News Spreads Far and Wide

Cross-Cut Gorge. Three days passed in the blink of an eye. At this moment, a crowd had gathered outside Cross-Cut Gorge: independent supers who had failed to enter earlier, personnel left behind by the various factions, and official representatives of Silver Moon. Everyone was tense, waiting for the ruins to open. Today was the day they should emerge. Deep into the night, the gorge remained brilliantly illuminated, casting bright light across the surroundings. Standing before a group of Night Patrollers, Hao Lianchuan was slightly nervous as well. Hou Xiaochen had entered in person and even taken Chief Manager Yu and the others along. Hao Lianchuan could not help fretting over the outcome. The Three Great Organizations had sent many experts inside this time—would they make a move against the director? On another side, Wang Ming was equally nervous. Li Hao had gone in; was he all right? Only up above did Deputy Director Zhou calmly gaze down at the opening, pondering just how many people would die this time. As for something happening to Hou Xiaochen, the thought never even crossed his mind. It wouldn't come to that. Though the Three Great Organizations had brought many powerful figures, they still fell short of overcoming the likes of Hou Xiaochen and Kong Jie. Even if the three organizations joined forces, it wouldn't be so simple. If they pushed Hou Xiaochen and the others into a corner and even a single person unsealed their power, the attackers would be in for more than they could chew. Of course, unless pushed to the absolute brink, Hou Xiaochen likely wouldn't choose to do so. As Deputy Director Zhou turned these thoughts over in his mind, his eyes flickered slightly. The ruins were opening! The next moment, a figure flickered into view, instantly soaring into the air and vanishing in the blink of an eye. Before many people could even catch a glimpse of who had emerged, the person was already gone. Deputy Director Zhou, however, saw clearly. He froze slightly, frowning. That was... Bright Light Sword, wasn't it? She had come with the one from the Xu family. If his judgment was correct, it was almost certainly her. She... came out alone? Did something happen to Xu Feng? Deputy Director Zhou was somewhat surprised. With Bright Light Sword present, whether it was the Three Great Organizations or Hou Xiaochen's side, neither should have moved against that person, right? Then why had Bright Light Sword emerged alone, only to flee at top speed? Yes—her departure had the distinct look of a flight for survival. While her being the first to emerge surprised Deputy Director Zhou a little, it was not an utter shock. Anyone dying wouldn't be too astonishing; only Hou Xiaochen dying would be truly earth-shattering news. "Who was that just now?" "I couldn't see clearly—so fast!" "Wasn't that the housekeeper from the Xu family?" "Really?" "..." Outside, the crowd buzzed with confusion. Some hadn't seen clearly, while others had caught only a fleeting glimpse. But what puzzled them was why this person was the first to emerge. Next, no one was surprised anymore. The second to appear was none other than Hou Xiaochen. Hou Xiaochen was as calm as ever. As he took a step forward, some felt a twinge of regret that he was actually still alive. It seemed the Three Great Organizations hadn't made a move against him inside—or had their attempt failed? Behind Hou Xiaochen came another group. Chief Manager Yu, Golden Spear, Kong Jie... Then came Li Hao and his companions, and finally, Yuan Xingwu and his men emerged. Everyone was out. When Black Panther appeared, a few people were taken aback. Why was there a dog coming out too? Had someone brought it in earlier? Why hadn't anyone noticed it before? Naturally, they had no time to ponder that now. Many craned their necks to look at the swirling vortex behind them. Why weren't the others coming out? Right at that moment, Hou Xiaochen gave a light cough. It was as though a signal had been given. The next instant, a fiery-red spear manifested. Hou Xiaochen's voice was calm, yet it resonated in every direction: "The Three Great Evil Energy Organizations have committed heinous crimes beyond pardon! They ambushed and slaughtered experts from various factions within the ruins! For their unforgivable guilt, they were slain inside the ruins through our united efforts! "The supers of all factions joined together with one heart to slay the formidable foes of the Three Great Evil Energy Organizations... Sadly, they fell within the ruins. Hou is deeply ashamed that I cannot bring their remains back... All I can do is exterminate the remnants of the Three Great Evil Energy Organizations to avenge them all!" Boom! With a thunderous roar, a spear swept across the void, and booming explosions detonated instantly. In a flash, a squad of Ghost Faces in the distance was blown to bits! "No..." Some screamed in terror, some cried out in disbelief, and others stood utterly dumbfounded. What did that mean? The experts sent in by the Three Great Organizations had been wiped out? Then... what about all those supers who had entered? It wasn't just one or two. Too many supers had gone inside this time. Adding up all the Three Suns from each faction, there were probably a hundred of them! It could be said that almost all the elite