Assembling

After parting ways with Golden Spear, Li Hao returned to his quarters. Recruitment for the hundred-man unit hadn't even begun, and there was nothing pressing for him to do. In Golden Spear and the others' eyes, if Li Hao could pull this hundred-man team together before the end of the year, it would already be considered quite an accomplishment. Therefore, Li Hao actually had plenty of time. Right now, it was only mid-September, more than three months before the year's end. …… Inside the new dormitory building. Though Li Hao had clashed with the Fire Phoenix Spear earlier, apart from a few broken pieces of furniture that had already been replaced, the building itself was completely undamaged. Structures forged with supernatural power were exceptionally sturdy. Li Hao stepped out onto the third-floor terrace. Sitting cross-legged, he finally had time to contemplate what he had grasped today. Extreme speed! He brought out the Fire Phoenix Spear, but the flames no longer poured from it. It had returned to a dim state. Perhaps the soul of the fire phoenix had swallowed some benefits from Li Hao's divine energy stones and was now digesting them. Knowing was one thing, and understanding was another, but Li Hao still hadn't brought forth that force. Hong Yitang had said that once you understood the feeling, you just had to practice. If a hundred times wasn't enough, do it a thousand or ten thousand times, until you could slash out that force. You already had the grasp, the goal, and the direction; all that remained was the process. And the ultimate force lay in speed and explosive power. After pondering for a while, Li Hao stopped sitting cross-legged. It was best for a martial master to practice hands-on. Sitting cross-legged was usually only for absorbing energy; at any other time, one's fists should never leave their routine. Now, Li Hao began to practice with the sword! To minimize noise, he practiced the Shadowless Sword. Gripping the starry sky miniature sword, Li Hao swung out blade after blade. In this moment, all he pursued was speed—speed pushed to the absolute extreme. …… In the distance. From another small building, Golden Spear could faintly make out the figure on the terrace. Beside him, in addition to Wang Qing, stood a young woman who looked quite young, perhaps about the same age as Li Hao. Wang Qing was also watching. After observing for a while, his voice came as sharp as a blade. "My lord, why does Old Demon Yuan's disciple not walk the Five Animals path, but choose the sword path instead?" "The Five Animals path..." In this instant, Golden Spear suddenly recalled what Li Hao had said earlier. He pondered for a moment before speaking. "In the martial path, there is only what suits oneself; there is no fixed route one must take. Perhaps he is more adept with the sword. The Five Animals Art does not mean one can only use fists and palms..." Wang Qing wasn't entirely satisfied with this answer. On the other hand, the young woman beside them said softly, "The Five Animals Art is merely the foundation. It could just as easily be called the Five Animals Sword or Five Animals Spear. Sabers, spears, swords, halberds, fists, palms, legs, and feet are merely outward forms. Whether martial path or martial force, the core is identical. Whether one wields a weapon or not makes no difference." Golden Spear nodded in agreement, a rare smile appearing on his face. "Well said! In the martial path, some are good at teaching disciples, while others are not. Truth be told, I am not very good at it. Youyun speaks truly—Yuan Shuo is actually better at teaching disciples than I am, tailoring instruction to the student. Since Li Hao wishes to walk the sword path, let him walk the sword path..." Wang Qing fell silent. He didn't ask further. Golden Spear was formidable, yet at times Wang Qing felt that Golden Spear was somewhat... unsuited to explaining or describing insights. Golden Spear possessed extraordinary talent, but this spear master was better suited to solitary cultivation. Glancing out of the corner of his eye at the young woman beside them, he knew this disciple of Golden Spear possessed exceptional innate talent and sharp comprehension. Otherwise, studying under Golden Spear might well have ruined her. As he was thinking, the young woman spoke again. "Master, what realm has he reached, after all?" Golden Spear thought for a moment and said, "Judging by his strength, roughly the mid Ten-Thousand-Rival level." Ten-Thousand-Rival! Yes. Before Yuan Shuo introduced the concept of Spirit Nourishing, because some martial masters possessed strength exceeding the notion of Thousand-Battler, the martial arts world of the Central Region had—unbeknownst to Yuan Shuo—already coined a unified title for this realm: Ten-Thousand-Rival. Above Thousand-Battler. In this realm, directions diverged widely. Martial masters had many paths and each made their own choice, making it difficult to describe them one by one. Thus, they could only be classified according to the corresponding supernatural tiers. Ten-Thousand-Rival was equivalent to Three Suns among supernaturals. Thousand-Battlers matched Solar Luminaries; those who could rival Three Suns were Ten-Thousand-Rivals. One person rivaling ten thousand. In the Martial Guard Army, Mu Lin stood