This youth, who looked to be no more than fifteen or sixteen, actually possessed such ability. It was simply incredible.

To the original inhabitants of Lindan City, Lin Hao was a complete stranger, and they couldn’t make heads or tails of the situation.

But another group of people was different.

Many of the outsiders had all come from the same place.

The Danling Sect.

They had participated in the Danling Sect’s assembly and naturally recognized Lin Hao.

Although they had witnessed Lin Hao’s power at the Danling Sect, seeing it again here still left them shaken.

Xu Jiaying, the Golden Eagle Saint King—that title was far too renowned.

The youth from the Jinglian Saint Institute had dared to slap him without hesitation, yet he was completely deferential to Lin Hao. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

This stark contrast made Lin Hao seem even more transcendent.

"Hey, did you see? He has a peerless expert by his side now," someone who recognized Lin Hao whispered to their companion.

"You mean that fairy-like woman? She’s so stunning, it’s hard not to notice her."

"It looks like that fairy is his bodyguard. This Young Master Lin is too damn strange. It’s only been a day, how did he find someone so formidable?"

"When has anything he’s done not been beyond ordinary imagination? How can you judge him by common sense?"

"That’s true. Look..." The crowd had been whispering, but one person’s eyes suddenly widened, and their voice rose in pitch.

At the same time, he pointed into the distance.

Following his finger, everyone couldn’t help but gasp.

They saw the fairy who had just chased after the Golden Eagle Saint King reappear. In her hand, she held a human head.

It was unmistakably the head of Xu Jiaying!

A marquis of his generation had been slain.

This outcome left the crowd completely dumbfounded.

’This fairy is just too powerful.’

And Lin Hao... to actually dare to kill a marquis! This was a blatant disregard for the Ancient Empire.

"Do you remember? Forty years ago, the Heaven-Stepping Sect’s Fiery Fire Demon Monarch stormed the capital alone, defying imperial authority. This Young Master Lin is also from the Heaven-Stepping Sect..."

"Forty years ago, there was the Fiery Fire Demon Monarch. Forty years later, the Heaven-Stepping Sect has produced another demon star."

"His audacity surpasses even the Fiery Fire Demon Monarch’s. Forty years ago, the Demon Monarch was at the Spirit Transformation Realm, but he is only at the Blood Coagulation Realm."

"He’s defying the heavens themselves."

...

As the crowd murmured, Meng Jian tossed Xu Jiaying’s head aside, then whispered to Lin Hao, "We should leave here quickly. Something this major will spread immediately, and when the assassins from Netherworld Hall get the news, they will definitely rush here as fast as possible."

Lin Hao nodded.

’Meng Jian is right. The assassins of Netherworld Hall are masters of concealing their tracks, and the crowds in the city make it even more convenient for them. It’s best to leave sooner rather than later.’

Without another word, Lin Hao began walking toward the city gates.

The beast-clad youth was stunned for a moment, then watched him leave.

Once Lin Hao’s figure had disappeared from sight, a cold, sinister light glinted in the beast-clad youth’s eyes.

"Luo Zhonglou, how many people know that the Zhengyang Sect hired assassins from Netherworld Hall?"

"Reporting to the young master, the only ones who know are the upper echelons of my Zhengyang Sect. No more than five people in total."

"Good. Contact them as soon as possible. Lin Hao must be killed before he returns to the Heaven-Stepping Sect!"

"Yes."

"Also, spread the news of Lin Hao’s actions as quickly as possible. I want to make him a public enemy. The more enemies he has, the more advantageous it is for us."

"Yes, I will see to it at once."

Luo Zhonglou was indeed efficient. A day later, Lin Hao’s name had spread throughout the Cangnan Empire.

Single-handedly defeating the nine great sword attendants of Mingjian Manor.

Slaying Marquis Red Blood and his son in Celestial Jade City.

Beheading the marquis Xu Jiaying in Lindan City.

One deed after another swept through all of Cangnan like a hurricane.

On this day, Lin Hao’s name truly became famous throughout Cangnan.

Meanwhile, Lin Hao was completely unaware. He and Meng Jian, each on their own steed, were now outside Celestial Jade City.

Their mounts were Xu Jiaying’s two Dragon Steeds.

"Sister Meng, let’s go this way," Lin Hao said, pointing in a certain direction.

The direction he pointed was the same route he had taken with Turtle Egg.

After leaving the Heaven-Stepping Sect, Lin Hao had originally intended to train by hunting Devil Beasts in the dense forest, but those plans had been ruined by Turtle Egg.

Now that Turtle Egg was gone, Lin Hao felt he could finally do what he had set out to do.

Meng Jian nodded. As they drew closer to the Heaven-Stepping Sect, she grew more and more quiet.

Before long, the two of them entered the dense forest.

At this point, the mounts were no longer necessary. Without a hint of regret, they released the two exceptionally rare Dragon Steeds back into the mountains.

They had just entered the forest when Lin Hao noticed Meng Jian suddenly move past him. She crouched by a patch of grass and carefully plucked a small, unremarkable-looking herb.

"Sister Meng, what do you need Illusion Star Grass for?" Lin Hao asked curiously.

Illusion Star Grass could be used in medicine—it was a medicinal herb, but it was just shy of being a Spirit Grass and couldn’t be used for Alchemy.

"You recognize it?" A look of delight appeared in Meng Jian’s eyes.

Lin Hao smiled and replied, "Of course I do."

’A profound Pharmacist might not necessarily become an Alchemy Master, but a qualified Alchemy Master is definitely an outstanding Pharmacist.’

As he spoke, Lin Hao walked over, crouched down, and began searching in the same patch of grass. A moment later, he also plucked a small herb and handed it to her.

