Eternal Heavenly Emperor

"Chu Hao!" As school ended, just as Chu Hao stepped out of the academy's main gate, a clear voice called out from behind him. Turning around, he saw a refined-looking young man.

Tang Xin.

"Let's walk together!" Tang Xin said with a smile.

Chu Hao nodded indifferently and replied, "Let's walk together!"

Tang Xin couldn't help but be surprised. He was, after all, the direct grandson of the Tang Family! And what an existence the Tang Family was! Within Eastern Cloud City, only three noble families had a legacy over five hundred years, and the Tang Family was one of them!

Compared to the Tang Family, the Chu Family couldn't even be considered upstarts!

Not to mention, the Tang Family alone had two Vajra Realm experts! Moreover, each of their strengths was among the top eight in Eastern Cloud City! The reason why the Tang Family only occupied one nobility seat was, first, because there was no need to occupy two, and second, it was a requirement from the City Lord's Mansion.

And he, Tang Xin, was the outstanding figure of this generation in his family. The Head of the Tang Family had already declared that anyone who dared to touch a single hair on Tang Xin's head would have their entire family annihilated! The degree of his doting and cherish was self-evident!

Both being descendants of nobility, his status was far beyond what Chu Hao could compare to! Moreover, the Chu Family was no longer considered nobility!

Yet, Chu Hao was so casual and unrestrained in his presence. Was he being foolish again, or was his will so steadfast that he remained unmoved by external influences?

If it was the former, it wouldn't matter much, but if it was the latter... To become a strong character, talent and effort were certainly important, but a strong will was absolutely indispensable!

Tang Xin grew more interested. The boy who had once been called a fool and only revealed his talents today might become a character that shook the world!

Such a person was worth befriending!

Because he was also destined to be extraordinary and stir up a storm. How could an ordinary person qualify to be his friend?

"Chu Hao, what is your ambition?" he suddenly asked.

Chu Hao thought for a moment and replied, "To go out and explore!"

Tang Xin's eyes lit up. Don't underestimate the words 'go out and explore.' The world beyond was perilous, and not just anyone was qualified to explore it! He burst out laughing and said, "Perhaps, we can travel together!"

"Provided you don't hold me back!" Chu Hao added quickly.

"That's exactly what I mean!" Tang Xin immediately responded.

The two exchanged a look and laughed simultaneously.

From their current realms, it was clear that Tang Xin was far ahead; he was already at the Fourth Tier Lesser Mahayana realm, at most a few hundred pounds away from the 5,000-pound ultimate strength. Once he crossed that line, he would qualify to leave the city alone.

But Chu Hao hadn't even entered the Lesser Mahayana realm, which was quite a distance away!

However, Tang Xin did not underestimate Chu Hao at all. Some people peak late, and Chu Hao was the perfect example. His sudden emergence demonstrated terrifying potential. Such a person should either be befriended or crushed so thoroughly they never recover!

And no matter how you looked at it, having an extra friend was always better than having an extra enemy!

"If there's anything you need help with, just speak up. If I can do it, I, Tang Xin, will not refuse!" Tang Xin said earnestly.

These words were not just a casual remark. Representing his status as the future head of the Tang Family, his words could not be considered idle!

Chu Hao was visibly moved and nodded seriously, smiling, "Ah, I do have a favor to ask of you! In a few days, my family's restaurant will be opening. Come and reserve a table at Guest Full Building!"

Tang Xin rolled his eyes immediately. This guy really was not polite! He said, "Your family's prices are so high, I can't afford it!"

Although he was the most valued of the new generation in the Tang Family, precisely because of that, his allowance was strictly controlled to prevent cultivating a habit of extravagance. In fact, this was how all major families trained their successors.

Those who squandered money were merely upstarts.

Chu Hao laughed heartily. Tang Xin saying this showed he had heard of Guest Full's rules. That meant his publicity was very successful, but whether he could turn that momentum into business still hinged on an opportunity, and the Tang Xin present was a great draw.

"Don't worry, just come and eat, no need to pay!" he said.

Tang Xin continued to roll his eyes. How much did a table cost at Guest Full Building? 10 taels? 20 taels? Using 10 or 20 taels of silver as costs in exchange for 1,000 taels of goodwill, this guy was really good at business!

"Alright, just this once!" he nodded. Since he had decided to be friends with Chu Hao, he did not mind giving this favor.

"It's a deal!" Chu Hao said, smiling. This guy was quite honorable; perhaps he could become his first friend here.

In a sense, Tang Xin could indeed represent the Tang Family, so having him show his face at Fortune Full Building would definitely be a powerful advertisement—the so-called celebrity effect.

As they walked and talked, Chu Hao was impressed by the other's ideas and insights. Truly a scion of a great house, he had matured early on and possessed an inherent grandeur. Tang Xin, however, was even more amazed because although he was already broad-minded and visionary, compared to Chu Hao, he found himself lacking considerably!

This made him respect Chu Hao even more!

