Making a Move

Night descended. In the ancient city, day and night were not all that different, though the light from the Turtle Tower dimmed slightly after dark. They had entered on the morning of the twenty-eighth. Now, it was already the second night—the evening of the twenty-ninth. By tomorrow night, the three-day limit would expire, and they could leave the ruins. All was quiet. The Three Great Organizations no longer harbored any desire to venture deeper into the ancient city. At this point, they only wanted to get out as soon as possible. *** On the platform at the end of the tree hollow, Hou Xiaochen silently watched the wall. When midnight arrived, a faint shimmer of light rippled across its surface. At this exact moment, one could exit the ruins—provided someone cooperated from the outside. Yet Hou Xiaochen did not make a single move. He merely stood waiting, quietly observing. Half an hour later, the shimmering glow would fade. After that, they would have to wait until tomorrow night. For the intervening twenty-three and a half hours, the entire ruins would be completely sealed off; nothing could leave. Faint rustling sounds came from the surroundings. Scouts from the Three Great Organizations had indeed trailed him here. When they saw the wall glowing, some seemed tempted to attempt an exit, but the sight of Hou Xiaochen standing vigil forced them to abandon the thought. Only when the glow died down and the surface turned entirely back into an inert stone wall did those lingering behind finally give up. A wave of helplessness washed over them. Still, remembering that everyone would be leaving tomorrow anyway, they suppressed the lingering dread in their hearts. On the platform, Hou Xiaochen watched the glowing wall return to utter silence, and a subtle smile touched his lips. From now on, for twenty-three and a half hours, no one could walk out of this city. Of course, he wasn't sure whether that applied to the few fellows who had joined the Battle Heaven Army. He turned and walked back toward the tree hollow. The passage was pitch-black. The scouts ahead quickly retreated, but Hou Xiaochen paid them no heed. Sooner or later made no difference. The moment he stepped out of the hollow, Kong Jie suddenly appeared in a flash. Hou Xiaochen glanced at him. Folding his arms, Kong Jie returned the look with a faint grin and transmitted, "Pulling a stunt like this... aren't you worried the Three Great Organizations will hunt you down in the Central Region? Besides, the financial backers behind those fellows will probably be furious, too." "What does that have to do with me? The city is simply fraught with peril." "Who'd believe that?" "Does anyone need to believe it? An excuse is enough." Kong Jie chuckled and fell silent. He glanced toward the inner city, sinking into contemplation. A moment later, he transmitted again, "Everything all right on Jade Rakshasa's end?" "Most likely. It depends on what Li Hao thinks." "Him? Can't Hong Yitang and Southern Fist make the call?" Hou Xiaochen pondered briefly, then shook his head. "No. Don't forget, Li Hao is the silver commander! That kid looks easy to talk to, but in truth, he isn't so accommodating at all. He acts unassuming, but he's utterly wicked at heart." Kong Jie nearly laughed out loud. *You have the nerve to call someone else wicked?* He refrained from commenting further, casually chatting with Hou Xiaochen where they stood. In the distance, the Three Great Organizations and the independent cultivators watched from afar, observing the two apparently discussing something. At that moment, Green Moon, the King of Equality, and Elder Chiming—the three interim leaders—along with the general from the Linjiang Governor-General's Office and the young man of the Liu family from the Department of Finance among the independent cultivators, were conferring in hushed tones. "What are Hou Xiaochen and Kong Jie plotting...? Everyone, stay on guard!" They were still formidable. Between the three factions and the independent cultivators, they still possessed nine Rising Light experts. That was excluding Bright Sword and Yuan Xingwu. In addition, there were thirty-two Three Suns cultivators among them—a force that remained exceedingly potent. The remaining five hundred or so independent cultivators were nearly all at the Solar Flare realm; the weaker ones had long since perished. A great deal of elite talent had arrived from the northern provinces and the Central Region, but after this campaign, the independent forces in the north would likely enter a prolonged drought. Green Moon was an experienced veteran after all. Seeing the two men conversing so leisurely filled her with unease, and she quickly transmitted to the others: "Hou Xiaochen, Kong Jie, Golden Spear, and Jade Rakshasa all have Rising Light combat strength. Mad Saber is somewhat weaker, but he barely reaches that threshold as well... There are also military experts like Hu Dingfang, all possessing peak Three Suns combat prowess... If you add Qi Gang and Hu Qingfeng... they might not have many people, but their Rising Light combat strength is formidable!" Not many people from the Silver Moon official administration had entered, but not a single one was weak. The lowest among them were late-stage Three Suns. As Green Moon voiced her warnings, everyone grew increasingly vigilant. Right then, Lanyue chimed in via transmission: "Over there... Hu Qingfeng contacted us. He said if... if a critical moment arises, he hopes we can take him and