Harvest

The city gates swung shut. Inside, the golden-armored warrior remained suspended in midair. Even through the colossal walls and gate, faint golden light could still be seen cutting through the darkness. Panted breaths rose in an unbroken chorus. Everyone was gripped by fear and shock, paralyzed between staying and fleeing. Should they keep running? The golden powerhouse did not seem to be pursuing them, and the gates had already closed... but would he charge out after them? At the thought of the turtle-shell seal floating in his grasp, a flicker of greed stirred in the hearts of Ziyue, the Wheel-Turning King, and even Hao Lianchuan—only to turn instantly back to terror. He was simply too terrifying! Dingchen had been obliterated by a single punch, utterly helpless to resist. "How much longer... until the ruin opens?" Ziyue's face was ashen, but she still managed to ask. She had lost track of time—or rather, had lacked the luxury of thinking about when the ruin would close again. "Still early!" shouted Li Hao, who was being dragged along by Deputy Director Zhou from a distance away. "You only went in about two hours ago. There are roughly twenty-two hours left before the final opening!" Far too early! It had only been a little over two hours since they entered. Even if they wished to leave now, the main ruin gates would not open. Escape was impossible. That was also why no one continued to run; even if they fled, there was nowhere far they could go. Furthermore, if they retreated past the outer city, they would lose the ability to fly if they returned. None of them would rashly abandon the outer city. Deep down, they still coveted the inner city. At this moment, Ziyue cast all that aside and ground her teeth. "It's all because of that idiot Dingchen! That golden-armored warrior was clearly dormant! As long as no one touched the turtle seal in his hand, he definitely wouldn't have attacked..." After entering the city, they had rushed straight toward the tall tower. Unfortunately, after struggling around the tower for ages, they had failed to scale it! Even flight had proven useless! With no other choice, they had searched around for another way, only to stumble upon the golden-armored warrior inside an ancient house beneath the tower. At first, they had been terrified, keeping their guard up for quite some time. None had dared approach rashly, well aware of how formidable silver warriors were. Yet after probing repeatedly—someone had even possessed the sheer audacity to land a blow on him—the warrior had shown no reaction whatsoever! Only then had their greed taken over. Taking advantage of the confusion while everyone jostled, Dingchen had slipped into stealth, hoping to snatch the Black Turtle Seal... The outcome went without saying. The instant the golden warrior moved, everyone was scared out of their wits! Ziyue laid all the blame squarely on Dingchen. Naturally, since he was dead, no one would contradict her. In truth, every single one of them had eyed that treasure. One could only say Dingchen had been the unluckiest—he was the first to touch the Black Turtle Seal, and his demise had been unspeakably gruesome. Hao Lianchuan said nothing, glancing toward the city gates. Hu Dingfang frowned slightly. "There are still people trapped inside!" Indeed, several had failed to make it out. Originally, thirty people had entered. Li Hao and his companions had slain Zhang Ting and the Solar Radiance from Yama, while two Three Sols had perished, which meant twenty-six should have remained inside. Yet right now, only five Three Sols stood here, and merely eleven Solar Radiances had escaped. Counting the three on Li Hao's side, there were only nineteen in total. Seven were still trapped inside... including the other four Lunar Nethers from the Night Watchers, not a single one of whom had managed to escape. Clearly, those four had ventured too deep into the inner city, and being slower and unable to fly, they had been unable to retreat in time. The others cast their eyes over the group as well. Noticing that the Night Watchers were suddenly missing five people—all five Lunar Nethers gone—several cold sneers broke out. Lunar Nethers dared linger here? Those who stayed behind were wiped out; they had brought it upon themselves! Aside from the heavy losses among the Night Watchers, the Wheel-Turning King glanced around as well. Seeing only a single subordinate left at his side, he felt a wave of helplessness. Another lost! As for the rest, Feitian was missing two Solar Radiances, and Red Moon was missing one as well. Hao Lianchuan had not paid much attention at first, but after looking closely, his eyes shifted. Where was Zhang Ting? He remembered she had stayed behind with Li Hao and the others. Where was she now? It was normal for the other Lunar Nethers to disappear or become trapped in the city, but Zhang Ting was a Three Sols! Furthermore, there were no black-armored or silver warriors out here. The methods he had previously instructed them to use would never have worked. Even if they had ambushed Zhang Ting and knocked her high into the air, she could have plummeted straight back down; Liu Long couldn't possibly have stopped her. What was more... Liu Long and his companions looked completely