Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

Over ten gashes had appeared on the front of Ling Xiao’s robes. They crisscrossed each other, yet were all uniformly sized.

Ling Xiao was horrified!

This was clearly Lin Hao’s handiwork from just moments ago.

Back then, Ling Xiao had used his True Essence to slice off four or five pieces of Lin Hao’s clothing before leaving triumphantly.

He never imagined that Lin Hao’s control over True Essence was a hundred times more terrifying than his own.

Those dozen or so gashes had been so fine that Ling Xiao hadn’t even noticed them at the time.

Now, as Ling Xiao folded his arms, his robes tightened, and the fine slits instantly tore open.

Terrifying!

Ling Xiao, who had been immensely proud just a moment ago, instantly turned pale.

Meanwhile, on the Proving Ground, the spectating disciples, unaware of what had happened, were whispering among themselves.

"Senior Brother Ling is on the Proving Ground. Who is he here to challenge? Don’t tell me he’s challenging the Peak Master?"

"Tch, I’ve got the inside scoop. Senior Brother Ling came out of seclusion to challenge the Eldest Senior Brother."

"Senior Brother Lin Hao became the head disciple, so Senior Brother Ling is definitely not happy about it. The Eldest Senior Brother is in for trouble now."

"Didn’t you used to dislike Senior Brother Lin Hao? Why are you suddenly worried about him?"

"I’m not an idiot. I heard all the pills we’ve been taking these past few days are thanks to Senior Brother Lin Hao."

"I heard that too. They say even the Alchemy Masters from the Danling Sect have to show Senior Brother Lin some respect."

"Of course! My cousin’s other cousin’s brother works at Pill Cloud Hall. He said Senior Brother Lin is insanely amazing, that he doesn’t even bat an eye at the Danling Sect elders."

"Yeah, I heard that too. Even if Senior Brother Lin Hao can’t beat Senior Brother Ling later, I’ll still support him."

...

Every single one of these words reached Ling Xiao’s ears, making his already pale face turn even paler.

’So, even if I could defeat Lin Hao, I would still be inferior to him in their hearts.’

’What’s more...’

Ling Xiao looked down at his robes, where the dozen or so gashes seemed to be mocking him relentlessly.

At this very moment, Ling Xiao finally understood just how vast the gap was between him and Lin Hao.

Lin Hao had been yielding to him at every turn, not out of fear, but to preserve his dignity.

"Lin Hao, I, Ling Xiao, am not your equal." Finally, after his expression shifted several times, Ling Xiao muttered under his breath.

A moment later, he raised his head again, his eyes blazing with renewed fighting spirit and rampaging battle intent.

Staring into the void, he pictured Lin Hao’s face and declared, enunciating each word, "One day, I will defeat you!"

Then, Ling Xiao turned and sped away toward Heaven-Stepping Peak.

He left behind a crowd of bewildered Heaven-Stepping Sect disciples.

Meanwhile, in Wu Taichu’s courtyard on Heaven-Stepping Peak, a completely transformed Lian Lanxin appeared before him.

With the charcoal soot washed from her face, Lian Lanxin’s features were revealed to be exceptionally delicate.

Paired with a sky-blue dress, her every movement exuded a unique and distinctive air.

"Lass, you’ve finally agreed to wear a dress again," Wu Taichu said as he looked at Lian Lanxin.

Wu Taichu knew Lian Lanxin.

To be precise, Wu Taichu had met Lian Lanxin’s grandfather.

Several years ago, for the sake of the sect’s development, Wu Taichu was constantly traveling to lobby other sects in the hope of forming an alliance with the sects of the Southern Border Prefecture, but he was met with rejection everywhere.

On his way back from his last trip, he encountered a gravely injured Mr. Lian, who was accompanied by a little girl.

That girl, of course, was Lian Lanxin.

After entrusting Lian Lanxin to Wu Taichu, Mr. Lian passed away.

After returning to the sect with him, Lian Lanxin, contrary to expectations, insisted on going to the Divine Weapon Hall.

No matter how hard Wu Taichu tried, he couldn’t sway her.

In the end, Wu Taichu had no choice but to let her have her way.

