Aftermath

Dread and terror permeated the outer perimeter of the ancient city. As the black armors charged and the golden warrior joined forces with the three silver commanders, the swifter experts managed to flee, but the masses of rogue cultivators and weaker individuals could not run fast enough. Nearly two thousand people had originally entered the ruins. Several hundred died in the first clash alone. Li Hao and his companions had ambushed over a hundred in secret, and another wave had perished in the recent melee. Now, with the supers routed, the casualties were catastrophic. As the golden warrior halted near the plaza and pulled back to defend, Hou Xiaochen surveyed their surroundings, sighing inwardly. Men truly died for wealth! An enormous contingent of supers had entered this time, but a single sweep of the eye suggested barely five hundred remained. After suffering such grievous losses, several supers looked frightened out of their wits. Even if they made it out alive, they would hardly fare well in the future. Once a super's mental fortitude collapsed in terror, taking another step forward would be nearly impossible. Besides, would leaving be that easy? Barely a single day had passed since their arrival. At the earliest, they could only depart tomorrow night—and only if those outside opened the ruins to receive them. But word had already been sent in advance that the gate would not be opened early. They had to wait until the third day, when the passage would unlock automatically even without outside coordination. Two full days still remained! He cast a glance in all directions. Just a moment ago, quite a few Rising Lights had been present, but now Red Moon had lost another one, leaving only Lanyue, Green Moon, and a pale-faced, peak Three Sols Purple Moon. Over at Yama, the Equal King was still around, though his retinue had shrunk significantly. Fortunately, two Rising Lights still accompanied him, meaning all three of their Rising Lights had survived. Feitian was missing an elder and had only two left; it was unclear whether one had been struck down when a silver warrior unleashed its full power. Among the rogue cultivators, there had originally been five Rising Lights, including Xu Feng and Yuan Xingwu—quite a formidable lineup. Now, only three remained. Xu Feng was dead, and another had been beaten to death by Southern Fist. Then there was the Bright Light Sword, who stood alone not far away, staring into the city with an ever-shifting gaze, lost in thought. Chief Steward Yu and her faction were still shaken, though they quickly regained their composure. Glancing nearby, Chief Steward Yu suddenly murmured, "He's the Bright Light Sword?" As one of the Thirty-Six Heroes herself, she had felt a sense of familiarity earlier and considered many possibilities, but the Bright Light Sword had never crossed her mind. Northern Fist and even Tyrant Saber were on her list of suspects. Yet never the Bright Light Sword! It was perfectly normal for old acquaintances to alter their appearance and conceal their identity, unwilling to be recognized by outsiders. Still... surely a woman wouldn't turn into a man? Indeed, the Bright Light Sword was one of only two female sword practitioners among the Seven Swords, the other being the Jade Light Sword. Heavenly Sword, Earth-Overturning Sword, Bright Light Sword... Ranked third among the Seven Swords, this individual possessed immense strength. Reaching such heights today was not entirely unreasonable, even if it surpassed many fellow martial masters among the Thirty-Six Heroes. Still... Chief Steward Yu had never imagined this person could be the Bright Light Sword! Had the gender changed as well? Hou Xiaochen glanced in that direction and shook his head. "It hasn't!" "Then—" "Don't ask." Hou Xiaochen cut her off. He knew a few insider secrets, but it was inappropriate to say too much. Seeing the Bright Light Sword look so utterly desolate right now, he didn't want to elaborate further. The Bright Light Sword joining the Xu family had likely involved many hidden complications. Chief Steward Yu dropped the subject. Meanwhile, the remaining experts from the Three Great Organizations swiftly banded together. The seven surviving Rising Lights among them gathered almost immediately. Over twenty Three Sols were still alive, and they quickly joined the ranks. Seven Rising Lights and more than twenty Three Sols formed the most formidable camp in the blink of an eye. Not only that, but Green Moon turned to the rogue Rising Lights and said darkly, "What are you just standing there for? All of this... might be a setup! Look how many have died! How many Rising Lights have fallen? Even Yellow Moon died, and Xu Feng from the Divine Master Roll is dead, too! Southern Fist and the Earth-Overturning Sword concealed themselves so deeply, yet they exposed themselves one after another today. Hou Xiaochen and his men possess shocking combat strength... Haven't you figured it out yet?" Even without her reminder, the remaining rogue cultivators understood the situation. Counting Yuan Xingwu, there were three Rising Lights left among them; the other two quickly moved toward the Three Great Organizations. Yuan Xingwu frowned in silence, refusing to budge. In an instant, the Three Great