Evaluation

Three people and one dog departed from the City Lord's Estate. Li Hao cast a backward glance toward the massive turtle hovering above. The sculpture was remarkably lifelike, looking just like an actual giant turtle. It was colossal! Battle Heaven City was said to have shrunk many times over. Had this tower been even taller and grander in the distant past? The group walked outward in silence. Halfway along the road, Li Hao turned to Hong Yitang and asked with slight perplexity, "Martial Uncle Hong, if even an entity as mighty as the ancient civilization was wiped out, does the path of martial arts even need to exist?" "..." Hong Yitang shot him a peculiar look. "Why think about this all of a sudden?" "Nothing much." Li Hao shook his head and sighed softly. "A line just came to mind: 'In prosperity, the people suffer; in ruin, the people suffer!' A pack of supers and martial masters stir up trouble day in and day out, forcibly turning a decent student like me into a ruthless killer. It's truly maddening! "And now, seeing how the ancient civilization was destroyed, leaving behind this group of pitiful souls..." He glanced behind them and then toward the East Gate. "I just can't shake the feeling that their lives are agonizing." Perhaps they did not think so themselves, but Li Hao could not help feeling that way. After lying dormant for countless ages, they awoke only to endure tremendous torment, all to continue defending their home. He could not put his exact feelings into words. Perhaps he was simply too young to feel that bone-deep, unforgettable resonance. Li Hao had only voiced a passing complaint and said no more. At this moment, he felt a faint trace of confusion about the future and about life, but knowing there was still much to be done, he quickly cast those thoughts aside. His enemies were not dead yet—what was the point of overthinking? Grand goals, magnificent plans, retracing the footsteps of the ancient civilization—none of that occupied his mind right now. It was merely that everything he had seen and heard in this ancient city had stirred certain thoughts, but he suppressed them deep within his heart, revealing not a single hint. Hong Yitang glanced at Li Hao and said nothing either. Young Li Hao was perhaps a little bewildered. Yet everything that needed saying had already been said. In the end, everyone had to walk their own path. Everyone had their own pursuits. For instance, that old rascal Yuan Shuo was probably pursuing his own path with great vigor right now, having found his direction in life, and was likely thriving like a fish in water in the Central Region. What about himself? Hong Yitang found himself contemplating his own situation. To call himself powerful, he was indeed powerful. To call himself weak... compared to the ancient civilization, he was utterly ordinary. He harbored aspirations toward the ancient civilization's might, and he possessed his own thoughts regarding the martial path. Yet in truth, was he not equally lost? Could he really change anything? Or should he live lightheartedly like Southern Fist, single-mindedly chasing breakthroughs in martial arts? This era... felt dreadfully dull. This era seemed to be missing something. Hong Yitang vaguely knew what was missing, but he could not achieve it, nor could he summon the monumental resolve required. That was not something an ordinary man could accomplish; that was the realm of saints, and he was no saint. Thus, he could only speak of it. If tasked with actually doing it... he truly lacked the confidence and courage. Seeing that Li Hao had stopped asking questions, Hong Yitang sank into deep contemplation as well. Sensing something, Southern Fist sent a voice transmission: "Old Hong, what are you brooding about?" "Nothing." "Tell me! What's there to fear? We're old friends—are you worried I'll laugh at you?" "Get lost!" Southern Fist chuckled and sent via voice transmission, "To tell you the truth, after strolling around this ancient city, I feel somewhat uneasy myself. Old Hong, don't you think the Heavenly Star Dynasty feels lifeless right now? The common people lack creativity; whatever they want, they just dig it up. The ancient civilization has everything anyway, so why not go unearth it? The conflicts among supers also seem utterly meaningless. No one even knows what they're fighting for, tearing heaven and earth apart only to end up dominating a patch of land... "We're lacking the unity of that ancient city, and we're missing their passion and conviction, aren't we?" Hong Yitang smiled. "You actually understand that?" "Nonsense, I'm not an idiot!" Southern Fist added via voice transmission, "Tell me, was General Zhenbei really killed by Hou Xiaochen and the others?" "What do you mean?" "If Hou Xiaochen and his people killed him, sitting back to watch the three northern provinces plunge into turmoil and even sweep across the entire north, total chaos across the realm is right around the corner. That means Hou Xiaochen and his lot have considerable ambition—they aren't good people! He claims he's heading to the Central Region, but he left behind a complete mess in the