A Victorious First Battle

On the edge of the Tianmu Forest, night fell. Li Hao stood motionless as a stone sculpture. Behind him, faint breaths and ragged gasps came from the armored warriors. They were exhausted. Weighed down by armor, they had run all day over mountain paths. This was a true forced march, undertaken without food or water. None of them understood what Li Hao was doing. Hunting for enemies? Searching for members of the Three Great Organizations? Was this really how someone conducted a search? If they kept marching, they would soon reach Cross-Cut Gorge. If that was the goal, wouldn't taking trucks have been far easier? The Hundred-Breakers managed well enough, but some Ten-Slayer realm martial masters in the ranks could barely hold on. They were utterly spent. Their faces were hidden behind black helmets, revealing little, yet resentment was clearly brewing within the ranks. Li Hao’s actions baffled and frustrated them, especially since he hadn't offered a word of explanation. Just then, Li Hao spoke: "Rest in place for half an hour. Eat, drink, and relieve yourselves quickly if you need to. Stay with the group—right here. In half an hour, we move out!" Unable to hold back any longer, someone spoke up in a low voice: "Sir, may I ask—what is our destination?" "Just follow along!" Li Hao gave no definite answer. In truth, he didn't know the exact destination either. Wherever members of the Three Great Organizations were, that was his destination. Not far away, Liu Long pulled dry rations and water from a storage ring and distributed them among the group. Aside from Li Hao, Liu Long was the only person here with a storage ring; Li Hao had given it to him. After killing Yu Xiao and Huang Jie, Li Hao had obtained two rings. He had given one to Liu Long, putting him in charge of collecting spoils. A moment later, Liu Long walked over. Li Hao and Liu Long were the only two in the entire company who wore no armor. Looking at Li Hao with a solemn expression, Liu Long knew that Li Hao was trying to evade prying eyes. Still... going on like this meant they had slipped off the radar of both the Martial Guard Army and the Night Patrollers. The Martial Guard Army possessed specialized tracking devices, but the moment Li Hao had stepped off the truck, he had simply tossed his into the cab. As a result, they were now an isolated unit cut off from all communications. None of the others had been equipped with trackers yet, as they had joined the Martial Guard Army too recently. "Do you have a target?" Liu Long asked quietly. Li Hao produced a map and pointed to a marked spot. "This is some preparatory groundwork Chief Hao did for the Night Patrollers. He pinpointed several areas that could potentially be bases for the Three Great Organizations. However, with Red Moon invading in force, he abandoned the search, leaving this opportunity to me." Could this really be called an opportunity? Li Hao continued, "This is the closest suspected Red Moon stronghold to Cross-Cut Gorge. I already had Wang Ming head over first. He might be able to draw a few people out." With that, Li Hao took a bite of a piece of hard flatbread and whispered, "We'll creep up on it tonight. It's still early. If we rush over and things go smoothly, they might have taken the bait with Wang Ming... Then we can follow the vine to the melon and wipe out the stronghold!" Liu Long glanced at the map and said in a heavy voice, "It's still nearly a hundred li away. Can the others hold out?" "I did this on purpose. Ten-Slayers don't have much inner force to begin with. I want to drain them completely!" Li Hao lowered his voice. "Only when they're fully drained can new strength renew the old. If we can seize some red shadows or mysterious energy right now, absorbing them will produce the greatest effect!" The logic was sound, but Liu Long worried this would only breed more complaints in the ranks. After a moment's thought, however, he decided to let it be. Half an hour later, Li Hao barked softly, "Fall in! If anyone falls behind, I'll knock you out and leave you here. If a wild beast or a supernatural martial master wanders by in the dark and kills you... don't blame me!" At these words, several Ten-Slayer martial masters nearly cursed out loud. Was this guy even human? Still, when forced to bow beneath another's roof, they had no choice. No matter how deep their grievances, they could only follow silently. A few Hundred-Breaker martial masters lent a helping hand, supporting them whenever the terrain grew particularly rough. Martial masters were not fragile, but once their inner force was utterly depleted, they were not that different from ordinary folk. *** More than fifty li from Cross-Cut Gorge, a large lake lay encircled by lush green trees. It was a scenic and beautiful place, but because it sat far from any city, few people ever visited. Under normal circumstances, it grew deathly silent here at night. Tonight, however, two men and three women had pitched tents, lit a bonfire, and were enjoying a picnic. The tents were set right by the lake. The five laughed and chatted as they ate skewers of barbecue, creating a lively atmosphere. The rich scent of roasted meat and the aroma of wine made mouths water. Their laughter was loud, yet anyone standing close enough to look into their eyes could