Asura Emperor Venerable
Chapter 603: A Letter from Shi Zhong

Chapter 603: Chapter 603: A Letter from Shi Zhong

Shi Zhong did not come in person but sent someone to meet Shi Hao.

"Are you Shi Hao?" The other person was a young man around twenty-four or twenty-five years old, but he had already stepped into the Founding King Court, and it was no ordinary Founding King Court—wherever his gaze fell, it was as if mountains were collapsing, exerting a terrifying pressure on others.

Shi Hao merely looked at the other calmly and did not speak.

The young man immediately wanted to erupt in anger, his horrifying aura surging as if he had climbed out from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, and his murderous intent felt almost tangible. However, he then smiled and calmed down, saying, "My name is Cui Yonglin, I am one of the four messengers under the Young Emperor."

Cui Yonglin?

Shi Hao was surprised; he did not remember seeing this name on the official list of the Founding King Court, but Cui Yonglin gave him an extremely strong impression, even far surpassing those from the Heaven’s Path Alliance who had come to kill him.

Seeming to detect Shi Hao’s confusion, Cui Yonglin arrogantly said, "We who follow the Young Emperor, why would we care about some trivial rankings? Moreover, such lists are just cobbled together by a few trading families—it’s laughable, truly laughable!"

Well, that explained why the other party had not appeared on the rankings.

Shi Hao looked slightly astonished; it seemed that Shi Zhong had subdued quite a few talents willing to follow his commands.

"Speak, what is it?" he said indifferently.

Cui Yonglin sized up Shi Hao for a while before taking out a letter, waving it at Shi Hao: "This is a personal letter from the Young Emperor."

Oh, a letter from Shi Zhong to himself?

Shi Hao reached out, indeed curious about what Shi Zhong would write.

However, Cui Yonglin did not seem to intend to hand over the letter and looked at Shi Hao with contempt, saying, "I really don’t know why the Young Emperor regards you so highly! Hmph, you’re just lucky to share the surname Shi, and everyone knows how well the Young Emperor treats his own people."

Hmm?

Shi Hao’s eyebrows rose; Shi Zhong, who had been ruthless enough to strip away his constitution at the age of five, was now said to treat his own people well?

Ha, what a good act of pretense.

"Get this letter if you’ve got the skills!" Cui Yonglin said, looking disdainful.

If the letter weren’t written by Shi Zhong, Shi Hao surely wouldn’t have bothered with it.

Who would care for it?

But he was indeed curious about what Shi Zhong would hypocritically say.

He reached out, grabbing for the letter.

Cui Yonglin’s hand did not move, but the power within him burst forth, forming a bell-shaped barrier that enveloped the letter.

Naturally, he did not use his full strength; for the Founding King Court to exert full strength against Self-Observation, wouldn’t that be overestimating Shi Hao too much?

Shi Hao’s hand was already reaching out, and he easily broke through Cui Yonglin’s power barrier and took the letter into his hands.

Cui Yonglin could not help but show a trace of surprise, seeming to have underestimated this person.

Well, at least it proved that the other party was qualified to read this letter.

He stood to one side in a solemn manner, always faithfully executing the tasks entrusted by Shi Zhong.

Shi Hao unfolded the letter and began to read.

The content was straightforward and sincere, with Shi Zhong’s words earnest, expressing the hope to join hands with Shi Hao to create a bright future for the Stone Clan, blah blah blah, praising and valuing Shi Hao.

If not for the vendetta of killing his mother and the stripping of his constitution, Shi Hao wouldn’t mind having Shi Zhong as a competitor who motivates each other, but how could he possibly get along with Shi Zhong now?

"Shi Hao, aren’t you going to thank the Young Emperor for his grace?" Cui Yonglin said.

Shi Hao chuckled, "Go back and tell Shi Zhong that my feud with him will only end when one of us falls."

"How dare you!" Cui Yonglin immediately shouted, "Shi Hao, you truly don’t know what’s good for you, not only rejecting the kindness of the Young Emperor but also daring to see the Young Emperor as an enemy!"

"You are nothing but a dog under Shi Zhong; go back and report that." Shi Hao said calmly.

"Humph, you truly need a lesson!" Cui Yonglin was furious and immediately reached out towards Shi Hao.

He wasn’t from the Stone Clan, so he naturally wouldn’t hold the Stone Clan’s rules close to his heart.

In his eyes, Shi Zhong was a god. Whoever dared to defile his god, he would kill them. It was that simple.

Shi Hao suddenly realized that Shi Zhong had anticipated this, which was why he had sent Cui Yonglin out. It was to have Cui Yonglin kill him in a fit of rage.

By then, with Cui Yonglin’s adoration for Shi Zhong, he would fully bear the consequences.

As for Shi Zhong, he would still remain a revered figure, without the slightest worry that his subordinates would lose faith in him.

Impressive.

His mastery over the human heart was truly unparalleled, and yet Cui Yonglin, manipulated like a pawn, was oblivious to it.

Thinking this, Shi Hao naturally wouldn’t just take a beating and immediately threw a punch in response.

Bang!

In the exchange of blows, Shi Hao was immediately forced to stagger backward, while Cui Yonglin frowned as he looked at his hand and saw blood in his palm.

He was actually injured by Shi Hao’s punch!

Although it was only a scratch, the fact that Self-Observation could injure someone from the Founding King Court, especially a Ninth King like him, was beyond belief.

No wonder the Young Emperor held him in such high regard, even going so far as writing a letter by hand.

But this man was indeed haughty, daring to reject the goodwill of the Young Emperor.

"Do you think just because you are a genius, you can look down upon the world?" Cui Yonglin shook his head, "Shi Hao, you haven’t seen the Young Emperor, you can’t even imagine what a great being the Young Emperor is!"

The look of reverence in his eyes turned even fervent, a worship so intense he would gladly walk through fire and water for Shi Zhong, with no regrets even in death.

"Oh, I indeed hope you can live long enough to see the scene of Shi Zhong being beaten down by me," Shi Hao said indifferently.

"Insolence!" Cui Yonglin flew into a rage and charged at Shi Hao.

Shi Hao snorted, unleashing Fire Scorches the Heavens.

Dealing with a Ninth King, and a genius like Cui Yonglin at that, relying solely on his own strength was clearly not enough to win.

Boom!

As the infernal flames surged, Cui Yonglin’s complexion changed drastically—the attack’s power was terrifying.

He hastily defended with all his might, the Elemental Power opening up to tightly protect himself.

As the fierce flames surged, Cui Yonglin tottered on the brink.

He managed to block the strike, but at a costly price, his body now bore extensive burn marks.

Incredulously, he stared at Shi Hao. Was this man truly Self-Observation?

Was Shi Zhong ever this strong in the past?

The thought terrified him, and then he forcefully expelled it from his mind.

The Young Emperor was invincible; surely he would lead them into the Immortal Realm and even dominate it.

Shi Hao made another move, landing a palm on Cui Yonglin’s shoulder, who immediately buckled at the knees and fell to the ground.

This instantly infuriated Cui Yonglin.

"Shi Hao, you’re courting death!" he roared.

With his pride, he would only kneel to Shi Zhong, yet now he had been forced to his knees by Shi Hao, driving him to the brink of madness.

Shi Hao chuckled, his hand resting on Cui Yonglin’s shoulder, making it impossible for him to stand up.

"If you strike at me, be prepared to be suppressed."