Heading Out to Sea

On the base's square. Li Hao walked out. By now, the sky had darkened. This was the first day since Hou Xiaochen and the others had departed. The Demon Hunt Corps was still training. Every single one of them was working hard, perhaps out of habit, or perhaps because having witnessed the prowess of Li Hao and the others, they all yearned to grow stronger. Whether from Sword Gate or the Inspectorate, these people all came from humble origins. There were orphans, ordinary folk, and those who had stumbled onto the martial path by chance. All had climbed up from the bottom. Aside from Hong Qing, hardly anyone had an elevated background, and even Hong Qing had never felt particularly special. Growing up in Sword Gate, aside from Hong Yitang doting on her a bit more, her upbringing had been nothing out of the ordinary. She still had to do her own laundry and cook her own meals. She was not the pampered young lady one might imagine, so when everyone else was training, she did not slack off or pause her daily routine just because she had recently comprehended force. As Li Hao approached, the crowd halted their movements. Li Hao looked over them, pondered for a moment, and spoke: "Remaining behind here means we have taken on a mission: to secure the coastal defenses! The pirates are the enemies we must face. Perhaps none of you know much about pirates..." Before his words faded, a Sword Gate disciple in the crowd suddenly ground his teeth and said, "I know pirates! I'm from Beihai. Beihai was once invaded by pirates. They stopped at no evil—pillaging, burning, slaughtering whole cities and wiping out clans, killing for pure sport! They're the lowest beasts among beasts! Before I entered Sword Gate, my home city was overrun by pirates and wiped out entirely. Only a handful of the elderly, women, and children escaped the catastrophe, left to drag out an ignoble existence..." Li Hao had not expected to encounter a survivor of a pirate invasion here. He was mildly surprised, but he knew the young man was likely an orphan Hong Yitang had taken in from Beihai who had now grown to adulthood and become a martial master. The young man gritted his teeth. "Regiment Commander, if it's killing pirates, sign me up first! But... I know how ferocious and inhuman pirates are. Here in Silver Moon, there aren't many coastal regions, and the Martial Guard Army has always guarded them, so people don't fully realize what pirates are like. If you want to take them on, Regiment Commander... you must be extremely careful. And... we must watch out for the pirates threatening us..." Li Hao was somewhat puzzled. "What kind of threat?" "The threat of slaughtering the city!" The young man gnashed his teeth. "Whatever happens, never compromise! Back then, my city had supernaturals stationed there too. But the pirate leader threatened the city's supernaturals: if they surrendered, they would only take valuables; if they resisted, they would breach the city and slaughter everyone! In the end, the supernaturals in the city believed they were no match... and chose to compromise... And the result... everyone died! Not a single person was spared!" Li Hao froze. "With a great enemy at the gates, how could anyone compromise..." The young man looked utterly despondent. "Yes, but... facing such ferocious and powerful pirates, everyone was terrified. They didn't dare risk their lives in a desperate fight, clinging to wishful thinking, hoping the pirates would take the valuables and leave. After all, killing ordinary people serves no purpose for them—there weren't many supernaturals, just common folk. What good would killing them do?" That was how many people thought: *I pose no threat to you, nor do I have wealth. Why would you kill me?* Yet... could pirates who reasoned and possessed humanity even be called bandits? It was killing for sport, pure and simple! All they wanted was to witness your despair and agonizing wails. That was enough for them. "But Regiment Commander, pirates are a bunch of animals. They don't care about any of that! Their supernatural powerhouses even devise all sorts of killing methods to slaughter ordinary folk—roasting with fire, freezing in ice, burying alive, shattering flesh with ice and fire, disemboweling..." The more the young man spoke, the more agitated and furious he grew. "Those beasts won't stop because of your miserable shrieks—it only makes them more excited! They kill for sport. It isn't for cultivation or treasures. What's useful to them in an ordinary city is really just food, clothing, and daily supplies. If they truly demanded those, people would hand them over. But they want women too... When it comes down to that, there are actually... actually people