Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

A descendant of the Divine Phoenix, having obtained a sliver of its ancestral inheritance, transformed its body into a crucible, intending to refine Lin Hao alive. The power it displayed was terrifying beyond measure.

However, Lin Hao activated both of his Great Emperor techniques at once. The world’s energy in the sky above solidified from the void and poured down into his body.

As the immense energy of the world entered him, Lin Hao’s body was nourished and began to swell.

But in the next instant, the fierce bird’s body glowed crimson. A massive halo of light formed around it, resembling a blazing sun falling from the heavens.

This colossal, blazing sun was blindingly brilliant within the vortex of world energy, its power terrifying the entire Ancient Road.

As this phenomenon unfolded, the mountain peaks hundreds of meters below began to melt at a visible rate.

Moreover, even Martial Artists thousands of miles away could feel a searing heatwave rolling toward them.

Although the fierce bird’s bloodline was greatly diluted, having received only a wisp of its ancestral legacy, its power was still terrifying beyond measure.

Such was the might of the Divine Phoenix clan—a power capable of contending with the Great Emperors of old.

As the fierce bird unleashed its full power, even the solidified world energy began to show signs of being assimilated, turning the area at the center completely crimson.

Down below, not only did Lin Hao’s face show no panic, but a smile actually began to form.

Lin Hao could feel a trace of searing heat within the world energy now entering his body.

Lifting his head, Lin Hao saw scarlet streams flowing within the world energy that poured into him.

’This foolish bird wants to use this against me? Perfect. I’ll put it to good use.’ Lin Hao was inwardly ecstatic.

Clearly, the fierce bird possessed great intelligence. Seeing Lin Hao absorbing the world’s energy, it had tried to infuse its own crucible-like power into the flow, hoping to destroy him from within.

But the fierce bird could never have known that Lin Hao had not only performed Body Refinement using sunlight, but had also tempered himself with the Flowing Light Divine Flame—a treasure one might not find in ten thousand years.

Its actions now were simply doing all the work for Lin Hao.

Lin Hao decided to play along. Without wasting a single drop, he began to continuously absorb the fierce bird’s power.

The two remained locked in a stalemate, and the funnel in the sky eventually turned completely crimson.

Far below, the three women watched this scene unfold from a safe distance. Their beautiful eyes were wide, and they hardly dared to breathe.

Although they were more than a thousand meters away and had used their cultivation to protect themselves, they could still feel an immense, scorching aura.

It was clear the fierce bird had unleashed its full power, and they grew worried for Lin Hao’s safety.

Time ticked by, second by agonizing second. For the three women, every moment felt like an eternity.

They were already drenched in sweat.

But the three women seemed oblivious, their gazes fixed on the sky above.

After an unknown amount of time, the static phenomenon in the sky suddenly shifted.

The massive funnel vanished, and a blindingly brilliant sun plummeted downward with the speed of a falling meteor.

The three women’s faces paled, and they were about to rush forward.

However, in the next moment, a figure appeared before them, smiling warmly. Who else could it be but Lin Hao?

"Brother Hao!" Meng Ru cried, rushing forward abruptly.

Meng Qing, however, who had also taken a step, paused and drew her foot back.

Lu Diewu, on the other hand, stomped her foot and pouted. A moment later, though, her expression blossomed into a radiant smile.

For Meng Ru had not gotten her hug; Lin Hao had dodged her.

"What do you think you’re doing, you crazy girl?" Lin Hao chided with a laugh as he dodged.

"So stingy. Hmph, you’re younger than me, you know. From now on, you should call me ’Big Sister’," Meng Ru retorted, then winked at Lin Hao.

Lin Hao froze for a second before waving her away with a look of mock disgust.

Meng Ru let out a peal of delightful laughter.

"Brother-in-law, you scared us to death just now! What did you do?" Lu Diewu asked as she approached, an expression of lingering fear on her face.

Lin Hao gave a mysterious smile and replied, "You’ll find out eventually. For now, let’s get back on the road."

It wasn’t that Lin Hao was unwilling to tell them, he just felt it was unnecessary to explain right now.

The three women always followed Lin Hao’s lead, so when he said this, they naturally agreed.

Just as the four of them set out, far away in the Divine Demon Destruction Domain, amidst a vast mountain range, a crimson bird just a few meters in size suddenly shuddered.

The next moment, the bird looked in a specific direction and spoke in a human tongue. "It had just undergone a bloodline regression, only to be hunted down and killed. Do you take my Divine Phoenix clan for a bunch of nobodies? I remember its aura. Whoever you are that hunted it... just you wait!"

The bird itself was not large, but as its voice faded, the very heavens and earth trembled. In the next instant, countless surrounding mountains simultaneously exploded into dust.

...

「Celestial Yang Continent, on the Ancient Road.」

Lin Hao, of course, had no idea he was now being targeted by an unknown existence. He was still focused on exploring the Ancient Road.

With the fierce bird gone, Lin Hao and the three women crossed the broken bridge without incident, landed on the other side, and continued on their way.

After traveling another thousand meters or so, the group of four finally encountered other Martial Artists taking the trial.

There were two of them. When they saw Lin Hao’s group, their eyes lit up. Then, as they stared at Meng Qing and the other two women, they were completely dumbfounded.

As for Lin Hao, they automatically ignored him.

All three women were stunningly beautiful, and Meng Qing hadn’t yet put her veil back on. She was the kind of woman that even a high lord would long for day and night; it was nearly impossible for an ordinary Martial Artist to look away.

"What are you looking at? Keep staring and I’ll gouge your eyes out!" Meng Ru snapped, her face full of displeasure as a baleful aura emanated from her.

Lu Diewu also took a step forward, a similar baleful aura flaring to life as she glared angrily at the two men.

They were extremely sensitive to the gazes of men. Though the two had hidden it well, the fleeting, wicked glint in their eyes had not escaped their notice.

Only Lin Hao and Meng Qing remained impassive.

The two men quickly snapped out of it, a jolt of alarm running through them.

They realized that Meng Ru’s cultivation seemed no weaker than their own. Combined with the baleful aura from the other woman, they knew they stood no chance of winning.

"Our apologies, our apologies. We are disciples of the Moon Worshiping Saint Institute. My name is..." one of them began, apologizing profusely as he started to introduce himself.

This was the Ancient Road, after all. There were only two of them. If the other group decided to attack, their chances of survival were slim.

But Meng Ru cut him off without a shred of mercy. "I have no interest in who you are. Scram!"

"Thank you, thank you." The two men trembled. A vicious glint flashed in their eyes before vanishing. Even as they repeatedly thanked them, they were cursing furiously in their minds. ’Filthy whores. Just wait till we come back. We’ll make you beg for death!’

Just as the two were turning to leave, Lin Hao—whom they had ignored the entire time—suddenly spoke.

"Stop."

The voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a strange, compelling Magic Power.

The two men, who had been about to turn, froze. "Sir," they asked with the utmost deference, "what are your instructions?"

"Take out your Tokens," Lin Hao said, his voice still quiet.

The two men froze. After exchanging a look, they said nothing, simply took out their Tokens, and tossed them to Lin Hao.

"Can we go now?" one of them asked, his voice low and submissive, a humble smile plastered on his face.

Inwardly, however, they were cursing Lin Hao with every fiber of their being.

Lin Hao looked at them with a faint, unreadable smile, then said something they never could have possibly expected.