Grandeur

Outer city. People were constantly dragged into ancient houses, vanishing in an instant. As the death toll mounted, some people in the square gradually realized something was wrong. A few casualties would not have raised alarm, but the three butchers struck with ruthless cruelty. The dead piled up, and in the blink of an eye, over a hundred people had vanished. Fewer and fewer rogue cultivators returned. Earlier, people had been bringing back sets of black armor, but gradually, almost no one returned with any. Explosions still echoed from within the city. Yet the footsteps grew heavier—the marching tread of the black armors patrolling the streets seemed to grow heavier and heavier. ... In the square. Several powerhouses frowned and gazed into the city. Someone murmured, "Is that missing silver warrior secretly slaughtering people on a massive scale? Why does the supernatural power feel less and less active?" Some grew restless, while others looked toward the inner city. The three silver warriors hovered in the air, looking down upon them as if waiting for something. Some Rising Light experts appeared agitated. Frustrated and unsettled, someone simply snapped, "Why not just launch a direct assault?" The pitch-black outer city now gave off an ominous foreboding. Yet no one responded. The rogue cultivators were in disarray! With the rogue cultivators in chaos, there was no one to hold back the three thousand black armors. Everyone felt confident they could take down the silver warriors, but if the three thousand black armors joined forces, they were impenetrable; even a Rising Light expert could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Wealth stirred the hearts of men. Among the rogue cultivators, not even Young Master Xu could keep control. When people needed you, you were their representative; when they didn't, you were nothing. ... Panic spread across the square. In the outer city. Li Hao and his companions, leading the bronze armors, were on a slaughtering spree! The military merits displayed within Li Hao's silver armor kept rising. Southern Fist remained as vicious as ever, holding the lead in military merits; even as Li Hao and Hong Yitang accumulated more, he stayed ahead. From his initial seventeen points, in less than twenty minutes, that fellow's merits had reached twenty-seven points, having slain many more powerhouses. At that moment, another shrill scream rang out. "There's an expert—" *Boom!* A thunderous blast accompanied a shriek of agony. The one who had let out the scream perished in an instant—a middle Three Sols expert. Yet he had fallen just as quickly! Inside an ancient house, Southern Fist smacked his forehead and cursed inwardly. A blunder! With his strength, ambushing someone an entire major rank below him shouldn't have let the man scream out loud. But just as he struck, that grandson Kong Jie had appeared nearby again, giving him a start and distracting him. "That Kong fellow... isn't weak!" Southern Fist muttered, a feral glint in his eyes. Li Hao had said not to target the authorities. Southern Fist had gone along with it without protest, but this Kong Jie seemed to be deliberately tailing him, crossing paths with him several times in a row. Within his black armor, his spiritual intent fluctuated. Soon, in an ancient house not far away, Hong Yitang received his transmission. "Old Hong, interested in testing Kong Jie?" In his ancient house, Hong Yitang wiped his longsword and sighed with emotion. The bronze armor's sword was not weak, nor was the armor itself; in fact, the bronze armor had not yet displayed its full combat prowess. That was likely related to how little of their original strength remained. Test Kong Jie? Hearing Southern Fist's words, Hong Yitang chuckled. He had thought that fellow's temperament had mellowed somewhat, but in the end, he was still as ruthless as ever. The Northern and Southern Fists had both been savage back in the day. It was just that Southern Fist now appeared much easier to talk to, even somewhat blunt and simple, but in reality, there was nothing simple about him. "Not interested! If you want to test him, you can unseal yourself. You have divine energy stones anyway, and back in that spring, you reinforced your supernatural locks... You can test him on your own." "Then forget it!" Southern Fist transmitted back, "If you don't make a move, I might not be his match. That fellow Kong Jie was an expert in the Inspectorate back in the day. Before the Heavenly Star Martial Guard came to Silver Moon, that grandson led men to suppress martial master uprisings. After all these years, he might not be any weaker than you or me." Kong Jie had a clean track record. In the early years, he had been a powerhouse in the Inspectorate. Before the Heavenly Star Martial Guard was even established, it was Kong Jie who quelled martial rebellions for the Inspectorate. Only after the Martial Guard arrived did they take over the duty. Gradually, the powerhouses of the martial world forgot about Kong Jie's existence. Yet how could people like Southern Fist forget? They had crossed paths in their early days, and Kong Jie's strength was formidable; it was just that his fame had faded over time. Hong Yitang said nothing. Southern Fist transmitted again, "Old Hong, I've got twenty-eight merits. Not bad, huh? How many do you have?" As a black armor, he could only see his own merits, not anyone else's. As a bronze armor, Hong Yitang could see Southern Fist's merits, though not Li Hao's. Checking his tally, Hong Yitang saw he had twenty-five points, a few points shy of that fellow's. He didn't care much. Peering through a crack in the door, Hong Yitang looked outside. He wasn't as bored as Southern