Lin Hao was not at all surprised that the Zhengyang Sect would come.

In War Dragon City, he had not only forced the Zhengyang Sect’s Young Sect Leader to flee in disgrace but had also destroyed a wisp of the Zhengyang Sect Leader’s Divine Soul.

If the Zhengyang Sect did nothing, they would surely become a laughingstock.

Three powerful elders arrived with Spiritual Artifacts, accompanied by seven Elemental Realm masters and all the elites of the Suo Demon Sect. It was a formidable lineup.

If he hadn’t obtained Chu Tiandu’s memories, Lin Hao would certainly have had Wu Taichu and the others make arrangements the moment he returned to the sect. But with Chu Tiandu’s memories, Lin Hao felt not a shred of fear.

Therefore, Lin Hao spoke without any restraint.

The moment he spoke, Wu Taichu, the three great elders, and the several Peak Masters all paled, to say nothing of the other disciples.

Far outside the Crystal Stone gate of the Ascension Platform, those with profound cultivation also heard Lin Hao’s words.

"Other than him, slaughter everyone in the Heaven-Stepping Sect today!" the white-haired and bearded old man holding a long spear shouted, pointing at Lin Hao from afar.

The Soul Gathering Realm Martial Artist’s shout was like thunder, booming over the Heaven-Stepping Sect.

With his first words, he threatened to slaughter the entire Heaven-Stepping Sect.

Three experts who had advanced to the Soul Gathering Realm ten years ago, plus three Spiritual Artifacts, while everyone from the Heaven-Stepping Sect was gathered on the Ascension Platform. This seemed like it would be a one-sided slaughter.

Thus, the old man’s words were no idle threat.

"My Heaven-Stepping Sect has no past grievances with the Zhengyang Sect. What is the meaning of this?" Wu Taichu stepped forward, speaking to the white-haired and bearded old man across the distance.

The old man said, "True, the Heaven-Stepping Sect has no grievance with the Zhengyang Sect. Your only fault is letting *him* into your sect!"

The "him" the old man spoke of was, of course, Lin Hao. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"You little bastard! With the Wenren and Chen families backing you, we won’t touch your clan! But today, I am going to make you watch as your sect is destroyed because of you!" The old man’s face twisted into a savage grin.

"Sect Leader..." a Peak Master began to speak.

This Peak Master was the very same person who had just said Lin Hao had backing.

"Silence!" Before he could finish, Wu Taichu already knew what he was thinking. ’Anyone can die today, but Lin Hao absolutely cannot!’

Lin Hao remained as calm as ever. He looked at that Peak Master and said, "Honorable Peak Master, with the sect backing you, go and take that old scoundrel’s head."

Just a moment ago, this Peak Master had dismissed all of Lin Hao’s achievements with a single sentence, saying Lin Hao had relied on his backing in War Dragon City. Now, Lin Hao was using the same reasoning to present him with a choice.

"The sect? The Heaven-Stepping Sect has fallen so low, how can it possibly back me up!" the Peak Master’s face turned ashen with anger.

Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed. "So, you’re planning to betray the sect and have them spare your life?"

"I... I would never betray the sect!" Seeing the hostile gazes from many people, the Peak Master hastily denied it.

Wu Taichu, however, took a deep breath, cupped his fists at the old man across the way, and asked, "If they were to betray the Heaven-Stepping Sect right now, would you let them live?"

The old man’s eyes narrowed, then a gloating smile spread across his face. "Certainly," he answered.

It was the perfect time to test human nature, and he was more than happy to watch Wu Taichu’s despairing gaze as the Heaven-Stepping Sect disciples left one by one.

"All disciples of the Heaven-Stepping Sect, today I swear to live or die with the sect. If anyone wishes to leave, I, Wu Taichu, will not stop you." Wu Taichu spoke, a look of resolve flashing across his face.

"I... I want to leave." At this moment, a Peak Master spoke up.

Disappointment flashed in Wu Taichu’s eyes, but he said lightly, "Go, then."

As soon as the words were spoken, this Peak Master flew off the Ascension Platform.

