Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

Chu Yanwu still remembered it clearly, an event that had occurred over twenty years ago.

At the time, he had been accompanying his grandfather to the capital of the Mo Yun Kingdom. During their journey, something had suddenly fallen from the sky ahead of them.

Even though his grandfather had immediately stepped in front of him, Chu Yanwu still felt an aura capable of crushing all of creation wash over him. He couldn’t even keep his footing and collapsed onto his rear.

And what happened next shocked Chu Yanwu beyond belief.

The object was only the size of a palm, but after it landed on a massive mountain peak, the peak was instantly annihilated, turning to dust!

Not only that, but his grandfather, a cultivator at the Eighth Layer of the Soul Gathering Realm, was struck as if by lightning and actually coughed up a mouthful of blood.

At the time, they were still several hundred meters away.

A rare treasure had fallen from the heavens. Though injured, his grandfather couldn’t resist the temptation and rushed over at once.

After they found the object, Chu Yanwu only managed a single glance before he lost consciousness.

When he woke up, his grandfather was gone, just like that mountain peak.

But the image of that palm-sized, mysterious object had been seared into Chu Yanwu’s mind ever since.

It had extremely complex patterns on it, much like the ones on the turtle egg’s back right now.

Back then, Chu Yanwu hadn’t known what that object was, but seeing the turtle egg now, he finally understood. It was likely a piece of a turtle shell.

A palm-sized piece of turtle shell possessed such might—a memory that was still fresh in Chu Yanwu’s mind to this day.

All at once, Chu Yanwu’s gaze toward the turtle egg became extremely cautious.

’This turtle has an astonishing background! It must be the descendant of a titan!’

It’s a long story to tell, but Chu Yanwu’s thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. At least, the turtle egg didn’t notice anything amiss.

The turtle egg, oblivious to the change in Chu Yanwu’s expression, saw him standing there and couldn’t help but remark, "Yo, not bad. Your cultivation has gone up by a layer."

"Not at all, not at all." Hearing the turtle egg speak to him, Chu Yanwu jumped in fright before replying humbly.

"Still, your gains are surely nothing compared to mine, this divine turtle. And you," the turtle egg first said to Chu Yanwu in a showy manner, then glanced at Lin Hao, "it’s a good thing you came this time."

"Well now, your speed isn’t half bad either, reaching the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Elemental Realm so quickly. Kid, have another small cup. Try to break through to the Soul Gathering Realm soon," the turtle egg said to Lin Hao, looking smug.

The turtle egg had received unimaginable benefits, and was naturally bursting with pride.

Hearing this, a wry smile appeared on Lin Hao’s face.

’One small cup? I just drank an entire jug to level up. One small cup probably wouldn’t have the slightest effect.’

Chu Yanwu stared at the turtle egg in astonishment, but he quickly realized something was wrong.

He was about to look away, but the turtle egg had already noticed his strange reaction.

"What? Is something wrong?" the turtle egg asked Chu Yanwu.

"Well... uh... Actually, the Master already drank an entire jug," Chu Yanwu finally said, steeling himself.

"What?!" The turtle egg jumped to its feet.

It didn’t believe him at first, but after a glance around, the turtle egg spotted the empty wine jug nearby.

PLOP!

The turtle egg collapsed to the ground, completely deflated.

’Just think,’ it lamented, ’I, a magnificent divine turtle, gained unimaginable benefits from drinking less than half a jug of wine. But that kid, Lin Hao, had to drink a whole jug just to advance a single layer.’

’Even a young Great Emperor would only be on this level!’

Although the turtle egg had received unimaginable benefits while Lin Hao had only advanced a single layer, it couldn’t feel happy at all. It was too demoralizing for a person—no, too demoralizing for a turtle.

"Heh heh, kid, you already need this much energy to level up. Let’s see what you do when you get to the Soul Gathering Realm." On second thought, the turtle egg cheered up again.

In truth, neither of them knew Lin Hao’s current situation.

The energy contained in that jug of wine was immense, far beyond imagination. If Lin Hao wanted to, he could immediately break through to the Soul Gathering Realm after reaching the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Elemental Realm.

When ordinary Martial Artists break through from the Elemental Realm to the Soul Gathering Realm, they need to activate their bloodline to evolve a Divine Soul. This process is very time-consuming; even taking several years is considered normal.

For example, Wu Taichu, the Sect Leader of the Heaven-Stepping Sect, had been stuck at the Peak of the Elemental Realm for a long time before meeting Lin Hao.

But Lin Hao was different. He had formed his Divine Soul before awakening his bloodline. As long as he wished it, breaking through to the Soul Gathering Realm would only take a single thought.

However, when Lin Hao reached the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Elemental Realm, a bizarre scene had suddenly appeared in his mind.

The Avatar Secret Skill had mutated!

When Lin Hao first obtained the Avatar Secret Skill, it had automatically divided itself into nine sections in his mind, with each section containing ninety-nine characters.

But when Lin Hao advanced to the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Elemental Realm, the Avatar Secret Skill automatically surfaced in his mind. And after the nine sections of text, another line of words appeared!

Nine nines return to one, transforming into the infinite.

Although it was only eight short words, it sent a tremor through Lin Hao’s soul.

He, who had been about to break through to the Soul Gathering Realm, instantly suppressed the vast True Essence within his body.

’If the ninth section of the Avatar Secret Skill isn’t the end, doesn’t that mean the Ninth Layer of the Elemental Realm isn’t its peak either?!’

’After the Ninth Layer of the Blood Coagulation Realm, there was a tenth. So after the Ninth Layer of the Elemental Realm, there can also be a tenth!’

With that thought, Lin Hao’s mind roared as if he had just blasted open the door to a whole new world.

Originally, Lin Hao had been eager to verify his theory right then and there. But the half-demon fox had been relentless, and he had sensed that Yunxi was at the end of her strength, so he had forcibly suppressed the idea.

Now, with Chu Yanwu and the turtle egg both awake, the idea in Lin Hao’s heart began to stir once more.

"Old Chu, you watch over this handmaiden. I’m going to the secret chamber." With a wave of his hand, Lin Hao collected all the wine jugs except for the one the turtle egg hadn’t finished.

He was going to attempt to break through to the Tenth Layer of the Elemental Realm, and this wine would be helpful.

"Yes, Master. I’ll take you there now," Chu Yanwu replied respectfully.

Lin Hao waved his hand. "No need. I’m more familiar with this place than you are."

Chu Yanwu was taken aback but didn’t dare to say anything.

As for the turtle egg, it hastily hugged its jug of wine, terrified that Chu Yanwu was going to snatch it away.

Lin Hao moved through the manor as if it were his own home, and before long, he had found the secret chamber deep within.

If Chu Yanwu had been there, he would have discovered that Lin Hao was entering a secret chamber that he himself had never found.

After entering the secret chamber, Lin Hao didn’t even have time to examine his surroundings before he sat down cross-legged and entered a state of cultivation.

Lin Hao originally had no clue how to reach the Tenth Layer of the Elemental Realm, but he was smart enough not to dwell on it, instead seeking the answer within the Avatar Secret Skill.

The energy contained in the wine was simply too vast. Now that his cultivation had reached the Ninth Layer of the Elemental Realm, Lin Hao began to manifest the nine sections of the Avatar Secret Skill’s mantra one by one.