"Did I really miss a chance to surpass Liu Ji Ya?"
Liu Qian's expression was pale. A seed of regret was slowly sprouting in her heart.
"Liu Qian, what's wrong?" Someone next to her was startled by Liu Qian's abnormal expression, but Liu Qian acted as if she couldn't hear. Only regret filled her mind.
If on that day at the market, she had treated Chu Hao kindly... would she not be standing here now, watching him shine so brightly?
"Liu Anh, why do you think this person is so highly regarded by the ancestor?" someone else asked.
Liu Anh's eyes were filled with complicated emotions. She had initially been curious about Chu Hao, but after meeting him, her curiosity turned to disappointment. And now, she regretted the way she had looked down on Chu Hao just moments ago.
Among everyone present, only Liu Feng had not said a word. He was looking down, and in the depths of his eyes, an intense killing intent surged.
He had been knocked down by Chu Hao, his nose broken. He had never suffered such humiliation in his life. How could he possibly endure this grievance?
Furthermore, all the Liu family descendants around him were only talking about Chu Hao, completely ignoring him as if he were trash on the ground. This was an even greater blow to someone who valued his dignity as much as Liu Feng did.
From the incident at the Drunken Immortal Tower, he had deceived Chu Hao and tried to humiliate and take revenge. This showed that he was a person who was "vengeful and would repay all debts."
The night was late.
In the most luxurious room of the Drunken Immortal Tower, Chu Hao was toying with a ring. This was a storage ring.
A single storage ring was worth nearly three hundred thousand primordial stones, comparable to a High-grade Treasure Tool. An average Great Grandmaster Realm powerhouse couldn't afford one.
This storage ring was something Chu Hao had bought from Liu Ji Ya. Liu Ji Ya was a clever person and wanted to give it to Chu Hao for free, but Chu Hao did not easily incur debts. Owing a favor was harder than anything else, so he insisted on buying it for its market price of three hundred thousand primordial stones.
For him right now, three hundred thousand primordial stones was not a significant amount.
Tonight, Chu Hao had won five hundred thousand primordial stones and a total of one hundred fourteen thousand primordial stones from the wagers in the five rounds. After splitting it with Liu Ji Ya, he got five hundred seventy thousand primordial stones.
Adding the one hundred thousand primordial stones he earned from teaching Liu Ji Ya for one day, he had a total of one hundred seventeen thousand primordial stones. After spending three hundred thousand, he still had eighty-seven thousand primordial stones.
Such a fortune was even more than that of some Great Grandmaster Realm cultivators.
"If I had enough materials, I could refine a better storage ring myself. The space in this one is too small."
This storage ring only had one square meter of space. After he put the eighty-seven thousand primordial stones in, the space was more than half-filled.
Whether it was alchemy or tool refinement, Chu Hao was skilled in everything. However, these things required both materials and time, and Chu Hao's most precious resource was time. Therefore, he wasn't too concerned with these matters at the moment.
Putting the storage ring away, Chu Hao placed it close to his body. His current strength was insufficient, so even with a storage ring, he couldn't openly wear it for others to see.
Wealth must be kept hidden.
With his current strength, if he were to flaunt a storage ring, it would certainly bring a fatal disaster. Although he wasn't afraid, there was no need to cause trouble for no reason.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Chu Hao's eyes narrowed as he looked toward the door.
Bang!
The large door flew open, like a falling leaf, sent flying by a force, but there was no sound. It was completely silent.
It was an assassin, a figure with a black robe and a covered face.
In their hand was a dark sword that didn't reflect any light. In the darkness, the sword's body was a faint glimmer.
The aura of a peak-stage Grandmaster Realm exploded from the assassin without reservation!
"Who is it?"
Chu Ling Er, who was focused on cultivating the Creation Art, was instantly awakened by this powerful aura.
She leaped up and, upon seeing the black-robed assassin, her expression changed drastically. She quickly stood in front of Chu Hao, shielding him with her back.
In this moment of danger, her first reaction was to protect Chu Hao.
"Little brother, you go first. I'll stop him."
Chu Ling Er's voice was quick and serious, carrying a sincere emotion.
Her personality had always been gentle, so she was rarely like this.
"Sister, it's nothing."
Chu Hao gently took Chu Ling Er's hand and pulled her behind him. His voice was as clear as spring water, and it was cool and indifferent.
"You are not a true assassin. A genuine assassin would choose the best timing. When they appear, they will launch a guaranteed killing strike, like a rainbow encircling the sun or a comet streaking past, to hunt souls and take lives. If the first strike misses, they flee a thousand miles, waiting for the next opportunity. But you came directly to the door, revealed your whereabouts, and didn't act immediately."
"Furthermore, an assassin's eyes are ruthless, decisive, heartless, and resolute. Your eyes lack these emotions. On the contrary, when you saw the two of us, there was a hint of hesitation in your eyes. Do you feel you cannot bear to strike?"
"If you've accepted a mission to kill someone, you should have a heart as decisive as cutting through iron. Why hesitate?"
In this situation, Chu Hao was still as calm and carefree as if he were taking a leisurely stroll, not caring about the fate of the world.
"You are right. I am hesitant. The people I kill are always those who deserve to die. I repay kindness with kindness and grudges with grudges. I don't kill the innocent under my sword, so I've always had a clear conscience."
The black-robed person spoke, their voice a little hoarse.
"I am here to kill you today, but I am unable to act freely."
"Unable to act freely. Unable to act freely," Chu Hao repeated the phrase twice and then suddenly sighed.
"When a person is in the mortal world, they are unable to act freely. The rolling mortal world is a great quagmire. A lotus can grow out of the mud without being stained, but it is still in the mud. The mortal world is like a prison, and human emotions are like fire. No matter who they are, they cannot escape the restraints of the mortal world."