Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

Hearing He Jundao’s words, the Martial Artists of the Cangnan Empire all wore looks of utter despair.

The wielder of the Kingly Body had burned his bloodline power and failed.

Shenshan and four others had merged their Divine Soul, one capable of contending with a Royal Body, and sent it forth, only to be annihilated.

At this point, what did they have left to fight He Jundao?

"He Jundao, don’t get too arrogant! Once you enter the Heaven-Breaking Pavilion, you’ll be destroyed by our Cangnan Empire’s Lin Wu! All of you will!" a Martial Artist spat with hatred.

Lin Wu was able to bypass the Ancient Road’s trials and enter the Heaven-Breaking Pavilion directly. In the eyes of the Heaven-Breaking Pavilion’s upper echelons, this proved he was far stronger than the likes of He Jundao.

"That’s right! What’s happening to us today will happen to you tomorrow! He Jundao, we’ll be waiting for you in the underworld!" At the mention of Lin Wu, a strange light ignited in the eyes of many Martial Artists.

"Hahaha! A bunch of ignorant fools. If Lin Wu were really that formidable, he would have long since been crowned the number one young master of the Celestial Yang Continent. Once I’m in the Heaven-Breaking Pavilion, I’ll be sure to see who is stronger—him or me. A pity you won’t live to see it," He Jundao said as he strode forward.

The fists of the assembled Martial Artists were clenched tight.

"He Jundao, besides Lin Wu, there is another from Cangnan who can destroy you." Just then, Wenren Yuxin’s clear, cold voice rang out.

He Jundao stopped and raised an eyebrow.

Then, a cold, disdainful sneer spread across his face.

"I have a feeling he’s about to arrive," Wenren Yuxin said, a smile gracing the corners of her lips.

Wenren Yuxin’s smile infuriated He Jundao.

The sneer on He Jundao’s face deepened. "Is that so? I’d like to see if this man you speak of can actually save you!"

The moment the words left his mouth, He Jundao struck at Wenren Yuxin.

His strike was as swift as a bolt of lightning.

The heaven-shaking might of his Royal Body was unleashed, an aura no one could withstand.

But at that very moment, everyone saw runes of the void flicker into existence, and even the world around them began to tremble.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!

He Jundao was forced back, step after step.

This sudden turn of events stunned everyone.

He Jundao snapped his head up, looking toward the Cangnan Martial Artists.

The other Martial Artists also turned to look in that direction.

Instantly, all their eyes widened in shock.

A young man now stood where Wenren Yuxin had been just a moment ago.

He stood there proudly, staring at He Jundao with terrifyingly cold eyes.

’So fast! Where did he even come from?’

This thought surfaced in many people’s minds.

The young man’s appearance was too bizarre; they had no idea where he had come from.

At the scene, only Yang Qingtian and Young Master Moon had clearly seen the young man’s approach.

He had come from the central Ancient Road.

’Lin Hao...’ The name surfaced in Yang Qingtian’s mind.

The newcomer was, naturally, Lin Hao.

After breaking through to the Seventh Layer of the Soul Gathering Realm, Lin Hao had rushed to the entrance. Although he had pushed his speed to the absolute limit, he was still a little late.

After exchanging a single blow with He Jundao, Lin Hao saw the state of Lu Dieyi, Shenshan, and the others, and a murderous intent surged in his eyes.

"Who are you?!" He Jundao stared at Lin Hao and demanded in a low voice.

He had just used half of his cultivation base and had even unleashed the might of his Royal Body. That this young man could take the blow, seemingly unaffected, was beyond his expectations.

Lin Hao didn’t answer, asking instead, "Did you injure them?"

He Jundao was taken aback for a moment, then laughed. "So what if I did? You want to stand up for them?"

He stared at Lin Hao, his smile filled with unconcealed contempt.

"Senior Brother Lin Hao, it’s so good you’re here! He Jundao threatened to have all the Martial Artists from the Cangnan Empire wiped out on the Ancient Road."

