Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

"Really?"

Just a single, faint word.

But to Lin Tianxiao, it sounded like a clap of thunder.

Snapping his head up, he turned to see a youth approaching the martial arts stage, calm and composed.

Lin Hao!

"Hao’er, run!" Lin Tianxiao’s eyes were bloodshot as he roared.

He had already sent men to intercept Lin Hao on the way. Still worried, he had even sent Yi Mingcheng, but Lin Hao had appeared here regardless.

He, too, had been defeated. For Lin Hao to come alone was nothing short of suicide.

In the stands, all eyes converged on Lin Hao.

In the enemy’s camp.

The members of the Wu family, the two phantoms from the Suo Demon Sect, Luo Yulou, and the elder from the Lin family.

Their gazes were hostile, especially the Lin family elder, whose stare was as sharp as a blade.

The gaze of a Soul Gathering Realm expert was terrifying enough to affect even Elemental Realm Martial Artists.

However, Lin Hao remained composed.

He even seemed relaxed enough to playfully tease the little monkey perched on his shoulder.

The Lin family elder glanced at the little monkey. His eyes narrowed for a moment before relaxing.

’The monkey has ordinary fur. It’s just an extremely common pet.’

He couldn’t know that just last night, the monkey had been completely different.

Even Lin Hao found this strange.

Overnight, the Blood-Eyed Demon Ape’s nine-colored Scale Armor had vanished.

Its signature nine-colored halo had also vanished from its forehead.

Now, Xiaojiu looked like the most ordinary monkey imaginable.

For those on Lin Hao’s side, however, the sight of him was an entirely different story.

When Lin Tian and Lin Yuan saw Lin Hao appear, their eyes were full of admiration.

Lin Hao was like a monument, an immortal legend in their hearts.

The Pavilion Master of the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, who had been about to rise after seeing Lin Tianxiao’s defeat, now shot to his feet, his eyes wide at the sight of Lin Hao.

’Lin Hao... to actually dare show himself now... Setting everything else aside, his courage and bearing alone are far beyond that of any ordinary person.’

Next to him, Chen Tianyu, seeing Lin Hao for the first time, couldn’t help but offer a silent word of praise: ’What a dashing young man!’

Lin Hao was tall and slender, dressed in green robes, his demeanor calm and composed.

His eyes were as brilliant as starlight yet as deep as the night sky, holding an enchanting, almost intoxicating charm.

He took an immediate liking to Lin Hao.

Ignoring all the stares, Lin Hao ascended the martial arts stage, one step at a time.

The arena fell silent, leaving only the sound of his footfalls on the steps.

Each step seemed to land in time with their own heartbeats.

The rhythm was steady, never missing a beat.

It showed that Lin Hao’s mind was perfectly calm.

And so, Lin Hao stepped onto the stage. He looked directly at Luo Yulou and finally spoke again. "The Lin family... has no one?"

"The facts are right in front of you. I stand tall and proud, a master of my own destiny, while the Patriarch of the Lin family grovels at my feet like a dead dog! I have no problem saying it again: the Lin family has no one!"

Luo Yulou’s face was a mask of arrogance; he clearly didn’t see Lin Hao as a threat.

He had seen through Lin Hao’s cultivation at a glance. ’Just the Blood Coagulation Realm.’

Lin Tianxiao, an expert at the Elemental Realm Second Layer, had fallen to him. Someone in the Blood Coagulation Realm was nothing to worry about.

At these words, Lin Hao simply smiled. It was a brilliant smile, but deep within his eyes, there was only ice.

"I am Lin Hao. I know you were all looking for me, so I came. I knew Wu Zhen was a disciple of the Suo Demon Sect, and I dared to kill him. I knew killing a Zhengyang Sect disciple would offend the sect, but I did it anyway. Because in my eyes, they’re all just—trash!"

His words sent shockwaves through the watching factions.

The patriarchs of the smaller families, in particular, were shocked beyond measure.

