Secrets

Within Cross-Cut Gorge. Li Hao strolled around alongside Liu Long. As martial masters, their aura was thoroughly restrained, making them virtually undetectable. As long as they did not deliberately approach high-level experts or radiate hostility, a martial master's stealth was unrivaled under the heavens. Even Li Hao himself had no way of spotting another hidden martial master. Soon, however, Li Hao picked up on several anomalies, his gaze turning grave. After quietly scaling back up the cliff face alongside Liu Long, Li Hao sent a voice transmission: "Boss, did you notice something off?" Liu Long nodded, his expression equally serious as he replied via transmission, "It seems... there are more martial masters around!" Indeed, quite a few more martial masters seemed to have appeared this time. Evidently, following the last expedition, certain secrets had leaked out. Whether among the Three Great Organizations or the other factions, more martial masters had joined the ranks. Their exact prowess was difficult to judge, but many had force visibly manifest around them, which indicated they were at least at the Hundred-Breaker culmination. Inside the ancient city, martial masters could fly, effortlessly traverse the second passage, and suppress their aura to avoid attacks from the black armors... Although there were no more black armors at present, perhaps even the golden armor would fail to detect them. Hence, every faction had brought martial masters along on this occasion. Some were well-known veteran martial masters, while others were formidable combatants secretly groomed by the major organizations. Naturally, superpowered experts still made up the bulk of the forces. The martial masters brought by the major organizations might not possess strength exceeding the Three Suns realm. Yet there were bound to be some Thousand-Battlers. As for beyond Thousand-Battler... if vast treasures like divine energy stones were ruthlessly lavished upon them, it might be possible to force an emergence, though it was hard to say for sure. Apart from these martial masters, several Rising Lights caught Li Hao completely off guard. He spotted an exceptionally young man behaving like an aristocratic young master, waited on hand and foot. In a godforsaken place like this, there were servant-like figures pouring tea, drawing bathwater, and even warming his bed... Well, Li Hao had overheard it, an old man arranging it all for the young master. As for that old man, Li Hao could not see through him; he was likely a martial master, and not a weak one at that. Yet that young man was actually a Rising Light. Judging by the brightness of his light orb, he was even slightly stronger than Banshan and the others. It was utterly baffling—among martial masters, Li Hao had never seen anyone indulge in such luxury. Supers truly lived the good life! It was not that martial masters refused comfort, but in an environment like this, a powerful martial master would never dream of bringing servants along unless they were thoroughly out of their mind from boredom. After completing a full circuit, Li Hao felt nothing but shock. Without even scouting the Three Great Organizations, he had spotted three Rising Lights and eleven Three Suns in this small area alone! Since when were Three Suns and Rising Lights everywhere? Weren't Rising Lights supposed to be rare, even in the Central Region? Li Hao frowned, but soon understood. Clearly, Battle Heaven City had drawn attention from all sides. That golden-armored warrior who had pulverized an Origin God Armament with a single punch had been targeted, as had that powerful Black Tortoise Origin God Armament. "The Wang family's big turtle?" Li Hao muttered inwardly. If the Wang family's big turtle was so sought after, it seemed no one was watching the Li family's sword anymore. Did everyone truly believe the sword was with the Night Patrollers? Or were they pretending not to know he had a sword, biding their time and deliberately staying silent for now? The Li family's sword and the Zhang family's saber—both weapons had been in Li Hao's possession... though he had handed the saber over to Yuan Shuo. He wondered if his teacher had discovered whether the Zhang family's saber possessed any other unique properties besides sheer destructive power. "Terrifying... So many powerhouses have arrived, yet I can't even match an early Rising Light." Li Hao sighed inwardly with helplessness. With the fusion of four forces, he might stand a chance against a Rising Light. Currently, however, he had only merged three forces. Even with the Blood Saber Technique and his immensely sturdy body and internal organs, he still lacked the confidence to say he could rival the Rising Light realm. His flesh and internal organs were vastly stronger than before, but that lay outside the system of enhancing his force. His force had not received substantial reinforcement, which meant his offensive power had not scaled up accordingly. His defensive resilience, however, had genuinely multiplied several times over. Casting those thoughts aside, he prepared to find Wang Ming to collect the intelligence dossiers, cross-reference them one by one, and add any figures who were missing from the records. That way, he could maximize his awareness of all the experts gathered here; even if he missed a few, it would not be many. *** Half an hour later. Outside the military encampment. Li Hao did not sneak around. Clad in black armor, he showed up openly outside the barracks, drawing plenty of curious glances. What was someone from the Martial Guard Army doing here? The Martial Guard Army was not quartered alongside them. "I'm looking for Wang Ming!" Concealed beneath his black armor, Li Hao