Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

On Heaven-Stepping Peak, someone was heading toward Lin Hao’s residence.

Even more shockingly, Wu Kui, the Sect Leader’s adopted son, was being carried, drenched in blood.

"Gu Yunfei, Qin Huayang, what do you think you’re doing?" Panic flashed across Wu Kui’s face.

His experiences over the past few days were something Wu Kui could never have imagined before.

After the Alchemy Masters from the Danling Sect arrived, not only did they all look to him for leadership, but they had also refined many pills for the sect.

And as for himself, with Lin Hao’s guidance, he had finally learned to refine the Nine-Nine Life-extending Pill. In the last two days, his alchemy skills had become so proficient that even Master Shan Dan had to humbly seek his advice.

While Wu Kui felt proud, he naturally didn’t forget that Lin Hao had given him all of this, so his respect for him deepened even further.

In the past two days, Master Shan Dan had been asking him, both intentionally and unintentionally, about the Life Reviving Pill and the pill refined from the Nine-Loathing Flower. Though Wu Kui found it a bit tiresome, it also got him thinking.

So, after checking on the alchemy progress at Pill Cloud Hall early this morning, he had wanted to come and consult Lin Hao.

But what Wu Kui never would have dreamed was that not long after leaving Pill Cloud Hall, he was ambushed by Gu Yunfei and Qin Huayang.

Wu Kui’s cultivation was only at the Sixth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm. He was no match for Qin Huayang alone, let alone both of them attacking together.

He was captured in a single exchange.

This was the Heaven-Stepping Sect, yet the two of them actually dared to make a move. A bad premonition instantly rose in Wu Kui’s heart.

"What do we want? You’ll find out soon enough." Gu Yunfei raised his hand and slapped him, speaking coldly.

Wu Kui was shocked. "You want to rebel?!"

They were acting so brazenly, without any attempt at concealment. Wu Kui couldn’t think of any other reason.

Gu Yunfei and Qin Huayang exchanged a glance, a crazed look flashing in their eyes.

"You..." Wu Kui was horrified.

By this time, they had arrived before Lin Hao’s door.

Qin Huayang sent a flying kick.

BANG!

The door instantly splintered, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

"Senior Brother, run!" Wu Kui roared, warning Lin Hao.

「Meanwhile, in the Heaven-Stepping Sect’s assembly hall.」

Wu Taichu and the three Grand Elders were all seated, with Gu Qingyang and Qin Tianlong sitting below them.

"Peak Master Gu, Peak Master Qin, you said you had something important to report. Everyone is here now, so you may speak," Wu Taichu said.

Strange smiles appeared on the faces of both Gu and Qin.

Finally, Qin Tianlong spoke, "Wu Taichu, I grew up in this sect. For the sect’s decline, you cannot escape the blame."

Wu Taichu’s eyes narrowed, then he nodded.

At the same time, he sighed inwardly.

’What was bound to happen has finally come.’ He hadn’t thought Qin Tianlong would actually take this step.

Everyone present was sharp and experienced. Hearing Qin Tianlong’s words, an elder said coldly, "Qin Tianlong, what is the meaning of this? Are you trying to stage a coup?!"

"The position of Sect Leader belongs to the capable. Wu Taichu is not up to the task and should abdicate!" Qin Tianlong retorted sharply.

"Heh, he’s not up to the task, so you think you are? Even a Blood Coagulation Realm Martial Artist dares to challenge you. If I were you, I would have killed myself from shame long ago." Another elder spoke up.

In the Heaven-Stepping Sect, the three Grand Elders were absolute supporters of Wu Taichu.

From this point alone, it was clear that Wu Taichu wasn’t incapable, but rather that he was born at an inopportune time.

After all, the withering of the secret realm was not something he could control.

Hearing this, a cold glint flashed in Qin Tianlong’s eyes, followed by unconcealed killing intent.

"Wu Taichu, you forced my hand! Lin Hao was nothing but a mortal body before. What virtue or ability does he have to be the chief disciple? My son, Huayang, and Young Master Yunfei—is either of them not stronger than him!" Qin Tianlong slammed the table and shot to his feet.