Wu Taichu indeed did not make a move, and the Martial Artists surrounding the Heaven-Stepping Sect outside the Ascension Platform also cleared a path to let the Peak Master leave.

Seeing him leave unharmed, another Peak Master flew off the Ascension Platform.

In the blink of an eye, not a single one of the several Peak Masters was left.

Looks of anguish appeared on the faces of Wu Taichu and the three great elders.

"Anyone else who wants to go, just go," Wu Taichu said in despair.

"I am invincible, unstoppable by gods or demons!" a voice rang out from among the disciples.

"We are invincible, unstoppable by gods or demons! We swear to live or die with the sect!" The voices echoed across the Ascension Platform.

Not another person moved to leave.

A look of gratification flashed across Wu Taichu’s face, but then he suddenly roared, "You bunch of good-for-nothings, all of you, get the hell out of here!"

Even the Peak Masters with the highest cultivation had left. If these disciples stayed, they would just become more piles of bones. Wu Taichu couldn’t let them sacrifice themselves for nothing.

Some of the disciples wavered.

No one is unafraid of death. Staying here would only mean throwing their lives away.

"Everything we have, our cultivation, was given to us by the sect. If we abandon it in its time of crisis, we’ll never be able to hold our heads high for the rest of our lives. Rather than live as cowards, it’s better to die a glorious death!" a disciple stepped forward and declared.

It was Yang Peng!

"Besides, in the War Dragon City martial competition, who could have predicted that the Lin family would be the final victor? Here in the sect, who would have thought that an Alchemy Master from the Danling Sect would willingly give up his status to join our Heaven-Stepping Sect? With Eldest Brother here, it’s not yet certain who will emerge victorious today!"

As he said this, the eyes of the wavering disciples gradually became firm again.

"Uncorrupted by riches, unshaken by poverty, unbent by power, and undeterred by danger! We are invincible, unstoppable by gods or demons!" a disciple began to softly chant Lin Hao’s words.

Then, the voices grew louder and louder.

The white-haired and bearded old man’s expression changed. He raised a hand, about to give the order.

At that very moment, on the Ascension Platform, Wu Taichu and Elder Gu shot forward simultaneously.

They moved with incredible speed.

This was especially true for Wu Taichu. Lin Hao had given him the complete Heaven-Stepping Step. He had been cultivating it all this time, and though he had only just scratched the surface, he moved like a streak of light.

They crossed the distance of several hundred meters in the blink of an eye.

Elder Gu was only half a beat behind.

However, the old man’s combat prowess was terrifying.

With a sweep of his long spear, he sent Wu Taichu and Elder Gu flying back at a speed no less than when they had charged forward.

In a single strike, two Soul Gathering Realm experts were injured!

Throughout this, Lin Hao had watched with a cold gaze. He hadn’t expected Wu Taichu and Elder Gu would attack. Only now did he leap down from the high platform.

Then, he walked straight forward to the edge of the Ascension Platform and said to the old man, "The Heaven-Stepping Sect is not a place for you to run wild. Leave the Spiritual Artifacts and get lost!"

BOOM!

His words shocked everyone.

The disciples of the Heaven-Stepping Sect were surrounded on the Ascension Platform, already like turtles in a jar. To say nothing of the fact that just now, Wu Taichu and Elder Gu couldn’t even handle a single blow from that old man!

And now, Lin Hao actually dared to say such a thing—not only telling them to get lost, but also demanding their Spiritual Artifacts.

’Has he gone insane?!’

"I was with the Suo Demon Sect for many years. I’ve made very clear inquiries about your Heaven-Stepping Sect’s situation. Are you perhaps counting on your so-called Lord Lingdi?" the goateed old man now spoke.

Lin Hao frowned. He vaguely recognized this old man as the one he had seen outside the Suo Demon Sect’s secret realm that night.

"I tricked it away with a small ploy. I’m afraid it’s already thousands of miles away by now. Don’t expect it to come and save you."

Lin Hao’s eyes narrowed. "So, you’re not planning to get lost, then. It doesn’t matter. Dead men can’t take their Spiritual Artifacts with them either. Get lost or die!"

