Eternal Heavenly Emperor

This Star Stone was taken out from... a ring?

Chu Hao's mind moved, and he continued to operate the Star Force, extracting the Star Stones from that space along with the book, laying them all out in front of him.

There were a total of 12 Star Stones, but each of them weighed at least ten pounds, shaped in long strips rather than like the bits and pieces of Star Stone he had obtained previously, the largest of which weighed no more than half a pound.

He observed carefully, and the purity of these Star Stones was extremely high; their star clouds were numerous, and even a slight absorption allowed distinction—the overwhelming Star Force was like waves!

He didn't dare exert any strength; even now, with a gentle inhale, the Star Force surged through his veins, swelling them as if they were about to burst.

The purity is too high!

I've struck it rich! Massively rich!

Chu Hao couldn't help but rejoice. Just these 12 Star Stones weighed over a hundred pounds, instantly resolving his cultivation problems! Moreover, with such high purity, they would undoubtedly last longer than the previous scattered Star Stones!

Indeed, those were residual pieces left behind by others mining Star Stone ore. How could they compare with the main materials?

But this ring must be just as precious, right?

Chu Hao held the ring in his hand. There was actually another space inside! Although small, it was incredibly convenient and perfectly suited for storing valuable items!

He tried putting the Star Stones back into it and quickly grasped the knack for it.

Similarly, it required infusing Star Force into the ring, and then the space would appear in his mind; by touching the object to the ring, it could be received inside. However, this was limited to items that the ring could accommodate, such as slightly larger stones which caused no reaction.

Chu Hao, seized by childish whims, put in and took out the items many times back and forth until he was finally content to look at the remaining book.

"Sky Wind Eight Styles!" Chu Hao read the cover and then began to read in detail, but he stopped after the first section.

"It actually requires Star Force to activate!"

"How is that possible!"

Chu Hao shook his head. Although he could absorb the power within the Star Stones, this force couldn't linger in his body; instead, it was used to enhance the vitality of his cells, with his strength still stemming from his body.

The Sky Wind Eight Styles demanded the activation of Star Force and boasted formidable and domineering power—terrifying! But with no way to cultivate it, no matter how fierce it was, it was like a Heavenly Book!

Chu Hao thought for a moment, then carelessly tossed the "Sky Wind Eight Styles" into the space ring, yet his heart was still delighted.

Regardless, his gains were enormous!

Over a hundred pounds of highly pure Star Stones, a space ring! Which of them wasn't a treasure among treasures? Compared to that, the increase of thirty thousand pounds in his strength seemed trivial.

Indeed, disaster can be a hidden blessing, and miraculous survival brings greater fortune!

Chu Hao looked at the mummified old man's corpse and nodded inwardly. No wonder there was frequent bloodshed among martial artists—looting could make one rich overnight! He asked himself if he knew there was someone with comparable or slightly lesser strength who had a plethora of Star Stones on them, would he be tempted to act out of greed?

Greed would certainly arise, but he should be able to restrain himself from acting on it; however, many others likely couldn't guard their hearts and thus would engage in frequent battles over treasures, resulting in innumerable deaths and injuries.

A man dies for wealth, as a bird perishes for food!

Chu Hao tore a piece of cloth from a corner and wrapped it around his neck to dress the wound. After some thought, he decided to dig a hole and bury the old man. With death, the old man's crimes were absolved, and there was no need for Chu Hao to resent a dead person.

"Old man, I hope you'll become a good person in your next life!" He spoke to the old man's grave and then stood up to leave.

He returned to the waterfall and kept calling out for Flying Fire. After a while, a small beast burst out of the bushes and pounced toward him.

Flying Fire!

Chu Hao laughed heartily and opened his arms to embrace Flying Fire. The little beast continuously licked his face with its long tongue, with tearful eyes showing an adorable expression.

"Little guy, I'm sorry to have worried you—I really am!" Chu Hao rubbed the head of the little beast. "From now on, I must become strong so that you won't have to hide anymore!"

Gurgle!

Flying Fire's stomach let out a cry, and the little guy looked at Chu Hao with pitiful eyes.

"Haha, are you hungry? I'm pretty hungry too!" Chu Hao patted his stomach and wondered how long he had been unconscious to feel so desperately hungry! He took Flying Fire to hunt ferocious beasts.

Since they had just arrived in this area, there were quite a few ferocious beasts around. Soon, they encountered a Black Mist Greensteel Beast; Flying Fire pounced on it and bit. How could a mere Third Tier Middle Mahayana realm ferocious beast stand against Feiyun? It was immediately killed with a snapped neck.

The little one was small but strong, carrying the carcass of the ferocious beast to Chu Hao, and then letting go with a hop, signaling for Chu Hao to start the barbecue quickly—it was starving.

Chu Hao carried the carcass of the ferocious beast to the edge of a waterfall, sliced off one of its legs, washed it, and then started a fire to cook it.

A little while later, they began to eat.

To be honest, the taste of the ferocious beast's meat was really not that good, but when hunger struck, taste didn't matter; all that mattered was eating, eating, eating, and filling the belly. After sating his hunger, Chu Hao let out a satisfied belch, and Flying Fire's little belly was so round that all four of its legs were sticking up in the air.

