saber Momentum, White Tiger Battle Body]
Zhou Heng's pupils constricted suddenly, and his muscles tensed instantly! The dragon spine spear was in his hand in an instant, and thunder instinctively flowed!
In the distance, a brilliant platinum-gold saber light tore through the sky, rushing over like a meteor!
The speed was breathtakingly fast!
Just the escaping saber intent made his skin feel a sharp, stinging sensation!
"Ji Cang?! Why is he here?" Alarm bells rang in Zhou Heng's heart, and he was on full alert. Was this guy here to clear the field? To take out competitors early?
The platinum-gold saber light stopped abruptly a hundred meters away from him, the light receding to reveal the figure within.
It was a tall, cold, and heroic-looking young man wearing a simple black combat suit, carrying an ancient-looking but terrifyingly murderous long saber on his back.
His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, yet they carried a strange purity and... focus?
Faint phantoms of a white tiger swirled around him, emitting a heart-palpitating aura of slaughter.
But in the gaze he directed at Zhou Heng, there was no hostility or killing intent; instead, there was a hint of... curiosity and scrutiny?
The two stared at each other from a hundred meters away, and for a moment, the atmosphere was stagnant.
Zhou Heng's Omniscient Eye operated frantically, but he couldn't find a single flaw in the other's seamless aura.
This guy... is ridiculously strong!
Just as Zhou Heng was wondering whether to strike first or make a strategic withdrawal—
Ji Cang suddenly spoke, his voice clear and carrying a straightforward honesty, even a bit... dorky?
"Are you Zhou Heng? S-rank Annihilation Wind and Thunder?"
Zhou Heng was startled and nodded instinctively: "It's me. Ji Cang?"
Ji Cang also nodded, looking very serious: "I've seen your battle recordings. You're very good. Especially when killing the Cang Yao Clan and that giant ape just now."
Zhou Heng: "..."
Why wasn't this opening following the script? Where was the "King vs. King" or "Mars hitting Earth"? Why did this tone sound like a fan meeting?
"Your thunder is very strong. My saber wants to try it," Ji Cang continued, his eyes burning with a light of extreme obsession and purity for martial arts, without any impurities.
"Not to steal points, just... to spar. One move."
Fearing Zhou Heng might misunderstand, he added a special supplement, his expression serious, even giving off a slightly clumsy sense of explanation.
Zhou Heng's mouth twitched, and he almost couldn't keep his composure.
Good grief, this brother... his style is a bit unique?
The legendary favorite to win, S-rank White Tiger Blade Master, the direct descendant of the Kyoto Ji Family... is a martial idiot + socially awkward straight-shooter?
He carefully checked with the Omniscient Eye and confirmed that the other party really had no malice; that surging fighting spirit was directed at his power, not at him as a person.
It was a pure excitement upon seeing an opponent worth fighting.
Zhou Heng breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he smiled too, letting down some of his guard, but his fighting spirit rose. He also wanted to see just how strong this Ji Cang, who was rumored to be god-like, really was!
"Alright! One move it is!" Zhou Heng agreed readily. "I've also been wanting to experience the edge of the White Tiger World-Slaying Saber!"
Hearing this, Ji Cang's eyes visibly brightened, appearing very happy that Zhou Heng could understand his meaning. He nodded heavily: "Good!"
Separated by a hundred meters, the atmosphere changed again, from previous vigilance to a tacit understanding between masters and the solemnity before a duel.
Without any nonsense, the two began to gather their power simultaneously!
Ji Cang slowly drew the long saber from his back. The moment the saber left its sheath, a tiger's roar that seemed to come from ancient times shook the mountains and forests!
A terrifying slaughtering saber intent soared into the sky!
Platinum-gold saber light flickered in and out, slicing the surrounding space with a sizzling sound!
His whole person seemed to transform into a prehistoric white tiger ready to devour people! White Tiger Battle Body activated! His aura climbed frantically!
Zhou Heng's expression was incredibly solemn; he felt unprecedented pressure!
This guy's aura was much more terrifying than that of the heavily injured Rock Giant Ape!
He didn't dare hold back at all! Thunder Extreme Blood Burning Art! Activate!
Blood boiling! Thunder Aura Transformation! Activate!
Power and defense skyrocketed! Invincible Intent completely erupted!
On the dragon spine spear, thunder flashed violently and purple light flowed! Myriad Tribulations Thunder Prison Body was pushed to the limit!
