Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

「Cyan Rock Town.」

Because he was constantly bullied by several Sanqing Sect disciples led by Chang Bao, Shopkeeper Wang couldn’t afford to hire any staff. As a result, he handled all the inn’s affairs himself.

Chang Bao had just wrecked the inn, and Shopkeeper Wang had worked himself to the bone for half a day just to clean it up.

Taking stock of the damages, he wanted to cry but had no tears left.

Just then, he suddenly spotted a person walking toward him from the end of the street.

Shopkeeper Wang’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly forced a smile onto his face.

That was the direction for entering town. Someone coming from outside at this time... it had to be Chang Bao and his group, returning.

’Alas, what a shame about that young man.’ Thinking of the youth, Shopkeeper Wang sighed to himself.

As a common man just trying to get by at the bottom of society, this was all he could do.

But in the next moment, Shopkeeper Wang’s eyes widened.

He got a clear look at the newcomer’s face.

This wasn’t Chang Bao at all—it was clearly that young man!

After a flash of joy, Shopkeeper Wang’s expression changed drastically.

"What about... what about Young Master Chang?" Shopkeeper Wang asked.

This young man was, of course, Lin Hao.

After walking into town, he had spotted Shopkeeper Wang standing outside the inn from a long way off.

Now, hearing the shopkeeper’s question and his respectful tone, Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed slightly as he replied coldly, "Dead."

"What?! He’s dead? You... you killed them all?" Shopkeeper Wang was utterly shocked.

Shopkeeper Wang had an ordinary constitution. After cultivating to the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, he had been unable to awaken his bloodline and had no choice but to go into business.

Although his cultivation wasn’t high, he still had some knowledge of the cultivation levels of Chang Youde’s four disciples.

How could Shopkeeper Wang not be astonished, now that he saw Lin Hao standing before him completely unharmed?

"What, you want to stand up for them?" Lin Hao didn’t think it was any great achievement, and Shopkeeper Wang’s respectful way of addressing Chang Bao just now had left a bad impression on him.

Shopkeeper Wang had his own ways of surviving to have established himself here; he had long since mastered the art of reading people and situations.

The moment he heard Lin Hao’s words, Shopkeeper Wang knew what he was thinking.

"I wish they’d all go to Hell! Look, this is all the ’good work’ of that little bastard Chang Bao. But you should leave, quickly. If his old man finds out, it won’t just be you. Everyone connected to you will be buried alongside Chang Bao."

Lin Hao glanced behind Shopkeeper Wang, and a look of understanding flashed in his eyes.

Then, without another word, Lin Hao turned and walked away.

But he wasn’t leaving town. He was heading in the direction of the Sanqing Sect.

Shopkeeper Wang opened his mouth, but no words came out.

He was just a common man trying to make a living here.

He couldn’t get involved in something like this.

’He looks so sure of himself. Don’t tell me he can actually shake the Chang family, father and son? If that’s true, it would be wonderful.’ Watching Lin Hao’s figure disappear, Shopkeeper Wang murmured to himself, his face full of hope.

Then, he abruptly shut his mouth, looked around, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming no one was there.

Meanwhile, Lin Hao, who had unwittingly given Shopkeeper Wang a glimmer of hope, was already on the road to the Sanqing Sect.

Even though he knew Chang Bao had powerful backing, Lin Hao had never once considered backing down.

However, Lin Hao wasn’t arrogant enough to think he could contend with a Sanqing Sect elder on his own.

There was a reason he dared to go to the Sanqing Sect so fearlessly.

Because Lin Hao believed that as long as he could meet with Sect Leader Ning of the Sanqing Sect, he would be safe.

This wasn’t just Lin Hao’s wishful thinking. He was almost one hundred percent certain that Sect Leader Ning would protect him.

As for the reasons, there were too many to count.

That was why Lin Hao had to get to the Sanqing Sect before that Fifth Elder discovered Chang Bao’s death.

The Sanqing Sect was situated amidst towering mountains and precipitous ridges, and the surrounding ranges were part of the Celestial Break Mountain Range.

The Celestial Break Mountain Range was boundless, stretching across the entire Southern Border Prefecture.

And without exception, all the major sects of the Southern Border Prefecture liked to establish their headquarters in the mountains.

The road to the Sanqing Sect was lined with dense, tall trees that completely blocked out the already dim moonlight.

Lin Hao followed the road upward at great speed. Under the cover of night, one could only see the rustling of leaves, not the man himself.

Lin Hao had to be fast.

Because of Chang Bao’s special status.

Lin Hao didn’t know if anyone else was aware that Chang Bao had left the mountain. If they were, he would have even less time.

If he couldn’t find Sect Leader Ning at the Sanqing Sect in time, his situation would become extremely dangerous.

"Who goes there?!" A sharp cry brought Lin Hao to a halt.

In truth, this was the result of Lin Hao deliberately revealing himself, because he had seen a light up ahead.

Before the voice had even faded, four Sanqing Sect disciples appeared in unison, blocking Lin Hao’s path.

"Lin Hao of the Heaven-Stepping Sect, here to pay a visit to Sect Leader Ning." Lin Hao stood his ground and announced his identity.

Hearing this name, the eyes of the four disciples widened.

Nowadays, Lin Hao’s name was known by everyone in the Southern Border Prefecture.

After sizing Lin Hao up for a moment, one of them said respectfully, "Please wait a moment."

Only someone like Lin Hao would receive such treatment. Anyone else so young who brazenly asked to see the Sect Leader would have been unceremoniously thrown out.

He was being polite, but Lin Hao couldn’t afford to wait that long.