unharmed, which made it even more impossible! Against a Three Sols, a Thousand-Battler could not have escaped without injury. His gaze flickered as he turned toward Li Hao and said in a heavy voice, "Didn't Zhang Ting stay outside the city?" Li Hao shook his head. "She went in... After you entered, Sister Zhang said she wanted to take a look, thinking there was no danger... and she never came out!" Since no one had witnessed it, he was free to spin whatever tale he pleased. Hao Lianchuan merely found it strange. Could she really have gone in? In that case, was she still alive right now? Those trapped inside weren't necessarily dead; they might simply be unable to get out. "Are we going back in?" Hao Lianchuan asked. Only five Three Sols remained now. Hong Yitang was utterly decisive: "I'm not going! I'll wait right here until the ruin opens, and then I'm leaving immediately!" What a joke! He had no intention of going back inside. It was far too dangerous. A fraction of a second slower just now and he wouldn't have escaped. And what lay in store for those trapped within? Who could possibly know! Ziyue and the Wheel-Turning King appeared heavily injured as well. They had likely fought one another after entering. Li Hao swept his eyes over them, noting that none carried any obvious items. He couldn't tell whether they had failed to obtain other treasures or had secured them and hidden them away—using something like a storage ring, perhaps? That was certainly possible. Ancient texts recorded that such rings could exist in ruins. Moreover, spatial supernaturals seemed to exist as well. Since such powers existed, crafting such items was not out of the question. Regional leaders of their stature might very well possess them. Judging by their demeanor, they didn't look as though they had come away empty-handed. They had simply failed to secure the most crucial treasure. Li Hao observed them in silence: five Three Sols, eleven Solar Radiances, two of whom belonged to the Night Watchers. The Three Great Organizations were left with only nine Solar Radiances. Among them, Yama had one, Red Moon had three, and Feitian had five. Yet for Feitian, losing two Three Sols was the true catastrophe. The numbers were dwindling. Aside from the twenty or so who had left earlier, combined with the nineteen remaining here... of nearly two hundred who had entered, perhaps only thirty or forty would make it out alive. Even among these nineteen, some might not survive. *Can Hao Lianchuan and Hu Dingfang handle the Wheel-Turning King and Ziyue? If Hong Yitang doesn't intervene... between me, the captain, Wang Ming, Deputy Director Zhou, and Zhao Huan, we have five people against those nine...* The thought suddenly surfaced in Li Hao's mind. He even felt that right now, there was a real chance of annihilating them all. Ziyue's Origin God Armament was damaged, while Hao Lianchuan possessed the Fire Phoenix Spear; he certainly had the strength to fight. As long as Hong Yitang stayed out of it and caused no trouble, Hu Dingfang likely had enough power to deal with the Wheel-Turning King. Yet Li Hao quickly quelled the thought. Killing them all wasn't necessarily the best move. If figures like Ziyue and the Wheel-Turning King truly died here, it would trigger massive trouble. Outside, powerful figures from the Three Great Organizations were bound to be waiting. If they saw every single one of their people wiped out, would they let the matter rest? If those two Three Sols remained alive, they could testify that Feitian's Three Sols had not fallen by the Night Watchers' hands... which might spare them considerable grief. Li Hao considered many angles. If he were exploring alone and had the power to kill, wiping them all out would be fine. However, the Night Watchers still needed to remain rooted in Silver Moon. At this thought, Li Hao exhaled softly. *My thirst for slaughter is getting a bit too intense!* It was all because of that murderous maniac in the vision... It seemed he had been influenced. Before this, his desire to kill had never been this severe. Yet after witnessing that scene in the illusion, he had fallen under that man's shadow. Phrases like *“I want to kill you, and since you won't commit suicide, I will simply slaughter you all”* kept echoing in his mind! Could a normal person even say such things? A born slaughterer! Li Hao muttered to himself in disdain. *I'm not that kind of person. In all my life, I've barely killed a chicken! Who doesn't know that I, Li Hao, am a man of refined manners?