north... In my view, he'll have to return sooner or later. When that time comes, I'm afraid heads will roll by the thousands... "Were you wondering just now why nobody in our era spares a single thought for the common folk?" Hong Yitang laughed outright and replied via voice transmission, "Why spare a thought for commoners? Only a fool would think that way. What's the point of considering them? It doesn't matter much even if more commoners die. They lack creativity and aren't good at labor. Look around—aren't most of today's technologies excavated from the ancient civilization? From steel smelting to airplanes and cannons, even architectural styles... Our era is fundamentally built upon the corpse of the ancient civilization, absorbing bits of its essence to reach where we are today, and it has developed quite deformed." This was a deformed era! Airplanes and cannons existed, as did city-destroying bombs and super martial masters, yet ordinary farmers still had to depend entirely on the heavens to harvest their crops. Only because the heavens had been kind in recent years were harvests decent. Yet now, with the rise of supers and their devastating warfare, all of this was being destroyed. Sooner or later, an apocalyptic crisis would strike! Of course, martial masters and supers would be fine. If they lacked food, they could simply rob others—how could people like them ever starve? As for basic necessities, transportation was inconvenient now. Food was reduced to barely staving off hunger, and living conditions were mediocre at best... Everything seemed to be developing, yet after all that development, the common people continued living the same way, numb and devoid of joy. "Why speak in anger?" Southern Fist chuckled. "Old Hong, when you suddenly acted against Hou Xiaochen earlier, was it out of resentment? Did you intentionally knock his prestige down because you thought he killed General Zhenbei and stood by as the north fell into turmoil and the people suffered?" "I did no such thing. You, on the other hand, gave him a solid punch!" Southern Fist grinned. "It didn't matter to me anyway. His smile was obnoxious, so one punch was letting him off easy. You're usually calm and collected, yet you actually erupted and gave him a beating this time. That wasn't easy!" "What are you trying to say?" Hong Yitang had no desire to chat further with him. Yet Southern Fist pressed on of his own accord: "Nothing much, just that I want to settle my debt. Don't I owe you three thousand divine energy stones? I can't pay them back right away, so how about we strike a deal? I'll have the imperial family confer a minor noble title upon you and grant you a small fief. You'd be your own master without having to cater to anyone's whims... You can take in whoever you want, and I'll procure a batch of grain for you, along with a group of war orphans..." Southern Fist was no fool; he had picked up on a few things. He continued, "You can shut your gates and run your own domain. From what I see, you aren't interested in striving for supremacy anyway. You're different from Hou Xiaochen and his ilk. Maybe they look further ahead and accomplish more, but you, Old Hong, feel far more grounded... What do you think?" Hong Yitang chuckled helplessly and sent back, "To hell with that! You call this paying back three thousand divine energy stones?" "Are you in or not?" Southern Fist sent another transmission: "I'll pick a fine spot for you. There's plenty of fertile land near your Sword Gate, but it belongs to others and hardly anyone farms it anymore. Silver Moon has become rather desolate over the years. Since you harbor no grand ambitions, wouldn't it be great to shut your doors and be your own boss?" "Scram. Besides, the imperial family's word carries no weight." "That doesn't matter. As long as the imperial family grants the title, it's better than carving out territory on your own. Doing that independently is rebellion, but if the imperial family grants you the legal right, anyone who picks a fight with you is the one rebelling! Would you be afraid of them? Having the official title is all that counts." Hong Yitang sank into thought. Southern Fist added, "I wouldn't say this to an ordinary person. Old Hong, you carry a faint trace of the ancient saints, even if it's just a tiny bit... Shouldn't I help fulfill that? How big is your Sword Gate right now? I know you're raising several hundred orphans there. You're used to keeping a low profile, and establishing the Sword Gate was just to deter the surrounding supers, wasn't it? If you have a larger territory, you might do an even better job... The realm is about to fall into chaos!" Southern Fist sighed with emotion and transmitted once more, "The three northern provinces are in chaos, the Central Region is in chaos, and the whole realm will soon follow! Actually, that's not bad. Only troubled times bring about reform. Rather than living in a muddle, it's better for times of turmoil to awaken the minds of the people. You have ideas. I've seen you watching those schools for a long time, and you've even talked to me about raising literacy rates. Doesn't that mean you have ambitions? If you have them, just do it..." Hong Yitang remained silent this time. After walking a short distance, he shook his head and transmitted, "I can't. I can't pull it off!" *That's why I can only talk about it.