Chapter 584: Breakdown! Rescue! Devour! (3)
Translator: Zen Translations Editor: Zen Translations
However, almost instantly, Zhou Weiqing staggered to the side, swaying unsteadily as a line of fresh blood trickled down the side of his mouth. Instantly, Shangguan Xue’er dared not move, allowing him to hold her slim waist.
As she truly leaned into Zhou Weiqing’s embrace, feeling his rather feeble body against her now, she suddenly felt a sense of peace in her heart, an indescribable feeling growing.
…
Zhou Weiqing rested for three whole days before he barely recovered his vitality. This was also because of his strong physique and the miraculous recovery rate of the Immortal Deity Technique.
When the Peerless Heavy Cavalry had retreated victoriously, it had barely taken two hours before the Sixth Regiment of the Kalise Empire to retreat, almost fleeing away. Although Zhou Weiqing had almost died to the Heavenly King assassin, the arrow that he had launched prior to that had indeed slain the Sixth Regiment Commander.
As the battle ended, the entire process of the fight had also started to spread from the three hundred citizens. Within the day, the entire city knew all about the fight.
In general, populace and general opinions could be liked to water. Water could bear a boat and keep it afloat, but it is also the same water that could overturn and swallow it. Zhou Weiqing’s speech, his waiver of tax for a year, added to the great spectacle of the Peerless Heavy Cavalry’s power, all of that added together to allow the Crescent City to restore itself to its original state in a short period of time. The city gates opened, trade resumed and the panic in the city soon dissipated. Towards the return of the Heavenly Bow Empire, the grand majority of the populace were definitely extremely happy.
The dealings of the city officials had also ended. Along with all the citizens’ votes, some of the original officials had been killed, some promoted, and the administration of the city was now in good order.
However, in a contrast to the smooth sailing of the Crescent City administration, Zhou Weiqing’s personal condition was not as favourable. During the few days when he was resting and healing up, the upper echelons of the Peerless Regiment were all extremely nervous.
A professional Heavenly King assassin who could appear at any time, that was definitely sufficient cause for anyone to be afraid. Tian’er and Shangguan Xue’er remained in Zhou Weiqing’s cultivating, while Duan Tianlang personally moved to the room next door just in case. At the same time, Lin TianAo and the others also moved closer, and the atmosphere around was rather nervous.
Even after Zhou Weiqing’s injuries had fully healed, the aura of nervousness did not disappear. The greatest problem was that Heavenly King assassin’s terrifying offensive power. Under normal circumstances, if any of his attacks landed on any single member of the Peerless Regiment, it would definitely be a lethal blow.
That second stage of the Dragon-Tiger Transformation, Zhou Weiqing was not able to enter it at all. Previously, that time was truly godsent luck, and if he had to go through such an attack again, he was not sure that he would be enter such a state again. Of course, the previous time was also when he had been fully focused on attacking an enemy, before being ambushed. If he were to be prepared and on guard, with his extraordinary senses, he should at least sense something amiss. Furthermore, Zhou Weiqing also knew that the assassin had been severely injured that day, and it would take him some time to fully recover.
“Weiqing, it will not do to keep going on like this.” Shangguan Xue’er said as she looked at Zhou Weiqing with her brow furrowed deeply.
Tian’er nodded firmly in agreement, saying: “I also think that we cannot continue on like this.” That day, after that talk with Zhou Weiqing, the relationship between the two girls had indeed eased up. At least, they no longer argued all the time. Of course, due to worry for Zhou Weiqing’s safety, the three of them had been staying together, and Tian’er had not been able to be intimate with Zhou Weiqing for days, and she was not too happy in her heart, and she naturally agreed with Shangguan Xue’er’s words.
Shangguan Xue’er glanced at Tian’er before saying: “We can’t possibly keep maintaining such a high level of alert forever. We do not know when that enemy will appear once more. For a Heavenly King stage powerhouse trained in the assassination arts, he is clearly well versed in keeping hidden. It is just too difficult for us to deal with him.”
Zhou Weiqing nodded and said: “Indeed. That assassin’s offensive power is truly something I’ve never seen in my life. Besides entering the second state of the Dragon-Tiger Transformation, none of my other defensive abilities are of much use. In terms of attacks alone, his offensive strength is already at the Heavenly Emperor stage. His weak point would be his defenses, since he is chasing an absolute offense, his own defense would definitely be weak. No defensive Consolidated Equipment armour, and I guess he doesn’t have any defensive Stored Skills as well. However, he has trained so much that he can use his offensive attacks as a sort of parrying defense. What a shame, he was actually able to force out the venom that was injected into him with my kick, otherwise it would be enough to cause him trouble for some time.”
Speaking up to that point, Zhou Weiqing fell silent for a moment, his eyes glinting in a fiery light. “In the end, it all comes back down to the same point. Our strength is just not sufficient. If my cultivation level was at the nine-Jeweled stage, I would be able to enter the second stage of the Dragon-Tiger Transformation at will… if he dares try to assassinate me then, who knows who will be the one who dies.”
Although the Heavenly King Stage was still considered high above the nine-Jeweled stage, Zhou Weiqing had the Dragon-Transformation state, all his other boosts, as well as his six Attributes. If he truly grew to the Upper Level Zong Stage, he was confident of challenging any Heavenly King Stage, even one as strong and unique as this assassin.