"White Tiger World-Slaying: Army Breaker!" Ji Cang shouted softly, holding the saber with both hands and delivering a simple, straight slash!
There were no bells and whistles, yet it contained the ultimate will of destruction and slaughter!
The platinum-gold saber light turned into a roaring white tiger, tearing through the earth and lunging straight at Zhou Heng! Everywhere it passed, everything withered!
Zhou Heng's pupils constricted; this strike... could only be met head-on!
"Thunderstorm Star · Shocking Thunder Break! Combined Strike!" he roared, extremely compressing the area-of-effect Thunderstorm Star, concentrating it at the tip of the spear, and then erupting it with the ultimate penetration of Shocking Thunder Break!
This was his strongest single-target attack at the moment!
BOOM—!!!!!!!
Thunder and platinum-gold saber light collided fiercely!
An indescribable, terrifying explosion rang out! The shockwave spread frantically in all directions like a tsunami!
The ground was torn into deep ravines! The surrounding trees and rocks were instantly turned to powder!
Zhou Heng only felt an irresistible, terrifying force travel up the spear shaft! The webbing of his thumb and forefinger instantly split!
His arms were in excruciating pain! His whole body felt like it had been hit head-on by a high-speed train; he spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying hundreds of meters, crashing heavily into a mountain wall!
His internal blood surged, and his Thunder Aura was nearly shattered by the strike!
Too strong!
The dust slowly cleared.
Ji Cang stood in place, his arm holding the saber trembling slightly, and his breathing was a bit ragged; clearly, this strike had taken quite a toll on him as well. He looked in Zhou Heng's direction, a flash of surprise and... admiration in his eyes?
Zhou Heng crawled out of the mountain wall with difficulty, his whole body aching and his internal organs shaken, but his eyes were startlingly bright!
"Cough, cough... Badass!" He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and grinned. "That strike... had quite a kick!"
Ji Cang sheathed his saber, and that terrifying slaughtering aura instantly receded; he turned back into that slightly cold and slightly dorky young man.
He walked up to Zhou Heng and said very seriously: "You are also very strong. At Spirit Awakening Eight Stars, you could take a full-strength strike from me and only suffer minor injuries. Your thunder is of very high quality, has annihilation properties, and... another even more ancient aura."
Zhou Heng was shocked; was this guy's perception too monstrous? He could even faintly detect the aura of the Purple Firmament Thunder Seed?
"It's alright, it's alright; I'm still far from being a monster like you." Zhou Heng waved his hand.
"I am not a monster," Ji Cang corrected very seriously. "You are a genius. We can be friends."
Zhou Heng: "..." This brother's every sentence is a critical hit!
Even praising people is this hardcore?
"Sure, let's grab a drink after the competition!" Zhou Heng laughed, finding this guy quite to his taste—strong, no airs, and pure-minded.
"Okay." Ji Cang nodded, then thought for a moment, took a small jade bottle from his storage ring, and threw it to Zhou Heng. "For healing. Powder made from White Tiger Fiend Crystals; it's good for external injuries and meridian damage."
Zhou Heng caught it; it felt cool to the touch and contained pure energy and fiend aura. It was indeed good stuff. "Thanks!"
"I'm leaving. Continuing to look for demon beasts. Must take the competition seriously."
After Ji Cang finished speaking, he nodded to Zhou Heng, and the platinum-gold saber light rose around him again.
"Hey, Ji Cang!" Zhou Heng suddenly called out to him.
Ji Cang turned back, his gaze questioning.
"The top spot in points... might not necessarily be yours!" Zhou Heng grinned, revealing snowy white teeth, fighting spirit burning in his eyes.
Ji Cang was stunned for a moment, then the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch almost imperceptibly: "I'll wait for you."
With that, the saber light soared into the sky and instantly disappeared into the horizon.
Zhou Heng watched the disappearing saber light, rubbed his numb arms, and felt the lingering terrifying saber intent. Instead of being discouraged, his eyes were filled with excitement and fighting spirit!
"Ji Cang... Lu Chenxin... this batch of freshmen is really interesting!"
He swallowed the medicinal powder Ji Cang gave him; as expected, the effect was excellent, and his injuries recovered quickly.
"Must hurry up! Can't be left too far behind!"
With a movement, he turned into thunder light again and rushed into the distance.
The hunt continues!