spoke in a rough, brash voice. "Please pass word that a friend has come to see him." With that, Li Hao waited outside the encampment. Meanwhile, he swept his gaze across the light orbs within the barracks. Quite a few! There seemed to be several Rising Light cultivators as well. One was Hu Qingfeng, whom he recognized; another was even stronger than Hu Qingfeng, though he had no idea who it belonged to; and yet another light orb felt exceedingly powerful... Li Hao was slightly surprised. Three Rising Light experts? Since when were there so many Rising Lights stationed in the military camp? Besides, Hou Xiaochen and the others might be here too, but from a distance, Li Hao could not spot them; he could only perceive their blinding radiance up close. He was impersonating the Martial Guard Army... No, he genuinely was part of the Martial Guard Army. Concealing his identity, Li Hao waited outside the barracks for Wang Ming to come out. After a while, Wang Ming had yet to emerge, but someone Li Hao recognized walked out first. Li Hao looked away, pretending not to recognize him. Just as he was thinking this, the distant figure suddenly waved in his direction. "You, come here!" Seeing Li Hao look over without moving, the old man waved again. "Yes, you. Stop looking around, come over here!" Puzzled, but seeing that the man was indeed calling him, Li Hao had no choice but to walk over and greet him in a muffled voice, "Greetings, my lord!" "Do you know me?" "I do. Director Zhou of the General Administration Bureau!" The old man smiled and nodded. "Good that you recognize me. I need to head out and happen to need an escort. Splendid, you'll do. Those in the Martial Guard Army aren't weak." Li Hao was rendered completely speechless! You're... drafting me as your bodyguard? More importantly, you're from the General Administration Bureau, and I'm from the Martial Guard Army. We belong to entirely different systems, and the General Administration Bureau and the Night Patrollers don't even get along. Why... are you looking for me? Everyone around here belongs to the military. You could just pick anyone from the army. Could he have recognized me? Li Hao wondered, but thought it unlikely. As a martial master who had fully concealed his aura, under normal circumstances, no one should be able to see through his disguise. Among the high-ranking figures, Deputy Director Zhou was the only one whose depths could not be discerned; he could be an ordinary person, or he could be an expert. Even so, there was no way he could pierce through the black armor, the bronze mirror, and multiple layers of a martial master's stealth to identify him, right? "My lord, I'm waiting for someone..." "Whoever it is, let them wait a bit longer." Deputy Director Zhou chuckled. "It's you. I can't be bothered to look for anyone else. The Martial Guard Army gives peace of mind, especially someone in black armor. One glance tells me you're part of their core force. If anything happens to me, it'll be the Night Patrollers' dereliction of duty!" Li Hao was completely at a loss for words. With nothing left to say, he responded in a dull tone, "Understood! My lord, where are you heading?" It's the middle of the night; what the hell is an old codger like you running around for? Deputy Director Zhou had already strode out of the encampment, chuckling, "Just follow me." Li Hao was depressed to no end. Yet at this moment, he could hardly refuse, nor did he have any grounds to. As a member of the Martial Guard Army, he had no standing to turn down an escort mission from this man. Even though the Martial Guard Army did not belong to his command, he was nominally Silver Moon's second-in-command. Hou Xiaochen ranked behind him. Helpless, Li Hao could only leave Wang Ming waiting for now and followed the old man forward. The terrain of Cross-Cut Gorge was rugged and jagged. After walking for a while in the dark, perhaps due to poor vision in the dim light, Director Zhou nearly took a tumble. Li Hao quickly reached out to steady him, grumbling inwardly once more: If you're old, stay in the military camp and rest. What are you wandering about for in the middle of the night? At the same time, he wondered whether this man had sought him out deliberately, or if it truly was pure coincidence. When it came to these high-ranking figures of Silver Moon, he dared not underestimate any of them. Every single one was terrifying. Even this unremarkable old man could not be taken lightly. Take Hong Yitang, for instance. Previously, Li Hao had seen him as a Three Suns cultivator, possessing a Three Suns light orb. Yet last time, he could not see any light orb at all; not only was there no orb, there was nothing supernatural whatsoever—he was purely a martial master. Sometimes, one's eyes could deceive. Steadying Deputy Director Zhou, Li Hao wondered: Walking around late at night and grabbing an unfamiliar martial guard as an escort—is he truly not afraid of running into trouble? "Getting old... In the past, walking night roads, I could cover a hundred li in a single night and polish off five huge bowls of food in one sitting. In the blink of an eye, I've grown old..." Deputy Director Zhou sighed with sentimental nostalgia. "It's still better to be young like you." Li Hao replied dully, "Director, you jest. I'm not young either; I'm nearly seventy." "Now you're joking." Deputy Director Zhou chuckled as he continued forward, speaking as he walked, "Young man, I can tell from your voice that you're not old at all. Are you playing tricks on an old man like me?" Li Hao remained silent. Deputy Director Zhou continued, "Don't think that escorting me is a bad thing. It's not a misfortune; it's a blessing. It was a stroke of fortune