* That person truly was terrifying. It was merely a memory viewed across countless ages, yet it could still influence him to this degree. It was utterly chilling! While he was lost in thought, Hao Lianchuan suddenly turned toward one of Feitian's Solar Radiances, his eyes gleaming with an odd light. "You... what are you holding?" The cloaked figures instantly stiffened with tension. One of them was clutching a large pouch tightly against his chest, but by now, he could no longer conceal it. Hao Lianchuan's tone turned peculiar. "I... seem to sense something..." Not just him—Ziyue and the Wheel-Turning King turned to look as well, their expressions shifting rapidly. Li Hao, in fact, had already seen it. Feitian's people seemed to have scavenged some divine energy stones, just like that Yama member. The several Feitian Solar Radiances were terrified. The next instant, a late-stage Solar Radiance expert flung the pouch forward, his voice heavy. "We picked them up... If you lords desire them, take them!" In that moment, he chose to surrender them. Both of their Three Sols were dead. Dingchen's death had been bad enough, but Kong Qi had been so panic-stricken that, despite never passing through the second passage, he had tried to take flight! Did he think he was Ziyue? Did he think he possessed Thunder God Armor to protect him? The pouch spilled open! Stones tumbled across the ground, and the eyes of the Three Sols widened. They were truly divine energy stones! Hao Lianchuan was in no rush to pick them up, murmuring in astonishment, "There are... divine energy stones in the city?" The Feitian expert answered in a low voice, "Yes! Some of the ancient houses had their doors open. After entering, we found divine energy stones in some of the empty rooms. Not many—three to five at most, or sometimes just one. "Not just us. Aside from the lords who headed toward the tower, almost everyone who searched the city found something... That was why we stayed behind, scouring for these stones." Ziyue glanced at the Red Moon experts, who nodded subtly. Clearly, they had gathered some as well, though with their Three Sols still standing, they had nothing to fear. Divine energy stones! These were the true foundation for the growth of major organizations. The Night Watchers possessed them too, though they only ever appeared in ancient ruins, and under normal circumstances, their numbers were scarce unless it was an exceptional site. Yet this time... the pouch Feitian had thrown out alone contained fifty or sixty stones! That was a massive hoard! Hao Lianchuan smiled. "This is Feitian's harvest. Wouldn't taking them make us bullies? Take them back..." He glanced at Ziyue and the Wheel-Turning King with a smile. "I assume you two share the sentiment?" Ziyue sneered, while the Wheel-Turning King said faintly, "Dingchen and Kong Qi met an untimely end, but our Three Great Organizations share a common bond..." Before the words finished leaving his mouth, all five Three Sols struck simultaneously! *Boom!* One person per target! The five Feitian experts had long sensed trouble and tried to flee, but the gulf between Three Sols and Solar Radiance was too vast. In the blink of an eye, Hao Lianchuan skewered one Solar Radiance through the chest! The others met similar ends, struck down practically at the exact same instant! Hong Yitang wore a face of pure helplessness! He hadn't wanted to do it! Yet the moment the Wheel-Turning King and the others started exchanging pleasantries, he knew blood had to be shed. Feitian's Three Sols were dead, and these men were carrying so many divine energy stones. Who wouldn't want them? If they let Feitian's survivors go, once they spoke out, wouldn't that invite endless trouble? Since that was the case... none of them could leave alive! When these Three Sols turned ruthless, they didn't hesitate for an instant. Without a Three Sols to back them, Feitian's people might as well lie down and die! Dead men told no tales. Hao Lianchuan searched the bodies, retrieving over twenty more divine energy stones, some of which... were found right inside their bodies. He grinned. "Quite a haul. Eighty stones!" A full eighty divine energy stones! Far more than expected. At this point, he dropped all pretense of being a nice guy. When it came to splitting the spoils, who cared about playing nice? "Ziyue, Lunzhuan, how do you say we divide them?" Hong Yitang said flatly, "I want none!" He refused a share. Yet he had killed one of them! That was wisdom. If he hadn't struck and refused a share as well, these people might very well have turned on him. Feitian was no pushover; killing five of their Solar Radiances would invite retaliation if word got out. Red Moon and Yama were no different—assassins cared for no rules. Now that Hong Yitang had blood on his hands too, he would naturally keep the secret. Since he bowed out, Hao Lianchuan did not hold back. Divine energy stones were strategic treasures. He said bluntly, "Twenty each for the four of us!" The Wheel-Turning King said coldly, "Can you swallow that much?" Twenty each? Wouldn't he and Hu Dingfang walk away with half? Hao Lianchuan chuckled. "I can swallow it just fine! Old Hu and I aren't necessarily afraid of you two... Ziyue, your injuries aren't light, so don't be so eager to fight again. And Lunzhuan, your lone survivor over there... you'd better keep him safe!" The Wheel-Turning King's face turned icy. After a long pause, he said grimly, "Twenty-five each for me and Ziyue. The remaining thirty are yours!" Thirty stones, based on their size, amounted to roughly ten thousand cubic meters of energy. Ten thousand cubes of mysterious energy seemed like a massive sum, but the major organizations did not lack it enough to murder five Feitian Solar Radiances over that alone. However... divine energy stones were special. This wasn't simply a matter of energy quantity. They were the power source for certain Origin God Armaments—strategic treasures. Li Hao and his peers thought