Qi Gang in. What do you all say?" Elder Chiming immediately responded, "Can we trust words from Hu Qingfeng and his lot?" The King of Equality countered, "Actually, we can. Setting Qi Gang aside, Hu Qingfeng is someone who chases cheap glory, is as timid as a mouse, and clings desperately to life... Earlier, he thought Hou Xiaochen could be dealt with, so he wanted to join forces with us against him, or at least force Hou Xiaochen into open rebellion. "Later, realizing Hou Xiaochen was too strong and sensing danger after two Three Suns under his command were killed, he quickly abandoned his plans... This man serves under Huang Long, who doesn't want Hou Xiaochen encroaching on his authority in the Central Region... "I'm not familiar with Qi Gang, but as long as Hu Qingfeng isn't completely stupid, he understands his current predicament. He's seen too much. If he doesn't throw his lot in with us, he might not make it out alive." The Three Great Organizations understood Hu Qingfeng reasonably well. Among the crowd, the young man of the Liu family from the Department of Finance also transmitted, "Indeed. Hu Qingfeng snubs the weak and flatters the powerful, and his fear of death is genuine. At the first sign of danger, he runs. Everyone in the Rising Light circle knows a bit about him." With multiple parties corroborating, everyone concluded that Hu Qingfeng was likely frightened out of his wits. In truth, that was indeed the case. Had Hou Xiaochen not taken the initiative to recruit him, Hu Qingfeng would never have dared to harbor such thoughts. To preserve his life... he would almost certainly seek refuge with the Three Great Organizations. Thus, nobody was particularly surprised by Hu Qingfeng's overture. At this point, Green Moon was more concerned about Qi Gang: "Does anyone know much about Qi Gang? He's from the Department of Administration. Would Hou Xiaochen touch him? He entered on behalf of the Silver Moon General Administration Bureau. If everyone else makes it out fine and only Qi Gang meets with an accident..." "I don't think there's any need to overthink this. Regardless, reaching an understanding right now is our best option! What worries me most is the possibility of Earth-Overturning Sword and the others inside the city joining hands with Hou Xiaochen!" If they didn't join forces, Hou Xiaochen's faction was formidable, but an all-out clash would still inflict losses on them—unless Hou Xiaochen's group could suddenly unleash greater power, just like Earth-Overturning Sword and his companions. "Those inside the city can't come out... The only ones we need to be wary of are Earth-Overturning Sword, Southern Fist, and Li Hao..." "..." Everyone voiced their thoughts, uncertain of the best course, but after weighing their strength, they agreed that soothing Hu Qingfeng and Qi Gang was the right move. Meanwhile, Green Moon began attempting to contact Bright Sword. Bright Sword ignored anyone else who approached her, but Green Moon was still a former Silver Moon martial master. Even if her past reputation was unsavory, she could still strike up a conversation, and she hoped to win Bright Sword over. Bright Sword's strength was terrifyingly vast. Even when Southern Fist had erupted with immense power, his strike had merely sent her flying with injuries. Now, her wounds seemed largely stable, proving her formidable prowess. As for Yuan Xingwu... no one attempted to recruit him. The Three Great Organizations knew his identity—he was Yuan Shuo's eldest disciple. Even though he was currently huddled silently to the side with several Three Suns from the Heavenly Star Army without joining the Silver Moon official group, the Three Great Organizations would never trust a disciple of Yuan Shuo. Even Southern Fist coming over would be more credible than anyone from Yuan Shuo's lineage. The Three Great Organizations had zero trust in them. *** Inside the inner city. Chief Steward Yu slipped over quietly. The black-armored soldiers at the city gates made no move against her, standing completely still. Even the three silver commanders on the city wall merely watched in silence. Holding a key served as authorization. Moreover, she had not slaughtered any Battle Heaven soldiers, and her previous clash with Hong Yitang had caused no major disruption. Even though the three commanders knew she was an outsider, they chose to look the other way. Sometimes, rules were that straightforward. The three commanders lacked the authority to alter the regulations of Battle Heaven City's Reception Pavilion. Unless the city lord or division commanders were present, no one held the standing to change anything. Chief Steward Yu did not advance further. Instead, she looked up toward Li Hao on the city wall. Li Hao glanced down at Chief Steward Yu concealed in the darkness and smiled. It seemed Earth-Overturning Sword and the others had predicted correctly. "Chief Steward, as long as you drive them into the outer city... we will naturally strike! The golden warrior in the city will act as well, along with the three silver commanders..." Chief Steward Yu looked at Li Hao, who seemed completely composed. After a moment's thought, she transmitted, "We need the three of you to step outside the city and assist us!" "That won't do!" Li Hao refused outright. "Inside the city, we have the Battle Heaven Army's support. Going outside... is far too dangerous. I don't mind personally, but my two martial uncles don't trust Director Hou, so my hands are tied." The greatest problem with going out to help was that the Battle Heaven Army could not follow. If it proved to be a trap, they would be in dire straits. Who could guarantee Hou Xiaochen wouldn't ally with the Three Great Organizations to eliminate them first? Was it possible? Highly possible! That was an outcome Li Hao could never accept. Chief Steward Yu was left speechless. *Two martial uncles don't trust him? It's clearly you who doesn't trust him!