The southern district.
Night Patroller headquarters.
Another quiet day began. For the past several days, all of White Moon City had been peaceful. Aside from a few minor incidents, nothing major had occurred, and not a single dispute involving anyone above the Solar Radiance level had broken out.
Hou Xiaochen still had not appeared. The various factions did not seem overly anxious, either, quietly waiting for him to emerge.
No one had heard of anyone taking rash action just because he was injured.
Wang Ming arrived early in the morning as well, though he merely clocked in to show his face and dropped by to see Li Hao. He had no intention of lingering.
***
Stepping into Li Hao's office and looking around, Wang Ming clicked his tongue in envy.
"Old Hao treats you too well!"
He had actually been assigned his own office.
Unfortunately, it was right next door to Chief Steward Yu, which made Wang Ming lower his voice. Otherwise, he would have loved to experience working in an office like this; having your own office at Night Patroller headquarters was a true status symbol.
Li Hao smiled without a word, currently busy wiping down his longsword.
The Earth-Overturning Sword felt very comfortable to use now.
Wang Ming had said a few things two days ago and naturally knew that something might happen soon. Seeing Li Hao wiping his sword, he seemed to realize what was brewing, winking at him with visible excitement.
Li Hao looked up at him and chuckled.
After considering it, Li Hao sent a voice transmission: "I get off work at six in the evening and should be home by around six-thirty. During that window, I need you to do something for me."
Wang Ming already knew Li Hao could transmit his voice, so he wasn't surprised.
His face lit up with eagerness, nodding vigorously, desperate to be part of the action.
"Between Night Patroller headquarters and the Inspectorate family quarters, there are seven surveillance cameras along the route. During that window, I need all seven cameras to stop working and stay down for half an hour without anyone noticing. Can you do that?"
Wang Ming's brow furrowed at once.
He thought it over and whispered, "That falls under the Inspectorate's jurisdiction. I... that'll be tough for me to pull off."
It gave him a headache.
After another moment of thought, he added, "Besides, keeping them down for half an hour is too hard..."
At that, he considered further and said, "I get what you mean. Once you make your move, it'll probably be confined to a specific area and last only a short time. How about this: the moment I hear or sense a disturbance, I'll barge straight into the monitoring room, knock out the guards, and take everything to destroy it? How does that sound? No one will care after the fact anyway."
"You know where it is?"
Li Hao looked at him. Wang Ming grinned, baring his teeth, and nodded instantly.
Of course he knew!
He lowered his voice. "Back when we used to drag race all the time, we got warned for it, so I found out where it was afterward."
That was a minor matter; he wanted to be involved even more. Excitedly, he asked, "Anything else?"
Seeing his enthusiastic look, Li Hao pondered for a moment and nodded. "Buy dinner for me and wait for me to get back to eat."
"..."
Wang Ming stared at him, struck dumb for several seconds, his face darkening completely.
Was that something a human being would say?
Li Hao laughed and paid him no more mind.
A Solar Radiance really wasn't enough anymore.
Though Wang Ming wasn't weak, those looking to target Li Hao now were definitely not mere Lunar Nethers.
***
Time ticked by.
Everyone went about their day normally.
Li Hao continued his routine: practicing martial arts, his punches, and his swordsmanship.
Next door, Chief Steward Yu sensed the commotion and was equally at a loss for words. It was the first time she had ever encountered someone so utterly silent and thoroughly boring. The Night Patrollers were not lacking in such individuals, but they were usually veterans.
She couldn't tell if this young man was like this because he had just arrived and wasn't used to the place yet, or if he had always been this way.
Supposedly, he had been the same back in Silver City.
Such a person was truly dull.
While Hou Xiaochen rarely spoke either, in Chief Steward Yu's eyes, that was a mark of bearing and presence. For Li Hao to be this uninteresting was simply boring.
***
The eastern district.
A hotel.
The five supernaturals dispatched from above were not all staying inside the hotel. Hu Qingfeng had gone to the Administrative Headquarters again, while someone else had visited the Silver Moon Army.
Only two people remained in the spacious suite.
One was Yu Xiao, and the other was a blond man in his thirties.
At the moment, the two were drinking and chatting.
Yu Xiao glanced at the wall clock: 5:50 PM. Ten minutes remained until Li Hao got off work.
That guy was the textbook definition of a nine-to-fiver.
When six o'clock hit, he would not stay a minute longer.
"Old Huang, this wine tastes terrible... Yesterday when I went out, I caught the scent of an incredible vintage. It smelled fantastic. I'm going to buy some so we can keep drinking. This godforsaken place is boring to tears. If I don't drink a bit, I won't even be able to fall asleep tonight."
The blond man known as Old Huang chuckled. "Just have someone go buy it for you. Do you really need to go yourself?"
What was the big deal?
"I'll go myself. I forgot the exact name of the place, but I remember where it is, and it's not far. Wait a bit, I'll be right back."
Yu Xiao stood up to head out, but Old Huang smiled. "How about I come along? It's not like I have anything to do anyway."
How could that do!
Yu Xiao had no desire to take him along. Old Huang was stronger than him—a peak Three Sols expert. Among their group of five, Hu Qingfeng was the strongest, two others were at peak Three Sols, one woman was at late Three Sols, and Yu Xiao was the weakest.
If Old Huang went, what would be left for him?