Now that Lian Lanxin had actually returned from the Divine Weapon Hall with Lin Hao, how could Wu Taichu not be overjoyed?

Although his meeting with Mr. Lian had been a chance encounter, a single passing meeting, Wu Taichu took his promises very seriously. He would rather die than break a promise he made to someone.

"Lan Xin, it’s wonderful that you’ve come out. Although it’s a bit late to start, with your aptitude, you can still achieve great things in martial cultivation," Wu Taichu said happily.

When he first met Lian Lanxin, it didn’t take long for Wu Taichu to discover that the girl’s aptitude was astonishingly high, and she possessed a photographic memory.

At the time, he had wanted to take her as his disciple, but Lian Lanxin had plunged headfirst into the Divine Weapon Hall.

Now that Lian Lanxin was out, Wu Taichu was bringing up the old matter again.

Who would have thought that Lian Lanxin would simply smile apologetically and reply, "Uncle Wu, I want to follow my big brother."

Wu Taichu froze for a moment before realizing she was talking about Lin Hao.

"Hahaha, you have good judgment, lass. He’s much stronger than I am. If you follow him, I’m afraid I won’t be your match in a few years," Wu Taichu laughed heartily.

Lin Hao seemed to possess an endless array of skills. To this day, Wu Taichu still had no idea how many more astonishing treasures were hidden in Lin Hao’s mind.

’This girl really knows how to pick people.’

However, to his surprise, Lian Lanxin shook her head again. "Uncle Wu, I don’t want to learn martial arts."

"Then what will you learn from him?" Wu Taichu asked, confused.

’Alchemy?’

’I’ve never seen this girl show any interest in Alchemy...’

Suddenly, a flash of insight struck him. Wu Taichu shot to his feet, a look of utter shock appearing in his eyes.

"Art... Artifact Refining?!" Wu Taichu stared at Lian Lanxin, his voice trembling as he spoke.

Lian Lanxin nodded. "Yes. Big Brother’s accomplishments in Artifact Refining are even greater than my grandfather’s. I want to learn the art of Artifact Refining, so that one day I can go to the Jinglian Saint Institute and avenge my grandfather!"

Wu Taichu had no idea what kind of place the Jinglian Saint Institute was.

But right now, he had no mind to ponder the Jinglian Saint Institute. He was so shocked by what Lian Lanxin had just revealed that he had lost the ability to think.

Only one sentence remained in Wu Taichu’s mind: ’Grand Master actually knows Artifact Refining...’

Artifact Refiner. The weight of those two words alone was heavier than a mountain.

An Artifact Refiner refines Tier One to Tier Three Spiritual Artifacts and cultivates Tier Four and above Spiritual Artifacts.

How powerful was a Spiritual Artifact? With a Tier Four Spiritual Artifact in hand, a Martial Artist at the Soul Gathering Realm First Layer could challenge someone at the Ninth Layer of Soul Gathering Realm. They would even have a fighting chance against a Spirit Transformation Realm expert.

This showed just how formidable an Artifact Refiner was.

Even a Spirit Transformation Realm expert would not dare to offend a true Artifact Refiner.

Artifact Refiners were an existence even more mysterious and noble than Alchemy Masters.

But now, it turned out that the Grand Master not only knew Alchemy but also Artifact Refining.

Wu Taichu’s heart pounded violently, as if it were about to burst from his chest.

’With him here, even without a secret realm, the sect can rise!’

’With him here, the revival of the sect is definitely not just empty talk!’

"Hahaha... HAHAHAHA..." Wu Taichu was so overcome with excitement that he could only use laughter to vent his emotions.

At that moment, his laughter enveloped the entire Heaven-Stepping Sect and continued for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Had he not been interrupted, his laughter might have continued even longer.

Someone knocked on the door of Wu Taichu’s room.

Then, Ling Xiao’s figure appeared.

"Master, this disciple wishes to enter the Demon Suppression Cave." Upon seeing Wu Taichu, Ling Xiao spoke with a calm expression.

Upon hearing the words "Demon Suppression Cave," even Wu Taichu’s expression changed.

