The Creation of the Heavens and All Realms

Chapter 42: The Battle for the Zhumian Sword

Huang Jue’s accusation made Zhou Tianci the center of everyone’s attention. The other Innate-level experts, not yet understanding the full circumstances, stood on the sidelines, but the Innate-level cultivators from the Four Great Clans unhesitatingly surrounded Zhou Tianci, seemingly having already accepted Huang Jue’s claim as fact. Zhou Tianci furrowed his brow; he didn’t know why Huang Jue was framing him. But at this moment, he couldn’t back down even a single step—otherwise, he would appear guilty and only embolden the Four Great Clans. “Young Master Huang, I have no grudge against you. Why are you framing me? Could it be that your Four Great Clans are planning to take action against the Northwest Legion?” Zhou Tianci seized the initiative, steering the conversation toward the conflict between the Four Great Clans and the Northwest Legion. As a member of the Blood Battle Legion, this line of reasoning was entirely plausible. “The Huang family has the audacity to slander the commander of the Northwest Legion!” Cao Ming, whom Zhou Tianci had saved earlier, immediately stepped forward to support him. Zhou Tianci nodded at him in gratitude. Huang Jue replied coldly, “Commander Cao, since when has Zhou Shi become the commander of the Northwest Legion?” Cao Ming, clutching his spear, replied dismissively, “There’s a rule in the army: anyone who reaches the Xiantian realm is considered a commander. Zhou Shi’s strength is plain for all to see—it’s not your place to question it!” “I am also a Commander of the Northwest Legion, so of course I have the right to question Zhou Shi’s qualifications as a Commander,” Huang Jue replied. “Since you still recognize yourself as a member of the Northwest Legion, what crime have you committed by framing a colleague?” To Huang Jue’s shock, Liu Yuntao actually stepped forward—and he was speaking up for Zhou Shi. Zhou Tianci felt much more at ease. Facing over fifty Innate-level cultivators from the Four Great Clans, it would have been impossible not to feel nervous. But now that Liu Yuntao supported him, the Four Great Clans would absolutely dare not take action. “Young Master Huang, everyone here saw what I did during the ambush on Ming Kui just now. I wouldn’t dare claim to have made a great contribution, but at the very least, I fulfilled my duty…” Zhou Tianci said in a clear voice, looking around at the crowd. “That’s right. Brother Zhou was always at the forefront just now and dealt several heavy blows to Ming Kui—I can attest to that.” To everyone’s surprise, it was Wan Wusheng who spoke, causing the faces of the representatives from the Four Great Clans to darken considerably. “Thank you, Pavilion Master Wan, for speaking up on my behalf,” Zhou Tianci said, clasping his hands in a bow. Wan Wusheng smiled at Zhou Tianci, conveying his goodwill. Zhou Tianci continued, “As for Young Master Huang, while everyone else was doing their utmost to slay Ming Kui, you were hiding off to the side, resting. If you were an ordinary person, that might be excusable, but you are not only the commander of the Northwest Legion but also the young head of the Huang family. How does your behavior reflect on the prestige of the Northwest Legion and the Huang family?” Faced with Zhou Tianci’s sharp rebuke, Huang Jue was at a loss for words for a long moment, because what Zhou Tianci said was the truth—not a bit of it was exaggerated! He had been injured earlier by a surprise attack from Ming Kui, and during the assault to eliminate Ming Kui, he was the only one standing by as a spectator. To ensure his safety, Huang Shuyi had even assigned Huang Congdao to guard him. In other words, Huang Jue had not only failed to contribute to the battle against Ming Kui but had also held everyone back. Zhou Tianci’s public rebuke was like tearing away Huang Jue’s fig leaf. “You… I…” Huang Jue was usually eloquent and quick-witted, but at that moment, he was at a loss for words. “Enough.” Huang Shuyi stepped forward to support Huang Jue. “Everyone, don’t forget why Jue’er was injured! While you were retreating, Jue’er single-handedly