independent cultivators from the ten northern provinces had been gathered there! Where were they? It couldn't be that only this handful had survived! "Ahhh!" Miserable screams erupted immediately. That single spear obliterated more than a dozen Ghost Faces in an instant. Some fled in mad panic, while others roared in fury and disbelief: "Impossible... Hou Xiaochen, you tampered with things inside the ruins..." "The ruins were fake! It was a trap!" Boom! The spear pierced heaven and earth, instantly striking down another large swath of supers on the spot. Hou Xiaochen stepped into the air, his expression placid as his voice echoed across the land: "The Three Great Evil Energy Organizations deserve to be exterminated by all under heaven! Considering how hard you toiled in your cultivation, I showed forbearance, yet never did I expect your treacherous hearts bent on destroying the dynasty would never die! Hou draws a salary from the sovereign and serves his cause with loyalty—I shall sweep clean all four quarters! Kill them!" Boom! The spear, like a phoenix, swept in every direction, setting the sky ablaze and painting the heavens and earth in fiery red. ... Up above. Deputy Director Zhou's expression shifted slightly. He looked down at the survivors in disbelief. Even he could scarcely believe that out of all the people who had gone inside, every single one had died, leaving only this tiny remnant. He had envisioned that some members of the Three Great Organizations would perish, but he had never imagined... that every last one was dead! *Hou Xiaochen... his strikes are as ruthlessly underhanded as ever. But... judging by his appearance, he doesn't even look injured...* As these thoughts crossed his mind, he saw several supers fleeing in his direction. Deputy Director Zhou glanced at them, and before long, the fleeing supers unconsciously altered their course, skirting around him. Boom! The spear pierced heaven and earth as super after super was executed on the spot. Those who died all belonged to the Three Great Organizations. Experts from Feitian, experts from Red Moon... Even now, some Three Suns remained behind. One Three Suns roared in fury: "Hou Xiaochen... you demon! Impossible! It's impossible for them to be dead! You demon, you'll die a miserable death!" It was simply beyond belief! Just how many powerhouses had the Three Great Organizations sent in? Red Moon had sent in three of its Seven Moons leaders... While some didn't know, others did—counting Yellow Moon, it was actually four! Aside from Red Moon, Orange Moon, and Cyan Moon, several leaders of the Seven Moons had gone in, as well as elders. And in the end... all of them were gone? On Yama's side, King Pingdeng had entered, accompanied by two Rising Light experts. And as for Feitian, three great elders had entered side by side... Yet now, they were being told that everyone was dead! Not only that, but in the crowd, people wore expressions of utter disbelief, and some screamed shrilly: "How can this be? Is there no one else? Not a single person from my Liu family came out!" "Over here from the Linjiang Governor-General's Office, General Mu hasn't come out either! Who is going to give us an explanation?" Over there, a powerhouse from the Linjiang Governor-General's Office bellowed in rage! This time, some factions had left behind one or two people, while others had kept three to five on standby; very few had sent every last member inside. Yet now, everyone was dumbfounded. Where were the people? Were they all gone? Hou Xiaochen's voice rang out once more, tinged with a hint of apology and regret: "Aside from us, everyone was killed by the Three Great Organizations. However, some powerhouses from the Heaven Star Army, the Department of Administration, and the Night Patrollers Headquarters survived... Oh, and on the imperial family's side, Southern Fist is alive too, and an expert from the Xu family also left alive..." Quite a few people had survived after all. Didn't each major faction have someone? It wasn't as if only his own faction had emerged. Look: the imperial family, the Department of Administration, the Xu family... As for those who hadn't come out, that was just bad luck. The Fire Phoenix Spear swept across heaven and earth! Amid their fear, dread, and panic, Hou Xiaochen's voice echoed in every direction: "Night Patrollers, military, Inspectorate, Martial Guard Army... Move out now! Encircle and eliminate all members of the Three Great Organizations within Silver Moon territory! Execute every last one!" "Orders received!" Instantly, Hao Lianchuan and the others snapped to their senses, swiftly leading their men in pursuit in every direction! The powerhouses of the Three Great Organizations had practically been wiped out in one fell swoop. Now, while many people still hid in strongholds, the Three Great Organizations were truly doomed this time. All around, independent supers quickly fled as well. Their faces were pale with terror, cold dread lingering in their hearts. Heavens! A monumental catastrophe was brewing! Over a thousand supers had gone in, and every single one had died—it was utterly mind-boggling! Furthermore, it seemed quite a few big figures had perished: The Liu family from the Finance Department, the general from the Linjiang Governor-General's Office, core figures from the Three