Eternal Heavenly Emperor

(Want to hear more of your voices, see more of your suggestions? Search for and follow the WeChat public account "qdread" now, and give "Eternal Heavenly Emperor" more support!) "Who sent this?" Fu Hailin asked a clan member, and after the latter whispered a name, the elder's eyes widened as he blurted out, "Chu Hao!"

"Chu Hao?"

"Chu Hao?"

The bosses gathered around started to murmur the name. Wasn't that Chu Tianyun's only son? What a pity, what a pity. Chu Tianyun was also a genius blessed by heaven, yet he died young. Otherwise, he would've certainly elevated the Chu Family to new heights.

"Brother Fu, is Chu Hao the future husband of Fu Xue?" One of the bosses "reacted"—they were discussing Fu Xue's marriage, and suddenly you bring up "Chu Hao"; doesn't that indicate he's the one she has in mind?

"Brother Fu, you've really kept us in the dark!" The other bosses said one after another.

"No! Not at all!" Fu Hailin hastily waved his hands. How could his precious granddaughter marry an idiot! Even a former idiot wouldn't do!

Wait a minute!

How did Chu Hao get his hands on Black Jade Ginseng? It's known that neither the strongest fighters nor the richest men can demand more life, yet at his age, there's nothing more pressing than extending one's lifespan!

To him, this was a grand gift, so momentous that he couldn't possibly refuse it!

A youngster who had just started to cultivate couldn't possibly acquire Black Jade Ginseng, not even if Fortune Full Building was making a fortune every day! In fact, looking solely at the profits from Fortune Full Building, it couldn't compare to the vast business networks controlled by the Eight Great Nobles!

The businesses of one store might not compare, but what about ten, or a hundred, combined?

If it was about the wealth at their disposal, of course the Chu Family was no match for the Eight Great Nobles! But even he had only seen Black Jade Ginseng once in his life! That was during the former Lord of the City's grand birthday, when a Black Jade Ginseng had been displayed in the hall, serving as the centerpiece of all the gifts!

No one knew who had sent it, but its value had been divulged under the previous Lord of the City's delight. Even though more than fifty years had passed, Fu Hailin still remembered it vividly—the envious looks his family elders had given, as if they were about to turn into ravenous wolves and pounce to steal it!

The thought of snatching something from the City Lord's Mansion—how valuable must it be!

Back then, Fu Hailin didn't care. What was five years of lifespan to him? But at his current age, he knew that, forget five years, he would be willing to kill just to live another three months!

Such a precious treasure could never be acquired by a Martial Artist who had just begun his cultivation!

Considering the opening day of Fortune Full Building, when even the Lord of the City showed up to cheer, could it be—Fu Hailin's eyes lit up. His granddaughter also received the Blood Wolf Order, and he certainly knew of Madam Yun's existence, but like everyone else, he was clueless about Madam Yun's background.

However, one thing was certain, there were many hidden powers in this world! Take the City Lord's Mansion for instance; everyone knew it possessed immense strength, powerful enough to suppress an uprising by the Nine Great Nobles of the city, but where was the limit?

Chu Hao must have received great favour from Madam Yun, and the Black Jade Ginseng must have come from her!

Hiss!

The elder sunk into deep thought. A man esteemed by Madam Yun as a grandson-in-law might not be shameful at all, right? Far from disgraceful, it seemed quite fitting! Indeed, having recently lost his father and stripped of his noble title, Chu Hao's chances of agreeing to marry into the family should be high!

Indeed, but he must first confirm whether the young man truly had received Madam Yun's favour. Otherwise, if it turned into a huge embarrassment, how would the Fu Family save face?

He coughed lightly but did not voice any further opposition, letting the others speculate as they would.

As for disclosing the matter of the Black Jade Ginseng, he would rather die than speak of it!

The original Black Jade Ginseng was nearly snatched away when displayed at the City Lord's Mansion; the Fu Family elders almost turned into robbers. Although the Fu Family was strong, they could not be compared to the City Lord's Mansion; such disclosure might even cause a disturbance!

Quiet wealth accumulation! Quiet wealth accumulation!

Fu Hailin couldn't help but smile broadly. After a moment of thought, he said, "Call over Chu Hao and Fu Xue, those two kids!"

After being summoned, Fu Hailin was naturally very encouraging to both Chu Hao and Fu Xue, leaving Fu Xue completely bewildered. No matter how she looked at it, her grandfather's gaze towards Chu Hao seemed off! Hiss, the old man couldn't have lost his moral compass in his old age and developed a liking for young men, could he?

No matter how wild her imagination ran, Fu Hailin spoke a few words and then let them leave.

To outsiders, it seemed that Old Master Fu might have plans to matchmake the pair. Yet with such a brief encounter, nobody could be certain of anything. This was where Old Master Fu's cunning lay; he'd staked a claim without paying a "deposit", a true Old Fox.

Returning to his seat, Chu Hao said to Tang Xin, "Your family should have quite a few guest rooms, right? I'd like to stay over for a couple of days."

"What?" Tang Xin, who was eating, mumbled unclearly.

"Ma Jicheng seemed full of killing intent when he looked at me. I suspect it won't be safe tonight; I'll lay low at your place!" Chu Hao said with a smile. He was certainly not one to cling to pride at all costs. How could he currently stand against a Third Tier Vajra Realm expert?

"Sure!" Tang Xin swallowed her food and nodded in agreement.