willing to offer them up..." At these words, Li Hao's brows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing. The young man continued, "Yet they are never satisfied. Cruelty is in their very bones! My little sister was only five years old back then... They..." Gritting his teeth, the young man could not go on. Li Hao looked at him and asked, "What is your name?" He did not bother hiding it—he truly did not remember the man's name. When he first arrived, he had only been at the Ten-Slayer realm. Li Hao remembered many of the Hundred-Breakers, but he had not paid much attention to the Ten-Slayers back then. "Hong Chou!" Li Hao looked at him. Hong—taken from Hong Yitang's surname, presumably. Chou—meaning vengeance... for the ruin of his family and home? Li Hao said nothing more and merely nodded, continuing, "Since pirates may attack, I want to venture into the sea to scout ahead and adapt to naval combat. None of us are familiar with the waters. For Hundred-Breaker martial masters, flying and fighting over the sea is exceedingly difficult, so it won't be easy. Regardless, now that we've accepted the mission, what do you all think—should we go have a look?" The members exchanged glances. Soon, Hong Qing spoke up: "Of course we should! Regiment Commander, since the disciples of Sword Gate joined the Demon Hunt Corps, we naturally won't shrink back!" In the distance, Wang Henggang's burly nephew, Wang Chao, also grunted, "Those who came out of the Inspectorate aren't afraid of death either. If we feared death, we wouldn't be earning our living in the Inspectorate!" At that moment, Liu Long spoke up: "We are all part of the Demon Hunt Corps now; there's no need to draw lines like that." He turned to Li Hao. "Regiment Commander, just give the order. The first military command of the Martial Guard Army is obedience to orders, and the first military command of the Battle Heaven Army in Battle Heaven City is likewise obedience to orders. Since we joined the Martial Guard Army's Demon Hunt Corps, as long as your decisions aren't reckless, whether it's slaying enemies or fighting a war... we will obey!" "I haven't commanded this many people before, so I'm not quite used to it." Li Hao chuckled and swept his gaze over the crowd. After a pause, he said, "Then we head out to sea together. Sooner is better than later. Director Hou's departure may have already stirred some people into action. We set out tonight... Everyone, prepare some food and water." With that, he remembered something and suddenly tossed out a pile of storage rings. "Pick one each. These are all storage rings." Everyone froze. Hong Qing and the others were also stunned. Storage rings? They knew of them. Yet looking at the large pile before them, they were completely dumbfounded. These things were usually only owned by Three Suns—not because only Three Suns could use them, but because only Three Suns could afford them and keep them safe. How many were there in front of them? Fifty? Sixty? Or perhaps even more! "Regiment Commander, this..." "Some spoils from earlier." Li Hao smiled. "I don't need them, and having too many is useless. I'll just keep a few for myself. Everyone, pack more food and water, along with your black armor. Right now, black armor can't be stored inside the body. However, once I activate the black armor, it can shrink into a small sphere, which will be much more convenient." At this moment, Li Hao had not activated them yet. Black armor could not be absorbed into the body, but once activated, it could condense into a sphere—albeit much larger and more cumbersome than silver or bronze armor, remaining about the size of a human head even in spherical form. It had to be stowed in a storage ring, or carrying it around would be troublesome. Bronze armor was different: it required no manual donning, materializing instantly. Silver armor could even be drawn directly into the body. Black armor's complication lay in having to unfold the sphere into armor and then strap it on... There was no helping it; back in the day, the Battle Heaven Army had been massive, and black armor was standard issue. Its craftsmen likely had not put too much effort into convenience. Even so, it remained formidable. At his words, everyone's interest was instantly piqued. "It can turn into a sphere?" "Activated? Does it have any special functions?" "..." As they chimed in with excitement, Li Hao smiled. "I don't know all the special functions, but there is one advantage: within a thousand li, I can contact all of you through the black armor. Its defense will also increase slightly. Furthermore, if we form the Ten-Ring Mountain Sealing Formation, wearing the black armor will facilitate forming the array. Back then, when the