Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

Lin Hao’s words flowed like poetry, perfectly articulating the true essence of the sword dance.

On the Wind and Cloud Platform, the Little Witch, Yu Mengru, covered her small mouth, her big eyes sparkling like stars.

Meng Qing was so captivated she even forgot her own predicament, her beautiful eyes shimmering with a dazzling light.

Below the Wind and Cloud Platform, Sword One came to his senses. He cupped his fist to Lin Hao and said, "Young Master Lin is truly a heaven-sent genius. You captured the true essence of the sword dance in just a few words. The realm you speak of is one I can only dream of."

Sword One made no attempt to hide the admiration in his voice.

Lin Hao smiled but said nothing.

He knew Sword One wasn’t finished speaking.

And just as he expected, Sword One spoke again, but his tone shifted. "However, the Evil-Slaying Sword in your hands, Young Master, originally belongs to my Mingjian Manor. I hope you will return it today. I, Sword One, would be deeply grateful."

Before Lin Hao could speak, someone next to Sword One cut in.

"Big Brother, why are you wasting words on a Blood Coagulation Realm nobody? If he won’t give it to us, we’ll just take it back."

"I was actually considering it, but not anymore. The sword is in my hands. If you want it, come and take it. In fact, since everyone seems so busy, why don’t all of you who haven’t fought yet just come at me together?"

The moment those words were spoken, nearly everyone was petrified.

The Mingjian Manor Sword Attendants had made their name ten years ago. Each one possessed an unfathomably deep cultivation in the Sword Dao. Defeating even one was a monumental task, yet Lin Hao had just challenged four of them at once.

If that wasn’t arrogance, what was?

Lin Hao was unbelievably brazen.

"What did you say?" one of the nine Sword Attendants who had yet to fight asked. He could scarcely believe what he had just heard.

Every one of them was a long-established master, yet Lin Hao had the gall to tell them to attack together. This was a blatant provocation.

"You’re courting death!" The Sword Attendant’s words were like daggers, dripping with killing intent.

Lin Hao was fearless. He stated calmly, "In the same realm, I fear no one. It’s not that I’m being insolent; it’s that you’re all too weak."

With powerful factions emerging from the woodwork, Lin Hao felt an urgent need to raise his own strength.

It wasn’t that Lin Hao didn’t know how terrifying these four were. On the contrary, the more terrifying they were, the more they could stimulate his potential.

That was why Lin Hao had spoken as he did.

The Sword Attendants who hadn’t fought were only now reminded that if they were to fight, they would have to suppress their realms.

But even if they suppressed their realms, it was believed Lin Hao couldn’t possibly contend with them—let alone four of them attacking at once.

One of them sneered, "You truly don’t know what’s good for you!"

"Are you scared?" Lin Hao’s expression remained unchanged as he retorted.

At this, Sword One finally spoke. "Since Young Master Lin insists, how could we refuse?"

"Big Brother..."

"Say no more. Do not underestimate Young Master Lin. His victories against Old Fifth and the others were no fluke." Although Sword One was speaking to his fellow Sword Attendant, his gaze never left Lin Hao.

Clearly, Sword One was treating Lin Hao as a true opponent.

Nothing else needed to be said; Lin Hao’s sheer audacity alone was something few could match.

"When we strike, we will not show mercy. While we may not take your life, severing a leg or an arm is entirely possible. Be careful, Young Master Lin," Sword One said before they began.

His tone was gentle and mild, but the content of his words was brutally bloody.

"I couldn’t ask for more. Let’s begin," Lin Hao declared, standing proudly, his expression unchanged.

The four Sword Attendants formed an encircling formation, trapping Lin Hao in the center.

In an instant, the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.

"What a guy, this Lin Hao. He actually managed to make four Sword Attendants attack him at once," someone in the audience exclaimed in amazement.

"So what? The four Sword Attendants have been famous for years, and their cultivation in the Sword Dao is unfathomable. Even with their realms suppressed, there’s no way Lin Hao can stand against them."

