Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

The Cyan Cloud Platform was not as grand as the Heaven-Stepping Sect’s God-Proving Platform, being only about half its size.

Chang Qianxun lunged forward, arriving in an instant.

Then, he threw a punch.

He didn’t use any Cultivation Techniques or martial skills. It was simple and direct.

However, the aura of death grew stronger.

Lin Hao didn’t dare to be careless. He met the attack with his own fist.

Their fists met in mid-air with complete silence.

But a moment later, a violent roar echoed from the surrounding rock walls, and large chunks of stone broke off and tumbled down.

On the Cyan Cloud Platform, Lin Hao stumbled back three steps before steadying himself. Chang Qianxun, however, stood as unmoving as a mountain, his face icy, like a statue.

Without using any Cultivation Techniques or martial skills, this was the first time Lin Hao had been at a disadvantage.

Not only that, but the blood and qi within Lin Hao were churning.

Across from him, Chang Qianxun did not press his advantage. Instead, he stared fixedly at Lin Hao, stalking toward him one step at a time.

His eyes didn’t even move. He was like one of the living dead—eerie and unsettling.

Lin Hao also had the absurd feeling that the combat power Chang Qianxun was displaying was far beyond what someone at the peak of the Fourth Layer of the Elemental Realm should possess.

At the same time, Chang Qianxun’s aura was overwhelmingly oppressive.

The Cyan Cloud Platform, like the God-Proving Platform, could suppress a Martial Artist’s cultivation. This was undoubtedly true, as Lin Hao felt a similar suppression here.

This made Chang Qianxun’s performance all the more extraordinary.

But Lin Hao did not back down.

On the contrary, his fighting spirit soared even higher.

"Again!"

Lin Hao roared and took the offensive.

However, as Lin Hao threw a punch, Chang Qianxun caught his fist, stopping him dead in his tracks.

Then, Chang Qianxun’s left hand shot out in a piercing strike.

The five fingers of his left hand elongated at an unimaginable speed, turning into five sharp weapons.

PHHT!

The five fingers sank into flesh, stabbing into Lin Hao’s abdomen.

Lin Hao’s expression changed drastically. He discovered that the five fingers were actually on the verge of tearing through his muscles.

This was absolutely unthinkable, as Lin Hao’s physical body was so strong that even a Tier One Spiritual Artifact could not harm it.

Looking down, Lin Hao saw that the five fingers had turned orange.

This was a sign of using Bloodline Power to its fullest extent!

Lin Hao cursed inwardly. ’Dammit.’

’To get his revenge, this old bastard is throwing his life away, and here I am underestimating him, using only my physical strength.’

The next moment, Lin Hao’s left hand shot out like lightning, grabbing for the five fingers.

CRACK!

With a crisp snap, Lin Hao crushed the five elongated fingers to pieces.

At the same time, the power in Lin Hao’s right fist surged, and he thrust it forward.

With a massive burst of force, his right fist broke free from Chang Qianxun’s grip.

Then, Lin Hao turned sideways and slammed his entire body viciously into Chang Qianxun.

BOOM!

Using his body as a weapon, Lin Hao collided with Chang Qianxun and sent him flying.

The blow was immense.

Lin Hao’s body, as heavy as a mountain, was undoubtedly his most terrifying weapon.

Having landed a successful hit, Lin Hao didn’t pause. He charged forward again.

This time, Lin Hao didn’t use any Cultivation Techniques, martial skills, or even his fists. He intended to use his body as a weapon once more.

The previous collision was at too close a range. It had only sent Chang Qianxun flying, which didn’t satisfy Lin Hao.

’He wants to break my body? Then I’ll use my body to defeat him!’

Across the platform, seeing Lin Hao’s body charging at him again, Chang Qianxun’s eyes finally flickered.

Then, his feet shifted, and he raised his hands as his True Essence rolled madly.

’Lin Hao is fighting me with just his physical body. He’s completely looking down on me. This time, I’ll smash him into the ground!’

"BANG!"

A loud bang erupted. Chang Qianxun hadn’t even had time to bring his raised hands down.

The next moment, his body abruptly exploded.

HISS!

The sound of sharp intakes of breath could be heard.

Lin Hao looked up and saw countless disciples of the Sanqing Sect.

The battle between Lin Hao and the Sanqing Sect elder on the Cyan Cloud Platform had long since alerted the sect’s disciples. Countless of them stood above, having been watching for some time now.

Now, seeing Lin Hao obliterate a core elder with a single body slam, leaving not even a bone behind, everyone was utterly shocked.

Lin Hao wasn’t used to being gawked at. With a flicker, his figure vanished from the Cyan Cloud Platform.

Meanwhile, the spectating disciples still hadn’t processed what they saw.

"His physical body... it’s just too terrifying!" one disciple said, his eyes wide with shock.

"Killing a core elder with just his body? That’s not just terrifying, it’s heaven-defying!"

"That has to be a rare special constitution, something beyond an Element Body. Could it be that a Barbaric War Body has appeared in the world?!"

"No, even a Barbaric War Body wouldn’t have such terrifying physical strength. His constitution surpasses a War Body!"

"That can’t be right. I can clearly see his cultivation level. How could his constitution possibly surpass a War Body?"

...

The crowd buzzed with discussion, but the person in question had long since departed.

After leaving the Cyan Cloud Platform, Lin Hao headed straight for Sect Leader Ning’s residence.

Since the man already knew the purpose of his visit, there was no need for Lin Hao to be secretive.

Just after passing through the gate the guiding disciple had mentioned, as Lin Hao was wondering which way to go, he saw a hazy figure from behind.