of extracting the energy to cultivate, but in the eyes of the major organizations, extracting mysterious energy from them was pure foolishness! A single stone containing three hundred cubes of energy could easily be sold to a major organization for a thousand cubes in return. ... Meanwhile, Li Hao and the others watched with wide eyes. Wang Ming's jaw practically hit the ground! He had thought he and Li Hao were wicked enough... Only now did he realize that in this circle, everyone was a villain! Before the conversation had even finished, Feitian's people had obediently yielded the treasure. Yet without so much as a word between them, these Three Sols had coordinated a sudden slaughter. The others were one thing, but Hong Yitang hadn't even wanted the loot and still took a life... Clearly, he thought several steps ahead and had realized the danger instantly! Wang Ming swallowed hard... feeling that the world was far too dangerous! He was far too innocent! Li Hao and Liu Long had killed Zhang Ting without hesitation, and these people had wiped out Feitian's survivors without batting an eye. The nineteen people from just moments ago were suddenly down to fourteen! Right then, Li Hao's whisper drifted into his ear: "Go collect the mysterious energy." "Are you crazy?!" Wang Ming's face turned purple! *You want me to harvest the energy from those five right now?* "There are metal-types among them... The Night Watchers hold the upper hand, but we took the smaller share of stones. Taking the energy is only fair!" Wang Ming cursed internally. *Then why don't you go?* Still... whatever, he'd take the gamble! He crept over cautiously. The big figures didn't seem to mind him at first. Only when he began extracting the energy did the Three Sols look his way. Their stares made Wang Ming's scalp tingle, and he stammered nervously, "I... I didn't want the lords to dirty their hands. The ground will absorb all this energy soon anyway, so I'm just gathering it for you lords..." Hao Lianchuan chuckled. "Go ahead and collect it; that belongs to us. As for the stones, we'll split them as agreed. Any objections?" Neither Ziyue nor the Wheel-Turning King said a word. Five Solar Radiances would yield at most a thousand or so cubes of energy, and impure energy at that. Killing people merely to siphon their energy was the height of foolishness. Gaining a single extra divine energy stone was worth more than killing five Solar Radiances. Mysterious energy drawn from corpses was full of impurities and elemental contamination—hardly suitable for high-level cultivation. Behind them, Wang Ming breathed a sigh of relief. Li Hao hadn't set him up after all! Those powerhouses truly didn't care about such scraps. But to them, even with the stones, over a thousand cubes of energy was no small sum. Slaying Zhang Ting, a Three Sols, had yielded only about that much. With that, Feitian had lost all voice after the death of their two Three Sols and was wiped out on the spot. Aside from the six Feitian experts who had left earlier, all the rest had perished here. Of the fourteen remaining, the Night Watchers made up half. Hu Dingfang ignored the others and checked on Li Hao. Seeing he was fine, he said, "The golden-armored warrior is guarding that Origin God Armament. Taking it is impossible—at least, we don't have the strength for it! This ruin won't seal permanently after a single opening... I don't recommend taking any more risks right now!" Their harvest this time was already substantial. Divine energy stones, black armor—these were all treasures. Furthermore, they had obtained other gains when they entered the ancient house where the golden warrior stood. It was already more than enough! Going back into the city now would be seeking death. All the Three Sols were having second thoughts. Ziyue glanced at Li Hao. The fact that he hadn't died was, admittedly, a good thing. Had he perished, the real headache would begin. This Battle Heaven Ancient City was fraught with peril. There had to be plenty more divine energy stones inside—that was a certainty. And that Black Turtle Seal was a top-tier Origin God Armament. Beyond that, the inaccessible tower undoubtedly harbored supreme treasures! They had barely scratched the surface of this ruin. With their current strength, exploring further was out of the question. After a moment's thought, Ziyue said, "If we don't secure more this time... the next opening won't be something we can control!" She still felt reluctant. Those who had already left would certainly spread word to the outside. Whether the Three Great Organizations or the Night Watchers, numerous powerhouses would soon converge on Silver Moon. They were merely the rulers of Silver Moon; the powerhouses of the central region hadn't cared about a minor ruin before. Soon, however... all of them would take notice. When the ruin opened again next month, those figures would likely flood in. Hao Lianchuan sighed. "There's nothing we can do; it's beyond our control! If nothing else, defeating that golden warrior... I don't think even one or two Rising Lights could manage it. It would take multiple Rising Lights joining forces to stand a chance!" That was completely beyond the realm of Three Sols! An Origin God Armament had been shattered with a single punch. With power like that... he suspected the warrior's current strength was beyond Rising Light. Had the central region produced powerhouses beyond Rising Light? ... Li Hao listened in silence. It seemed they were preparing to give up. He paid them no mind, merely looking at the distant city gate. *Wait, if I go, the gate will just open...