"Also, send someone to inform Uncle Yu to come and stay for a few days. I'm afraid Ma Jicheng might lose his temper and kill indiscriminately if he can't find me!" Chu Hao said earnestly. In his heart, Uncle Yu was his only kin in this world.

"Understood!" Tang Xin nodded again.

A birthday feast brought joy to some and sorrow to others, but around nine in the evening, things finally wound down and people left gradually for home. Chu Hao feigned heading toward his place before changing course to Tang Family's residence.

When he arrived, Uncle Yu was already there waiting for him.

...

Outside the city.

"Third Master, should we really trust that kid's clue? I always feel that kid is off, not trustworthy!" a fierce-looking man whispered conspiratorially.

The Third Master mentioned was none other than Ba Houyuan, Third Master of the Seven Wolf Stockade!

Ba Houyuan waved his hand and said, "If that kid dares to deceive us, he can forget about leaving Eastern Cloud City alive. The moment he leaves the city, our brothers from the Seven Wolf Stockade will eviscerate him!"

"Get changed into these clothes quick!" he then commanded.

"Actually, this kid does have some tricks up his sleeve. He even managed to get us the Ma Family's clothes and weapons. Later, we'll leave behind a weapon and a set of clothes, and everyone will definitely think the Ma Family did it!" a bandit said.

"Ptooey, these clothes are filthy and reek, and this blade is so blunt it couldn't cut through skin!" another bandit complained.

"You idiot, who would throw them away if not because they're old clothes and weapons?" teased another bandit.

"Enough chit-chat, follow me and let's go kill!" Ba Houyuan said fiercely, his killing intent boiling over. He had finally discovered the identity of his child's killer, and this was a vendetta he was determined to avenge!

They walked brazenly toward the city gate, slipping past the guards with the Ma Family's garb, though the guards were indeed puzzled about how the Ma Family's servants had fallen to such a lowly state, wondering how long those clothes had been worn, almost on par with beggars.

"Quick, bring the map to me!" Upon entering the city, the group made their way into a secluded alley, where Ba Houyuan couldn't wait any longer.

He took the map and studied it for a while before saying, "The North... the North... Where is the North, let's go!"

"Third Master!" a bandit hesitated to speak.

"What's the matter?" Ba Houyuan snapped impatiently.

"The map is upside down!"

"Damn it, are you saying I can't read?" Ba Houyuan cursed, flipped the map over, and began to study it again.

A circle was marked with red ink on the map, and following it, the bandits soon reached the vicinity of the Chu Family.

"Wait here, then at the dead of night, we'll attack and leave no survivors," Ba Houyuan said, licking his lips, his eyes filled with frenzy.

"Yes, Third Master!"

...

When the night fell silent, Ma Jicheng quietly left his home, his figure flitting through the streets under the cover of darkness.

He donned a black hood and dressed in black, the quintessential garb of a midnight thief.

It didn't matter whether his son had been killed by Chu Hao or not, tonight he was set on eliminating Chu Hao!

If it was true, then what better way to avenge his son? But if not, it would put a definitive end to the feud between the Chu and Ma families! Indeed, he had always wanted to do this, but due to the high risk of murdering someone within the city, he had hesitated.

But the hatred for the murder of his son had steeled his resolve!

Besides, he hadn't shown his face, so even if someone found out, it wouldn't matter. As long as he escaped swiftly, and stubbornly denied any accusation afterward, who would dare to accuse him?

The speed of a Vajra Realm expert might not be excessively fast, but their stamina was astounding, enabling long pursuits. In a matter of fifteen minutes, he arrived at the Chu Family's residence. Under the cloak of night, the Chu residence was eerily silent, almost frighteningly so.

Of course, this couldn't possibly scare someone as strong as Ma Jicheng, who let out a cold smile. The night was still long, and he planned to thoroughly interrogate Chu Hao. If the latter truly was the murderer of his son, he would ensure the kid suffered the whole night!

Whoosh, he vaulted over the wall and into the compound.

...

"Search everywhere, you lot. This kid is rolling in money, we might make a fortune!" Ba Houyuan and the other bandits had already entered the Chu residence under the cover of night, moving furtively—a habit developed from their years of thievery.

"Yes, Third Master!"

Five of them split up to search, while the remaining two stayed with Ba Houyuan.

The three approached Chu Hao's room, and bang, Ba Houyuan kicked the door open, then with a swoosh of his blade, he chopped down on the bed. The strike was so powerful it split the bed in two, but there was no blood to be seen.

"Eh, where's that kid?" Ba Houyuan bulged his eyes in confusion.

The other two were just as bewildered—where was the person?

Bang!

At that moment, a dull thud sounded and a shadow burst through the window. With their smashing force, fragments of the window scattered, nicking all three bandits and causing them to grimace in pain from the stinging cuts.

"Third Master, this is bad, it's a trap!" one bandit immediately cried out.

"Damn it, whoever dares to fool me will get chopped to pieces by me!" Ba Houyuan swung his Nine-Ringed Blade and slashed at the intruder who had just broken in.

Ma Jicheng's face twitched beneath the black hood. (My novel "Eternal Heavenly Emperor" will have more fresh content on the official WeChat platform, and there's also a 100% chance to win big prizes in our lottery! Just open WeChat, click on the "+" on the top right to add friends, search for the public account "qdread" and follow—hurry up!)