Battle Heaven Army formed formations, it took only an instant and was extraordinarily powerful—the armor assists in successfully setting up the formation." This was information he had gleaned from his silver armor. However, the current Battle Heaven Army could no longer do this. Forming a formation required connecting blood energy and inner force, yet the Battle Heaven soldiers of today had long since perished, existing merely as lingering obsessions. Naturally, they could not form arrays. Otherwise, three thousand Battle Heaven soldiers, even with their current degraded strength, could probably have taken down those Rising Lights with ease. That was where the true terror lay! After losing their physical bodies, less than a tenth of the Battle Heaven Army's original might remained. Everyone was instantly overjoyed. *It can even do that?* Nearby, Liu Long chuckled and suddenly produced a large black sphere. In an instant, the black sphere transformed into a suit of armor. He swiftly unfolded it and put it on. "Mine has already been activated. It's remarkably convenient, far better than before." He added, "Previously, the black armor offered good defense against Solar Flares, but almost none against Three Suns. However, I found that its quality is actually superb. As long as your blood energy and inner force are sufficient, even a Three Suns won't be able to pierce its defense in short order!" Everyone gasped in shock. *That formidable?* Li Hao also spoke: "Its defensive strength is indeed formidable. Before activation, and lacking the kind of energy assistance found in Battle Heaven City, its defense was much weaker. Now that it's activated, it should be significantly stronger." "Furthermore, this black armor... might enable flight." Everyone was stunned once more. *Flight?* At the Hundred-Breaker realm, martial masters could not fly. Upon reaching Thousand-Battler, one could borrow spirit intent to tread upon empty air like a bird, but Hundred-Breakers could only kick off the ground to leap into the air. They could achieve brief aerial suspension, but sustained flight was simply impossible. Li Hao said uncertainly, "I haven't tested it on Hundred-Breakers yet, but both Vice Regiment Commander Liu and I can do it. Since we could already fly on our own, it's hard to judge whether it's an effect of the black armor. I haven't fully mastered all of its functions yet." The crowd grew even more excited. Li Hao continued, "Additionally, the black armor is fully sealed, so it might work for undersea combat as well. Of course, as I said, that's just my conjecture... You can test it later to see how it performs." Li Hao himself was amazed by the armor's versatility, but given the sheer might of the ancient civilization, there was nothing surprising about it. ... Leaving the square, Li Hao entered the office area. Several people were currently waiting for him. Upon seeing Li Hao, Wang Ming beamed. "Senior Brother..." "Call me Regiment Commander!" "..." Speechless, Wang Ming could only say, "Regiment Commander, Li Meng, Hu Hao, and the others have arrived." "I see them." Li Hao looked at them. Yun Yao was as quiet as ever; seeing Li Hao, she nodded slightly, appearing refined and serene. Li Meng had always been somewhat scatterbrained, and at this moment, she was bursting with excitement: "Senior Brother... Regiment Commander... Director... Forget it, I'll stick to Regiment Commander! Sure enough, you're the most loyal and righteous, Regiment Commander, not forgetting us after striking it rich..." When they had gone to Silver City before, the three of them had grumbled a bit, and having been forced to become Yuan Shuo's disciples had made them somewhat unhappy. Now, however... they were thrilled beyond measure. Hu Hao was far quieter. Like Yun Yao, he barely spoke, and upon seeing Li Hao, he greeted him in a low voice: "Regiment Commander." All three were currently at the Full Moon stage of Dark Moon, which only rivaled late Hundred-Breakers. To match a peak Hundred-Breaker, they still needed to reach the Waxing Moon stage, let alone step into Solar Flare. Their progress was actually not slow, but it depended on who they were compared to. Compared to Wang Ming—with whom their gap had previously been negligible—Wang Ming was already a late Solar Flare. If he did not deliberately rein himself in, he would probably be at the peak, pushing toward Three Suns. Li Hao waved his hand, producing four sets of armor. "Put these on. This armor suppresses supernatural power to an extent, but it also shields against supernatural detection." The Battle Heaven Army had not been an energy legion. Supposedly, dedicated energy legions had existed. The black armor imposed certain restrictions on