I Cheated While Cultivating

Chapter 90: A Small Goal

However, after a second thought, this seemed reasonable.

Xuan Yang was a Ghost Immortal who had survived the wind calamity, and in his prime, he was comparable to an Absolute Fourth Rank peerless expert, a mere thought could crush him to death.

Even after being sealed for thousands of years, the only thing that escaped was his weakened Dharma Body, only slightly stronger than a Fifth Rank, not yet at the Fourth Rank, but still definitely not someone he could contend with at the moment.

The splendid victory he had achieved was actually all because of the “Fooling Card” and “PeakCard”; he barely exerted any effort himself.

This was somewhat different from when he normally defeated his opponents.

After all, even when he used the Geng Metal Sword Energy Technique to slay Chao Xian, he did execute the sword technique himself.

Moreover, Xuan Yang was indeed too strong.

Changing the reward method was also normal.

But, these three options were a bit difficult to choose from.

Zhou Heng was troubled in his heart.

The first option, “Restart”, was undoubtedly a divine skill.

But, the specific effect still depended on the circumstances at the time and what means he had at his disposal.

If he had the power to change everything but made a grave mistake due to a split-second distraction, or if he was caught off guard by a sudden scheme, then a restart could naturally change the outcome of the event.

But if he were powerless to begin with, even going back three minutes might not make any difference.

In short, this option tests one’s strategic thinking and resources.

The second option, “Resurrection”, had its uses too; the method of revival from death could be called a miracle at any time.

More so, the reward description did not limit the specific ranks.

This meant that as long as Zhou Heng wished, he could probably revive life of any rank.

For instance, fallen saints of the Second Rank, or even the mythological gods and immortals could be possible.

Of course, it still required remains to work.

However, he had no need to resurrect those.

And since he already had a Life-saving Talisman, and temporarily had no one he wanted to resurrect, this option could basically be excluded.

The third option, “Destruction”, was more direct, simple, and crude; it could be used as the ultimate trump card without any rank limitations—even gods and immortals could be destroyed!

Hmm, he wondered whether this heaven and earth, or the entire universe counted as “a single entity”?

If so…

Ultimately, after some consideration, Zhou Heng chose the first option, “Restart”.

Although this ability required smart usage and strategic resources, what Zhou Heng lacked the least was exactly that.

As long as he could open Fortune Bags, his resources would definitely not be few.

Being able to redo the past three minutes was undoubtedly the most operable for him at his current stage.

And it could be used to deal with all kinds of unexpected situations.

It had the widest range of applications.

As for “Resurrection” and “Destruction”,

After careful thought, Zhou Heng felt that these two options were somewhat narrow in their effects.

They could be applied in fewer situations.

Even though their potential might be high, they were somewhat impractical for him at the moment.

After all, whether it was resurrecting high-ranking life or destroying high- ranking items and life, Zhou Heng had no need for such powers at the current time.

He might use them in the future, but by “the future”, he may have other, better methods.

Moreover, “Restart” somehow included both “Resurrection” and “Destruction” to a certain extent.

It depended on how it was used.

Therefore, after comprehensive consideration,

Zhou Heng chose “Restart”.

To be prepared for any contingency.

In this world, so many things are just missing an “if I could do it over”.

After deciding on what reward to choose,

Zhou Heng dispelled the golden radiance that filled the sky, while pretending to be completely drained and about to faint, his eyes rolled back, his legs gave out, and he began to fall to the side.

He planned to feign exhaustion and unconsciousness, and when he woke, he would act completely bewildered, claiming to have only a vague memory of what had happened before, unclear about the specifics himself.

This was an effective way to avoid Cheng Jianjian and others from thinking he had regained his memories from his past life, saving lots of trouble and preventing their relationship from becoming strained.

After all, the tangles of past and present life dominance were scenarios Zhou Heng had witnessed many times, often leading to a great deal of trouble.

Arranged like this, once he “woke” from unconsciousness, he would still be Zhou Heng with only a fragmented and vague impression of his past life.

The sudden surge of power before was just a special case when faced with a life-and-death crisis.

The script was all set.

Perfect.

—For a Martial Artist with Inner Strength, controlling one’s own blood and regulating the breath to feign unconsciousness was not a difficult task. Nevertheless, that alone was not enough to fool a high-level expert’s inspection, so it needed to be combined with a Purified Heart state.

Zhou Heng fell to the ground according to the “script”.

But the anticipated pain from hitting the ground did not come.

He felt as if he had fallen into a warm and soft embrace, with a faint and elegant fragrance wafting over him.

When Cheng Jianjian saw Zhou Heng falling, she came over to hold him.

This left Zhou Heng a bit stunned.

But truthfully, it was very comfortable.

Like orchids and musk.

An eighteen-year-old girl.

Zhou Heng had just put his full concentration into staging a grand performance and was somewhat worn out mentally.

