Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

A disciple who had just joined the sect had not only become its head disciple, but was now forcing the Sect Leader and three Grand Elders to deploy a Spiritual Artifact that had never been used before. This was an unprecedented honor.

For the Sect Leader and the three Grand Elders to act in unison, deploying Spiritual Artifacts no less, was a truly world-shaking event.

However, they were still powerless.

After exchanging a glance with the three Grand Elders, Wu Taichu departed once more.

Before long, Wu Taichu returned, carrying something in his arms.

It was a Sword Box of ancient, simple design, a little over three feet long.

The moment this item appeared, even Master Shan Dan, standing to the side, looked on with a focused gaze.

And Wu Taichu’s expression was graver than ever before.

This Sword Box was of immense significance to the Heaven-Stepping Sect.

It represented the very foundation of the Heaven-Stepping Sect’s power, for the Sword Box contained a Tier Four Spiritual Artifact!

The Heaven-Stepping Sect was now confined to this place, but it had once enjoyed a golden age. The sect’s domain had been so vast that, at its peak, the entire Cangnan Empire had known no other sect but the Heaven-Stepping Sect.

The sect later fell into decline and was gradually reduced to this remote corner, but in all these years, it had never once drawn upon its foundational power.

This power was to be used only when the sect faced a true crisis of survival.

Yet today, for Lin Hao’s sake, Wu Taichu was about to deploy this foundational power that the sect had never touched!

If word of this got out, the entire continent would likely be shaken.

"What is that?"

A Peak Master asked in confusion.

Though they held the esteemed title of Peak Master, they had never seen the Heaven-Stepping Sect’s foundational power.

That the Heaven-Stepping Sect was willing to expose its foundational power for Lin Hao today spoke volumes. It was clear that Lin Hao’s importance in Wu Taichu’s eyes was beyond measure!

Wu Taichu cautiously opened the Sword Box, and instantly, a torrent of Sword Qi shot toward the heavens!

The Tier Four Spiritual Artifact was a sword.

Only at Tier Four could a Spiritual Artifact be considered a true one, for only then would it develop an Artifact Spirit.

This sword had lain dormant for far too long. The moment the Sword Box opened, it revealed its fearsome edge.

"A Tier Four Spiritual Artifact!"

Master Shan Dan cried out in shock.

"Sect Leader, are you truly going to use it?!" Master Shan Dan’s eyes were filled with shock.

A Tier Four Spiritual Artifact was incredibly difficult to control. One misstep, and the entire Heaven-Stepping Sect could cease to exist.

Wu Taichu was also aware of the consequences, but he gave a firm nod.

Lin Hao was simply too significant to the sect.

Just as Wu Taichu was about to deploy the sect’s foundational power for Lin Hao, a strange fluctuation suddenly emanated from ahead of them.

Everyone looked over and witnessed an utterly shocking scene.

At the cliff’s edge ahead, space itself was twisting and contorting, forming a strange passageway.

Then, rocks and stones from the ground began to roll ceaselessly toward the passage.

The crowd hastily employed a rooting technique, barely managing to hold their ground.

The strange, new passageway possessed an unimaginable suction force. With a RUMBLE, a massive boulder weighing several thousand pounds, which had been embedded in the mountainside behind them, was pulled free and sucked inside.

Following that, the mountainside collapsed, and all matter was forcefully pulled in.

Everyone clearly saw that the moment the massive boulder neared the entrance of the passage, it was instantly ground to dust!

"Fall back!"

Wu Taichu was horrified.

He grabbed Wu Kui and retreated decisively.

If they didn’t retreat, he feared their fate would be no different from that of the boulder.

The group fled several hundred meters away, yet their robes still whipped about violently.

It was then, however, that they witnessed a sight they would never forget.

From within that strange passage, someone appeared to be casually strolling out.

They exchanged horrified glances.

’A boulder weighing thousands of pounds was ground to dust the instant it neared the entrance, yet someone is now strolling out. Just what terrifying level has his physical body reached?!’