This was only the first checkpoint of the Sanqing Sect. The stairs behind it stretched out of sight. By the time this disciple reported the news up the chain of command and word of his arrival reached Sect Leader Ning, Lin Hao feared his head would have long since hit the ground.

"I’ll go up with you," Lin Hao said, stopping the disciple.

This put the disciple in a difficult position.

"I have urgent business with Sect Leader Ning. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come rushing here alone in the middle of the night," Lin Hao said with a smile.

He naturally understood the disciple’s concerns.

It had to be said, this disciple was quite daring. After a moment’s hesitation, he actually agreed.

"Senior Brother, do you think he’s really Lin Hao?" one of the remaining mountain-patrol disciples asked an older one as the two departed.

"There’s an eighty percent chance it’s him. Lin Hao has offended just about every major power on the Celestial Yang Continent, and he even dared to provoke Netherworld Hall. Who would dare to impersonate him? Isn’t that just asking for death?"

"You have a point, Senior Brother. But you don’t think he’s come to our Sanqing Sect to cause trouble for the Sect Leader, do you?"

At these words, the three mountain-patrol disciples looked at each other in dismay, their eyes filled with worry.

Lin Hao didn’t even give a damn about the Proud Moon Divine Sect, one of the five great Divine Sects. In his eyes, the Sanqing Sect was less than nothing.

The three of them looked miserable and were filled with anxiety, but all they could do was pray silently.

In contrast, Lin Hao, who had just killed a disciple of the Sanqing Sect, didn’t seem worried about his own situation in the slightest.

He even had the presence of mind to make small talk with the disciple guiding him.

The disciple didn’t dare refuse to answer Lin Hao’s questions, and before long, Lin Hao had figured out Sect Leader Ning’s exact location.

By now, Lin Hao and the disciple had arrived before the main gate of the Sanqing Sect.

"Senior Brother, this is Senior Brother Lin Hao of the Heaven-Stepping Sect. He is here to see the Sect Leader," the guiding disciple reported with a smile.

The mountain-patrol disciples held the lowest rank in the sect, so this was as far as he could take Lin Hao.

And when the disciples guarding the main gate heard him say the name "Lin Hao," their expressions immediately changed.

Then, without a word, they cleared a path.

The guiding disciple turned to leave but was stopped by one of the senior brothers.

"Junior Brother, you should be the one to guide him," that senior brother said.

He looked at Lin Hao with deep apprehension, as if Lin Hao were some kind of terrifying beast.

You couldn’t blame him. Trouble seemed to follow Lin Hao wherever he went, and the disciple was afraid that if he angered Lin Hao, he might not even be able to keep his own life.

The guiding disciple was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed.

He was just a mountain-patrol disciple. Normally, he’d have to put on a fawning smile just to get through this gate. When would he ever receive treatment like this?

After passing through the gate, the guiding disciple walked by Lin Hao’s side, his attitude now noticeably more respectful.

He was a clever person and knew that if he served Lin Hao well today, his status in the sect might rise significantly.

Just like that, he led the way and miraculously passed through two more gates.

"Senior Brother Lin Hao, this is the inner sect area of our Sanqing Sect," the guiding disciple said excitedly to Lin Hao as they crossed a plaza.

Stepping into the inner sect grounds was something he had never dared to imagine before. Now that it was a reality, it was hard for him not to be excited.

But in contrast to his excitement, Lin Hao’s heart suddenly lurched with a strong sense of unease.

’There’s a murderous aura!’

"How much farther to Sect Leader Ning’s residence?" Lin Hao asked.

"I’ve seen the sect map. This is the inner sect. We go up those stairs, turn left, pass through another gate, and we’ll reach the core area. The Sect Leader lives just behind the core area," the disciple said, pointing ahead.

Without another word, Lin Hao nodded and quickened his pace.

Just then...

"HALT!" A thunderous roar exploded in the air.

Then, a figure descended from the sky, landing in front of Lin Hao.

It was a middle-aged man with a face full of malice and an overwhelming aura of bloodlust.

This person was definitely a Martial Artist of the Soul Gathering Realm!

Moreover, there was a faint resemblance between Chang Bao and this middle-aged man.

Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed slightly. ’What I feared most is about to happen.’

"Fifth Elder, this is Senior Brother Lin Hao from the Heaven-Stepping Sect. He is here to see the Sect Leader." Seeing the middle-aged man, the guiding disciple’s face fell. He bowed respectfully before explaining Lin Hao’s identity.

"SCRAM!" The response was a single word.

The word was roared like thunder, and the disciple was sent flying backward.

Then, completely ignoring whether the disciple was alive or dead, the Fifth Elder stared at Lin Hao and asked, "Was it you?"

A smile appeared on Lin Hao’s face. He knew exactly what the Fifth Elder was asking.

And, with Lin Hao’s intelligence, it was obvious that the Fifth Elder was just probing; he had no proof.

But, right under the Fifth Elder’s gaze, Lin Hao actually nodded and admitted it frankly.

This was an absolutely irrational act.

"I’ll have your life for this!"

Fifth Elder Chang Youde indeed had no evidence. He had just received news of his only son’s tragic death, and then he heard people discussing Lin Hao’s arrival at the sect. He had only come over to ask casually.

Who would have thought that Lin Hao was actually the killer?

To kill someone and then dare to swagger right into their sect.

He’d seen arrogance, but he’d never seen arrogance like this.

Chang Youde flew into a towering rage, his eyes turning crimson as his roars shook the surroundings.

Amidst these furious roars, Chang Youde attacked!