"No need!"
Yu Xiao waved a hand dismissively. "Just wait here. Boss Hu and the others might be back soon. If they see that neither of us is around, they're bound to lose their temper."
"All right then."
Old Huang didn't insist, merely cautioning, "Go buy your wine, but don't cause any trouble!"
"How could I!"
Yu Xiao laughed heartily, but Old Huang warned him again, "I'm serious. You have your particular vice, and it's not like no one knows about it. If you want that sort of thing, just spend some money, and plenty of women will throw themselves at you. Don't go pulling any nonsense along the way... This isn't the lawless border regions. There's a true heavyweight sitting right in this city!"
Yu Xiao did harbor some vile habits.
Such as... sneaking into the homes of respectable women to do unspeakable things...
It was not unprecedented. The Night Patrollers were not entirely rotten, but Yu Xiao usually didn't dare do such things out in the open. In certain chaotic regions where brutal battles erupted constantly, he had indulged in it several times, and Old Huang was well aware of it.
However, Yu Xiao was quite capable and on decent terms with him, so Old Huang had turned a blind eye without reporting it. After all, in chaotic zones, nobody knew if they would live to see tomorrow; supernaturals of all stripes mingled there, and no one could ever pin down who was responsible.
Yu Xiao said hurriedly, "Old Huang, how could I? Do you take me for an idiot? This is Silver Moon, not a lawless zone!"
"Mm, just know what you're doing!"
Old Huang said no more. Yu Xiao smiled, said nothing further, and got up to leave.
Once he was gone, Old Huang's brow furrowed slightly.
That guy had seemed unusually rushed today, checking the wall clock more than once, as if he were on a tight schedule.
This was White Moon City, the provincial capital of Silver Moon.
Could he really have let his lust go to his head?
He felt uneasy and troubled. An offense like that could be brushed off or blown up, but if it came to light, the Night Patrollers were ultimately an organization of order and justice; someone would surely put Yu Xiao in his place!
If nothing else, those freaks at headquarters wouldn't mind casually slaughtering him or castrating him.
*He can't possibly be that stupid, can he?*
Thinking to himself, Old Huang looked out the window and fell into deep thought.
***
In the blink of an eye, the clock struck six.
Time to get off work.
Next door, Chief Steward Yu heard the movement: the sound of a door shutting, followed by the click of a lock. She did not go out, merely listening in silence, somewhat speechless.
So punctual!
More precise than an alarm clock.
Not a minute early, not a minute late. Li Hao lived his life like a puppet.
"I'm heading out. See you tomorrow!"
Outside the door, Li Hao greeted his colleagues with a bright smile. Another day had passed, spent slacking off and passing the time. His salary was secured, and his mood was great.
Reaching the stairwell, he ran into Hao Lianchuan coming down from upstairs.
Seeing Li Hao, Hao Lianchuan gave a slight nod.
Li Hao nodded in return and continued down the stairs.
***
Stepping out through the main gates of Night Patroller headquarters, Li Hao exhaled, a bright smile on his face. Another wonderful day!
Across from the headquarters.
People had been keeping watch there recently. In truth, they weren't observing in secret; they were waiting out in the open on the opposite side. And they weren't waiting for Li Hao, but rather for Hou Xiaochen to emerge from seclusion so they could notify their factions immediately.
Seeing Li Hao...
One of the men sipping tea couldn't help but chuckle. "That kid, Yuan Shuo's disciple—I've watched him for two days now. Both days, he arrived and left exactly on time, not a minute more, not a minute less, more precise than a watch. The moment I see him walk out, I know it's six o'clock."
Across from him, his tea companion laughed as well. "Perhaps that's the discipline of a martial artist?"
"Hahaha, probably. Quite amusing, isn't it?"
"True enough. The Night Patrollers over there are just too dull."
Chatting idly, they watched Li Hao depart with amused chuckles, shaking their heads slightly.
Where had such an oddball come from?
***
At the gate, Li Hao paid no attention to the people across the street.
They were all small fry, their faint light orbs so dim they were barely visible. The Night Patrollers knew there were supernaturals across the way, but no one cared. They were just lookouts sent by various organizations, openly watching, so nobody bothered driving them off.
Li Hao walked forward along the street.
This area was too close to headquarters; there would be no danger here. He would need to walk for at least ten minutes before he might encounter anything.
Over the past two days, he had surveyed the route.
On the way to the Inspectorate family quarters, there were three spots where an ambush was likely.
However, considering Hou Xiaochen's deterrence, the first spot was still too close to headquarters. The ambush would most likely happen at the second or third location.
The second spot was a narrow alley, usually very quiet. It was about a hundred meters long, flanked by tall buildings that blocked out the twilight, making it ideal for an ambush.
The other spot was a parking lot roughly five hundred meters before the Inspectorate family quarters. Usually, there weren't many people there either, as car owners were still relatively rare.
Of course, it was all the same to him wherever it took place.
To Li Hao, as long as it was a supernatural, their light orbs were so massive that unless he went blind, he couldn't miss them.
After walking for a bit, he passed a steamed bun shop. Tonight, Li Hao didn't buy any buns.
If he bought them now, he was afraid they would go to waste later.
He kept walking until he was more than three thousand meters away from Night Patroller headquarters. By then, Li Hao began to see several light orbs circling nearby.
There was one underground.