Great Organizations, and even the young master of the Xu family of the Duke of Dingguo... These people were renowned even in the Central Region. Their backgrounds and backing were first-rate. Who could have imagined that every one of them would die in Silver Moon! ... Below. Li Hao watched and listened in silence. Hearing Hou Xiaochen's words, he couldn't help admiring the man—calling a stag a horse, inverting black and white; it seemed everyone had a knack for this! The Three Great Organizations had suffered an unbearable loss this time. As for the other independent supers, Hou Xiaochen did not kill them now. There was no need! He was counting on them to spread the news. As for whether anyone believed it... what did it matter? Did they have evidence? He claimed the Three Great Organizations killed everyone. If you didn't believe it, feel free to enter the ruins and investigate yourself. Mu Lin had already led the Martial Guard Army off to hunt down the fleeing members of the Three Great Organizations. Golden Spear remained somewhat quiet throughout. Hou Xiaochen had only killed some people at the very beginning. Landing on the ground now, he gave a soft cough, reverting once more to that refined, sickly demeanor. Yet no one dared look down on him in the slightest. He was a terrifying man! "Let's head up!" Hou Xiaochen coughed and spoke to the group. Li Hao grabbed Black Panther by the scruff of its neck, carrying it as he flew upward, lest a dog flying on its own drew too much attention—though it had already drawn plenty. Hou Xiaochen also took to the air again with Chief Manager Yu's support... He had been flying with tremendous vigor moments ago, yet now he needed someone to hold him up. The group landed before Deputy Director Zhou. Before long, several more figures arrived from the distance. Director Zhao, Huang Yu, and other high-ranking officials of Silver Moon arrived one after another. Hou Xiaochen paid no mind to this, waiting until everyone had arrived before coughing and saying, "Issue an extermination order against the Three Great Organizations! Their methods were far too vicious, slaughtering the innocent inside the ruins. A pity their luck ran out, and many of their experts were slain by the entities within the ruins..." Director Zhao said nothing, glancing at Hou Xiaochen and then at the people behind him. After a moment, he said, "It is good enough that you are safe!" Turning to Deputy Director Zhou, he said, "Notify the higher-ups. Inform Heaven Star City... Say that in Silver Moon, the Three Great Organizations are causing chaos, and we require some support!" "Understood." Deputy Director Zhou nodded slightly, saying no more. Huang Yu glanced at the military personnel. Seeing that nothing was amiss, he cut straight to the chase, his voice deep: "Those from the military, come back with me. Yuan Xingwu, as for the Heaven Star Army, will you return with me, or set out for Heaven Star City now?" Yuan Xingwu had originally intended to stay and see Chen Yuhua, but hearing Huang Yu's words, he started slightly in surprise. This was an eviction notice. After a moment's thought, he said, "We still have duties to attend to. There is no need to trouble Commander Yu; we shall set out immediately and return to Heaven Star City!" "Then be careful on the road!" Huang Yu said coldly, "Don't wander about along the way. Get back to Heaven Star City promptly and inform the Military Law Department that the military strength here in Silver Moon is insufficient. If possible, dispatch some powerhouses over to assist in garrisoning the area." Yuan Xingwu said nothing further and nodded. Having dealt with this side, he turned back to glance at Li Hao, hesitating as if wanting to speak. Li Hao remained placid. Seeing Yuan Xingwu look over, Li Hao nodded slightly, neither warm nor eager to initiate a conversation. He simply wasn't familiar with the man. Had his teacher mentioned him often, Li Hao would have greeted him properly no matter what. The crux was that his teacher... had never mentioned him! This Eldest Senior Brother had likely done something to hurt Yuan Shuo—at least, that was Li Hao's guess. Otherwise, his teacher wouldn't have avoided mentioning him entirely. After all, even his name had been given by Yuan Shuo, and he was the founding disciple; there was no reason never to speak of him once. Yuan Xingwu sighed. Seeing Li Hao's expression, he guessed the reason, yet still took the initiative to send a voice transmission: "Junior Brother... I will be heading back first. We didn't have the chance to chat properly this time. Regarding Master, I will do everything I can. If I can persuade the experts of the Heaven Star Army to intervene... Master's safety will naturally be guaranteed! "As for you, Junior Brother, try... try your best not to go to the Central Region, especially with Hou Xiaochen. Once Hou Xiaochen enters the Central Region, he will inevitably be surrounded by powerful enemies. His warlord-like control over Silver Moon has long aroused dissatisfaction, and now with such a massive incident having occurred, the moment he enters the Central Region, he may face attacks from enemies on all sides... perhaps even strikes from the Nine Departments and the imperial family. The winds and rains will be turbulent... Consider it carefully, Junior Brother!" "Thank