Fist, killing just for the sake of killing... He had been specifically targeting members of Red Moon, primarily to obtain more red shadows. Previously, he couldn't see the red shadows, though he could sense them. Now, wearing the bronze armor, he could even faintly discern their shapes. He had to admire whoever had designed these battle armors; they were extraordinary. Even the lowest-grade black armor was a treasure. How could they be measured against a mere few divine energy stones? The black armors acquired by the Martial Guard Army and the Three Great Organizations had never been activated at all; they were in a dormant state, relying purely on the armor's inherent defense. They couldn't experience the true benefits. The black armors in the city were merely formed from the obsessions of the dead, devoid of sentience, yet they could still match Solar Flares. It went without saying that if living experts could fully control these black armors, their power would rise dramatically. If the Martial Guard Army led by Li Hao were equipped with fully activated black armors, their strength would surely reach new heights. With miscellaneous thoughts running through his mind, he was in no mood to chatter with Southern Fist. At that moment, he had his eye on an expert. From Red Moon! Red Moon had sent quite a few powerhouses this time. Blue Moon and Green Moon were Rising Lights on the surface, but secretly there were two more: an early Rising Light and a late Rising Light. Four Rising Lights in total, two of whom were late Rising Lights. This showed how much Red Moon valued this place. Hong Yitang had been watching this person for quite some time, but had hesitated to strike. After weighing it over, he sent a transmission to Southern Fist: "I have a substantial venture on my hands. Interested in joining?" "What is it?" "Likely Yellow Moon! A late Rising Light. If my senses are correct, she should be the Divine Maiden of Mount Tian from back then. Her Plum-Twisting Hands of Mount Tian were extraordinarily formidable. Though she didn't make the ranks of the Thirty-Six, she is by no means weak... She isn't an ordinary late Rising Light, but comparable to a peak Rising Light!" On the other side, Southern Fist seemed to fall silent for a long while before transmitting, "Are you even human? She was an old acquaintance back in the day, after all! I was wondering why you'd gone quiet for so long, and you actually set your sights on her!" He added, "Red Moon members aren't easy to kill, especially these people. If you kill them, beware Ying Hongyue going completely ballistic! Ying Hongyue is utterly promiscuous yet poses as devotedly affectionate—the man is a total hypocrite. If you kill Yellow Moon, watch out for him coming after you in person!" Hong Yitang couldn't be bothered with that and continued, "Killing her gives us several things. First, it will definitely yield massive merits! Second, even if she didn't bring a Blood God Seed, as Yellow Moon and nominally the number three figure of Red Moon, she must carry plenty of treasures! Third, we might obtain a complete Blood God Seed. After all, Ying Hongyue wouldn't neglect the women he took with him back then..." He added, "What's the point of continuously engaging in petty skirmishes? Li Hao's strength is modest, so naturally he doesn't dare harbor such ambitions. Are the two of us supposed to imitate him?" At this moment, Hong Yitang only wanted to pull off something big. Slaughtering Three Sols held little meaning and made him reluctant to continue. As a powerful martial master, slaying experts—especially those stronger than oneself—was what truly mattered. Of course, Yellow Moon was likely not as strong as him, but wouldn't killing such a powerhouse be far more exhilarating than picking off those weaklings? Southern Fist pondered and said, "Wait a bit longer! Killing her will cause too huge a commotion. Let's kill a few more people first to rack up military merits. If nothing goes wrong, these merits can be exchanged for plenty of good things... Ancient civilizations placed immense value on military merits!" "Then I'll wait for you!" Hong Yitang shook his head and dropped the subject, keeping his gaze fixed on the figure walking along the street outside. Clearly, she had come searching for the silver warrior. Otherwise, as a late Rising Light expert and a former martial master at that, she wouldn't care for those black armors. ... The slaughter in the outer city continued. Even though the various factions sensed something was amiss, since it didn't concern them and most of the dead were rogue cultivators, they chose to remain silent. Even when a Three Sols shouted that an expert was about, it failed to create much of a ripple. At the same time. Atop the gate tower of Battle Heaven City. Three silver warriors stood side by side. They couldn't observe much, unable even to track Li Hao's movements—the Twelfth Regiment did not fall under their command. Yet they knew this recruit must have slain quite a few enemies. Because the ten company commanders they had sent along were all seeing their military merits increase. Evidently, the guerrilla warfare was yielding notable results. Atop the city gate, a deathly silence reigned. After an unknown time, a psychic ripple suddenly resonated: "Commander of the Seventh Regiment, what do you think of the cultivators of this era?" The ripple came from the commander of the Eighth Regiment. "In what regard?" "Everything." The commander of the Seventh Regiment seemed to ponder before replying, "I do not know. I only know they appear to live quite well, which is actually fine." Living quite well! With those words, the three silver warriors fell silent once more. Indeed, they