There was another on the surface.
These fellows were like lingering ghosts, tailing him for days on end. He had no idea what was so interesting to look at.
Li Hao acted as if he saw nothing and continued forward.
Another thousand meters ahead lay that narrow alley.
From this far away, ordinary light orbs were impossible to see clearly.
Unless... the orb was massive!
As he walked, a faint smile appeared on his face. Yu Xiao really knew how to pick a spot; he had figured out this place was suitable for an ambush too. It seemed this man wasn't arrogant enough to strike without regard for consequences.
Indeed, at that moment, he saw a light orb—Yu Xiao's.
Everyone's light orb was slightly different.
Some were stronger, some weaker; their elemental affinities differed, and their shapes were not necessarily identical.
If one observed carefully, someone he had seen before could usually be identified.
However... Li Hao frowned slightly.
He knew Yu Xiao was at the mid Three Sols level.
Yet less than five hundred meters away from Yu Xiao, slightly off to the flank, was another light orb. It was huge, even larger than Yu Xiao's, causing Li Hao's brow to furrow.
Another one?
From which faction?
He gauged the orb's radiance; it was slightly stronger than Sun Yifei had been back then. Peak Three Sols?
It wasn't as powerful as Ziyue or the Wheel-Turning King, but it was slightly stronger than a late Three Sols.
Today, there was actually another peak Three Sols in the vicinity.
Of course, that person was not inside the alley.
Li Hao felt a twinge of concern. The distance was too short—roughly five hundred meters. For an expert, that gap could be crossed in mere seconds.
He felt puzzled and slightly annoyed by the trouble.
Why were there two Three Sols experts?
Well, perhaps his words earlier had drawn the attention of some powerful figures.
Li Hao felt quite helpless!
As expected, plans rarely kept pace with changing circumstances.
Originally, he had anticipated only one person. He had actually wanted to test whether he could handle a mid Three Sols on his own. His current strength was leagues beyond what it used to be, and he was eager to test himself.
With an extra peak Three Sols in the mix, however... things became a bit troublesome.
***
Meanwhile.
Inside the alley.
At some point, a withered tree trunk had appeared in the dead, quiet lane.
This was Yu Xiao's concealment.
As a Wood-element expert, wood escape and wood stealth were fundamental skills.
He calculated the time. It was almost time.
That kid Li Hao would be arriving soon.
He should have brought the blueprints, right?
Based on what he had gathered yesterday, the kid ought to have them with him. To avoid drawing suspicion, he hadn't approached Li Hao to ask for them today; approaching him repeatedly would have been too conspicuous.
Shortly, he would have to hold back his blows so he didn't blow the kid to pieces right away, which would make things awkward.
He wanted the blueprints.
He wanted an intact corpse as well.
Neither could be spared!
However, his brow knitted slightly. Underground, an Earth-element user seemed active—a Solar Radiance?
He felt irritated.
These dirt rats were an utter nuisance. Was this one tailing Li Hao, or just passing by by chance?
Or could it be protecting Li Hao?
No matter who it was, Yu Xiao decided that after killing Li Hao, if that fellow was still around, he would slaughter him as well.
Right now, Yu Xiao was wearing a mask—a grimacing ghost-face mask.
Just as he was growing annoyed by the pest underground, someone else entered the alley, and it wasn't Li Hao.
From within the short lane came faint whispers:
"Are you sure he'll pass through here?"
"Of course. I've watched him for two days. That guy is utterly punctual. Two minutes left, and he's guaranteed to come through."
"Are you confident? We need to be fast. That kid is at the Hundred-Breaker culmination, not weak at all, and he's Yuan Shuo's disciple. Don't assume he lacks strength just because he's young..."
"Nonsense. Both of us are veteran Hundred-Breaker culminations. As long as we strike fast, he won't even have time to react."
Yu Xiao was so exasperated he nearly laughed. Damn it, why were there more people?
Two martial artists?
And both at the Hundred-Breaker culmination level. Had these two set their sights on Li Hao as well?
Li Hao was truly a hot commodity.
Fine, then. He would just have to strike a little harder later; since these two had come, they wouldn't be leaving either.
As he thought this, his ears twitched slightly, and Yu Xiao's expression changed.
At that moment, he vaguely sensed a presence of force... Having fought martial artists before, he was no stranger to Thousand-Battlers. He narrowed his eyes, sweeping his gaze across the surroundings from within the withered wood.
Soon, he seemed to sense something and glanced upward. He saw no one, yet atop the alley wall, something was clearly there.
"A Thousand-Battler martial artist!"
Yu Xiao's brow furrowed deeply. Damn it, what kind of day was this?
Why were so many people joining in the commotion?
In this tiny little alley, there was an Earth-element Solar Radiance underground, two Hundred-Breaker culmination martial artists on the ground, and a Thousand-Battler martial artist above! Thousand-Battler martial artists were all prominent figures with known names; who could be up there?
Of course, he wasn't afraid.
Unless it was a martial artist like Yuan Shuo, or an old master who had made a name for himself decades ago, an ordinary Thousand-Battler was merely equivalent to the Solar Radiance level. He just found it bizarre. Had these people coordinated in advance?
Out of all the days they could have picked, they all had to choose today?
*These bastards... The most troublesome one is this Thousand-Battler. I'll have to take him out first so he doesn't waste my time and ruin my plans!*
Yu Xiao cursed inwardly. Had he known, he wouldn't have chosen this place.