* She felt Li Hao was far too paranoid! "Li Hao, what are you being so suspicious of? If the director wanted to move against you, he would have done so long ago. He knew you carried the genuine Li family sword, and he even lent you the Fire Phoenix Spear and killed Red Hair for your sake last time... You're far too distrustful!" "I already said I'm willing to step out... but my two martial uncles remain uneasy. They attacked the director earlier, after all. Martial Uncle Southern Fist has been adamantly against cooperating. I had to persuade him for ages just to dispel some of his misgivings. Chief Steward, please don't put me in a bind. I personally have full trust in the director." "..." Chief Steward Yu had no desire to speak another word. Every other breath was 'Martial Uncle' this and 'Southern Fist' that, claiming he was in a difficult spot while professing his own selfless devotion... yet the two men beside him hadn't uttered a single sound. Knowing further discussion was futile, she said, "Wait for our signal!" With that, she vanished from the spot. On the city wall, Southern Fist chuckled and glanced at Li Hao, transmitting, "Kid, you lie without even blushing, don't you?" Li Hao smiled back. "It's also to vent some frustration on Martial Uncle's behalf, and incidentally... to gauge Director Hou's group. They aren't weak. Even if Bright Sword joins the fray, I believe they have a good chance of pushing the battlefield into the outer city. Martial Uncle Hong can unseal a portion of his strength at some cost; can't Director Hou and Director Kong do the same?" Southern Fist said no more. The group quietly stood on the ramparts, awaiting the Silver Moon officials' move. Caution was indeed warranted. Hou Xiaochen had far too many tricks up his sleeve. *** Outside the city. Hou Xiaochen gazed into the distance. After a moment, he turned to Kong Jie. "Let's begin. I'll leave Yama's three Rising Lights to you. Green Peacock on Red Moon's side still has some fight left in her; I'll take her! Little Yu and Golden Spear will deal with Feitian. Qi Gang will take care of that fellow from Linjiang, and Hu Qingfeng... can go play with that Liu family kid." Assignments for the Rising Light experts were settled in an instant. Kong Jie transmitted, "What about Bright Sword?" "Pay her no mind!" "You're that confident?" Evidently, Hou Xiaochen believed Bright Sword wouldn't intervene. Kong Jie was slightly concerned, however. If they succeeded, she might fear being ganged up on in the end. Would she really sit on her hands? "Trust me. Bright Sword... hasn't completely lost her mind!" "And Yuan Xingwu and those Heavenly Star Army men?" Hou Xiaochen frowned slightly at the mention, but after a moment, he suddenly smiled. "Leave them be! We'll hand them over to Li Hao afterward!" Indeed, he had found a solution. Yuan Xingwu was awkward to handle. Passing him to Li Hao was the perfect fix! Besides, Hu Dingfang was present. Hu Dingfang probably knew Yuan Xingwu, and they might have cooperated before, making him genuinely difficult to deal with. Leaving him to Li Hao would also allow them to observe Li Hao's methods and mindset. "What about the independent cultivators and Three Suns...?" "Just scatter them. They won't get far. Once a massive Rising Light clash erupts, what do you think their first choice will be?" Swarm them? What a joke! If a bunch of terrified cowards could coordinate to swarm top-tier experts at such a moment, they wouldn't be independent cultivators—they would be an elite army. Even the Martial Guard Army might struggle in such chaos. The Battle Heaven Army inside the city still retained their military spirit and could likely counterattack in a similar scenario, but these independent cultivators... Hou Xiaochen didn't think much of them at all. Regardless of their numbers or the Three Great Organizations' wishful thinking that so many independent cultivators could batter dozens of Three Suns to death... power was never as simple as one plus one equals two. Five hundred independent cultivators might unleash less combined strength than fifty disciplined fighters. They were fine when riding a winning tide, but fighting against the wind? Impossible. Kong Jie smiled and dropped the subject. Now, they simply waited for Jade Rakshasa's return. *** At the edge of the outer city. Bright Sword kept her eyes fixed on the city interior, ignoring Green Moon's rambling beside her. Only when she caught a ghostly figure flashing past and spotted an additional person nearby out of the corner of her eye—Jade Rakshasa—did Bright Sword realize these people were about to strike. Green Peacock understood these people far too poorly. While Green Peacock was still trying to persuade her, Bright Sword suddenly coughed lightly, glanced at her, and sighed softly. "Ying Hongyue is as confident as ever." Green Moon was taken aback. *Why bring up the leader now?