* *I don't need to walk the second passage, and flying is no problem for me at all.* *Is it because of my bloodline?* *Or something else?* Opening the gates seemed simple, but in reality, it was anything but. Previously, one had to traverse the second passage before flying over to open them... Yet now, Li Hao suspected the city had changed. Could Ziyue and the others still fly over to open the gates even now? He had reached this conclusion because he vaguely sensed that the city had gained... a touch of vitality! The golden armor inside, as well as the tall tower, seemed slightly brighter than before. Their glow illuminated the city, making it less gloomy than it had been. He didn't know whether the Three Sols had noticed... but Li Hao was certain that if they were asked to fly over and open the gates right now, none of them would dare. At this point, Li Hao preferred fewer complications. Leaving was best! In any case, his harvest this time was beyond imagination: eight hundred cubes of water energy in his ring, over thirty divine energy stones, plus the thousand-plus cubes of mysterious energy Wang Ming had just harvested. He certainly wouldn't hand that over to Hao Lianchuan! Additionally, killing that Yama fellow had yielded two to three hundred cubes of earth energy... And from those two characters, he had gained profound insights. He had broken through to Thousand-Battler... One could say that Li Hao might be the biggest winner of this expedition. Yet he kept an exceptionally low profile—so low that aside from Wang Ming and Liu Long, not even Hao Lianchuan knew how much they had gained. Everyone assumed they had simply waited by the gates the entire time without ever entering the city. In truth... they really hadn't entered! In everyone's eyes, Li Hao remained the same youth at the culmination of Hundred-Breaker. And a newly minted one at that. The Three Sols deliberated for a while. Hong Yitang refused to go back in under any circumstances, and the others harbored similar thoughts. In the end, they decided against further exploration. It was simply too dangerous! ... Once the discussion concluded, the Wheel-Turning King took his lone subordinate toward another part of the outer city, hoping to see if any ancient houses had opened. Ziyue led her three Red Moon Solar Radiances away as well, keeping close to the Wheel-Turning King for fear of an ambush by the Night Watchers. As things stood, only by joining forces could they deter the Night Watchers. As for Hong Yitang... he was even more blunt, choosing to stick with the Night Watchers. The Night Watchers still maintained a relatively decent reputation, after all. At this moment, the Night Watchers gathered together. Hong Yitang kept his distance, standing guard farther away. Hao Lianchuan looked at the few remaining subordinates and said with emotion, "Fortunately... we let the others leave earlier. So many entered, yet eighty percent are dead. This was far more perilous than our previous expeditions!" Deputy Director Zhou frowned. "Director Hao, there are still a few Night Watchers in the city... Are we really leaving them?" Hao Lianchuan shook his head, looking up at the sky. "Do not enter again; it's too dangerous! Right now, I doubt even those who walked the second passage could enter the inner city. Look at Ziyue and Lunzhuan—do they dare fly in? Those few... are beyond saving!" Zhao Huan and Deputy Director Zhou fell silent. Hao Lianchuan looked toward Li Hao. "Are you certain Zhang Ting entered the city and never came out?" Li Hao nodded. "She went in!" Hao Lianchuan sank into thought. If she had entered, that wasn't the worst outcome. What he feared was that she hadn't entered and was hiding somewhere instead... That would be problematic. She was a spy from the central region. Inside the city, they had uncovered certain secrets, but the Three Sols held a tacit understanding not to speak of them. Few had survived, so not much would leak out. As for the outer city, people could say whatever they pleased! He hadn't given up on the Black Turtle Seal. Not just him—all of Silver Moon wouldn't give up. But had Zhang Ting really entered the city? If she had, after such a massive commotion, even if her identity were exposed, she would have revealed her strength to flee. With an Origin God Armament and the power of a middle Three Sols, she wouldn't die so easily unless struck directly by the golden warrior. If she hadn't entered... was she dead? He still found it hard to believe! He didn't believe Liu Long and the others had the strength to kill her. He glanced at Wang Ming, sensing his aura, and noted something unusual. "Wang Ming, it seems your strength has improved..." Wang Ming beamed and nodded hurriedly. "Yes, yes! Director Hao, while you entered the city, I absorbed some of our earlier gains and made a bit of progress. Director Hao, your eye is truly sharp to spot it so