must be living quite well. Otherwise, they wouldn't be in their present state. It appeared the human race remained the rulers of this earth. And this also proved that after their demise, the world remained safe. Those supreme beings might have won, or even if they hadn't, at least they hadn't lost. "What about the commander of the Twelfth Regiment?" "Him?" The commander of the Seventh Regiment pondered again and transmitted, "I do not know; we have only just met. But from the looks of it, there is nothing overly astounding about him—nowhere near the breathtaking, mountain-like grandeur of those powerhouses who rose in our era!" Neither commander pressed further, and silence settled over them once again. For the first time in countless years, a newcomer had joined the Battle Heaven Army, which had piqued their interest. But it was merely a passing interest. As things stood, that young man was not as world-shattering as imagined. The Battle Heaven Army... would likely continue to slumber in silence. ... At this moment, Li Hao had no idea those people were discussing him. Li Hao was actually feeling rather uncomfortable right now. He didn't dare kill anyone too strong, and killing those who were too weak was of little use. He mainly hunted Solar Flares and early Three Sols, not even daring to act rashly against middle Three Sols to avoid causing too much commotion. Being able to advance or retreat at will was fine, but gradually, a sense of stifling frustration crept in. It lacked the thrill of his earlier battle where he had slain six Three Sols in one go. Perhaps because of this timid, restrained approach, the water momentum of the Nine-Fold Forging Force had failed to manifest. Even though Li Hao could now barely manage the ninth fold, it still didn't work—he lacked that smooth sensation Liu Long had experienced upon reaching the ninth fold, where momentum was grasped in an instant. Li Hao exhaled softly. This was probably the nature of martial arts... Relying on slaughtering the weak to grow stronger was mentally a barrier he couldn't cross. *In the Three Sols realm, I am practically invincible... perhaps no weaker than the Wheel-Turning King when he wielded his Origin God Armament. But continuing like this won't be enough to take on a Rising Light!* Inside the ancient house, Li Hao watched an early Three Sols pass by outside, yet chose not to strike. In truth, he had overheard the conversation between Hong Yitang and Southern Fist. As a silver warrior, he could hear their transmissions. Clearly, Hong Yitang was growing impatient as well. The strong were all arrogant and unyielding. Slaughtering Solar Flares and Three Sols endlessly—if not for accumulating military merits, the two of them would have snapped long ago. Li Hao shifted his gaze toward the adjacent street, where a peak Three Sols expert had been lurking for some time. Earlier, he hadn't considered targeting him. Now, his interest was piqued. Slaughter was not the goal. Weakening the enemy was good, but picking off their weaklings held little meaning. Killing a few powerhouses, on the other hand, would naturally strike terror into the rest, yielding far better results. *A peak Three Sols...* To date, Li Hao had never slain a true peak Three Sols expert in an honest fight. Among the six Three Sols from earlier, one had indeed been at peak Three Sols, but Li Hao had ambushed and killed him instantly, gaining no real measure of his strength. The water momentum of the Nine-Fold Forging Force had yet to emerge, and Li Hao knew where the problem lay: the Nine-Fold Forging Force was incomparably fierce and overpowering, so how could a timid, restrained fighting style ever bring forth the water momentum? "Uncle-Master Hong!" Li Hao sent a transmission. Once he had the attention of both men, he transmitted, "We've cleared out quite a few Three Sols. Continuing to kill them holds little meaning, and sooner or later people will catch on and scare off the rest... While we have the chance, let's coordinate a strike against some powerhouses, then withdraw from the outer city!" "I've been wanting to say that all along!" Hong Yitang's voice rippled over. "I've already picked my target. If He Yong doesn't want to join me, he can find his own. What about you?" "I have a target too! A peak Three Sols fellow. I'll test the waters on him first. If it doesn't do the trick, next time... I'll play directly with a Rising Light!" Li Hao was feeling thoroughly stifled. Unable to produce the water momentum and stuck between Three Sols and Rising Light, he felt profoundly uncomfortable. Hong Yitang chuckled and transmitted, "Good. You should give it a try. As a martial master, pushing past your limits feels magnificent! It's hard for us to find suitable opponents, but you have plenty. The younger you are, the more drive you should have; get truly old, and that drive vanishes. They say fists fear the young and vigorous—the old are timid and cautious, while the young fight with savage abandon. Don't fear injury, and don't fear falling short... Even if your identity is exposed, it's no big deal. A descendant of the Eight Great Families becoming a silver warrior is surprising, yet also completely natural." He knew Li Hao had many reservations, especially now that he had gained a hidden identity. He was terrified of exposure! Yet that would only make a martial master hesitate and hold back, unable to display his full potential. In the long run, that was hardly a good thing. Walking in the shadows when appropriate was fine, but when it was time to strike, one had to strike. Hong Yitang himself usually kept a low profile, but when necessary, he cast all caution aside—striking in Mount Cang, charging into the Central Region