Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

"Son, stop fighting. Your mommy’s calling you home to suckle."

Lin Hao’s shout was truly earth-shaking, rocking the entire Heaven-Stepping Sect.

Never mind how others reacted; everyone outside Pill Cloud Hall stared with wide eyes, their faces filled with shock.

This was especially true for all the Alchemy Masters from the Danling Sect. They looked at Lin Hao as if they were seeing a god or a demon.

Who was Cao Ba? He was one of the six Grand Elders of the Danling Sect. He and his elder brother, Cao Xiong, lorded their power over others. In private, the two of them had earned the nickname "The Deceitful and the Tyrannical."

Even the Danling Sect’s own Sect Leader had to treat these two with a degree of deference. No one dared to speak ill of them to their faces.

But now, what had Lin Hao just said?

That courage alone was enough to leave all the Alchemy Masters dumbfounded and utterly speechless.

In mid-air, upon hearing this, Cao Ba nearly choked and plummeted like a kite with a snapped string.

Fortunately, just before he hit the ground, he managed to draw a sharp breath and avoid making a fool of himself.

But he still stumbled about, looking as pathetic as could be.

"What did you say?!" Cao Ba’s face was flushed red, twisted into an inhuman snarl.

His appearance was so terrifying that all the Alchemy Masters couldn’t help but retreat in fear.

But Lin Hao acted as if nothing was wrong. He shrugged and taunted, "Son, your mommy’s calling you home to suckle."

"You little bastard, I’m going to kill you!" Seething with rage, the hair on Cao Ba’s head stood on end as he clawed at Lin Hao.

However, Wu Taichu descended and blocked the attack.

"You can’t blame me for this. This grandson of mine lost a bet and insisted on calling me grandpa. You’re his uncle, so doesn’t that make you my son?" Lin Hao, still holding Cao Tianguan, poked his head out from behind Wu Taichu and spoke with an innocent expression.

"Pfft..."

Wu Taichu, who had been wearing a stern expression, couldn’t hold it in any longer upon hearing this and burst out laughing. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

That laugh was like rubbing salt in the wound. Cao Ba threw his head back and howled. Then, his figure flashed, and when he came to a stop again, a Heaven-Stepping Sect Disciple was in his grasp.

The disciple’s neck was in Cao Ba’s grip, and his face had turned a purplish-blue.

"Wu Taichu, hand him over, or I’ll slaughter every disciple in your Heaven-Stepping Sect!" Cao Ba’s face was savage.

Wu Taichu’s expression changed.

His power was comparable to Cao Ba’s. If Cao Ba truly went berserk, the Heaven-Stepping Sect disciples would surely suffer countless casualties.

But handing over Lin Hao was also absolutely out of the question.

In the end, Wu Taichu shook his head, a look of apology on his face.

The hopeful light in the eyes of the disciple being choked by Cao Ba immediately dimmed.

Just then, Lin Hao’s voice rang out.

"You old ba— Er, wait, insulting you is like insulting myself. Son, you’re not concerned about his life or death?" Lin Hao shoved Cao Tianguan forward.

Cao Ba automatically ignored the embarrassing word and said coldly, "My elder brother, Cao Xiong, is also one of the six Grand Elders of the sect. Tianguan is his only son. If you dare touch Tianguan, not even a chicken or dog in the Heaven-Stepping Sect will be spared!"

Cao Ba didn’t believe Lin Hao would dare to harm Cao Tianguan for the sake of an ordinary disciple.

But Lin Hao shook his head and said, "Just because he was born noble, he thinks he’s superior? Wrong. In my eyes, all living beings are equal. My Senior Brother’s life is just as valuable as his."

After speaking, Lin Hao delivered a slap.

SLAP!

The slap was loud and clear!

The corner of Cao Ba’s mouth twitched violently.

Lin Hao’s slap hadn’t just struck Cao Tianguan; it was a slap in his face as well.