* *I lack the courage and the audacity.* "Don't say that! You're so formidable, what's there to fear? Just do what you want. If you fear difficulty, are you still a martial master? No matter how hard it is, could it possibly be harder than keeping your doors shut while Yuan Shuo came knocking three times to challenge you?" "..." *Dammit!* Hong Yitang cursed internally. What kind of nonsense was that? Were those two things even remotely comparable? Southern Fist urged him further: "Don't you feel quite peaceful in this city? Quite secure, with the black-armored guards patrolling outside. If it were up to you, I bet you'd even want to bring your wife and kids in... Think about it. Over the years, haven't the children of the Sword Gate felt the same way? With you, Hong Yitang, around, they feel at ease. If you're gone, will they still feel safe?" "Those aren't the same thing. Stop trying to mislead me. When all is said and done, you just don't want to pay your debt, do you?" "You bet!" Southern Fist did not deny it, chuckling slyly. "If you're counting on me to pay you back in cash... I really don't have that kind of wealth. Even if I earn some military merit, I doubt I could cover it all. But ordinary materials? I can definitely get my hands on those for you!" "We'll talk once we're out!" Hong Yitang said no more, not wishing to continue the conversation. Southern Fist felt smug inside, knowing that this fellow was swayed. It seemed settling the debt would not be so hard after all. Divine energy stones were hard to come by, but given his status, strength, and identity, acquiring basic supplies would not be too difficult. Right now, everyone cared primarily about supernatural cultivation resources. Items used by ordinary folk were pushed to the sidelines for the time being. He had heard and pondered the words Hong Yitang spoken after entering the ancient city. Just now, Li Hao had suddenly grown emotional as well, and Southern Fist had caught the confusion and hesitation in Hong Yitang's eyes, allowing him to guess the general direction of his thoughts. Sure enough, Hong Yitang's refusal had not been absolute. It looked like this could offset the debt! After chuckling for a moment, Southern Fist felt a sudden wave of emotion. He did not know... whether egging Old Hong on like this was right or wrong! Was it truly right to turn the Earth-Overturning Sword into the head of an orphanage? If this continued, would it make Hong Yitang's martial path stronger, or cause him to decline completely? Who could say! Yet even if Southern Fist had said nothing, would this fellow really have refrained from doing it? By speaking up, he could at least offset his debt. ... Up ahead, Li Hao was not dwelling on such matters. The group arrived at the East Gate. Li Hao leaped into the air and landed atop the gate tower. At this moment, there were not many black-armored soldiers down below; most were stationed defensively along the ramparts. In the distance beyond the city, supers remained visible. Their numbers were far fewer than before. The vast, dark swarm had vanished, leaving only around five or six hundred supers behind. Li Hao had sharp vision and could still see Bright Light Sword staring into the city... He felt puzzled. This old man... old woman... this martial master who defied easy identification as a woman or man had a very peculiar aura after Xu Feng's death. It did not look like the rage and sorrow of someone who had lost family, nor did it look like the indifference of losing a nobody. Her emotions were exceedingly tangled, leaving Li Hao baffled as to what she was thinking. If she wanted revenge, he sensed no overwhelming, murderous hatred. If she did not want revenge, she kept staring over here, fixing her gaze on Li Hao and the spot where Xu Feng had perished... It was utterly bizarre. Li Hao looked away from her and toward the two clearly divided factions outside. They could not leave, yet dared not enter. Presumably, their torment far exceeded his own. ... When Li Hao appeared on the ramparts, the people outside noticed him. "Director!" Chief Steward Yu sent a voice transmission: "Li Hao has come out." Hou Xiaochen had been somewhat distracted, but he snapped back to attention at her words. Glancing over, he spotted Li Hao. The young man was no longer concealing himself; he had uncovered his head from beneath his silver helmet, exposing his face entirely. Li Hao simply found it stuffy and uncomfortable inside. "He has quite the nerve." Hou Xiaochen smiled faintly and transmitted, "It seems killing Xu Feng gave him a lot more confidence." "Director, what should we do now? The Battle Heaven Army's previous three silver warriors have reappeared, as has the golden warrior. Now there's Li Hao's group as well, all possessing immense combat power. Breaking into the inner city to claim the Black Tortoise Seal... will likely be extremely difficult!" More than