Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

Lin Hao saw that Wu Kui was holding what looked like a letter.

Wu Kui looked anxious. "Grandmaster-Ancestor, this is terrible! Celestial Dui Peak has sent a challenge!"

’It’s just a challenge,’ Lin Hao thought. ’I thought something serious had happened.’

He just gave a nonchalant "oh" in response.

He never feared a challenge.

Seeing Lin Hao’s expression, Wu Kui said hurriedly, "Grandmaster-Ancestor, you mustn’t take this lightly. This challenge is from Qin Huayang."

When Lin Hao’s expression remained unchanged, Wu Kui continued, "This Qin Huayang is Qin Tianlong’s son. He’s one of the top ten Core Disciples, his cultivation is unfathomably deep, and he’s hailed as invincible among his peers!"

"I know." Lin Hao took the challenge, glanced at it casually, and tossed it into his storage spirit ring.

This Qin Huayang was certainly full of himself. A cultivator at the Seventh Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, he arrogantly gave Lin Hao three days, telling him to get his affairs in order.

Lin Hao just laughed it off.

Then, Lin Hao warned Wu Kui, "Don’t reveal my identity. From now on, call me Senior Brother."

"Yes, Senior Brother. This Qin Huayang is extremely skilled. Even though you’ve reached the Sixth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, you haven’t learned any martial techniques. You should go to the Scripture Pavilion and pick out a few. I’ll ask my master to intervene, say you’ve suffered an internal injury, and get the challenge postponed," Wu Kui added, still deeply concerned.

Hearing how seriously Wu Kui was taking this, Lin Hao actually grew a little interested in this Qin Huayang.

"You don’t have much faith in me, do you? Is he really that strong?" Lin Hao asked offhandedly.

Wu Kui nodded gravely. "Very strong! Extremely strong, to be precise! The year before last, when his cultivation was at the Sixth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, he fought ten consecutive matches in the sect competition and won every single one with a single move! One of his opponents was even an expert at the Seventh Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm!"

Ten consecutive matches, each won with a single move.

’This guy definitely has some tricks up his sleeve.’

But Wu Kui wasn’t finished. "Last year, during the same sect competition, his cultivation was still at the Sixth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm. Before it started, no one thought he stood a chance; they all thought he was washed up. But in the end, he staged an incredible comeback with his Sixth-Layer cultivation and finished tenth in the entire sect."

After a pause, Wu Kui added in a low voice, "He was the only person in the sect’s top ten who was only at the Sixth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm."

’He made it into the top ten last year at the Sixth Layer. Now that he’s at the Seventh Layer, his combat prowess must be even more terrifying.’

Far from being intimidated, Lin Hao felt the corner of his mouth lift into a smirk. ’Now this is an interesting opponent.’

"I get it. I’ll be careful," Lin Hao said with a nod.

Wu Kui looked like he wanted to say more, but in the end, he just left.

However, still feeling uneasy, Wu Kui didn’t head for the private courtyard.

Ever since Lord Lingdi had called Yingxue inside, he had been acting mysteriously and no longer required Wu Kui’s service.

Finally, Wu Kui grit his teeth and made his way to the sect’s Scripture Pavilion.

Lin Hao’s standing in his heart had changed. For Lin Hao’s sake, Wu Kui decided to use his own sect Contribution Points to pick out a few martial techniques for him.

Before the Scripture Pavilion stood two arrogant-looking guards. When they saw the gold Token Wu Kui presented, they gave a mere cursory nod.

The Scripture Pavilion housed a collection of precious tomes, including the sect’s Cultivation Techniques and martial techniques, making it one of the most important locations in the Heaven-Stepping Sect.

After all, the Heaven-Stepping Sect was founded by an Emperor Venerable. Rumor had it that the Emperor Venerable’s inheritance was hidden somewhere within the sect.

As the repository for Cultivation Techniques and martial techniques, the Scripture Pavilion was naturally a prime target for those with ulterior motives.

Therefore, the Heaven-Stepping Sect had a rule: to enter, one must have a Token.