Falling into this soft and fragrant embrace all of a sudden, he couldn’t help but indulge a bit.

However, he knew this was not the time for enjoyment.

“Activate ‘Purified Heart1 state!”

This immediately emptied his mind.

At the same time, the mixed emotions and thoughts seemed to be swept away by a clear breeze, leaving nothing but a vacuous coolness.

He could finally pretend to faint in peace.

Cheng Jianjian accommodated the “unconscious” Zhou Heng, as well as the truly unconscious Shen Jingjing, into an inn.

Meanwhile, her companion went to check the place where Xuan Yang was sealed.

“That ghost immortal has been utterly annihilated, completely cease to exist.” the woman reported back to the inn, describing the scene after her investigation.

This result shocked both of them tremendously, both staring blankly at the “unconscious” Zhou Heng.

The dazzling divine light of the lightning earlier was just too powerful.

To be able to strike down a Ghost Immortal who had survived the wind calamity with a single bolt.

It’s simply inconceivable.

After all, this Ghost Immortal essentially differed from ordinary ghosts, having advanced further in essence upon surviving the wind calamity, with its undying nature thereby becoming stronger. Normal celestial methods were of no avail; they could mostly only use restrictive seals, which were exceedingly troublesome.

Yet the Thunder Method Zhou Heng previously deployed, although not of a low tier, wasn’t particularly high either; it should merely be of the Sect Fifth Rank, or at most the Absolute Fourth Rank, yet it was capable of exterminating such a Ghost Immortal in one strike!

This clearly showed how special this Taoist formula was.

If it could kill even a Ghost Immortal, let alone ordinary ghosts.

This was simply an ultimate murder weapon tailored for dealing with ghosts!

“Don’t you plan to invite him to join the Office?” the woman asked Cheng Jianjian in a low voice.

The implication was clear; she wanted Zhou Heng to join the Zhou Tian Boundary Office because only with them could the powerful Thunder Method be utilized to its fullest potential.

“I do not plan to,” Cheng Jianjian replied without hesitation, shaking her head. It was unclear whether she hadn’t thought about it or if she had already decided in her heart, “His life should not be limited to investigating and pursuing ghosts.

“What’s more… he might truly be a reincarnated great being. If his current life is too dull, I suppose once he fully regains his memories from his past life, he’ll forget them even more quickly.”

I don’t want that.

But she didn’t voice this last thought.

“All right, The Zhou Tian Boundary Office never coerces anyone, and besides, he is also our savior,” the woman agreed readily, glancing at Zhou Heng, then said to Cheng Jianjian, “I need to leave first. I have to report what happened here to the Office in detail.”

“I will return later,” Cheng Jianjian nodded slightly, adding, “Be careful on your way.”

“Mm,” the woman nodded, got up to take her leave, “Please pass my thanks to that young hero, or should I say, senior.”

With those words, she flew out of the window, departing from the inn room.

“Young hero, senior…” Cheng Jianjian mulled over the two titles, her gaze becoming somewhat distant.

She raised her slender hand, lightly resting her chin on it, tilting her head as her eyes softly settled on Zhou Heng, who was lying on the bed, “No, it couldn’t be senior, it must be young hero or young master.”

Senior was a term for referring to Zhou Heng’s previous life.

When Zhou Heng “awoke,” Cheng Jianjian had already changed her attire.

She had shed the clothing and mask of the Zhou Tian Boundary Office.

And now wore a Taoist robe from the Pure Yang Palace.

Certainly, she changed her clothes in another room.

Now, her identity was no longer that of a Star Envoy from the Zhou Tian Boundary Office but a True Disciple of the Pure Yang Palace, ranked tenth on the Human Ranking, the “Qiong Peak Fairy,” Cheng Jianjian.

“Eh, Miss Cheng?” Zhou Heng put on a confused expression, surveying his surroundings, “How come I’m here? I remember that Ghost Immortal, hiss…”

He drew a sharp breath, pressing a hand to his temple, appearing somewhat headache-stricken.

“Are you all right?” Cheng Jianjian hurried over, took out a jade bottle, and poured out a pill, saying, “This is a Calm Heart Nourishing Pill; it’s quite useful for nourishing the divine soul and calming the spirit. Quickly take one.”

“A Calm Heart Nourishing Pill??” Zhou Heng exclaimed upon hearing this, waving his hands in rejection, “No, I can’t take this. With a price of eight or nine hundred silver for one, I’d rather you give it to me to sell!”

“Pfft.” Cheng Jianjian couldn’t help but laugh at that. The worry that had knotted her brows eased considerably, “You’re still the same. Then, take this pill as a thank you for saving a life. How about that?”

Still concerned about money, that meant he was still the old Zhou Heng. This realization delighted her.

“Saving a life…” Zhou Heng uttered, somewhat puzzled, furrowing his brows in concentration. After a moment, he suddenly looked up, “Yes, was it I who killed that Ghost Immortal? Me? I seem to remember using some methods, but I can’t recall clearly. The images are very blurry.”

