Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

Lin Hao used the power of the Array Runes to first shatter the Demon Artifact, then send Lin Wei flying. Afterward, he and Lu Dieyi tore through the sky and departed.

The vast Lin Mansion was left in a wide expanse of rubble and ruins.

The battle at the Lin Mansion concluded with Lin Hao’s complete victory.

This final outcome spread like a wildfire, instantly reaching every corner of the Imperial City.

The entire Imperial City was in an uproar.

Lin Hao had single-handedly shaken the Lin family, one of the four great families, and left unscathed. The feat left everyone aghast.

Although he was suspected of using clever tricks, his combat prowess was undeniable. And to think he was only at the Fifth Layer of Soul Gathering Realm!

Wait!

The Fifth Layer of Soul Gathering Realm!

This was yet another fact that stunned everyone.

Lin Hao was not even sixteen, yet he had already reached the Fifth Layer of Soul Gathering Realm. Even Lin Wu couldn’t have achieved such a cultivation level at the same age!

After learning all this, many were left speechless for a long time. At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before Lin Hao could contend with the older generation of Martial Artists.

However, some top-tier factions and supremely powerful experts had other ideas.

Lin Hao’s final move was clearly not something he could have produced with his own cultivation. Thinking back to those strange Array Runes, they understood what had happened.

And some who had originally intended to make a move on Lin Hao now had second thoughts. Array Pattern Skill was mysterious and unfathomable, and long lost to the world. They didn’t dare to act rashly.

Of course, none of this had anything to do with Lin Hao anymore. He had already returned to the Imperial Saint Institute.

As soon as they reached the Saint Institute, Lu Dieyi parted ways with Lin Hao. As a girl who was naturally fastidious about cleanliness, Lu Dieyi needed to properly tend to her injuries.

In reality, her injuries no longer needed any treatment. In that short amount of time, she had already made a full recovery. Lu Dieyi even had a feeling that her skin wouldn’t be left with a single scar.

However, the bloodstains on her clothes had to be cleaned, so Lu Dieyi naturally went to wash up.

"You’re one lucky kid." As Lin Hao was staring dazedly in the direction Lu Dieyi had left, Turtle Egg’s voice suddenly rang out.

Lin Hao snapped back to his senses, too lazy to bother with it.

If it hadn’t rendered such a great service this time, Lin Hao would have surely given it a hard time.

"Kid, let me tell you, if they invite you to the Saint Institute’s secret realm later, you absolutely must not agree." This time, Turtle Egg didn’t banter with Lin Hao, but very seriously gave him a piece of information.

"Hm?"

"That old bastard Yin has ill intentions, and there are plenty of people from the Five Great Divine Sects who want to get rid of you. If you go in, don’t even think about coming out. Anyway, you can get into that Saint Institute secret realm in three days regardless," Turtle Egg said.

Lin Hao was taken aback. In three days, the Saint Institute was scheduled to depart. ’If I can enter in three days, does that mean the secret realm can move at will?’

Suddenly, Lin Hao’s eyes widened.

He thought of a possibility.

After a Spiritual Artifact advances to Tier Eight or Tier Nine, it will become truly sentient. Its Artifact Spirit would be incomparably powerful, comparable to a Saint, and possess unimaginable might.

A powerful Artifact Spirit could, with a single thought, manifest a space and create an environment suitable for cultivation, allowing a Martial Artist’s cultivation level to soar.

But Lin Hao immediately dismissed this idea. Forget the Celestial Yang Continent, not even in the Divine Demon Destruction Domain had a Tier Eight or Tier Nine Spiritual Artifact ever appeared.

"Kid, stop guessing wildly. You’ll never figure it out. There are many things in this world that are beyond your comprehension, and you still have a very, very long road ahead of you," Turtle Egg said in a sagely tone.

Lin Hao knew Turtle Egg wasn’t lying and nodded.

Then, Turtle Egg spoke again, "You should stay in your room for these three days and properly sort out your cultivation. I sense that something is off with you."

