Eternal Heavenly Emperor

"Uh—" The zombie opened its mouth and let out a short roar, sounding nothing like a human. It yelled as it lunged at Chu Hao, extending its arms, which were a foot longer than a normal person's, with nails that were as long as daggers, black and emitting a foul odor.

Poison!

Chu Hao couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. Fortunately, he had activated the Jade Wall Technique as soon as he sensed something was wrong. Otherwise, if his skin had been cut by those nails, he might already be dead by now.

"Fiend, taste my sword!" He shook his right hand, and the Grey Rock Sword stabbed forward.

Ding!

The sword tip hit the zombie's chest, and a flash of fire burst out. Chu Hao felt as if he had struck an impenetrable shield—his treasured sword couldn't pierce the zombie's chest.

However, under the force of his powerful blow, the zombie was knocked back and fell to the ground with a heavy thud, but strangely, it immediately bounced back up.

It didn't get up normally; it seemed like there were springs in its back, its legs straight as it sprang upright.

A real zombie?

Invulnerable to blades and spears!

Chu Hao frowned slightly, lifting his left hand. The final style of the Sky Wind Eight Styles, Return to One, was already in motion. Combined with Shocking Force, no matter how hard the outer shell was, Shocking Force could penetrate the defense and attack from within.

"Hey!" He executed the Sky Stepping Technique, suddenly accelerating and appearing behind the zombie in a flash, striking with a powerful palm strike.

Boom!

The zombie's body trembled violently, as if it had an epileptic seizure, but it returned to normal in a moment, its sunken eyes fixing on Chu Hao again. It extended its arms and lunged at him.

What terrifying defense!

Chu Hao was truly surprised this time. That attack just now had been fully powerful, the combined force of two styles in Return to One was incredible. He was certain even Jin Yunlin wouldn't dare to take it head-on.

But this zombie not only took it, it was unharmed. How could he not be shocked?

He continued to circle around using the Sky Stepping Technique, searching for the zombie's weak point.

The chest? The forehead?

Neither worked. The zombie's skin seemed to be made of top-quality materials forged with the technique of Thousand-layer Iron, making its defense impenetrable. Perhaps, after mastering Starlight, he could break through such defense, but not now.

Chu Hao tried stabbing the uncovered areas like the eye sockets and ear holes, discovering that though the zombie's defense was formidable, its attack power wasn't great, nor was its speed extraordinary.

Pft!

Leaping into the air, Chu Hao plunged the Grey Rock Sword downward, the blade sinking into the zombie's eye socket by a third of its length.

Success?

No!

This strike should have turned the zombie's brain to mush, causing instant fatal damage.

Yet, the zombie was unperturbed, acting as if a sword wasn't embedded in its head, swinging its arms to grab Chu Hao.

He quickly kicked the zombie's chest with both feet, propelling himself up. Blood spurted as he pulled the sword out, but no blood followed.

Shifting his gaze to the sword's tip, he saw black substance sticking to it, far from being dried blood. The material seemed alive, crawling from the tip to the blade.

What is this?

Terror struck him, and instinctively he activated the Power of Flame. With a roar, the additional effect of the Grey Rock Sword triggered, flames erupting along the blade.

"Screech!" The black substance emitted a sharp, indescribable noise that could pierce eardrums.

But under the flames, the substance instantly turned to ash.

The zombie paused, seemingly afraid of the flames.

"This is truly wicked, weakened by fire?" Chu Hao marveled. "By that logic, thunder should also work!" He laughed, spinning the sword. "Fiend, your time is up!"

He lunged, attacking swiftly with his sword.

Strike after strike left charred marks on the zombie, and though the Power of Flame inflicted significant damage on its nearly invincible body, it wasn't enough for swift destruction.

"Take this!" Chu Hao thrust the sword forward, piercing the zombie's eye socket again. The Power of Flame exploded from the sword tip, flames surging out from the zombie's nostrils, eye sockets, mouth, and ears.

Boom!

The zombie collapsed like a toppled pillar, never to rise again.