Organizations gathered nine Rising Lights, while over ten rogue Three Sols quickly joined them as well, bolstering their strength considerably. Aside from Yuan Xingwu and a few men from the Heavenly Star Army who stayed put, and the Bright Light Sword, who remained gazing blankly toward the inner city, the entire outer perimeter instantly split into two clear camps. Silver Moon's official faction, and the Three Great Organizations. On the official side, Hu Qingfeng was gravely injured, his face filled with terror. Qi Gang was also badly wounded, sitting in grim silence, quietly nursing his injuries without a word. Both felt an overwhelming sense of crisis. If the situation permitted, they would have fled on the spot. Indeed, certain matters did not bear close scrutiny—they were simply too terrifying. Why had so many veteran Silver Moon martial masters gathered in the ruins of Battle Heaven City? Furthermore, not a single one was weak. Each was powerful beyond imagination. As it turned out... martial masters were actually this formidable! The two sides were sharply divided, taking positions on opposite flanks. Had leaving been an option, the Three Great Organizations would have led their people away immediately. But they did not dare leave right now. They feared that the moment they departed, these people would swiftly collude with those inside the city. Perhaps... some friction had arisen between Hou Xiaochen and Li Hao's group. Otherwise, why would the Earth-Overturning Sword have pinned down the Silver Moon officials earlier? If not for the Earth-Overturning Sword, or if those people ever joined hands with him, that would truly be terrifying. And Southern Fist—he was dreadfully formidable as well. Green Moon looked toward the distant Bright Light Sword and suddenly spoke. "Bright Light Sword, if you want to protect yourself, your only option is to join us. Otherwise..." Not far away, the elderly figure turned toward Green Moon, appearing to regain focus for a moment. After studying her briefly, a grimace that looked neither like crying nor smiling formed on the old face. "Peacock, your group probably isn't getting out alive!" Green Moon's expression shifted drastically! What did that mean? Did Hou Xiaochen and his people truly plan to slaughter them all? Yet they must not forget that her side still held multiple Rising Lights and numerous Three Sols... In a fight to the death, the other side would hardly escape unscathed. Hou Xiaochen glanced at the Bright Light Sword and remarked calmly, "Do not spread rumors. We harbor no such intentions, nor do we have any interest in doing so right now. What interests me more is whether those three silver warriors will completely dissipate... or if they can remain. It seemed to me the golden warrior escorted them into the city!" Indeed, neither silver nor gold remained atop the gatehouse. Inside the city, quiet seemed to have returned. Hou Xiaochen was indeed wondering whether the three silver warriors could survive. If they truly perished, perhaps... there would still be opportunities. But if they could survive and continue reviving... three existences comparable to peak Rising Lights, combined with Southern Fist and the Earth-Overturning Sword, would be immensely troublesome. And that was without mentioning the far more terrifying golden warrior. The Bright Light Sword ignored him and continued gazing into the city. What about Southern Fist and the Earth-Overturning Sword? Why had they dared to snap their supernatural locks? Were they not afraid? Or did the city hold some method to restore them? At this moment, Green Moon's faction was on high alert, while the rogue cultivators joined their ranks one after another, thoroughly terrified. They had only entered to make a fortune; who could have known they would become entangled in such depths? A group of Silver Moon martial masters, each powerful beyond belief... Someone had even joined the Battle Heaven Army. All of this defied imagination. The more one knew, the more dangerous it was! Everyone understood this truth. If that was the case... could they successfully walk out of the Battle Heaven City ruins? Pessimism gripped many hearts; their chances might be slim. Of course, if an expert like the Bright Light Sword joined them, and given that Hu Qingfeng and Qi Gang were trembling in fear on the Silver Moon side, perhaps... those two might choose to defect. In that case, they would stand a fighting chance! Among the rogue cultivators' two Rising Lights, one was mid-tier and the other early-tier. Though called rogue cultivators, how could true rogues produce Rising Lights so easily? One was a young man from the Liu family of the Finance Department, possessing early Rising Light strength. The other, a mid Rising Light expert, hailed from the neighboring Linjiang Governor-General's Manor. He was an esteemed figure within the governor-general's administration, highly renowned throughout Linjiang. Originally, Silver Moon had claimed no Rising Lights on the surface. It wasn't until Hou Xiaochen intervened that everyone realized he had stepped into Rising Light. Later, when Chief Steward Yu and Golden Spear made their moves, people learned that Silver Moon did indeed possess Rising Lights—and formidable ones at that. Yet