"A pity, then, that Qin Huayang lost, and when Gu Yunfei provoked Lin Hao in the Scripture Pavilion, he was also completely defeated!" Elder Gu spoke, his words hitting the mark.

Qin Tianlong flew into a rage out of humiliation.

Unlike him, Gu Qingyang wasn’t angry at all. His eyes narrowed, full of confidence. "But what if Huayang and Yunfei attacked at the same time? What do you think Lin Hao’s chances of winning would be?"

The expressions of Wu Taichu and the three Grand Elders changed drastically at the same time.

Wu Taichu and Elder Gu, in particular, were about to bolt out the door.

However, Gu Qingyang had already anticipated this. With a flicker of his body, he blocked their path.

To the sect, Lin Hao was a priceless treasure. Without a word, Wu Taichu and Elder Gu simultaneously struck out at Gu Qingyang.

However, facing the attack of two great masters of the Elemental Realm, Gu Qingyang remained completely unmoved.

The next moment.

A terrifying fluctuation of aura suddenly appeared.

An item on Gu Qingyang’s body flared with a brilliant light. A gateway appeared in the void, and a figure stepped out.

"A Domain Gate! Soul Gathering Realm!"

Wu Taichu and Elder Gu retreated at once, their faces filled with horror.

That brilliant light was clearly a type of secret treasure—a Domain Gate!

A Domain Gate could cross thousands of miles in an instant.

And that fluctuation of aura... it definitely belonged to a Soul Gathering Realm expert who had arrived.

Seeing the newcomer’s face clearly, Wu Taichu’s expression turned exceptionally grim.

"Yue Fanshan, an elder of the Zhengyang Sect! Gu Qingyang, so you’re one of them!"

Gu Qingyang did not reply, standing respectfully behind the newcomer.

Yue Fanshan was an old man. He frowned upon hearing this, his presence naturally imposing. "Sect Leader Wu, no matter Qingyang’s faults, he is still a disciple of my Zhengyang Sect. For you to dare to try and kill him shows a great lack of respect for us. For his sake, the sect has lost one of its three Domain Gates. Shouldn’t you offer some compensation?"

"I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. My Heaven-Stepping Sect has nothing that would catch your eye." Wu Taichu was anxious about Lin Hao’s safety, but his opponent was a Soul Gathering Realm expert, with two other Elemental Realm masters present. They didn’t stand a chance in a fight.

The only thing to do now was to figure out what they truly wanted.

Yue Fanshan shook his head and said, "You’re mistaken. You do have one thing that is more than enough compensation."

Wu Taichu’s heart skipped a beat as he thought of that Tier Four Spiritual Artifact.

But to his surprise, Yue Fanshan uttered two words: "Emperor Art!"

"Absurd! If my Heaven-Stepping Sect possessed an Emperor Art, how could we have fallen to such a state!" Wu Taichu said angrily.

"Wu Taichu, you can’t fool me. When Lin Hao fought yesterday, his Body Technique was definitely derived from the complete Heaven-Stepping Step!" Gu Qingyang said with absolute certainty.

He had lain hidden in the Heaven-Stepping Sect for over ten years, originally for Emperor Hongtian’s Cultivation Technique. But when that proved unattainable, he learned of the Heaven-Stepping Step instead.

Afterward, he had been constantly researching the Heaven-Stepping Step.

The Heaven-Stepping Step was an Emperor Art. Cultivated to its peak, it could reverse time, control space, and cross the void with a single stride.

As for the rumors that the first part of the "Heaven-Stepping Step" was lost, he didn’t believe them.

He had once secretly snuck into the Scripture Pavilion, but the top two floors were protected by a restriction that even he could not bypass.

Unable to find an opportunity, he could only continue to lie in wait.

After seeing Lin Hao’s Body Technique yesterday, he was finally certain: the top floor of the Scripture Pavilion absolutely contained the complete "Heaven-Stepping Step"!