them, but Li Hao did not expect the three to fight anyway; providing auxiliary support would be enough. "Tonight, I'm leading a mission. You know what happened recently. There will certainly be danger, so you..." "No objections here!" Li Meng cried out. "As long as I can grow strong like Senior Brother Wang, I'm up for anything!" "..." Li Hao was left speechless. This woman was loud and reckless, the most unreliable supernatural he had ever met. In the past, she had pried everywhere with her eye, even peeping while Yuan Shuo taught his disciples, which nearly got her beaten to death by Yuan Shuo. Yet she had still not curbed that nature of hers. Li Hao did not dwell on it and asked, "How far can your third eye see now?" "About a thousand meters?" Li Meng was not entirely certain. "I haven't tested the exact distance." Li Hao nodded slightly. That was decent. In truth, he could also see light clusters, but the fear was that the enemy might be a martial master, which Li Hao could not discern clearly. Conversely, when it came to martial masters, Li Meng could see their physical bodies. Thus, within a thousand-meter range, Li Hao could detect supernaturals while Li Meng could spot martial masters, complementing each other and effectively preventing enemies from closing in unnoticed. Still, it was too close. A thousand meters was too short—for Li Meng, that is. When Li Hao looked for a Rising Light now, as long as there were no obstructions, he could spot the light cluster from several thousand or even ten thousand meters away. "Sister Yun, you're water-element and skilled in healing. Can you treat ordinary internal injuries of martial masters?" "I can." Yun Yao nodded slightly. "As long as the internal organs aren't shattered or critically mangled, ordinary internal injuries can be treated." *That's good.* He turned to Hu Hao. Hu Hao's ability was rather singular—he could fly. In truth, once martial masters stepped into Thousand-Battler, flight supernaturals became somewhat redundant. These special-system supernaturals were actually quite intriguing. They had not unlocked supernatural locks in the five viscera or the limbs; instead, they had likely unlocked special locks elsewhere. Exactly where, even Li Hao could not say. Flight might be considered a mutation of the wind element, but wind itself was a special system outside the five elements. Perhaps these people had unlocked undiscovered locks within their flesh, for when Li Hao used wind-element supernatural energy, it had strengthened his physical body. As for Li Meng's third eye... that was even more peculiar. Ghost only knew which supernatural lock she had unlocked. These people actually possessed immense potential. At least in Li Hao's eyes, special-system supernaturals held great promise. Because they had already unlocked special supernatural locks, if they could discover other locks later on, when everyone else was unlocking ordinary locks, they would be an entire tier ahead. Of course, that was a very distant prospect. At the very least, the limbs and five viscera were already known, whereas these special supernaturals might not see much advantage until they opened eight or nine locks. Still, if opening the five viscera proved difficult, they might seize an advantage—while others struggled with a second visceral lock, they could unlock another without conflict. As Li Hao was pondering, Wang Ming asked excitedly, "We're going on a mission tonight? Where to?" "Not telling you. You have a big mouth." Wang Ming was instantly depressed. He didn't have a big mouth—why did everyone spout nonsense about him? Li Hao thought for a moment and added, "The three of you, cultivate quickly right now. I don't expect you to reach Solar Flare, but crossing into Waxing Moon would be good. At least that's the peak of Dark Moon; Full Moon is a bit weak." With that, he waved his hand and crushed several divine energy stones. In the next instant, a wave of pure elemental power surged forth. Water element flowed toward Yun Yao, and wind element toward Hu Hao. As for Li Meng, Li Hao had no idea which element would boost her, so he supplied some from all five elements, along with wind, lightning, a touch of darkness, and even some non-elemental energy. "Try absorbing them and see which works best. This isn't ordinary mysterious energy. Whichever improves your strength best, absorb that one." What nature did this third eye possess? Li Hao was intensely curious as well. He had seen plenty of supernaturals—ice-element, dark-element, auxiliary types—but he had never seen anyone grow a third eye out of thin air. He did not even know if it was an actual eye or merely an external manifestation. Li Meng was used to this and did not care. She