"What’s this?" Meng Jian’s beautiful eyes widened as she asked in confusion.

She had never seen this herb before.

"Wherever Illusion Star Grass grows, another medicinal herb is bound to grow alongside it. It’s called Yin Soul Grass, and it has the same calming properties. However, when combined with a few other herbs, its effect is even better than Illusion Star Grass..."

Holding the stalk of Yin Soul Grass, Lin Hao explained eloquently.

Meng Jian’s beautiful eyes were wide as she listened intently.

Seeing her apparent interest in medicinal herbs, Lin Hao simply began describing the properties of any herbs he saw as they walked.

Just like that, the celestial fairy fell to the mortal realm, humbly asking Lin Hao for his teachings.

Lin Hao answered each of her questions.

The consequence of this was that their pace slowed considerably.

Under Lin Hao’s guidance, Meng Jian harvested another medicinal herb she had never seen before.

Just as she was carefully putting it away, Meng Jian’s expression suddenly changed drastically.

She pulled Lin a Hao back as a cold glint of light shot from her hand, slashing at the empty air.

A bizarre scene unfolded.

The space had been completely empty, but her slash produced a sharp, crisp sound.

And on the side of Lin Hao’s neck, a thin cut appeared, while several strands of his hair were severed.

If Meng Jian hadn’t acted just now, Lin Hao would likely have been decapitated.

For someone to approach so silently with a peerless expert like Meng Jian present, only an assassin from Netherworld Hall could manage it.

Meng Jian’s expression was extremely grave. The overwhelming pressure of a Soul Gathering Realm expert erupted from her, covering the heavens and earth.

It had to be said, Meng Jian’s combat awareness was terrifying.

From just that one exchange, she already knew that the Netherworld Hall assassin’s Cultivation Technique was bizarre and impossible to guard against.

Although she didn’t have an Emperor Art like Lin Hao, she immediately thought of a way to counter it.

The aura formed by her cultivation realm could suppress the opponent—this was her advantage.

However, Meng Jian had still underestimated how terrifying this assassin was.

Without a sound, another cut appeared on Lin Hao’s neck. And this was *after* Meng Jian had intervened.

The assassin was too fast. Even with Meng Jian blocking, Lin Hao was still wounded.

Silently, Lin Hao activated his Emperor Art. The sun and moon manifested in his eyes, shining brilliantly.

"Sister Meng, infuse me with your True Essence. I’ll deal with him," Lin Hao’s voice was cold.

Being wounded twice in a row had made Lin Hao exceptionally furious.

Meng Jian grabbed Lin Hao’s hand and began infusing him with True Essence.

"Don’t hold back," Lin Hao said.

"I can’t. Your meridians won’t be able to handle it," Meng Jian replied, shaking her head.

Her cultivation was at the Seventh Layer of Soul Gathering Realm. If she infused him with her full power, Lin Hao would undoubtedly explode and die.

"It won’t be a problem," Lin Hao answered with absolute certainty.

Lin Hao was very confident in his own body.

If a body tempered by the Godslaying Celestial Slash Skill couldn’t even withstand True Essence from the Soul Gathering Realm, then the Emperor Art would be nothing but an empty name.

A roar echoed from within Lin Hao’s body, the sound of dragons and tigers.

At that moment, Lin Hao was wounded again.

Meng Jian gritted her teeth, and her True Essence flooded out like a torrent.

BOOM!

In that instant, a massive halo of light erupted from Lin Hao’s body, its myriad rays shooting straight into the heavens.

The halo, centered on Lin Hao, exploded outward in all directions.

The surrounding towering trees, vines, and plants were all reduced to ash.

In the empty space, fresh blood splattered.

Lin Hao’s eyes were incomparably brilliant. At the same time, a small figure appeared above his head.

The next moment, this small figure leaped up and pointed a single finger.

A terrifying aura, one that seemed capable of annihilating all existence, enveloped the area. In the previously empty space, a human figure appeared.

His plain, unremarkable face was filled with astonishment and terror.

This single finger locked down the very fabric of space!

The next moment, he turned to dust.

Yet the lingering power of the small figure’s finger remained.

A great canyon, stretching for an unknown number of kilometers, appeared.

A single finger to sunder mountains and rivers!

Meng Jian, an expert at the Soul Gathering Realm herself, was left dumbstruck by the might of this finger.

"Sister Meng, you can stop now." Lin Hao’s voice pulled her back to reality.

Meng Jian withdrew her power. Lin Hao’s body swayed, and he nearly fell.

Fortunately, Meng Jian was quick to react, catching him.

"Was that little figure just now your Divine Soul?" Meng Jian asked, the shock in her beautiful eyes undiminished.

Lin Hao nodded.

"But that was clearly you yourself! Your Divine Soul is your true self?!" Meng Jian’s breathing grew ragged.

Lin Hao simply nodded again.

At this, Meng Jian’s beautiful eyes widened, and her chest heaved.

To achieve a Divine Soul that was one’s true self... she had never heard of such a thing.

Staring at the long canyon, Meng Jian was silent for a long time.

"Sister Meng, that was all thanks to you. Your cultivation is truly terrifying," Lin Hao said with a smile, the crisis now over.

But a strange expression appeared on Meng Jian’s face.

Although Lin Hao had told her to use her full power, she had, in fact, held back, afraid that his body wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

But even so, the finger strike from the Divine Soul had been that terrifying.

Meng Jian could only imagine how horrifying Lin Hao would be when his cultivation reached the Soul Gathering Realm.

’The Heaven-Stepping Sect truly lives up to its reputation as the lineage of an Emperor Venerable,’ Meng Jian ultimately sighed in admiration.

When she had just infused her True Essence into Lin Hao’s body, she had found his meridians to be stronger than any she had ever encountered in her life.