you for the warning!" Li Hao replied with a voice transmission of his own, polite and somewhat distant. "Then... I shall say no more." Seeing that Li Hao had no interest in continuing the conversation, Yuan Xingwu dropped the subject. Turning toward Hu Dingfang, he transmitted, "Be careful. The situation in Silver Moon is complicated. Go back and discuss things with Yuhua. Don't rush to do anything, and above all, don't harbor any other notions—you saw what happened today. I'm heading back to Heaven Star City first. Be careful, and do not become too entangled with the Bai family..." Hu Dingfang nodded without saying much. Yuan Xingwu and his party lingered no longer, leaving swiftly. Suddenly, Qi Gang said, "Director Zhao, Director Hou, then Hu Qingfeng and I will take our leave as well... "It happens to be on the way. Returning together will also be safer!" Director Zhao looked at Hou Xiaochen. Hou Xiaochen coughed and nodded slightly. "Very well. Safe travels. Going together will let you watch out for one another." Qi Gang breathed a slight sigh of relief and glanced at Hu Qingfeng. Hu Qingfeng was also overcome with the relief of surviving a catastrophe. He hurriedly forced an ingratiating smile: "Director Hou, then I shall take my leave first. I will await your esteemed arrival in Heaven Star City... I'll head back early to scout the path for Director Hou and make arrangements to welcome your grand arrival!" Under Qi Gang's somewhat contemptuous gaze, Hu Qingfeng didn't care in the slightest. Having finished paying his respects, he hurriedly stepped back and departed with the others. The party of twelve moved quickly. With three Rising Lights and nine Three Suns, they had no need to fear any danger on the journey back. Meanwhile, Hong Yitang sent a voice transmission to Li Hao: "Then I'll be leaving first. As for whether you want to go to the Central Region... there is no rush. If you do go, whether you travel with Southern Fist or Hou Xiaochen is up to you to consider. But my recommendation... is that you travel alone and keep a low profile. Going with either of them draws far too much attention. I may need to enter seclusion for a period of time, so I won't have time to look after you..." Seclusion? A strange look entered Li Hao's eyes. Hong Yitang seemed to understand what he was thinking and was left speechless, transmitting, "It's genuine seclusion. I need to consider my future path and think some things through. Don't overthink it." He truly did need to spend some time in seclusion to ponder his next steps. Although he had reached some decisions, he still could not completely put his mind at ease. What was more, even if he did act, he needed to make proper preparations first. "Understood. Take care, Martial Uncle..." "Mm. By the way, regarding those two books and the Method of Building Five Bridges, I'll transcribe a copy for you later. Once you translate it, just send it back to me. You can transmit messages directly through the armor. I should be at Sword Gate, less than a thousand li from White Moon City." Hong Yitang spoke a few more words and was about to leave. Pausing in thought, he suddenly transmitted again: "If you truly do go to the Central Region, following Hou Xiaochen might actually be safer than following Southern Fist. While Hou Xiaochen is scheming and full of calculations, he has a baseline in how he conducts himself; he prefers—or rather, is devoted to—fair exchange. As for Southern Fist... you probably know a bit about him already. He isn't stupid, nor is he as simple and honest as he appears. Still, he won't rashly do anything against you, as he still relies on your help to suppress his internal organ locks. However, you must remember one thing: anyone who can thrive like a fish in water within the imperial family cannot be a stranger to conspiracy and deceit. Do not be deceived by his exterior." Li Hao nodded. He understood well. Back then at Mount Cang, Li Hao had sensed something of the sort. Had Hong Yitang not been there at Mount Cang, Southern Fist... might not have let him off so easily. Of course, had Southern Fist been alone, Li Hao might not have lent a hand in the first place. Hong Yitang, on the other hand, was genuinely a decent person. The first time they entered the ruins, he had taught Li Hao several things. Li Hao didn't know why he had taught him, but he felt Hong Yitang carried himself with magnanimity and was willing to interact with him more. Hong Yitang chatted no further with Li Hao. Turning to glance at the others, he cupped his fists. "Sword Gate has many trivial matters to attend to, so I will not disturb you further. Director Hou, Commander Yu... everyone, I shall take my leave!" With that, he turned and walked away. Hou Xiaochen glanced at him without a word. Kong Jie also glanced over and suddenly called out, "Interested in coming to White Moon City? Old Hou is leaving soon. If you come, I guarantee you a post as deputy director of a bureau or department..." "No need, thank you!" Hong Yitang turned and departed, his figure already vanishing into the distance. Director Zhao and the others watched in silence. Kong Jie sent a voice transmission: "That guy... has reached that stage. Inside the ruins, even Old Hou was thrashed by him!" At those words, their pupils constricted slightly! Hou Xiaochen smiled