easily! Amazing!" He laid on the flattery thick! Hao Lianchuan raised an eyebrow. Was that so? "You didn't go in? You stayed with Li Hao the whole time?" "That's right!" Wang Ming said in mock surprise. "What's wrong? Not that I was scared, mind you—Li Hao insisted he needed my protection, so I stayed behind! It wasn't because I was afraid to enter the city. Don't misunderstand, Director Hao!" Well, that settled it. Wang Ming had been with them the entire time, and he was a promising seed nurtured by the Night Watchers. If Li Hao and the others had harbored any schemes, they wouldn't have acted in front of Wang Ming, who had only arrived in Silver City a few days prior. In that case... one could only say Zhang Ting had been unfortunate, likely stumbling into some deadly hazard within the city. If so... who cared whether she lived or died? More than a couple of Three Sols had died this time anyway—Feitian had lost two, and Yama had lost one. He and Hu Dingfang had operated alongside the others throughout. No matter how thoroughly the central region investigated, there was no reason to pin the blame on them. Besides, the central region wouldn't dare air the matter openly. They would simply have to swallow the loss in silence! Just then, Li Hao spoke with an awkward look: "Director Hao... there's something I'd like to mention." "What is it?" "Well... last time, I handed over a sword, and you said you'd either give me a large bounty of treasures or let me pick three items from the ruin. Now that... the exploration is essentially over, right?" "..." Silence fell! Hao Lianchuan had never imagined this kid would still be dwelling on that right now. Li Hao said sheepishly, "It's... not that I'm trying to be pushy, but this time, we came away with almost nothing. The black armor was found by everyone together, so it has nothing to do with us. The captain and I gained almost nothing from coming here... so I was wondering..." Almost nothing? Liu Long kept his mouth firmly shut. Right! Probably! They had indeed gained "almost nothing." Hao Lianchuan stared at him for a long moment before saying, "Tell me, what do you want?" Li Hao said dryly, "I wouldn't be able to get anything too precious, nor would I dare ask! Director Hao, do you have an Origin God Armament?" "..." Hao Lianchuan froze. Nearby, Hu Dingfang, who was resting, snapped his eyes open and nearly choked on his breath. An Origin God Armament? "Do you even know what an Origin God Armament is?" Li Hao nodded eagerly. "I know, I know! Wang Ming said it can extract mysterious energy from heaven and earth..." "Nonsense!" Hao Lianchuan snapped irritably. "Forget about it! I don't even have one myself—this Fire Phoenix Spear belongs to Director Hou! Where do you expect me to find one for you? There's one inside the city... Go fetch it yourself. If you get it, it's yours!" Li Hao looked disappointed and had no choice but to say, "Then... what about Spring of Life?" "What?" "My teacher said some ruins contain Spring of Life that can restore one's youth..." "Get lost!" Hao Lianchuan fumed. He had heard the legend, but he had never seen it himself. What was this brat playing at? Li Hao sighed. "Fine, then I want mysterious energy! Any element except unaligned energy! Do you have Blood God Seeds? If you do, I want those too—as many as possible! Let's convert everything into mysterious energy. By Director Hao's earlier promise, it was worth about five thousand cubes..." Hao Lianchuan's face turned green. After a long silence, he muttered gloomily, "Fine. When we get back, I'll speak to Director Hou!" Whatever, why should he care! Let Director Hou deal with it! Five thousand cubes was a lot, but looking at it another way... it wasn't insurmountable. His own gains this time exceeded that, so it could be arranged. Still, he couldn't help but wonder: was the sword Li Hao had surrendered truly the Li family sword? Who knew! Whatever the case, that was Director Hou's problem. At this point, Li Hao spoke up again: "Director Hao, why don't we consider striking at Red Moon and Yama? If Martial Uncle Hong agrees to help..." Hao Lianchuan shook his head slightly and whispered, "Do you think killing them is a good thing? Not necessarily! At least we understand these two. If we kill them, and the central region sends even stronger experts... that will be real trouble! Besides, after such heavy losses, the central headquarters of the Three Great Organizations will definitely dispatch people. And when they arrive... they won't necessarily coexist peacefully with the local branches! That means the Three Great Organizations in Silver Moon will likely face internal turmoil, which is our Night Watchers' opportunity!" He added meaningfully, "Don't always think of killing. Sometimes, slaughter isn't the only way to solve a problem!" Li Hao seemed lost in thought... Yet he had his own ideas. *That's only because you haven't killed enough!* In his vision, that man had slaughtered everyone... and who was left to object? That was true... *Pah, how could I think such things?