Chapter 65: The Path of the Slaughtering God

Lin Zhennan did not dare to meet Lin Hao’s gaze, instead glaring fiercely at Ninth Master.

The discovery that the tomb was empty was a matter of grave consequence.

When it came to the First-Class Hall, he could fool Lin Hao, but when it concerned Lin Hao’s own mother, how could he possibly deceive him?

His mother had passed away, only for her grave to be empty and her remains missing; no one could endure such a blow.

Lin Zhennan knew very well that in the Lin family over the years, no matter how Lin Hao performed, there was one thing he had always persisted in doing.

Ever since his mother’s death, Lin Hao had come here to pay his respects every half a month without a single interruption.

Being away for a month this time was considered a long absence.

"I want to know what is going on here," Lin Hao demanded. With his keen discernment, how could he fail to see that Ninth Master was telling the truth and that this was indeed an empty tomb?

There was no one inside the grave.

Moreover, Lin Zhennan and the other two clearly knew about it; otherwise, they would not have reacted so violently, appearing at the scene the very moment Ninth Master revealed that the tomb was empty.

"Sigh!"

Lin Zhennan let out a sigh and exchanged a look with the First and Second Elders.

The two elders turned and walked down the mountain. Before leaving, the Second Elder could not help but kick Ninth Master. "Scram, you dead mule."

Ninth Master knew he might have stirred up trouble, so he tucked his tail between his legs and vanished into a streak of white light.

At the peak, the cold wind howled, leaving only Lin Hao and Lin Zhennan behind.

Lin Hao remained silent, fixing his unblinking gaze on Lin Zhennan, waiting for him to speak.

"Ah-hao, some things cannot be told to you just yet." Lin Zhennan looked out into the distant sky, his eyes filled with a trance-like fascination.

"Why?" Lin Hao shouted. "That is my mother. I have the right to know."

"Because of a promise," Lin Zhennan replied.

"What promise? A promise to whom?"

"I know this isn't fair to you," Lin Zhennan said, "but your path has only just begun."

"Then why has this place become an empty tomb?" Lin Hao asked. "Back then, I watched with my own eyes as my mother was buried."

Just how many secrets did the Lin family hold?

How did a minor family in Tianbao City acquire such fortune that they could build the First-Class Hall, a force feared throughout the Great Xia Dynasty, in such a short span of time?

And what kind of opportunity allowed Lin Zhennan and the other two to reach their current level of cultivation in such a brief period?

Now, his mother's tomb was empty, her remains gone. What connection did this have with the Lin family?

"I understand how you feel right now. You want to know everything, but the time has not yet come." Lin Zhennan looked at Lin Hao, meeting his eyes directly for the very first time. This time, he did not dodge his gaze.

"When will the time come?" Lin Hao asked.

"When you are invincible among your peers, I will tell you everything you wish to know. And this, too, is a promise I must keep," Lin Zhennan said.

"A promise to whom?" Lin Hao pressed.

"I said, once you are invincible among your peers, everything will naturally be revealed." Lin Zhennan’s tone was firm and unquestionable.

"What counts as being invincible among my peers? Does defeating Lin Han two months from now count as being invincible among my peers?" Lin Hao asked.

Lin Zhennan pondered for a moment, then nodded heavily. "Yes!"

Being invincible among one's peers had no explicit standard. He was keeping a promise, and this condition was not one he had proposed.

Yet here in the Great Xia Dynasty and the realm of Cangyuan, to defeat Lin Han meant, in a certain sense, that one was naturally invincible among their peers.

"Very well. Two months from now, I will cut a bloody path through the imperial capital, defeat Lin Han, and shatter his Ancestral Dragon Bone."

A formidable aura surged from Lin Hao. He clenched his fists, his target clear.

"I don't know who you made a promise to, but right now, there is only one thing I want to know."

Standing beside the lonely grave, Lin Hao looked at the tombstone and spoke, "My mother... is she dead or alive?"

As he asked this question, Lin Hao’s heart tightened inexplicably. He clenched his fists tight, keeping his eyes fixed on Lin Zhennan without blinking.

Yes, he wanted to hear a miracle.