see their tension. Of the two men, one was Wang Ming, and the other was Zhou Qin, the young man who had once captured a tiger. Right now, Zhou Qin was chewing on barbecue with a grin on his face, but his eyes were filled with nerves. Several strange incidents had taken place in this area, and people often went missing here. It was by no means a safe spot. Even so... these were precisely the kinds of places they had come to seek out. A tense, thrilling thrill was exactly what they were chasing. After taking a few bites, Zhou Qin lowered his voice. "Old Wang..." Wang Ming laughed boisterously. Hearing Zhou Qin speak, he shook his head and guffawed, "What a gorgeous place! Staying cooped up in White Moon City gets so damn suffocating!" The three young women chimed in right away. Tension lingered in their eyes, yet beneath it surged the reckless excitement of letting loose. Thrill-seekers that they were, they understood why they had come out here tonight, and right now, they practically hoped someone was watching them from the shadows. *** In fact, someone was indeed watching them. Five wealthy scions, every one of them a supernatural. There was no sign of a storage ring, but every single one wore several energy-storage rings. The flamboyant Wang Ming wore a full five rings on his two hands. Energy-storage rings were valuable on their own. More importantly, however, they usually held vast reserves of mysterious energy—often as much as a thousand cubic units each. These rich young masters might not have that much inside. Yet even if each ring held merely a hundred cubic units, Wang Ming alone was carrying five rings—five hundred cubic units of mysterious energy. To any supernatural beneath the top ranks, that was an irresistible temptation. What was more, Wang Ming was not alone. There were five of them! The others, including Zhou Qin, were wearing rings as well. Roughly five hundred meters away, underground, two figures materialized. One emanated earth-element energy, carving out a hollow in the soil, while the other's ears twitched continuously, stretching significantly in size. A moment later, the supernatural with elongated ears whispered, "They're chatting about trivial matters, but someone mentioned their backgrounds... One guy named Wang seems to be an early Solar Luminary, and his status isn't low. His family has some clout in the White Dragon Army." "The White Dragon Army?" The earth-element supernatural paused in thought, then lowered his voice. "The White Dragon Army's deputy commander is named Wang. I think I know who this is—Wang Ming of the Wang clan, the so-called peerless genius! A supernatural from the Night Patrollers..." "The Night Patrollers?" The long-eared supernatural frowned slightly. The earth supernatural whispered, "It doesn't matter. What about the Night Patrollers? It looks like they're just out having fun. Let's head back and report first. We just need to be careful." The two quickly moved out, burrowing deeper underground. After traveling through the earth for a while, they entered an excavated underground chamber that had been reinforced with earth-element abilities, spanning nearly an acre in size. Figures were moving about inside; quite a crowd had gathered here. It sat just a few thousand meters from Wang Ming's lakeside camp. Deep in the wild, tens of meters beneath the earth, it was virtually impossible to detect under normal conditions. As the two returned, a masked supernatural wearing a Ghost Face mask spoke up: "Long Ears is back. Well? What's the situation?" "Five second-generation brats, all scions of White Moon City officials..." The scouts quickly explained what they had seen. A moment later, a burly man strode over from the distance without a mask. Frowning slightly, he asked, "Night Patrollers... Could they be bait?" The earth-element scout replied, "I didn't spot anyone tailing them. Besides, if it's bait... all five are children of high officials, and one is a Night Patroller genius. Losing them would cause no end of trouble. Would they really use people like that as bait?" Another person laughed. "Even if they are bait, Hao Lianchuan isn't here, and Hou Xiaochen won't leave the city... We can still swallow them whole!" "The enemy has one Solar Luminary and four Lunar Nethers. Not weak, but hardly a threat." "We still need to think this through. We can't act rashly. It's too close to our base. If they vanish, strong experts will easily be drawn here to investigate..." The crowd chimed in with conflicting opinions; some wanted to devour the prey, while others urged caution. This was indeed a Red Moon stronghold. In the past, it had housed only a dozen people, but with the recent influx of Red Moon experts, forty to fifty supernaturals were now gathered here. Because of that, things were chaotic. With so many people arriving from three different provinces, no single group held undisputed command over the others. As a result, differing voices and suggestions abounded. Sitting not far from Cross-Cut Gorge, their primary mission was simple: kill any lone supernaturals that did not belong to Red Moon. If a target was too powerful, they were instructed not to engage, but to record the details instead. The base had several supernaturals exceptionally skilled in reconnaissance. Long Ears, for instance, was only a full Lunar Nether, but his ears could pick up sounds within a radius of a thousand meters—a tremendously useful ability. Besides him, there were supernaturals skilled in long-range vision, though the darkness made observation inconvenient, so they hadn't gone out just now. Still, the stronghold boasted formidable strength. The burly man was a peak Solar Luminary and served as the temporary commander here. Annoyed by the clamor, he frowned and said, "Enough! Quiet down, all of you! The Night Patrollers are nothing special. Whether to kill them or not—as long as it isn't a trap, dead is dead! Those bastards have killed plenty of our people lately. Since when has Red Moon ever feared the Night Patrollers?" "Ever since Hou Xiaochen killed Elder Red Hair, the Silver Moon government has been locked in a fight to the death with us!" After a pause, he added, "Keep watching them. Just make sure it isn't bait set by the Night Patrollers. Also, have our people in White Moon City check if their top experts are making any moves." "Understood!" The crowd fell silent. Buried underground day in and day out with so many people, unable to cultivate properly, everyone felt stifled. At the thought of those three fair-skinned women outside, and Wang Ming carrying vast amounts of mysterious energy, grins spread across their faces. At last, they wouldn't have to sit around with nothing to do. *** Ragged gasps and heavy breathing rippled through the ranks once more. In the darkness, the company was near collapse from exhaustion. Some were leaning on their longswords to walk, no longer caring about preserving the precious weapons. Up ahead, Li Hao came to a halt. Glancing back at Liu Long, he sent a voice transmission: "Wang Ming seems to be right around here. I'll go check first. If we can lure a few out... we'll rest a moment and strike!" Liu Long felt exasperated by Li Hao's relentless pace. They had been running the entire day! Li Hao didn't wait. He vanished instantly from where he stood. A moment later, he spotted five clusters of light. Wang Ming's was sizable, while the other four were considerably weaker. *That guy really has no fear of death, bringing four Lunar Nethers along!* Li Hao thought, shaking his head. He crept closer with utmost stealth. Having absorbed a significant amount of wind energy and possessing solid mastery of the Deer Prance technique, he crossed several hundred meters through the dark with a few bounds, landing silently atop a tall tree. Looking toward the firelight ahead, he saw Wang Ming, Zhou Qin, and three young women. Li Hao didn't linger on them. Eating barbecue in the dead of night was bound to draw attention from anyone watching. He scanned the surroundings, not even ignoring the ground below. His eyes shone remarkably bright in the darkness. Soon, Li Hao's gaze flickered. With a flicker of movement, he vanished and reappeared atop another tall tree. Now, a cluster of light appeared in his field of view. It wasn't particularly large—roughly at the full Lunar Nether level. This light was not underground, but inside a tree trunk. Wood-element! A wood-element supernatural was concealed inside a large tree nearby, keeping watch over the group. Li Hao scanned the area further, looking for red shadows. Red Moon agents loved deploying red shadows to observe targets because they were formless and incorporeal, often proving far more effective than supernaturals. Sure enough, after a sweep, he caught sight of a small red shadow floating some distance away from the light cluster, facing directly toward the wood-element supernatural. Were they keeping the red shadow at a distance to avoid detection? *It really is a Red Moon supernatural...* Perched on the branch, a faint smile touched Li Hao's lips. His trek hadn't been in vain. A Lunar Nether supernatural obviously wouldn't dare strike at Wang Ming's group alone. That meant a Red Moon stronghold had to be nearby. However, Li Hao hadn't spotted it during his initial look around. He waited patiently. After a short while, movement stirred underground. Li Hao's ears twitched, and when he focused his gaze, another light cluster emerged. Earth-element! Soon, the earth-element supernatural burrowed to the vicinity of the wood-element user and poked his head out. The two leaned close and seemed to speak, though Li Hao couldn't make out the words. He didn't care. Ignoring the scout in the tree, he locked onto the retreating earth-element supernatural and shadowed him. The earth user traveled roughly a thousand meters underground before suddenly vanishing. Li Hao was taken aback. The light cluster was gone? He frowned slightly. The disappearance of the light meant the man had delved deep beneath the surface. Earth-element experts usually avoided going too deep, as greater depths exerted immense pressure on them. *The stronghold is underground?* Surprised at first, Li Hao quickly understood. With more supernaturals emerging and developing their powers, constructing an underground stronghold wasn't difficult, and it offered far better concealment. However, going too deep interfered with his vision. Li Hao touched down lightly. After a moment's thought, a ripple of earth momentum began seeping into the ground. As his Earth Sword momentum drilled into the earth, his spirit intent expanded, widening his field of perception. A moment later, as his spirit intent spread, he sensed several supernatural fluctuations. Up close, supernatural ripples were quite distinct. Li Hao felt them quietly, and soon formed a clear picture. *Four or five Solar Luminaries, over thirty Lunar Nethers... That's a sizable stronghold!* Next, Li Hao scanned the surroundings and faintly detected several red shadows. These Red Moon operatives hid their red shadows deep within choke points. If anyone discovered this place, the shadows would immediately alert them. This was why tracking down Red Moon agents was always so difficult. After observing a bit longer, Li Hao vanished. *** A short while later. Li Hao returned to where the Demon Hunt Corps waited. By now, several members were slumped on the ground in exhaustion. Still, having rested a bit, they felt considerably better. As Li Hao reappeared, those sitting down had no choice but to stand up again. "I found the enemy!" Li Hao said bluntly. "There's a Red Moon stronghold ahead with about forty people. Four or five Solar Luminaries, and the rest are mostly at the Lunar Nether level." A stir ran through the ranks. He had already found a stronghold? Just like that? They were not complete novices. They knew full well how thoroughly the Three Great Organizations concealed their bases. Li Hao had stepped away for just a short while, and he had already located one? Besides, if this was true, the enemy force was formidable. "It's only a few Solar Luminaries... You're wearing black armor, which their attacks can hardly pierce, and you have Hundred-Breakers to back you up. Breaking them won't be that hard!" Li Hao smiled. "Remember, these are Red Moon people—coveted treasures! They carry Blood God Seeds! To martial masters, those are the greatest treasures of all. Kill the people here, seize their Blood God Seeds... and many of our Ten-Slayers can become Hundred-Breakers tonight!" Greed and excitement flickered through the crowd. Hong Qing quickly asked, "Commander, will you be fighting too?" "No, you will fight. Deputy Commander Liu and I will watch the perimeter... If anyone tries to escape, we'll clean them up!" He had no intention of stepping into the fray. At these words, Hong Qing and the others grew worried. The enemy was far from weak. Moreover... they were not yet familiar with one another. Squads made entirely of Sword Gate or Inspectorate members were fine, but the mixed squads hadn't even grasped each other's capabilities, making coordination difficult. "Go!" Li Hao issued the command and described the enemy's location. Fighting underground was tricky for martial masters. Yet Li Hao knew that the moment these martial masters appeared on the enemy's doorstep, the supernaturals would be alerted and swarm out to attack, realizing their base had been compromised. *** Once the group departed, Liu Long frowned. "Are we really not going to step in? This is their first time coordinating; they might not be able to bring out the black armor's full potential..." "The enemy is a motley crew as well, thrown together from different provinces with no real teamwork... Formal military training takes too long. Synergy is best forged through battle..." Having said that, Li Hao added, "Go take out the wood-element supernatural near Wang Ming. I'll watch over the battlefield. Normal Solar Luminaries can't kill martial masters clad in black armor, but that peak Solar Luminary might. If someone dies right under my nose during our very first battle... it would ruin morale!" In the early stages, no one could die. Later on, once they grew accustomed to battle and their morale soared, they could accept casualties if they encountered a crisis. For now, what they needed was unbroken victory! Li Hao didn't know military science, but he understood one principle: through unbroken victory, even an insect would dare do battle with a dragon. *** Inside the underground facility. Amid the noisy clamor, a decision had already been reached to eliminate Wang Ming's group. Just as several chosen experts prepared to set off, the long-eared supernatural suddenly frowned. "Wait!" "What is it?" "It sounds like... footsteps on the surface... Wait, not just one... a lot of people..." The crowd paused, startled. A lot of people? Long Ears tilted his head, listening intently, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as his brow furrowed deeper. "The footsteps are heavy, like they're carrying heavy loads... Roughly... forty to fifty people." "That many? A merchant caravan?" Someone reached out with their senses but detected no ripples of mysterious energy. If they weren't supernaturals, then so many people had to be a caravan. As for martial masters... who had ever heard of forty to fifty martial masters moving together? In the vast expanse of Silver Moon, martial masters were a rare sight, and even if the Martial Guard Army's movements had leaked, not just anyone would know about them. "Ignore them. If it's a caravan... we can wipe them out in passing. A single flame will burn them to ash without leaving a trace!" "Exactly!" The crowd resumed their chatter, paying it little mind. A few supernaturals, however, frowned. "My shadow seems to have spotted something... This... doesn't look like a caravan. It looks like an army?" A few people's red shadows had observed the newcomers. The images sent back through the shadows made them frown. Armor? An armored army? That sounded like ancient times. The modern military didn't use that kind of equipment, though rumors said the imperial family still maintained a Black Armor Army that wore armor at all times. The Red Moon supernaturals were thoroughly perplexed. An armored army? If not for the crowd around them, they would have thought they had traveled back in time to the ancient era. Where on earth did an armored army come from these days? "It can't be the Black Armor Army, can it?" someone chuckled, speaking half in jest. The Black Armor Army guarded the imperial family in Heavenly Star City and didn't even participate in the battles of the Central Region, so how could they possibly show up in this godforsaken corner of Silver Moon? "Should we go take a look?" Someone offered the suggestion. Even as they spoke, the burly peak Solar Luminary frowned. The next instant, his expression changed drastically. *Boom!* A tremendous roar shook the earth. The sturdy underground chamber shuddered violently, as though an earthquake had struck. Panic seized many of the supernaturals; they were tens of meters beneath the surface. With boundless earth above them, a cave-in would doom everyone except the earth-element users. An earthquake? "Get to the surface!" With a low bark, the crowd scrambled upward. There was an exit tunnel leading to the surface; if it collapsed completely, everyone without earth-element abilities would be finished. A swarm of people raced along the passage, while several earth-element supernaturals burrowed directly through the soil at top speed. *** Meanwhile, above the underground facility. Li Hao stomped his foot down, sending tremors of Earth Sword momentum rippling through the ground multiple times before vanishing from the spot. Hiding underground and refusing to come out? Then have a taste of Earth Sword momentum. The moment he left, the Demon Hunt Corps arrived. Just as they reached the area, several heads suddenly poked out of the ground. Both sides were caught off guard, clashing in an instant. "Kill!" Liu Yan kept her wits about her. Having experienced countless such encounters, she didn't hesitate. With a sharp cry, her twin blades flashed, plunging straight toward a head poking out nearby! Hong Qing recovered her senses just as quickly, slashing out with her sword! The next instant, the other martial masters snapped back to reality. The encounter was sudden, but they had come specifically to hunt these people, making them far better prepared than the enemy. *Boom!* Sword qi erupted. With so many disciples from the Sword Gate, crisscrossing sword qi filled the air in an instant. The earth-element supernaturals in front managed to react in time, their faces pale with shock as they burrowed back down. Those emerging right behind them, however, had no time to respond. The moment their heads surfaced—*boom!* A barrage of techniques crashed down. Inner force exploded, ripping the earth apart. Two earth-element supernaturals were killed underground before they even had a chance to flee. The Demon Hunt Corps' assault was somewhat chaotic. Everyone converged on the same few targets, and in the confusion, their moves collided with one another. Seeing this, several squad leaders shouted frantically, "Spread out! Don't bunch up!" There were simply too many people. Crowded together in a melee, they jostled and shoved against one another, degenerating into a chaotic mess. While they were in disarray, Red Moon was equally disorganized. Suddenly, the ground gave way as a boulder shifted aside, and over a dozen supernaturals poured out. For an instant, both sides stared at each other before the Red Moon operatives roared, "Enemy attack! They're martial masters!" The Demon Hunt Corps reacted immediately: that was the entrance! "They're underground! Kill them!" *Boom!* In the blink of an eye, several martial masters charged forward. The supernaturals snapped to attention as well, some unleashing their powers while others deployed red shadows. In an instant, both sides were locked in a chaotic brawl. *** Li Hao stood on a distant tree, watching quietly. Before long, Liu Long returned, his battleaxe stained with fresh blood. He exhaled and said, "Taken care of!" Li Hao nodded. Liu Long looked down at the battlefield and frowned slightly. "Too chaotic! It's a complete mess. The squads are all mixed together, and some Hundred-Breakers have no concept of teamwork at all. Everyone is just fighting for themselves..." If he had been leading this team alone, he would have been beside himself with anxiety. With Li Hao here, however, he felt considerably more at ease. Still, the chaos unfolding before him was aggravating. Li Hao nodded. "That's why we skipped training and threw them straight into battle. After one fight, they'll understand where the problems lie." *Boom!* Below, the battle raged with growing intensity. As several Red Moon Solar Luminaries burst out from underground, the martial masters who had initially held the advantage were quickly driven back. The peak Solar Luminary was a metal-element expert. Throwing a punch with a deafening boom, he sent Wang Chao, who was charging at the forefront, flying backward. Even with his late Hundred-Breaker cultivation and black armor, the blow left Wang Chao dizzy and disoriented! Liu Yan roared, "Defensive fighters to the front! Squad leaders handle the Solar Luminaries! Don't lose your heads!" Hong Qing was equally anxious. Powerful though she was, she was wedged between her fellow sect members and couldn't break through. She could only shout, "Squad One, push left!" *** The Red Moon experts had initially feared they were facing the Black Armor Army. Once the fighting began, however, aside from a few supernaturals killed at the start, these black-armored martial masters appeared completely flustered—their coordination was even worse than their own! The burly leader's eyes shifted as an idea struck him. He yelled, "Kill them! That's black armor—these are Sword Gate people! What guts the Sword Gate has to ambush us! Watch out for Hong Yitang nearby! Kill them quickly! Black armor is extremely valuable—the higher-ups are buying it at one divine energy stone per suit!" Black armor, martial masters... His mind immediately leaped to the Sword Gate. In Battle Heaven City, black armor was no longer a secret, and the Sword Gate's martial masters had managed to acquire a few suits. Right now, the only thing they needed to watch for was the Sword Gate's two Three Suns experts lurking nearby. If they weren't here... these disorganized martial masters might have strong defense, but they would eventually become prey. At the mention of one divine energy stone per suit, the supernaturals' eyes turned red with greed. Soon, a supernatural shouted, "Coordinate! Everyone, work together! These martial masters are useless before the Thousand-Battler realm! Earth-element, set up pit traps! Follow Red Moon protocol—move!" With someone giving orders, the Red Moon group quickly pulled together. Earth-element experts shook the ground, rapidly opening pits across the terrain to confine the black-armored martial masters to a specific area. Whenever they tried to advance, the jagged holes easily tripped them up. "Fire-element, long-range bombardment! Wood-element, bind them! Flying types, take to the air and attack—hurry!" The Red Moon supernaturals adapted to the battle far faster than the Demon Hunt Corps. Having fought across various regions, they might not know one another, but they understood the division of labor. In the blink of an eye, fireballs rained down upon Liu Yan and the others! *Rumble!* Black-armored martial masters were blasted back by supernatural attacks. Wood-element energy surged as trees sprouted rapidly from the ground, wrapping around their limbs. The black armor was hard to breach, offering tremendous defense, but restraining them was well within the enemy's power. Several Solar Luminaries spearheaded the main assault. When the peak Solar Luminary metal-element expert threw a punch, even if it couldn't kill a Hundred-Breaker inside the black armor, it launched the warrior into the air. Flying-type supernaturals then drove them back down to the earth, where countless branches lashed out upon impact. If they dodged the branches, they risked tumbling into a massive pit and being buried under tons of soil. The martial masters, who had held the upper hand moments ago, were suddenly suppressed as the battle dragged on. The squad leaders struck out repeatedly. While formidable enough to inflict casualties, their efforts yielded disappointing results, and they were soon driven back. If not for the black armor, at least half of them would have fallen by now. The enemy, despite lacking black armor and being caught off guard, had lost only seven or eight supernaturals before quickly steadying their footing. *** Liu Long's brow was knit tight in a deep scowl. With a heavy sigh, he looked at Li Hao. This was the Demon Hunt Corps Li Hao had led out to hunt down experts. Honestly speaking, it was a mess. By now, seven or eight martial masters had been thoroughly captured, bound and buried in earth, unable to move. The black armor offered immense protection, but if shockwaves reverberated through it, the martial masters inside could still be shaken to death. It was by no means invincible! Li Hao watched silently, his thoughts drifting to the Battle Heaven Army. If fifty soldiers of the Battle Heaven Army were here, they might not possess greater individual strength than these martial masters, but with their coordination, half of these supernaturals would have been wiped out in a single exchange. A single charge would likely have finished them all. Of course, that had been an elite legion of an ancient civilization. These martial masters were merely disorganized stragglers. Originally, Li Hao had positioned himself to prevent enemies from fleeing. Now, however... the supernaturals weren't running at all. They wanted to annihilate the Demon Hunt Corps and claim the black armor. If not for the Solar Luminaries fearing that Hong Yitang was nearby and sending red shadows to scout the perimeter, the Hundred-Breaker squad leaders would have collapsed long ago under the shadows' assault. The black armor could resist some incursions from red shadows, but they still caused disruption. A red shadow was clinging to Liu Yan right now, seeping through the armor to invade her body and corrode her inner force. As more martial masters were captured and Hong Yitang failed to appear, the Solar Luminaries grew bolder. Roaring