* "I'm heading into the city to look around... Go play on your own!" Coughing softly, she stepped directly into the outer city, startling those around her. That person dared to enter the city now? Wasn't she afraid of the golden warrior, Earth-Overturning Sword, and the others? She had just been sent flying by Southern Fist's strike. Was she going in to seek death? Green Moon stood frozen, utterly bewildered by Bright Sword's choice to enter the city at this juncture. Even if she sought vengeance, waiting until everyone resolved their immediate troubles or reached a fresh consensus before going in together would be far safer than this. Bright Sword said nothing, walking straight ahead toward the inner city gate. Not far away, Hou Xiaochen had been on the verge of striking when he abruptly halted. He stared at Bright Sword, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. *** At the inner city gate. Li Hao and the others were equally surprised to see Bright Sword striding toward them. This person was actually coming in? And she wasn't using the secondary passage... Of course, as long as a martial master kept their power from leaking, even taking flight was fine, as Li Hao had already tested. Still... this was Li Hao's home turf. A moment later, Bright Sword arrived near the inner city gate. She looked up at the figures on the wall, her gaze finally landing on Li Hao. A faint smile suddenly crept onto her face. "Li Hao, Yuan Shuo's disciple, correct? Perhaps Earth-Overturning Sword and the others have told you of my strength. If I shatter all my supernatural locks, do you think I can kill you? Or do you believe Earth-Overturning Sword and Southern Fist can stop me? "Even if they can recover, they dare not shatter every lock to unleash their full potential... but I... dare." Li Hao frowned. Bright Sword continued on her own, "You severed a portion of my hope... which isn't much different from taking my life. You shouldn't have killed Xu Feng... Or at least, you should have waited. Even if you wiped out the Xu family later, I wouldn't have cared... but you shouldn't have killed Xu Feng at this moment." Li Hao raised his brows. "And?" He stared back at her. "Does Senior intend to kill me? Or engage in a fight to the death right now? You are very confident, Senior... I believe you are exceedingly powerful, but if you think you can kill me here... you underestimate Battle Heaven City far too much!" "I do not underestimate Battle Heaven City, but aren't they waiting for you outside?" Bright Sword coughed lightly, her aura seemingly growing stronger by the moment. "Li Hao, agree to one condition, and I will let the matter of Xu Feng rest." "A condition?" Li Hao looked at the elderly figure whose gender was impossible to discern, and smiled. "Let's hear it, Senior." Bright Sword fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly, "Southern Fist and Earth-Overturning Sword daring to unleash their power must have something to do with you... There is no need to deny it. Southern Fist spent so many years in the Central Region without daring to unleash his strength, yet his courage swelled the moment he arrived here. If it isn't related to you, it's tied to Battle Heaven City—which ultimately traces back to you." Li Hao thought about it and nodded. That was fair enough. "I know you might not agree to other demands... but I have only one request. If I shatter my supernatural locks... I will try not to shatter them all. I will seek you out... and you must suppress my condition once!" Li Hao froze. *What kind of demand is that?* *What does she mean?* Bright Sword looked at him and added, "Not now. Perhaps... on some future day!" Li Hao frowned. "And if I refuse?" Bright Sword smiled. "Then it is nothing more than having one extra enemy—a martial master who can shatter all her supernatural locks at any moment and whose combat strength would be double or triple what Southern Fist just displayed. It may not be an explicit threat... but it is a threat nonetheless! You severed my path. If you refuse... you are forcing my hand!" Li Hao remained silent. Was the condition difficult? Not particularly; it merely consumed resources. The crux was that she was blatantly coercing him into helping. Yet Bright Sword's meaning was clear: his killing of Xu Feng had likely disrupted her plans, or perhaps ruined a method she had prepared to resolve her own issues. Beside him, Southern Fist curled his lip. *Boasting nonsense!* *Double or triple?* *What a joke!* Of course, if she truly shattered all her supernatural locks, she would indeed be terrifyingly strong. At this moment, neither he nor Hong Yitang interfered with Li Hao's decision, waiting to see how he would handle it. Li Hao let out a soft breath and chuckled. "Senior's condition is hardly a simple one! As for Xu Feng, it was a fair contest. He was killed by my hand, so he got what he deserved! Beat the young one, and the old one comes knocking... Fine, I'll concede this round! However... since Senior insists on this, we'll play by the rules of the martial world. You're bullying me because I'm weak, and I am indeed no match for you... Let us wait until my master returns! When he does, if he can reclaim face for me... I hope Senior won't avoid the fight!" A gleam flickered in Bright Sword's eyes. Li Hao's stance was unmistakable: he conceded this time, but because Bright Sword was bullying the junior as a senior, Yuan Shuo would settle the score if he could reclaim face. Whether that meant a duel to the death or something else remained to be seen. At present, Yuan Shuo was weak. Right now, he had at best the combat strength of an early-stage Rising Light. Yet Yuan Shuo would not remain weak forever—everyone believed that! She hadn't expected Li Hao to refrain from vowing personal revenge, choosing instead to push Yuan Shuo forward... His words surprised even Southern Fist and Earth-Overturning Sword. One had to remember, Li Hao had just slain a mid-stage Rising Light! The others cast peculiar glances at Li Hao, but he said nothing. It was nothing complicated! He was simply giving his master some motivation and pressure. *Your disciple is being bullied by an elder right to his face, so hurry up and fuse your five forces! If you don't grow stronger soon, I'll be able to take revenge on my own!