at this tier. Golden Spear, strictly speaking, was also at this level—or rather, at the pinnacle of this level, capable of rivaling even Rising Light existences. Wang Qing, disciple of Mad Saber, was a bit behind, but he had already begun to touch upon this tier. The young woman was somewhat astonished. "He hasn't been practicing martial arts for very long, yet he is already this strong? Is Big Brother Wang his match?" Clearly not. Wang Qing knew it, and Golden Spear understood it as well. So Golden Spear didn't beat around the bush, shaking his head. "No! But if it's merely a spar, at worst it will be like with the other centurions. His strength exceeds Wang Qing's, so he won't lose control of his strikes... A spar will still be beneficial." Wang Qing also said in a deep voice, "Sparring with him is not out of any grudge. My master isn't dead, so there is no hatred to speak of... I simply wish to see how strong a disciple of the Five Animals King truly is. He is very young, and I want to witness it!" Golden Spear nodded. The young woman's interest was piqued as well. "Master, then what about me...?" "It is best that you do not go." Golden Spear warned, "You would have to beware being killed by him!" "Huh?" The young woman let out a soft exclamation. Golden Spear said gravely, "You are slightly stronger than Wang Qing, having barely stepped into the Ten-Thousand-Rival realm, so your intent poses a threat to him. The spear path is a path of slaughter. He carries intense killing intent; while he might hold back against Wang Qing, he may not hold back against you." This woman was actually an existence comparable to the Three Suns level as well. Crucially, she was still very young. Wang Qing beside them wasn't surprised in the least. It was only natural. Kong Youyun didn't just have a powerful master; her family background was extraordinary. Her father was Kong Jie, head of the Inspectorate. Back in the day, Kong Jie had also been a martial powerhouse, or he could never have held firmly onto the position of Chief of the Inspectorate. However, after Kong Jie transitioned to supernaturals, he ceased teaching martial arts, which was why he sent his daughter to study under Golden Spear. This was also proof of the unity between the Night Patrollers and the Inspectorate. His daughter was right here in the Martial Guard Army. Clearly, the Inspectorate had long known of the Martial Guard Army's existence and had even provided substantial support. Kong Youyun said no more. Since her master said so, there had to be good reason. Kong Youyun asked again, "Master, what strength does the Five Animals King possess now? He defeated the late Three Suns Eyebrow-Level Staff... Is he also at the late or peak Ten-Thousand-Rival level?" "Him?" Golden Spear considered it and said, "At least at the peak stage. Otherwise, he couldn't have killed Eyebrow-Level Staff! Though Eyebrow-Level Staff was only late Three Suns, his martial will had never burned out, giving him immense combat power! To kill him, Yuan Shuo must have had peak combat strength at the very least!" "His progress is so fast!" Kong Youyun sighed with feeling. "Not long after stepping into Thousand-Battler, he reached another tier in the blink of an eye... Truly worthy of the great demon king of back then!" Golden Spear fell silent. In his mind, Yuan Shuo's visage also surfaced. Unscrupulous, supremely arrogant. Years ago, he had caught Golden Spear's weapon bare-handed. Had the spear not been so sturdy, that fellow would have snapped it in half. After losing to Yuan Shuo, he had been on the verge of stepping into Thousand-Battler, yet found himself unable to cross the threshold. Every time he tried, he felt utterly stifled, crushed until he could barely breathe. It wasn't until later, when Hou Xiaochen intervened and struck out with a casual spear thrust to shatter the demon in his heart, that he finally stepped into Thousand-Battler. However, Golden Spear understood that this meant it would be extraordinarily difficult for him ever to surpass Yuan Shuo. As long as Yuan Shuo's path remained unbroken, if they met again, nine times out of ten he would still be defeated! The inner demon was hard to banish. Beside him, Kong Youyun seemed to sense something and whispered, "Master, when my martial path reaches completion, I will challenge the Five Animals King!" "Forget it. The grudges of the older generation have nothing to do with you." Golden Spear shook his head. A challenge was not a spar; it was no joke. When that time came, Yuan Shuo truly would beat her to death. That was no exaggeration. When Eyebrow-Level Staff challenged Yuan Shuo, even if Yuan Shuo hadn't necessarily intended to kill him deep down... caught up in the thrill of battle, he wouldn't care about such things. In the eyes of such men, beating an opponent to death was the ultimate form of respect. He glanced into the distance. On the terrace, Li Hao clumsily slashed out sword after sword. Golden Spear found no fault in this; spear training was the same—perseverance was key. In fact, he rather admired this dedication. Only... the fact that this fellow wasn't in any rush to recruit people was somewhat exasperating. At this moment, Kong Youyun spoke again. "Master, are we... still going to that ruin? We didn't gain much this time. While