to annihilate a major branch while waiting for Rising Lights to attack. At times, he cared little whether his identity was exposed. Li Hao said nothing. After a moment, he replied, "Then wait for my signal. It doesn't matter if we make a bit of noise now; plenty of people in the outer city have sensed the danger, and a large number of weaklings have already retreated outside..." ... After making the arrangements, Li Hao walked out of the ancient house. Waiting a moment, a patrol of black armors marched past. Li Hao naturally blended into their ranks. The squad of ten black armors became eleven. A command rippled through Li Hao's armor, and the black armors turned and marched toward the neighboring street. On the neighboring street. Atop a roof. A burly man lay flat, perfectly still. His eyes were exceptionally calm as he scanned the surroundings. He hailed from Yama, a peak Three Sols powerhouse of formidable strength. He had entered the outer city with a single objective: locate the hiding place of the missing silver warrior. All Three Great Organizations had noticed that one silver warrior was missing from the city gate. The warrior had likely entered the outer city. Many people had died in the outer city, quite possibly the handiwork of this silver warrior. Yet as a member of Yama, he felt little fear. As long as the silver warrior was not fully revived, its ordinary state was not necessarily stronger than him—he had even exchanged blows with one before. Moreover, as long as he could tie it down for a moment and alert the powerhouses outside, reinforcements would swiftly arrive to help him eliminate the silver warrior. Up to now, not a single faction had slain a silver warrior. The one that had died previously had perished on its own. Could the armor of a silver warrior be stripped off? If so, it would be extraordinary—it might even grant a Three Sols the power of a Rising Light! By now, everyone had acquired plenty of black armors, but not a single bronze or silver armor. With these thoughts in mind, he moved slowly, observing the patrolling black armors below. He also knew silver warriors could disguise themselves as black armors, but whether one was a powerhouse could sometimes be sensed. As he moved across the rooftop, he had already noticed several clues. More and more people were dying without a trace—neither alive nor dead bodies to be seen. The assailant was likely hiding in the ancient houses. Just then, a patrol of black armors marched over in the distance. At first, Xie Gang paid them no mind, but a moment later, he took a closer look and slightly furrowed his brows. Were there more black armors than usual? He counted them: yes, there were. Eleven! Had a straggler from another squad joined this one, or... was there a silver warrior among them? Yet he felt somewhat puzzled. If the silver warrior could conceal its identity, that meant it possessed some intellect. Could it really be so oblivious as to not realize having an extra person made it glaringly obvious? Such an obvious tell made him doubt himself and hesitate. ... At that moment, Li Hao also spotted the man. Examining him closely, he confirmed the man's identity—an expert from Yama. The dossier provided by Deputy Director Zhou contained his information. Xie Gang, peak Three Sols, earth-type mutant ability. He was not an earth-type expert in the conventional sense; he specialized in meteorite techniques. Strictly speaking, if there were a stone attribute, he would be a stone-type expert. Where others condensed earthen walls or spikes, this fellow summoned boulders and meteorites. He was quite renowned among peak Three Sols, hailing not from Silver Moon, but from another major northern province: Chongshan Province. He was among the powerhouses summoned by Yama for this operation. Previously, he had governed Yama's branch in Chongshan Province. His status was similar to that of the former Wheel-Turning King, only slightly lower in rank, and he even carried an Origin God Armament. As the leader of a provincial branch, even if his Origin God Armament was not as potent as the Wheel-Turning King's wind chime, a peak Three Sols armed with an Origin God Armament was exceptionally troublesome. *So it's him!* Li Hao felt a sense of relief and breathed out. This was good. Even if such an expert was inferior to the Wheel-Turning King, the gap shouldn't be large. Fighting him before pulling out was well worth the effort. He only wondered if this man could push him enough to awaken the water momentum of the Nine-Fold Forging Force. If not... to manifest the water momentum anytime soon, he might truly have to fight a Rising Light. Closing in, Li Hao flashed forward without hesitation, instantly appearing before the man. Xie Gang was startled! It really was a silver warrior? Could this fellow truly lack intelligence to just show up right in front of him? Bronze and black armors could not fly; leaving the ground severed their power support. The only ones capable of walking on air were the silver armors. Xie Gang glanced around and saw no one else, then looked back toward the square... The distance wasn't far, and powerhouses could arrive quickly. He was considering whether to call for reinforcements right now. After all, dealing with a silver warrior was no simple matter. At that moment, the silver warrior before him moved. Under Xie Gang's dumbfounded gaze, a storage ring appeared in the mechanical hand, followed by a handful of divine energy stones that shone brilliantly! Their luster was astonishingly bright! Li Hao picked up the divine energy stones and shoved them straight into the silver armor's mouth... In reality, he merely stuffed them inside the armor since he had no idea how to use