"I remember you said earlier that I should get on my knees, slap myself three hundred times, and then break my own limbs. At the time, I could have let it go. But if my Senior Brother loses so much as a single hair, I guarantee that everything you just described will happen to Cao Tianguan."

Lin Hao spoke as if it were nothing, his tone light and breezy.

Lin Hao’s expression was calm, but he radiated an indescribable aura, and Cao Ba’s hand loosened.

The Heaven-Stepping Sect Disciple who had been in Cao Ba’s grasp fell to the ground, gasping for air. When he looked up again, his gaze fell on Lin Hao, and hot tears began to stream down his face.

For the sake of his worthless life, Lin Hao had actually chosen to confront a Grand Elder of the Danling Sect. The disciple felt as if a heavy stone was blocking his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Only by letting the hot tears flow could he vent the emotions he felt at this moment.

The disciple scrambled to his feet and walked toward Lin Hao, and Cao Ba actually didn’t dare to make a move.

"Sigh..." A flash of guilt appeared on Wu Taichu’s face.

"Sect Leader, I know why. I don’t blame you," the disciple said in a low voice after moving to stand behind Wu Taichu.

The moment Wu Taichu had shaken his head, the disciple had indeed felt a surge of resentment. But after he hit the ground, he suddenly understood: Lin Hao’s life was a hundred, even a thousand times more important than his own.

He hadn’t understood before when Lin Hao became the head disciple, but now he knew why. A person like that was indeed worthy of the Sect Leader giving up the lives of many others for his sake.

In that moment, it wasn’t just this one disciple; the gazes of the other disciples on Lin Hao had also completely changed.

Their eyes held worship, admiration, and excitement...

"All living beings are equal." These five simple words made Lin Hao’s image in the hearts of these disciples grow immeasurably tall.

"I admit defeat. Hand Tianguan over to me, and I will leave the Heaven-Stepping Sect immediately." Taking a deep breath, Cao Ba was forced to back down.

Cao Tianguan was in Lin Hao’s hands, and Wu Taichu had also advanced to the Soul Gathering Realm. He alone could gain no advantage here.

’As long as I can get Tianguan back,’ he thought, ’once I return to the Sect, I swear I will raze the Heaven-Stepping Sect to the ground!’

A vicious glint flashed through Cao Ba’s eyes and was gone.

"Since he called me ’Grandpa,’ it would be rude of me not to show him some hospitality. Son, you can head back first. After he’s stayed here for a while, I’ll naturally send him back."

Lin Hao shook his head. He wasn’t about to fall for Cao Ba’s trick.

If he really let Cao Tianguan go, a great disaster would befall the Sect.

"You..." Cao Ba’s fists clenched so tightly they creaked. Veins bulged on his skin, a savage and terrifying sight.

Just then, a surprised voice rang out. "Eh? Isn’t that Brother Cao? What brings you here?"

Cao Ba turned to see Shan Dan.

Accompanying Shan Dan was another Heaven-Stepping Sect Disciple.

Within the Sect, the Cao brothers had never seen eye-to-eye with Shan Dan. Logically, Cao Ba should have been hostile toward him, but that wasn’t what happened.

Upon seeing Shan Dan, Cao Ba actually took on a rare, more conciliatory tone. He cupped his fist in greeting and said, "Brother Shan, you’ve come at a great time. My elder brother sent me to bring Tianguan home, but Sect Leader Wu is being a little too hospitable."

It must have been quite difficult for Cao Ba to say such a thing to Shan Dan, a man he’d never gotten along with, all to trick him into helping get Cao Tianguan back.

Who would have thought that Pill Master Shan Dan’s reply would nearly make Cao Ba choke to death.

"Oh, is that so? As it happens, I’ll also be at the Heaven-Stepping Sect for a while. You can rest assured and let Tianguan stay here. I guarantee he will return to the Sect completely unharmed," Pill Master Shan Dan said with narrowed eyes, actually making such a promise.

Cao Ba was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage. "Shan Dan, you’re a traitor! Siding with outsiders against your own Sect Disciples!"