just difficult—it was practically a nightmare. Hou Xiaochen, however, did not seem particularly bothered. He transmitted, "No need to fuss over it. If we can't get it, so be it. What deserves our attention right now... is how to wipe out those bastards from the Three Great Organizations!" "Huh?" "The Three Great Organizations have all gathered here, and more and more people are turning their eyes toward Silver Moon... Whether we strike fear into them or inflict heavy casualties, we cannot let the people from the Three Great Organizations leave this place alive! Battle Heaven City... can stay right where it is." At this point, he looked at Chief Steward Yu and transmitted, "Find an opportunity in a moment to enter the city and speak with Li Hao..." "Me?" "Yes, go ahead. It will be fine. You haven't attacked the Battle Heaven Army, and with the key I gave you, just head straight in once you reach the gate. When you see Li Hao, ask him if he can persuade the others to join forces with us and annihilate these people!" Chief Steward Yu was startled, but asked no questions. If the director said it was fine, it most likely was. Right now, no one dared step inside out of fear of being encircled and annihilated by the Battle Heaven Army's experts. Chief Steward Yu and the others shared that dread, but since the director assured her she would not be targeted... she took him at his word. Fortunately, no one else heard this exchange. Otherwise, someone would surely have cursed Jade Rakshasa for losing her mind! Just then, Chief Steward Yu transmitted again: "By the way, what about Hu Qingfeng and Qi Gang? Those two seem scared out of their wits right now. They haven't uttered a peep, but their eyes keep darting around. Could they be plotting something? Will they betray us?" Not many had entered this time; only a few outsiders were on the official side—Hu Qingfeng and his two subordinates, plus Qi Gang. Yet the series of upheavals earlier had thoroughly terrified them. At this moment, both were probably looking for a way to flee. Hou Xiaochen transmitted, "Don't worry about them. I'll handle it." Chief Steward Yu pressed no further. Hou Xiaochen established a new transmission channel. "You two!" "..." In an instant, Hu Qingfeng's hairs stood on end, his face plastered with sheer terror. Qi Gang fared slightly better, though he could not hide the anxiety in his eyes. Both turned toward Hou Xiaochen. "Special Commissioner Hu, last time you contacted Lanyue and the others to take me down together... why did you back out?" The terror in Hu Qingfeng's eyes was unmistakable! In that split second, only a single thought occupied his mind: *Flee!* It was over! He had been found out! "Don't run, and don't be afraid. I have no intention of killing you. If I wanted to, a few underhanded moves earlier would have left you dead at the Earth-Overturning Sword's hands." Hu Qingfeng remained silent, his legs turning to jelly. "You belong to Huang Long's faction, correct?" Suppressing his terror, Hu Qingfeng answered timidly via voice transmission, "Yes!" Naturally, the Night Patrol had factions. Some were independents, some were hardliners, and others were ambitious schemers—all sorts existed. Once people acquired power, not everyone was content to lay down their lives for the dynasty or the Nine Departments. *Now that we are so powerful, why must we risk our lives for others?* Huang Long was a titan within the Night Patrol system, serving as one of the deputy directors of the Night Patrol headquarters. In addition, he concurrently served as a deputy director-general of the Inspectorate's Central Bureau. The director of the Night Patrol headquarters held an identical concurrent position as a deputy director-general of the Central Bureau. In terms of official rank, the two were peers, though one was the primary and the other a deputy, granting the headquarters director slightly higher standing. It was precisely these bizarre concurrent appointments that gave both sides the leverage to clash within the Night Patrol hierarchy. Huang Long believed his standing was no lower than the general director's, and with influential backing behind him, he had always nurtured grand designs. Hu Qingfeng was a member of his faction. "In your view, how strong is Huang Long?" Hu Qingfeng dared not leave the question unanswered, yet feared saying the wrong thing and displeasing Hou Xiaochen. After a moment's hesitation, he transmitted, "Very strong. I think... I think... he isn't weaker than Director Hou." "Is that so? And compared to the Earth-Overturning Sword?" "This... I'm not entirely sure... Judging by the methods displayed... he might... be slightly inferior?" "The Earth-Overturning Sword unsealed his power. In truth, I am the same as him. Do you understand what I mean?" "I do!" The terror in Hu Qingfeng's eyes deepened. He knew about this; those figures had discussed it earlier. These people were terrifying to the extreme. To be this formidable without having unsealed their full might—he could hardly fathom whether they had all surpassed the Rising Light level. Most likely... they had. Their methods did not feel like