tonight, and luck has come your way." Li Hao felt suspicious and grew somewhat wary. Could he be luring me somewhere deserted, only to suddenly erupt like Hong Yitang and finish me off? In any case, he felt that his coincidental arrival to find Wang Ming and this man's sudden appearance in the dead of night smelled fishy. At this moment, Li Hao's vigilance rose to its absolute peak. Meanwhile, Deputy Director Zhou chuckled as he walked. "Young man, a kind heart brings good returns, but next time, don't keep bad company." Li Hao froze. What did that mean? Ahead of him, Deputy Director Zhou kept walking. "Fortunately, it was I who walked out. Had it been a step later, and Huang Yu or someone else had emerged... you would have been in deep trouble." Li Hao grew even more guarded, stopping in his tracks and hesitating to proceed. Deputy Director Zhou turned around, smiling as he beckoned. "Keep up! A man as bold as you, turning timid now?" At this point, Li Hao was certain the man had recognized him. He caught up, but said nothing. Deputy Director Zhou said as he walked, "You, don't associate with people like Wang Ming. He's too foolish, and he'll drag you down. In the dead of night, he ran around poking his nose into everything, snooping for intelligence from every faction, and even dashed into the Confidential Records Office to inspect classified archives... If his grandfather weren't around, someone would have dragged him off to prison long ago! "Everyone was curious about who this fellow was gathering intelligence for, or whether he was selling secrets to make a quick buck... And then you came looking for him. If I hadn't stepped outside and Huang Yu had emerged instead, he would have run you through with a spear right then and there." At this moment, Li Hao was entirely speechless. Old Wang... you... you absolute idiot! I asked you to gather intelligence, and you barged straight into the Confidential Records Office to look through files? Aren't you blatantly advertising that you're digging into secrets? Are you an idiot? Of course, Li Hao knew that Old Wang had had no other choice. He had been grounded and didn't know a single scrap of confidential information. Left with no alternative, wanting both to earn money and to satisfy Li Hao's request to clarify the situation, Wang Ming probably figured that with his grandfather present and the intelligence not being core state secrets, it wouldn't be a big deal even if he were caught. He hadn't anticipated that Li Hao would come looking for him openly... walking straight into the trap. Certain high-ranking figures in the camp had actually been watching, wanting to see who Wang Ming was looking up information for. The most likely candidate was Li Hao, but Li Hao had not returned to base until now. The moment word arrived that someone was looking for Wang Ming, Li Hao had been called away by this old man. Li Hao remained silent. Reflecting on it, he felt the old man was exaggerating. No matter what, Commander Yu wouldn't spear him to death without asking a single question. Once he realized it was Li Hao, he wouldn't make a move against him. He was simply fabricating a favor! Li Hao's willingness to appear openly meant he wasn't overly terrified of exposing his identity; he just hadn't expected to be exposed so quickly. That fool Old Wang had completely botched it. "Director, you must be joking!" Li Hao replied in a muffled voice, "I was merely entrusted by someone to see Wang Ming. I haven't done anything wrong, and I belong to the Martial Guard Army. Why would Commander Yu kill me indiscriminately? Even if he wished to kill me, he would consult Director Hou first... So, Director, please don't try to scare me." Old man, who are you trying to intimidate? Trying to frighten me in the middle of the night while pretending to do me a favor—from the sound of it, you clearly need something from me. Deputy Director Zhou let out a laugh. He continued walking, heading toward an area illuminated by lanterns, speaking as he went: "Stepping out tonight was indeed for business; calling you along was just convenient. Do you know what lies ahead?" "Cross-Cut Gorge." Nonsense! Director Zhou was rendered speechless; this young man was even better at spouting pointless remarks than he was. "I mean, do you know which faction's camp that is?" "I don't." Li Hao looked ahead and spotted a massive light orb. A Rising Light expert was present! Anyone at the Rising Light realm was definitely not a nobody. However, he genuinely did not know which faction these people belonged to. "It's worth your while to meet them." The old man continued, "These are military personnel, though they haven't disclosed their identity. Do you know what the military's superpowered organization is called?" "I do—the Heavenly Star Army!" Li Hao knew about this; Wang Ming had mentioned it to him before. The Inspectorate was the first to establish a superpowered branch: the Night Patrollers. Following that came the Supervisory Office under the Department of Administration, the Heavenly Star Army under the Bureau of Military Law, the Merchant Protection Security Committee under the Department of Commerce... Because the Night Patrollers had grown too large and unwieldy, the Nine Departments stopped funneling supers to them and instead founded their own superpowered branches. Initially, they had had no choice, needing the Night Patrollers to quickly secure their footing. Once they established firm control over the central dynasty, backed by formidable strength, each department swiftly bolstered its own superpowered institutions. "Indeed, the Heavenly Star Army." The old man led Li Hao forward. "These are Heavenly Star Army operatives from the Central Region. Their