Eternal Heavenly Emperor

To Chu Hao's surprise, after finishing this round of cultivation, he had managed to expand his meridians by ten times!

It should be known that previously it was only about three times.

Fighting indeed was the best way to improve strength. Of course, many people also got severely injured or even died in battle. The concept of fighting to grow stronger was not suitable for everyone.

Chu Hao began to hurry on his journey.

Four days later, he came out of the forest, and after two more hours, he entered a large city.

This city was named Red Maple City because it was filled with red maple trees. During a particular season, the city would turn into a sea of red. The martial arts level in Red Maple City was also very high, with War King-level families holding power. In the Middle Nine Counties, such a status was of the highest level.

This city had become famous over the past thirty years. It wasn't because of any extraordinary local products or top-tier experts, but because, thirty years ago, there was a fierce battle on Huiyuan Mountain outside the city.

The participants in the battle were incredibly notable!

One side was the Nine-Spirit Great Serpent, with the bloodline of a Divine Beast. It was said to have the potential to become a War God-level existence. However, its bloodline hadn't reverted to its ancestral level, so it was slightly inferior and was at the War Emperor level.

To be able to battle a ferocious beast at the War Emperor level, the other side had to be at least at the same level. Indeed, it was a human, Zhao Yan, known as the strongest fighter in Cang State, with the honorific title of "Extremity Heavenly Sword Emperor."

The two battled for three days and three nights, and in the end, the Nine-Spirit Great Serpent was repelled by the Extremity Heavenly Sword Emperor. The blood spilled during the battle caused countless Spiritual Medicines to appear on Huiyuan Mountain. Even though thirty years had passed, the aura of the War Emperor level still hadn't dissipated. Ordinary people would be torn to pieces by these terrifying auras if they approached.

However, Spiritual Medicines could still be found in the outer areas of Huiyuan Mountain. As long as one didn't get too close to the battleground, sensing and resisting the War Emperor's aura from a distance benefited one's understanding greatly.

Especially for swordsmen, since the Extremity Heavenly Sword Emperor was a contemporary expert in Sword Dao, comprehending his Sword Intent brought endless benefits.

Chu Hao was incredibly tempted. So far, he had only mastered two forms of the Mad Thunder Sword Technique. According to the Sword Manual, one had to comprehend Sword Intent to elevate the sword technique to the Heaven Level.

But first, he needed a sword.

He found an inn to stay in. Besides cultivating daily, he rented a blacksmith shop to continue forging the Deep Blue Gold.

Three days later, he finally forged this Sixth-Grade material to 128 layers.

Fortunately, he had advanced to the Martial Sect, or he would have been limited to 64 layers. The difference between 128 layers and 64 layers lay in the ability to enhance force by an entire tier.

Chu Hao was very satisfied. 128 layers were his current limit, and he began to forge the Artifact Embryo.

Currently, he could only forge eighth-rank Treasure Artifacts, so instantly jumping to the sixth grade was impossible. But that was fine. Treasure Artifacts were merely supplementary; what he needed was a good sword that could endure the formidable power of the Mad Thunder Sword Technique.

Crafting a sharp weapon was different from forging a Treasure Artifact. It just needed slow refining and wouldn't be completely destroyed by a single misstep.

Seven days later, the treasured sword was finally completed.

Chu Hao held the sword hilt, giving it a light shake. The entire sword body rippled like deep blue seawater, emitting an astonishing chill.

He couldn't help but praise it. A Sixth-Grade material was still a Sixth-Grade material and had considerable inherent power, making it a half-Treasure Artifact of the same rank. As for Su Wanyue's Xuanyin Sword, its chilling force was even more terrifying. Just a single swing could probably freeze a Martial Sect member solid.

"Let's call it Deep Blue Sword!" After playing with the sword for a while, Chu Hao stored it in his Mustard Seed Ring.

He now had quite a few Mustard Seed Rings, with the largest space equivalent to the size of a room, storing a sword was no hassle. Therefore, he didn't need a sword sheath; he could summon the sword directly with his thoughts when needed.

"Let's head outside the city."

Packing some water and jerky, Chu Hao left the city and headed to Huiyuan Mountain.

The mountain was large and tall, but right in the middle, it had been split open as if a monster had grown inside and was cut in half by a divine sword descending from the heavens.

The split extended from both sides of the mountain, reaching a length of forty to fifty li.

Chu Hao now stood at the edge of the fissure, which was about five meters wide, and when he looked down, it was bottomless.

They said this mountain was split open by the Extremity Heavenly Sword Emperor.

Deep underground, the terrifying Sword Intent still remained, and even War Venerates dared not explore it, lest they be torn to pieces by the Sword Intent.