them, but to Xie Gang, it looked as though Li Hao had eaten them to replenish energy. Xie Gang was stunned! So silver warriors needed to eat divine energy stones to maintain operational power! More importantly... he had swallowed so many divine energy stones in one bite, and their luster was terrifyingly pure! That storage ring... just how many divine energy stones were inside? That wasn't all. Li Hao swept his hand, opening a slit in the silver armor like a pocket, and shoved the storage ring inside. Xie Gang's eyes widened! He saw it! He saw dozens of storage rings stored within that pocket-like slit, and not only that—a dense cluster of energy-storage rings packed together! Xie Gang was shocked! This silver warrior had hoarded so many storage rings? Where did they come from? Could they be... from the people slain earlier, or remnants left from long ago? Xie Gang's heart pounded. At this moment, he suddenly felt reluctant to call others for help. Against an unrevived silver warrior, he was not entirely without hope of victory. Even if it revived at death's door... calling for help then wouldn't be too late. Besides, he didn't necessarily have to kill it—that held little meaning. He had seen that a casual swipe from the silver warrior produced a slit. Could he... break through this silver armor, even just enough to crack it open? If so, wouldn't all those storage rings belong to him? Even more crucial were those incomparably pure divine energy stones. Having cultivated to this stage and holding no small rank, Xie Gang had never seen divine energy stones of such purity... In that split second, he hesitated. And that was precisely what Li Hao wanted. He understood supers and martial masters too well—or rather, human nature in general: greed, desire, avarice... Few could master such impulses, and Li Hao was no exception. He struggled with them too, though with broader horizons he had learned some restraint. In the past, give him a hundred cubic meters of mysterious energy and he would have risked his life. Why call for help when you could take the treasure yourself? Once the top powerhouses arrived, would there be anything left for you? Such was the way of today's supers and martial masters. A small portion of martial masters could restrain themselves, but the vast majority of supers were completely incapable of controlling their inner greed; rapidly swelling power only fueled their avarice. *Showed my hand... now you should fight me, shouldn't you?* Li Hao thought to himself, a smile flickering in his eyes. The next moment, he transmitted through the communication network: "Commence!" As the word left his lips, his sword slashed straight toward the man! Xie Gang had dazed for a brief second, still hesitating whether to alert the Yama powerhouses. Seeing his opponent strike, he threw a punch like solid rock. With a loud *thud*, it smashed into the armor, leaving a tiny dent... He froze slightly, and his eyes lit up! This silver armor seemed... somewhat destructible. In that case, why call anyone else? This silver warrior didn't feel all that powerful either. The next moment, Xie Gang threw another punch like a falling meteorite. With a booming roar, it broke the sound barrier. Li Hao rolled and tumbled off the roof, crashing to the ground. Seeing this, Xie Gang was overjoyed. This silver warrior was nothing special! Landing on the ground, Li Hao was swiftly pursued by Xie Gang. A man and a suit of armor erupted into battle on the long street, the thunderous clashes never ceasing. Li Hao did not attempt to fuse his three momentums; relying purely on the Nine-Fold Forging Force, the sturdiness of his armor, and the toughness of his physical body and five visceral organs, he traded blow for blow! Without the aid of his three momentums, he was clearly at a disadvantage against Xie Gang. Yet Li Hao didn't care. This was precisely the battle he desired: wielding the Nine-Fold Forging Force without restraint. The sword in his hand vanished, replaced by bare fists striking punch after punch—the Bear Combat Art of the Five Animals Art, a giant bear lashing out. *Boom!* Colossal fists slammed down, the Nine-Fold Forging Force erupting incessantly, sending surge after surge of power outward. The more Xie Gang fought, the more astonished he became. This silver warrior's strength was not overwhelmingly high, yet it was extraordinarily agile. It hardly looked like a lifeless puppet; rather, it felt as though it possessed sentience of its own. The sounds of battle here seemed to draw some attention. Yet soon, no one was looking this way anymore. Next door, an even fiercer battle erupted. Roaring booms echoed continuously! Not only that, but a woman's shrill shriek cut through the air: "Damn you!" That was a Red Moon powerhouse. Li Hao knew who it was—Hong Yitang had mentioned her earlier. It was Yellow Moon of Red Moon, who had reportedly been hunting his teacher before coming here, only to be ambushed by Hong Yitang and Southern Fist. Xie Gang was momentarily distracted. What was happening? The battle next door seemed even more violent than his own. Silver... Could the one before him not be the silver warrior? Or had more than one silver warrior slipped into the outer city? He was still dazed, but Li Hao delivered punch after punch, his speed mounting, an unbroken flow gathering momentum. In this moment, Li Hao fought with sheer exhilaration. This man was strong, with defense to spare. It reminded him of watching the sea before—waves rolling in one after another, each stronger than the last, ceaselessly battering against the reef. ... At the same time. In the square. Powerhouses instantly snapped to attention, staring into the dark outer city. Some looked grim, others