Rising Light capabilities at all. "After leaving the ruins, I will most likely head to the Central Region. I've given it some thought and might accept the post of deputy director at the Night Patrol headquarters. Would you like to work under me? I won't have many acquaintances there and will be unfamiliar with the territory. Why don't you consider it?" "..." Hu Qingfeng was stunned! What was going on? Not killing him? And... and even recruiting him? "Di—Director Hou... I don't understand your meaning..." "There isn't much to understand. I'm unfamiliar with the place and need a few helpers. I can't very well go around telling everyone how amazing I am, can I? People would take it as a joke! Some matters require assistance. An early-stage Rising Light like you isn't weak, so you can be of some help." Hu Qingfeng's eyes flickered. When he met Hou Xiaochen's smiling face, a sudden chill seized his spine. Daring not harbor any rebellious thoughts, he transmitted timidly, "Director Hou... I... my status at headquarters isn't actually that high. Aside from the directors, there are several monsters stronger than me, not to mention the Five Regional Governors... Compared to them, I'm just a minor errand boy..." "That's precisely what I'm looking for!" Hou Xiaochen chuckled and transmitted again, "I've reviewed your dossier. You have plenty of flaws: fond of boasting, bullying the weak while fearing the strong, cowardly as a rat, with great ambitions but petty talent..." Hu Qingfeng felt a surge of shame and indignation at these words, but remembering Hou Xiaochen's terrifying power, he could only choke down his anger. This... was too humiliating! "However, after looking into you, I found that you aren't entirely hopeless. You do have a redeeming quality: when facing someone much stronger than yourself, you are utterly obedient..." *Did that count as a virtue?* Hu Qingfeng wanted to vomit blood. He was a Rising Light expert, a prodigy! He wasn't that pathetic! "Another thing: your subordinates have committed numerous atrocities. Aside from being somewhat foolish, you can't even maintain control over your own men, which perversely became your saving grace... As for colluding with the Three Great Organizations, I can't even be bothered to bring it up. Far too many people in the Central Region do that; if we investigated every case, we'd never finish." Hu Qingfeng wanted to weep, but held it back and transmitted again, "Director Hou... do you... want me to obey your every command?" "Yes!" "But..." "Afraid Huang Long will cause trouble for you? Don't worry, it doesn't matter." Hou Xiaochen smiled warmly. "Fearing Huang Long won't result in him killing you on the spot. You should be far more worried about whether you can walk out of here alive, shouldn't you?" "..." The very next instant, Hu Qingfeng transmitted, "The director is right! From now on, I... I am your man!" Beside them, Qi Gang's scalp tingled, rendered speechless by Hu Qingfeng's shamelessness. Why would Hou Xiaochen think of taking this fellow under his wing? More importantly, why had he made Qi Gang listen to all of this? "Qi Gang, what about you?" "What..." Cold sweat beaded on Qi Gang's forehead. Hou Xiaochen looked at him and smiled. "Don't understand? People say you're quite clever, so why play dumb now?" Qi Gang struggled internally before transmitting, "Director Hou, I belong to the Department of Administration..." "What of the Department of Administration?" Hou Xiaochen showed no concern whatsoever, transmitting, "It makes no difference. Furthermore, don't assume the Nine Departments are invincible or that the Central Region is all that remarkable. The land of Silver Moon is far more complex than you imagine! There are plenty of people like me—some in the Central Region, and... quite a few in Silver Moon as well! Since chance led you to witness so much, you might as well join. If you don't, being as clever as you are, do you understand what happens?" "I understand, but I worry even more that Director Hou is merely trying to appease me. You see, having witnessed all this, we naturally have no room to resist here. But once we leave... isn't Director Hou worried we might leak secrets or inform on you?" "Why would I be?" Hou Xiaochen smiled gently and transmitted, "Everyone says you're a smart man, so why would you inform on me? What benefit would that bring you? Working for me like this doesn't require you to switch sides completely. You can return to the Department of Administration and continue doing and saying whatever you normally do. Spilling the beans might not yield any rewards from your superiors, but keeping quiet allows you to forge a friendship with me. Having an extra friend means having an extra path in life—why insist on walking yourself into a dead end?" Qi Gang exhaled a long breath and promptly transmitted, "The director speaks the truth. I understand!" "Good. Talking to smart people is far more relaxing. Hu Qingfeng is rather foolish, so I had to explain things thoroughly." At the side, Hu Qingfeng kept his mouth shut, daring not utter a word. He was actually pondering what would happen if he reported