Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

Last night, the battle between Lin Hao and the Lin family disciples shook Imperial City. Countless youths had intended to come watch, but they were all dissuaded by their elders.

The reason was simple: Cang Yan had appeared in Imperial City last night!

Forty years ago, Cang Yan had raised hell in Imperial City, shaking the world.

Not only had the gossips dubbed him the Fiery Fire Demon Monarch, but they had also proclaimed him the strongest expert in the Cangnan Empire.

Since Lin Hao actually had deep ties to him, countless people now held a reverent fear of the boy.

They feared that if Cang Yan was hiding in the shadows and saw them appear during the fight, he might mistake them for allies of the Lin family, which could lead to a catastrophe.

Therefore, they not only stayed away from the fight but even evacuated overnight. Many chose to meditate outside the Saint Institute instead.

Though they couldn’t come and watch, their minds were already there. Besides, the commotion last night had been so immense that even without seeing it firsthand, they knew the battle had been brutal.

Now, the Lin family had sent a War Body. This was a clear attempt on Lin Hao’s life.

But Lin Hao’s combat prowess was astonishing; he certainly wouldn’t just sit back and await his death.

A great battle was sure to follow.

Countless pairs of eyes were fixed on the two, eager to witness a spectacular show.

"A War Body’s Natal Blood Essence is Yellow; a Spirit Body’s Natal Blood Essence is red. This is going to be a battle of bloodlines!" someone exclaimed with awe.

"Hmph. A battle of bloodlines? You think too highly of him. How could a Spirit Body possibly contend with a War Body?" Nearby, a cold sneer appeared on a young man’s lips.

"Is that so? Even a Flawless Primordial Body died by his hand. I doubt this War Body will escape the same fate," the first person immediately shot back.

The sneering youth’s expression turned cold, a murderous glint appearing in his eyes.

The person who had retorted stiffened, feeling as if he were being targeted by a terrifying beast. He couldn’t move a muscle, and a tearing pain shot through his body.

His face was a mask of horror.

This young man was terrifying.

Fortunately, at this moment, a gruff voice sounded out, "I ain’t gonna take advantage of you. I’ll give you an hour to rest and get your True Essence back."

This was Lin Zhan’s voice.

He was clearly speaking to Lin Hao.

"Idiot!" the sneering youth spat, his eyes fixed on Lin Zhan.

THUMP!

The youth who had retorted felt the pressure on his body vanish. He collapsed limply to the ground, then scrambled away from the terrifying young man on all fours.

The sneering youth hadn’t bothered to muffle the word, and Lin Zhan heard it clearly from the fighting grounds.

Strangely, however, Lin Zhan merely glanced at the youth. Not only did he not get angry, but a flash of apprehension even crossed his eyes.

Lin Zhan then turned his head. As if speaking to Lin Hao, yet also as if making some sort of vow, he declared, "Lin Hao, today I’ll show you the difference between our bloodlines. Even if I let you fully recover, I can still kill you!"

Hiss...

A few faint hisses could be heard from the side.

’So much for thinking this big oaf wasn’t a bad guy. Turns out he’s just an arrogant fool.’

A smile touched Lin Hao’s lips as he shook his head. "I don’t need to rest to deal with you."

His words left the onlookers stunned.

If Lin Zhan was arrogant, Lin Hao was even more so.

"Since you’re so eager to die, I’ll oblige you!" Lin Zhan bellowed. With a stomp of his foot, he charged straight for Lin Hao.

The force of his stomp shook the entire area. The Vajra Rock beneath his feet pulverized, leaving a large crater where he had stood.

Lin Zhan’s mountain-like frame exuded a suffocating pressure, enough to make one feel faint.

Compared to him, Lin Hao’s body looked almost petite.

"A War Body’s Natal Blood Essence is Yellow. Their defense is invincible, their physical body is invincible. They are born for battle. I doubt anyone would dare meet that savage charge head-on!" a middle-aged man who had escorted his family’s disciples here remarked.