furrowed their brows. What was happening? Had they encountered a silver warrior? Yet... the fighting didn't seem limited to a single spot. Judging from the combat ripples, the clashes exceeded the Three Sols level. Hou Xiaochen frowned deeply. From one of the battle sites, he vaguely sensed sword intent and fist intent... Southern Fist? Earth-Overturning Sword? In that instant, he couldn't help but think of those two. However... Hou Xiaochen frowned, looking toward the somber Green Moon, and said in a heavy voice, "Green Peacock, who entered the city? Their combat prowess is formidable—hardly an ordinary figure. Tell us, so everyone can prepare!" Green Moon frowned, not bothering to answer him. At this moment, she too was astonished and horrified. She knew who had gone inside. Yellow Moon! Like her, she was a late Rising Light, but even stronger than she was. With Yellow Moon's power, even against a fully revived silver warrior, she could hold her own, so her safety should have been assured. Yet right now... something seemed terribly wrong. Judging from the fluctuations and faint shouts, Yellow Moon might be at a disadvantage. How could that be! Even a revived silver warrior couldn't suppress Yellow Moon so quickly. The fact that Yellow Moon couldn't even shout out meant she was in dire straits, not daring to call out lest she break her focus and give her enemy an opening! Beside her, Blue Moon also sensed danger and transmitted, "Something seems to have happened. We must reinforce her immediately..." Yellow Moon was one of the Seven Moons, ranked among the top three. If something happened to her here, the consequences would be catastrophic! Green Moon hesitated no longer and transmitted, "Go, into the city!" With that, she quickly advanced into the city. At that moment, Hou Xiaochen frowned slightly and soon spoke: "Kong Jie, bring the others out of the city!" His voice echoed out, ordering Kong Jie to withdraw immediately. He had no desire to get involved. The situation in the outer city was abnormal; Southern Fist and the Earth-Overturning Sword had likely made their move. He didn't want to clash with those two. Crucially, if those two were taking on Yellow Moon, it meant... their strength might be even greater than he had anticipated. While he ordered his men to withdraw, the powerhouses from Yama and Feitian exchanged glances and plunged into the city one after another. Not only them, but several unaffiliated experts in the crowd also caught the scent and swiftly entered! Who had started a massive battle in the city? A Red Moon powerhouse? One of the Seven Moons? Perhaps there was a spectacle to witness, and maybe even scraps to scavenge. ... Meanwhile. Hong Yitang and Southern Fist had indeed joined hands to pin down Yellow Moon. Under Yellow Moon's shocked gaze, Southern Fist rained down punch after punch, countless times more powerful than Li Hao next door, each blow unleashing immense force! *Boom!* Fist followed fist, giving Yellow Moon no room to breathe. She couldn't even let out a cry, for she dared not. The moment she broke her breath, this savage opponent would cut her down in an instant. The shock in her heart was beyond measure! She recognized the striker—Southern Fist He Yong! It had to be him! Besides him, whose fist could be so domineering, so sharp? Of the Northern and Southern Fists, the Northern Fist was stronger, but his style was entirely different: the Northern Fist was filled with vast, sweeping grandeur, where facing a single punch felt like facing judgment, making one feel small and unworthy. Southern Fist, on the other hand, was purely domineering and ruthless. They were two distinct styles. She was utterly bewildered. Why was Southern Fist wearing black armor? Had he killed a black armor and stolen the disguise? That was plausible. But what about the bronze armor beside him? So far, no one had obtained bronze armor. Had someone stolen bronze armor to disguise themselves as well? That figure had barely moved, striking only a single sword blow that had left a deep gash of blood across her body. A swordsman, and an extraordinarily powerful one at that! For a moment, she couldn't even guess his identity. One of the Seven Swords? Heavenly Sword? Yet Heavenly Sword's intent wasn't like this. Heavenly Sword's blade severed all obstacles, whereas this person's sword was upright, balanced, and serene, lacking that piercing sharpness pushed to the extreme. Yet the more it was like this, the more terrifying it became. Heavenly Sword was like Southern Fist: domineering and sharp. But this person's sword resembled Northern Fist: carrying a vast, crushing presence. Yellow Moon couldn't fathom how these two had suddenly materialized out of nowhere! *Boom!* Her thoughts in disarray, she took a punch from Southern Fist that sent her flying back several meters, blood spilling from her mouth. She didn't dare retreat further, for behind her, that swordsman had locked onto her. At that moment, Southern Fist panted slightly and grinned. "More people are coming. Finish it quickly!" Southern Fist growled. In the next instant, his aura exploded, turning even more ferocious and formidable than before, surging by at least thirty percent in an instant. *Boom!