Chu Haozhou paused, suspicion clouding his gaze. “Rich? What makes you say that?”

“If you hadn’t come into money, why would you be smiling so broadly?” He Yiming stated matter-of-factly.

Chu Haozhou could only glare at the young man, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry. Ever since meeting He Yiming again, he knew this young brother’s martial cultivation had far surpassed his own, yet He Yiming had not forgotten their past friendship, and his demeanor toward him hadn't changed at all.

It wasn't just him; Bai Ma Leidian and Bao Zhu were the same. As for the inscrutable Bai Lingba, that was a figure he couldn't possibly afford to provoke; it was best to keep a respectful distance from that mysterious and powerful entity.

He raised his hand and lightly brushed his wrist, and instantly, a divine weapon materialized in his grasp.

The spatial adornment on his person had been a gift from He Yiming, so He Yiming naturally felt no surprise. However, when Chu Haozhou presented the divine weapon, even with He Yiming’s formidable power, he felt an oppressive aura, like Mount Tai descending upon him, wash over him.

He was slightly stunned, looking over with a puzzled expression.

A hint of smugness flashed across Chu Haozhou’s face. “Little brother, do you remember this divine weapon?”

He Yiming pondered for a moment, then suddenly recalled something, chuckling. “The Diamond Blade.”

Several years ago, he had ventured alone into the Realm of Life and Death, delving deep into the very core of reincarnation. Although he had endured untold hardships to eventually escape, the spoils he brought back were undoubtedly immense.

The Blood Condensers and the Thunderclap Boy were insignificant compared to the several special Divine Dao Treasures he had acquired, treasures already worth fortunes.

The great saber Chu Haozhou now held was precisely the Diamond Blade he had requested back then, having vowed to fuse it with the Black Iron.

He reached out and took it. Instantly, He Yiming’s wrist sank heavily. Had his current martial cultivation not been so profound, he might have dropped it right there.

“Why is this divine weapon so heavy?” He Yiming asked, astonishment flickering in his voice.

Although He Yiming knew that Chu Haozhou must have incorporated Black Iron during its forging, even if the entire Divine Dao Treasure had been crafted solely from Black Iron, it shouldn't possess such tremendous weight.

Chu Haozhou shrugged his shoulders, forcing a wry smile. “Brother He, do you recall what material this blade was originally made from?”

“It was Diamond,” He Yiming replied without hesitation. “It’s a metallic substance refined from extraterrestrial meteorites. Its rarity and preciousness are no less than Black Iron, and its hardness compares favorably without yielding in the slightest.”

Chu Haozhou nodded repeatedly. “You are correct, but you’ve forgotten one crucial point. When Diamond and Black Iron are perfectly fused into one, a wondrous effect occurs.”

He Yiming paused, his curiosity piqued intensely. “What effect?”

Chu Haozhou chuckled darkly. “Let’s find somewhere uninhabited to test it out. Testing moves here might cause trouble.”

He Yiming immediately understood. The power emanating from this blade must be extraordinary; otherwise, Chu Haozhou would never have been so cautious.

Although Chu Haozhou was not yet a Divine Daoist, he was at least a Great Venerable of the Five Qi. However, on this excursion, he chose not to utilize the Light of the Divine Weapon, instead mounting Bao Zhu, who had transformed into a massive dragon.

Little Bao Zhu was very interested in watching He Yiming and Chu Haozhou spar, and it was also an old friend of Chu Haozhou’s. Thus, this creature—possessing the strength of a Divine Beast without the haughtiness—didn’t mind letting Chu Haozhou sit upon its back.

Bai Lingba and Bai Ma Leidian accompanied them. As for Yuan Lixun, she was spending time catching up with the original members of the Yuan family. Her status now was by no means trivial, and no one dared to show her the slightest disrespect. Especially Yuan Chengzhi, Yuan Lixun’s biological father, who clung to her side desperately, determined to make up for the close relationship lost over the past decade.

Simultaneously, He Yiming’s parents, elder brother and sister-in-law, and younger siblings all treated Yuan Lixun as a rare treasure. Even the Divine Dao realm Yuan Lixun could only greet them with a gentle smile.

It could be said that in the current He Family Manor, the busiest Divine Dao expert wasn't He Yiming, but Yuan Lixun, who was occupied with entertaining the elders.

Bao Zhu’s speed was astonishing. After an hour, they had traversed thousands of miles, arriving over the most famous desert region in the Northwest.

Testing their moves here was undoubtedly the most suitable location. Even if He Yiming casually unleashed the might of Heaven and Earth, he wouldn't harm any innocents.

Leaping down from Bao Zhu’s back, Chu Haozhou declared proudly, “Little brother, after this saber was successfully forged, its weight suddenly doubled autonomously. As for why such a change occurred, I, your elder brother, know nothing.”

He Yiming nodded solemnly. In this world, strange phenomena were abundant; no one could claim to know everything.

The fact that Chu Haozhou could forge this Divine Dao Treasure was remarkable enough; tracing the underlying reason was proving too difficult.

“Though this saber is heavy, it possesses a peculiar quality,” Chu Haozhou said, gently caressing the blade. “Watch closely.”

He suddenly gripped the saber with both hands, spun halfway around, and leaped high into the air.

Vast energy of Heaven and Earth surged around him, carrying a hint of boiling intensity.

He Yiming inwardly nodded. Since the energy of Heaven and Earth had begun to recover, numerous cultivators had benefited, and Chu Haozhou was clearly one of them. His martial cultivation had indeed strengthened significantly compared to two years ago, and it was foreseeable that as the concentration of this energy increased, his cultivation would advance by leaps and bounds.

However, He Yiming’s attention was completely captured by the saber in the next moment.

Although a considerable amount of Heaven and Earth energy gathered around Chu Haozhou, when he brought the saber down in a mighty slash, no outwardly powerful aura manifested.

That surging energy of Heaven and Earth seemed like a mere paper tiger, vanishing completely at the moment it should have exerted its full force.

Lightly, as the blade kissed the ground, it seemed to emit a sound barely audible to the ear.

Then, beneath their feet, the endless yellow sands abruptly split apart, separating to either side. The sheer impact caused by the massive force sent the sand on either side of the blade erupting skyward, forming two colossal yellow sand waterfalls.

Chu Haozhou slowly drew the saber back. Before them, a vast gash—a hundred feet long, impossibly deep, seemingly bottomless—stretched out.

He Yiming’s eyes widened slowly. Although his experience was now unparalleled, having witnessed even the Five Elements Grand Domain of Heaven and Earth Annihilation, Chu Haozhou’s display still shocked him profoundly.

The might of that single strike was this overwhelming.

Judging purely by the destructive effect, this one strike rivaled the power of Heaven and Earth unleashed by the Divine Dao Puppets before entering the Land of Death.

Yet, Chu Haozhou’s current cultivation was merely that of a Great Venerable of the Five Qi; he hadn't even reached the peak of the Human Dao. How could he unleash such terrifying power?

Even with the current abundance of Heaven and Earth energy, which greatly amplified the might wielded by experts above the Innate level, this feat seemed utterly impossible.

His gaze settled upon the great saber, and He Yiming’s heart stirred faintly.

If this saber could display such power in the hands of a Great Venerable of the Five Qi, what consequences might ensue when wielded by a Divine Daoist?

Chu Haozhou tossed it lightly, and the great saber flew toward He Yiming.

He instinctively reached out and caught it, gripping the handle. He could already only marvel at the sheer weight of the blade.

“Little brother, when this saber is swung downward, no matter how much Heaven and Earth energy you infuse into it, it condenses it entirely onto the blade’s edge. It only releases everything the moment it connects with the enemy. This… this is the greatest divine efficacy born from the fusion of Diamond and Black Iron.”

He Yiming pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes; he had fully grasped the true value of this great saber.

If one possessed a suitable Saber Skill specializing in downward strikes, the power unleashed when using this saber would likely rival that of an actual Divine Artifact.

Even his own Five Elements Ring and the Nine Dragon Furnace, two of the world’s most supreme Divine Artifacts, could never concentrate all their power to a single, focused point when unleashing their might.

This incredible, unbelievable concentration of power would produce the most terrifying effect in combat.

Of course, the requirements for wielding this saber were also quite high; without the appropriate blade techniques and combat skills, its full potential could never be realized.

“Little brother, this saber is practically tailor-made for you,” Chu Haozhou sighed deeply. “With your saber skills, commanding this blade would make you invincible under Heaven.”

He Yiming’s heart stirred slightly. Invincible under Heaven was an exaggeration, certainly, but pairing this saber with the Thirty-Six Forms he had recently mastered would undoubtedly allow him to unleash the absolute peak power of that ultimate skill.

The thought ignited a fierce heat within He Yiming’s chest.

Excitedly, he exclaimed, “Brother, please head back and tell everyone that I need to enter secluded cultivation for several days.”

Chu Haozhou stood stunned for a long moment, then chuckled bitterly. “Little brother, you’ve just returned home and now you want to go into seclusion again. I fear they will all blame me.”

He Yiming grinned sheepishly. “Brother, stop joking. Grandfather and Father have always respected you; they won’t blame you.”

Chu Haozhou looked at He Yiming, who was holding the great saber high, an eager, triumphant expression on his face, and felt a rush of complex emotions.

Perhaps only someone who pours their entire being into the Martial Dao could achieve such brilliant success.

With another long sigh, Chu Haozhou mounted the vast back of Bao Zhu once more. As he ascended into the high sky, he suddenly remembered: he was riding a Divine Beast.

A Divine Beast…

His eyes suddenly shone brightly.

Beneath him, Little Bao Zhu shivered inexplicably, feeling a wave of inexplicable chills wash over its body.