objective is also Battle Heaven City. However, the Heavenly Star Army has not publicly revealed their identity yet, though they registered with the General Administration Bureau. The idea is to operate with one group in the light and another in the shadows, making matters easier to handle. "The Heavenly Star Army sent ten people this time: one Rising Light leading nine Three Suns. Their strength is exceptionally formidable, and as military personnel, they have a strong sense of coordination. They aren't ordinary Three Suns or Rising Lights." Li Hao listened silently, wondering inwardly: What does that have to do with me? The old man added, "The situation is exceedingly complex. I brought you out to meet the Heavenly Star Army primarily because I hope you won't get involved. As a descendant of the Eight Great Families, don't let others use you as a pawn." Sure enough! Li Hao was completely certain now: this man had indeed recognized him! "This time, the Heavenly Star Army's leader is an early Rising Light expert who only broke through late last month. Ordinarily, having advanced so recently, his realm would be unstable, and he should have stayed behind rather than participate in this affair. Everyone knows that inside Battle Heaven City, an unstable foundation can easily invite disaster. Yet they sent an early Rising Light anyway. Don't you think there's something suspicious about that?" Li Hao thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps. Maybe his identity is special, or someone deliberately wants to get him killed." "Perhaps both." Director Zhou smiled. "His name is Yuan Xingwu." "Oh." Li Hao nodded indifferently, but an instant later, his brow furrowed slightly. Yuan Xingwu? Yuan... Teacher? Related to Teacher? Still, there were plenty of people sharing the same surname under the heavens. He quickly stopped dwelling on it, unable to fathom the old man's intentions. Moreover, he believed that since the man had brought him here, he would explain everything in full. Sure enough, seeing that Li Hao gave little reaction, the old man spoke again. "Yuan Xingwu is Yuan Shuo's eldest disciple! In his early years, Yuan Shuo never took disciples; he remained entirely on his own until the rise of superpowered forces forced him to retreat into Silver City, where he stayed for a full fifteen years... Fifteen years ago, he accepted his first disciple, and that was Yuan Xingwu! Shortly after, he accepted a second disciple, and finally a third: Chen Yuhua. Back then, he declared she would be his final disciple, saying that three was the limit, and three was enough. "Only after all three disciples ran into trouble did he stop taking anyone under his wing. It wasn't until three years ago, when he was gravely injured—ambushed by a bronze-armored figure, which damaged his heart and ruined his hopes of advancement—that he took in his final disciple. He hoped to pass down the ancient texts he had destroyed back then, and all parties were glad to see it, lest the vast knowledge in his head be carried into the grave." Yuan Xingwu! Li Hao's brow knit together. The eldest disciple. He had apprenticed under Yuan Shuo fifteen years ago, and was now a Rising Light expert of the Heavenly Star Army. That wasn't the crucial point! No, not at all. The crucial point was that Yuan Xingwu had returned to Silver Moon leading a team, representing the military's superpowered arm, the Heavenly Star Army. If his identity was exposed at a time like this, it signified an immense amount. Yuan Shuo's eldest disciple had returned! Everyone knew Hou Xiaochen had sheltered Yuan Shuo for years; everyone knew Yuan Shuo had stepped into Spirit Nourishing; and everyone knew that his disciple, who had slain six Three Suns experts a few days ago, had entered Spirit Nourishing as well. Everyone knew Li Hao was a descendant of the Eight Great Families. Everyone knew that Battle Heaven City might very well be the ancestral grounds of the Wang family, one of the Eight Great Families. And right at this precise moment, neither early nor late, this man had returned. Furthermore, inside the city were Chen Yuhua, Hu Dingfang, the Bai family, the White Dragon Army, the imperial family... The threads connecting them were tangled beyond measure! Earlier, Southern Fist had analyzed these dynamics for him. Hu Dingfang had military backing, with support from both above and below. The Bai family supported him, the military supported him, and even Commander Yu supported him, which was how Hu Dingfang had risen to power. Madame Bai's visit to Southern Fist might also carry murky ties to the imperial family. Now, Chen Yuhua and Yuan Xingwu—martial brother and sister—were gathered in the same place. Did Hu Dingfang know Yuan Xingwu? In a sense, they could be considered family. Since Yuan Shuo had taken Yuan Xingwu and Chen Yuhua as disciples around the same period, they must have studied under him together, meaning they likely knew each other from long ago and were well acquainted. Were there hidden ties linking them? Could those ties implicate him as well? No wonder this old man had brought him here. Yet Li Hao still could not divine his true intention. Deputy Director Zhou walked on, drawing closer to the campsite, and continued, "Leaving Yuan Xingwu aside for a moment, let us speak of Battle Heaven City. The information available on Battle Heaven City is actually far more extensive than what you know. "Battle Heaven City is indeed the ancestral city of the Wang family, one of the Eight Great Families—their ancestral domain, so to speak. The seal carried by that golden warrior is called the Black Tortoise Seal. According to records, it is not merely a weapon, but a token of authority! "More than that, it is the control hub for the entire city! "Obtaining it might grant total control over Battle Heaven City. The ancient weapons are truly terrifying; the entire city itself might even be an extension of the Black Tortoise Seal, rather than the seal being a mere standalone token. "Furthermore, in the era of ancient civilization, the Eight Great Families were said to be united as one. In critical moments, should disaster befall one family, core descendants of the other families possessed the authority to wield the sacred tokens of the Eight Great Families!" Li Hao frowned. Core tokens... like the sword, the saber, and the like? Teacher could wield the saber as well. Of course, perhaps anyone who picked up that saber could use it. Could Teacher be a descendant of the Eight Great Families, or was the saber not truly being utilized in the genuine sense? By now, he was thoroughly confused by the old man's revelations. Though he had gained valuable intelligence, he still had no idea what this man intended to say or do. "Director, I am merely an ordinary martial guard. You speak of these matters, but I don't understand." Director Zhou was silent for a long while before speaking: "Weren't you supposed to be exceptionally clever? Fine, I'll be blunt. This time, others may choose not to enter Battle Heaven City, but you must go. Moreover, whether it is Hou Xiaochen or Yuan Xingwu, all who know the secrets hope you will enter the inner city, perhaps even retrieve the Black Tortoise Seal. It is very likely that you are the only one capable of retrieving it! "We know this, the imperial family likely knows this, the Nine Departments may well know this, and the Three Great Organizations might know as well... In other words, anyone with a proper background knows that you are the key! "At this moment, your situation is both exceedingly safe and exceedingly perilous! It is safe because before you obtain the Black Tortoise Seal, no one is likely to harm you. But it is perilous because the moment you obtain it... that might be your death sentence. Your ability to claim it likely signifies that you have unsealed the Black Tortoise Seal, allowing it to recognize a new master or stripping away its terrifying destructive power..." Li Hao said nothing. What did that prove? And what was your motive? "Actually, I have no ulterior motive. You might know my grandson, Zhou Qin, the one who raises the tiger... I am merely reminding you of certain truths. Both you and Yuan Shuo value sentiment deeply, but do not let your feelings cloud your judgment. "Secondly, do not rashly attempt to claim the Black Tortoise Seal. Remember this: do not be greedy!" Deputy Director Zhou's tone grew grave. "At this juncture, the emergence of the Black Tortoise Seal is no blessing, nor is the unearthing of Battle Heaven City! Once Battle Heaven City emerges, dormant problems will erupt swiftly, dragging massive trouble in their wake... Silver Moon's internal factions are far from monolithic. It is not that we are enemies, but there are profound ideological divides! "Moreover, the ancient ruins of the Eight Great Families represent eight seals. Once one is broken, the others may be affected, potentially allowing ancient entities to descend once more... That might be a boon, but it could also be utter annihilation! "The secrets of Battle Heaven City are far more complicated than they appear on the surface!" Unable to suppress the shock and confusion swelling in his chest, Li Hao asked in a low voice, "Director, how do you know all this?" "Ancient texts," Deputy Director Zhou said softly. "Many people know this—far more than just us—yet they all pretend ignorance. Let me put it this way: regarding the emergence of superpowered energy twenty years ago... superpowered energy actually surfaced several years earlier, and it erupted right here in Silver Moon! Silver Moon is the true cradle of superpowered energy! "Outsiders believe superpowered energy originated in the Central Region. Utter nonsense! It began right here in Silver Moon. Otherwise, how do you think Ying Hongyue and the others advanced to superpowered status so swiftly, even earlier than those in the Central Region? "However, all the mysterious energy that erupted in Silver Moon was instantly absorbed by mysterious entities or seals, reducing Silver Moon to a barren wasteland for superpowered energy! "Ying Hongyue knows this. In fact, he played a role in the eruption back then. A group of people explored a certain ruin, broke certain seals, and triggered the upheaval. Those individuals are now dominant powerhouses across the realm!" Deputy Director Zhou sighed. "Among them were Ying Hongyue of the Three Great Organizations, the King of Yama from Yama, the Flying Sword Immortal from Feitian, the Grand Commander of the Martial Guard Army, and the Haotian Mountain Master of the Seven God Mountains... "Today, every single one of them reigns supreme over their own domain!" Li Hao felt a wave of horror wash over him. Were all those people... in league with one another? Or had they simply known one another and, by coincidence, explored a ruin together that triggered the emergence of superpowered energy? Knowing in advance that the upheaval was coming, they prepared early—which was the true reason behind the rapid rise of the Three Great Organizations? And what were the Seven God Mountains? He had never heard of them before. Furthermore, who was the Grand Commander of the Martial Guard Army? The Cackling Freak, the Ogre, the Bedridden Ghost... Who among them was the Grand Commander? He truly had no clue; the pugilistic world only knew there were three commanders. Superpowered energy had actually originated in Silver Moon—Li Hao had never imagined such a thing! The old man continued, "Remember this: once the seal of Battle Heaven City is shattered, two outcomes are possible. First, a secondary eruption of superpowered energy, flooding the entire Heavenly Star Dynasty with massive quantities of mysterious energy, sparking a second renaissance that allows countless individuals to break through swiftly into the next realm! Second, total catastrophe! "Regardless of which occurs, even the first possibility is a disaster. At this stage, abruptly initiating the second phase of superpowered energy and spawning vast numbers of powerful supers is by no means a good thing." Li Hao's heart trembled. "Who... are you really?" Was this man truly just a deputy director? "Me?" Deputy Director Zhou chuckled. "Rest assured, I harbor no malice toward you. In fact, no one in the General Administration Bureau bears you ill will, neither I nor Director Zhao. I tell you this only so you understand... do not let yourself be hoodwinked." "Director Hou?" Li Hao frowned. "Director Hou is determined to obtain the Black Tortoise Seal. Are you saying Director Hou intends to harm me?" "Not necessarily harm you. It's just that Hou Xiaochen harbors vast ambitions and possesses his own designs, which is only natural. He even hopes to use this opportunity to cross over into the next phase; he doesn't want to live like us, idling his days away forever... That is why Hou Xiaochen has been the most restless figure in Silver Moon all these years." A million curse words raced through Li Hao's mind! What kind of madness is this? Does this mean the internal divide in Silver Moon boils down to a clash between Hou Xiaochen and the General Administration Bureau? So their previous falling out wasn't an act, but a genuine divergence of principles? At this moment, Deputy Director Zhou was speaking to him on behalf of the General Administration Bureau because he didn't want Li Hao to help Hou Xiaochen obtain the Black Tortoise Seal, wasn't that right? It had to be! No wonder this old man insisted on going for a walk in the dead of night to tell him all this, appealing to reason and emotion so Li Hao wouldn't be used as a pawn... But who could say that the General Administration Bureau wasn't using him as a pawn instead? Once he believed these claims, a rift would inevitably form between him and Hou Xiaochen. If he refused to help when he could have retrieved the seal, things might go awry. What if this was all a scheme to undermine Hou Xiaochen? Li Hao cursed inwardly! Damn it all, not a single one of them is decent; they just love causing trouble in the middle of the night. Yet these words did shake Li Hao, planting doubts in his mind—which was likely the exact outcome the old man desired. And this man likely spoke on behalf of Director Zhao. Furthermore, what about Yuan Xingwu's return? Why had he brought it up? Did he want Li Hao to ignore Yuan Xingwu, or suspect him? Li Hao felt a massive headache coming on. Soon, however, he suppressed all those thoughts... To hell with it! He made up his mind: if Southern Fist and Hong Yitang entered, he would simply stick with those two. As for Hou Xiaochen and the others... he would put them out of his mind for now. Southern Fist and Hong Yitang were both powerhouses, and he had saved their lives. Since they hadn't turned on him last time, they likely wouldn't now. Moreover, knowing he could help suppress their locks, they would protect him with even greater vigilance. Li Hao cursed inwardly: None of you can fool me. I'll stick close to those two powerhouses, and at the critical juncture, I'll have Old Hong unleash his full power. An unleashed Hong Yitang might be even stronger than Hou Xiaochen. When the time comes, every single one of you... I'll take you down together! Well, as long as Hou Xiaochen didn't screw him over, he wouldn't turn on him. After all, Hou Xiaochen had genuinely sheltered him and his teacher; that was an indisputable fact. There was no need to harbor hostility or create a rift with Hou Xiaochen just because of an unfamiliar Deputy Director Zhou. With that realization, Li Hao felt considerably lighter. I have two backers! Ones I found myself, brand-new ones at that—none of you know about them, do you? Besides, those two know I can help suppress their power, and every suppression strengthens their seals. Next time they need to unseal themselves, as long as there are enough divine energy stones, they'll probably be more than happy to do it! Seeing Li Hao remain silent the entire time, Deputy Director Zhou was also at a loss for words. This kid truly knows how to keep his composure! Moments later, they reached their destination. A dignified middle-aged man walked out, looking to be around forty. If this man was Yuan Xingwu, it meant he had apprenticed under Yuan Shuo when he was already in his twenties. Apprenticing in one's twenties was considered quite late. Li Hao had only been eighteen when he became a disciple. In fact, he had not even reached eighteen full years, and even that felt late to him. Was Yuan Xingwu really forty? Li Hao pondered this silently. Could he have the wrong person? Yet this man was undeniably at the Rising Light realm. In truth, there was no mistake. Yuan Xingwu appeared slightly older than his actual age, though not far off from Li Hao's estimate; he was thirty-eight this year. He had apprenticed under Yuan Shuo at twenty-three, though he already possessed some martial foundation at the time, unlike a complete novice like Li Hao. It had not been considered joining with outside skills either, because at twenty-three, Yuan Xingwu had not yet stepped into the Ten-Slayer realm. In those days, superpowered energy had just emerged, making life exceptionally difficult