Not even the Sect Leader was exempt!

Without a Token, the Scripture Pavilion guards had the right to deny anyone entry—even the Sect Leader!

This decree didn’t exist originally. It was issued during the reign of the previous Sect Leader, Cang Yan.

Back then, Cang Yan had been striving to reform the sect. His efforts were already showing great success, but after he left for the capital of the Cangnan Empire, he was never seen again.

Though he vanished, this decree was never rescinded by Wu Taichu.

In the Heaven-Stepping Sect, disciples were divided into three ranks: Outer Sect, Inner Sect, and Core Disciples.

Their corresponding Tokens were bronze, silver, and gold.

Above the gold Tokens were jade Tokens.

The eight Peak Masters of Heaven-Stepping Peak also used gold Tokens, though theirs were slightly larger than those of the Core Disciples.

The Sect Leader and elders used jade Tokens, with the Sect Leader’s being slightly larger than the elders’.

Not long after Wu Kui entered the Scripture Pavilion, Lin Hao also found himself walking up to it.

’My realm can’t be advanced right now, so there’s no harm in checking out some martial techniques.’

With this thought, Lin Hao headed for the Scripture Pavilion as well.

"Halt! Show your Token!" a guard of the Scripture Pavilion barked upon seeing Lin Hao, his tone utterly devoid of courtesy.

"Sirs, he is our sect’s Chief Disciple," an Inner Sect Disciple, who happened to be exiting the Scripture Pavilion, chimed in with a mocking look on his face.

"Chief Disciple or not, even the Sect Leader can’t get in without a Token!" the guard declared, his face a mask of stern impartiality.

In truth, the guards didn’t need the disciple’s reminder; they had already recognized Lin Hao, as Wu Taichu had once brought him here for a tour.

But their policy was to recognize Tokens, not faces.

The Inner Sect Disciple had clearly expected the guard’s response. He looked over at Lin Hao, his face filled with schadenfreude.

Word of Lin Hao’s status as Chief Disciple had spread, but aside from those who knew his true background, the only one who seemed to accept him was probably Xiaoliuzi, whom he had saved.

So, seeing Lin Hao get snubbed like this, the disciple was naturally delighted.

"Token? What Token?" Lin Hao asked, looking completely blank.

Although Wu Taichu had given him a tour, he had never mentioned anything about needing a Token.

"Hahaha, are you serious? You don’t even know something so basic, yet you managed to become the Chief Disciple," the disciple exclaimed dramatically.

"Look, *this* is a Token," the disciple said, brandishing a silver Token in Lin Hao’s direction. "How about you call me ’Senior Brother,’ hmm? If you say it nicely enough, I might just lend it to you so you can go inside and have a look."

Lin Hao shot him a cool glance. Without a word, he reached into his robes and pulled out the wooden plaque that Cang Yan had given him.

’This is Cang Yan’s personal seal. He was the previous Sect Leader of the Heaven-Stepping Sect, so this should count as a sect Token, right?’

Seeing him pull out a piece of wood, the disciple froze for a second before bursting into laughter.

"Hahaha, that’s hilarious! The great Chief Disciple is trying to get into the Scripture Pavilion with a shabby piece of wood! Don’t you know that even the lowest-level Token in our sect is made of bronze..."

"Silence!"

Before the disciple could finish his sentence, one of the Scripture Pavilion guards let out a furious roar.

The shout was clearly infused with True Essence. Caught completely off guard, the Inner Sect Disciple was knocked off his feet by the force of the sound alone, landing hard on his backside.

Then, he was utterly stunned.

He watched as the guards, who were normally so haughty they wouldn’t even bat an eye at the Sect Leader, reverently accepted the wooden plaque with both hands. Then, trembling, they handed it back with both hands.

Then, with a loud THUD, both guards fell to their knees, their bodies shaking uncontrollably.

’W-what is going on?!’

The disciple was dumbstruck.

"Rise. You’ve done well." Even Lin Hao hadn’t expected the plaque to work. Taking it back, he walked straight into the Scripture Pavilion.

The two guards got to their feet and bowed respectfully toward Lin Hao’s retreating back.

The fellow on the ground didn’t understand what had just happened, but he knew the situation was bad and prepared to sneak away.

SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!

Without a second word, one of the Scripture Pavilion guards hauled him up and began slapping him across the face, left and right.

Then, the guard confiscated his silver Token and tossed him out like a piece of garbage.

Just then, another disciple heading for the Scripture Pavilion saw the scene and chuckled with schadenfreude. "He actually dared to offend the guards. Serves him right."

Of course, Lin Hao knew nothing of this; he was already inside the Scripture Pavilion.

The Scripture Pavilion had five floors. The first floor contained the most fundamental techniques, and Outer Sect Disciples were restricted to choosing their Cultivation Techniques and martial techniques from this level.

Lin Hao possessed a photographic memory, so he flipped through the scrolls at an incredible speed. Before long, he was shaking his head in disappointment.

Someone sneered under their breath. ’He’s just another Outer Sect Disciple. What’s with the act? Flipping through them that fast, he probably can’t even read the titles!’

’Besides, if you want to show off, go up to the second floor and do it in front of the Inner Sect Disciples!’

And then, Lin Hao actually started walking toward the second floor.

"Senior Brother, you need a silver Token to go to the second floor. You can’t just force your way up," a disciple kindly reminded him.

Lin Hao gave a slight smile and nodded.

"Stop right there! You think you can just go up to the second floor?!" a disciple who had just entered shouted. He had overheard the reminder and assumed Lin Hao was just another Outer Sect Disciple.

Lin Hao frowned but didn’t stop walking.

"How audacious!" a voice roared, followed by the sound of a fist cutting through the air behind him.

"Watch out!" someone cried out in warning.

Lin Hao didn’t move an inch, allowing the punch to land.

He remained perfectly still, while his attacker stumbled back three steps—STOMP, STOMP, STOMP—before regaining his balance.

The attacker was utterly horrified and blurted out, "Who are you?!"

Lin Hao paused and turned around.

"Lin... Lin Hao!" the disciple recognized him.

"Do... do you have a Token?" This disciple was from Celestial Dui Peak and had witnessed Lin Hao’s abilities firsthand. He quickly composed himself and asked the question.

Lin Hao hadn’t planned on dignifying him with a response, but then a smirk played on his lips as he flashed the wooden plaque.

The disciple froze. Then, after a quick glance around, he actually turned and walked away.

Lin Hao shook his head. Standing on the staircase, he looked down at one of the disciples below and asked, "What’s your name?"

Even without looking back, Lin Hao knew this was the one who had just warned him.

The fact that this disciple had warned him, despite knowing the other was an Inner Sect Disciple, earned him some goodwill from Lin Hao.

"Replying to First Senior Brother, my name is Yang Peng." The disciple had heard the attacker say Lin Hao’s name and now understood who he was.

Unlike the Inner Sect and Core Disciples, when the news spread that someone with an ordinary physique at the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm had become the sect’s Chief Disciple, most of the Outer Sect members had rejoiced.

In essence, Lin Hao was no different from them. If he could become the Chief Disciple, it was a source of immense encouragement for them all.

Thus, seeing Lin Hao now, Yang Peng called out "First Senior Brother" without the slightest hesitation.

Lin Hao noted that he was only at the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm and was struggling to choose a martial technique. "On the third shelf to your left," he said casually, "fourth row from the bottom, ninth book from the right. The Body Technique, *Golden Roc Soaring*, is pretty good."

Without waiting for a thank you, Lin Hao turned and headed up to the second floor.

The Outer Sect Disciple, Yang Peng, was stunned. He did as he was told and, sure enough, found a Body Technique manual in the exact spot Lin Hao had described.

He flipped it open. The first page was emblazoned with the three words: *Golden Roc Soaring*.

Yang Peng’s face was a mask of pure shock.

He had seen how quickly Lin Hao was flipping through the books earlier. He’d originally assumed Lin Hao was just skimming out of boredom, but now he realized the man had committed it all to memory.