To say nothing of the Suo Demon Sect, the Zhengyang Sect was one of the four great sects of the Southern Border Prefecture! For Lin Hao to treat them like trash... what unbelievable audacity!

Lin Tian and Lin Yuan clenched their fists, their eyes filled with pure adoration as they watched Lin Hao.

Even Chen Tianyu was taken aback. ’This kid has some serious nerve.’

Luo Yulou claimed the Lin family had no one left, and in response, Lin Hao called his entire sect trash. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

When it came to arrogance, Lin Hao was a hundred times more arrogant than Luo Yulou.

And yet, his arrogance wasn’t repulsive.

It was truly incredible.

He was an incredible youth.

"Hahaha! Good, good, good! You’re the first person who’s ever dared to speak about the Zhengyang Sect that way. For that, your branch of the Lin family in War Dragon City will be annihilated—not even the dogs and chickens will be left alive!"

Luo Yulou laughed, his fury boiling over, his killing intent palpable.

Lin Hao paid him no mind, treating his words as empty wind. He helped Lin Tianxiao up, took his wrist, and said, "Third Uncle, you’ve been through enough. I’ll handle everything now."

Lin Hao’s eyes shone with the light of confidence.

Looking into those eyes, Lin Tianxiao slapped Lin Hao’s shoulder hard.

Then, his eyes suddenly widened, and he exclaimed, "You’re at the Ninth Layer of Blood Coagulation Realm!"

Just a month ago, when Lin Hao had left, he was only at the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm. Now he was already at the Ninth Layer.

To have not only regenerated his bloodline but also soared from the Third Layer to the Ninth in a single month... it was utterly staggering.

Lin Tianxiao’s exclamation shocked the crowd.

The matter of Lin Hao’s bloodline being stolen was no longer a secret to some people.

Most hadn’t bothered to check Lin Hao’s cultivation level when he appeared, so when Lin Tianxiao cried out, they were all stunned.

Wu Tianli, Lin Zheng, Lin Tian, Lin Yuan, Ninety-Five, and the elder from the Lin family.

"How is this possible?!" they exclaimed almost in unison.

The elder from the Lin family shot to his feet, his face a mask of disbelief.

He came from Imperial City and was a trusted subordinate of Lin Wei.

Before he left, Lin Wei had given him many instructions, the most important of which was to bring Lin Hao to the imperial capital at all costs.

Of course, he knew about Lin Hao’s bloodline being stolen.

Losing one’s bloodline was supposed to condemn a person to being a cripple for life. But now, Lin Hao had cultivated to the Ninth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm.

This completely upended his understanding of the Martial Dao.

If even he was this shocked, one could only imagine how the others felt.

They looked at Lin Hao, completely dumbfounded.

"A monster! A peerless monster! Compared to Lin Hao, all those so-called ’geniuses’ are nothing but trash!" Ninety-Five muttered under his breath.

"Hmph! Hicks from a backwater town, making a huge fuss over a mere Ninth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm." Luo Yulou sneered, his brow furrowed in clear displeasure.

He held a noble status as the Young Sect Leader of the Zhengyang Sect and was hailed as the First Young Master of the Southern Border Prefecture. Wherever he went in the Prefecture, he was always the center of attention.

When it came to genius, he was only seventeen and already a Martial Artist in the Elemental Realm—a true, undeniable genius.

But now, a youth with far inferior cultivation was being hailed as a ’peerless monster.’ It was a blatant disregard for his own status.

"Young Master Luo, you believe Lin Hao is your inferior?" Ninety-Five asked, snapping out of his daze. His expression was odd as he couldn’t stop himself from speaking.

Luo Yulou glanced at Lin Tianxiao. "I am at the First Layer of the Elemental Realm. He is but at the Ninth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm."

His meaning was clear: he, at the First Layer of the Elemental Realm, could challenge someone at the Second Layer. What was a mere Ninth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm in comparison?

"Heh. Young Master Luo’s cultivation is indeed impressive," Ninety-Five said with a light laugh.

Luo Yulou’s face showed a pleased expression.