* As for Ziyue and the Wheel-Turning King remaining alive... Li Hao considered it and smiled. It wasn't a bad outcome. Here, his strength was insufficient, and he dared not act rashly. Once they returned, he would digest his gains, consolidate his realm, devour mysterious energy to strengthen his five organs, and then nurture his spirit to break through his force... By then, perhaps he could pay them a visit alone for a chat. As for how well they hid... *Heh!* With his eyes, unless they hid in a latrine pit... actually, even a latrine wouldn't work. As long as he swept his gaze across the area, they would have nowhere to hide! Origin God Armaments! Yes, right now, he had set his sights on the armaments belonging to Ziyue and the Wheel-Turning King. He needed sword energy far too badly! Presently, there were only two ways to restore sword energy: first, locate a second stone gate—though the energy seeping from a stone gate was too slow, and the first gate likely hadn't recovered yet. Second, shatter the souls within Origin God Armaments! Reflecting on this, Li Hao realized that striking now was ill-advised. Even if they succeeded and killed Ziyue, her Origin God Armament wouldn't go to him; the Night Watchers would claim it. That wasn't what Li Hao wanted! "The Director is truly wise!" Li Hao broke into a smile. "I was wondering why someone as powerful as you would spare the Three Great Organizations. It turns out you were planning ahead..." Hao Lianchuan gave him a strange look. What was wrong with this kid today? Li Hao asked again, "Director, what are those stones from earlier used for?" Seeing that he had stopped flattering him, Hao Lianchuan didn't dwell on it and explained, "Those are divine energy stones! They were cultivation treasures from the ancient civilization era. Back then, countless powerhouses walked the land, largely thanks to treasures like these, though they vanished from the Heavenly Star continent long ago. They have many uses. The most basic is directly extracting the energy to cultivate, though that is the greatest waste! "Second, they can revive dormant Origin God Armaments... Some armaments have fallen completely silent, and only divine energy stones can awaken them! "Third, divine energy stones can power puppets from the ancient civilization... I suspect the golden warrior in the city holds quite a few divine energy stones, which power him and allow him to unleash such terrifying might! "Fourth, they are also beneficial to martial masters, strengthening the physical body... though normally no one would squander them like that! "Fifth..." He listed many uses. Li Hao looked on with envy. "Could you spare me a few?" "..." Hao Lianchuan smiled thinly. "These are strategic resources. Any gains must be surrendered! Of course, you'll be compensated. If you have any, you can turn them in. Depending on size, the smallest one can fetch around five hundred cubes of mysterious energy... Do you have any?" Li Hao smiled sheepishly. "No. Could my five thousand cubes be exchanged for ten stones?" "Don't even dream of it!" Hao Lianchuan shook his head outright. "Impossible. Every major faction is desperate for divine energy stones right now. They are crucial for supernatural breakthroughs; newcomers can advance much more easily with their energy! Otherwise, why do you think the Night Watchers have such a low mortality rate during energy infusion? It's all because of divine energy stones!" Well, they certainly sounded precious. In that case, Li Hao was even less inclined to surrender his. What he had seized from Yama would have belonged to Yama otherwise. Just then, Deputy Director Zhou and Zhao Huan produced a small parcel... of divine energy stones. They had found some as well. Hao Lianchuan had expected this. He nodded and took the parcel. "The usual rules apply. You two will receive a sizable payout of mysterious energy, or you can exchange them for other resources!" He counted them; they had gathered a fair amount as well—a full twenty stones. All told, he had secured fifty divine energy stones from Feitian and the two of them. As for himself... the Three Sols hadn't found any divine energy stones, but they hadn't walked away empty-handed either. Their haul was considerable, though there was no need to disclose it to the others. With that settled, Hao Lianchuan rose. "Let's search the outer city as well... Even though we've checked many times before and found no open houses, now that the black armor is gone, we might discover something. If we can harvest a few more divine energy stones, the entire Night Watchers branch will see a surge in strength." Their losses this time were minimal, and their gains substantial, putting Hao Lianchuan in high spirits. Li Hao, meanwhile, kept his eyes fixed on him until the parcel vanished into thin air... Li Hao was certain: this man possessed a storage treasure! Perhaps... he could trade for one. The Starry Sky Sword currently could not be drawn into his body. While not overly large, and though he kept it hidden on his person, if he ever lost it... he would weep himself to death. ... At the same time. Outside Cross-Cut Gorge. Powerful auras swept across the canyon. Numerous Night Watchers stood guard around the perimeter, bolstered by a military blockade holding the newcomers at bay. Within the cordon. Hou Xiaochen coughed a few times, looking toward the furious experts outside. "They'll be out soon... What's the rush? We barred you from entering simply