In the past few days, the Danling Sect had also gotten involved, and it seemed they were intent on forming an alliance with the Heaven-Stepping Sect. Gu Qingyang knew that delays breed trouble, so he decided he could wait no longer and made his move.

And in Wu Taichu’s heart, Lin Hao’s status was absolute, above all else.

Although Gu Qingyang couldn’t figure out why, he knew that as long as he captured Lin Hao, everything would undoubtedly be much easier.

Lin Hao was only at the Sixth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, but to be safe, he had arranged for both Qin Huayang and Gu Yunfei to go.

Qin Huayang was at the Seventh Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, and Gu Yunfei had been hiding his true strength, having mastered the best of both the Heaven-Stepping Sect and the Zhengyang Sect.

In Gu Qingyang’s opinion, the two of them attacking together would be more than enough to deal with a mere Lin Hao at the Sixth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm.

However, that was not the case.

「Back in Lin Hao’s room.」

Covered in blood, Wu Kui lay immobilized, tossed aside like trash by Gu Yunfei. Lin Hao stood in a standoff against Gu Yunfei and Qin Huayang.

Just one step away from reaching the Eighth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, Lin Hao was already in a bad mood. For Gu and Qin to dare show up at his door at a time like this, Lin Hao was furious.

Knowing that time was short, Gu and Qin attacked simultaneously without a word.

Yesterday, when Lin Hao was at the Sixth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, Qin Huayang was already no match for him. Now, Lin Hao was at the Seventh Layer, and his Body Technique was even more terrifying.

The moment they moved, Lin Hao moved as well.

His speed was extreme.

Lin Hao ignored Qin Huayang’s attack and used his body as a weapon, ramming straight toward him.

BOOM!

Qin Huayang had arrived quickly, but he was sent flying even faster.

Lin Hao’s physical body was terrifyingly powerful. Under the force of the full-powered collision, the sound of snapping bones was incessant. It was impossible to tell how many bones in Qin Huayang’s body had broken.

He crashed heavily to the ground, coughing up large mouthfuls of blood, unable to even get up.

With a single blow, Qin Huayang, at the Seventh Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, was grievously wounded!

This was the terror of a body that had formed Astral Armor.

As long as no Spiritual Artifact was involved, his body could ignore all attacks.

Qin Huayang had been much faster than Gu Yunfei. By the time Lin Hao sent Qin Huayang flying, Gu Yunfei was just engaging him in close combat.

Gu Yunfei saw the terror of Lin Hao’s physical body, yet he didn’t change his move, swiping a claw toward Lin Hao’s chest.

PFFT!

The claw struck Lin Hao squarely in the chest.

Their bodies flashed past each other, swapping positions.

Lin Hao stood firm and looked down. A large patch of his robes had instantly turned to ash. On his chest, four shallow scratches remained.

Looking at Gu Yunfei’s hand, which was emitting a faint blue glow, Lin Hao uttered four words: "Netherworld Bone Transformation Claw!"

"You have some knowledge. Although this Netherworld Bone Transformation Claw is only a Yellow Level Top Grade martial technique, when cultivated to its peak, even an Elemental Realm expert would have no cure. I’ve only just scratched the surface, but it’s more than enough to deal with you. Within an hour, your skin will rot inch by inch until it turns to ash!"

Gu Yunfei said with immense pride.

"The humiliation you dealt me yesterday... I, this young master, thought I would have to endure it for some time. To think I can have my revenge today—it’s truly satisfying!"

"You’re from the Zhengyang Sect!" Lin Hao’s expression didn’t change in the slightest; he simply pointed out Gu Yunfei’s identity.

Lin Hao had seen Wu Tianli use this Netherworld Bone Transformation Claw before. Since Wu Tianli’s children cultivated in the Zhengyang Sect, Gu Yunfei’s use of this technique made his origin clear.

Gu Yunfei was taken aback. "You are indeed clever. A pity your life is about to end."

A wicked grin spread across Lin Hao’s lips.