* He had already made up his mind... The moment he got out, he would spread the word so his master knew Bright Sword had bullied him! His master was reluctant to return right now, but this would bring him back sooner... Li Hao had plenty of sword energy to provide, enough for him to fuse his five forces directly. How many Red Moon members would his master have to slaughter out there to gather enough blood energy to temper his five viscera and complete the fusion of five forces? "Very well!" Bright Sword pressed no further. If Li Hao wanted to put it that way, so be it. Yuan Shuo... she would wait for him! Southern Fist chuckled, eyeing her with amusement. These older-generation martial masters seemed to possess absolute confidence in Yuan Shuo regardless of his current strength. Southern Fist could only feel that Bright Sword's actions would likely bring massive trouble upon herself. Taking a deep breath, Bright Sword said nothing more and turned to leave. She would wait! As long as she succeeded, she would have nothing to fear even if Yuan Shuo completed his so-called Spirit Accumulation realm cultivation. Once she departed, Hong Yitang suddenly laughed. "That fellow... is probably growing anxious! And Li Hao, do you really intend to spread the news?" "Yes." "Then... this will be entertaining. Your master will probably have to fight Red Moon to the bitter end. I can't tell whether you're pushing yourself, pushing your master, or pushing Ying Hongyue." Li Hao laughed as well. "It's all the same. Pressure breeds motivation. It's true for Master, and it's true for me." As Bright Sword turned to walk away... Just as they were speaking—*boom!* A deafening roar shook the surroundings! In the distance, Green Moon bellowed in fury, "Hou Xiaochen, have you lost your mind?! You dare make a move... Do you honestly think those people in Battle Heaven City will help you?!" The decisive Hou Xiaochen had struck without hesitation. The moment Bright Sword departed, Hou Xiaochen had no desire to wait any longer. In an instant, an immense battle erupted. *Rumble!* Thunderous crashes echoed continuously. A fiery-red spear swept across the void, instantly suppressing the late Rising Light Green Moon and the mid Rising Light Lanyue. On the other side, Kong Jie smashed downward with a pair of iron fists, forcing the King of Equality into a steady retreat. A single man held back all three of Yama's Rising Lights! The battle exploded in an instant. True to Hou Xiaochen's predictions, the moment the clash between Rising Light experts erupted, the independent cultivators scattered and fled in every direction, utterly ashen-faced, regardless of whether another exit existed! *** On the city wall, Southern Fist's hands itched. "Those are all military merits! Li Hao, are we really not going out?" Without a word, Li Hao dropped down and flew toward the edge of the city. "We'll wait over there first. We won't leave the city... Lest our director swallows us whole alongside them." The three of them flew swiftly in that direction. In the next instant, the three silver commanders also soared toward the boundary. Director Wang inside the city did not appear. Black Panther bounded along the ground, thoroughly excited, trotting eagerly after them. *** *Boom!* The clash had erupted abruptly, yet both sides had prepared to some degree. The Three Great Organizations had constantly worried the officials might strike, so they were not caught entirely flat-footed. Even with preparation, however, the moment blows were traded, Green Moon and the others felt tremendous pressure. Immense, stifling pressure! Hou Xiaochen's spear thrust out in continuous succession, as if tearing through everything they had. Both Lanyue and Green Moon were pushed into agonizing straits. Throwing caution to the wind, they summoned their Origin God Armaments. On the other side, the King of Equality did the same. An Origin God Armament resembling a small house materialized, instantly enveloping the area and transforming it into a sinister hellscape. Innumerable lesser ghosts surged from the underworld, lunging toward Kong Jie! Kong Jie's vital energy surged with immense ferocity. With a thunderous boom, he shattered countless ghosts, yet let out a sigh. "Yama is truly bloodthirsty. I never had a clear impression before, but now I do. Equality, this Origin God Armament of yours is a vile thing. These dead souls are all people you slaughtered, aren't they? Tens of thousands of departed souls... Did you butcher an entire city?" The King of Equality's face turned icy as he cursed inwardly! If only the Sixteen Hell Lords were present! The sixteen of them could have manned this Origin God Armament, combining it with the Asura Hell Net and the myriad souls to rival even a peak Rising Light! Unfortunately... damn it all! He was consumed with fury! Yama had stationed him here because they were confident in his abilities. He was formidable, and working alongside the Sixteen Hell Lords, he surpassed even Green Moon. But now, none of that was possible—all because of Li Hao... Where on earth had his sixteen Hell Lords gone? Were they dead? He regretted letting the Wheel-Turning King take them away in the first place. "Kong Jie, don't push me!" "I'm pushing you right now!" *Boom!