Linjiang Province had always displayed greater overt strength than Silver Moon. Now, however, the general from the governor-general's manor was thoroughly shaken. How could he still believe Linjiang was stronger than Silver Moon? Not one of these people possessed a simple identity. Among the Three Sols, several also hailed from major factions. They had merely concealed their identities and could not reveal them now. They had no choice but to tag along with the Three Great Organizations, hoping to secure protection and escape together so they could report this intelligence back to their superiors. It was simply too terrifying! On the Silver Moon side, Hou Xiaochen and Kong Jie were unfathomably strong. Were they the only ones, or were there more? The Earth-Overturning Sword and Southern Fist were also powerful to the extreme. And that Li Hao—supposedly capable of killing Three Sols and comparable to peak Three Sols... What absolute nonsense! Could a peak Three Sols kill an expert on the Divine Master Roll? It was all a lie! The martial masters of Silver Moon were sinister hypocrites, every last one hiding their true strength. For now, the two sides maintained a fragile truce. No one knew whether they would leave this place alive. Still, as long as those inside the city did not join hands with Silver Moon's official camp... they would not necessarily fear the few officials before them. But if they joined forces, there would be virtually no hope left. ... At the same moment. Inside the city. Southern Fist set Li Hao down and hurriedly produced all the storage rings in his hands. These included the ring Li Hao hadn't had time to collect after killing Xu Feng, the gauntlet that had tried to flee, and the dropped bronze mirror—he had gathered every single one. He had also killed a Rising Light himself, which yielded another storage ring. Having slain numerous foes earlier, he held quite a collection. At this moment, he quickly emptied out the treasures. Divine energy stones piled up in the blink of an eye, adding up to over six hundred pieces, mostly provided by Xu Feng and the other Rising Light. There were also two Origin God Armaments, both belonging to Xu Feng; the other fellow had possessed none. He looked anxiously at Li Hao. "Will this do?" Spotting Hong Yitang landing beside them, he hastily added, "What about your share? You picked up that storage ring, and the one from killing Yellow Moon is with you too! Hurry up!" Hong Yitang was speechless. Hadn't you been swaggering arrogantly just moments ago? With a flick of his arm, divine energy stones clattered to the ground in a heap. He had fewer than Southern Fist—about four hundred—bringing the total to a thousand. Southern Fist grew frantic. "Where's the big one?!" A thousand stones was plenty under normal circumstances. Yet last time, he and the Earth-Overturning Sword had consumed around eight hundred stones between them. This time, they had unsealed even more power. Would this be enough? "Quick... don't be stingy... Old Hong, Brother Hong, Lord Hong... I'm about to break down!" Southern Fist was nearly in tears. The fight had felt glorious. Yet as exhilarating as the battle had been, the aftermath was equally miserable. Four supernatural locks had been snapped! If he hadn't tempered his five visceral organs recently, received Li Hao's help earlier, and gained benefits in the spring pool, he wouldn't even be holding together right now. Hong Yitang cursed under his breath, but he still produced a piece. Back at the spring pool, he had scraped away several chunks; the piece he took out now was somewhat damaged. As for the other two... he couldn't bear to surrender them. In terms of raw energy, this chunk was roughly equivalent to three thousand divine energy stones, but in terms of quality, it surpassed them by leagues. If someone offered to trade three thousand ordinary divine energy stones for this... he would have answered with a backhand slap across their face! Li Hao said nothing. His sword energy had been entirely depleted. Without hesitation, he plunged the small sword directly into the largest divine energy stone. Hong Yitang raised a hand to stop him... In the end, he let out a helpless, resentful sigh. "You could have used the small ones first..." Why plunge it straight into the large one?! "There's no time!" Li Hao urged. "The small ones convert too slowly. We need this large, high-purity piece!" Indeed, time was pressing. Of course, it wasn't truly a matter of life and death; Southern Fist could have held on with sufficient control. However... the small sword could wait no longer. Having previously shown utter indifference toward divine energy stones, the small sword seemed to taste a genuine delicacy for the first time, finally devouring something palatable. It had been eager all along; the moment it pierced the stone, it siphoned an immense torrent of divine energy! The small sword quivered with sheer ecstasy. Everything it had eaten before was garbage! Armament spirits were decent, but they were mere snacks. It had gone without a proper staple meal for so long, and nibbling on a few snacks had only left it craving more. In a flash, streams of rich sword energy came into being. Before long, the small sword began to grow. It had already