"Not only that, he and that Young Master Moon wanted to take Miss Lu and Senior Sister Wenren as their servant girls! It’s outrageous!"

"..."

With Lin Hao’s appearance and his successful block of He Jundao’s attack, the Martial Artists of the Cangnan Empire seemed to have found their backbone. All talking at once, they recounted everything that had just happened.

Lin Hao’s expression grew colder and colder.

Lin Hao hadn’t expected them to be so arrogant, daring to treat the Cangnan Martial Artists, let alone Lu Dieyi and Wenren Yuxin, in such a way.

Across from them, many people’s expressions changed upon hearing the Cangnan Martial Artists call out Lin Hao’s name.

After all, Lin Hao’s feat of slaying the primeval behemoths had already made his name famous throughout the Ancient Road.

Now, seeing that he was even younger than the great young masters, their shock was palpable.

"So, you’re Lin Hao. This young master is not only short on servant girls, but I’m also lacking a few slaves. Your build isn’t much to look at, but I suppose you’ll barely do." He Jundao looked Lin Hao up and down, criticizing him from head to toe.

He Jundao clearly didn’t take Lin Hao seriously at all.

"One of the Ten Great Young Masters? What a grand title. But in my eyes, you’re not even qualified to be a slave." If He Jundao was arrogant, Lin Hao was even more so.

He Jundao possessed a Royal Body. Such individuals were the favored children of heaven and earth, destined to stand above all others. It could be said that with a single call, countless people would be crying and begging to prostrate themselves at his feet.

Yet now, Lin Hao was saying He Jundao wasn’t even qualified to be a slave. The sheer arrogance of his words was boundless.

He Jundao’s brow twitched, his eyes as sharp as blades. "No one has ever dared to speak to me like that. For those words alone, I will make the Martial Artists of the Cangnan Empire die before your very eyes, one by one, while you stand by, powerless to stop me."

Before his voice had even faded, He Jundao attacked.

This time, He Jundao manifested a great hand of True Essence and lunged for one of the Martial Artists, his speed like lightning.

This strike was even faster than the last.

He was fast, but Lin Hao was not slow. In fact, he was even faster.

Despite moving second, Lin Hao struck first. His own manifested hand of True Essence met He Jundao’s in mid-air.

He Jundao’s hand of True Essence was wreathed in azure energy, its pressure heaven-shaking.

All the Martial Artists present, except for Yang Qingtian and Young Master Moon, felt a terrifying pressure.

Lin Hao’s hand of True Essence, by contrast, seemed illusory, like mist—calm and gentle.

But as Lin Hao’s hand of True Essence appeared, the Martial Artists of the Cangnan Empire felt their spirits lift. The blood surged in their veins, and the immense pressure from He Jundao lessened considerably.

Across the way, Yang Qingtian’s pupils contracted.

His own body was one with the Dao, and his every move contained Dao Rhyme. With his profound understanding, he immediately saw the abnormality in Lin Hao’s True Essence the moment he attacked.

’Chaos True Essence!’ Yang Qingtian thought, the three words sending a shock through him that was beyond measure.

Lin Hao was only displaying the combat power of the Seventh Layer of the Soul Gathering Realm, yet Yang Qingtian could see that his Chaos True Essence had already reached a terrifying level. Such an achievement was simply unheard-of!

Under the watchful eyes of all, the two great hands of True Essence collided.

Runes flared brightly in the void as a deafening BOOM echoed out. The space between them became a chaotic maelstrom, as if the very void itself was shattering and being annihilated.

Lin Hao’s body slid across the ground, carving a long trail in his wake. In contrast, He Jundao’s body merely swayed slightly.

Despite this, He Jundao, for once, didn’t offer any taunts. Instead, an unprecedentedly solemn expression appeared on his face.

An expert’s skill is revealed in a single move.

Although He Jundao had come out on top, he had felt a vast and boundless power from Lin Hao’s attack.

It was a power that was serene yet majestic, and even the might of his Royal Body had been unable to completely suppress it.

This was beyond He Jundao’s comprehension.