* In that fraction of a second, between heaven and earth, only this pair of fists seemed to exist. Outside, Hong Yitang swept his sword in an arc. All around, screams echoed as powerhouses creeping in the shadows were instantly slain by that single strike! Only Kong Jie remained nearby, looking grim as he hauled Mu Lin back in rapid retreat. Golden Spear looked back again and again, retreating only under Kong Jie's repeated urging. Yet Golden Spear's expression was heavy, clouded with an indescribable complexity! He recognized them! They were all old acquaintances; who wouldn't recognize who? The Earth-Overturning Sword and Southern Fist! Those two... those two were powerful enough to make his heart tremble. Alongside the fear came a stifling despair. He had thought that among their generation, he had walked the furthest. Yet now... looking at them now, perhaps... perhaps... His heart felt heavy with agony. The Earth-Overturning Sword, Southern Fist... both seemed to have walked their own path. And what about me? Even the Eyebrow-Level Staff, though perhaps less powerful than him, had left behind a legacy of staff intent in his final moments against Yuan Shuo—the will to condense intent into a staff... The thought brought Golden Spear an agonizing sense of collapse! Back then, with Hou Xiaochen's help, he had broken through Yuan Shuo's suppression and advanced to a deeper realm. Over the years, he had tempered his physical body, strengthened his blood and qi, and fortified his spiritual intent... Everything seemed to grow stronger in balanced harmony, just as Hou Xiaochen had guided him. Yet... he realized he seemed to have missed something. He had become mediocre; he had lost his soul. When he saw the bronze armor facing him from afar, even without seeing the man's eyes, he felt it was the Earth-Overturning Sword's silent judgment and indifference. What did the premier spear of yesteryear amount to today? Golden Spear was despondent. In that moment, he felt a haze come over him. In his daze, he suddenly turned his head toward another street. Over there, a black armor was also unleashing hell, throwing punch after punch like Southern Fist reborn—yet unlike Southern Fist, each blow was stronger than the last! "Silver Spear..." Golden Spear muttered, thinking of someone: Silver Spear Liu Hao. That fist intent reminded him of the spearmanship master whose strikes surged with escalating might. Kong Jie also glanced in that direction, somewhat surprised. ... Over there, Li Hao threw punch after punch, completely immersed in the Nine-Fold Forging Force, lost in the surging waves of the ocean, each wave cresting higher than the last. The blood, qi, and inner force within his body erupted with mad intensity! From initially being suppressed by Xie Gang, to roughly matching him, and now even gaining a slight upper hand, Li Hao grew increasingly exhilarated. This was the feeling! He sensed powerhouses directing their attention toward him, but... Li Hao didn't want to stop. This was the sensation of shattering shackles! *Rumble!* Fierce roars echoed from both sides, while the whoosh of figures cutting through the air rapidly approached from within the city. Li Hao felt a surge of rage, wanting to roar at the heavens. He despised these people for interrupting his enlightenment. The next moment, his blood surged. He still did not unleash his three momentums; instead, he invoked the Blood Blade Art, igniting his spirit, blood, and qi to make his punches even sharper and more ferocious! "Blood Blade..." Xie Gang was startled. By now, he too had sensed something was wrong—blood and qi were traits of the living! This person knew the Blood Blade Art! He had heard of this technique: a secret art unique to the Five Animals Sect, reputedly renowned during the ancient civilization era. *Li Hao...* The name flashed through his mind, but was instantly replaced by Yuan Shuo. Yuan Shuo was skilled in the Five Animals Art and fist techniques, whereas Li Hao favored sword momentum, and the figure before him held no sword. *Could it be Yuan Shuo?* Xie Gang's heart jolted. The next instant, he let out a furious roar and threw a punch like an exploding meteorite. Not only that, but a set of armor emerged around him, glowing earthy yellow—his Origin God Armament. With the Origin God Armament equipped, he was vastly more formidable. His defense grew significantly tougher! Yet Li Hao was ferociously aggressive, closing the distance instantly. Clad in silver armor, he felt he was in no way inferior to this Origin God Armament. The two traded punches blow for blow! One punch, two punches, three punches... The Nine-Fold Forging Force erupted frantically without pause. Li Hao fought like a madman, booming explosions detonating in rapid succession, battering his opponent's armor and shattering his internal organs. Meanwhile, Xie Gang's fists slammed into the silver armor, rattling Li Hao's own organs. Both sides fought purely on offense with zero defense, fully aware of a single truth: whoever fled or pulled back first would be the first to fall. *Boom!* Li Hao saw glowing energy clusters rapidly closing in and flew into a towering fury, like a raging sea bent on annihilating everything in its path. The Nine-Fold Forging Force was the very first art he had identified as capable of producing momentum. Yet up until now, he had grasped metal, earth, and fire, while the Nine-Fold Forging Force remained stubbornly out of reach, leaving him burning with impatience! Seeing a Rising Light energy cluster nearly upon them, Li Hao roared. In that split second, inner force surged throughout his body—one wave, two waves, three waves... Nine mighty surges of inner force stacked together, detonating all at once! *Boom!* Another deafening explosion rang out. With a violent crash, Xie Gang was sent hurtling backward, spewing blood along with fragments of internal organs. Yet Xie Gang actually laughed—he had sensed it too; a Rising Light had arrived! This fellow before him seemed to be Yuan Shuo! No wonder he was so terrifying... Too bad he still hadn't managed to kill him. Yuan Shuo wasn't all that much after all. Just as the thought crossed his mind, a murderous glint flashed in Li Hao's eyes, and he snorted coldly. The next moment, an even more terrifying power erupted—this time, not just the Nine-Fold Forging Force bursting forth, but the metal sword momentum converging and detonating in unison! Explosive power! Li Hao moved like a sharp sword, appearing right before Xie Gang in the blink of an eye, smashing a fist down like a sword unsheathed! *Boom!