reached the length of a forearm, and now it lengthened further. Li Hao swiftly channeled sword energy into Southern Fist's body while absorbing some himself. The sword energy now seemed of an even higher caliber. Li Hao had also sustained severe injuries this time. After fusing four forces, he had struggled to keep them under control. Being able to slay Xu Feng was partly because the man had been overly arrogant, had depleted too much energy earlier, and had been caught completely off guard when his gauntlet fled. Moreover, Xu Feng had sealed off the perimeter, courting his own demise. Otherwise, with Li Hao having only just fused four forces, he might not have managed to kill a mid Rising Light. Matching him might have been possible. Slaying him, however... would likely have proved beyond his reach. Li Hao rapidly extracted the power of the divine energy stones. The three sat cross-legged, madly absorbing sword energy. Southern Fist finally let out a breath of relief, while Hong Yitang murmured coolly, "Remember, you owe me three thousand divine energy stones. I didn't overcharge you. Could you buy a piece this big with three thousand stones?" "..." Southern Fist was struck dumb. Only after a long pause did he mumble, "You absorbed some too..." "I absorbed a tiny bit, which was more than enough. I don't need that much. Unlike some people who insisted on snapping four supernatural locks just for vain glory, I don't waste energy like this. Otherwise, why would we need so much?" Nearly four thousand divine energy stones' worth of energy had been devoured in one go, including a massive chunk worth three thousand whose actual value far exceeded the number! If they kept this up... even the Three Great Organizations would go bankrupt! Burning through this much in a single fight would bankrupt anyone. As satisfying as the battle had been, the cost was staggering. Hong Yitang glared at Southern Fist several times. That madman! Damn it, if you have no money, don't act so arrogant! This wasn't fighting; this was burning money. Snapping three locks would have been more than enough to stop the Bright Light Sword. In fact, snapping one would have barely held him at bay. This fellow had snapped four purely to show off! How else could he have sent the Bright Light Sword flying with a single punch? How else could he have sent Hou Xiaochen flying with a single punch? Did that have any real purpose? Hong Yitang cursed inwardly. If I were willing to spend the money, I could show off even more grandly than you! Even I refrained, yet you went ahead and showed off. Worst of all, you spent my money! I knew this fellow would end up like this; I should have hardened my heart and refused him! Southern Fist looked sheepish, unable to mount a defense. He mumbled, "I did it to protect Li Hao..." "Shut up!" Hong Yitang couldn't even be bothered to argue. Protecting Li Hao? There was no need to go that far! Otherwise, about a thousand divine energy stones would have sufficed, just like last time. Mid-sentence, Hong Yitang froze slightly and glanced to the side. The sword energy was depleting rapidly, and the divine energy stones were vanishing at high speed. The problem was, aside from the three of them... someone else seemed to be absorbing it as well. He turned his head, his heart leaping. At some point, a scrawny black dog had appeared beside them. Its tongue hung out, its eyes gleaming with excitement as if beholding a feast it hadn't tasted in ages, frantically absorbing the sword energy. Initially, Hong Yitang felt on guard. How could there be a dog in the city? An ancient dog? Soon, however, suspicion crossed his face, and he looked at Li Hao. Li Hao kept his eyes closed without a word, continuing to extract sword energy while channeling a portion toward the dog. It was an immense surprise! Utterly unexpected, yet Li Hao had no time to ponder it. The dog looked starved to death; since they had crossed paths here, channeling a bit of energy was fine. In any case, it was generosity at another's expense—not his own money. Of course, some of it was his; among the divine energy stones on the ground, several belonged to Xu Feng. But compared to what was being consumed, that was mere pocket change. What had truly caught Hong Yitang off guard wasn't the dog's sudden appearance, but the fact that... the creature seemed to be executing the Five Animals Breathing Art. Southern Fist sensed it as well. Turning to look, he was utterly dumbfounded. What was going on? A dog had suddenly materialized here, and more crucially, it seemed to know the Five Animals Breathing Art. A moment later, both felt a jolt of alarm. Furthermore... this dog was remarkably strong! A martial master dog? There was no sign of supernatural fluctuations, yet it had approached them without a sound, remaining unnoticed until it began absorbing sword energy. Clearly, its breath-concealing ability was extraordinary. That was rather frightening! Where had such a powerful grand demon come from? Could this grand demon dog rival the grand demons of Mount Cang? Of course, since it hadn't fought yet, making a precise assessment was difficult. Seeing Li Hao deliberately funnel energy to it, they assumed Li Hao recognized the animal and held their peace. Southern Fist merely