"You’re right. The only question is how many moves this Lin Hao can last."

"Moves? Plural? One move will be more than enough to deal with him. His opponents are too strong."

"Enough talk, just watch. This might be over before it even begins."

At these words, the crowd immediately fell silent.

In the audience, countless pairs of eyes were fixed on the stage, afraid that if they blinked, they’d miss the four Sword Attendants’ move.

This fight hadn’t just attracted their attention; even the Sect Leaders of the three major sects, along with Song Xinchuan and the youth in the beast-skin clothes, were captivated.

The beast-clad youth even went so far as to ask Luo Zhonglou, "So, how strong are these so-called Sword Attendants from Mingjian Manor?"

The Jinglian Saint Institute had a rule: those who were not proficient in the art of Artifact Refining could not practice advanced Cultivation Techniques or martial arts.

As it happened, this youth’s Artifact Refining skills didn’t meet the requirements, so his cultivation was only at the Blood Coagulation Realm Peak. That was why he had asked the question.

"Very strong! If those four join forces, even I wouldn’t be their match." Luo Zhonglou’s expression was grim.

The youth knew Luo Zhonglou’s cultivation level; he had entered the Soul Gathering Realm long ago. If even he was no match for the four of them, then Lin Hao stood no chance at all.

Hearing this, a brilliant smile spread across his face as he looked toward Meng Qing on the stage.

Unfortunately for him, Meng Qing was anxiously watching Lin Hao, and didn’t even notice him.

"Today, I’ll put him in a state where he’ll wish he were dead! If these Sword Attendants fail, you know what to do!" The beast-clad youth, burning with rage, whispered his instructions to Luo Zhonglou.

His killing intent was on full display.

Luo Zhonglou nodded, but inwardly, he found it unnecessary.

’Against these four Sword Attendants, there’s no way Lin Hao will emerge unscathed. There’s no need for me to get involved at all.’

As he thought this, Luo Zhonglou looked up. The four Sword Attendants moved at that exact moment.

Sword Qi raged, and a violent gale swept through the arena.

In the front rows of the audience, several people were knocked off their feet.

They scrambled up, covered in dust and filled with horror.

They were Martial Artists of the Elemental Realm, after all, and they were a good distance away, yet they had still been blown over by the winds from the swords. And this was the result of the four Sword Attendants suppressing their cultivation to the Blood Coagulation Realm Peak.

The four Sword Attendants were simply too overpowering.

They continued to retreat, shaking their heads as they looked at Lin Hao, who was surrounded.

’He won’t even get to block a move. The Sword Qi from these four alone could probably kill Lin Hao several times over.’

In the fighting ring, the auras of the four Sword Attendants intertwined. Their wild and unrivaled Sword Qi formed an invisible net, enveloping Lin Hao.

"Kneel!"

The four Sword Attendants shouted in unison, their voices like thunder, their words like swords.

"I thought Lin Hao might last one move, but now it looks like he won’t even manage that."

"Forget his Blood Coagulation Realm Peak cultivation. Even me, at the Elemental Realm Third Layer, would be annihilated by these four."

"Forget you. My cultivation is at the Elemental Realm Fifth Layer, and even I would be completely powerless against their Sword Qi."

"The four Sword Attendants are terrifying. And this is just the strength they’re showing at the Blood Coagulation Realm Peak."

Seeing this, countless people in the audience were horrified.

They imagined themselves in his place, and the conclusion they reached left them in despair.

"Haha, Lin Hao! Weren’t you so arrogant? You’ll be on your knees in a moment!" a shrill laugh echoed.

It was Zuo Yi’s voice.

The successive defeats of the Mingjian Manor Sword Attendants had left him so ashamed he couldn’t show his face, so he had chosen to remain silent.

But now, seeing this scene, he finally felt a sense of vindication.

Luo Zhonglou, Song Xinchuan, and the beast-clad youth also had smiles on their faces. They would naturally be delighted to see Lin Hao kneel before the entire crowd.

