Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

Yang Peng was reading with such intense focus that he hadn’t even noticed Lin Hao’s presence.

After a short while, Yang Peng closed the martial skill manual. He mulled it over for a moment, then opened his eyes and let out a soft sigh.

"Why do you sigh?" Lin Hao asked.

Yang Peng replied, "This *Great Roc King Fist* should perfectly complement my *Golden Roc Soaring* Body Technique, but for some reason, I feel like it’s missing something... Ah, Senior Brother."

Halfway through his sentence, Yang Peng suddenly came to his senses. He turned his head, saw Lin Hao, and couldn’t help but gasp.

Lin Hao had defeated Qin Tianlong today, and Yang Peng had been there to witness it. But unlike the others, while he didn’t know how Lin Hao had done it, Yang Peng was certain of one thing: that punch was definitely not a move from the *Compendium of Martial Skills*.

After defeating Qin Tianlong, Lin Hao’s status had been acknowledged by most. In Yang Peng’s mind, a figure like him would never strike up a conversation with an outer disciple like himself, one who hadn’t awakened his bloodline and could be kicked out of the sect at any moment.

So, although he had wanted to ask Lin Hao for guidance, he never dared to approach him.

But now, seeing Lin Hao in the Scripture Pavilion, looking no different than that day and even initiating a conversation—how could Yang Peng not be shocked?

Lin Hao smiled faintly. "What do you think it’s missing?"

The reason Lin Hao had stopped was that he, too, was a little surprised.

With his photographic memory, Lin Hao naturally knew that Yang Peng was reading the *Great Roc King Fist*. Just as Yang Peng had said, this martial skill was his best choice at the moment.

When Yang Peng mentioned it was missing something, Lin Hao’s mind flashed. He compared the *Golden Roc Soaring* Body Technique with the *Great Roc King Fist* and also felt that something was off.

But his own cultivation was already at the Seventh Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm.

Yang Peng’s cultivation was at the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm. That this disciple could sense the flaw made Lin Hao quite startled.

"Senior Brother, I was just talking nonsense," Yang Peng said, his face flush with embarrassment.

How could he dare to brazenly critique a martial skill in front of Lin Hao, especially when his cultivation was only at the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm?

"I also feel something isn’t quite right. Why don’t you tell me what you think? Perhaps we’re on the same page," Lin Hao encouraged.

Yang Peng’s eyes lit up at Lin Hao’s words, but his expression quickly dimmed. He said, "I just feel like it’s missing something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. I’ve made a fool of myself in front of you, Senior Brother."

Lin Hao frowned.

But upon closer inspection, Lin Hao saw that Yang Peng’s expression didn’t seem feigned.

"How about this: don’t start cultivating the *Great Roc King Fist* just yet. In three days, wait for me here in the Scripture Pavilion. I’ll give you an answer then."

A troubled look flashed across Yang Peng’s face, but in the end, he still said respectfully, "Thank you, Senior Brother."

Lin Hao smiled and started walking toward the second floor.

"Senior Brother, this martial skill..."

Although Yang Peng didn’t finish his sentence, Lin Hao knew what he meant. He replied, "No need. I remember both the *Golden Roc Soaring* and the *Great Roc King Fist*."

Yang Peng’s eyes flew wide open. He was stunned.

He had always been proud of his memory; he could memorize a martial skill after reading it just a few times.

But now he realized that compared to Lin Hao, the very thing he was most proud of was so common, so unremarkable.

"I hope I can stay in the sect after tomorrow," Yang Peng murmured, his face a little downcast.

The sect had just announced that all outer disciples would be tested tomorrow. Those who failed would be eliminated.

Outer disciples were all individuals who hadn’t awakened their bloodlines. Most of them would only waste the sect’s resources. Right now, the Heaven-Stepping Sect was most in need of resources, so for the sake of the sect’s development, Wu Taichu had decided to trim the fat.

Of course, Lin Hao knew nothing of these matters.