cast a resentful glance at Li Hao. That energy had been borrowed under his name—couldn't he be a little more frugal?! Three men and one dog continued absorbing sword energy. The next moment, the golden warrior descended, escorting the three tottering silver commanders. He glanced at the group and spoke in a mechanical voice: "Twelfth Regiment Commander, report to the city lord's estate when you have time!" With that, he swiftly departed with the three silver warriors. Hong Yitang watched their receding figures with a strange look in his eyes. Southern Fist sent a voice transmission: "Those three silver commanders look like they're on their last legs!" Hong Yitang nodded slightly. Indeed, he sensed it as well—an instinct telling him that the three silver warriors were about to dissipate entirely. Li Hao opened his eyes and gazed after them, falling silent. Were they... about to vanish? ... Beneath the tortoise tower at the city lord's estate. The golden warrior stood in silence, escorting the three swaying silver warriors. He suddenly spoke. "I beg the Guardian to show mercy!" "Are you certain... you wish to do this?" The old tortoise's voice rang out. The golden warrior's voice was resolute and resounding: "Certain! They will surely be willing, just like me, to become armament spirits! To become the armament spirits of these silver armors until the day the Battle Heaven Army returns, until the day the Human King and the others return..." Armament spirits! Refining remnants of their souls and lingering obsessions entirely into the silver combat armors meant they would forever become spirits of weapons, just like those Origin God Armaments. In the ancient civilization, Origin God Armaments had been a unique byproduct of the great war between humans and demons—a process exceedingly cruel. Demons were slain, and their souls were extracted to forge these armaments. Later, when the war between humans and demons ended, the Demon Suppressing Emissaries even included members of the demon race. Consequently, the method for forging Origin God Armaments was destroyed and abandoned. If it had been deemed too cruel for demons, it was far more so for humans. To have one's remnant soul extracted meant that as long as the weapon remained intact, one would never truly die across countless lifetimes. Yet one would gradually lose memories and selfhood, becoming nothing more than an armament spirit for the silver armor. "Guardian... we... are willing!" At this moment, a mental ripple emerged from one of the three silver warriors. "I... do not wish to dissipate like this! On the day the Tenth Regiment Commander dissipated, the city's power reserves were likely insufficient, so he dared not harbor extravagant hopes... Today, over a thousand energy-path martial artists were slain... The city's energy reserves should be ample... I beg the Guardian to grant our wish!" The silver commander back then had chosen to slash toward the heavens because the city's stored energy had been nearly exhausted. Even had there been a chance, it could not have been done. Today, however, it should be possible. They wished to remain. Too many unfulfilled wishes lingered in their hearts; even if it was merely to catch a single glimpse of the future, that would suffice. With a soft sigh, the old tortoise released a mental ripple. In an instant, the three sets of silver armor vanished, reappearing atop the tower. A peculiar flame flared outward, and agonized shrieks echoed within the armors. The refining method was excruciatingly cruel, which was precisely why Origin God Armaments had been abolished. The old tortoise... had experienced it personally. Yet that was a very long time ago, so far back that it had nearly forgotten. Below, the golden warrior seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. This was good. In any case... it was no worse than their current state. Becoming armament spirits to continue operating the armors would not necessarily be inferior to what they were now. "Those people by the city gate..." "Leave them be for now!" The old tortoise's voice echoed. "I have witnessed everything that transpired today. First observe their actions, then test their character... Even for the lineage of the Sword Venerable, the Battle Heaven Army does not recruit casually. For now, the silver regiment commanders are sufficient!" "Understood!" The golden warrior responded and vanished instantly from the spot. ... Meanwhile. Vast reserves of energy were devoured by the three men and one dog. By the time all the divine energy stones on the ground crumbled to dust, the group had consumed the equivalent of over four thousand divine energy stones. Only then were their injuries completely healed, and their five visceral organs grew noticeably stronger. Southern Fist wore a smug grin! Hong Yitang reminded him once more, "Three thousand stones. Remember to pay me back. If you don't, interest will accrue at ten percent per month!" Southern Fist's expression soured. "You—" "Spare me the nonsense. Feel free to try defaulting if you dare!" "..." Southern Fist felt suffocatingly aggrieved. Not only had this single fight bankrupted him, but it had also saddled him with a mountain of debt. It had been exhilarating, yes, but utterly miserable. After working