Of course, if he hadn't chosen this place and Li Hao ended up killed by someone else, he wouldn't even have time to weep. All he could say was that he had to eliminate this Thousand-Battler threat for Li Hao first, lest his plans be spoiled.
***
At the mouth of the alley.
Before entering the alley, Li Hao had not sensed the presence of any martial artists. But the moment he stepped inside, he knew a Thousand-Battler had locked onto him. As for the other two martial artists... he didn't even care to look at them.
Weaklings!
A Thousand-Battler martial artist?
Someone had actually dared to set their sights on him; they certainly didn't lack nerve.
Meanwhile, the two culmination martial artists, pretending to be ordinary pedestrians, were entering from the opposite end of the alley. It seemed they intended to cross paths with Li Hao head-on and make their move then. Though the alley was quiet, running into two people was hardly unusual.
With Li Hao's current eyesight, however, one look told him that these two had grasped the concept of force, though it was very faint—likely just the Hundred-Breaker culmination.
As for Yu Xiao, that piece of rotting wood ahead was glowing so brightly it was practically a ball of light; Li Hao wasn't blind, and he saw it with total clarity.
Underground, there was also an Earth-element user, a late Solar Radiance, not particularly weak.
Aside from them, Li Hao discovered yet another person whom even Yu Xiao hadn't noticed. Floating roughly a hundred meters above the alley was another light orb—likely a Wind-element user keeping watch from midair.
Yu Xiao didn't dare release his mysterious energy carelessly to probe, so he likely hadn't sensed that person's presence.
Li Hao glanced up slightly. Judging by the orb's brightness, the person was roughly at late to peak Solar Radiance.
Three Sols experts, after all, weren't found everywhere.
A Solar Radiance was already quite formidable.
*Are they all treating me like a prize?*
Li Hao wasn't angry; in fact, he was rather amused. With so many people caring about him, it was worth being happy about. Who else received such an escort along the way?
He kept walking.
The alley wasn't long. After walking for a short while, he could already make out the faces of the two approaching men. They were chatting with each other like friends who just happened to be passing through.
Neither Yu Xiao nor the Thousand-Battler made a move.
It seemed they were waiting for these two to strike first.
Li Hao, however, had no patience to wait.
He picked up his pace slightly, as though in a hurry to get home for dinner.
The distance between him and the two men closed rapidly.
Thirty meters, twenty meters...
When the gap shrank to barely ten meters, both the Thousand-Battler above and Yu Xiao below began to stir restlessly.
Right at that instant, the sword at Li Hao's waist gave a slight tremor.
In a single flash!
In that single, fleeting instant—traceless and soundless!
The Shadowless Sword!
Li Hao did not wait for the snipe and clam to fight so the fisherman could benefit.
There was no need!
The Earth-Overturning Sword vanished and reappeared in an instant, a single arc flashing past!
Past six in the evening, the twilight glow still lingered over White Moon City.
Inside the alley, however, shadows gathered, the high walls on both sides cutting off the fading light.
The two Hundred-Breaker culminations kept walking forward.
They were still calculating how to subdue Li Hao in an instant... when suddenly, an itch tickled their throats, giving them an urge to cough.
Continuing forward, now less than five meters from Li Hao, they prepared to strike.
They exchanged a glance... and abruptly noticed something odd. Why was there a thin red line across the other man's throat?
Strange, where had that red line come from? The two turned their heads to look at each other, but as their heads turned... a bizarre lightness overtook them. Their heads... seemed to be flying off.
Horror flooded both of their eyes!
There was no pain; the moment had been far too fast.
So fast that the red line expanded instantly before the blood could even spray.
Having slit their throats with a single stroke, Li Hao didn't spare them a second glance.
There was no need!
In the next instant, Li Hao sprang into the air, soaring toward the sky, unleashing a sword strike that rose like a towering mountain to cleave the heavens!
A hundred meters in the air, the Wind-element supernatural had not even processed what was happening when his scalp went numb. Mysterious energy erupted as he prepared to flee, but a sword pierced straight through him from bottom to top!
A strike to cleave the heavens!
That strike moved so fast that even the Thousand-Battler, who had been about to intercept, failed to stop it, only able to watch helplessly as Li Hao flashed over his head and vanished in an instant.
Perched atop the alley wall, the masked Thousand-Battler stood dazed.
He looked up into the sky, witnessing Li Hao's heaven-cleaving slash.
With that single blow, sword Qi pierced heaven and earth!
Yet it vanished in a flash, drawing little attention against the backdrop of the evening glow.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, his face changed drastically. He let out a ferocious roar, a dragon seemingly manifesting around his body—a massive dragon! Gripping a long spear, he lunged straight at Li Hao!
A spear user!
At that exact moment, as Li Hao plummeted back toward the ground, he let out a thunderous roar of his own—a tiger roaring through the forest!
This roar was thrice as fierce and furious as before.
From the Earth-Overturning Sword in his hand, a mountain peak flashed into being.
Earth Sword momentum!
Breaking force to nourish the spirit, unleashing momentum in full!
This strike drained the color from the Thousand-Battler's face. Spirit Nourishing?
