Nine Heavens Martial Emperor

Lin Yuchen stalled Qi Lian with a subservient demeanor, but at the same time, he was sending a message to Lin Hao via voice transmission:

"My apologies, little brother. But I know you’re powerful. You were completely unaffected when Qi Lian just used her Charm Art. That’s why I’m sure you can escape."

Here, Lin Yuchen paused, his tone growing more earnest.

"That’s exactly why I decided to use you. I wouldn’t have done this to anyone else. I, Lin Yuchen, swear I will repay this debt in the future. When that time comes, you can kill me or torture me—it’ll be up to you. If I let a woman suck me dry, I’d bring nothing but shame to the Lin family. I would rather die at your hands."

Lin Hao hadn’t had a shred of goodwill toward Lin Yuchen, and he despised being used. But after hearing those heartfelt words, his opinion of the man began to change.

Lin Hao’s Spiritual Sense was terrifyingly acute. As Lin Yuchen sent the transmission, Lin Hao could perceive every subtle reaction and change in his body, allowing him to tell if the words were truly from the heart.

Even if this Lin Yuchen was a scoundrel, he was an honest one.

A man like that was far better than a hypocrite.

Lin Hao smiled and said, "Miss, my cousin and I haven’t seen each other in years. Would you mind giving us a moment alone?"

He saw the strange glint in Qi Lian’s eyes. Clearly, the woman had now marked him as prey too.

Even if he stuck his neck out for Lin Yuchen, Qi Lian would just come after him.

In a situation like this, the decision was obvious.

"Hee hee, I have a private courtyard here in the Nine Yang Void Realm. Why don’t you both join me there for a chat? I promise your big sister will take *very* good care of you."

Qi Lian covered her mouth with a light chuckle. Her eyes were bewitching, and with a slight tremble of her chest, the sight was utterly captivating.

The sound of rapid breathing reached Lin Hao’s ears.

At the same time, Lin Yuchen collapsed onto the table.

Lin Hao’s expression shifted.

’It seems this Qi Lian doesn’t just possess a Charm Art; her skills with poison are also exceptional.’

While Lin Hao’s expression changed, an even greater shock filled the depths of Qi Lian’s beautiful eyes.

Because her poison had somehow failed to affect this mysterious young man.

"Hee hee hee... What’s your name, little brother? Your big sister is finding she likes you more and more," Qi Lian continued, her light laughter carrying a seductive tone. Her eyes were so full of longing they seemed to brim with moisture.

A look like that could melt the resolve of the strongest man.

Even Lin Hao couldn’t stop his heart from skipping a beat.

But in the next instant, he had already recovered his composure.

Never mind the supreme will he had gained from comprehending the Lin Character Skill from the Dao Sound; his Godslaying Celestial Slash Skill alone was enough to render Qi Lian’s Charm Art completely ineffective against him.

Qi Lian’s expression changed.

Her Charm Art and poison were used in tandem; not even Martial Artists at the Fifth or Sixth Layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm could withstand them.

But now, both her prized Charm Art and poison were useless against Lin Hao. This shocked her, but it also piqued her interest in him even more.

She had originally targeted Lin Yuchen for the vast amount of medicinal essence from the pills he had consumed. But it now seemed this mysterious young man was far more valuable.

"Qianshang, seize him!" Qi Lian suddenly commanded.

This time, her tone was cold and imperious, like a queen commanding her servant.

A flash of pain crossed the eyes of the man behind Qi Lian, but it vanished in an instant.

In the next moment, without any perceivable movement, the man was standing before Lin Hao.

"Miss Qi Lian invites you to be a guest at Paradise Palace. My apologies for the imposition."

As the man named Ying Qianshang spoke, he thrust his sheathed sword toward Lin Hao’s chest.

The sword remained in its sheath, yet it carried an astonishing force.

As he struck, he unleashed the power of his martial domain, instantly immobilizing Lin Hao.

"Alas, Ying Qianshang, you really are an idiot. Why are you so devoted to a wench like her? Little Sister Lian, why don’t we head back and have our own three-hundred-round battle?"

Just as Ying Qianshang moved against Lin Hao, a voice rang out.

A man appeared behind Qi Lian, his eyes burning with unconcealed desire.

"Hao Yinjian, get lost!"

Though Ying Qianshang was attacking Lin Hao, the voice sent him into a rage. The sword aimed at Lin Hao’s chest was drawn from its sheath.

The sheath continued its trajectory toward Lin Hao, but the blade itself flew out with lightning speed, carving a bizarre arc as it slashed toward the speaker.

"Hahaha, Ying Qianshang, to think your cultivation still hasn’t improved! Farewell!"

Hao Yinjian’s voice echoed from outside as both he and Qi Lian vanished.

CLANG!

The sword returned to its sheath. An agonized expression twisted Ying Qianshang’s face, the veins on the hand gripping the scabbard bulging.

*Sigh.*

Lin Hao shook his head with a sigh and sat back down.

’Matters of the heart are truly the most unfathomable things in this world.’

"Who told you to sit down? You are coming to Paradise Palace today!"

Ying Qianshang’s voice was ice-cold, his killing intent palpable.

"I’m curious," Lin Hao’s voice grew cold as well. "If you were to die, would she even be sad?"

"Be careful, friend. Ying Qianshang is notoriously hard to kill. A Martial Artist at the Seventh Layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm once tried to kill him; he escaped, though severely wounded. For Qi Lian’s sake, his will to survive is unbelievably strong."

With Qi Lian gone, the other Martial Artists in the hall relaxed. Someone spoke up, their voice ethereal and its source impossible to pinpoint.

"The world holds a thousand sorrows, but for me, there is only Shang. I may not be a Ling Xiao soaring to the heavens, but she is peerless in my eyes. As long as she lives, no one in this world can take my life," Ying Qianshang said, his voice eerily calm.

Lin Hao shook his head. Without even rising, he reached out and grabbed.

BOOM!

In the majestic palace, everyone suddenly felt as if they were suffocating.

With that one casual grab, Lin Hao’s martial domain sealed the entire hall. A majestic aura surged forth, as if a Divine King himself had acted.

Then, the crowd watched in horror.

For they saw that Lin Hao’s hand was already wrapped around Ying Qianshang’s neck!

Ying Qianshang was at the Fourth Layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm, yet before this young man, he couldn’t even withstand a single move. The sight was utterly stunning!

In the palace, the eyes of several other young men glinted with a strange light.

The young man with the long spear on his table, in particular, stared at Lin Hao with a peculiar glint in his eyes.

"Who is that guy? He’s terrifying! To think Ying Qianshang couldn’t even last one move against him."

"That’s not right. We never saw Ying Qianshang’s sword. I heard he cultivates the Ancient Sword Formulas of the Reincarnation Sword Manual. There’s a saying: ’When the Reincarnation Sword is drawn, gods and demons fall.’"

"I heard that too. He wasn’t using his full strength when he attacked Hao Yinjian just now. Because of Qi Lian and that guy... well, basically, he was afraid Qi Lian would get angry if he killed Hao Yinjian."

"Countless Martial Artists have been sent to their Reincarnation by his sword. Even an ordinary cultivator at the Fifth Layer of the Spirit Transformation Realm is no match for him."

"I hear that anyone who goes to Qi Lian’s Paradise Palace, even if they aren’t sucked dry by her, ends up dead at Ying Qianshang’s hands."

As the Martial Artists were murmuring amongst themselves, they suddenly heard the hum of a sword.

The sound was ethereal, its origin impossible to place. It was like the whisper of death itself, promising to send souls into Reincarnation.