for the imperial family for so many years, his wages wouldn't even cover this debt! Li Hao, meanwhile, had mended the lingering repercussions from unleashing four forces and the Blood Blade Art. His wounds were fully healed. Without a word, he stowed the two Origin God Armaments on the ground into his storage ring. By now, his collection of Origin God Armaments had reached four pieces. The wind chime left by the Wheel-Turning King, the gauntlet and breastplate left by Xu Feng, and the yellow armor left by Xie Gang of Yama. Among them, the breastplate, wind chime, and gauntlet were of considerable grade, while the yellow armor appeared somewhat inferior. Four Origin God Armaments! As for divine energy stones, Li Hao possessed a sizable reserve as well, including the ten pure divine energy stones issued to him and the spoils gathered from killing foes, some of which he hadn't yet had time to tally. At this moment, Southern Fist suddenly chuckled. "How much military merit did you guys get?" Grinning broadly, he laughed, "I actually got fifty-five points!" Hong Yitang glanced at him and said indifferently, "Sixty points for me." "How is that possible?" Southern Fist froze. That made no sense. You didn't kill anyone while defending the city this time, so how could you have more than me? "Military merit doesn't only come from killing enemies. Intercepting a powerful foe naturally counts as merit!" Hong Yitang wasn't surprised. The military merit system was remarkably comprehensive, making this entirely normal. Li Hao kept his mouth shut. He had no intention of telling these two that his score was even higher. Having slain many supers—including several Three Sols and a mid Rising Light—his military merit sat at a whopping seventy-eight points! Even Li Hao was surprised by how sharply his merit had jumped. Of course, he had no idea what military merit was actually used for. Still, possessing this much merit felt rather satisfying. Just as the thought crossed his mind, a mechanical voice resonated in his consciousness: "The city defense battle has temporarily concluded. The Supervisory Guard has verified and approved the military merit. The New Twelfth Regiment, engaging in its inaugural battle while understrength, displayed exceptional valor. Military merit will be doubled!" With those words, Li Hao felt his merit instantly double! One hundred and fifty-six points! The other two received the notification at the same time and were equally stunned. This efficiency... was remarkably fast. It indicated that the army's merit recording system was still functioning. They knew of the Supervisory Guard—those red armors... They actually handled the verification of military merit, likely to prevent discrepancies and abuse. A moment later, another message surfaced in Li Hao's mind: "The New Twelfth Regiment fought with exceptional valor; its soldiers rendered distinguished service! Twelfth Regiment Commander Li Hao demonstrated capable leadership and is awarded thirty points of bonus merit! First Company Commander Hong Yitang intercepted a powerful foe and is awarded twenty points of bonus merit! First Company Soldier He Yong is awarded ten points of bonus merit!" In an instant, Li Hao's military merit reached one hundred and eighty-six points. Hong Yitang's merit, having first doubled to one hundred and twenty points, gained another twenty, climbing to one hundred and forty points. As for He Yong, he now held one hundred and twenty points of military merit. Li Hao scratched his head. Serving as regiment commander yielded bonus rewards? Not bad at all! Moreover, gaining thirty points in one go was equivalent to slaying thirty early or mid Three Sols experts—quite a substantial sum. Although none of the three knew what military merit could be spent on, they all understood that having more could only be beneficial. Only now did Li Hao have the leisure to look at the burping Black Panther beside them. Black Panther was thrilled. It suddenly pounced, pinning Li Hao to the ground, and began frantically licking his face. Having just removed his silver armor, Li Hao was both dumbfounded and shaken. Good grief! Black Panther's strength was immense! "Black Panther, stop!" Li Hao barked. Wagging its tail in wild excitement, Black Panther nevertheless stopped. Li Hao inspected it from top to bottom, frowning slightly. It was a bit thinner, but felt vastly more powerful. However, he couldn't gauge its strength clearly because this dog differed from ordinary grand demons; unlike those on Mount Cang, it lacked a light cluster! Had it... turned into an out-and-out martial master dog? There wasn't a trace of mysterious energy on it! "Did you come in last time?" Black Panther nodded vigorously. "Can you speak? I've seen grand demons who can speak..." "Woof, woof, woof!" Black Panther shook its head. Li Hao was surprised. "So... you're still not strong enough?" The four grand demons of Mount Cang could communicate via mental ripples, but Black Panther could not. Did that mean this fellow wasn't truly powerful? Yet the strength with which it had pinned him down just now was undeniably formidable! Black Panther wagged its tail without answering, for it had no concept of what was strong or weak. It only knew that during the fierce battle