Spear collided with the Earth-Overturning Sword. In a single instant, the roaring dragon was cleaved in two, the spear instantly severed by the blade. As Li Hao brought the sword down, his right hand gripped the hilt while his left fist drove forward!
*Boom!*
A deafening roar erupted. The Thousand-Battler felt his arms shudder violently before they fractured instantly. His spear snapped, his spirit intent shattered, and while his mind was still reeling, a fist crashed straight into him like a pouncing tiger!
*Crack!* A watermelon burst open!
Without a glance, Li Hao stomped downward. A tremendous rumble shook the ground, happening so fast that the Earth-element user beneath the surface didn't even have time to react. As the earth quaked from the stomp, Li Hao plunged his sword straight into the ground. *Boom!*
The ground cracked open as an incomparably fierce sword intent drilled deep into the soil, heading straight for the Earth-element user.
Only then did the Earth-element supernatural sense the fatal danger. Just as he attempted to burrow away, an overwhelming, suffocating pressure bore down on him from all directions. Before he could break free, the earth itself seemed to turn against him.
In the next instant, a mountain-like sword beam flashed through his mind!
*Boom!*
His corpse exploded underground!
In a single instant, two Hundred-Breaker martial artists, one Thousand-Battler, a Wind-element Solar Radiance in the air, and an Earth-element Solar Radiance underground—five experts who could all be considered formidable—had been thoroughly obliterated on the spot by Li Hao and his single Earth-Overturning Sword!
The withered wood vanished, revealing a face behind a ghost-face mask.
Yu Xiao was panting, thoroughly shaken.
Li Hao?
This was Li Hao?
He couldn't help but be horrified. He had been preparing to strike just moments ago, intending to deal with that Thousand-Battler first before turning his attention to Li Hao... But before he could even move, Li Hao had struck first.
At that moment, he had felt completely bewildered.
He simply couldn't believe his eyes...
And in the very instant of his shock, the battle had already ended. Everyone was dead.
In the air, a mangled corpse was tumbling downward.
Too fast!
Everything had erupted far too quickly, so quickly that he hadn't even gathered his wits.
The moment Yu Xiao revealed himself, Li Hao uttered not a single word.
A burst of flame ignited along the Earth-Overturning Sword.
In the next instant, Li Hao seemed to transform into a ferocious tiger, his roar resounding through the surroundings!
A cornered beast still fights!
A cornered beast could shatter the heavens.
As the sword slashed forward, flames illuminated heaven and earth, instantly brightening the dark alley.
His spleen and heart burst with radiant brilliance simultaneously. At this moment, Li Hao had only one thought: to kill.
Mid Three Sols?
So what!
There was no time to speak, no time to question, no time to wonder why Li Hao was so strong.
Yu Xiao let out a sharp cry, conjuring a green wooden sword in his hand as he lunged forward. He had no choice but to fight; right now, he felt as if he were enveloped by mountains and besieged by the earth.
Fleeing was no simple matter now.
A powerful surge of supernatural energy erupted instantly.
Wood energy possessed immense resilience.
Yet before Li Hao's sword strike, it proved utterly incapable of holding the line. With a single slash, the wood energy shattered.
The defensive power of a mid Three Sols seemed fragile at this moment.
In his mind, Li Hao recalled the sword strike that had severed himself, and the desperate struggle of the caged tiger from yesterday. A flash of madness and fury crossed his face.
*A tiger resides in my heart; when the sword strikes, there is no turning back!*
*All of you deserve to die!*
In his duel against Sun Moxian, Li Hao had felt only admiration, reluctance, and the desire to win; his murderous intent had not been intense.
That had been a sparring match between martial artists, even if it was a battle of life and death.
These people before him, however, did not deserve his regard or his respect. What right did they have?
Severing self!
The tiger's roar carried madness and finality. As the sword came down with a thunderous roar, it shattered the wooden sword. Li Hao took a sudden step forward, shaking the earth.
At that moment, Yu Xiao saw a tiger—a tiger covered in scars.
In the next instant, the Earth-Overturning Sword suddenly detonated, shattering into hundreds of fragments.
Every single shard was a lethal blow.
*Squelch!*
Countless fragments tore across Yu Xiao's face and body, blood splattering outward before the wood energy frantically began mending his wounds.
The Earth-Overturning Sword had shattered.
At this critical juncture, it had actually broken.
Yet Li Hao didn't care. Hong Yitang had claimed the Earth-Overturning Sword was extraordinary, but in Li Hao's eyes, it was merely average. With a strike fueled by Spirit Nourishing, it was only natural that the sword couldn't withstand the load.
Today, sword intent was paramount, and the tiger momentum was paramount.
Using his hand as a blade, Li Hao drove his fist forward like a pouncing tiger, the strike resembling a tiger's head forged into a sword.
Whether it was sword intent or tiger momentum, Li Hao didn't bother to distinguish between them.
He closed the distance in a flash, raining down punch after punch with such ferocity that even as Yu Xiao unleashed wave upon wave of supernatural energy, he couldn't hold it back. Horrified despair flooded Yu Xiao's eyes.
How is this possible!
Is this still a martial artist?
Aside from Yuan Shuo, how could there be a martial artist this powerful in this day and age?
As a mid Three Sols, once the boy got in close, he had virtually no opportunity to counterattack. Li Hao's combat style was terrifyingly similar to Yuan Shuo's—once he seized the upper hand, his relentless offensive was both the beginning and the end of the fight.