At this moment, Lin Hao had already reached the top floor of the Scripture Pavilion.

After grinding the ink, Lin Hao took up his brush and, without pause, wrote down two martial skills.

These two martial skills came from the memories of the Carefree Divine Monarch. They were Low-Grade Earth-level Martial Skills.

One should not underestimate these Low-Grade Earth-level Martial Skills.

Because Lin Hao had discovered that in the Heaven-Stepping Sect, with its ten-thousand-year legacy, there wasn’t a single Low-Grade Earth-level Martial Skill to be found.

Although he didn’t know why the sect founded by an Emperor Venerable had fallen into such decline, Lin Hao couldn’t afford to be selfish. He had to help Wu Taichu and Elder Gu grow stronger as quickly as possible. Otherwise, when the Zhengyang Sect arrived, the Heaven-Stepping Sect would stand no chance, and he would suffer along with them.

Just as he put down his brush, Wu Taichu arrived.

"Martial Ancestor." Wu Taichu bowed from a distance and then waited quietly for instructions.

"Master, come take a look at these two martial skills and see which one suits you better," Lin Hao said.

Wu Taichu walked to Lin Hao’s side and stared at the martial skills Lin Hao had written on the table.

Before long, his ragged breathing could be heard.

"E-Earth-level Martial Skills!" When Wu Taichu finished reading, his voice was trembling.

With his discerning eye, he could naturally tell that the two martial skills Lin Hao had written surpassed every other martial skill in the Scripture Pavilion!

Just like Cultivation Techniques, martial skills were irreplaceable treasures for a Martial Artist.

When two Martial Artists of similar realms and comparable Cultivation Techniques dueled, the one with the more profound martial skill would undoubtedly be victorious. This was beyond question.

This was the same principle behind Lin Hao being invincible within his own realm.

The reason Lin Hao, at the Seventh Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, could defeat Qin Tianlong—who was suppressing his own realm—was because of his Cultivation Technique!

The Cultivation Technique Lin Hao practiced was an Emperor Art, the highest achievement for a Martial Artist. It could naturally crush everything else.

A Cultivation Technique was the foundation of everything, but a profound martial skill could maximize the advantages of that technique.

Wu Taichu’s cultivation was at the Ninth Layer of the Elemental Realm. It wasn’t that Lin Hao hadn’t considered giving him an Elemental Realm Cultivation Technique to practice, but the price for doing so would be to start his cultivation all over again!

The price was simply too high. Therefore, Lin Hao could only settle for the next best thing: using martial skills to compensate for the shortcomings of Wu Taichu’s Cultivation Technique.

Seeing these martial skills, Wu Taichu’s lips trembled, so excited he could barely contain himself.

These were Earth-level Martial Skills!

On the continent, Earth-level Martial Skills were incredibly precious.

Forget the Heaven-Stepping Sect; Wu Taichu believed that even in the other sects of the Southern Border Prefecture, Martial Artists who had reached the Soul Gathering Realm were still practicing Profound-Level martial skills.

This was because Earth-level Martial Skills were simply too rare, too precious.

Among the five great sects of the Southern Border Prefecture, probably only a very small number of Sect Leaders had mastered a single Earth-level Martial Skill.

But now, Lin Hao had produced two Earth-level Martial Skills in one go. This left Wu Taichu shocked beyond measure.

"Both of these Low-Grade Earth-level Martial Skills require one to reach the Soul Gathering Realm to cultivate. So, the first thing you need to do is raise your cultivation level," Lin Hao said as he closed the two manuals.

His purpose in doing this was none other than to give Wu Taichu motivation, hoping he would reach the Soul Gathering Realm in the shortest time possible.

Hearing Lin Hao’s words, Wu Taichu nodded hastily. Then, with a troubled expression, he said, "Martial Ancestor, for some reason, I can no longer enter the Saha World."

Lin Hao froze at his words, then scratched his head in embarrassment. "Um, Master, Lord Lingdi told me that the Saha World has acknowledged me as its master."

"What?!"