But in the next breath, Ninety-Five’s tone shifted as he added casually, "A month ago, Lin Hao was only at the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm."

SLAP!

Though spoken casually, Ninety-Five’s words were like a resounding slap across Luo Yulou’s face.

Luo Yulou’s face instantly turned as pale as paper.

"What?!"

In the stands, everyone, including the elder from the Lin family, cried out in disbelief.

From the Third Layer to the Ninth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm in a single month—and that was *after* his bloodline had been stolen. It was an utterly unprecedented, terrifying accomplishment.

With that kind of cultivation speed, who would dare call themselves a ’genius’ in his presence?

’He can still cultivate without his bloodline... Could it be his original bloodline reawakened? I’ll have to capture him and find out for myself!’ The elder from Imperial City had composure far beyond that of an ordinary person. Having made up his mind, he calmly sat back down.

Meanwhile, Lin Hao personally escorted Lin Tianxiao back to his seat before turning to fix his gaze on Wu Tianli’s group.

Over there, Wu Sipei had regained consciousness and was slumped in her seat, completely dispirited.

The news that Lin Hao was at the Ninth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm was the most devastating blow she could have received.

As if sensing something, she looked up and saw Lin Hao’s icy gaze.

This time, she didn’t even have the courage to defy him in her heart. She quickly lowered her head, avoiding his stare.

"Wu Sipei, end your own life!"

Ignoring Luo Yulou, who was still standing on the stage, Lin Hao had instead addressed Wu Sipei.

For Lin Hao, there were priorities.

Luo Yulou’s insults to the Lin family were detestable, but Wu Sipei was burdened by a heavy blood debt. Lin Hao’s desire to see her dead was far more intense.

"Lin Hao, you killed our Wu family’s disciples, killed Wu Zhen, killed a Zhengyang Sect disciple! We haven’t even settled the score with you, and you’re the one making demands. I really admire your guts! My little sister is right here. If you have the skill, feel free to come and take her life!"

Wu Zhonghao was already seething from his recent defeat at the hands of Lin Zheng, and Lin Hao’s words now pushed him into a frenzy.

At his words, the two phantoms from the Suo Demon Sect shot to their feet, ready to settle their own score with Lin Hao.

"If you’re eager to die, wait your turn!" Lin Hao’s sweeping gaze was enough to make the two Suo Demon Sect phantoms freeze, their imposing aura faltering.

Then Lin Hao spoke again: "Wu Sipei, end your own life!"

Wu Sipei’s lips trembled, but she didn’t dare to speak.

"If you have the skill, come and take it!" Wu Zhonghao sneered.

’Lin Hao is only at the Ninth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, while Dad is an expert in the Elemental Realm. The moment Lin Hao makes a move, everyone else will react. Thinking he can take my sister’s life is just a pipe dream.’

However, he immediately discovered he was wrong.

"Fine!" Lin Hao replied.

He reached to grab Wu Sipei, who was standing right beside him, but his hand closed on empty air. When he looked back at the martial arts stage, Lin Hao was still standing in his original spot, but now he held someone in his grasp.

And the sound of Lin Hao’s single word, "Fine," had not yet faded.

Fast!

Too fast!

No one present had expected Lin Hao to attack so suddenly, and at such an extreme speed.

They had underestimated Lin Hao’s Body Technique.

Now, at the Ninth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, Lin Hao was already touching the threshold of the legendary tenth layer—a barrier no one had ever crossed. When he moved with his full strength, his speed was simply impossible to perceive.

And his attack had come without any warning.

Moving at his top speed, not even Wu Tianli, an expert in the Elemental Realm, could track his movements.

Wu Sipei’s capture had been completely under Lin Hao’s control!

"Let my little sister go!"

"Let Sipei go!"

"This Young Master commands you: release her!"

Wu Zhonghao, Wu Tianli, and Luo Yulou spoke almost at the same time.

For Wu Sipei to be captured by Lin Hao right under their noses... it was the ultimate humiliation.