everything to Huang Long once they exited. Then... he arrived at the dismal realization that no matter what happened, Huang Long might not even be able to handle Hou Xiaochen. Silver Moon held far too many formidable experts. The only certainty was that, given these people's temperaments, he would definitely end up dead! Thus, informing seemed to lead straight to death. "If fighting breaks out shortly, you two don't need to do much. Just draw closer to the Three Great Organizations. If someone tries to recruit you in secret, even better—join them directly. We want to eliminate these troublesome nuisances with minimal effort... Do you two understand my meaning?" "Understood!" "Understood!" The two answered in haste. They understood perfectly—wasn't it just playing the double agent? They were well versed in that! Hou Xiaochen added, transmitting to Hu Qingfeng, "By the way, those two subordinates of yours... deal with them yourself!" "Ah?" "What 'ah'?" Hou Xiaochen's expression remained placid. "They've committed plenty of misdeeds. Just like Yu Xiao, they let sudden power get to their heads and started acting like supreme overlords. Clean them up yourself; I can't be bothered to lift a finger." Hu Qingfeng's expression shifted repeatedly, but he transmitted, "Understood!" Hou Xiaochen smiled and added, "Be good. Consider this your pledge of allegiance. I'll record it later. If you step out of line, I'll claim you murdered your colleagues and colluded with the Three Great Organizations... and execute you. Understood?" "..." Hu Qingfeng dared not say a word. Though cursing inwardly, he felt somewhat more secure. *Right, with leverage over me... it's fine. It actually feels safer this way; otherwise, my heart wouldn't be at ease.* Hou Xiaochen paid them no further mind. If the two were foolish enough to try anything, it hardly mattered. He cast another glance into the distance, looking at Li Hao, then at the Earth-Overturning Sword and Southern Fist beside him. A moment later, he turned and walked away. "I'll go check if the entrance to the ruins will open tonight... There's no point in lingering here!" With that, he departed. Nearby, Lvyue and the others wore expressions of deep vigilance! Yet when Hou Xiaochen truly walked away, they felt somewhat relieved. His presence had exerted tremendous pressure on them. At this moment, they wished the other one, Kong Jie, would leave as well; his presence was equally suffocating. As if hearing their thoughts, Kong Jie looked over and chuckled. "I'll go check if there's another path. Everyone... don't harbor any wicked ideas. We're nearby; if anything happens, we'll seek you out immediately! Leaving the ruins peacefully together is the best outcome for all." With that, he vanished from his spot as well. Lvyue and his companions breathed a sigh of relief! It was good that they had left. Of course, they still had to be wary of any underhanded schemes those two might hatch. ... At the same time. Atop the city gate tower, Li Hao watched for a while, his brow furrowing slightly as Hou Xiaochen and Kong Jie disappeared. What were those two up to? He was currently deliberating whether to discuss terms, or rather, whether negotiations were even possible. He glanced at the three silver warriors and recalled that they could not leave the city... With the enemies sheltering outside, relying solely on himself, the Earth-Overturning Sword, and Southern Fist would likely accomplish nothing. Right now, those people were huddled outside the gates. If he crossed over, he would almost certainly be targeted and potentially besieged. Bright Light Sword was there as well, and he had no death wish. Southern Fist and the Earth-Overturning Sword had suffered heavy losses earlier; doing it again would be far too costly. While Li Hao was still pondering, Southern Fist sauntered over, peered outside the city, and said with a chuckle, "That smiling tiger Hou Xiaochen is probably hatching some nasty plot again. Disappearing out of nowhere—could he be setting some trap behind them?" Southern Fist seemed rather dissatisfied with Hou Xiaochen; the very first time Li Hao met Southern Fist, the man had been cursing Hou Xiaochen. Hong Yitang also noticed the two vanish. After a moment of thought, he said, "Get ready. Hou Xiaochen and Kong Jie have most likely gone to cut off their retreat, forcing them into the city so we can join hands to eliminate them." Li Hao paused, looking at the two. "How did you two... deduce that?" He had seen no indication that Hou Xiaochen meant that. "We're old acquaintances—who doesn't know who?" Southern Fist said disdainfully, "That guy is a sickly ghost. Among the three commanders, he has the most schemes, which is why he's a born invalid. The heavens probably thought his heart was too wicked and gave him the body of a weakling." "Isn't it said that few spear wielders are wicked?" "He's one of the rare bad apples!" Southern Fist chuckled heartily. "Serves him right for coughing every day!" Hong Yitang snapped, "Enough, stop spouting nonsense and spreading rumors! Hou Xiaochen's sickly state has little to do with whether he's wicked. The