* Kong Jie hurled another punch, and boundless blood-red energy surged forth! Like a roaring lion, like a tiger unleashed from its cage! In the distance, Li Hao watched with slight surprise and turned to Southern Fist. "Is he the Northern Fist?" "No." Southern Fist shook his head. "Northern Fist's style isn't like this. His fist is like Old Hong's sword—vast, grand, and majestic. Kong Jie's fist is a fist of slaughter, while mine is a domineering fist! If that fellow hadn't joined the imperial court back then, people would be talking about the Three Fists of Silver Moon. But because he enlisted, he wasn't included in the rankings." "Is he one of the Three Great Commanders?" "No." Southern Fist shook his head again. "Among the Three Great Commanders, Hou Xiaochen is one, the second is likely Huang Yu, and the third... might be your Director Zhao, though that's not certain." "Deputy Director Zhou seems to be an expert as well..." "Him?" Southern Fist pondered. "Who knows? He's worked with Zhao for years. Perhaps... the third commander isn't one person, but two?" Li Hao was taken aback; he had genuinely never considered that. Still, having partnered for so many years, it was hardly out of the question. As a former imperial instructor, Southern Fist was privy to abundant intelligence, so his words were bound to have merit. As they spoke, the first person to unleash absolute fury in the distance was none other than Jade Rakshasa! Her aura was demonic, dripping with chilling malice! Her opponent was Elder Chiming from Feitian, a mid-stage Rising Light assassin. The assassin dissolved into the void, vanishing from sight, only to reappear in the next breath amidst swirling ghostly energy. Jade Rakshasa thrust a palm outward—a strike carrying such an overpowering stench of blood and rot that it churned the stomach. Li Hao's eyes narrowed slightly. *Such heavy killing intent!* *Just how many people did she slaughter?* "Jade Rakshasa's Rakshasa Palm was elevated entirely through slaughter. Back in the day, that woman was no saint. If your master hadn't been taking the spotlight by killing prominent martial masters, she would have been known as the greatest fiend of the martial world!" "And the Three Great Commanders didn't execute her?" Li Hao was surprised. Could Hou Xiaochen have spared her simply because she was a woman, despite having hands drenched in blood? Southern Fist chuckled. "That woman... it's complicated. She entered the martial world back then solely for revenge. Born into a martial family, her clan was slaughtered, so she fought her way up on a path of vengeance. Eventually, everyone she crossed became an enemy... A blood feud of total extermination. Though she killed extensively, Hou Xiaochen likely had his own standards and judgment, so he ultimately spared her. "Later, that old lecher Ying Hongyue set his sights on her, and with the rise of supers, she left with him and joined Red Moon. That woman has little sense of right and wrong. As for turning to Hou Xiaochen... it was probably because Hou Xiaochen had a pretty face and spared her back then. She grew infatuated, which led to your Chief Steward Yu of today." Li Hao said no more, keeping his eyes on the fight. Jade Rakshasa's blood-red palm strikes were saturated with suffocating slaughter and gory stench. Even though her opponent was a top-tier assassin, the sheer murderous intent shattered his cloak, revealing a face that appeared remarkably unaged and young. This Elder Chiming was surprisingly young. "Jade Rakshasa..." *Boom!* Chiming seemed about to say something, but Chief Steward Yu had zero interest in conversation. Her strikes fell in a relentless, frenzied barrage, entirely shedding her usual cool composure. When a black Origin God Armament emerged around him, spiking his combat strength, Jade Rakshasa suddenly let out a shrill cry. A pair of thin, blood-red gloves materialized over her hands. With the gloves equipped, she slammed a palm down, multiplying the reek of blood several times over until a nauseating stench pervaded the entire outer city. *Boom!* Elder Chiming was completely overwhelmed. This expert who had assassinated Rising Lights no longer had the demeanor of an assassin, hurriedly vanishing into the void in a desperate bid to escape. Li Hao watched for a moment before shifting his gaze elsewhere. On Golden Spear's side, his opponent was another Rising Light from Feitian, though only at the early stage. He was being thoroughly suppressed by Golden Spear's weapon, left virtually helpless. Li Hao wasn't surprised. Golden Spear was a pure martial master with formidable combat prowess. Though his opponent moved with evasive, slippery agility, Golden Spear's ferocious spear intent pierced straight through the shadows, leaving him nowhere to hide. Looking at the other two skirmishes, Hu Qingfeng appeared to be slacking off, trading half-hearted blows with the young man of the Liu family while drifting closer to Kong Jie, as if preparing a sneak attack... Meanwhile, Qi Gang was locked in an even stalemate against the general from the Linjiang Governor-General's Office. Hu