Shangguan Xue’er said: “Since that assassin had failed his first time, he knows that we will be prepared for any follow up attacks. My guess is that unless he sees a perfect chance, he will not easily attack again. At the same time, the Kalise Empire has just lost a large percentage of their Regiment before they fled, and in a short period of time they shouldn’t be able to gather too strong an army here. At the same time, they also need to consider if we have the Fei Li Empire at our backs. Also, by now, the news of our reoccupation of the Crescent City should have reached the Fei Li Empire, and I’m sure that it will not be long before their promised supplies reach us, along with the batch of logistic units to aid us.”
“With our previous crushing win, the situation in the Crescent City is at least growing towards our intended goals. I believe that it is time to start recruitment, at least to prioritise setting up our own logistics and supplies unit… only then will our Peerless Regiment be able to flourish their full power on the battlefield without too much worries.”
“As for that assassin, we currently do not have any better plans, and all we can do is to be careful. If Senior Six Ultimate Heavenly Emperor returns in time, I believe that assassin would not even dare come again.”
Zhou Weiqing gripped his fist tightly and said: “I can’t keep relying on Master alone, we also need to focus on our strength and power. However… what possible route is there for my Heavenly Energy to grow quickly?”
Shangguan Xue’er glared at him exasperatedly and said: “You’re not even twenty yet and you are already at the six-Jeweled stage. How much faster do you want to be?”
The Shangguan Sisters were three years older than Zhou Weiqing, but even for an outstanding genius like Shangguan Xue’er, when she was at Zhou Weiqing’s age, she had barely reached the six-Jeweled stage. Furthermore, with Zhou Weiqing’s current strength, could he really be considered as an ordinary six-Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Master? That day, with that Heavenly King assassin, if he had attacked any other nine-Jeweled Heavenly Jewel Master instead of Zhou Weiqing, she believed that it would still have resulted in a death. Perhaps, even an ordinary Heavenly King stage powerhouse, if careless, might have also sustained serious injuries or even death.
Hearing Shangguan Xue’er’s words, all of a sudden, Zhou Weiqing’s eyes lit up brightly. Lowering his head to look at his hands, he muttered: “Raising Heavenly Energy… it’s not exactly impossible…”
As he said that, he silently released his Heavenly Jewels, and a grey light glowed around his palms faintly.
In that moment, he had abruptly thought about the Demonic Manual and the writings within. Demonic Attribute… Devour Skill… the heralded top Skill of the Demonic Attribute. Perhaps a Skill that could even exceed those Heavenly God Tier Skills with their Heavenly Skill Images… how could it simply be just a minor aid in battles?
According to the records in the Demonic Manual, in the history of the Heavenly Demon Sect, there had only been one Heavenly God Tier powerhouse… the Founder of the entire Heavenly Demon Sect, who had Awakened the Demonic Attribute and also had the innate Devour Skill like Zhou Weiqing.
Six Jewels. It was not only the Six Ultimate Skill Manipulation Formation that had such a boundary limit. Towards the Devour Skill, it was also a boundary limit! However, Zhou Weiqing had read the Demonic Manual a long time ago, added on to the fact that he had been extremely busy during this period ever since he reached the six Jeweled stage, along with the addition of the Dragon-Tiger Transformation, he had neglected this Skill. Currently, he abruptly recalled it once more, and how the Demonic Change State and Devour Skill would upgrade and evolve after the Heavenly Jewel Master reached a six-Jeweled cultivation level.
Sensing the Demonic Attribute around Zhou Weiqing’s palms, Tian’er was still fine, but Shangguan Xue’er on the side shuddered involuntarily, an unknown strange of danger overwhelming her.
This sensation was an involuntarily one that rose from the depths of her heart, perhaps it was her natural instincts, as if something terrifying was about to happen with the source being Zhou Weiqing’s palms.
“You…” Shangguan Xue’er had experienced the Devour Skill before when they fought, but not knowing why, this time the sensation was totally different.
*Swoosh* The wings billowed out from Zhou Weiqing’s back as he entered the Dragon-Tiger Transformation state, his eyes glowing purple. Zhou Weiqing clapped his hands onto his chest, his Heavenly Jewels spinning around his wrist. In a flash, his entire body was covered by a swirling layer of grey air.
Currently, in Tian’er and Shangguan Xue’er’s eyes, Zhou Weiqing had disappeared, there was only a massive whirlpool.
That massive whirlpool had a terrifying suction force that caused their very souls to tremble, automatically causing their Heavenly Energy in their body to well up, even their soul and spirits, as if about to be dragged out of their bodies.
What, what was that?
The Devour Skill had not appeared for just too long. As such, even amongst the other Great Saint Lands, they did not have much records left about it.
Zhou Weiqing’s mind flew at top speed as he tried to remember everything he had read in the Demonic Manual. After the six-Jeweled stage, the Heavenly Xu Energy was able to better invoke the Devour Skill, allowing the Demonic Attribute energy to spread throughout his entire body. With his entire body drawing in energy from his palms, all the atmospheric energy being sucked in at a crazy rate, almost like a soul eater.
Almost similar to what Shangguan Xue’er and Tian’er were feeling, Zhou Weiqing could clearly sense like he had warped into a giant whirlpool. In such a state, he found that the other five Attributes in his body seemed to be suppressed and hidden, and he could only sense the Demonic Attribute. In this state, his Ice Cold Perception was also raised to the max.