Spirit-Rending Spear he cultivates possesses such immense spirit intent that his body couldn't withstand it. That's why his health has been poor since he began practicing martial arts. Later, when he cultivated to the five-viscera stage, his body found it even harder to bear that fierce spirit intent. Earlier, he even took the risk of stepping into the supernatural realm, shattering a supernatural lock before healing it himself... In any case, if that fellow truly unseals his power, I'm likely inferior to him. He's a terrifying individual! "Southern Fist is even further behind him. Don't be fooled by the punch that sent Hou Xiaochen flying earlier—if Southern Fist dares throw another... that man will impale him on a spear!" Southern Fist curled his lip. Who was he looking down on? One spear strike? What a joke! Without three to five thrusts, he could never kill him! Li Hao, however, was astonished. He looked at the two and asked, "You mean... he's stronger than both of you?" "Stronger than me." Though disgruntled, Southern Fist grumbled, "Not necessarily stronger than this guy, though. Old Hong is probably on par with him. Kong Jie is slightly weaker, but that bastard is probably just a hair stronger than me too... Still, I dare to unseal my power—do they dare? So if we really get serious and fight to the death, even if I end up kicking the bucket, they won't meet a good end either!" Li Hao cast a glance at Southern Fist... *So after all that, you're the weakest one!* "What about Bright Light Sword?" "Her?" Southern Fist considered it before saying, "She isn't weak. She's roughly on Kong Jie's level, very formidable. That woman cultivates quickly, but the drawbacks are far more pronounced than ours, as you can tell from her current appearance. Aside from those four, next is me, followed by Jade Rakshasa and Golden Spear... Mad Saber is a bit weaker..." Hong Yitang offered a half-smile. "Jade Rakshasa is no weakling. It seems she's undergone a transformation." "Bah!" Southern Fist sneered dismissively. "Jade Rakshasa needs to forge her own path first before talking. What kind of achievement is relying on Hou Xiaochen? Let her unseal her power and see—could her physique compare to mine? Believe it or not, I could beat her to death in three punches!" When someone was stronger than him, he acknowledged it. But when someone was weaker, he refused to grant them credit. Jade Rakshasa mainly relied on Hou Xiaochen, which he looked down upon, though her strength was undeniably real. Li Hao now had a clear picture: Chief Steward Yu was likely inferior to Southern Fist. Or at best, roughly equal; otherwise, Southern Fist would not talk so tough. However, leaning on Hou Xiaochen, Chief Steward Yu was indeed formidable and could probably unseal her power just like the others, making her combat prowess nothing to sneeze at. "Can't Golden Spear and the others unseal their power?" Li Hao asked again. "What do you think?" Southern Fist said exasperatedly, "Not every martial master can unseal their power. Golden Spear hasn't pushed himself to the ultimate limit yet. One must reach the absolute limit in a certain aspect—vital blood, physical body, or spirit intent... Only when such a martial master can no longer improve will they reinforce their supernatural locks. Once the supernatural locks become sufficiently powerful, they can be unsealed. Otherwise, it isn't unsealing, but directly becoming a super... If Golden Spear breaks his supernatural lock, he will simply advance into a super; it won't unleash greater combat power!" Hong Yitang nodded slightly as well. "One must reach a certain realm where the supernatural locks are reinforced to a specific level before one can unseal combat power. Golden Spear still falls short. However... if that fellow shatters Hou Xiaochen's spirit intent, he might stand a chance!" "Him? Not a chance!" Southern Fist shook his head. "It happened too early; he was influenced years ago. Otherwise, there might have been hope. Or he could follow Jade Rakshasa's example—completely abandon his own ambitions and follow Hou Xiaochen wholeheartedly, which might work too. Right now, that fellow is thoroughly conflicted: one moment wishing to forge his own path, the next placing his hopes on Hou Xiaochen... His spirit and essence are lacking." Li Hao understood some of what they said, while other parts remained obscure. Yet he understood that Golden Spear, Mad Saber, and the like seemingly could not unseal their combat power, which was rather regrettable. Li Hao then interjected, "So you two mean they still wish to cooperate to eliminate the Three Great Organizations, right?" "Yes!" "That's good!" Li Hao smiled. "I observed them earlier; the Three Great Organizations possess quite a few Rising Light and Sunglow experts. A single party might not take them down easily, but if we join forces... there won't be any problem!" He looked toward the three silver commanders beside them, thought for a moment, and said, "Then Director Hou's intention is likely for the three commanders on our side, along with the Security Bureau director, to strike together... With you two martial uncles