"Today, I’d like to see what kind of earth-shattering tricks you have up your sleeve! Kill them!" the white-haired and bearded old man ordered. At his command, the seven Elemental Realm experts behind him charged straight for the Ascension Platform.

As for Wu Taichu and Elder Gu, their auras were already firmly locked on by the three Soul Gathering Realm experts.

"Even an elephant can’t withstand a swarm of ants! Today, let’s show these bastards what we’re made of!" Yang Peng roared and was the first to charge out.

A look of grim determination flashed in the eyes of the Heaven-Stepping Sect disciples. They had strength in numbers. If they burned their Bloodline Power, they stood a chance to fight!

’Even if we die, we’ll die a glorious death!’

A blistering heat began to radiate from some disciples. Their bodies turned blood-red as their vital energy began to boil—a sign they were about to burn their Bloodline Power.

"Hmph!"

Just then, Lin Hao let out a cold snort.

Then, he simply flicked his sleeve.

RUMBLE!

The Ascension Platform trembled, and a Divine Stele burst forth from the ground.

ROAR!

The next moment, a heaven-shaking roar echoed as the enormous phantom of a beast charged out from beneath the withered secret realm.

The phantom instantly arrived above the Ascension Platform, blotting out the sky and plunging the platform into darkness.

It opened its cavernous mouth and, with a single inhale, sucked all the invaders—including the seven Elemental Realm experts—into its maw.

After inhaling the vital essence and blood of so many experts, the beast’s phantom actually showed signs of solidifying.

Its lantern-sized eyes stared at the three Soul Gathering Realm experts.

The mounts beneath the three Soul Gathering Realm experts had long since collapsed to the ground, and the experts themselves wore looks of utter horror.

"A Heaven-Sundering Rhinoceros! It’s the Heaven-Sundering Rhinoceros, one of the Ten Great Vicious Beasts of antiquity!" This phantom, which looked something like an ox, was indeed the legendary creature.

"I’ll give you two choices: leave the Spiritual Artifacts and get lost, or die!" At the edge of the Ascension Platform, Lin Hao’s gaze was ice-cold as he spoke again.

In the blink of an eye, the members of the Suo Demon Sect and the seven Elemental Realm experts they brought with them had become a meal for the Heaven-Sundering Rhinoceros, not even having the chance to let out a scream.

At this moment, the three Soul Gathering Realm experts had lost all of their earlier arrogance. They trembled under the gaze of the Heaven-Sundering Rhinoceros.

Lin Hao snorted coldly, then stomped his foot.

RUMBLE!

The Ascension Platform roared as eight more Divine Steles emerged from the earth.

’If one Divine Stele has such power, what will happen with eight more?’

Terrified, the three of them threw down their Spiritual Artifacts and fled in disarray.

The Ascension Platform fell deathly silent.

Wu Taichu and the three great elders exchanged a glance, joy blooming on their shocked faces.

The next moment, however, they felt as if they’d been plunged into an icy cavern.

Having lost its targets, the Heaven-Sundering Rhinoceros now stared at them.

Before this vicious beast, a Soul Gathering Realm cultivation was like that of an ant.

"Go back!" Lin Hao commanded lightly. He stomped his foot again, and the nine Divine Steles returned to their place.

The Heaven-Sundering Rhinoceros, hovering in mid-air, let out a mournful howl. It gave Lin Hao an unwilling glance before finally retreating back into the withered secret realm and disappearing.

"What... what just happened?"

Everything had happened too quickly. Countless disciples didn’t understand what had transpired, only that the innumerable Martial Artists were now gone without a trace.

"Eldest Brother summoned a terrifying creature and saved us," said a bold disciple, his mouth dry, who had clearly seen what had just happened.

"It swallowed a thousand men with a single breath, including seven or eight Elemental Realm masters, and they didn’t even have a chance to resist. What kind of creature was that?"

"An illusion. This must be an illusion."

Wu Taichu collected the three Spiritual Artifacts and returned to the Ascension Platform. A joyous look on his face, he said, "That was no illusion. This is the proof!"

With that, he held the three Spiritual Artifacts high.

PS: Thanks to book friend "尘﹌埃" for the reward. There will be three updates today, this is the second! Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets!