Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

"You dare!"

A furious roar erupted in mid-air.

A giant hand descended from the sky, clawing for the Lin family elder’s head.

The Lin family elder had come from the Imperial City with orders to capture Lin Hao alive.

But the giant hand striking from behind wanted to take his life!

He could certainly grab Lin Hao, but he would absolutely not survive to tell the tale.

Making a split-second decision, he abandoned Lin Hao to save himself.

BOOM!

The hand the Lin family elder was using to grab Lin Hao twisted at an impossible angle, then collided with the giant hand striking from behind.

RUMBLE!

Under the force of that single blow, it was as if a great earthquake had struck War Dragon City, and rows of buildings collapsed with a deafening crash.

On the martial arts platform, the Lin family elder stabilized himself as another elder landed on the opposite side.

The newly arrived elder’s face was flushed, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He was clearly injured.

He was no match for the elder from the main Lin family.

But to be able to trade a blow with a Soul Gathering Realm expert, his cultivation couldn’t be much weaker.

"Elder!" Lin Tianxiao cried out in delight upon seeing the newcomer.

This elder was clearly one of the two elders of his Lin family.

Then, Lin Tianxiao’s eyes widened as he looked at Lin Hao.

He remembered what Lin Hao had said before leaving. He couldn’t believe Lin Hao had actually done it!

’As soon as he returned, he helped the elder break through to the Soul Gathering Realm!’

’No wonder he was so confident. No wonder he wasn’t worried in the slightest when he saw two of the Wu family’s Martial Artists heading for the Lin family estate.’

’So, he already had a plan in place.’

In that instant, Lin Tianxiao understood everything. His admiration for Lin Hao was boundless.

By now, the only ones left were intelligent people, and in a flash, they too understood.

Wu Baolong in particular was utterly shocked to see this elder. "Lin Zhongzhi, you’ve advanced to the Soul Gathering Realm?!"

He was a contemporary of the two Lin family elders. How could he not be stunned to suddenly see Lin Zhongzhi advance to the Soul Gathering Realm?

"Old dog, what about the two uncles of my Wu family?" Wu Tianli’s expression changed drastically when he saw him.

The two uncles he mentioned were, of course, the black-robed men who had just gone to the Lin family estate.

"Since I am standing here, they have naturally gone to the underworld," Lin Zhongzhi replied.

PFFT!

Wu Tianli suddenly spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

First, his son and daughter were killed, and now two of his clan uncles. As the Patriarch of the Wu family, he was overcome with grief.

ROAR!

Another roar sounded, and a streak of light shot across the sky, arriving at the martial arts platform in the blink of an eye.

The streak of light didn’t stop, rushing straight for the Lin family elder.

"Xiaojiu, come back!" Lin Hao’s voice rang out. The streak of light immediately settled down, its body transforming again until it became a small, ordinary-looking monkey.

A look of horror flashed in the Lin family elder’s eyes.

This Blood-Eyed Demon Ape only had the cultivation of the Elemental Realm, yet it had survived a full-powered blow from him that utilized his Divine Soul, and it even seemed completely unharmed. That was far too terrifying.

’Moreover, someone from this War Dragon City Lin family has actually advanced to the Soul Gathering Realm. This is going to be troublesome.’

’Two against one, I have no chance of winning.’

’At this point, my only option is to placate the War Dragon City Lin family first, and then quickly notify the main family.’

"Haha, congratulations! My Lin family has gained another expert. This is truly a joyous occasion." As soon as this thought occurred to him, the Lin family elder’s eyes darted around, and he burst into laughter.

’Shameless! Utterly shameless!’

Many people cursed the old man’s shamelessness in their hearts.

"’My’ Lin family?" Lin Hao sneered.

The Lin family elder’s face was all smiles. "The War Dragon City Lin family was always a branch of the Lin family. Of course we are one family."