The Demon Suppression Cave was originally a secret training ground for the sect. It was not a secret realm, but it was a hundred times more dangerous than any secret realm known to the Heaven-Stepping Sect.

In a secret realm, crisis and opportunity coexisted, but in the Demon Suppression Cave, there was only crisis.

However, for those who trained in the Demon Suppression Cave and constantly teetered on the brink of life and death, the benefits to one’s martial path were unimaginably immense if they could emerge in one piece.

The previous Sect Leader of the Heaven-Stepping Sect, Cang Yan, had once trained in the Demon Suppression Cave.

According to sect records, Cang Yan entered the Demon Suppression Cave at the Peak of the Elemental Realm and emerged as an expert at the Sixth Layer of Soul Gathering Realm.

But when he came out, Cang Yan was bathed in his own blood, with only a single breath of life left in him.

When Cang Yan reached the Soul Gathering Realm Peak, he entered the Demon Suppression Cave again. Although he successfully broke through to the Spirit Transformation Realm, he once again emerged bathed in blood, his injuries even more severe than the last time.

After that, he personally declared the Demon Suppression Cave a forbidden area, prohibiting any Sect Disciple from setting foot inside it again.

Ancestor Cang Yan had been a peerless genius, yet he had barely survived entering at the Peak of the Elemental Realm. Ling Xiao was only at the Ninth Layer of Blood Coagulation Realm. If he entered the Demon Suppression Cave, he would almost certainly never return.

"No! Absolutely not!" Wu Taichu’s stance was firm.

Ling Xiao dropped to his knees with a THUD. "If I cannot enter the Demon Suppression Cave, then I, Ling Xiao, beg for death right now!"

Then, Ling Xiao pulled a letter from his robes and handed it to Wu Taichu, saying, "A year from now, if I have not come out, I’ll trouble Master to deliver this letter to the Ling family in Celestial Jade City."

’Lin Hao’s martial path is too terrifying, and the speed of his cultivation can only be described as monstrous.’

Ling Xiao knew that if he wanted to defeat Lin Hao, the Demon Suppression Cave was his only hope.

Wu Taichu looked at the dozen or so gashes on Ling Xiao’s robes, pondered for a long time, and finally nodded.

He then took out a bottle of pills and handed it to Ling Xiao, saying, "There are three Life Reviving Pills in here. They can even heal you after forcibly activating your Bloodline Power. Take care of yourself."

Ling Xiao froze, not taking the pills.

He didn’t need to think to know that these pills were related to Lin Hao.

Wu Taichu was very pleased that after being defeated by Lin Hao, Ling Xiao was not thinking of using outside influence or resorting to cunning schemes.

"Xiao’er, you’ve done well. However, if you want to defeat him with your own strength, you first have to stay alive."

Finally, Ling Xiao took the pills, bowed three times to Wu Taichu, and turned to leave.

"Hey, I take back what I said before. You deserve respect," Lian Lanxin’s voice sounded from behind him.

Just before, when Ling Xiao had been aggressively pressuring Lin Hao to fight, Lian Lanxin had called him shameless. Now, she was apologizing for her words.

’This girl is daring in her love and hate, completely unpretentious.’

Ling Xiao’s body stiffened. He then turned around and apologized as well. "I was wrong when I said you weren’t even worthy of carrying Dieyi’s shoes. You’re very beautiful, no less so than her."

"I accept your apology." Lian Lanxin smiled, a very happy smile.

No woman dislikes a compliment, and although Lian Lanxin was young, she was no exception.

Ling Xiao said no more and left.

Wu Taichu watched his departing back with a pleased expression. "Xiao’er has always wanted to be number one; he is proud and arrogant. Now he finally understands that there’s always someone better out there."

"That’s all because of Big Brother’s personal charm," Lian Lanxin said.

She hit the nail on the head!

Lin Hao had used a peaceful method that both saved Ling Xiao’s face and made him understand the gap between them.

If Lin Hao had truly defeated Ling Xiao on the Proving Ground, Ling Xiao would never have been able to hold his head high in the sect again.

Would a completely humiliated Ling Xiao have been able to maintain his current state of mind?

In a way, Lin Hao had saved Ling Xiao.