and myself included, we can easily suppress them!" "If the three silver commanders don't fully awaken, dealing with Rising Light experts will be difficult. He's most likely hoping you can persuade that golden warrior," Hong Yitang said with a chuckle. "Hou Xiaochen doesn't want to unseal his own power for fear of complications. Otherwise, he would have done the deed himself." Li Hao understood. Saying no more, he swiftly leaped down from the gate tower. "Where are you going?" "To ask Director Wang for help!" "That was just our speculation... You—" Li Hao paid no heed, sprinting toward the City Lord's Estate. Speculation was enough; by his own assessment, this was almost certainly the case. Not just Director Wang... he also planned to seek out that division commander afterward! Yes, the division commander who had punched him. That division commander's purpose was simple... keep him hidden to guard against Hou Xiaochen and the others! Indeed, that was exactly what Li Hao had in mind. Who knew what Hou Xiaochen and his people were scheming? Perhaps after wiping out the Three Great Organizations, they would turn their sights on Battle Heaven City... When that time came, the division commander would strike—*Heh, I'll bag the whole lot of you together!* Nobody knew there was another golden warrior holding the fort inside the city. When he appeared, it would surely shock everyone! Although Southern Fist and the others advocated charging headlong, one still needed to hold an ace up their sleeve. ... Half an hour later. Li Hao stepped out of the City Lord's Estate, satisfied. Director Wang had raised no objections. Had he been able to leave the city, he would have purged those intruders himself; since an opportunity to eliminate them had arisen, he had no reason to refuse. ... At the military camp. Led by a red-armored guard, Li Hao entered that office once more. The division commander seemed exceedingly busy, his head lowered as he worked at his desk. With everyone dead by now, what was there left to manage? It was unclear whether he was merely putting on a cold front, but he seemed far less approachable than Director Wang. "Speak!" Just a single word, spoken with chilling detachment. Once Li Hao explained his purpose, the golden division commander looked up at him, his tone flat: "You mean to say, you want me to remain hidden and strike to capture or kill them if they show aggressive intent?" "Yes." "Then why not strike preemptively? Why wait passively?" Li Hao was taken aback. After a moment, he replied, "They are officials from Silver Moon... the province where I reside. For now, Silver Moon is doing decently well, and Director Hou once saved my life. Unless he turns hostile first, I cannot turn against him." That had always been his stance: so long as Hou Xiaochen did not turn hostile, he would not either. Thus, being questioned like this left him somewhat bewildered. Was he in the wrong? As he pondered, the division commander seemed to consider the matter as well. After a brief pause, he said placidly, "Very well, so be it! If I can avoid acting, I prefer not to. Every time that fellow in the City Lord's Estate or I make a move, we consume a considerable amount of the city's source energy. Conserving energy is far more important than killing a few people." "Oh, thank you, Division Commander!" "Get rid of your foul habits!" The cold division commander said with utter detachment, "Next time, say 'As ordered!' or 'Yes, sir!' to indicate that you have heard and comprehended. Do not behave so casually before a superior officer. Understood?" "Understood!" "You... get out!" The golden division commander waved his hand, not bothering to pay him any more attention. Li Hao froze for an instant before snapping to attention. He hurriedly said, "Yes, sir!" With that, he turned and left, grumbling inwardly. What a terrible temper! Director Wang was far nicer! He had merely reacted instinctively just now—why be so fierce? Only after Li Hao had departed did the division commander ponder for a moment before suddenly pulling out a sheet of paper. It was the very sheet documenting Li Hao's circumstances. After some thought, he added a line: *Possesses basic conscience. Talent acceptable. Wisdom... remains to be evaluated!* Having written this, he pondered further and added another line at the end: *Lacks respect for discipline, disorganized and undisciplined. Once the recruit camp is restored, this individual must undergo training!!!* At this moment, Li Hao naturally had no idea what had just transpired. Still less did he know that the man had appended an evaluation to his file, explicitly mandating that Li Hao be shoved into the recruit camp to experience true military discipline. Had he known, he probably would have regretted seeking out this fellow. Right now, Li Hao was in high spirits. With both golden warriors agreeing, his confidence surged. Along the way, he could even earn a batch of military merit—he just wondered whether this operation would yield double merit as well. A short while later, Li Hao returned to the city gate tower, gazing into the distance as he awaited the coming storm.