it's not as dangerous as Battle Heaven City, I feel that if we succeed, the rewards won't be small. How about calling Second Brother Mu and Li Hao along? Perhaps we'll make some gains." Golden Spear sank into contemplation. These past few days, he had been exploring a ruin. Though it wasn't like Battle Heaven City, which remained intact after tens of millions of years, this new ruin carried considerable danger. Danger also meant opportunity. He had gone three times without any harvest. Returning this time, he had indeed contemplated gathering several powerhouses from the Martial Guard Army to go together. Kong Youyun added, "Isn't Li Hao the Five Animals King's disciple? The Five Animals King is best at exploring ruins..." Only then was Golden Spear swayed. After some thought, he nodded. "Mm. Notify him later. Five days... no, ten days from now, have him come with me. We will be responsible for clearing the ground. If our initial run succeeds, we will let the Martial Guard Army enter!" This was the tradition of the Martial Guard Army: powerhouses cleared the ground and claimed the greatest rewards, neutralizing major hazards before allowing weaker members to excavate. While danger remained, it was greatly reduced. Even so, mishaps still occurred. There were times when powerhouses failed to spot certain perils, resulting in heavy casualties for the Martial Guard Army. Over the years, the Martial Guard Army couldn't have consisted solely of veterans. Many old-timers had long since died, and the army had turned over two or three generations to become what it was today. …… At this moment, Li Hao had no idea he would be assigned a mission so quickly. He was thoroughly absorbed in his sword strikes, unable to tear himself away. The figure on the terrace slashed from broad daylight until night fell. With sword energy available, he wasn't afraid of excessive cultivation leading to accumulated hidden injuries. Golden Spear and Mu Lin both assumed this fellow was somewhat reckless, risking hidden trauma by pushing himself like this. Yet they weren't particularly close, so no one stepped up to dissuade him. …… The next day. Li Hao disappeared. He hadn't left the Martial Guard Army base. In the woods outside the small building, Li Hao continued playing his game of chase with the Fire Phoenix Spear. One man and one spear darted swiftly through the forest. It was just consuming divine energy stones, and Li Hao was generous when it counted. Chief Steward Yu had only lent him the Fire Phoenix Spear for three days; if he didn't seize this chance to gain insights with it, wouldn't that be a waste? …… Li Hao was deep in cultivation, deaf to everything outside. Outside the Martial Guard Army compound, a convoy had arrived. This time, Chief Steward Yu was still leading the way. Only, Chief Steward Yu's eyes were somewhat dazed. Early this morning, Hong Yitang's second wife had brought a group to the Night Patrollers looking for Li Hao. Chief Steward Yu had asked a few questions, only then realizing what Li Hao had meant yesterday. Pulling in sponsorship... The fellow had actually pulled in sponsorship! And it was no ordinary sponsorship. The Sword Sect had actually provided more than half of its martial master disciples to support Li Hao. This was virtually all-out backing. Granted, the strongest among them were merely a few late Hundred-Breakers. Yet for martial masters to cultivate to late Hundred-Breaker... the key was that most Sword Sect disciples had cultivated up step by step through genuine hard work, rarely relying on mysterious energy. The foundation of such a group was exceptionally solid. Though Hong Yitang was no longer a martial master, his cultivation of disciples remained rock-solid. He possessed profound personal comprehension of the martial path. With these disciples joining the Martial Guard Army, they might soon experience an explosive growth phase. Chief Steward Yu also knew that the minister had actually been keeping an eye on the Sword Sect. In the minister's words, with the rise of supernaturals, martial masters within Silver Moon were no longer what they used to be. Across Silver Moon, very few sects still persisted in training martial masters, offering systematic study and structured growth. Some sects claimed to pass down martial master legacies, but in reality used martial arts merely as a front while employing supernatural means. Rapidly strengthening themselves with mysterious energy, many only aimed to reach the peak of the Ten-Slayer realm before transitioning to supernaturals. The more ambitious ones aimed for Hundred-Breaker before converting to Solar Luminaries. Those who truly persevered along the martial path were few and far between. Those people were hardly dedicated when teaching martial arts. After all, once one became a supernatural, there were supernatural techniques. Why waste time learning useless hand-to-hand moves when a single secret art could push you to Hundred-Breaker? That was the prevailing issue among many martial masters today. Chief Steward Yu had never expected that after the minister had spent so long eyeing them, they had turned around and sought refuge with Li Hao, a newcomer! Even though Li Hao was also a Night Patroller, Chief Steward Yu still couldn't wrap her head around it. Could Li Hao