The next day, Chu Hao continued his cultivation.

Although his cultivation had made great strides, he was still a bit behind Chi Zhong! What's more, the idea that he was at the Sixth Tier of the Great Mahayana realm was just a guess. Who knows, maybe Chi Zhong's real strength was even greater! Therefore, he could not afford to relax at all, he must catch up as quickly as possible. The feeling of being outdone by a peer was very disagreeable to him.

He started late, but his exceptional talent gave him the opportunity to catch up with others, however, without giving it his all, even the strongest talent would be wasted.

After a day of cultivation, Chu Hao fell into a deep sleep, sleeping soundly, yet maintaining a vigilant sense even in his sleep, ready to wake up at the slightest rustle of wind-blown grass, increasingly adapting to the outdoor environment.

On the third day, as Chu Hao was cultivating, he saw two people approaching from a distance. At first, he felt a sense of alarm, but when he saw what they looked like, he immediately relaxed.

—Madam Yun, Uncle Yuan.

"Chu Hao, you really didn't die!" Madam Yun stopped by the lake, her pretty face showing relief.

Her voice was not loud, yet even the thundering sound of the waterfall couldn't drown it out. Chu Hao heard her clearly and leaped out quickly, not even caring that he was soaked, grabbing a piece of clothing to put on.

"I have seen Madam," he said, pausing for a moment, "How did Madam find this place?"

"I heard that you had been captured by Lv Congwen, and I said that with your wits and the fact that Lv Congwen was seriously injured, there might be a slim hope for your survival, so I came personally to check!" Madam Yun said.

Chu Hao couldn't help but feel embarrassed; his mind was solely focused on improving his strength, completely forgetting what Uncle Yuan would think after seeing him taken away by the zombie—given the huge gap in their strength, it was natural to assume he was doomed!

"Thank you for your concern, Madam!" Chu Hao said sincerely. Madam Yun had taken the trouble to come and see for herself, which clearly showed deep concern.

Madam Yun waved her delicate hand and said with a smile, "Wouldn't my earlier investment have gone to waste if you had died?"

Chu Hao laughed heartily along with her. Madam Yun's words were candid, yet they revealed her sincerity, making him feel emotionally closer to her. He nodded and added, "Still, I thank you, Madam!"

"Now that Lv Congwen is dead, you must have taken all of his possessions, right?" Madam Yun's eyes scanned Chu Hao and quickly settled on a ring, she smiled broadly and said, "I didn't expect you to have already figured out how to use the Mustard Seed Ring! No wonder you can now absorb Star Force! Chu Hao, wealth should not be flaunted, try not to let anyone know about the Mustard Seed Ring!"

What sharp eyesight!

Chu Hao praised inwardly, nodding solemnly, "I understand!"

"The Mustard Seed Ring is convenient, but it has its drawbacks too," Madam Yun said seriously, "Since no one knows what's hidden inside the Mustard Seed Ring, it can easily attract greed and murderous intent! Once you reach a certain height, you'll understand that there are only so many martial arts resources, and if you want to reach the peak, it's inevitable to compete and fight over them!

Therefore, keep your guard up against everyone, and never fully trust anyone!"

These were not just words of advice, but also valuable experience!

Chu Hao nodded seriously, yet he was slightly puzzled. Reaching the Tenth Tier of the Vajra Realm didn't seem too challenging, maybe just the Star Stones in his space ring... the Mustard Seed Ring, would be enough. Did it really need to be so competitive?

Madam Yun noticed his look but did not explain, merely stating, "You will know once you reach the Vajra Realm! For now, focus on your cultivation. I will have someone look after that old servant in your family."

"Thank you, Madam!" Chu Hao was overjoyed, bowing deeply in gratitude.

Madam Yun approved in her heart, noting that although Chu Hao had thanked her several times before, none were as heartfelt as now, and the reason was just an old servant! This showed that Chu Hao was not one to forget old ties, and he treated those around him well.

Such a person was truly worth nurturing, worth expecting great things from. After all, why raise an ungrateful white-eyed wolf?

"You continue with your cultivation!" With that, Madam Yun nodded to Uncle Yuan and left.

Uncle Yuan gave Chu Hao an encouraging look, hurrying to follow after her, his mind finally at ease—he had been nearly scared to death thinking that Chu Hao had died, knowing how much Madam Yun valued him!

Luckily, Chu Hao had somehow survived against all odds!

What puzzled him, though, was how Chu Hao managed to escape and even kill Lv Congwen in the process. After all, despite Lv Congwen's sharp drop in strength, even a Tenth Tier Vajra Realm Martial Artist was as fragile as a baby before him!

Since Madam Yun hadn't asked, how could he dare to? That question would remain unanswered in his heart, making him wonder incredulously whenever he thought about it.

...

"Flying Fire, it's time for us to really focus on our cultivation!" Chu Hao said to Little Leopard, who had grown a size bigger in the past two months and could now be compared to a cat.

"Roar—" The little fellow bared its newly sprouted little teeth in response, its voice still tender.

The man and the beast continued their cultivation, with Madam Yun's assurance acting as a calming pill for Chu Hao, allowing him to focus solely on his Cultivation. With an undistracted heart, coupled with his innate talent and hard work, Chu Hao's progress was meteoric!