Even though he was an expert at the Soul Gathering Realm, the sight of such a War Body sent a chill down his spine.

But a moment later, the expert’s eyes narrowed.

He watched as Lin Hao, after an explosive retreat, suddenly charged forward.

’He’s going to challenge the War Body’s physical strength?’

Lin Hao’s action made countless eyes widen in disbelief.

To think someone of his build would dare to collide with the mountainously strong Lin Zhan.

The youth who had called Lin Zhan an idiot was momentarily stunned, then laughed coldly. "He’s courting death!"

He was all too familiar with Lin Zhan’s physical strength, being a member of the Lin family himself.

He wasn’t just familiar with Lin Zhan’s physical power; he was intimately familiar with War Bodies in general.

For any physique lesser than a War Body to challenge it in raw strength, there was only one outcome: death!

Just as the words left his mouth, Lin Hao and Lin Zhan’s bodies slammed into each other.

RUMBLE!

It was like a bomb exploding. A monstrous shockwave erupted from the deafening sound.

And amidst the shockwave, a figure was sent flying backward.

The young master from the Lin family, watching from a distance, had just started to smile when his expression froze, his eyes narrowing sharply.

The person sent flying was not Lin Hao.

Everyone was utterly dumbfounded.

The War Body had actually failed to gain even the slightest advantage against Lin Hao.

The scene was breathtaking!

"I’ll tear you apart!" With an explosive roar, an utterly terrifying aura erupted from Lin Zhan. His exposed skin turned a brilliant Yellow.

His Bloodline Power was surging.

Just then, Lin Zhan formed his hands into claws and gave a vicious tug.

A breathtaking scene unfolded.

Water from the moat dozens of meters away was pulled into the air, gushing out and rising into a torrent several dozen meters high.

VMMMM!

Suddenly, the torrent of water condensed, forming a white flood dragon!

’Drawing water to forge a dragon!’

The flood dragon, dozens of meters long, radiated a terrifying, world-ending aura as it suddenly swooped down.

It opened its massive maw. Though still transparent, it was far more terrifying than the gaping, bloody mouth of any ordinary Devil Beast, and it lunged to swallow Lin Hao whole.

This sudden development shocked the crowd.

Lin Hao sidestepped out of the way.

BOOM!

The flood dragon slammed into the spot where Lin Hao had just been standing. Instead of scattering like water, it blasted a bottomless crater into the ground.

"Go!"

His first strike having missed, Lin Zhan thrust his claws forward.

The flood dragon whipped its tail, shot across the sky, and charged at Lin Hao once more.

Lin Hao retreated into the distance, but the flood dragon shadowed his every move, intent on his destruction!

BOOM!

Lin Hao dodged, and another crater appeared on the ground.

Then, the flood dragon snapped its head up and resumed its pursuit of Lin Hao.

Though the flood dragon was formed from water, it possessed an inviolable majesty.

It would not permit its prey to escape.

"There’s no way you’re surviving this!" In the distance, a triumphant look crossed the face of the young man from the Lin clan.

At this moment, Lin Hao suddenly paused and made the same motion as Lin Zhan.

Lin Hao faced the moat, formed his hands into claws, and pulled.

BOOM!

Then, everyone scrambled back in a panic.

The water of the moat surged forth as if the rivers and seas were overturned, like a massive tsunami threatening to engulf the entire city.

The entire moat was now empty!

However, this incomparably violent torrent of water suddenly transformed in mid-air.

Then, a new flood dragon took shape, several times larger than the first. Its very appearance blotted out the sky.

A claw as massive as a mountain peak descended and seized the first flood dragon in its grip.

Then, the behemoth turned its head back toward Lin Hao, as if awaiting his instructions.

With a wave of Lin Hao’s hand, the behemoth vanished, leaving only a monstrous volume of water suspended in the air.

Then, the colossal wave of water receded, refilling the moat.