be more worth relying on than the minister? If Hong Yitang had gone to Hou Xiaochen, Hou Xiaochen would have accepted these people just the same, and there wouldn't have been a Li Hao standing between them. …… Before the gatehouse of the Martial Guard Army. This time, Golden Spear came out in person. Learning that the group before him hailed from the Sword Sect, he felt surprised and slightly strange. Disciples of the Earth-Overturning Sword. He swept a glance over them and nodded slightly. Internally, he was somewhat astonished. Looking at their bearing, spirit, and vigor, these martial masters were in excellent condition, devoid of the confusion and lethargy seen in most martial masters today. Many martial masters fell into terrible shape due to their inability to transition to supernaturals. Fixated solely on becoming supernaturals, they had long lost the serene composure of the past. The Earth-Overturning Sword, Hong Yitang, had enjoyed no small fame back then. He had only become a laughingstock after dodging battles with Yuan Shuo several times, tarnishing his reputation. Otherwise, among the Seven Swords of that era, while Heaven Sword's might was beyond question, the Earth-Overturning Sword had also enjoyed towering prestige. When his sword struck, heaven and earth turned upside down—how could that have been a joke? Golden Spear glanced at Hongxiu. He knew something of her circumstances; she was Hong Yitang's eldest disciple... Forget it, he couldn't be bothered to say anything now. Both Hongxiu and Hong Yitang were supernatural powerhouses; he didn't even feel like joking about it. He only looked at Hongxiu briefly before shifting his gaze to Hong Qing, who was looking around curiously from among the crowd. A very solid foundation! This batch from the Sword Sect were all solid, but Hong Qing was Hong Yitang's daughter after all. Golden Spear's formidable strength allowed him to discern much with a simple glance, and his eyes flickered slightly. Hong Yitang was quite interesting! Other disciples, even if they reduced their intake of mysterious energy, still carried traces of it. Once a martial master used mysterious energy, their body would be tainted by its aura. Even Li Hao was no exception! Yet this Hong Qing... was a genuine late Hundred-Breaker. This meant she had truly never relied on mysterious energy for assistance. To cultivate to late Hundred-Breaker at her age was exceedingly rare! Of course, it couldn't be ruled out that she had used divine energy stones instead of mysterious energy; divine energy stones rarely left traces of mysterious energy on the body. "Luo—" Just as the word started to leave his mouth, Chief Steward Yu fixed him with a frigid glare. Golden Spear was somewhat at a loss for words. Habit died hard. Even after all these years, he still slipped up. This had happened countless times, yet he invariably fell back into old habits. "Secretary Yu!" Golden Spear finally managed the awkward title. "What is this...?" "Over at the Sword Sect, Sword Master Hong and Li Hao came to an agreement. These Sword Sect disciples are joining Li Hao's hundred-man squad. Additionally, Sword Master Hong is gifting one hundred sets of black armor to equip Li Hao's squad..." At these words, the martial masters watching the commotion from behind widened their eyes in disbelief. Damn! So generous? Li Hao had only just arrived, and everyone had barely learned he was to become a centurion. Before he had even assembled his people, someone was sending him recruits and ancient armor? "What's the deal with Li Hao?" "Did he become the Earth-Overturning Sword's son-in-law or something?" "I heard the one in front is the Earth-Overturning Sword's daughter... He just got to the Martial Guard Army, short on hands, and someone's delivering troops and money. Talk about living the good life..." "Think about us! When we first arrived, how tough was it?" "..." Martial masters muttered in low voices. Some were envious, others sighing with emotion. The several centurions' eyes turned blood-red with jealousy. Some of them had built their own hundred-man squads and knew firsthand how grueling it was. It had cost immense time, manpower, and resources. Some had even dragged in their senior and junior martial brothers, uncles, and nephews... Certain sects had seen their entire rosters hauled away. For instance, the successor of the Mountain Cleaving Axe—the entire Mountain Cleaving lineage now served in his Mountain Cleaving unit. And looking at Li Hao... how could they not be envious? On top of that, black armor was scarce in the Martial Guard Army, previously totaling only a hundred-odd suits. A hundred-man squad was lucky to be allocated a dozen or so. This time, the harvest had been massive, bringing the Night Patrollers' total to over five hundred suits. That was nearly half the army. Yet even so, those centurions had pulled every trick in the book to fight for more, and still couldn't fully equip their squads. They could only outfit the weaker members to balance the team's overall strength and prevent massive disparities. Yet what about Li Hao? His squad didn't even have a full roster, yet the black armor was already completely secured. Everyone knew how formidable black armor was. Defense aside, it was extraordinarily tough; when worn by a