held off Ming Kui, buying time for all of us. His contribution is no less than anyone else’s.” “What a sly old fox!” Zhou Tianci was deeply wary of Huang Shuyi; the man was deeply calculating, as evidenced by the way he concealed his cultivation level. By attributing Huang Jue’s injury—sustained while battling Ming Kui—to his act of covering for the others, Huang Shuyi offered an explanation that, while somewhat far-fetched, held water and instantly resolved Huang Jue’s embarrassment. “What we’re discussing now is Zhou Shi letting Ming Kui escape,” Huang Shuyi changed the subject. “At the time, everyone was chasing Ming Kui, but my son, standing nearby, actually had a clearer view. He says Zhou Shi deliberately let Ming Kui go—and he must have evidence.” “Exactly!” Huang Jue, having recovered from his earlier embarrassment, stepped forward and accused Zhou Tianci, “I saw it clearly just now. Ming Kui tried to escape but was stopped by General Liu, who threw him right in front of Zhou Shi. Given Zhou Shi’s abilities, holding off the Ming Kui would have been no problem at all, yet he stood there motionless, watching the Ming Kui escape right before his eyes. What else could this be but letting the Ming Kui go? Zhou Shi, what exactly are your intentions?” Zhou Tianci was taken aback; he had indeed made a mistake just now—otherwise, Ming Kui might have been captured. However, Huang Jue’s accusation was far too far-fetched, so Zhou Tianci didn’t take it to heart. What he wanted to know most right now was whether Huang Jue had seen the Blood Soul! “…I also saw Zhou Shi obtain a treasure from Ming Kui!” Huang Jue’s voice rang out again, causing Zhou Tianci’s heart to sink—his worst fears had indeed come true! “A treasure?” Many people fixed their hungry, wolf-like gazes on Zhou Tianci. They had come here specifically to hunt for treasure, and seeing that the Yuan Jing had all been snatched away by Ming Kui—leaving them empty-handed—they were already seething with resentment. Now that word of a treasure had suddenly surfaced, it was unlikely anyone would let this opportunity slip by! Zhou Tianci steadied his composure and said with a cold laugh, “Young Master Huang, if you’re going to slander me, at least come up with a better excuse. I gave it my all during the hunt to kill Ming Kui—to say I let it escape is nothing short of a joke! Everyone witnessed Ming Kui’s madness and brutality. A monster like that is bound to be extremely vengeful. I stabbed it more than a dozen times; if it were to recover, I’d likely be one of the first to face its retribution. I’m no fool—how could I possibly let Ming Kui escape? In this regard, I’m no match for Young Master Huang. When the time comes for Ming Kui to seek revenge on those of us present, Young Master Huang will be the only one who doesn’t have to worry!” “As for treasures, that’s even more ridiculous. We’ve been battling Ming Kui for over half an hour—what could possibly be on its body? If there really were treasures, wouldn’t all of us at the Innate Realm be able to sense them?” ” Zhou Tianci paid no heed to Huang Jue’s furious glare and continued speaking loudly, “Everyone, don’t forget—I’m only at the early stage of the Innate Realm. There are many here whose cultivation is higher than mine. Oh, and Family Head Huang is at the late stage of the Innate Realm. Though I don’t know why he was previously at the mid-stage, if there were any treasures, Family Head Huang should have sensed them before I did, right?” Having mocked Huang Jue, Zhou Tianci then brought up the matter of Huang Shuyi concealing his cultivation level, making Huang Shuyi seethe with frustration. This tactic proved quite effective: Liu Yuntao, Wan Wusheng, and even Zhang Yuliang, Wang Qingzhi, and Zhao Pan all turned their gaze toward Huang Shuyi, clearly intrigued by his concealment of his cultivation. Huang Shuyi was, after all, a shrewd and calculating man. He didn’t respond to Zhou Tianci’s remarks but instead said, “Since you claim you didn’t let Ming Kui escape and didn’t obtain the treasure, let’s search you. If Jue’er has wrongly accused you, I’ll personally apologize on his behalf. But if it’s truly as Jue’er says, for