outside, it had felt capable of biting several people to death. For instance, this bearded man—before transforming, the dog felt it could bite him to death! Once he transformed, however, Black Panther's tail gave a shiver; he was too terrifying to take on. Unfortunately, it could not speak. Li Hao pressed no further, though he found it bizarre that Black Panther had remained here for a whole month. That meant it had been accepted by Battle Heaven City. Had Black Panther obtained a key as well? That was impossible! Then how had it managed to stay? At this moment, Hong Yitang sent a voice transmission: "This black dog isn't weak. Though I can't gauge its exact strength, its aura is thoroughly restrained, following the same path as a martial master. It's quite peculiar. Grand demons nowadays absorb mysterious energy to some degree, but this dog... has none at all. Truly strange!" He found it odd as well! Li Hao felt the same. So that figure he had glimpsed in the city earlier really had been Black Panther. He spoke again. "Black Panther, you saw the big battle outside just now?" Black Panther nodded rapidly! "Do you think... you could beat me in a fight?" Black Panther shook its head frantically! It was a dog, but not a stupid one. It certainly couldn't answer yes, or would it still get a share of that delicious sword energy? It had nearly starved to death! Li Hao rubbed his chin. "What about... a silver commander before revival?" An unrevived silver commander possessed peak Three Sols combat strength. Hong Yitang had said the dog wasn't weak, and Li Hao had felt its immense physical power. Could it possess Three Sols strength? After a moment of thought, Black Panther nodded its canine head! Li Hao drew a sharp breath. Not weak at all! That meant this fellow might possess the strength of a peak Three Sols or an early Rising Light. How had it pulled that off? "Did you obtain benefits inside the city?" Black Panther nodded, looking toward the distant tortoise tower. Then it shuddered and whined, as if saying it would never go back there even if beaten to death—it had been too agonizing! Li Hao patted its head, pleasantly surprised. "Impressive! I fought tooth and nail out there, and if I hadn't fused a fourth force this time, I wouldn't even be your match... What the hell!" This dog possessed unbelievable luck! Following him, it had sipped the very first mouthful of soup from the Starry Sky Sword, and then it had entered the ruins and secured benefits. Why did its fortune seem even greater than his own? His own luck was considered quite good! Yet compared to this dog, it was enough to make one feel inadequate. "Woof, woof, woof!" Black Panther barked and licked Li Hao's palm, wagging its tail as if saying: We're on the same side; when I grow stronger, you benefit too. Li Hao said nothing more. Having the dog back was indeed a good thing. He had previously assumed it was either dead or had fled, but it turned out it had been hiding here the entire time. Still... Li Hao gave its head another slap. "I was fighting for my life out there, and you were watching from the gatehouse without coming down to help!" Black Panther looked aggrieved. It hadn't dared go down. Hong Yitang had been slaughtering everyone in sight below; had it jumped down, it feared being killed by mistake. How terrifying would that have been?! Hong Yitang rose to his feet and spoke. "Let's leave the black dog aside for now. Li Hao, interested in visiting the military camp? I'm quite curious about what military merit can actually do. One hundred and forty points is no small sum." As for the people outside, he couldn't be bothered to care about them right now. The golden warrior had personally arrived at the gatehouse, seemingly standing guard and gathering the black armors. Moreover, the ruins had only been open for a single day, and leaving was currently impossible. There would be plenty of time to deal with those fellows outside. If military merit could be exchanged for benefits, that would be wonderful. If nothing else, he had only two large energy stones left and truly couldn't bear to squander them. It was all that bastard Southern Fist's fault for costing him a precious treasure! Of course, with his and Southern Fist's five visceral organs strengthened once again, they could unleash even greater combat power. Li Hao was equally curious. Nodding at the suggestion, he agreed that going to see what military merit could buy would be worthwhile. He wondered if one could earn a promotion; if possible, exchanging for a set of golden armor would make him even more formidable. Southern Fist, on the other hand, had his mind entirely set on divine energy stones. He was dirt poor right now! If he didn't repay the debt, Hong Yitang would genuinely kill him. One must never take a swordsman's words lightly; petty as Hong Yitang was, he might well decide to just put an end to him. As they walked, Li Hao asked curiously, "Was that person earlier really the Bright Light Sword? I heard the Bright Light Sword was a woman. Also, what is the background of the Xu family? The files I received didn't elaborate much. Why was that Xu Feng so arrogant?" Southern Fist curled his lip and replied as they walked, "The situation is rather complicated. The Bright Light