* Another earth-shattering blast erupted. With a sickening crunch, Xie Gang's eyes filled with horror. Under that single punch, the armor across his chest shuddered, and with a loud crack, its defense was breached! His internal organs instantly ruptured, pulverized into paste! Li Hao frowned slightly. With a sweep of his hand, he stored the corpse away, glancing back at the powerhouse who had just arrived in the distance. He recognized him—seemed to be that fellow Xu Feng... Li Hao sneered inwardly. His Nine-Fold Forging Force had been just a hair away; he had felt momentum was on the verge of coalescing. Though he had captured the feeling now, the process had been interrupted, and who knew when the chance would come again. Damn bastards! Lingering no longer, he leapt up and vaulted over the street. On this side, Southern Fist bellowed and smashed Yellow Moon backward with another heavy blow. Hong Yitang, seeing Li Hao arrive, seemed to have been waiting for him all along. The moment he saw Li Hao flying over, he chuckled and thrust out his sword, his voice echoing in Li Hao's ears. "You wanted to see my sword... Today, I'll show you!" Li Hao's heart jolted, and he quickly looked over. At first glance, he didn't feel it was overwhelmingly powerful; it merely felt vast and majestic, carrying a calm serenity without any piercing sharpness. Yet the next moment, his expression shifted drastically! This majestic sword was like the vast earth, encompassing all things. Just as Yellow Moon struggled, she suddenly felt heaven and earth flip upside down, feeling utterly suppressed. Terror flooded her eyes! The Earth-Overturning Sword! This was Hong Yitang's Earth-Overturning Sword! That majestic sword of earth did not seem fast, yet as it descended, Yellow Moon stood motionless as though dazed, watching helplessly as the blade fell! *Boom!* A thunderous blast ripped through her formidable defenses in an instant! Like the collapse of the heavens, it slammed down with crushing weight. *The heaviest blade has no edge...* In that instant, the phrase sprang into Li Hao's mind. Yellow Moon was smashed to pieces by the strike, her dying eyes filled with bewilderment and shock. Hadn't the Earth-Overturning Sword been crippled long ago? Why... was he so terrifyingly strong? "Let's go! I waited a long time just to show you this sword!" The Earth-Overturning Sword's laughter resonated in Li Hao's ears. The next instant, Hong Yitang reached out and snatched a storage ring. "If we don't leave now, they'll surround and slaughter us!" In a flash, the three vaulted across the street and vanished from the scene. Li Hao, however, was still struggling to contain his shock. *Is this the true earth sword momentum?* In this moment, he suddenly felt his own earth sword momentum was truly feeble! Hong Yitang seemed to have waited quite a while just to show him this strike. Li Hao remembered him saying that if there was time, he would teach Li Hao the Earth-Overturning Sword. Today's sword strike... had given Li Hao a profound lesson. Now, the frustration of failing to condense the water momentum earlier was swept away; that vast and majestic sword strike had granted him an entirely new inspiration. ... Shortly after the three slipped away, a group arrived. They were fast! Yet by the time they arrived, everything was gone. Green Moon's expression shifted slightly as she looked around, finding no sign of Yellow Moon. Soon, her face changed as she looked into the distance, where a heap of mangled flesh and blood, crushed like mud, was being swiftly swallowed by the ground! Green Moon rushed forward, and the next moment, her face drained of color. "Fall back!" Green Moon shouted, leading the group in a hasty retreat, her face pale with terror and shock! Something terrible had happened! This city was unusual; Yellow Moon had actually been killed, and killed with terrifying speed... Who had slain her? ... Meanwhile, in the square. Hou Xiaochen gazed into the distance. After a long silence, he sighed softly and murmured, "I underestimated him... The heaviest blade has no edge; wielding great weight as though it were light... The world's foremost swordsman may well belong to none other than him!" Chief Steward Yu's expression shifted as he looked at him. "The Earth-Overturning Sword," Hou Xiaochen said softly. Chief Steward Yu's face flickered, finding it difficult to believe! How could that be? Hou Xiaochen smiled. "I now know who intercepted me back then!" Chief Steward Yu's expression changed even further: "You mean... over twenty years ago?" "Yes!" "Impossible..." Chief Steward Yu blurted out instinctively. Hou Xiaochen laughed softly. "It was him without a doubt. Back then, I hadn't realized it either, but in hindsight, he had already broken through. No wonder he repeatedly turned down Yuan Shuo... What a terrifying fellow!" Chief Steward Yu fell silent, deeply shaken. Did that not mean that back then, the Earth-Overturning Sword had already stepped into the Thousand-Battler realm? So that was it! Hou Xiaochen recalled that chance encounter long ago. He had intended to execute several people, only to be stopped by someone. That person said nothing, simply blocking his path. The two had fought a battle, but parted ways shortly after... Looking back now, that person was almost certainly Hong Yitang! How fascinating!