The crowd simply couldn’t imagine it.

The person within the strange passage walked as if on solid ground, strolling out in a scene that left everyone dumbfounded.

They all stared with wide eyes, trying to see just who possessed such might.

The person’s movements were very, very slow. Gradually, they saw that the figure in the strange passage seemed to be enveloped in divine light...

’Such a phenomenon... even the descent of a god or a demon would be no more spectacular than this!’

This thought arose in everyone’s minds, leaving them dumbfounded.

Wu Kui, the weakest in cultivation, found his legs trembling. He actually felt an urge to prostrate himself in worship.

The person strolled out, wreathed in a divine halo. A world-illuminating brilliance shone from him, as if he had descended from the Nine Heavens to stand above the mortal realm.

Wu Kui was already prostrate on the ground, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

The figure drew closer. A Peak Master cried out in shock, "How is that possible?!"

The pupils of Qin Tianlong, one of the eight Peak Masters, dilated abruptly. He was shocked beyond belief. That person was clearly Lin Hao!

When he’d heard that Lin Hao had jumped off the cliff, no one had been more pleased by his misfortune than Qin Tianlong. He had originally thought Lin Hao was dead, but he never imagined that Lin Hao would not only emerge alive, but do so in such a manner.

Turbulent torrents raged within the strange passage, its entrance capable of pulverizing a massive boulder, yet Lin Hao strolled out with perfect calm and composure!

After the initial shock, killing intent flooded Qin Tianlong’s eyes.

He had originally dismissed Lin Hao as worthless, not worth a second thought. But Lin Hao’s performance now made him realize that if he didn’t eliminate him, he would be nurturing a tiger that would one day become a great threat.

Lin Hao strolled out, and with a simple wave of his hand, the strange passage instantly vanished.

Qin Tianlong’s eyes narrowed again.

’This secret realm only ever opens on the third day of the third month each year. Even Wu Taichu, using a Spiritual Artifact, couldn’t affect it in the slightest.’

’Now, not only did Lin Hao get in, but he was also able to get out. It seems he got incredibly lucky, and maybe even mastered a way to enter and exit at will.’

’I must get my hands on that method!’

While Qin Tianlong was plotting, his gaze fell on what Lin Hao was carrying.

"It seems Nephew Lin had quite a good harvest in the secret realm," Qin Tianlong said with a smile.

Anything brought out from a secret realm was bound to be extraordinary, especially since this particular one had been barren for twenty years.

Qin Tianlong had set his sights on Lin Hao’s prize.

Lin Hao lifted the bundle made from his own clothes, grinned brightly, and replied, "The harvest was indeed pretty good."

"Nephew, you should show it to me and let me broaden my horizons," Qin Tianlong said, his eyes narrowing. He was the very picture of a smiling tiger.

The corner of Lin Hao’s mouth lifted, and he readily agreed.

Now, it wasn’t just Qin Tianlong; the other Peak Masters’ attention was captured as well.

Lin Hao slowly unwrapped the bundle of clothes...

Upon seeing what was inside, all eight Peak Masters were stunned.

And then...

"HAHAHA... This is killing me! Nine-Loathing Flowers! You actually brought back more than a dozen Nine-Loathing Flowers..."

Qin Tianlong roared with laughter, laughing until he was out of breath.

’And here I was thinking it was some kind of treasure. Who knew it would just be Nine-Loathing Flowers.’

Everyone on the continent knew that the Nine-Loathing Flower was utterly useless.

Only an idiot would treat them like a treasure.

Qin Tianlong’s gaze toward Lin Hao was filled with pity.

Especially when he saw Lin Hao carefully gathering up the Nine-Loathing Flowers, his laughter threatened to burst out anew.

"Sect Leader, you have terrible judgment, taking on such a fool for a disciple. To think you were about to use the sect’s foundational power for his sake. I’m afraid the Heaven-Stepping Sect will be ruined in your hands sooner or later."

Qin Tianlong’s face was a mask of pure glee.

"A fool? You call him a fool?!" Before Wu Taichu could respond, someone else spoke up from the side.

It was Master Shan Dan.

When he saw that Lin Hao’s bundle contained Nine-Loathing Flowers, he had already begun to doubt the story Lin Hao told him that day, when he witnessed him refine a Nine Dragon Flower into a pill.

Then, seeing Lin Hao carefully wrap them back up, Master Shan Dan knew he had been duped by Lin Hao.

’Not randomly experimenting, accidentally succeeding... what a load of bullshit!’

’He clearly knows the method! He can perform Alchemy with the Nine-Loathing Flower as the primary ingredient!’

This discovery was even more shocking to Master Shan Dan than seeing a Life Reviving Pill!

The Nine-Loathing Flower... for hundreds of years, generation after generation of masters of the Alchemy Dao, including no shortage of Alchemy Kings, had all failed to incorporate it into their recipes. And yet, Lin Hao could now actually use it as a primary ingredient in Alchemy!

Master Shan Dan felt his very Divine Soul tremble!

’This... This technique is so profound and unfathomable! Even an Alchemy God, were one alive today, couldn’t do it!’

But now, a teenager had actually succeeded. Master Shan Dan was so excited he was shaking uncontrollably.

He had just barely managed to suppress his excitement when he heard Qin Tianlong spouting his nonsense. How could he possibly restrain himself now?

Qin Tianlong never expected Master Shan Dan to suddenly speak up. His expression froze, and he was overcome with extreme awkwardness.

SLAP!

Before he could even think of a retort, his vision blurred, and he received a solid slap across the face.

Qin Tianlong’s eyes flew wide open. He was decades old, the esteemed Peak Master of the Heaven-Stepping Sect, a man to whom even the Sect Leader showed a measure of respect. But now, he had just been slapped!

Th... This...!

If it had been anyone else, Qin Tianlong would have fought them to the death. But his attacker was Master Shan Dan, an elder from one of the five great sects of the Southern Border Prefecture.

He could only swallow this insult.

But Master Shan Dan was far from satisfied.

’This bastard actually dared to call Lin Hao a fool? If Lin Hao, who can perform Alchemy with Nine-Loathing Flowers, is a fool, then Qin Tianlong isn’t even fit to be called dog shit!’

"Get the hell out of my sight! Get as far away as you possibly can! And don’t you ever let me see you again, or I’ll beat you every single time I do!" The more Master Shan Dan thought about it, the angrier he got. His eyes were bloodshot as he roared at Qin Tianlong.

Qin Tianlong’s face alternated between green and white. He wanted to lash out, but he didn’t dare. He could only slink away in disgrace.

Watching his retreating figure, Master Shan Dan still felt unsatisfied.

"Pah! If it weren’t for you being a member of the Heaven-Stepping Sect, I would’ve already slapped you dead!"

Master Shan Dan didn’t give a damn about Qin Tianlong; the disparity in their status was simply too great. As such, he didn’t bother to lower his voice at all.

Hearing these words, Qin Tianlong clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.

But he didn’t dare challenge Master Shan Dan.

’Lin Hao! This is all that bastard Lin Hao’s fault! For the humiliation I suffered today, I will one day repay him a hundred, even a thousand times over! You all treat him like some precious treasure, but I’ll show you! In the face of absolute power, he is nothing!’

Qin Tianlong roared in his heart, his face twisted into an inhuman mask of rage.

Seeing that Qin Tianlong was far away, Master Shan Dan instantly seemed to become a different person. He trotted over to Lin Hao’s side with great enthusiasm.

And then, everyone was utterly petrified.

They watched as Master Shan Dan, his face wreathed in a fawning smile, spoke to Lin Hao. "Senior, you must be tired. Let me carry this treasure for you."

A titan of the Southern Border Prefecture’s Alchemy Realm, an elder of one of the five great sects, was actually being this respectful to Lin Hao—even using an honorific title!

The eight Peak Masters all suspected they were hearing things.

However, it was Lin Hao’s response that truly made them suck in a cold breath.