faintly and transmitted back, "Why are you so happy that I was thrashed? Still, the fact that the Earth-Overturning Sword has reached this step is indeed somewhat unexpected. His sword intent is grand and majestic, carrying a sense of great virtue that sustains all things. There is no need to worry excessively about what he might do. The Earth-Overturning Sword likely has aspirations of his own, but at the very least, he will not commit evil." Huang Yu's voice resonated in their ears: "How about Southern Fist?" "He's alright. Just mediocre." Hou Xiaochen didn't offer high praise, instead transmitting, "Seal off the ruins completely. Some entities inside might have revived!" Hearing this, their expressions changed once again. Revived! That was a terrifying prospect. Regardless of who was inside or what sort of entities they were, countless ages had passed. Whether good or evil, their allegiances from the past meant nothing now. They were not people of the same era. "He who is not of our kind is sure to be of a different mind"—not to mention entities from countless ages ago. "And regarding Li Hao..." "The Eight Great Families are indeed *those* Eight Great Families. Silver City is not simple! Li Hao might have reaped considerable gains as well. For now, there is no need to interfere too much, lest it trigger unpredictable consequences!" "..." The few communicated briefly before dropping the subject. Li Hao said nothing. Taking advantage of the fact that the others weren't paying much attention to him, he took Black Panther and Liu Long with him and waved to Wang Ming. Wang Ming trotted over eagerly, completely ignoring his grandfather's glare, and hurriedly followed Li Hao away. ... On the road. Li Hao remained silent the entire way. After walking for some distance, Li Hao looked at Liu Long and spoke: "Boss, earlier in the city, Martial Uncle Hong seemed to mention that he wanted you to go work with him, right?" Liu Long nodded. Li Hao pondered for a moment, hesitating before saying, "I can understand some of your thoughts, Boss, but I don't feel them that deeply. Martial Uncle Hong said my experience is too limited and there are things I simply don't understand, and he wasn't wrong. "Back then in Silver City, Boss, you said the Demon Hunt Squad's purpose was to protect that city... To be honest, even today, I still can't truly grasp that." Liu Long said, "It doesn't matter. Everyone walks that path. No one is born righteous or kind. Having these thoughts comes from my own experiences. When I was young, my father died of illness. At that time, enemies came knocking, but the people of Silver City gave me a great deal of help. I grew up in Silver City, joined the Inspectorate, and gained the help and trust of many... only then did I make it to where I am today." Therefore, he wanted to give back to the land and the people that had nurtured him. That was why, once he had gained power, he had not rushed to leave Silver City. It was tied to his personal history. Silver Spear had died of illness, leaving enemies everywhere. Back then, martial masters in Silver City had stepped forward to protect him, and prominent figures of Silver City had sheltered him. The son of Silver Spear—the 'Silver' of Silver Spear was, in truth, the 'Silver' of Silver City! He had been the pride of Silver City. In those days, because he was Silver Spear's son, older martial masters of Silver City had fought numerous battles on his behalf. Those experiences were completely different from Li Hao's. Li Hao exhaled. "Boss, I might be going to the Central Region, which means getting farther and farther from Silver City. I called you from Silver City to White Moon City, but now, I might be leaving again. "Getting farther and farther from home! "Martial Uncle Hong is powerful, and I've gathered some of his ideals from earlier. He genuinely wants to change things... Since he feels you're suited to work with him, Boss, I think it might be worth a try." Hong Yitang had tried to recruit Liu Long. Li Hao had overheard it—perhaps Hong Yitang had intentionally let him hear. Having Liu Long rush about following Li Hao might not be of much use; Liu Long's temperament and divine intent were not the kind that could advance merely by killing more people. Sometimes, what was needed was not slaughter, but conviction and drive. Hong Yitang wanted to carve out a pure land, and he needed people like Liu Long to help; otherwise, he might not succeed alone. Water was gentle. In comprehending the water force, Liu Long was fundamentally not someone of a violent temperament. Such divine intent leaned toward gentleness. His current Water Wave Force leaned toward brutality, which had actually been at Li Hao and Yuan Shuo's suggestion. Yet that might not truly suit Liu Long. Liu Long frowned slightly, saying nothing. Li Hao continued, "Are you worried about Sister Liu and the others, Boss? If you're worried... take them with you. But if you're not... it would be best for them to follow me." He didn't ask Liu Long to follow him, yet he suggested Liu Yan and the others follow him instead. Liu Long looked at Li Hao in surprise. Li Hao added, "If they follow you, Boss, they can only go to Sword Gate and quietly settle down into retirement. But their personalities... are not like yours! I can tell that whether it's Brother Chao, Brother