Either the enemy was beaten to death, or... he died trying!
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
He threw a hundred punches in succession, each heavier than the last. In the final punch, the Nine Refinements Force detonated directly. Under this strike, Yu Xiao felt the icy dread of impending death. He roared wildly, no longer caring about concealing his identity, gathering all his wood energy at his chest. He didn't want to die!
He was a genius, a mid Three Sols! He could feel how terrifying this punch was!
He even sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching from nearby—it was... Old Huang!
He was here!
Old Huang had tailed him?
Right now, he didn't care. He only wanted to live, even if all his secrets were laid bare. He looked past Li Hao's shoulder. Old Huang was here, a peak Three Sols! *Save me!*
In this moment, Old Huang, who had shadowed him, became his sole lifeline.
Stepping into the alley, Old Huang's eyes were filled with disbelief.
He had moved extremely fast. The moment Li Hao's sword Qi erupted, he had dashed in this direction, moving with incredible speed. In his estimation, between his reaction time, his travel time, and his momentary hesitation, only five or six seconds had elapsed.
Truly, at most that much!
He had hesitated slightly because he knew Yu Xiao was up to something, and he wasn't sure if showing up abruptly would be appropriate.
That hesitation had cost him a brief moment.
Yet that was all the time that had passed.
At that instant, he saw a fist like the paw of a tiger, yet also like a sword, and somewhat like surging ocean waves...
He couldn't even tell what fist technique it was.
He only saw that single punch shatter Yu Xiao's mask, its force blasting the wood-energy defense before Yu Xiao's chest to smithereens, punching straight through Yu Xiao's torso!
Yu Xiao's mouth opened and closed as if begging for help.
"Stop!"
Only then did Old Huang's shout ring out.
His face was grim, tinged with dread and fury.
Was this... Li Hao?
He had beaten Yu Xiao to death!
Indeed, the moment Yu Xiao was punched through, his heart visible and instantly destroyed, Old Huang knew there was no saving him. Even as a Wood-element expert, he could not survive.
Death was his only end!
Yu Xiao, a mid Three Sols, had been slaughtered right before his eyes.
He was furious and incensed...
Yet beyond that, he felt only shock and disbelief.
Was this Yuan Shuo in disguise?
Could the person before him be Yuan Shuo rather than Li Hao?
Of course, even if it were Yuan Shuo, he wouldn't be afraid. Yuan Shuo's peak feat had been killing Sun Yifei, a late Three Sols, whereas he was a peak Three Sols expert.
*Thud!* A corpse crashed down from above.
Li Hao turned to look at the blond man. This was the one he had spotted earlier.
He had taken his time, arriving slightly slower than expected.
The falling corpse was the Wind-element user who had been killed earlier; only now had his body plummeted to the ground.
Blood coated Li Hao's fists, a mixture of his own and Yu Xiao's.
*Drip... drip...*
Blood trickled down from his knuckles.
Old Huang glared at Li Hao, his eyes blazing with fury and a sharp chill. He said coldly, "You dare kill a Night Patroller..."
*Buzz!*
A sonic boom ripped through the air as Li Hao surged off the ground, charging straight at him.
Peak Three Sols?
Extremely powerful!
Yet the fire in Li Hao's heart had not been extinguished.
Since he was already here... he wasn't leaving either.
In a flash, a small sword appeared in Li Hao's hand. It lacked the luster of the Earth-Overturning Sword, appearing somewhat dim and unremarkable—the Starry Sky Sword.
Instantly, Li Hao's vitality boiled as his essence, energy, and spirit flooded into the Starry Sky Sword.
He knew that in his normal state, even if he had forcefully beaten Yu Xiao to death, he would be no match for this man. At best, he was currently equivalent to Yuan Shuo with one spirit manifested.
Back then, his master had killed Sun Yifei only after manifesting a second spirit, and even then, he had suffered grave injuries.
The man before him was definitely not weaker than Sun Yifei.
Therefore... without unleashing the Blood Saber Art, he stood no chance against him.
What did it matter, though?
The Blood Saber Art erupted! Li Hao transformed into a blood-red tiger, bathed in scarlet light as flames scorched the sky.
"Heart Fire Ape?"
That was Old Huang's first thought. When Yuan Shuo killed Sun Yifei, that had been his most famous technique. But... why did this look like a tiger?
His second thought was: *Is this the Blood Saber Art Yuan Shuo once used?*
The Night Patrollers had records of that.
Was this person Yuan Shuo or not?
The moment those two thoughts crossed his mind, Li Hao was already upon him. Old Huang snorted coldly. *Do you think I'm Yu Xiao?*
A spear materialized in his grip.
A golden spear!
He thrust it forward, unleashing razor-sharp Metal-element power. The walls on both sides instantly pitted with countless holes, pulverized by the cutting Qi.
With Li Hao's inner force pouring into the Starry Sky Sword, his bodily defenses dropped sharply.
In the blink of an eye, the golden Qi sliced across him, dyeing his inspector uniform crimson with blood.
Yet Li Hao didn't care in the slightest!
As a martial artist, his only purpose right now was to kill!
He swung his sword, the image of the cornered tiger flashing in his mind once more!
