Eternal Heavenly Emperor

Silence! Utter silence enveloped the arena!

Triple Flame War Emperor couldn't stop himself from trembling. That was the Dharma Body of a War Emperor, whose strength was many times greater than his own, yet now it had been burst by a single punch from Chu Hao. This meant that if Chu Hao had thrown a punch at him earlier, he would definitely be finished by now.

What kind of monster was this!

No, he couldn't possibly be a War Venerate. There was no War Venerate in the world so powerful as to destroy a War Emperor's Dharma Body with one punch.

He carefully sensed, because Chu Hao's punch had drawn out true power and revealed his aura completely.

"War Emperor! High-tier War Emperor!" he said tremblingly.

Good heavens, the opponent's aura was even stronger than his own, and he was already a fifth-tier War Emperor, which meant Chu Hao's cultivation must be at least sixth-tier! No, that's not right. Even an eighth-tier War Emperor couldn't burst a War Emperor's Dharma Body, unless—

"Are you a ninth-tier or tenth-tier War Emperor?" Triple Flame War Emperor was near madness, to think one could actually break into such realms, what an abomination.

"You're not too stupid," Chu Hao glanced back at him but immediately looked away again, his right hand reaching out to grab Huo Jiang.

With Huo Jiang's measly strength, how could he resist? He was immediately seized by the neck and lifted by Chu Hao.

"Chu Hao, have you really, really become a War Emperor?" War Emperor Tianshuang said with a trembling voice, still unable to recover, no wonder, in the hearts of everyone at Spirit Spring Sect, even War Emperor Kongming was akin to a deity; how could he be defeated?

Chu Hao nodded, saying, "Yes, Lord Tianshuang."

"Haha, no need to call me lord. Not only have you become a War Emperor, but you are also of the ninth or tenth tier, standing shoulder to shoulder with the War Emperor. It should be I who call you lord," War Emperor Tianshuang said with a laugh, his face showing no discomfort but filled with surprise instead.

He had always known Chu Hao was out of the ordinary, but he had never imagined he would grow so quickly. He was not even thirty yet, yet he had already attained the strength of a War Emperor. With Chu Hao's demonic prowess, it was entirely possible for him to become a War God in the future.

Boom!

Just then, a loud bang echoed, and an angry voice came from within the mountains: "Chu Hao, if you dare to harm a single hair on Huo Jiang, I will kill you! I definitely will!"

That was Emperor Kongming.

With his Dharma Body destroyed, Huo Jiang had obviously fallen into Chu Hao's hands. Now, Emperor Kongming, whose sole purpose was to protect Huo Jiang, could only leave his seclusion. How could he sit still now?

Hearing this voice, the disciples of Spirit Spring Sect shook their heads repeatedly, because no matter how the Snowy Plains Sect had provoked him before, Emperor Kongming had never shown his true body, let alone his Dharma Body.

But now?

Chu Hao smiled faintly and said, "Old dog, come out. It saves me the trouble of finding you."

In the sky, rage clouds tumbled as Emperor Kongming finally took action. A War Emperor was incredibly powerful; his fury stirred the elements of heaven and earth into combustion. When a War Emperor raged, it shook the world indeed, as clouds of fire really started burning in the sky.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. Many figures swiftly flew out; they were Fire Cloud and another three War Emperors, accompanied by some War Venerates.

Emperor Kongming, propelled by anger, moved incredibly fast. In just a few strides, he appeared above the crowd, a terrifying pressure overflowing, akin to a Heavenly God.

"Release him!" Emperor Kongming said coldly, driven to madness for Huo Jiang.

"Old dog, this is not a few years ago," Chu Hao said calmly, pointing at himself, "I am now a ninth-tier War Emperor."

Hiss. Everyone gasped, silenced once again by the mountain wind.

It's one thing to guess, but hearing it is another kind of shock altogether.

A ninth-tier War Emperor, not even thirty!

It was astonishing, definitely the first of its kind in history.

Even Emperor Kongming felt a sense of dizziness. With Chu Hao's speed of advancement, perhaps in another ten years, he could ascend to the status of War God. By then, even he would have no choice but to bow down before him, utterly powerless.

But that was, after all, a matter for the future.

"No matter how astonishing your achievements are now or in the future, release Huo Jiang immediately! I promise to take Huo Jiang away immediately, never to return!" Emperor Kongming declared.

Such a concession was born of helpless necessity; Chu Hao's potential was too great. Even if the Spirit Spring Sect possessed the top-grade Imperial Artifact, Cold Light Halberd, left behind by their ancestors, against a War God, they would stand no chance.

Therefore, it might be better to seize this opportunity to take Huo Jiang away. With his protection, Huo Jiang could live a life free of worries. In a place where martial arts aren't prevalent, with Huo Jiang's strength, he could still wield some power.

Chu Hao gave a faint smile and said, "When you forced Yun Cai and me to flee back then, had you stopped halfway, I could still give you a way out now. But now—hmph! Since you planted the cause, you must bear the corresponding consequence."

"Chu Hao, what do you intend to do!" Emperor Kongming shouted fiercely.

Chu Hao looked towards Huo Jiang and said, "You, a mere Warrior, have no respect for your elders, and have behaved recklessly, persecuting countless righteous disciples of the sect. Today, I will slaughter you here and offer your blood in sacrifice to those you have tormented."