Jian, or Sister Liu, none of them are resigned to lying dormant in Silver City for the rest of their lives. They would rather go out and fight across the realm. They all harbor grudges in their hearts. In fact, they are just like me—carrying a pent-up resentment with no way to vent it." Wu Chao's entire family had been murdered by Feitian, and even now, he hadn't avenged them. Liu Yan's husband had been murdered by Yama; although Hu Po was dead, Liu Yan seemed unable to let it go. As for Chen Jian, Li Hao wasn't clear on his circumstances yet, but Chen Jian seemed to be doing quite well in the Martial Guard Army. These people might be better suited to following Li Hao, rushing through danger. Only in peril might their potential be unlocked. Liu Long, on the other hand, preferred guarding Silver City. They were people of different temperaments. "Are you really going to the Central Region?" Liu Long didn't dwell on the matter, asking instead with puzzlement, "You still have room to grow here..." Li Hao thought for a moment before saying, "I haven't fully made up my mind... I might wait a bit longer to see if there's news of my teacher! If he still doesn't return, I will go to the Central Region! Earlier, I was too weak, so he didn't take me with him when he left alone. Now that Red Moon is hunting him down and I have some strength... how could I just sit idly by? "When I was in the greatest danger and felt most helpless, in the entire world, only you and Master were willing to stand up for me. Once you are settled, Boss... I am going to find Master!" A faint smile appeared on Li Hao's face. "Back then, knowing full well the danger, you fought a bitter battle against the Red Moon cultivators in the city for my sake, Boss, and Master risked his life to slay a Three Suns... My parents have passed away, and my best friend died a tragic death before my very eyes... Aside from you two, I have no attachments left! Martial Uncle Hong's heart is vast and magnificent, and I... might not be as benevolent and righteous as him, but I know one thing: a drop of water given in need shall be repaid with a gushing spring! "I still have to go check on Master." His desire to go to the Central Region was not truly to broaden his horizons or see the powerhouses of the world. Even if that played a part, it was only a small one; he mainly wanted to check on Yuan Shuo. He didn't want his teacher dying out there. Now, he was capable of fighting Rising Lights, no longer the powerless weakling of before. Liu Long fell silent. Beside them, Wang Ming had been listening quietly, a small spark of excitement in his eyes. "You're going to the Central Region?" "Are we going to look for Master?" Wang Ming said excitedly, "Take me with you!" Liu Long was rendered speechless. "You really have no fear of death!" Wang Ming chuckled. "Chief Liu, who isn't afraid of dying? But mediocrity is far more terrifying than death! To be frank, I love thrill and excitement. Being mediocre is truly more agonizing than dying! I watched my grandfather struggle between mediocrity and transcendence, exhausting every ounce of his strength just to reach the peak of the Three Suns, only to be unable to take a single step further... But look at Director Hou and the others, each cutting a brilliant figure in the world! As men, if we can't live like that and end up like my grandfather instead, it's suffocating!" "If your grandfather heard that, would he beat you to death?" Li Hao chuckled. Wang Ming laughed along. "Who knows? But I do know that opportunities are rare. If I don't venture out now, I might never step out for the rest of my life! I don't really understand your martial path, but I know that for the path of supers, going out into the wider world might just open up a new road..." Li Hao said nothing and made no promises. That Wang Ming wanted to follow him was somewhat unexpected, yet entirely within reason. This fellow actually possessed immense courage. Without guts, would he have dared make a move against a Three Suns inside the ruins? Without guts, would he have dared act as bait for Li Hao? Without guts, would he dare run off with Li Hao, disregarding orders from both Hao Lianchuan and Hou Xiaochen? Wasn't it simply because he wanted to tag along with Li Hao in hopes of finding more opportunities? This guy had plenty of guts! The group walked toward the small town in the distance, where the Demon Hunt Corps was still waiting for them. ... And on this day, the news spread like wildfire. The supers in Silver Moon had been utterly wiped out! Thousands of supers had fallen in a single day, and the number of deceased Rising Lights likely exceeded ten. As for the Three Great Organizations, the nine Rising Lights who entered the ruins today—ten, counting Yellow Moon—were wiped out entirely, along with several independent Rising Lights: the member of the Xu family, the member of the Liu family, the general from the Linjiang Governor-General's Office... Adding the earlier disappearances of Banshan and Haixiao, as well as those Three Suns, Wheel-Turning King and his subordinates, and even earlier, the death of Red Hair... In just one short month, the number of Rising Light experts who had gone missing or died in Silver Moon was close to exceeding twenty! As for Three Suns, the numbers were even more terrifying. A