"She is dead!" Lin Zhennan said.

With that, Lin Zhennan turned and walked away, leaving Lin Hao alone on the mountaintop.

He knew that what had happened today was too heavy a blow to the young man's heart and that he would not be able to bear it all at once.

Right now, the young man needed to calm down.

Beneath the cold moonlight, beside the lonely grave on the summit, a solitary figure stood frozen in front of the tombstone, not moving an inch.

Dead!

The miracle he had hoped for in his heart had not materialized.

Yes, he had watched his mother breathe her last with his own eyes; how could she possibly still be alive?

Yet, who had taken his mother's remains? And to whom was the Lin family making a promise?

The Lin family was like a massive enigma.

Just what kind of secret were they deliberately hiding from him?

If not for Ninth Master today, how much longer would they have kept him in the dark?

Once he became invincible among his peers, would he truly be able to learn the truth of everything?

"Then, I shall be invincible among my peers."

Lin Hao's eyes shone with extraordinary resolve. An invincible will emanated from within him, and the Supreme Blood in his body roared like a tidal wave.

An hour later, Lin Hao descended Tianbao Mountain and returned to the Lin family courtyard.

Lin Zhennan was waiting for him in the Lin family martial arts arena. Seeing Lin Hao approach, he wore a satisfied smile. "How do you feel?"

"My mind is as still as stagnant water. Since you said I must be invincible among my peers to be qualified to know everything, I will show you what invincibility among my peers looks like."

Lin Hao’s eyes were like lightning, his entire body radiating soaring fighting spirit.

"Good. Your ability to adjust your state of mind is commendable. On the path of cultivation, one must have a heart as firm and unshakeable as a boulder. I am relieved that you could calm down so quickly," Lin Zhennan said. "However, the road ahead of you is fraught with difficulty. You surely know this better than anyone. Invincibility among peers is not just idle talk; a true invincible person requires effort that goes far beyond the ordinary, even if you possess the Supreme Blood and the talent of the Ten-Foot Dragon Gate."

"The Dragon Gate battlefield is about to open. For you, it is an excellent opportunity for tempering and growth," Lin Zhennan continued. "However, with your cultivation at the Qi Sea realm, stepping into the Dragon Gate battlefield will bring immense challenges. That ancient battlefield is filled with danger and peril at every turn."

"Patriarch, how much do you know about the Dragon Gate battlefield?" Lin Hao asked.

"I have never entered it, but I do understand some things. The Dragon Gate battlefield opens once every ten years, but the conditions to enter are extremely harsh. It is a path of trials set for the younger generation. Every Dragon Gate is a portal leading to the Dragon Gate battlefield, and only youths whose names are inscribed on the Dragon Gate Ranking will be recognized and identified by the Dragon Gate."

Lin Zhennan went on, "Furthermore, the competition in this trial is fierce. Not only geniuses from the Great Xia Dynasty will enter, but proud talents of the Demon and Beast clans will also take part. And the pressure on you will be the greatest; the Ling family will certainly not let go of any chance to kill you."

In truth, even though the Ling family had already set up the Nine Barriers for two months later, they would never let Lin Hao go if an opportunity presented itself.

Of this, Lin Zhennan was well aware, and Lin Hao even more so.

"Therefore, before entering the Dragon Gate battlefield, you need to make the most thorough preparations."

Lin Zhennan declared, "Now, I will impart the Slaughter God Dao to you."

With those words, a sharp sword materialized in Lin Zhennan's hand.

The moment the sword appeared, Lin Zhennan’s entire aura underwent a dramatic transformation. His whole body was suffused with boundless killing intent. This killing intent was not directed at Lin Hao, but emanated from the very bones of Lin Zhennan.

This kind of killing intent was accumulated over time from practicing the Slaughter God Dao.

This was the first time Lin Hao had ever seen Lin Zhennan make a move. The pressure casually emitted by this most deeply hidden tycoon of the Lin family sent a chill through Lin Hao's entire body.

"Watch closely. This sword is the Heart-Slaying Slash."

Lin Zhennan flicked his wrist. The sword rose, and the light of slaughter appeared!