for martial masters. Reaching the Ten-Slayer realm purely through bitter cultivation in one's twenties was not bad at all. At the time, Yuan Shuo had intended only to lie low for a short while, never expecting he would remain for over a decade. As for the surname Yuan, Yuan Shuo had bestowed it upon him. Yuan Xingwu had lost both his parents in his youth, deemed an innate bringer of misfortune, despised by others from childhood. When Yuan Shuo took him in, he had lacked even a formal name. He took Yuan Shuo's surname, and even "Xingwu"—meaning to revitalize the martial path—had been chosen by Yuan Shuo. The name carried profound significance. Back then, the martial path had already begun its decline; giving his eldest disciple such a name revealed Yuan Shuo's distinct ambitions. Li Hao observed Yuan Xingwu through his black armor. He had never heard his teacher mention this man. Chen Yuhua, on the other hand, had been brought up several times. For this man to reach the Rising Light realm, he had clearly stepped onto the superpowered path years ago, perhaps early on. Li Hao frowned slightly, but did not dwell on it. Everyone walked their own path. Clinging to the martial path had not necessarily been a wise choice back then; even Yuan Shuo had been trapped at the Hundred-Breaker realm, to say nothing of others. Even veteran martial masters like Sky Sword had chosen the superpowered path, so turning to superpowered abilities was hardly a crime. Yuan Shuo had never fundamentally opposed entering the superpowered path. When it came to Li Hao, Yuan Shuo had not objected initially. In fact, Yuan Shuo himself had once prepared to transition into a super upon reaching the Thousand-Battler realm, only abandoning that route after realizing its flaws, subsequently warning Li Hao against it. As Li Hao was lost in thought, the man spoke: "I am ashamed to trouble Director Zhou to make the trip in person. If there was any matter, you needed only summon me, rather than exhausting yourself in the middle of the night." "No matter, consider it physical exercise!" Deputy Director Zhou laughed, then added, "Coming here to see General Yuan is because I have a few matters to discuss. I represent the General Administration Bureau and wish to exchange a few words with the general." "Please!" Yuan Xingwu said nothing more and gestured for him to enter. Deputy Director Zhou walked into the tent, but just as Li Hao was about to follow, a Three Suns expert blocked his way. Seeing this, Director Zhou smiled. "This is a martial guard escorting me..." Yuan Xingwu frowned slightly. "Isn't he one of Director Hou's subordinates?" A high official from the General Administration Bureau bringing a martial guard as a personal escort... What was going on here? And bringing him to a meeting with the military, no less. "No matter. The Martial Guard Army comes from diverse origins; not everyone is fiercely loyal to Hou Xiaochen. He is the descendant of an old friend of mine, and we have always been on good terms." Yuan Xingwu said no more, gesturing to the guard who was blocking the path. Only then was Li Hao allowed inside. He did not particularly care whether he went in or not, but since he was already here, listening in would do no harm. *** Inside the tent, the space was surprisingly vast and well-appointed. At the host's invitation, Deputy Director Zhou sat opposite Yuan Xingwu, while Li Hao stood silently behind Deputy Director Zhou without uttering a word. Deputy Director Zhou was straightforward, cutting right to the chase: "I come on behalf of Director Zhao with three questions. So long as General Yuan gives me precise answers, the General Administration Bureau—and Commander Yu's side as well—will have no objections." "Speak, please!" "First: did the Heavenly Star Army come here to prevent Hou Xiaochen from claiming the Black Tortoise Seal?" Yuan Xingwu frowned, but after a moment, nodded. "Yes! This is not my personal wish, but an order from above. As part of the military, the Heavenly Star Army must execute military orders." "Good!" Director Zhou smiled, continuing, "Second: if the opportunity arises to seize the Black Tortoise Seal, does the Heavenly Star Army intend to take it away?" "Yes. If we can take it, we will, because being able to retrieve it proves the Black Tortoise Seal is merely a standard Origin God Armament!" Yuan Xingwu did not deny it, admitting the truth readily. "Third: Orange Moon and Yellow Moon might abandon their pursuit of Yuan Shuo and come here instead. If you encounter them in the ruins, will the Heavenly Star Army strike to kill them?... Though the chances of that are slim, of course." Yuan Xingwu replied in a deep voice, "Circumstances permitting, absolutely! However, if circumstances do not permit, and striking would result in the total wipeout of the brothers I brought along... I will not recklessly gamble their lives!" His questions finished, Director Zhou smiled. "Very well, I understand. By the way, if you don't mind, General Yuan, would you be willing to answer an unrelated question?" "Speak freely, Director Zhou." "Li Hao might come, and he might enter Battle Heaven City. If he runs into trouble... will General Yuan take risks to save him?" Yuan Xingwu frowned. "Director Zhou is very concerned about this?" What did this have to do with the General Administration Bureau? "Merely curious. Li Hao is exceptionally bold and prone to reckless actions, and his enmity with the Three Great Organizations runs deep. I worry that hasty moves by the Heavenly Star Army might invite unnecessary complications." Yuan Xingwu considered the matter for a moment before replying, "I will, but under the same condition: I am willing to take risks myself, but I will