Chu Hao was astonished. Thirty years had passed, yet a single Sword Intent could still destroy a War Venerate. How terrifying was the War Emperor? He couldn't help but think of the Lower World, said to have been carved out from the Sky Martial Star by the battles of powerful warriors.

Could War Emperors achieve that?

Maybe such feats required battles at the War God level.

Chu Hao continued towards Huiyuan Mountain, intending to get closer and capture the Intent Realm of the Extremity Heavenly Sword Emperor to enhance his understanding of Sword Dao.

As he walked further, he saw more and more people, and tents dotted the surroundings.

All these people were martial masters; there were no Martial Disciples.

Of course, Martial Disciples didn't even possess Star Force, so there was no point in sensing anything here.

Seeing Chu Hao approach, sensing his aura far surpassing that of martial masters, everyone hurried out of his way, including disciples from renowned First Grade Sects and Second Rank Sects.

This was the martial arts rule, being a whole realm higher made you a senior. Disrespecting martial seniors would provoke public anger.

This place was a platform, and beyond it, there were fewer people. Occasionally, there was only one or two, but they were all impressive talents brimming with confidence.

Genius level.

This should be the limit for martial masters, and only a few could reach this level to comprehend the Sword Intent of the War Emperor here.

Chu Hao continued forward. By now, no more people could be seen on the road.

After walking for a while, he saw figures again.

Here, everyone was a Martial Sect, and even Chu Hao felt the pressure. His skin vaguely hurt under the Sword Intent.

With a swift thought, he activated the Jade Wall Technique, making his skin like jade stone, blocking the Sword Intent.

Pressing onward, he didn't go far before stopping. A young man was sitting right in the middle of the path, meaning Chu Hao had to leap over his head to pass.

This was somewhat humiliating, so Chu Hao spoke, "Excuse me."

The young man glanced at Chu Hao, sneering, "A mere Two Meridians Martial Sect, and you want to continue forward? Don't pretend to be something you're not. Stay down below."

Chu Hao frowned, "Where I go is none of your business. Are you moving or not?" The other's condescending attitude angered him.

"Someone weaker than me wants to get ahead?" the youth said coldly.

"Good dogs don't block the way. For a mad dog, I'll just kick it away!" Chu Hao said, and true enough, he kicked at the young man.

"How dare you!" the youth snorted, raising his right hand to grab Chu Hao's ankle.

Bang!

Chu Hao's foot landed on the youngster's palm, and his face instantly changed. He was sent flying. He flipped in mid-air, landing on a nearby rock, his legs trembling so much he almost couldn't stand.

The Shocking Force hadn't dissipated.

He steadied himself with effort, his face filled with shock. He had Four Meridians, a whole two realms higher than Chu Hao, but why did he lose in a direct clash?

Chu Hao retracted his foot, putting his hands behind his back as he moved forward, soon passing the youth.

The young man clenched his fists, staring at Chu Hao but ultimately dared not make a move, watching as he went further.

Smart of him.

Chu Hao thought if the guy had acted again, he wouldn't mind giving him a beating.

A barren hillside appeared ahead.

The Sword Intent here was so fierce that no plants could survive. Finding any living thing here meant it was either a top-grade Spiritual Medicine or a potent poison.

Only such heaven-and-earth treasures could stubbornly survive under a War Emperor's Sword Intent.

From here on, the mountain was utterly desolate, unlike below where there were occasional ordinary plants.

Chu Hao was feeling the pressure growing gradually. Here, the Sword Intent solidified, almost like real swords, constantly testing the defenses of his Jade Wall Technique, forcing him to boost the Star Force to strengthen it.

After a few more steps, he decided to sit down and comprehend instead of pushing to his limit all at once.

Chu Hao sat cross-legged, focusing on understanding the surrounding Sword Intent.

This place was still far from where the Extremity Heavenly Sword Emperor and the Nine-Spirit Great Serpent fought, and thirty years had passed. The Sword Intent here should have almost diminished, but that wasn't the case.

It was the Sword Qi that waned, not the Sword Intent.

Chu Hao's sword strike would unleash a strong Sword Qi that could devastate everything within ten meters. Its power declined with distance, nullifying at twenty meters.

So, even the War Emperor's Sword Qi, weakened by time and distance, should have faded. But not Sword Intent. It represented an understanding of Sword Dao that dissipated but never weakened.

The Sword Qi persisted here due to the Sword Intent. The wind blowing through the mountain carried the Sword Intent, turning into Sword Qi, inflicting terrifying destruction, capable of killing even War Venerates at its strongest.

Thus, the Sword Intent sensed here was from the mountain's depths, surfacing with the wind. When the wind weakened, some Sword Intent dispersed, diminishing the Sword Qi's power.

Chu Hao closed his eyes, carefully experiencing.