Hundred-Breaker martial master, even a Solar Luminary would struggle to breach it. It practically made an indestructible iron legion! The entire crowd was green with envy! Mu Lin clicked his tongue as well. He was utterly at a loss for words. Did this pretty boy Li Hao go and become a gigolo? The Earth-Overturning Sword held a grudge against Yuan Shuo, and a fairly deep one at that. He had declined three challenges, dealing a heavy blow to his reputation. To anyone who valued their name, they would have been mortal enemies! Yet under such circumstances, he still sent over so many people and resources... Was he taking Li Hao in as his son-in-law? At the front of the crowd. Golden Spear was actually somewhat surprised as well. Sending people wasn't enough; he had even sent black armor? However, possessing immense seniority, he didn't pry, merely saying, "Li Hao seems to still be cultivating. Don't just stand at the gate; everyone come inside. I'll send someone to fetch him." With that, he added, "Did Hong Yitang not come?" "My husband has entered secluded cultivation," Madame Hong said softly. "His supernatural energy has been somewhat volatile lately, and the injuries he sustained in Battle Heaven City haven't fully healed. He originally intended to come with me to pay respects to Senior Golden Spear, but unfortunately..." Golden Spear waved his hand. "No matter; not meeting is fine too. As for 'senior'... I dare not accept. When the Earth-Overturning Sword rose to fame, I had only just entered the martial world. In terms of age, I am only two or three years older than him..." *Is that so? You look pretty old.* Naturally, that thought only crossed Hongxiu's mind. Beside them, Hong Qing looked at Golden Spear with a mix of curiosity and admiration. Golden Spear! Head of the Three Spears, rivaling Heaven Sword in fame, and more renowned than her father. However, her father no longer walked the martial world and was now merely a supernatural. Hong Qing found it regrettable; she loved listening to martial arts tales. Her father didn't care to talk about such things, but her stepmother enjoyed chatting with her about them. Mm, so their relationship was quite good. Since Hong Yitang's wife had led the contingent herself, Golden Spear gave her ample face. With Chief Steward Yu present as well, the three soon headed into the inner hall to converse. Hongxiu had originally been a generation below them, but now stood as an equal and could join the conversation. As for the others, they lacked the qualification. Outside the building, Hong Qing and the rest could only wait for Li Hao to arrive. Still, they weren't left alone; Mu Lin, Kong Youyun, and a few others remained. They were quite curious about the Sword Sect as well. Seeing her master host the Jade Rakshasa and the Earth-Overturning Sword's wife, Kong Youyun took the initiative to speak. "I am Kong Youyun, disciple of Golden Spear... Are you Senior Earth-Overturning Sword's daughter?" Hong Qing glanced at Kong Youyun and nodded. "Greetings, Senior Sister!" "Hello." The two began chatting. Mu Lin listened from the side, and after a while, struck up a conversation with one of the Sword Sect's late Hundred-Breaker disciples. As everyone was conversing. A figure flashed into view in the distance, instantly appearing on the ground. Steam rose from Li Hao's sweat. His face was slightly flushed. Calming his breath, he strode over. Before he even reached them, a surge of sword momentum gathered, and paying no mind to Kong Youyun and Mu Lin's presence, Li Hao unleashed it! As Li Hao approached step by step, the Sword Sect disciples who had been looking around suddenly felt a crushing pressure like Mount Tai pressing down upon them! In this moment, even Kong Youyun stopped talking. Li Hao ignored her. He didn't know this woman, but didn't pay it much mind; judging by her force, she was likely Golden Spear's disciple, and seemed fairly strong. Nothing more than that! His focus was primarily on testing the Sword Sect disciples. Releasing his force was merely to gauge the quality of this batch. If they were too subpar, keeping them would be pointless. Closing the distance step by step, when he was thirty meters away, half of the twenty Ten-Slayer realm martial masters could barely breathe, forced to stumble back and retreat beyond the reach of his sword momentum in the blink of an eye. Li Hao continued forward. At twenty-five meters, several more Ten-Slayers fell back. At twenty meters, the remaining three peak Ten-Slayer martial masters also backed away. At this moment, only the ten Hundred-Breakers, along with Kong Youyun and Mu Lin, remained standing. Li Hao's sword momentum was like a mountain, descending like Mount Tai pressing down as he continued forward. The ten Hundred-Breakers swayed on their feet. Every face was stricken with shock! So strong? It was merely force! It wasn't as if they had never seen force before, yet only now did they experience such immense pressure and piercing sharpness. As Sword Sect disciples, they practiced swordsmanship too, yet before Li Hao, they felt their own swords were... far too weak! At the front, Hong Qing gritted her teeth, staring at Li Hao. She suddenly felt as if she were looking at her father. Yes. The Earth-Overturning Sword, a blade capable of turning