"Brother Cao, wherever did you get that idea?" Pill Master Shan Dan asked, looking surprised and innocent.

Then, Pill Master Shan Dan turned and asked the Alchemy Masters standing beside Lin Hao, "What happened? Why is Elder Cao so angry? Did you do something to upset him?"

The Alchemy Masters all had strange expressions on their faces, and none of them dared to answer Pill Master Shan Dan’s question.

After all, they were members of the Danling Sect and would eventually return. If they offended Cao Ba now, their lives would become very difficult.

However, someone did step forward to explain the whole story.

"Master, this is what happened. Cao Tianguan made a bet with our Senior Brother, saying that if he couldn’t catch Senior Brother within ten breaths, he would acknowledge him as his grandpa. Well, he lost. And our Senior Brother, being so hospitable, decided to have his grandson stay at the Sect for a while longer."

The one who spoke up was the very same Heaven-Stepping Sect Disciple who had nearly died at Cao Ba’s hands moments ago.

Lin Hao had saved his life, so of course he had to step forward and stand up for him.

"Pfft..." Wu Kui, who was walking toward Wu Taichu and the others, heard this and let out a snort of laughter.

A disciple had just come to tell him that Lin Hao was looking for him, but he had been at a critical point in an Alchemy Hand Seal, so he was delayed.

Halfway there, he had heard Lin Hao’s shout. He hadn’t known what was going on at the time, but now he finally understood.

In Wu Kui’s opinion, anyone who opposed Lin Hao was just asking for humiliation.

He knew that from personal experience.

Pill Master Shan Dan had actually understood everything the moment he saw Cao Ba, but now, hearing it for himself, he still couldn’t stop the corner of his mouth from twitching upward.

’That little rascal Lin Hao is truly lawless. In one fell swoop, he’s offended two Grand Elders of the Danling Sect.’

Still, seeing the state Cao Ba was in, Pill Master Shan Dan felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

Of course, he wasn’t afraid of Cao Ba, so he didn’t forget to kick the man while he was down. "You know, Cao... it wouldn’t be so bad to actually be Lin Hao’s son. If I were you, I’d get on my knees and kowtow in thanks. Otherwise, you might not even be qualified for the position in the future."

Although Pill Master Shan Dan’s words were mocking, that last sentence came from the heart.

The reason he was staying at the Heaven-Stepping Sect was to figure Lin Hao out, but he found that the more time he spent with him, the more mysterious Lin Hao became.

On the surface, Lin Hao was like a pool of water, calm and clear.

But in reality, that pool of water was bottomless.

However, in Cao Ba’s ears, these words were nothing but naked mockery. His chest heaved with anger, but in the end, there was nothing he could do.

"Wu Taichu, and you, that little bastard named Lin! Just you wait!"

With that, Cao Ba’s figure flashed away, presumably to return to his sect and call for reinforcements.

"AHH!"

While still in mid-air, he suddenly heard Cao Tianguan let out a blood-curdling scream.

He turned to see Cao Tianguan on both knees, as Lin Hao’s voice rang out at the same time: "I don’t want such a rebellious son! This grandson is much more obedient. I’ll punish you by making you kneel for three days and three nights to atone for that good-for-nothing!"

After speaking, Lin Hao even winked at Cao Ba in mid-air.

’If this old bastard dares to curse me,’ Lin Hao thought, ’I’ll piss him off until he drops dead.’

Cao Ba was so furious his True Essence faltered. Like a falling meteor, he plummeted straight toward the ground.

As luck would have it, there was a patch of mud on the ground right below. Cao Ba fell straight into it, emerging as a mud-man.

Without even bothering to wipe himself off, Cao Ba vanished in a few leaps.

Faintly, he could still hear the loud laughter coming from behind him.

A dignified Grand Elder of the Danling Sect had been utterly and completely humiliated.

"Lin Hao, I will tear you to pieces!" Cao Ba’s furious roar echoed across the heavens.