fiercely, they pressed their attacks with increasing savagery, forcing Liu Yan and the others into retreat. Their powerful defense could save their lives, but it couldn't grant them an effective counterattack. At this moment, the squad leaders and the other martial masters were filled with anxiety. They had assumed this would be an easy victory, only for reality to deal them a heavy blow. More and more martial masters were being captured and bound to the side, immobilized. Just then, Li Heng bellowed, "Regroup! Sword cultivators in one squad, defensive fighters in another, unarmed pugilists in another!" The formation was a mess, severely impeding everyone's performance. Following Li Heng's roar, Hong Qing immediately shouted, "Sword Gate disciples, strike with me! Don't break formation!" "Kill!" With these adjustments, the remaining martial masters abandoned their original squads and reorganized. Defensive fighters took the front while attackers struck from behind, with some using their inner force specifically to shatter the ground-based supernatural abilities, preventing the terrain from becoming their grave. This was the value of real combat. Only in life-and-death struggle could they adapt so rapidly; training could never produce such swift results. "Anyone skilled in movement techniques, follow me! Bring down the flying supernaturals!" Wu Chao roared, kicking off the ground and leaping into the air at blistering speed. Several agile martial masters leaped up beside him, lunging together at the airborne supernaturals! Supernaturals commanded both heaven and earth. Before reaching the Thousand-Battler realm, martial masters had far fewer tricks at their disposal. Yet the black armor leveled the playing field. As the martial masters steadied themselves, the battle gradually turned into an exchange of casualties on both sides. In the distance, Liu Long's knit brow gradually relaxed. Martial masters weren't fools after all. Confronted with crisis and having made several adjustments, even though they had lost roughly a third of their fighting strength to capture, the company had finally stabilized. Moving methodically, they began to push back against the supernaturals. Liu Long exhaled. Li Hao smiled as well; some of these martial masters were clearly sharp-witted. To be honest, he didn't know much about battlefield formations either, but the battle line they had naturally formed was proving effective against the supernatural onslaught. He watched closely, committing everyone's performance to memory. A glance at the time showed the battle had lasted about five minutes. It was creating a considerable commotion. Fortunately, this was the wilderness, but if the battle dragged on, the intense supernatural fluctuations would eventually draw powerful figures. Just as both sides were locked in fierce combat... The leading Solar Luminary's expression suddenly shifted. The next instant, to everyone's astonishment, a streak of sword light sliced through the air from afar. Like a tiger leaping from its cage, the sword swept across, instantly cleaving several powerful Solar Luminaries in two! Four Solar Luminaries were slain on the spot by a single strike! The supernatural ranks shattered in an instant. Hong Qing and the others were struck with profound awe. Sword momentum! Li Hao's sword momentum! "What are you staring at? Kill them! Wipe them out! Move!" With the Solar Luminaries cut down by his single strike, the surviving supernaturals lost all will to fight and fled in every direction. One shrieked in fury, "Hong Yitang, you dare ambush Red Moon... The Sword Gate will be destroyed for this—" Evidently, he had mistaken Li Hao for Hong Yitang! Li Hao didn't bother to explain. He drove his sword into the ground, and several earth-element supernaturals attempting to flee through the soil were instantly shredded by his sword momentum. Ahead, Hong Qing and the others unleashed their full strength. Sword qi swept across the field, cutting down the fleeing supernaturals where they ran. Midair, several flying supernaturals attempted to soar away, but before they could escape, a figure descended with an axe. Liu Long cleaved one supernatural in two, then swung his axe in a wide sweep, butchering several Lunar Nethers in the blink of an eye! Liu Yan and the others joined the slaughter, and within moments, the battlefield fell silent. Ragged gasps echoed continuously. Li Hao sliced through the bindings with a sweep of his sword, freeing more than a dozen trapped martial masters. Flushed with embarrassment, they scrambled to their feet, unable to utter a word. Their helmets concealed their expressions, but being taken prisoner in battle was hardly something to be proud of. Li Hao spoke in a calm voice: "Clear the battlefield. Gather the mysterious energy. Send a team below to sweep the stronghold... You have ten minutes, then we pull out!" No one spoke. Soon, however, people moved down into the underground base, while others finished off the wounded and began collecting mysterious energy. At this moment, the martial masters were deathly quiet. If not for the black armor, and if not for Li Hao's terrifying strength, they would likely have suffered total annihilation today. Meanwhile, Li Hao reached out and grabbed the corpse of the peak Solar Luminary. Activating an energy-storage