heaven and earth upside down, naturally carried elements of earth momentum within it. And right now, what Li Hao was employing was precisely the Earth Sword momentum. A sword pressing down like Mount Tai! At fifteen meters, several Hundred-Breakers retreated one after another, their faces pale with shock and reluctance. At ten meters, several more Hundred-Breakers backed out, some even coughing up blood, their expressions filled with indignation. At five meters, only Hong Qing remained. Hong Qing wasn't the only late Hundred-Breaker, but she was the only one capable of standing her ground without retreating. Hong Qing gritted her teeth, steeling herself to hold out to the bitter end, when Li Hao suddenly reeled in his sword momentum. Hong Qing stumbled, nearly falling. Kong Youyun caught her from the side and cast a peculiar look at Li Hao, asking softly, "Centurion Li, why did you stop?" Li Hao looked at her in surprise and explained, "I was just testing their level, not trying to kill them. Now that I have my answer, there's no need to continue." With that, he clasped his fists. "Li Hao!" Kong Youyun wasn't quite accustomed to clasping fists, merely nodding slightly. "Kong Youyun, disciple of Golden Spear." "I have long heard of your renown!" Li Hao offered a polite greeting before looking past her toward Hong Qing with a chuckle. "A truly solid foundation! Even the Ten-Slayers have remarkably firm foundations! Far better than mine back then. I absorbed a large amount of mysterious energy to reach Ten-Slayer. When my teacher clashed forces with Director Liu Long back then, it felt weaker than I am now, yet I could barely take a step from a distance." At these words, expressions of delight surfaced on the Sword Sect disciples' faces. Gaining the acknowledgment of a formidable martial master was something to be joyful about. Much of their earlier frustration dissipated. Hong Qing was initially pleased, but then felt a wave of despondency. Not long ago, she had seen Li Hao—not yesterday, but the day he fought Sun Moxian. Though he had been strong then, Hong Qing had felt she could have held her own... Even if inferior to Li Hao, she could have fought. Yet now, merely pressing her with his force, he had nearly brought her to her knees. The gap was too vast! She couldn't help asking, "How... how did you suddenly become this strong?" Li Hao pondered and said, "The Five Animals Art is powerful, I consumed many Blood God Seeds to heavily strengthen my five internal organs, and grasping force made me even stronger! Your foundation is solid; as long as you comprehend force, you can surge forward like splitting bamboo and swiftly break through to Thousand-Battler... then you will quickly hit an explosive growth period! Though you haven't coalesced sword momentum yet, Martial Uncle Hong laid an excellent foundation for you. The moment you comprehend sword momentum, you can take another step forward!" Hong Qing said regretfully, "But I still haven't comprehended sword momentum..." "That's because you haven't faced enough peril!" "Huh?" Li Hao sighed. "Going to Battle Heaven City last time was actually the best opportunity! But your father kept you with him the entire time, so you never acted independently. What a shame! Your foundation is good, but your killer instinct is lacking. Not just you, but the others as well. Sword cultivators prioritize killer instinct above all!" Li Hao was now considered a grand sword cultivator and had developed insights of his own. He added, "Whether spear or saber, it all comes down to the strength of one's killing intent. Martial masters were born for slaughter; pure practice alone cannot produce force!" Hong Qing fell into thought, but Kong Youyun considered it and spoke up. "Centurion Li, sheer slaughter may not be the true meaning of the martial path! If slaughter were the sole essence, the martial path wouldn't flourish with a hundred flowers blooming. A defensive martial master like Second Brother Mu—does he cultivate with his mind set only on killing?" Li Hao nodded. "Well said!" "..." Then he said nothing more, paying Kong Youyun no further attention. There was no need to waste words on contrarians. He was speaking to people from the Sword Sect. If practicing the sword wasn't for killing, was it for dancing? What was there to argue about? His teacher had said that when dealing with such people, humor them with a few pleasantries; if that didn't work, hack them to death! Of course, Li Hao wasn't that type of person. However, he could tell this disciple of Golden Spear possessed her own understanding of the martial path. Li Hao didn't expect everyone to agree with his philosophy; that was impossible. The martial path took countless bizarre forms, and everyone held their own ideas. Kong Youyun was strong and her force was solid, so it was only natural she had her own unique insights. But Li Hao wasn't about to adopt an outsider's view either. Kong Youyun was still waiting for Li Hao's brilliant reply, only to hear him say, "Junior Sister Hong, don't just stand here. I already spoke with Second Brother Mu. Your group of thirty will be split between two buildings. I arranged quarters in advance, right over there..." Pointing into the distance, he walked ahead. "Follow me. I also have a few matters to instruct