Though it was just a hazy back, Lin Hao immediately confirmed it was Sect Leader Ning.

The old Taoist had a peculiar aura; even from a great distance, an observant person could recognize him.

Without a second thought, Lin Hao walked toward where the figure was standing.

Then, something strange happened.

Lin Hao walked for some time but found that the man, with his back still to him, always maintained the same distance.

The next moment, Lin Hao’s feet shifted, and he shot forward like an arrow released from a bow.

Sect Leader Ning’s back seemed not to move, yet Lin Hao could never catch up to him.

The surrounding buildings flew past. Before long, Lin Hao realized they had already left the Sanqing Sect.

"Sect Leader Ning, what exactly are you doing?" Lin Hao called out from behind.

There was no answer.

Just as Lin Hao was contemplating whether to use his Ghostly Divine Step, Sect Leader Ning suddenly stopped.

"Not bad. You’re much stronger than Cang Yan, that expert from your sect back in the day." Lin Hao had finally caught up, but before he could speak, Sect Leader Ning uttered this sentence.

This statement struck Lin Hao as incredibly strange.

He remembered the old Taoist mentioning something about "over a hundred years" earlier, which meant he had to be much older than Cang Yan.

Logically, Cang Yan should have been his junior, yet he referred to Cang Yan as an "expert."

A Sect Leader over a hundred years old calling Cang Yan an "expert"—how could that not be strange?

"Sect Leader Ning, may I ask your age?" Lin Hao asked.

"I have idled away one hundred and eighty years. More than half my life has rushed by," the old Taoist Ning sighed with endless emotion.

At these words, Lin Hao’s eyes widened in utter disbelief.

On the Celestial Yang Continent, any Martial Artist, even one who hadn’t surpassed the Third Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, had a lifespan of a hundred years.

According to Sect Leader Ning, he could only live to be two or three hundred years old. Who would believe that? Any Martial Artist at the Elemental Realm could achieve such a lifespan.

And once one awakened their Divine Soul and reached the Soul Gathering Realm, a Martial Artist could live for five or six hundred years.

"Ever since I reached the Peak of the Elemental Realm at seventeen, my cultivation has stagnated. Although Cang Yan was younger than me, it’s not wrong for me to call him an expert," the old Taoist Ning explained.

This only confused Lin Hao further.

Seventeen years old, at the Peak of the Elemental Realm... with that kind of progress, Sect Leader Ning was an absolute peerless genius.

Lin Hao wouldn’t believe it even if he were beaten to death—a genius of that caliber being unable to break through for over a hundred years.

Moreover, Lin Hao couldn’t detect anything wrong with his body, which made it even stranger.

Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Lin Hao. He thought of a possibility.

’Sect Leader Ning just said he’s been searching for that thing for over a hundred years. Could it be that his cultivation has stagnated because he’s been waiting for that Cultivation Technique?’

"You’re looking for the ’One into Three Pristine Ones’ Secret Skill?" Lin Hao asked.

Sect Leader Ning nodded. "Indeed. For one hundred and sixty-three years, three months, and thirteen days."

Lin Hao couldn’t help but gasp.

To search for a Secret Skill that might not even exist... this Sect Leader Ning was far too persistent.

"No, it truly exists." Seeing the look in Lin Hao’s eyes, Sect Leader Ning immediately guessed his thoughts.

Then, he turned sideways and pointed. "It’s right over there."

Lin Hao looked over and saw the outline of a mountain.

"What does it look like to you?" Sect Leader Ning asked.

"A plow ox."

"To be precise, a reclining plow ox."

Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

However, the expression was fleeting. Lin Hao instantly returned to normal, then cupped his fists toward Sect Leader Ning with a grateful look. "Thank you, Sect Leader."

"The thing you’re looking for is on Woniushan. Go on, and good luck." After saying this, Sect Leader Ning departed.

Lin Hao watched his retreating back and smiled, his expression profoundly enigmatic.

But he quickly came back to his senses and turned his gaze to Woniushan.

After observing for a while and finding nothing unusual, Lin Hao had no choice but to approach it for a closer look.

In truth, the so-called Woniushan was very small; it would be more accurate to call it a hillock.

It only took Lin Hao an hour to give it a rough search, and naturally, he failed to find the Secret Skill.

But his search was not entirely fruitless.

At the very least, he found a poem.

The poem read:

"One Origin into Three Pristine, a power most strange,

A wondrous law that through the cosmos can range.

Move a mountain to birth me anew from the stone,

Send forth a double, let all your doubts be thrown.

To slay gods and demons shows a shallow root,

The selfless Dao alone bears the truest fruit.

Know that fate’s decree guides both fortune and fall,

Disciples of the Three Pristine Ones, foolishly chasing it all."

Seeing this poem, Lin Hao finally understood why the old Taoist Ning was so certain the Secret Skill was on this mountain.

The poem had an astonishingly grand tone, and it was surely written by the creator of this Secret Skill.

A person who could create such a Secret Skill, even if not an Emperor Venerable, couldn’t be far from it. But what struck Lin Hao as odd was that he could feel no pressure at all from the characters.

In the secret realm on Heaven-Stepping Peak, he had once seen words left by Emperor Hongtian. Not only were the strokes powerful and elegant, but even after ten thousand years, they still emanated a heaven-shaking pressure.

But these characters were different. Not only did they lack that pressure, but they also looked as if they were written by a three-year-old child.

They were too ordinary, too common, and it defied all logic.

Anyone else would have surely thought this was just a prank, or perhaps an illusion cast by the Secret Skill’s creator.

But Lin Hao didn’t think so.

Within this very ordinariness, he had discovered the secret.