to prevent chaos inside..." He smiled faintly. "What belongs to you has all been returned, hasn't it? Look—the treasures brought out by Red Moon, Feitian, and Yama, did I withhold a single one from you?" High in the air, a burly man with blood-red hair said coldly, "Hou Xiaochen, cut the chatter! We want the ruin. Furthermore, hand over Yuan Shuo—or hand over Li Hao!" Hou Xiaochen gave a wry smile. "You really are impatient! Yuan Shuo has vanished; where do you expect me to find him? As for Li Hao, he hasn't even emerged, so what are you screaming for? For all you know, he died inside. Didn't you hear the survivors? It's treacherous in there. Look—so many went in, yet only thirty are said to be alive inside, and barely fifty survived counting those who came out... Are you so sure Li Hao made it out alive? Picking a fight before he even steps out... Do you truly hold the Night Watchers in such contempt?" The red-haired expert snorted coldly. "Yuan Shuo's escape—I doubt you, Hou Xiaochen, had nothing to do with it!" "Say what you will!" Hou Xiaochen shook his head helplessly. "A broken man can only endure such accusations! After all, injured for years, not even a tenth of my strength remains. You, on the other hand, Red Hair, were fortunate enough to step into Rising Light... A grand figure now. How would I dare provoke you?" The red-haired powerhouse's expression shifted. *Damn it!* The more Hou Xiaochen spoke like this, the less he dared act rashly. Before departing, Ying Hongyue had summoned him in person, imparting a single instruction: do not turn against Hou Xiaochen unless absolutely necessary. Yes, just that one sentence! Even though he had reached Rising Light and Hou Xiaochen was merely a sickly Three Sols... he knew the chief would never issue such a warning lightly. Clearly, Hou Xiaochen was not someone to cross. He might appear frail, coughing every few breaths... yet the powerhouses present remained quiet. Several Rising Lights stood among them without making a move. Was it out of fear of the Night Watchers? No, they feared Hou Xiaochen! Hou Xiaochen checked the time and spoke: "Ten hours remain. Everyone has waited three days; what's another moment? If Li Hao truly emerges, we can talk things through... He's a mere youth, an ordinary person. What could he possibly know? Aside from Red Moon, none of the rest of you have any business with him... Why be so impatient?" He added, "Everyone, hovering in the air for so long must be exhausting. Why not come down and rest in the tents?" No one answered. Hou Xiaochen didn't mind, smiling. "Then I shall take a rest. My body isn't robust like yours... Ah, it deteriorates by the day!" Shaking his head, supported by Chief Steward Yu, he entered one of the tents. The crowd watched in silence, several younger experts looking on with odd expressions. Figures from the central region had arrived for this. Some of the new generation did not recognize Hou Xiaochen, yet seeing renowned Rising Light experts from the central region hold their tongues and keep a low profile, they realized this sickly man was not one to be trifled with! At the same time, they were shaken by the scale of the gathering. Multiple Rising Lights had genuinely traveled from the central region. Was Yuan Shuo's breakthrough truly that significant? Rising Lights were top-tier figures commanding entire territories even in the central region. Even among the major organizations, Rising Lights were few in number. Yet almost all of the Three Great Organizations had dispatched Rising Light figures here. And not a single one dared make a move—that was what truly astounded everyone. ... Inside the tent. Chief Steward Yu frowned and said softly, "Director... multiple Rising Lights are pressing us... Li Hao..." This was no small trouble! Hou Xiaochen smiled. "What's the hurry? Neither the Inspectorate nor the Bureau of Military Law has sent anyone. With enemy Rising Lights arriving, unless the central government has truly abandoned Silver Moon and relinquished control, their people will arrive sooner or later! We are merely Night Watchers on the frontier... Affairs of the central region should naturally be resolved by the central region!" Chief Steward Yu sank into thought. Was that likely? Those people might be waiting for these intruders to test the Director. *Cough, cough, cough...* Hou Xiaochen coughed for a spell before adding, "No matter. If they refuse to intervene... I will declare Silver Moon free of dynastic rule... Let it descend into chaos for a while. Once Silver Moon declares secession... the dynasty will panic. They fear a chain reaction!" If Silver Moon seceded because Rising Lights invaded while the central government did nothing... ambitious warlords would seize upon the news and break away from the dynasty immediately following Silver Moon's lead. Once that happened, the Heavenly Star Dynasty might crumble in short order. Thus, Hou Xiaochen was certain that so long as he refrained from acting and looked the other way... those factions would inevitably step in to stop it. Hou Xiaochen said no more, quietly contemplating the situation. He wondered how things were faring inside. Those people had ventured into the inner city... but the inner city... was no easy place to tread!