"One family? When they were coming after me just now, why didn’t I see you step up and say we were one family! When the Wu family’s Martial Artists were heading to our estate, vowing to leave no one alive, what were you doing?!" Lin Hao, completely unswayed, shot back with questions.

"That was merely a test for the War Dragon City Lin family. If you can’t even handle a small crisis like that, then you aren’t qualified to be acknowledged by the main family!" The Lin family elder lied without batting an eye.

"The main family... Hmph!" Lin Hao sneered.

"Lin Hao, and you," the Lin family elder said, looking at Lin Hao and Lin Zhongzhi, "come with me to the Imperial City, and you will naturally be rewarded by the main family. From this day forward, the War Dragon City Lin family will be showered with glory. Even the Zhengyang Sect won’t dare to trouble the Lin family again."

His words were less of an invitation and more of a threat.

If they refused, the War Dragon City Lin family had already offended the Zhengyang Sect. With just one Soul Gathering Realm Martial Artist, they were still facing a dead end.

But Lin Hao was no fool. If they went to the Imperial City, they would likely never be able to return.

"Lin Tianxiao, what do you say?" When Lin Hao didn’t answer, the Lin family elder turned to Lin Tianxiao.

Lin Tianxiao was now the Patriarch of the Lin family, responsible for the lives of everyone in the family. The elder believed he would make a choice.

However, Lin Tianxiao’s answer startled the Lin family elder.

"Hao’Er’s decision is the decision of our War Dragon City Lin family!"

Lin Tianxiao had actually entrusted the entire fate of the Lin family to Lin Hao.

Everyone’s hearts leaped, and all eyes turned to Lin Hao, waiting to see how he would answer, what he would choose.

Amidst everyone’s anticipation, Lin Hao slowly began to speak.

"The Lin family, one of the four great families of the empire, is that supposed to be impressive? Today, on behalf of the War Dragon City Lin family, I declare our secession from the main family. From this day forward, we have nothing to do with you!"

BOOM!

A single stone set off a thousand ripples!

"What did you say?!" The Lin family elder could hardly believe his ears.

War Dragon City was just a small, frontier city, while the four great families of the empire were behemoths.

Never mind War Dragon City; even the Lin family branches scattered across the various prefectures, counties, and provinces would do anything to squeeze their way into the imperial capital, the Imperial City.

Yet, at such a critical time, Lin Hao had actually announced their withdrawal from the Lin family.

His actions could only be described with one word: madness.

Without the protection of the main Lin family, what would the branch family use to resist the Zhengyang Sect when they came invading in full force?

And then there was the Suo Demon Sect. They had fled in disgrace today, but they would surely strike again.

Either of these powers was far beyond what a small family clan could hope to fight.

’Has Lin Hao gone mad?!’

"Today, I won’t kill you! Take a message back to Lin Wu for me. Tell him that one day, I will set foot in the imperial capital and crush him under my heel!"

Lin Hao’s gaze was terrifyingly calm.

"You’re mad! You’re insane! How dare you betray the main family!" the Lin family elder roared in fury.

The Lin family had existed in the empire for over a thousand years. Never before had anyone dared to betray the clan, let alone in such a brazen manner.

Lin Hao’s words were undoubtedly a slap in the face to this millennium-old family.

"Betrayal? Has the Lin family ever given us cultivation resources? Have you given us Cultivation Techniques or martial arts? When we were in peril, did you ever lend a helping hand? In the eyes of the so-called four great families, clans like ours are just ants, completely disposable. You abandoned us first, so how can you speak of betrayal?"

The Lin family elder was speechless.

The crowd fell silent. Before the great families and powerful factions, they were all just ants.

The current War Dragon City Lin family was no different.

The difference was that Lin Hao, this tiny ant from the War Dragon City Lin family, had the courage to try and shake the great tree.

If this young man was allowed to mature, he would surely shake the continent.

The crowd stared at Lin Hao, speechless for a long time.