——Little did he consider that the current Chu Hao appeared to only be 17 years old but was actually a 27-year-old adult. Moreover, he had once been a distinguished adventurer, seen much of the world, and was no mere pampered young master!

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere!" Tang Xin suddenly said.

"Where?"

"You'll know when you get there!"

"How do I know you won't sell me out?" Chu Hao joked.

"With your little significance, is it worth it for me to personally sell you off?"

Both of them laughed loudly and continued walking forward.

About half an hour later, they arrived in front of a large, but also remarkably quiet courtyard. Standing outside, one could only hear the crisp chirping of birds, as if it were a haven removed from the world.

Tang Xin's expression immediately became much more solemn, and she stepped forward to knock on the door.

After a while, the courtyard's main door opened, revealing a man in his thirties. He was dressed in a blue robe, and seemed rather ordinary, the type no one would take a second glance at in a crowd.

"It's Young Master Tang!" the middle-aged man said with a smile; though he used a respectful title, there was no real reverence on his face.

"Uncle Yuan!" Tang Xin greeted him very respectfully before turning to look at Chu Hao and saying, "This is Chu Hao, the only son of the noble Chu Tianyun. I've brought him here today to tackle the challenges!"

"The son of Chu Tianyun?" Uncle Yuan looked thoughtful, and then realized, "You mean Chu Hao, known as the fool?"

Chu Hao couldn't help but be self-deprecating. Actually, his predecessor was quite famous after all, recognized wherever he went.

"Uncle Yuan, Chu Hao is not foolish at all. Let him tackle the challenges, and you'll see!" Tang Xin said confidently.

Uncle Yuan looked at Chu Hao for a while, then smiled and said, "Since Young Master Tang says so, let's give it a try!" He stepped back, clearing the doorway for Chu Hao and indicating they could enter.

"Let's go!" Tang Xin said to Chu Hao, and then whispered, "I've really vouched for you, so don't let me down!"

Chu Hao rolled his eyes and said, "I still don't even know what's going on!"

"Don't worry, it's just about overcoming challenges. With your perception, there should be absolutely no problem!"

"...I really feel like you've sold me out now!"

After closing the door, Uncle Yuan quickly walked ahead, leading them through the hall and deeper into the courtyard.

The courtyard was indeed desolate, not a single servant or maid in sight. If one were to come here in the middle of the night, it might actually feel like a haunted house. After walking for five or six minutes, Uncle Yuan led them into a strange room.

The room was normally wide, but too narrow in depth. As soon as you entered the door, you almost touched the wall opposite! On the far right of the wall was a door, but it didn't have a handle. Instead, there was a stone statue standing at the doorway.

It was not strange to see a statue at a doorway, but its placement here was bizarre, and moreover, it was a human-shaped statue. It was a perfect replica, except it was three times smaller than actual size.

Next to the statue, there was a small table with just a sandglass on it, the golden sand inside lying quietly.

"This is a test!" Uncle Yuan began, "Before the sandglass runs out, open the door. There are ten stages in total, but you only need to pass nine consecutively to succeed! Drawings on the wall are clues, and the key to opening the door lies with the statue!"

After he spoke, he flipped the sandglass over. Instantly, the gold grains began to flow. At that rate, it seemed it would run out completely in about three minutes.

Chu Hao couldn't help but glance at Tang Xin. This guy hadn't explained anything before bringing him here! What was the meaning of this test, this kind of challenge?

Tang Xin only gave him an encouraging look and remained silent.

Chu Hao turned his attention to the wall, where there were four paintings of different people wielding various weapons, all in attacking positions.

The paintings were clues, but the key to opening the door was the statue.

Chu Hao's brain started working rapidly, immediately guessing that in the four paintings, the four figures attacked with their weapons targeting the statue. Where would the hits land?

Head, neck, waist, and legs—broad areas all. Following the large, sweeping swings, a strike toward the head could land on the forehead or perhaps on the cheek.

Besides the sequence.

Chu Hao reached out and tapped the statue's waist, neck, head, and legs respectively.

Click, clack, click, the sealed stone door immediately began to open slowly!

Just as he thought! Too easy. With his powerful deductive skills, this was a piece of cake.

"Damn!" Tang Xin's eyes immediately widened, thinking to himself, "27 seconds, only 5 seconds slower than me! But considering this guy had no clue in the beginning and wasn't fully focused, he might not be inferior to me!"

"I really wasn't wrong, this guy's perceptiveness is terrifying!"

Uncle Yuan also looked slightly moved. He had no doubt that Tang Xin had given Chu Hao the answers beforehand, because that simply wasn't possible! After every test, they changed the paintings on the wall—how could anyone give hints?

Passing the first stage wasn't strange; anyone clever could manage it, but to complete it within 30 seconds was rare, maybe one in a hundred!

But this was only the first stage!

(Charging up the rankings on Monday, brothers and sisters, please favorite and recommend, QQ Group: 273857096)