Dingfang and his men were hunting down fleeing independent cultivators... Taking in the scene, Li Hao was slightly moved. It seemed the Silver Moon officials had a solid chance of handling their foes even without outside help—though securing kills would still prove difficult. Bright Sword had yet to intervene. After threatening Li Hao earlier, the elder had already exited the outer city, departing alongside the independent cultivators. Li Hao couldn't fully fathom her intentions. Right then, an unexpected shift occurred. Hu Qingfeng had likely intended to use the skirmish to ambush the Liu youth. As the two feigned combat, Hu Qingfeng drew closer to Kong Jie... but before he could launch a backstab, a sudden *bang* rang out! The Liu youth thrust his spear forward, instantly blasting Hu Qingfeng away and inflicting heavy injuries with a single move! Hu Qingfeng spat blood as he flew backward, his face filled with disbelief! *Didn't we agree to ambush Kong Jie together?!* *Why did you turn on me?!* The Liu youth's expression was icy. *Idiot!* *Did you really think I trusted you?* Having batted Hu Qingfeng aside with one spear strike, he pivoted and charged straight at Qi Gang, teaming up with the Linjiang general to force Qi Gang into an immediate retreat. In the distance, Hou Xiaochen, who had been suppressing Green Moon and her ally, witnessed the scene and was utterly speechless. *What an absolute piece of trash!* Hu Qingfeng was useless beyond measure. He couldn't deceive people, and he couldn't even pull off being a double agent. He had clearly exposed a flaw and been played at his own game—and worst of all, he hadn't maintained any guard against the other party, arrogant enough to assume they had fallen for his act! Now look at him—swatted away in an instant, dragging Qi Gang into immediate peril. With such incompetence... Hou Xiaochen felt that if the man didn't possess Rising Light strength, he wouldn't even bother sparing him a glance. *** Inside the city. Li Hao watched in equal bewilderment. Was this Hu Qingfeng the weakest Rising Light he had ever encountered? He felt that back when he had fused three forces, he might have stood a chance against this guy. Hou Xiaochen called out, "Li Hao, Earth-Overturning Sword, Southern Fist... let's end this quickly! I harbor no other intentions. It's ill-advised for me to unseal too much right now; my condition is more severe than yours..." His God-Splitting Spear Intent was too overpowering, constantly pressing down on his physical body and keeping him coughing, far worse than Earth-Overturning Sword and the others. This also implied he might be even stronger once unsealed. Still, killing Green Moon—a martial master turned late Rising Light—under ordinary combat conditions presented considerable difficulty. Li Hao was somewhat reluctant to trust him. Yet Hong Yitang transmitted, "Let's strike! At the very least, we have the certainty of retreating back into the city. That fellow fought me earlier and still hasn't fully recovered." With Hong Yitang giving the word, Li Hao weighed the situation and shot through the air without another word! Though he had wanted to wait a bit longer, since Hong Yitang said so... they might as well make their move. As long as they could retreat into the city where the two golden commanders stood guard, Hou Xiaochen's faction couldn't touch them. Li Hao shot straight for the Linjiang general—a mid-stage Rising Light. While killing Xu Feng had involved some unexpected elements, this opponent was the ideal sparring partner to hone his skills! A sword slashed out! Sword light gleamed with four fused forces. Qi Gang, battered under the combined assault of two foes, suddenly felt his vision illuminate as a brilliant sword beam tore through the void! Meanwhile, Southern Fist slammed a punch into Yama's Origin God Armament. The artifact trapping Kong Jie shuddered violently under the blow. Earth-Overturning Sword was even more direct. A single sword thrust pierced heaven and earth. With a thunderous boom, the Feitian elder battling Golden Spear was run through and slain on the spot. Golden Spear stared at Hong Yitang blankly. Hong Yitang cast a calm glance back at him. "Reflect on yourself. The more you fight, the messier you become. Of the Three Spears of Silver Moon, Silver Spear and Bronze Spear are dead, leaving only you. Yet you... have failed to make the three spears renowned across the world!" Golden Spear lowered his head, suddenly looking lost and helpless. Looking around... his spirit seemed on the verge of collapse. The Two Fists of North and South, the Seven Swords of Silver Moon, the Saber Kings of the Four Directions, the Three Spears of Silver Moon... The others all had towering figures representing them, yet the Three Spears of Silver Moon had truly fallen into obscurity! Li Hao, on the other hand, was in his element, unleashing one sword strike after another. The wounded Qi Gang breathed a sigh of relief and scurried off to duel the Liu youth alone, leaving Li Hao to clash with the Linjiang general! Li Hao focused on nothing else, treating this purely as sword practice! Sword energy surged as the Five Animals Art erupted—swords, fists, kicks... His moves appeared eclectic, yet with every exchange, they grew more practiced, gradually weaving into harmony. Back when he killed Xu Feng, he hadn't had the chance to truly experience the sensation of four fused forces. Now, he was gaining a whole new understanding. With the three joining the fray, the Three Great Organizations knew the day was lost! Silver Moon martial masters were simply too terrifying! Green Peacock let out a furious roar as blood energy detonated within her body, spiking her strength by thirty percent. Her face turned deathly pale as she shrieked, "If we die here, Red Moon will never let you off!" Did she mean Ying Hongyue, or the Red Moon organization? Hou Xiaochen knew she meant Ying Hongyue. Hou Xiaochen coughed lightly and chuckled. "If Ying Hongyue refuses to let me off... that will have to wait for the future. Besides, who knows if I'm the one who won't let him off?" *Boom!