careful count revealed... over a hundred Three Suns dead! It was an inconceivable loss; the ruins of Battle Heaven City had claimed far too many powerhouses! The news was leaked by some, instantly sending shockwaves in all directions! Years of warfare in the Central Region had seen the deaths of several Rising Lights, but never had there been an occasion like today, where a single ruin expedition cost Red Moon several leader-tier figures. The same was true for Yama: of King Pingdeng and Wheel-Turning King, one was dead and the other missing! Amid such sensational news, other rumors also began to spread. The person who had fled from the Xu family was none other than the Bright Light Sword of past renown—a revelation originating from within the Night Patrollers. Accompanying this news was word that Bright Light Sword had coerced Li Hao inside the ruins; because of Xu Feng's death, she had sought to capture or kill Li Hao to threaten Hou Xiaochen... Yes, that was how the story was spread. As for why she would use Li Hao to threaten Hou Xiaochen... who knew? Some speculated that Xu Feng might have died at Hou Xiaochen's hands... In fact, it wasn't mere suspicion, but accepted as fact in everyone's eyes. If the Three Great Organizations wished to operate in the eastern provinces, there was no need for them to make an enemy of the Xu family. Hou Xiaochen, on the other hand, acted without restraint and wouldn't care either way. Ninety-nine percent of people believed Xu Feng had been killed by Hou Xiaochen. At this moment, Hou Xiaochen's ferocious reputation struck fear into all quarters—an incomparably terrifying man who inspired dread in everyone. No one knew the full truth of what had happened inside, but all knew that the Silver Moon officials had suffered almost zero casualties. The reason it was "almost" was that two Three Suns had fallen, but both were Hu Qingfeng's subordinates. Anyone with discerning eyes could see through the trickery behind that. At the same time, another piece of news leaked out. Purple Moon, one of Red Moon's leaders and one of the Seven Moons, was not dead, but imprisoned in the Inspectorate's dungeon. Not the Night Patrollers, but the Inspectorate was holding Purple Moon. The Inspectorate publicly released a message demanding Orange Moon turn herself in! Otherwise, sentence would soon be passed on Purple Moon. As a leader of the Three Great Evil Energy Organizations, the sentence would almost certainly be death. Though no faction had ever put powerhouses of the Three Great Organizations on trial before, Silver Moon might just set an unprecedented historical first. Report after report spread rapidly in all directions, crossing the Northern Sea and reaching the Central Region! All at once, even the Central Region was shaken. It was at this time that Hou Xiaochen made a public announcement: he was about to take up a post in the Central Region, having accepted a transfer order from the Night Patrollers to serve as deputy director at headquarters. The announcement sent another tremor across the realm. Hou Xiaochen, who had just struck fear into the world, had actually abandoned establishing an independent realm, given up on Silver Moon's independence, and relinquished the role of rebel king, choosing instead to go to the Central Region to take office in Heaven Star City—it was simply unbelievable! Everyone's gaze immediately shifted from the dead onto Hou Xiaochen. This man was coming to the Central Region! ... In distant Heaven Star City. That night, as news spread, department after department remained ablaze with light! "Hou Xiaochen agreed to the transfer... But now that he's coming, who dares employ him rashly?" "Indeed. How to use him is a massive dilemma!" "The Three Great Organizations won't let him off. He's too ruthless—to wipe out dozens of Rising Lights, over a hundred Three Suns, and slaughter thousands of supers in Silver Moon in one fell swoop... As expected of one of the three commanders of the Martial Guard Army, his methods are far too bloody!" "Heh, we can simply sit atop the mountain and watch the tigers fight. Let the Night Patrollers resolve their internal issues first. Huang Long has always wanted to take full control of the Night Patrollers, and the previous leader was already struggling to rival him. Now that a ferocious dragon has crossed the river, I wager Huang Long is the one with the biggest headache!" "Haha, that's true! Still... who knows if the Finance Department will make a move. Hou Xiaochen is far too arrogant and ostentatious; he actually killed a member of the Liu family." "..." That night, Heaven Star City knew no peace. News from the frontier, news from the wild lands, swept through all of Heaven Star City in an instant. Some looked on with anticipation, some remained indifferent, and others ground their teeth in hatred! ... At the same time. Inside a hotpot restaurant, Yuan Shuo was eating hotpot, his mouth glistening with oil as he sucked in breaths of spicy air. Suddenly, he produced an object from his robes—a tiny jade pendant upon which words were flickering. Yuan Shuo glanced at it, paying little attention to the initial news, but when his eyes landed on a line near the end, he let out a cold sneer. Opposite him, Jade Light Sword, who was also eating hotpot, was curiously ladling out slices of meat, finding it a novelty. Seeing him sneer, she asked in confusion, "What is it?" Yuan Shuo wiped his mouth and sneered, "Nothing. The Seven Swords of Silver Moon are just so arrogant!" Jade Light Sword looked at him speechlessly. *Who are you talking about?