Finally, it was finished.

Chu Hao sighed with relief. Though those strikes seemed easy, they were not feats anyone could accomplish.

First, speed was necessary to approach the zombie. Secondly, one had to anticipate the zombie's attacks, since a sword strike might be quickly countered by its long arms and dagger-like nails, posing a significant threat.

Finally, he had to unleash the Power of Flame for a lethal blow.

Chu Hao stroked his chin. Those who could enter this Ancient Training Ground were true geniuses. Accomplishing the first two points shouldn't be a problem, but elemental differences meant those with water, earth, wood, or metal attributes would find it challenging.

—Thunder attribute might be an exception. Among the Six Elements, the thunder attribute was the rarest and also the most powerful, its destructive force likely able to deal lethal damage to that black substance.

Of course, this was just Chu Hao's speculation.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

At that moment, multiple hands emerged from the ground, skeletal and with dagger-like nails.

At least a dozen!

Chu Hao frowned. Fighting these zombies was pointless; this wasn't a game where killing monsters leveled you up, and there were no treasures to gain. Why bother?

Leave!

He leaped into motion, racing forward.

The appearance of the zombies wasn't bad news; on the contrary, it was good news. Why? Anomaly meant progress; he was on the right path. Wandering aimlessly here for a month would drive anyone insane.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

More hands emerged from the soil, one zombie after another climbed out, chasing Chu Hao.

Dozens, hundreds, their numbers grew. But after reaching nearly 300, they stopped increasing. It wasn't because he left "Zombie Land," but because the trailing zombies ceased pursuit.

Yet, even 300 zombies were overwhelming, shrieking monstrously, their sounds forming a piercing vibration that caused the front zombies to emerge early, encircling Chu Hao.

Smart!

Chu Hao admired their cunning, but trapping him this way? Too naive. As zombies formed a circle, he leaped, feet tapping on invisible steps.

Sky Stepping Technique Third Layer Realm, Reverse Sky!

It seemed as if an invisible staircase appeared, allowing him to walk in mid-air. But after about twenty meters, his Star Force depleted, and he descended.

All the zombies were now behind him.

Chu Hao continued sprinting, pursued relentlessly.

After another ten minutes, he saw a tower in the distance. Hard to discern from afar, but its height was evident from how far he could see it.

That must be the destination.

Chu Hao thought. Annoyingly, neither Luo nor Cao had mentioned specifics of the Ancient Training Ground.

—Though unfairly blamed, Yunliu Sect hadn't participated in years, knowing little. Cao Jingwen, despite being a former "Four Talented," had only been here once, with limited knowledge.

After a few minutes, he noticed something odd. While zombies still howled behind, none appeared in front.

Had he left "Zombie Land"?

He pondered, but soon realized he was mistaken.

Ahead lay a mass of zombies.

They weren't dining but besieging someone.

Who?

Though unwilling to meddle, Chu Hao saw the dense formation meant the person was cornered—had they an escape route, they wouldn't be trapped. It was a paradox.

Let them die?

Chu Hao shook his head, unwilling to let it happen.

He hoped the person wasn't Cao Jingwen, which would be irritating.

With a long shout, sword in hand, he charged in. The Grey Rock Sword stabbed a zombie's ear, the Power of Flame incinerating it from within.

Nearly one per thrust, forcefully breaking through.

Boom!

Ice scattered as flames collided. Ice melted, creating mist, but without sunlight, no rainbow formed.

Ahead, at least ten zombies were frozen by ice, while more revived from the ice state.

Indeed, water attribute was ill-suited here. Ice provided momentary respite but not long enough. Handling a dozen or even hundreds was manageable, but 300 or 500 became overwhelming.

It's her!

Chu Hao recognized the trapped person—a beautiful, ethereal figure in white—Qin Yulian, Moon Language Valley's sole disciple and one of the "Four Talented".

She saw him too.

"Brother Chu, thank you!" She expressed, without pretense. She needed help, else forced to use her trump card—something best reserved.