This acting, Zhou Heng thought, deserved a ninety out of a hundred.

“You can’t remember?” Cheng Jianjian reacted with joy rather than shock, smiling, “Actually, it may be for the best that you can’t remember. I was somewhat worried that the words of that Ghost Immortal might affect your state of mind, delaying your future martial arts cultivation.”

“You need not worry about that, Miss Cheng,” Zhou Heng said with a smile, then frowned, “Actually, my consciousness became a bit fuzzy when that Ghost Immortal turned into a giant statue. I didn’t clearly hear anything he said.

“However, during that time, I saw many disjointed images and bits of information, like scattered fragments, flashing through my mind, but they were all unclear, very hazy.”

He took the elixir while speaking, and as soon as he placed it in his mouth, he felt a stream of coolness sliding down his throat, soon reaching every limb of his body, immediately restoring his energy to perfect condition.

“Such an amazing pill!”

Zhou Heng couldn’t help but admire. Given the potency of this pill, even if his divine soul really had been damaged, this pill could have helped him recover quickly.

It truly is a treasure worth at least eight or nine thousand taels of silver!

“As long as it’s effective for you, young master,” said Cheng Jianjian with a smile as bright as a flower. Then, after a moment of contemplation, she adjusted her demeanor and continued, “The sporadic scenes you saw may very well be memories from your previous life. You might be the reincarnation of some ancient and powerful being.”

“I see,” Zhou Heng touched his chin and laughed, “Being the reincarnation of a great being sounds quite nice. If it weren’t for that previous life, maybe we would have died this time.”

“That’s true…” Cheng Jianjian hesitated.

“Are you worried that the awakening memories of my past life will overshadow my current personality?” Zhou Heng laughed.

“…” Cheng Jianjian didn’t speak, but her expression was an affirmation.

“If the rate of my cultivation surpasses the pace at which my past memories awaken, then it should be me who dominates, right?” Zhou Heng said.

“Ah?” At his words, Cheng Jianjian suddenly became stunned. After a brief pause, she said, “It seems, it seems not impossible.”

Indeed, under normal circumstances, the experiences of a past life spanning thousands of years would usually overshadow the few decades of this life.

However, if in this lifetime one could reach the Upper Third Rank, or even the Second Rank, within just a few decades, no matter how long the past life’s memories are, they would most likely not be as significant as the events of these few decades, and it would probably be this current life that prevails.

To put it simply, it’s about enhancing the “quality” of the memories of this life.

If there isn’t enough time, “spectacular” experiences will make up for it.

A few decades of tumultuous living may not necessarily be less significant than a thousand years of meditative realization.

As long as the speed of cultivation is fast enough, it really is possible to outrun the awakening speed of past life memories, which is logically feasible.

But what does “fast enough” mean?

Seeing Cheng Jianjian’s puzzled expression again, Zhou Heng laughed and said, “Don’t worry, my dear. My cultivation speed should not be slow.”

After all, he was a player with an advantage.

“Such great confidence,” Cheng Jianjian’s brows relaxed, her crystal lips curved slightly upwards in a smile as she said, “Then I’ll just wait for you to catch up to me, shall I?”

Martial Path Seventh Rank at its peak, one of the top ten on the people’s list.

This was no small goal.

“My lady can just wait,” Zhou Heng said with a smile.

After leaving Zhou Heng with a talisman to seal his yang energy, Cheng Jianjian departed.

Zhou Heng walked over to the window to take a look at the night sky; it was already deep into the night.

Yet Yuyang County City was still bustling.

The people of Yuyang County City, having just survived a catastrophe, all had smiles of rebirth on their faces.

Many of them, regardless of past relationships, were now able to face each other with smiles.

This atmosphere was entirely different from the previously tense air, where conflict could erupt at any moment. In fact, many old enemies had let bygones be bygones and became friends.

The atmosphere in Yuyang County City had become unprecedentedly positive.

Zhou Heng pulled back his gaze and then looked at Shen Jingjing.

She was still unconscious.

The young lady had directly faced the mental assault of a Ghost Immortal from Xuan Yang, and it had been too much for her to bear. She’d likely need more time to rest.

“At least things are somewhat stable for the moment,” Zhou Heng let out a long sigh of relief. Next, he would investigate the Three Poison Sect and the Plague Emperor Sect, aiming to complete the Pure Yang Sect’s assessment.

Following the incident with Xuan Yang, he became aware of another advantage of belonging to a Great Sect—access to various materials and information about all sorts of matters.

If it weren’t for Cheng Jianjian being with him, he wouldn’t have even known what a Ghost Immortal was.

That is what foundation means.

“But first, before all that, let’s open up the Fortune Bags.”

“Now I have three Copper Fortune Bags and one Gold Fortune Bag.”

“Let’s see what I can get from them!”