Chapter 41: Perfect Timing!

After the rain, the morning sky was clear and fresh.

In the black ruins of the native city, the green stems of the carnivorous plants had many tiny cracks, from which oozed a purplish-red liquid. This liquid, carrying a faint spiritual energy, attracted many grass butterflies, which climbed onto the stems without regard for their own safety.

A carnivorous plant growing by a low wall was chewing on its prey when a hand suddenly reached out from the side, flicking away the grass butterflies on the stem and then gripping it firmly.

This hand belonged to Ding Hao. He gripped the stem and, with a thought, chanted, "Star Absorption Technique! Absorb!"

Immediately, his eyes sparkled with delight.

"Living plants can be absorbed!"

In the past, the Star Absorption Technique could not absorb the spiritual energy from plants. However, now that the second level of the Star Absorption Technique had been activated, Ding Hao's ability to absorb spiritual energy had become much stronger. The spiritual energy from the plants could be easily drawn into his hand and meridians.

As Ding Hao absorbed the spiritual energy, the surface of the carnivorous plant quickly turned yellow and withered. After he released his grip, it turned black and began to rot.

"It must be because the spiritual energy was extracted, causing a change in its structure, leading to rapid decay." Ding Hao was inwardly shocked. This Star Absorption Technique is truly terrifying, each level stronger than the last!

However, if the righteous cultivators saw this, they would certainly accuse him of being a demon.

"This matter must never be known by anyone!"

Although Ding Hao felt that he had taken a step towards the path of demons, he did not regret it.

First, he did not think the Star Absorption Technique was against the laws of nature. Why shouldn't he cultivate it? Second, the Star Absorption Stone had saved him several times. Without it, he would have been a useless person, still being bullied by the Ding family. Third, the righteous cultivation methods were of no use to him. If he didn't cultivate the Star Absorption Technique, what else could he cultivate?

What made Ding Hao happy was that after the second star of the Star Absorption Stone was activated, it had gained a space as large as half a person.

This space was much better than a storage bag.

A storage bag was just a compressed space, while the Star Absorption Space was unknown and inaccessible to others. More importantly, the items inside could be taken out or put in at Ding Hao's will.

In short, this stormy night was a night of breakthrough and upgrade for Ding Hao!

He had gained a lot!

To summarize his gains: his cultivation had reached the sixth stage of the innate realm; the Nine-Fold Fire Palm could now be used up to five folds; with the improvement in his cultivation, his body, meridians, and spirit had all advanced to the pink stage; the Star Absorption Stone had activated two stars, with a green vortex; the Star Absorption Technique had opened its second level; and the space of the Star Absorption Stone had increased by two cubic meters.

With so many gains, Ding Hao could not help but be pleasantly surprised.

He knew that all of this was due to the Star Absorption Stone and the Star Absorption Technique!

"Such a monstrous technique is a precious treasure left by my ancestors! So what if it's a demon technique? I'm not using it to harm others!"

"This is the only path before me, and I will not only take it but also walk it firmly!"

Ding Hao stood up, facing the rising sun, and walked out of his shelter.

"Da Huang, come out."

He turned and punched the half-hanging roof on the low wall, causing it to collapse with a loud noise, covering the spirit rice and beast stones below.

"Now let me see what I can do to disrupt the Tang Family Business." Ding Hao clenched his fists.

Min Zhengyuan was right; although Ding Hao appeared generous, he had a strong sense of revenge.

However, Ding Hao felt it was justified. If others wanted to kill him, and he didn't seek revenge, he would be a fool.

The morning in the native city was very peaceful. Ding Hao, the yellow-faced man, circled around the Tang Family Business.

The Tang Family Business was indeed the largest in the native city, much larger than the Merchant Family Business. It resembled a black giant beast, dominating a corner of the city. People were coming and going at the entrance, and the guards at the gate were all late-stage innate realm cultivators.

"Too strong!" Although Ding Hao wanted to take revenge, he found it difficult to act against the massive Tang Family Business.

"It seems I can only target the Tang Family Business's employees and guards."

The Tang Family's guards had all left the city to search, leaving it relatively empty.

Ding Hao circled the city, feeling very safe. He saw a few isolated Tang Family employees, who were easily recognizable by their short clothes with the "Tang" character.

However, Ding Hao had no grudge against these people, and the idea of killing them made him hesitate.

Although he had cultivated the Star Absorption Technique, his nature was not that of an old demon.

Moreover, killing a few isolated employees would not significantly impact the Tang Family Business.

As Ding Hao wandered through the main streets of the city, he saw a rider on a horned horse galloping into the city. The rider was wearing a bright silver armor, making him very conspicuous.

"Zhou Genwei!" Ding Hao's eyes flashed with a cold light. "You came just in time!"

Zhou Genwei had been riding all night, from the native city to the border village, but he did not find Ding Hao. Now he was galloping back, hoping to find out if the Lone Wolf had any news.