everyone on." With that, he walked off. Once he led the group away, Kong Youyun frowned slightly and looked at Mu Lin. "Did I say something wrong?" She didn't think she had offended Li Hao, merely offering her own perspective, yet Li Hao had acted quite impolitely. Mu Lin smiled and pondered before replying, "You weren't wrong, but everyone has their own understanding. He told the Sword Sect that slaughter was the core, which isn't wrong either. When you stepped in to say slaughter wasn't everything... it's natural he ignored you." Kong Youyun was left speechless. Mu Lin added, "Never try to change someone's mind. Martial masters have their own convictions. Li Hao was able to rise to where he is so quickly; some might attribute it to luck, but could luck... truly forge a sword cultivator who has grasped multiple forces? Your family background is exceptional, your father is powerful, and your master is formidable... but do you believe you reached today solely because of your family background?" Kong Youyun thought it over and remained silent. Mu Lin added, "This kid certainly moves fast. In the blink of an eye, he brought in thirty people. If he transfers some from the Martial Guard Army later, his squad will practically be complete." Li Hao had the authority to transfer thirty-seven men. Adding today's thirty, he would soon assemble sixty to seventy martial masters. His speed was truly extraordinary. …… Now that no outsiders were present, Li Hao felt far less constrained. Walking alongside them, he smiled. "Yesterday, when I asked Martial Uncle Hong for you to join my squad... it wasn't so you could enjoy an easy life! I have a few goals, and I'll lay them out for everyone." "First, kill people!" "Second, grow stronger!" "Third, strike it rich!" The first two made sense, but Hong Qing couldn't understand the last. "Li Hao..." "Address me as Centurion!" "..." Fine. Hong Qing corrected herself. "Centurion, what do you mean by striking it rich?" "Literally that!" Li Hao laughed. "Blood God Seeds, mysterious energy, divine energy stones, Origin God Armaments... would you complain about having too many? Ancient dao-comprehension weapons that help you grasp force—do you want them? Would anyone say no? You have to get rich to grow stronger; without money, you'll be eating dirt. And you must grow stronger to kill people..." Beside Hong Qing, a man in his thirties spoke up. "Centurion, when you say kill people, whom are we killing?" "Those who deserve to die! Rest assured, not ordinary folk, and not good people!" The man nodded and asked no further. Li Hao asked, "What is your name?" "Hong Hao." "Same character as mine?" Hong Hao shook his head. "The 'Hao' as in vast and boundless!" "Your relationship with Martial Uncle Hong...?" "I am Master's third disciple, but I grew up at Master's side since childhood." Third disciple... That meant there were two others. Li Hao knew one had now become Hong Yitang's wife. Did that mean the second disciple hadn't come? The man before him seemed the oldest of the group. "Did Martial Uncle Hong's second disciple not come?" Li Hao asked frankly, dispensing with pleasantries. Hong Hao remained silent, but Hong Qing explained, "Second Senior Brother isn't in Silver Moon. He is exceptionally talented and reached Hundred-Breaker culmination years ago. Frustrated by his inability to break through to Thousand-Battler, he left Silver Moon several years back and headed for the Central Region." Li Hao nodded slightly. He smiled. "The Central Region has plenty of opportunities, but Silver Moon isn't lacking either! Here, as long as you follow me and are willing to strive alongside me, you will all become powerhouses sooner or later!" The group said nothing. Becoming a powerhouse... was never that simple. Soon, they arrived at their destination. Li Hao pointed to the buildings. "Settle yourselves in. I have matters to attend to these next two days, so take the time to familiarize yourselves with the surroundings. Also, someone will arrive in a couple of days; Hong Qing, help me receive them. Silver Spear's son, Liu Long, is my former captain and now a Thousand-Battler martial master. There are also several of my former colleagues from Silver City, all Hundred-Breaker martial masters..." He gave a brief overview. Once those people arrived, his hundred-man squad's strength would surge. Still, there was a shortfall. Even with transfers from the Martial Guard Army, it wouldn't be enough. At this moment, Li Hao thought of several candidates. Yet he wasn't entirely comfortable with them. For example, over with Hu Dingfang, his senior sister was there; had she been teaching martial arts all these years? Hu Dingfang had originally been a martial master too; did he have disciples? However... Li Hao didn't particularly want to seek them out. There was also He Yong, who felt fairly decent, but he belonged to the imperial family. Otherwise, bringing Southern Fist disciples into the fold would have been a fine choice as well. "Southern Fist, Earth-Overturning Sword..." Next, someone else suddenly came to mind: Wang Henggang, a powerhouse of the Iron Cloth Armor path from the Inspectorate. His background was completely clean, and he was from Silver City—a genuine fellow townsman. Did he have disciples or followers? As for having outsiders