Chapter 354: Chapter 350: To Collect Your Corpses
Jumo City.
All the registered disciples of the Saint Institute were gathered in a massive courtyard. They had just finished washing up when Lin Hao appeared.
The news he brought nearly made them collapse.
Lin Hao was actually telling them to set out in three hours to escort provisions to Jumo Ridge.
Jumo Ridge was just over twenty li from Jumo City. On the other side of the ridge lay the territory of Moyun City.
Right now, the Blood Camp, the vanguard of the Crimson Flame Army, was locked in a great battle there.
"Senior Brother Lin, we’ve been running nonstop for five days and five nights. At least let us rest for one night," one of the disciples complained.
"Fine," Lin Hao agreed without a second thought.
This stunned all the disciples.
"Senior Brother, is the quasi-emperor’s inheritance at Jumo Ridge?" Ling Xiao asked, his eyes darting around shrewdly.
Lin Hao shrugged but didn’t answer.
But Ling Xiao’s eyes burned with fervor. He quickly sat down cross-legged and muttered, "Three hours is enough time to recover to my peak. I have to fight for this quasi-emperor’s inheritance, no matter what."
Then, Ling Xiao closed his eyes and began to circulate his energy to recuperate.
The moment he said that, the previously listless crowd was instantly energized, as if injected with chicken blood. They all sat up cross-legged and began circulating their energy.
"Senior Brother, why three hours? From what I know, the soldiers of the Blood Camp have been holding Jumo Ridge for three days and three nights. If we don’t go support them soon, I’m afraid the ridge will be lost," Yang Peng said, standing up and lowering his voice to ask Lin Hao.
Normally, Yang Peng rarely spoke up, but he had just heard that the Blood Transformation and Bone Refining Skill had appeared at Jumo Ridge, and he was eager to go see it for himself immediately.
It was also thanks to Lin Hao that while the soldiers were all incredibly busy, they would answer any of the disciples’ questions without reservation.
"That’s because someone is holding the line for us during these three hours," Chen Xiao’s voice rang out.
He arrived in a wheelchair.
Seeing Yang Peng, Chen Xiao smiled. "Actually, several batches of people entered Jumo City before us. They didn’t stay long after arriving, rushing to Jumo Ridge without pause."
Yang Peng looked at Lin Hao, utterly shocked.
As soon as Chen Xiao spoke, Yang Peng understood what was happening.
The news Lin Hao had mentioned back at the Saint Institute must have been leaked. Afterward, the major powers sent their Martial Artists to Jumo City to search for the quasi-emperor’s inheritance.
To conduct their search, they would have to work through the soldiers in Jumo City.
’They’re free labor for fighting the invaders!’
Clearly, Lin Hao had predicted this scene back when they were at the Saint Institute.
"Uncle Lin Hao, your ability to devise strategies in a command tent that determine victory thousands of miles away truly impresses me," Chen Xiao remarked with a sigh.
He had originally thought Lin Hao’s cultivation was all that was astonishing about him, but his cunning strategies were in no way inferior to his own—if anything, they were superior.
At this moment, a thought arose in Chen Xiao’s heart: ’If you are to bring Xiao into this world, why must you also bring Hao?’
"What ’devising strategies’? I just think Imperial City is too crowded and needs some thinning out," Lin Hao said with a smile, but a murderous glint flashed deep in his eyes before vanishing.
If he wasn’t mistaken, the Lin family had likely sent the most people this time.
Even Lin Wu, who had entered the Heaven-Breaking Pavilion for its trial, would be green with envy over a quasi-emperor’s inheritance. That old bastard would definitely try to secure it for him.
During his first few days in Imperial City, Lin Hao had made a point of asking about Lin Wei, but he had found nothing.
Lin Wei was the butcher who had forcibly stolen Lin Hao’s bloodline all those years ago.
Not only Lin Wei, but even Shen Bilian seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth.
He shall look down upon the world, and across the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, he alone shall be revered!