"No! No!" Huo Jiang, seeing the murderous intent in Chu Hao, panicked, never having felt so close to death as he did now. He screamed, "Ancestor, save me! Save me!"

"Chu Hao!" Emperor Kongming bellowed.

Chu Hao stepped on Huo Jiang and then shook his finger at War Emperor Kongming, saying, "Hey, hey, hey, don't threaten me, or I might accidentally trample him to death, which would be troublesome."

War Emperor Kongming trembled with rage but could only watch helplessly, fearing to provoke Chu Hao.

The opponent could shatter his Dharma Body with a single punch; even if not as strong as his real body, he was formidable enough to contend with him. Thus, it was he who dreaded Chu Hao, while Chu Hao could completely ignore him.

Chu Hao's gaze grew cold, and he violently stomped down. "Ah—" Huo Jiang immediately screamed as his left arm was crushed, "Ancestor, save me! Save me! Wuu wuu wuu!" He began to cry.

War Emperor Kongming gasped for breath, struggling to control the impulse to strike, and said solemnly, "Chu Hao, what exactly will it take for you to release him?"

"Which ear of yours heard me say I would release him?" Chu Hao retorted, "I plan to crush all his limbs first, and finally burst his head, putting an end to his life of crimes."

"How dare you!" War Emperor Kongming roared, "If you harm another hair on Huo Jiang's head, I swear, I will repay it a hundredfold, a thousandfold, ten-thousand-fold!"

"Oh." Chu Hao nodded, then stomped down again, and Huo Jiang screamed again as his right arm was also crushed.

"Ancestor, it hurts so much! Just kill me! I can't take it!" Huo Jiang cried, tears and snot covering his face.

War Emperor Kongming, deeply empathizing, said tremblingly, "Chu Hao, I am willing to admit defeat, whatever conditions you propose I will agree; even if it costs me my life!"

Upon hearing this, everyone felt an indescribable emotion surge within them.

Over the past few years, War Emperor Kongming had indeed failed the Spirit Spring Sect; as the strongest in the sect, he had failed. However, as a family member, he was a worthy elder, his love for Huo Jiang deep as the ocean and flawless.

Yet, it was this very indulgence that led Huo Jiang further and further down the wrong path, ultimately leading to this day.

Chu Hao snorted and said, "Old dog, don't play the sympathy card. I will not spare a criminal whose hands are stained with blood, who has persecuted countless people, just because you plead. According to you, if making a mistake just means admitting it and apologizing, then would there still be any justice in this world?"

Crack, he showed no mercy, stomping down once more and crushing Huo Jiang's left leg as well.

"Ah!"

Two harsh cries rang out simultaneously; one, of course, was Huo Jiang, and the other was War Emperor Kongming, who could no longer hold back and had to intervene, as continuing this way would indeed result in Huo Jiang being brutally killed by Chu Hao.

Sitting back meant certain death for Huo Jiang; intervening gave him a slight chance of survival.

How to choose, a powerhouse like War Emperor Kongming would certainly have no hesitation.

He punched with full force, the Elemental Light dazzling, having used his full power. Even if this punch killed Chu Hao outright, it wouldn't matter; he could just take Huo Jiang and wander the ends of the earth, not believing the He Family from Fire State could reach that far.

The earth thundered, heaven and earth shook, the full force of a War Emperor was terrifying, the heavens seeming to collapse, endless authority swirling around, causing even War Emperors like Tianshuang to involuntarily hold their breath.

Chu Hao smiled faintly, his right hand striking out, executing a Sword Technique.

Taiji Tianyuan in front of him derived a Sword Diagram, its five-colored radiance surging, eternal like the cosmos.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, his punch hit the Sword Diagram, creating a tremendous impact, but it was utterly incapable of tearing through the Sword Diagram, much less harming Chu Hao.

The crowd was utterly dumbfounded.

Now everyone knew Chu Hao was powerful, a Ninth Tier War Emperor comparable to a First Tier War Emperor, his previously exploding War Emperor Kongming's Dharma Body was proof enough. Yet no one had anticipated that he could be so strong as to confront War Emperor Kongming head-on without falling at a disadvantage.

"Old dog, your era is over," Chu Hao said as he stomped down again, crushing Huo Jiang's last intact leg, painfully rousing him from unconsciousness, "Today, I am here to beat you thoroughly."

"Cold Light Halberd!" War Emperor Kongming shouted violently, and whoosh, a white light immediately flew out from Spirit Spring Mountain, landing in his hands.

It was indeed the Cold Light Halberd, the Spirit Spring Sect's treasured Imperial Artifact, possessing the might of an Eighth Tier War Emperor.

"My lord, you mustn't!" people like War Emperor Tianshuang urgently called out. The weapon was immensely powerful, and although Chu Hao was an extraordinary Ninth Tier War Emperor, he was certainly no match for the Cold Light Halberd.

"Chu Hao, that's enough, release Huo Jiang!" they urged Chu Hao further.

War Emperor Kongming wielded the Cold Light Halberd, indeed intending more to apply pressure; as long as Chu Hao was willing to release Huo Jiang, he naturally wouldn't want to clash fatally with the He Family of Fire State.

Chu Hao smiled faintly, crack, and stomped down again, Huo Jiang's head bursting open like a watermelon, scattering everywhere.

"I! Want! You! Dead!" War Emperor Kongming went utterly mad. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it at qidian.com and support me. The greatest encouragement are your recommendations and monthly tickets. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)