"Is... is this really a battle between Elemental Realm Martial Artists?" a middle-aged man nearby muttered, rubbing his eyes as if he were hallucinating.

For an Elemental Realm Martial Artist to be able to draw water and form a dragon... it was simply beyond his comprehension.

The many young prodigies who had traveled from afar to take the Saint Institute’s entrance exams were even more stunned, their faces slack with shock.

To them, this level of combat power was simply unimaginable.

"Impossible! This is impossible!" Lin Zhan, who had also been stunned, finally snapped out of it and let out a furious roar.

He had to use his Bloodline Power just to form a flood dragon a few dozen meters long, yet Lin Hao had casually drained the moat to create a behemoth that could awe all creation. The blow to his pride was immense.

Just then, Lin Hao’s figure blurred into an afterimage, streaking straight for Lin Zhan’s head at an incredible speed.

"Watch out!" a voice cried from the distance. The young man from the Lin clan wanted to intervene, but it was already too late; all he could do was shout a warning.

But just then, Lin Hao’s body came to an abrupt halt.

The young man from the Lin clan breathed a sigh of relief, then flew into a rage. "Lin Hao, I never thought you’d be so shameless! A sneak attack!"

As soon as he said this, many people turned to look at him with odd expressions on their faces.

"Shameless? Do you people from the Lin family even have the right to use that word? How many waves of your attacks has my Senior Brother endured since last night?" a voice suddenly shouted from the crowd.

"Who are you?!" The young man from the Lin clan glared at the speaker, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.

"This is your grandpa speaking, and my name is Ling Xiao. Try to remember it."

Ling Xiao and Yang Peng had never actually gone far. Last night, they had first witnessed Lin Hao’s divine might, and then saw the Divine Soul of their sect’s founder appear and intimidate the crowd of experts.

Their hearts had pounded in their chests, and they’d wished for nothing more than to fight alongside Lin Hao.

However, they had both received a mental transmission from Cang Yan telling them not to interfere.

Only then did they stand down.

Now, hearing someone slander Lin Hao, Ling Xiao could no longer hold himself back.

Hearing Ling Xiao’s words, a terrifying aura burst forth from the young man of the Lin clan as he prepared to kill Ling Xiao on the spot.

Yang Peng stepped forward to stand with Ling Xiao.

"Fighting one person isn’t fun enough. You should join him," Lin Hao’s voice suddenly rang out.

The young man from the Lin clan froze. He glared at Lin Hao, his face contorted with hostility.

’Lin Hao was too arrogant, wanting to fight both him and Lin Zhan at the same time.’

He was about to refuse when he paused, slightly stunned. The words that came out of his mouth were different from what he’d intended: "If that’s the case, then Lin Jue will be happy to oblige."

"Heh, for someone as shameless as you, you sure like to use that word," Ling Xiao sneered from the side, his expression changing.

"Lin Hao himself insisted. It would be a great disservice if I didn’t grant his wish. Now get out of my way. After I take his miserable life, I’ll come for your head," Lin Jue said, shamelessly preparing to enter the fray against Lin Hao.

"You!" Ling Xiao was furious. He’d seen plenty of shameless people in his time, but he’d rarely met someone quite this shameless.

"I’m a busy man. If you’re looking to die, then hurry up." Lin Hao’s face remained calm as he stared at Lin Jue, his eyes cold and his tone laced with impatience.

"Senior Brother..." Ling Xiao began, his eyes filled with apology and worry as he looked at Lin Hao.

’If I hadn’t opened my mouth and angered Lin Jue, Senior Brother wouldn’t be in this dangerous position.’

With Lin Jue about to enter the fight, a shadow of doubt fell over Ling Xiao’s heart, despite his faith in Lin Hao.

Lin Jue’s aura was incredibly powerful; even Ling Xiao felt a deep-seated sense of awe and dread when facing him.

Needless to say, Lin Jue’s physique was absolutely one in a million.