* A long spear bridged the sky, igniting into a dazzling firestorm. A fiery phoenix tore through everything, descending upon Green Moon! "Isn't it only natural for a peacock to perish under the talons of a phoenix?" Hou Xiaochen laughed softly. The colossal phoenix instantly unleashed overwhelming intent. With a deafening boom, as if the firmament itself were being split asunder, the phoenix ripped through everything in its path! Green Moon's spirit and vitality seemed erased in an instant. She looked at Hou Xiaochen, her eyes filled with hollow despair. "Why... why haven't you all... declined completely?" How could Silver Moon martial masters retain such terrifying combat prowess? Back then, she had followed Ying Hongyue because martial masters were fading and supers were on the rise. She had chosen the path of supers and abandoned the martial way. "Because... Ying Hongyue never gave it up either!" Hou Xiaochen chuckled. "Isn't he a martial master too? The martial masters of Silver Moon have bestridden the world for generations; how could we decline so easily? You... were a bit foolish!" *Boom!* Green Moon exploded into fragments. Hou Xiaochen sighed softly. "Silver Moon has lost another martial master!" Still, Green Peacock had long lost her martial heart. Good riddance. She was merely a pseudo-martial master! Nearby, Lanyue was seized with terror, driven to the depths of despair. Looking at Hou Xiaochen, he no longer possessed his earlier composure. Ziyue was equally despondent. Her strength was negligible here. Even Green Moon had fallen, let alone the likes of them. Hou Xiaochen looked at the two of them and sighed softly. "You are the descendants of old friends; I had no desire to bully the younger generation... Unfortunately, I am about to leave Silver Moon. I cannot leave you behind to bring disaster to our homeland. Join her on the road!" *Boom!* The spear pierced the heavens once more. In utter despair and defeat, the light in Lanyue's eyes extinguished instantly as his body collapsed, his consciousness shredded. Ziyue, however, stood bewildered. She was still alive. "I'll leave you to Little Yu and Li Hao!" One was her mother's friend, and the other's master was currently being hunted by Ziyue's mother. Hou Xiaochen merely wounded her heavily with a spear thrust without taking her life. Smiling, he vanished and reappeared on Yama's battlefield! With a group of top Silver Moon martial masters joining forces, their foes stood no chance! In the blink of an eye, Rising Light experts were slaughtered one after another. A moment later, Li Hao roared as the Blood Blade Technique erupted completely. With a thunderous boom, gasping for breath, he cleaved his opponent in half with a single sword strike! Without looking back, he shot straight back into the outer city. Everyone stared at him, and Hou Xiaochen chuckled helplessly. *That kid's misunderstanding of me runs far too deep!* Panting, Li Hao bellowed, "Boss, don't run around blindly!" Liu Long was still fleeing alongside the independent cultivators; he might get caught in the crossfire if he wasn't careful! Just as he shouted, he glanced in another direction. Black Panther, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly popped up out of nowhere. A paw struck out with bizarre stealth, unleashing ninefold surging force! *Boom!* Chiming, who was fleeing from Jade Rakshasa, stared in disbelief at the paw bursting from his chest... Turning his head, he saw Black Panther vanish in a flash, swiping his storage ring and black sword in the process. Even Jade Rakshasa was startled, staring in sheer astonishment at the fleeing black dog! Though she had suppressed Chiming... he still possessed the strength to fight, yet he had been ambushed and killed by a dog! Li Hao's eyes widened, his jaw dropping... That was a mid-stage Rising Light! Yet the dog had crushed him with a single swipe. Even with Jade Rakshasa wearing him down, that shouldn't have been possible! Black Panther scampered with blinding speed. Not only that, it darted across the entire battlefield, scooping up every uncollected spoil of war into its jaws in the blink of an eye. Carrying a mouth full of storage rings, it sprinted back to Li Hao, dropped them at his feet, and looked up with an expectant, thrilled gaze. *Is this enough to eat sword energy?* It knew Li Hao was poor... so it had snatched plenty of storage rings, knowing they contained good things that could be traded for sword energy snacks! Li Hao stood dazed for a moment. *Holy shit!* *This dog has gotten terrifying!* It was stronger than he had imagined—killing Chiming with a single swipe meant it definitely possessed mid Rising Light combat strength! How was that possible?! He had needed to employ the Blood Blade Technique just to slay his Rising Light opponent. Yet this fellow... Li Hao sighed softly, suddenly plunging into deep doubt regarding his own strength.