"Now, get out!" Lin Hao spoke again, actually telling a Soul Gathering Realm expert to scram!

The already numb hearts of the crowd skipped a beat. Lin Hao was too aggressive, too domineering.

Humiliation!

The Lin family elder came from the Imperial City. He had never imagined he would be berated by a junior and told to scram.

But even a mighty dragon can’t suppress a local snake. Without any backup, what could he do?

He had no doubt that if he angered Lin Hao, Lin Hao would have Lin Zhongzhi and that Blood-Eyed Demon Ape attack him at the same time to annihilate him.

Just as the Lin family elder was feeling utterly aggrieved, Wu Tianli suddenly spoke up.

"Senior, Brother Tianhao was captured by the War Dragon City Lin family, and it was I who wrote the letter to the main Lin family. Today, they have committed high treason. My Wu family will help you clean up your own house."

The Lin family elder looked at Wu Tianli, his eyes flickering.

’Although Lin Zhongzhi has only just entered the Soul Gathering Realm, it would still take a considerable amount of time to deal with him. During that time, that Blood-Eyed Demon Ape could probably slaughter everyone here without leaving a single survivor.’

He was tempted, but he didn’t dare to take the gamble.

Suddenly, a sharp, urgent whistle came from Wu Tianli’s lips.

BOOM!

A terrifying wave of energy pulsed from the direction of the Wu family’s back mountain.

"Excellent!"

The Lin family elder’s eyes lit up, and he shouted his approval.

This was a fluctuation that only a Soul Gathering Realm expert could produce.

The Wu family actually had a hidden Soul Gathering Realm expert of their own!

And the surprises didn’t end there!

A blood-red axe suddenly appeared in the sky above the Wu family estate.

It radiated a monstrous, baleful aura, and a terrifying presence filled the air.

It was a Spiritual Artifact!

The next moment, a skeletal hand grasped the axe’s handle.

"For what reason have you summoned this old man?" A terribly hoarse voice echoed, and then another elder appeared on the martial arts platform.

This elder was rail-thin, with disheveled hair and ragged clothes, looking just like a vengeful ghost.

"We respectfully welcome the Ancestor!" All the members of the Wu family, including Wu Baolong and Wu Tianli, dropped to their knees.

Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed. He finally understood why the two elders hadn’t attacked the Wu family a month ago.

If they had provoked this Wu family Ancestor back then, his Lin family would have been annihilated.

Not only did this Ancestor possess the cultivation of the Soul Gathering Realm, but the blood axe in his hand was clearly a Tier One Spiritual Artifact.

The Wu family had been able to stand firm in War Dragon City for a hundred years without falling. It seemed they truly had some deep foundations.

"Ancestor, two of our clan uncles were killed by the Lin family! We had no choice but to ask you to come out of seclusion," Wu Tianli cried.

"What?!" The ghost-like Ancestor roared. The blood axe in his hand flashed with red light, and a nearby building was sliced in half by the light, collapsing with a loud crash.

Lin Zhongzhi’s expression changed dramatically.

"Today, you will clean house for me, and all of the Lin family’s resources are yours for the taking. I only want him!" Seeing this, the elder from the main Lin family pointed at Lin Hao, ready to hand over the entire War Dragon City Lin family.

With two Soul Gathering Realm experts, plus a Tier One Spiritual Artifact, the Lin family had no chance of turning things around.

"You do not get to decide the fate of the Lin family," Lin Hao said, still unafraid.

As soon as his voice fell, another terrifying wave of energy pulsed from the direction of the Lin family estate.

The elder from the main Lin family staggered, his expression turning utterly foul.

’The Lin family... they actually have another hidden Soul Gathering Realm expert!’

’Damn it, is there any justice in this world?!’

Even in the prefectures, it was rare for a single family to have two Soul Gathering Realm experts, yet he was seeing it happen in the tiny War Dragon City.

For a moment, the Lin family elder felt like dying.