infiltrate his unit, Li Hao didn't care in the slightest. He wasn't planning on staging a rebellion with these hundred men; even if he wanted to rebel, a hundred men wouldn't be nearly enough! With these thoughts in mind, he wasn't in a hurry to recruit more people. Right now, he was pondering the swift sword. He had to seize the coming days. Once his swift sword was achieved and he thoroughly mastered the Metal Sword momentum, he intended to lead his people on a major operation: capturing Purple Moon! As for Red Moon sending Rising Light experts, that was none of his business. Someone would naturally handle Rising Light; several major organizations were already moving against Red Moon. Li Hao was exceedingly daring. If he wasn't going to strike, so be it, but the moment he did, his sights were set on Purple Moon... With his special eyes, even if he had to sweep the area inch by inch, he would drag her out! …… Following the Sword Sect's arrival, Li Hao merely entertained them briefly before resuming his cultivation. In the artificial forest, the figures of Li Hao and the Fire Phoenix Spear reappeared. …… Meanwhile, Silver Moon was far from peaceful these past few days. Though the Three Great Organizations had abandoned their plan to target Hou Xiaochen, the joint purge by the four major authorities against the Three Great Organizations had begun. Hao Lianchuan, desperate to acquire large quantities of Blood God Seeds, threw himself into the effort, scouring everywhere for Red Moon's tracks and leading teams to hunt them down. Neither Purple Moon nor Lanyue dared to show their faces rashly. Red Moon's troubles didn't end there. A faction of daring martial masters in the Silver Moon martial arts world was actively targeting them. Not only that, several mysterious figures were also eliminating Red Moon powerhouses. All of that was one thing, but some extraordinarily formidable existences were striking from the shadows. Several Three Suns powerhouses transferred from neighboring provinces had vanished without a trace within days, before they could even display their might! …… In an estate. Lanyue shattered a table with a single palm strike, his face pale with fury. Over these past few days, their losses had been catastrophic. Not only had numerous strongholds been eradicated, but he had only met the Three Suns experts transferred from neighboring provinces once, before even assigning them missions, only for them to vanish into thin air, impossible to locate! As for their fate, did anyone even need to ask? They had undoubtedly been wiped out. The critical issue was that several Three Suns experts had disappeared so mysteriously in Silver Moon; they certainly hadn't run off on their own, but were almost certainly slain by terrifying existences. Three Suns were supreme figures in some provinces even now. Yet upon arriving in Silver Moon, they had vanished without raising a single ripple, leaving Lanyue deeply unnerved. A province rarely mentioned in the Central Region, which older generations only recalled when reminiscing about the glory days of martial arts, now felt even more terrifying than the Central Region itself! *There is still time before the ruin opens. We cannot go on like this... We must mobilize more powerhouses, or Red Moon will completely lose its voice in Silver Moon!* Gritting his teeth, he thought that if worse came to worst... across the nineteen northern provinces, with Silver Moon as the core, they would assemble in Silver Moon! As one of the Seven Moons, when he came to Silver Moon this time, Ying Hongyue had summoned him and instructed that, if necessary, he could call upon Red Moon branches across the nineteen northern provinces for aid. Silver Moon was far from simple! According to Ying Hongyue, too many secrets lay buried in this land! Even if they had to abandon the other northern provinces, they had to secure a foothold here. If they couldn't establish themselves now... it would be even harder in the future. Still, this was a difficult decision to make. Lanyue frowned. If they abandoned their interests in other provinces to converge on Silver Moon and still suffered a devastating blow, the loss would be too staggering for even him to bear. Yet if this continued, they would truly be driven out by the people of Silver Moon. With a heavy sigh, Lanyue made his decision: assemble in Silver Moon! Even if only for the Battle Heaven City ruin, this place could not be abandoned. The other eighteen provinces held plenty of powerhouses and numerous Three Suns. As for Rising Light, an Elder Council powerhouse was stationed in the Three Northern Provinces; he needed to stabilize the situation in Silver Moon as quickly as possible. …… On this day, across the various northern provinces, a large number of Red Moon powerhouses rapidly converged on Silver Moon. Even from the chaotic Three Northern Provinces, Red Moon powerhouses rushed over... In their view, Silver Moon was actually safer. After all, nearly a hundred Red Moon supernaturals had died in the Three Northern Provinces recently. Without exception, every single one had been beaten to death by the Five Animals Art; it could be none other than Yuan Shuo! And news that Yuan Shuo, that murderous fiend, was currently in the Three Northern Provinces spread like wildfire.