not drag others into danger with me. Nominally, Li Hao is my junior brother, but I am unfamiliar with him. It is right for me to save him, but my brothers have no reason to sacrifice their lives for a stranger!" "Mm, that's good to hear!" Deputy Director Zhou pressed no further, rising to his feet. "We'll leave it at that, then." Just three questions—or rather, four. No one knew what Yuan Xingwu was truly thinking, but Li Hao remained thoroughly placid. He was not surprised in the slightest by the answer; in fact, hearing the man say he would try to save him... Li Hao felt there was no need to go that far. Yuan Xingwu was right: they truly were strangers, and this was the very first time Li Hao had ever heard his name. Had their positions been reversed, Li Hao might have answered that he would lend a hand if convenient, but let it go if it proved impossible... Thus, Li Hao found nothing amiss with Yuan Xingwu's answer. As for Deputy Director Zhou specifically asking that question, was he trying to imply that Yuan Xingwu was unfriendly toward him? If so, he was overthinking things. Li Hao's mindset was far more tranquil than the old man imagined. He never believed anyone was obligated to sacrifice anything for his sake. Even when he had faced the red shadow, he had shouldered everything alone until he finally helped his teacher break through to the Thousand-Battler realm before ever daring to hope for his assistance. In this world, a debt of gratitude was the hardest debt to repay! Once incurred, it could never be cleared in a lifetime; it was far too troublesome. *** Stepping out of the tent, Li Hao escorted Deputy Director Zhou back once more. Behind them, Yuan Xingwu watched Deputy Director Zhou's retreating figure, his thoughts inscrutable. After they had walked a fair distance, Deputy Director Zhou spoke again: "Wang Ming's intelligence is cobbled together and incomplete. I'll give you a copy that is far more thorough. It's largely accurate, unless someone is concealing their strength exceptionally well... Take it and look it over." With that, he pulled a small booklet from his robes and handed it to Li Hao. "This contains all the intelligence we have gathered for this expedition. Furthermore, hearing is deceiving, and seeing is deceiving as well. None of your teacher's disciples are simple. Last time, Hou Xiaochen had Hu Dingfang lead the team into the ruins, which was already quite complicated. Hu Dingfang is Chen Yuhua's husband, and Yuan Xingwu is Chen Yuhua's senior brother... So while the Heavenly Star Army claims they will block Hou Xiaochen, the reality remains hard to say." Li Hao acted as if he hadn't heard a word. Don't preach to me! It's useless. My purpose in entering the ruins is simple: to grow stronger. To comprehend the forces of Water and Wood, and to collect divine energy stones and Origin God Armaments to feed the little sword. As for the rest... he had promised to help Hou Xiaochen seize the Origin God Armament, so he would help if he could. Even if it triggered a second superpowered renaissance, brought about a great catastrophe, or broke ancient seals... why should he care about all that? What did that have to do with him? Even if the world were destroyed, was it his concern? If we die, we all die together! At this moment, Deputy Director Zhou felt as though he were playing music to a cow, feeling somewhat helpless. This youth's patience was astonishing. Completely impenetrable to soft and hard tactics alike! After saying so much tonight, the boy seemed not to have absorbed a single word, remaining completely silent. He didn't even show much curiosity regarding Yuan Xingwu. As they drew near the military encampment, Deputy Director Zhou finally voiced the question he was most curious about: "Li Hao, why don't you ask how many secrets we truly hold? Perhaps I would tell you." Li Hao remained silent. Seeing Deputy Director Zhou staring at him intently, Li Hao smiled, baring his teeth. After a long pause, he said, "Secrets... When all your enemies are dead, there are no secrets anymore. If there are secrets left, they can stay buried!" "..." Deputy Director Zhou's brow furrowed slightly as he stared deeply at him. The answer was completely unexpected. What did he mean? Did he harbor immense bloodlust, or was he saying this deliberately? Li Hao, however, couldn't be bothered to elaborate. It was neither sheer bloodlust nor a lack of curiosity; he had simply recalled the scene in the illusion, where that blood-soaked fiend had declared: Surrender and kill yourselves if you are obedient, and be slaughtered if you are not... Every time Li Hao thought of that, he felt that extracting secrets, showing mercy, or forcing enemies to compromise were all a joke! If I have the strength, I will kill you all. If you won't kill yourselves, I'll butcher the lot of you! How delightfully simple! That ancient warrior truly lived with untamed freedom! Therefore, he had no interest in the secrets these people held. They treated them like priceless treasures, terrified of others finding out, when in truth it was all laughable. With absolute strength, no matter how grand your secrets are, I will slay you with a single sword stroke. Keep your secrets choked inside you, stewing in frustration until you draw your last breath! The greatest regret in life was probably dying with secrets you never got to share. What a pity. Deputy Director Zhou fell completely silent, saying nothing more as he strode forward. As he walked, he sighed inwardly. It was damned bizarre. Yuan Shuo had never really taught Li Hao how to slaughter like this. Does this Li Hao... truly have such an overpowering murderous instinct, or did something happen that none of us anticipated?