* Still... she didn't take offense; he certainly wasn't talking about her. Accompanying Yuan Shuo to the Central Region to slaughter their enemies was only part of it. What interested Jade Light Sword far more recently were the myriad changes in the Central Region; the food and drink were completely different, and she had spent recent days following Yuan Shuo around sampling all kinds of delicacies. This man's nerve was truly astronomical. Every time he killed someone, he would strut off to eat fine food, making Jade Light Sword feel as if she had wasted all those years—Yuan Shuo lived far more freely. There was none of the bitter, brooding grudge one might expect. Yuan Shuo was a man who knew how to enjoy life: staying in grand hotels, dining on lavish feasts, adopting different identities at will and playing every part to perfection. Red Moon was being led around by the nose the entire time. At this moment, Yuan Shuo picked up a slice of meat, chewed a few mouthfuls, and said as he ate, "That old hag, Bright Light Sword, is still alive! Back then, I didn't beat her to death out of consideration for her unique cultivation art—I couldn't bear to let the martial world lose that legacy. What audacious nerve she has, daring to bully the young and pick on my disciple!" A cold gleam flickered in Yuan Shuo's eyes. "That old hag dared to bully Li Hao in Silver Moon! Li Hao has only practiced martial arts for a few days, yet an old fossil who's practiced for decades dared to interfere in the affairs of my Five Animals lineage... Sooner or later, I'll beat her to death!" When he said "beat her to death," he was not joking; he genuinely would kill someone. Jade Light Sword glanced at him, lowered her head, and continued eating without a word. Bright Light Sword had truly lost her mind! Even challenging Yuan Shuo to a duel would have been better than making trouble for his disciple. Failing that, letting her own successor seek out Li Hao would have been fine; as ruthless as Yuan Shuo was, he still respected the rules of engagement and wouldn't have objected. But stepping onto the field in person... she was unlikely to meet a good end. Yuan Shuo soon regained his calm and went back to eating. After a while, he remarked, "Little Monkey still has some ability, slaughtering a whole horde of people and wiping out a large batch of Rising Lights. Looks like that fellow is coming to the Central Region." "Oh." Feeling that he was playing the lute to an ox, Yuan Shuo dropped the subject and grinned. "Enough of these killjoy topics. That little brat Ying Hongyue is probably truly anxious this time. With Green Peacock and the rest wiped out, I wonder what's going through his head right now." Wu Hongshan didn't care much, remarking casually, "With his temperament, do you think he'd care? He's long past that stage. Still... retaliation is certain. Ying Hongyue is exceptionally vindictive." "True enough!" Yuan Shuo ate, chuckling to himself. As he chuckled, he suddenly said, "I'm thinking of looking for Heaven Sword to play a bit... Who knows how strong that guy is now? Bright Light Sword's whereabouts are erratic, but Heaven Sword has an established reputation. What do you say... how about I give Heaven Sword a good thrashing?" "..." Wu Hongshan couldn't be bothered to respond. *Could you even beat Heaven Sword?* *Years ago, he already killed a Rising Light with a single sword strike—he's terrifying. You'd better survive Black Widow's pursuit first before talking big!* Yuan Shuo didn't say any more, burying his head in his food. In his heart, he still felt somewhat disgruntled. *To think they dare bully people right over my head—it seems my deterrent power is far below what it used to be. Twenty years ago, even if you lent them three times the courage, none of them would have dared initiate trouble with me.* A pity the strengthening of his internal organs wasn't fully complete yet, and the fusion of his fourth force was still just a hair short. Yuan Shuo cursed inwardly—just you wait and see! Naturally, he wouldn't return to Silver Moon at this point. Until he fused all five forces, he would never go back! *That kid Li Hao doesn't seem to be hurt. I wonder if he made any progress this time.* *Before, he could already beat a peak Three Suns to death. This time... he couldn't have improved so fast that he can kill a Rising Light, right?* *Bright Light Sword picking on him... there's definitely a reason. Threatening Hou Xiaochen was a joke; it's far more likely connected to the Xu family. I heard that old hag pledged herself to the Xu family.* *The Xu family seems to have lost a Xu Feng, some bullshit figure on the Divine Master Ranking, a mid-stage Rising Light... Li Hao couldn't have reached that level, could he?* Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He found it hard to believe, yet... faintly, a sense of urgency welled up within him! *This won't do!* *All that talk about the pupil surpassing the master was just me sweet-talking Li Hao. That punk should stay weaker than me for his entire life, or it'd be way too embarrassing!*