*If you leave me no way out, I will leave you none either!*
*Buzz!*
Sword Qi surged toward the heavens, only to vanish and compress in the next instant. Li Hao exhaled a breath of sword Qi while slashing out with the Starry Sky Sword. With a loud crash, the golden spear was shattered into dust!
Empowered by the Blood Saber Art and paired with the indestructible short sword, this strike might not have matched the opponent in raw energy, but its destructive potency was maximized to the extreme.
A single sword beam tore through everything, stabbing through Old Huang's shoulder with a wet squelch.
Old Huang had never seen such a terrifying person!
It wasn't that his strength was terrifying, but rather the sheer density of his murderous intent and bloodlust...
No words, no questions, no hesitation, nothing.
From the moment he appeared, there was only murderous intent in his eyes, as though declaring that the moment they met, one of them had to die—either you or me.
Old Huang had shifted slightly, so only his shoulder was impaled; had he failed to dodge, that strike would have pierced his throat.
Every move was meant to kill!
Old Huang's expression changed. He didn't fear this person, but he realized that if this went on, he would be severely wounded, perhaps even killed!
What had that idiot Yu Xiao gotten himself into?
Was this person Li Hao or Yuan Shuo?
He had no time to ponder it. He needed to leave.
Yu Xiao was dead here; he could simply report it to Hu Qingfeng. He wanted out of this cursed place, regretting that he had followed Yu Xiao in the first place.
Even if he won... what would it gain him?
He began to retreat!
Would Li Hao let him go?
The moment Li Hao landed, he stomped downward. The entire alley cracked open and the walls collapsed as Li Hao lunged forward with an blindingly fast sword strike!
"You..."
Old Huang was enraged. His desire to retreat had been obvious, and this person must have noticed it. Had he lost his mind?
He knew a bit about the Blood Saber Art; the longer it was sustained, the higher the chance of death.
*We have no grudge between us! You're completely mad—killing Yu Xiao wasn't enough, and now you won't even let me leave...*
At that moment, he sensed fluctuations of supernatural energy nearby. It seemed the battle here had drawn the attention of many.
Old Huang had no desire to keep fighting this madman!
He swiftly manifested golden armor, wrapping his entire body in Metal-element energy, shouting in fury, "Are you insane? You can't kill me, and I have no interest in killing you..."
*Boom!*
The strike came crashing down. The formidable Starry Sky Sword cleaved straight through the golden armor, drawing a spray of blood. Old Huang grunted, no longer in the mood to shout!
That strike had nearly severed his arm.
He looked at the sword in Li Hao's hand in horror... What was that?
An Origin God Armament?
No... it didn't look like one, but the sword was unbelievably sharp. His peak Three Sols defense had been broken with a single blow.
He realized his mistake.
He shouldn't have defended!
This person's sword was indestructible; defending now was foolish. He was stronger than Li Hao and should be attacking!
Realizing this in an instant, he threw a punch straight at Li Hao!
Li Hao's eyes lit up, and he answered with a punch of his own. *Boom!*
The immense force fractured Li Hao's arm and tore into Old Huang's fist, spraying blood.
Old Huang cursed inwardly. *Madman!*
Not daring to defend any longer, he pressed the offensive, throwing another punch at Li Hao. Li Hao, however, put away the Starry Sky Sword.
In close-quarters combat, the sword was somewhat unwieldy and wasted time.
Fist against fist!
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
In the blink of an eye, their fists collided countless times. Li Hao was forced back several steps, cracking numerous bricks underfoot. Blood soaked his arm, and his entire right arm hung limp, the bones within completely shattered!
Old Huang panted heavily, blood dripping steadily from his right hand.
The kid wasn't as strong as him, but he fought like a man possessed. Trading punches had nearly crippled his arm as well.
While he was catching his breath, Li Hao pounced again.
This time, instead of throwing punches, Li Hao leaped into the air and kicked. His leather boots had long since shredded, and now the sound of crashing waves echoed from his legs—the Nine Refinements Force!
*Rumble!*
Kick followed kick, one after another...
*Crack!*
The sound of breaking bones came from both of Li Hao's legs, yet a faint smile crept onto his face. Across from him, cracks appeared along Old Huang's arms as blood poured out, his face pale.
Old Huang glared at Li Hao. In the next moment, another golden spear materialized before him!
For a supernatural expert, a crippled body didn't matter as long as their mysterious energy remained.
*As for you, a martial artist with one useless arm and both legs broken—what else can you do?*
*No matter how ruthless you are, your cultivation is limited. You're still inferior to me!*
The spear hovered in the air, directed by his will, lunging straight for Li Hao's head.
At that moment, Li Hao smiled again and lunged forward. A silent tiger's roar vibrated through the air as pure sonic energy!
The spear trembled!
With his intact left hand, Li Hao gripped the Starry Sky Sword. Vast sword energy poured into his body as he swung the blade. The slash cleaved a streak of light through the darkness, slicing the golden spear in two!
In the next instant, much like Wang Ming's scattered petals, countless bursts of Metal-element energy exploded, instantly engulfing Li Hao.
Old Huang knew that trick too!
A peak Three Sols was not an empty title.
He wasn't like Yu Xiao, who had been overwhelmed from the start; his combat strength remained formidable. With a deafening explosion, Li Hao was thrown backward like a broken ragdoll, covered in blood!
Old Huang's face was pale as he let out a cold snort.