On the other side, the people from the Danling Sect and the Meng Qing sisters were extremely nervous.

They were on Lin Hao’s side, so naturally, they didn’t want to see him be humiliated.

Even Su Molixi’s hands, hidden in her sleeves, were clenched into fists. She looked very tense.

One had to know, among everyone present, Su Molixi and Song Xinchuan had the highest cultivation levels.

If even they believed Lin Hao had no chance of turning the tables, one could only imagine how terrifying the four Sword Attendants truly were.

However, the result was far beyond anyone’s expectations.

Within the giant net, Lin Hao’s hair whipped about wildly, and the Evil-Slaying Sword in his hand rang out.

Above his head, the invisible Sword Qi pressed down, but Lin Hao remained unmoved.

His physical body was like an impenetrable shield; the Sword Qi formed by four cultivators at the Blood Coagulation Realm couldn’t harm him.

Therefore, not only did Lin Hao not kneel, but his spine was as straight as a sword.

At the same time, Lin Hao, his expression as calm as ever, spoke coldly.

He was heard saying slowly, "Today, I have been entrusted with a task, and I will use a certain set of swordsmanship to ask for your guidance."

Then, Lin Hao opened his mouth and recited, "The heroes of this age are born from our generation; once we enter the martial world, the years themselves make haste."

As the line of poetry left his lips, Lin Hao’s Evil-Slaying Sword shot out, pointing directly at one of the Sword Attendants.

The strike was blindingly fast, unstoppable, and utterly domineering.

PFFT!

The Sword Attendant blocked with his blade but was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, spraying a large mist of blood into the air.

BANG!

The Sword Attendant slammed heavily onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Blood gushed from a wound just above his heart.

In the next moment, a longsword fell and embedded itself in the ground beside him.

The crowd saw with a shock that there was now a small, round hole in the longsword.

One move!

While surrounded by four Sword Attendants, not only was Lin Hao not overwhelmed, but he had also severely wounded one of them in a single move.

Countless people were dumbfounded, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Even Song Xinchuan of the Proud Moon Divine Sect was exceptionally shocked.

Although he didn’t practice swordsmanship, his insight was definitely among the best here.

"An impenetrable body, a surprise attack that strikes the weak with overwhelming force... This boy’s physique is monstrous, and his combat instincts are simply demonic."

In a single sentence, he had summed up the key to Lin Hao’s victory.

And on the Wind and Cloud Platform, the Little Witch, Meng Ru, her mouth wide open, murmured to herself, "Effortless poetry, turning verses into sword moves... such indescribable elegance and flair in the flick of a wrist... this is simply..."

As Meng Ru spoke, she clasped her hands to her heart, a look of utter captivation on her face.

Meng Qing, however, covered her mouth as tears streamed down her face—she was crying with joy.

She didn’t care about anything else; she only wanted Lin Hao to be safe.

But just as her tears fell, Meng Qing’s beautiful eyes widened again, because in the fighting ring, the remaining three Sword Attendants had made their move.

The moment Lin Hao had struck, the three had realized something was wrong and had tried to rescue their comrade, but they were a step too late.

Now, the three stood together, exchanged a look, and attacked in unison.

They already knew that Lin Hao’s physical body was terrifyingly strong and their Sword Qi posed no threat to him. The encirclement was meaningless; attacking together was the only real option.

Three longswords pointed straight at Lin Hao. Before the blades arrived, their Sword Qi was already upon him.

Lin Hao flicked his wrist, bringing the Evil-Slaying Sword up to block.

At the same time, he spoke again, "Imperial ambitions and worldly glories are but idle talk; better by far to lose oneself in a single, drunken revel."

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Three streams of Sword Qi struck the body of the Evil-Slaying Sword in quick succession, separated by the slightest of delays. Afterward, the Evil-Slaying Sword let out a low hum, as if it were crying.

The faces of the three Sword Attendants changed drastically...