Lin Hao had never forgotten those words Shen Bilian had spoken back then.
For Lin Wu’s sake, those two had turned on their own kin, disregarding all family bonds. Lin Hao had long wanted to rip open their chests and see if their blood was warm or cold.
Spurred by Cang Yan’s words, Lin Hao’s original intention had been to storm the Lin family estate and kill them all, but time did not permit it.
That was why he had unleashed the aura of an Emperor Venerable.
For Lin Wu, they were willing to abandon all kinship. Upon seeing the chance at a quasi-emperor’s inheritance, it was impossible that they wouldn’t send people for Lin Wu’s sake.
Since they wouldn’t show themselves and time was short, he would just have to collect some interest first.
A smile tugged at the corners of Lin Hao’s mouth.
"Indeed. The capital is certainly overcrowded. They should be encouraged to settle here in Jumo City," Chen Xiao added in agreement.
Although he didn’t know the full story of what had happened to Lin Hao, Chen Xiao could sense that the grudge between Lin Hao and Lin Wu’s faction was absolutely irreconcilable.
Chen Xiao had a premonition that after Lin Hao returned to Imperial City this time, rivers of blood would flow in the Lin family.
’Of all the people to provoke, they just had to provoke Lin Hao,’ Chen Xiao thought, mourning for the Lin family in his heart.
"Uncle Lin Hao, get some rest. I’m going to go and prepare," Chen Xiao said to Lin Hao before taking his leave.
In truth, Chen Xiao already had a long-term plan. He had come here this time for one purpose: to "fall in battle."
Jumo City was a frontier outpost. All the soldiers wore helmets, so it would be easy to assume a new identity without being discovered.
And this time, with the large and motley crowd on Jumo Ridge, faking his death in front of everyone presented the perfect opportunity.
"Make it a heroic death," Lin Hao sent via voice transmission.
Chen Xiao froze for a moment, then nodded with a wry smile.
’As expected, I can’t hide anything from Lin Hao.’
Faced with Lin Hao, whose intellect was almost demonic, Chen Xiao sometimes felt extremely fortunate that he wasn’t his enemy. Otherwise, he would surely die a miserable death.
After Chen Xiao left, Lin Hao also chose to sit cross-legged and regulate his breathing.
A bloody battle was imminent, and he had to get into optimal condition.
The time spent recuperating passed quickly, and three hours went by in the blink of an eye.
Soldiers arrived, carrying weapons and armor.
Lin Hao was the first to open his eyes and stand up, looking refreshed and full of vigor.
Seeing Lin Hao awake, all the soldiers nodded, their expressions full of respect.
They were all soldiers of the Crimson Flame Army. The medicinal pills Lin Hao provided had saved their lives on the battlefield, allowing them to continue fighting. It was a debt of gratitude they would never forget.
Afterward, the recuperating disciples got up one after another. Lin Hao swept his gaze over them and saw that every single one was in peak condition.
With a quasi-emperor’s inheritance on the line, it would be difficult for them to be in anything but peak condition.
"Change into your gear. Each of you gets a long spear. We’re moving out," Lin Hao’s voice carried a natural authority, making him sound exactly like a general about to head into battle.
Everyone sprang into action, their movements swift and efficient.
In their hearts, they weren’t going to the battlefield to slay enemies; they were going for a quasi-emperor’s inheritance, and they could hardly wait.
Before long, everyone was geared up and ready to go.
At Lin Hao’s command, they all moved out. Moments later, a troop of Cloud-Stepping Beasts charged out from the other side of the city gate.
Outside the city gates, four riders had been waiting for some time.
They were Duan Mushuang, Chen Xiao, and the Lin brothers.
"Master Duan, what are you doing here?" Lin Hao asked, slightly surprised as he looked at Duan Mushuang. Though she was clad in armor, it couldn’t conceal her stunning figure.
"To collect your corpses," Duan Mushuang said coldly, her words nearly choking Lin Hao.