"Go!" Zhou Genwei spurred his horse into the city.

"Little waste, where did you run to?" Zhou Genwei gritted his teeth, still furious.

Suddenly, a large yellow dog rushed out from a side path, barking and lunging at the horned horse.

"Whoa!" The horned horse was startled and reared up, hooves high in the air!

The horned horse, trained, quickly assumed a defensive stance.

Zhou Genwei was furious. "Where did this stray dog come from?"

However, he did not want to deal with it at the moment and tried to leave. But the yellow dog followed, biting the horse's hind leg. The horse panicked, almost throwing Zhou Genwei off.

"Damn, you stray dog, are you looking for death?" Zhou Genwei, still angry from not finding Ding Hao, vented his frustration on the dog.

"Chase!"

Zhou Genwei followed the yellow dog into the ruins of the city. "This stray dog is just like that Ding, looking for death!"

Soon, the yellow dog stood by a yellow-faced man's feet.

"Who are you?" Zhou Genwei's face changed, realizing someone had deliberately lured him here.

However, he was not worried. The yellow-faced man was only at the sixth stage of the innate realm, while he was at the seventh stage. He had no reason to fear.

"Zhou, it's been a while." Ding Hao smiled slightly.

"You?" Zhou Genwei's face changed. He vaguely recognized Ding Hao's voice but could not believe it. Ding Hao had always been at the third stage of the innate realm, and it was impossible for him to suddenly reach the sixth stage.

But then, Ding Hao tore off his face mask. "Zhou, do you recognize me now?"

"What?" Zhou Genwei's face turned pale. "You're already at the sixth stage of the innate realm?"

"How about it, are you afraid now?"

Ding Hao took out a high-quality hand crossbow and shot at the horned horse. The horse tried to escape, but Ding Hao used the Beast Shadow Technique, moving like a shadow, and shot five low-quality arrows into the horse's body.

Zhou Genwei leaped off the horse, landing steadily on the ground.

"Kill the horse first? You want to kill me?" Zhou Genwei sneered. "But don't worry, I won't run!"

At this moment, Zhou Genwei had calmed down.

Ding Hao was just at the sixth stage of the innate realm, while he was at the seventh stage. His cultivation was not inferior to Ding Hao's! Zhou Genwei was even more confident because he had his own secret. In fact, Zhou Genwei had been a second-grade genius in the past, with a second-grade variant spirit root, the Shell Pig. Most people of the same grade could not kill him.

He had mistakenly taken some herbs in the past, which made it difficult for him to advance in cultivation, so he did not enter the Nine States Academy. His sister, who gave him the herbs, was now a concubine of Ling Yunxiao in Wuzhou and felt very guilty towards him, so she often spoke well of him, allowing Zhou Genwei to become a Wuzhou official at the seventh stage of the innate realm.

Zhou Genwei thought to himself, "You, Ding Hao, are a genius, but am I not a genius? Hmph, you advanced so quickly, you must have a secret. If I kill you, I might be able to make up for the instability of my spirit root and become a genius again."

Thinking this, Zhou Genwei's eyes turned greedy. "Little waste, I finally understand why you turned from a waste to a genius. You must have gained a spiritual connection! Obtained a treasure! Good, good, good, you're bringing the treasure to me. If I don't kill you and take the treasure, I would be letting you down!"

"That's right, I have many treasures, just waiting for you to kill me." Ding Hao smiled, putting on a spirit-charged finger ring. Then, his figure moved like a beast, "Taste my Nine-Fold Fire Fist!"

"Even a mundane treasure?" Zhou Genwei's greed grew. He did not have a mundane treasure, and if he killed Ding Hao, this would be his first gain.

"Do you think a mundane treasure makes you powerful? I'll tell you, it's useless!" Zhou Genwei did not want to waste time. He raised his hands, taking out two high-quality short knives, finely crafted, and roared, "Shell Pig, spirit root skill!"

Many spirit roots come with special spirit root skills. For example, the spirit root of Merchant Boss's son Xiaohai was the Moonlight Rhinoceros, and his spirit root skill was the Half Rhinoceros Power. If used in battle, it would increase his strength by half a rhinoceros, allowing him to suppress opponents of the same grade.

Zhou Genwei's trump card was this: the Shell Pig spirit root, which increased his defense by half a pig. The Shell Pig was a creature with a thick shell and strong defense. Now, with half a pig's defense, Zhou Genwei's skin became incredibly hard, making it very difficult for others to break through with their blades or fists.

"Little waste, you think you can kill me? Ha, fool, even the fully mastered Tiger Roar Fist cannot break my defense! You're a genius, but I'm also a genius!" Zhou Genwei roared, charging forward like a giant beast.

"Shell Pig? Isn't it just a Shell Pig? Just a thick layer of pig skin. Do you think my Nine-Fold Fire Fist is as weak as the Tiger Roar Fist? Watch me break through your pig skin!"

Boom! The two collided!