Lin Hao had only intended to tell Wu Taichu the reason he couldn’t get in. Who would have thought that upon hearing this, Wu Taichu would practically jump out of his skin?

The origin of the Saha World was recorded in the sect’s secret chronicles. It was said to be as old as heaven and earth, a masterless object.

Even the founder of the Heaven-Stepping Sect, the esteemed Emperor Venerable, Emperor Hongtian, had only managed to use his supreme power to make it serve the sect’s successive leaders; he could not fully control it.

But now, Lin Hao was telling him that the Saha World had acknowledged him as its master.

No news could possibly be more shocking than this!

Wu Taichu’s eyes were wide, staring fixedly at Lin Hao as if he were looking at a god descended to the mortal realm.

"M-Martial Ancestor, you... who in the world are you?" Wu Taichu asked with utmost reverence, his voice trembling.

Merely awakening his bloodline had drawn the suppression of the heavens.

The battle on the God-Proving Platform had caused an Emperor Venerable to manifest, and he fought that Emperor Venerable across space and won a complete victory.

He knew many long-lost Alchemy Hand Seals and could refine long-lost medicinal pills at a whim.

In less than ten days, his cultivation had soared from the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm to the Peak of the Seventh Layer.

With a single gesture, he produced two Earth-level Martial Skills.

The Saha World, which even an Emperor Venerable couldn’t tame, had made him its master after just one visit.

...

Any one of these feats was something no ordinary person could achieve, yet Lin Hao had accomplished them all.

Now, Wu Taichu truly suspected that Lin Hao was some god-like figure who had lived for thousands of years and was just pretending to be young for fun.

"I am Lin Hao, the man destined to become the strongest Emperor Venerable," Lin Hao said humorously.

Who would have thought that Wu Taichu would nod with grave solemnity?

If anyone else had made such a bold claim, Wu Taichu would have scoffed. But coming from Lin Hao’s mouth, Wu Taichu felt it was only natural.

’It doesn’t matter who he is. He is my Martial Ancestor.’

’To think that I, Wu Taichu, would be able to witness the rise of an Emperor Venerable with my own eyes!’

For a moment, Wu Taichu’s mind reeled, completely unable to suppress his surging excitement.

"I can only enter the Saha World once every five days. I’ll go ask Lord Lingdi first and see if I can bring you all inside to cultivate," Lin Hao said, taking the matter of cultivation progress very seriously.

"Ah, Martial Ancestor, I just came from Lord Lingdi’s place. She was just looking for you," Wu Taichu said, slapping his forehead.

He had been so stunned by Lin Hao’s grand gesture in the Scripture Pavilion that he had completely forgotten about it.

"Good. Master, you should use the next few days to select a group of disciples. Have them consume the pills for cultivation as soon as they are refined. As for those Contribution Points, just set that aside for now."

Wu Taichu also understood the stakes; increasing the sect’s strength was the most important thing right now.

He nodded and said, "I’m already making the arrangements."

Lin Hao chuckled in spite of himself.

’Wu Taichu is a Sect Leader, after all. He surely understands these things better than I do.’

’I should probably avoid making such an embarrassing mistake again.’

"Master, you should familiarize yourself with the martial skills first. Once you’ve chosen one, give the other to Elder Gu. I’ll be going now."

With that, Lin Hao went downstairs to find that vain cat.

Wu Taichu bowed respectfully as he saw him off.

In the room where Lord Lingdi was, Yingxue was clumsily combing her fur.

"You’re so clumsy, little girl. You can’t even comb fur properly."

Yingxue pouted and said resentfully, "I’ve never done it before."

"I almost forgot, you’re not a human," Lord Lingdi said.

At this, Yingxue became unhappy and retorted, "You’re the one who’s not human."

"Heh heh, that’s right. Girl, I haven’t asked you yet, how did you get this appearance?"

Yingxue looked completely lost.

"To be so lost and bewildered... you’re quite bold." In the end, Lord Lingdi shook her head.