ring, he harvested roughly three hundred cubic units of metal-element mysterious energy from the remains. Li Hao looked at Liu Long. "This goes to the bait... Record it in the log." "Understood!" Liu Long nodded, feeling neither envy nor objection. The decoys might not have engaged in combat, but their role carried immense danger; a single misstep could have gotten them wiped out completely. *** Not far away. Wang Ming and his companions stood with parched mouths and dry throats. Having heard the commotion earlier, they had rushed over and witnessed the entire battle. Watching scores of supernaturals slaughtered, four Solar Luminaries felled by a single strike... Aside from Wang Ming, the rest were trembling with terror! "Old Wang... your... your senior brother... is terrifyingly strong!" "Yeah, killing several Solar Luminaries with one sword strike... That's monstrous!" "And that other one... is that Liu Long? Thousand-Battlers really are fierce—he hacked several flying experts to death with that axe..." Excitement and awe overwhelmed them. They had never witnessed a battle on this scale: nearly a hundred martial masters and supernaturals clashing, ending with dozens of supernaturals slaughtered to the last. Such a sight was virtually unheard of in Silver Moon. Coming out here had truly been worth it. Witnessing this single battle was worth everything. Just as they were marveling, a figure flickered into view. Li Hao tossed an energy-storage ring to Wang Ming. "For you—three hundred cubic units of metal-element energy. Divide it among yourselves as your reward for this run! Keep it up. The more experts you draw out, the greater the harvest, and the more benefits you'll receive! Of course, the danger will increase as well... I won't always arrive this fast, nor can I guarantee I'll make it every time. Whether you want to back out is up to you!" With that, Li Hao vanished. Three hundred cubic units... To wealthy young scions, it wasn't an astronomical sum, yet they were thrilled. Even split evenly, the few dozen units each would receive were well within their families' means. Yet... this was something they had earned with their own hands! Zhou Qin said excitedly, "I... Old Wang... I actually earned mysterious energy on my own!" Though they hadn't fought, they had been on edge the entire time—nervous yet thrilled. Knowing so many powerful supernaturals were lurking nearby, they realized that had Li Hao arrived a step later, they would have been finished. Even so, none of them had any desire to leave now. They were consumed by excitement. Earning their own keep felt entirely different! Wang Ming scoffed, "You call this impressive? Let me tell you, I've killed a Three Suns expert before!" "What?" "It's true! My senior brother and I killed one together... Don't go spreading it around, of course. It happened when someone ambushed my senior brother in an alley... Yeah, that was the time—we teamed up and took down a Three Suns!" He still didn't dare bring up Zhang Ting, but the alley incident was no longer a secret. Wang Ming felt deeply gratified; he had finally gotten to brag about it! If the others hadn't witnessed Li Hao's strength with their own eyes, no one would have believed him. Wang Ming chuckled. "Generous, isn't he? Three hundred cubic units... How long would you have to work in the Night Patrollers to earn that much? Come on, let's head to the next spot. It might be dangerous, but as long as we keep our heads on straight, we can make a fortune and watch even bigger battles!" Filled with excitement, the group quickly withdrew. Off they went to the next location, ready to show off again. *** Meanwhile, looking at the regrouped Demon Hunt Corps, Li Hao broke into a smile. "Why the long faces? Didn't we win? Come on, let's find a place to rest for the night. Think among yourselves about whether you want to reorganize your squads. This was just a minor skirmish. If you're discouraged already, how are you going to achieve great things?" His words jolted their spirits! Li Hao hadn't blamed them at all. "Let's go. I'm a novice at this too, so we'll all find our rhythm together. Tonight's harvest was substantial... I hope by tomorrow, every single one of us will be a Hundred-Breaker!" Killing over forty supernaturals had yielded enormous spoils. Only now did a surge of triumphant excitement finally wash over the crowd. They had... killed this many Red Moon supernaturals! At this moment, their respect for Li Hao deepened profoundly. Li Hao was terrifyingly strong, enigmatic, and full of tricks, uncovering a hidden stronghold in the blink of an eye. As martial masters, they knew just how difficult it was to locate bases belonging to the Three Great Organizations. Liu Long watched quietly, a smile playing at the corners of his lips as he looked at Li Hao. This company was still unrefined. Yet through continued battle, these people would grow stronger and more cohesive, and Li Hao's authority would only solidify. Did the kid genuinely lack military experience, or was this a calculated strategy? What better way was there to forge a team together than this? A victorious first battle with a handsome harvest. And Liu Long knew this was only the beginning. Moving forward, if Red Moon failed to intercept or discover them quickly... their losses would only snowball.