"That was my intention as well." Lin Hao nodded again.

In fact, back at the Lin Mansion just now, if Turtle Egg hadn’t sent him a timely mental message, he would have definitely gone on a rampage. And at the very beginning, if Lu Dieyi hadn’t pulled him back, Lin Hao couldn’t guarantee that he wouldn’t have succumbed to cultivation deviation.

His obsession ran too deep. Even after Turtle Egg told him the method to control it, when he later heard Lin Wei’s words, he still felt a fire burning in his chest, so hot it felt like it would incinerate him from within. It was a precursor to cultivation deviation.

Even if Turtle Egg hadn’t said anything, Lin Hao had already decided to spend the next three days recuperating peacefully and sorting out his meridians.

Although Lin Hao had always focused on improving his mental state, his power had advanced too quickly, and his mental state was struggling to keep up.

"In that case, lend me your handmaiden for three days. I promise I’ll train her to be perfectly obedient for you." Taking advantage of the situation, Turtle Egg suddenly made a request.

Lin Hao was about to nod but suddenly said, "How about you send Yunxi back to the Mo Yun Kingdom and bring Master Duan back in exchange?"

Lin Hao had originally planned to go to the Mo Yun Kingdom himself, but it was now clear that wasn’t feasible.

"Heh heh..." Hearing Lin Hao’s words, Turtle Egg let out a mischievous laugh, then said something that made Lin Hao want to cough up blood: "So you’re into student-teacher relationships, huh?"

Dark lines appeared on Lin Hao’s forehead. Just as he was about to get angry, Turtle Egg had already zipped away, its voice trailing from the air, "What’s there to exchange? Just wait. When you come out in three days, I’ll definitely have a surprise for you."

Lin Hao slapped his forehead and shook his head helplessly.

’I can’t be disturbed for the next three days. It seems my own room won’t do.’ Lin Hao was about to head to his room when he suddenly stopped.

And at that very moment, several figures appeared in the Saint Institute.

Duan Wushuang, Su Molixi, and the contingent from the Five Great Divine Sects had all returned.

"Lin Hao, impressive. You’re definitely the first person in hundreds of years to cause such an uproar in the Imperial City." Unexpectedly, Yin Duwen, who had always been against Lin Hao, was sporting a smile, contrary to his usual self.

Lin Hao knew this guy was up to no good and ignored him completely.

Yin Duwen wasn’t annoyed. He continued, "You’re an Upper-rank disciple now, and you’re even on the Holy Stele’s list. Go and prepare yourself to enter the Saint Institute’s secret realm. With your ability, you’ll definitely reach a new level in three days. You might even break through an entire layer."

Just as Turtle Egg had predicted, Yin Duwen wanted Lin Hao to enter the secret realm.

"I have no plans to improve my cultivation at the moment." Lin Hao shook his head, refusing.

The smile on Yin Duwen’s face froze instantly. In his mind, there was no way Lin Hao would refuse. He had sworn an oath to certain people and had even formulated a series of plans based on it.

But now, Lin Hao had refused without a second thought.

Yin Duwen felt the urge to strangle Lin Hao, but he still didn’t give up. He continued to persuade him, "This is an excellent opportunity. You have to understand, the secret realm you’ll be entering is only open to disciples at the Soul Gathering Realm Third Layer or above. And from what I know, the last time this secret realm was opened was a thousand years ago."

"Not interested!" Lin Hao was completely unmoved, his refusal direct and absolute.

At this, Yin Duwen’s expression instantly became incredibly ugly.

He had tried so hard to persuade him, yet Lin Hao wouldn’t even give him face. It was simply infuriating.

"Lin Hao, don’t be so shameless! Do you really think you’re invincible?! Let me tell you, this continent is vast, and the Six Great Saint Institutes have legacies stretching back thousands of years, with countless genius disciples. Never mind the others, even in our own Saint Institute, there are people more monstrously talented than you!"

Yin Duwen was so angry his hair and beard stood on end, and he was spitting as he spoke.