*How could this bastard survive this?*
Yet at that exact moment, Li Hao, who had crashed to the ground, scrambled right back up. Coughing up mouthfuls of blood, he showed a faint smile.
A fiery-red, tiger-headed sword materialized.
This sword burned with raging fury!
"Cleave!"
With another thunderous roar, a sword strike slashed out, tearing through the twilight. Activating the Bird Art, Li Hao leaped forward in an astonishing display, like a silver warrior lunging toward the heavens. Any enemy before him would be pulverized!
None would be spared!
Old Huang's expression changed, and he retreated swiftly.
This madman... he truly didn't want to fight him anymore.
Right at that instant, a burst of fiery light erupted behind him. Old Huang's expression twisted in horror, while Li Hao's face also changed, tinged with annoyance and pent-up frustration.
"Die!"
Li Hao's speed surged once more, accelerating further with frantic resolve as his sword came down!
Behind Old Huang, Hao Lianchuan's expression shifted slightly.
Yet he didn't stop, thrusting his spear straight into Old Huang's back. He couldn't describe the shock in his heart, but... there was no time to think!
Old Huang's face twisted in terror. In that split second, he chose to face Li Hao!
The threat behind him felt far deadlier!
Far more dangerous than the half-crippled Li Hao in front of him, so he chose to meet Li Hao head-on.
Another spear materialized, instantly multiplying into ten, then a hundred...
In that fleeting instant, a dark gleam flashed as Li Hao charged straight through the forest of spears. Bloody holes were punched through his body, yet he still brought his sword down with savage force!
*Squelch!*
The sword pierced forward, and Old Huang's expression warped again. The terrifying pressure from behind pinned him in place, preventing him from retreating. He roared, attempting to throw another punch, but the short sword had already impaled his skull!
His fist still flew forward with his dying momentum, knocking Li Hao away.
Li Hao flew backward and crashed heavily to the ground, lying motionless, appearing as though he were already dead.
Behind him, a long spear impaled Old Huang. Hao Lianchuan tossed Old Huang aside like a piece of trash, glancing over the battlefield... His eyes were filled with indelible shock!
He hadn't arrived late—only about twenty seconds had passed.
That was the window he and Li Hao had agreed upon: ten seconds at best, thirty at most.
He had rushed over with all haste, arriving at the earliest possible moment.
Yet now, he stood stunned and shaken.
Yu Xiao was dead!
Several mangled corpses lay on the ground, and beyond them, the man he had just tossed aside was someone he recognized: one of the five from above named Huang Jie, a peak Three Sols Metal-element expert who specialized in offense.
Even with the Fire Phoenix Spear, Hao Lianchuan might not have been able to defeat him quickly.
The only reason he had been able to team up with Li Hao and force him to his death so easily... was because when he arrived, Huang Jie had at most half his strength left, certainly no more than fifty percent!
Under those conditions, he naturally stood no chance against Hao Lianchuan wielding the Fire Phoenix Spear.
And the one who had driven Huang Jie to such a state was none other than Li Hao!
A martial artist who had already slain a mid Three Sols!
Hao Lianchuan knew that all these people had been killed by Li Hao.
On every corpse, there was either sword light or an unmistakable tiger momentum.
These were the methods of a martial artist!
It felt as if he were seeing Li Hao for the very first time. At this moment, he didn't even have time to check on him, not knowing if Li Hao was still alive since there was no movement from him at all. The shock in his heart was impossible to suppress.
Was this... truly Li Hao, and not Yuan Shuo?
If Yuan Shuo had accomplished this, he wouldn't doubt it.
Could Li Hao have done it?
In the distance, bursts of radiant light erupted as supernaturals rapidly approached. He absolutely could not let anyone witness this scene, or Li Hao's secrets could no longer be kept.
Anyone with eyes could recognize that distinct sword intent and tiger momentum.
He soared into the air immediately, unable to check on Li Hao, manifesting the Fire Phoenix Spear. In an instant, the approaching supernaturals ground to a halt, recognizing the weapon!
Hao Lianchuan roared, "On guard! Combat readiness! Red Moon, have you lost your minds, daring to attack Li Hao inside the city? You deserve death! Night Patrollers, mobilize across the board! Lock down the city and eliminate the enemy! Request Director Hou to emerge from seclusion!"
His roar shook heaven and earth!
As Hao Lianchuan bellowed, the fire phoenix soared through the sky. In an instant, the entire city stirred, and experts across the districts paled.
Red Moon?
Had they gone mad!
To openly attack Li Hao right now—were they courting death?
In the next moment, a formidable aura surged from Night Patroller headquarters. A streak of light flashed past as an overwhelming presence blanketed the southern district!
A powerhouse had arrived!
Was it Hou Xiaochen?
Aside from him, there seemed to be no one else. The experts approaching the battlefield paled, none daring to draw closer.
Things were about to blow up!
Red Moon had truly lost its mind. Some who knew the broader situation were secretly stunned; this hadn't been the plan.
In the distance, Hu Qingfeng frowned. *Is Lanyue an idiot? We agreed to deal with Hou Xiaochen together first—why strike early? Damn fool!*
Above, Hao Lianchuan's expression shifted as he looked down. Only when he saw a figure slowly struggling to its feet did he finally let out a sigh of relief, though the shock in his eyes remained undiminished.
*Li Hao... just how... strong are you?*
Chapter 113