the sake of countless living beings, don’t blame us for being ruthless!” “That’s right! You claim to be innocent, so let’s search you!” Huang Jue immediately shouted. “Search him!” The representatives of the Four Great Clans shouted in unison. Zhou Tianci certainly couldn’t let them search him—after all, the Blood Soul was right there in his embrace, and any search would expose it. The Blood Soul was one of the treasures in the myriad realms capable of containing the Law of Destruction. According to Zhou Tianci’s conjecture, it was also likely the root cause of Ming Kui’s birth. Ming Kui was born from the Blood Soul and was simultaneously absorbing the Law of Destruction within it. Under normal circumstances, once he had refined the Blood Soul, the Law of Destruction would have fused with Ming Kui’s body. However, this unexpected interruption halted the Ming Kui’s refinement of the Blood Soul, and since the Blood Soul has not vanished, this means that remnants of the Law of Destruction still linger within it! The Law of Destruction is one of the most powerful among the Three Thousand Tian Dao Laws. If the Tree of Eternal Creation could devour the Blood Essence, Zhou Tianci would be able to comprehend the Law of Destruction and forge the Sword of Slaying Immortals—the ultimate treasure of destruction in the Primordial Chaos! The Sword of Exterminating Immortals is one of the Four Swords of Exterminating Immortals once wielded by the Supreme Master of the Shangqing Tongtian Sect in the Primordial Chaos; it is classified as a top-tier先天灵宝 because it does not contain the complete Law of Destruction. Even so, the Sword of Exterminating Immortals’ power is universally acknowledged. Back in the days following the Investiture of the Gods, when the Supreme Master of the Tongtian Sect sought to destroy the Primordial Chaos and re-create the heavens and earth, it was the Sword of Exterminating Immortals that he relied upon! How could Zhou Tianci possibly give up such a treasure? Let alone give it up—Zhou Tianci couldn’t even afford to take the slightest risk! “You want to search me?” Zhou Tianci said coldly. “Then ask my sword first!” Huang Shuyi held his folding fan. “It seems you’re feeling guilty. I advise you to hand over the treasure willingly! All our factions have suffered heavy losses this time; the treasure rightfully belongs to us. How dare you, a mere True Qi Realm cultivator, go against all of us!” Zhou Tianci cursed Huang Shuyi inwardly for his malicious intent. He wouldn’t listen to Zhou Tianci’s explanations at all, insisting that he had obtained the treasure. To cut off Liu Yuntao’s support for Zhou Tianci, Huang Shuyi had even deliberately used the treasure to stir up everyone’s greed—truly a cunning old fox! “Head of the Huang Clan, I’ll say it again: I don’t have any treasure!” Zhou Tianci roared, his voice like a thunderclap. “I don’t know why Young Master Huang is so maliciously intent on killing me—I suppose it’s nothing more than a struggle over the interests of the City of Tears and Blood. You, the head of such a prestigious clan, would act without distinguishing right from wrong—so despicably using a nonexistent treasure to lure everyone into attacking me. I truly despise you! I have no desire to engage in a verbal spat with you. You may wish to harm me, but I won’t sit idly by and wait for death. Even if I can’t defeat your Huang clan, I will make you pay the price!” The two stood their ground, locked in a fierce standoff, leaving the others thoroughly confused. Was there a treasure or not? Many approached Zhou Tianci, using their spiritual senses to detect the spiritual energy emanating from him. If there were a treasure, it surely wouldn’t escape their perception—yet everyone came up empty-handed, gradually leading them to believe Zhou Tianci’s account. “Head of the Huang Clan, don’t take this too far. After all, Zhou Shi is the commander of my Northwest Legion. By pressuring him like this, are you trying to start a war with my Northwest Legion?” At this critical moment, Cao Ming stepped in once again, which deeply moved Zhou Tianci—he was relieved that the person he had saved wasn’t an ungrateful wretch.