Sword is indeed female, but there was an issue with her cultivation technique. It's an ancient secret art. Light embodies yang; when practiced to the extreme, it can invert gender—yang waxing while yin wanes... She's ended up in a state that is neither male nor female! Her joining the Xu family is likely tied to certain secrets they possess that might resolve her condition." "As for the Xu family..." He Yong pondered for a moment before explaining, "The Xu family is no ordinary clan. Strictly speaking, their origins trace back to the founding of the Heavenly Star Dynasty. During the dynastic founding, the Heavenly Star King received assistance from three great families before successfully carving out the Heavenly Star Dynasty of today. The Xu family was one of them." "Later, the patriarchs of these three families were ennobled as Founding Dukes with hereditary titles. The Xu family was one of them—the Duke of Dingguo, tasked with overseeing the Eastern Province. However, ever since the Nine Departments forced the imperial family into retreat, the three ducal families have largely stepped behind the scenes. Otherwise, the Eastern Province used to be dominated by the Xu family. The other two families oversaw the west and the south. As for the north, this region of ours was impoverished, overrun by martial masters, and mired in chaos; an imperial prince personally oversaw this territory, and he was the founder of the Heavenly Star Martial Guard!" "After the rise of supers, the Duke of Dingguo's manor in the east also reaped immense benefits. The Xu family possesses tremendous power in the east. The only reason Xu Feng was ranked on the Central Region's Divine Master Roll is that he had been active in the Central Region all along. The Xu family maintains a faction in Heavenly Star City as well, serving as prominent supporters of the imperial family... In reality, however, they likely harbor ambitions of independence. The three ducal houses are not necessarily loyal to the royal court!" He Yong knew these details inside and out. He continued, "Furthermore, among the Three Great Organizations, one might be backed by the Xu family! All Three Great Organizations have numerous hidden hands behind them. With the Xu family seated in the east, the imperial family has long suspected that the domineering Yama might have received support from them." "Consequently, whether it's the Three Great Organizations, the Nine Departments, or the royal family, everyone gives the Xu family some face to avoid sparking upheaval. After all, none of this has been confirmed yet." Li Hao raised an eyebrow, pausing before remarking, "Understood! No wonder he was so arrogant. Still... I thought it was some family passed down from the ancient civilization. Turns out it's just a founding clan—what is there to be arrogant about?" "..." He Yong was speechless. This kid was certainly arrogant enough himself. As one of the three founding ducal families, didn't they have the right to be arrogant? Even imperial princes and princesses had to give them face; that was an undeniable fact. Xu Feng's arrogance naturally stemmed from the capital to back it up. Even Hou Xiaochen would not dare touch him lightly. Add to that the protection of the Bright Light Sword—if not for Southern Fist stepping in, Li Hao would never have managed to kill him! Of course, the Bright Light Sword was rather strange. Earlier, she had intervened recklessly, disregarding even Yuan Shuo's threats. There was definitely something fishy going on. He Yong mused inwardly: Could Xu Feng have been her son? Surely not! The Bright Light Sword had suffered qi deviation from her cultivation, turning neither male nor female. Who in the Xu family would have such peculiar tastes as to father a child with her? It didn't bear thinking about—too horrifying! Otherwise, it was merely bodyguard duty; once the charge died, that was that. What was the big deal? The Xu family would hardly abandon an expert like the Bright Light Sword over a single descendant. Take Southern Fist, for instance: even if he were protecting an imperial prince and the prince died, the imperial family wouldn't necessarily give him trouble. Hong Yitang added as they walked, "Just make sure not to go to the east. In the northern province, the Xu family amounts to nothing. They wouldn't dare come here rashly; if they do, we'll send them to their graves! But the east... that's their territory. Best stay away from causing trouble there." It was extremely dangerous! Backing one of the Three Great Organizations—even if they weren't Yama's sole financial backer—was an alarming display of power, far beyond what Li Hao could handle alone. "Understood!" Li Hao nodded and said no more, though he was secretly calculating in his mind: Should I find a way to silence everyone outside? That way, no one would know I did it! Unfortunately, that seemed exceedingly difficult! He thought of Hou Xiaochen and the others... Thoughts flashed through his mind. Those people were formidable as well; if both sides joined hands, they stood a chance of wiping out the rest. If Hou Xiaochen and his group were unwilling... then there was truly no way. The others could unseal themselves as well. Pushed to the brink, it would become a fight to the bitter end.