absorbed a bit of each, grinning from ear to ear. Increasing her cultivation was actually harder for her than for others, so the fact that she could reach Full Moon meant her absorption efficiency might actually be higher than Wang Ming's. Otherwise, she would never have reached Dark Moon, since people like Wang Ming knew exactly how to advance, whereas Li Meng muddled through, haphazardly absorbing whatever came her way. Right now, the others progressed normally. Li Meng tried each type of energy, thrilled. "Amazing! Every single one is stronger than the non-elemental energy I used to absorb." Li Hao, however, frowned. Was there no specific matching elemental energy? As Yun Yao absorbed water energy, Li Hao could see her light cluster strengthening with the naked eye. While Hu Hao's absorption of wind energy was slightly less pronounced, his light cluster clearly grew brighter as well. Only Li Meng, though also growing stronger, did so with abysmal efficiency! Perhaps to Li Meng this speed was fast, but to Li Hao, who could clearly perceive the subtle shifts, it was far too slow. These were supernaturals he had known in his early days, and they were even nominal disciples Yuan Shuo had accepted... Even though Yuan Shuo had only done so to pave the way for Li Hao, never anticipating Li Hao would advance so rapidly. Still, since they had been accepted, there was no taking it back. Now, everyone else advanced rapidly, while Li Meng, a supernatural, lagged so far behind. It plunged Li Hao into thought: if this continued, other supernaturals might cross into Three Suns before Li Meng even entered Solar Flare. Moving forward, it might only become harder. As he pondered, his ears twitched. A dog appeared beside him—Black Panther had trotted over, hoping to scavenge a bite to eat after sensing energy leaking out. Seeing that the dissipated energy was meager, however, it lost interest. Eating its fill like before had been far more satisfying. Black Panther's coat was sleek and glossy now, a far cry from its former skin-and-bones appearance. It wagged its tail, its nose suddenly twitching. It glanced at Li Meng without paying much attention, silently listening to Li Hao speak. Li Hao rubbed his temples in frustration. "I really can't tell what attribute your third eye has. You absorb every type of energy at virtually the same rate, with none of them showing any special affinity... What a headache." Li Meng was nonchalant. "It's already plenty fast. As expected of our Regiment Commander!" Meanwhile, Black Panther wagged its tail and looked at Li Meng a few times. In its mind, usually occupied only with eating, faint flickers of imagery seemed to surface... but they vanished in an instant. Puzzled, Black Panther looked at Li Meng again. Back and forth it looked, several times. *Woof, woof, woof!* Black Panther suddenly barked at Li Meng. Li Hao looked down at Black Panther, finding its barking at Li Meng rather odd. "What is it?" *Woof!* Black Panther circled Li Meng, appearing somewhat bewildered itself. In the next moment, as if realizing something, it barked rapidly at Li Hao! Li Hao had a headache. A powerful dog, but unfortunately unable to speak. When it barked like that, how was he supposed to understand? Sometimes he could grasp a little, but other times, he had no clue. Take now, for instance... barking at Li Meng, how was he supposed to guess what it meant? Black Panther was frustrated too! In the next moment, as if struck by an idea, it glared at Li Hao. *"Awooo!"* Like an enraged hound. And in that instant... the image of a ferocious golden dog surfaced in Li Hao's mind... A brief trance washed over him, catching him off guard. "You... you really became a martial master dog?" *Was that spirit intent?* This dog... was truly bizarre. Its physical body was terrifyingly tough as well. He had no idea what kind of figure in the city had modified it, but it was absurdly strong. *Spirit intent... is this dog showing off to me?* In the next instant, Li Hao's mind stirred. Remembering something, he looked at Li Meng, then back at Black Panther, a sudden realization dawning on him. "Are you saying... her ability... belongs to a mental-system mutation?" *Woof, woof, woof!* Black Panther nodded vigorously in excitement—he finally understood! The dog didn't really understand either, but just now, a stray thought had suddenly popped into its head. It didn't know how the thought came to be, but it simply felt that this third eye looked familiar, likely some kind of mental-system ability. Li Hao's heart stirred. *A Heavenly Eye cultivator?* Indeed, at this moment, the thought occurred to him. Earlier, Hou Xiaochen had mentioned it once, and Li Hao had asked Southern Fist about his doubts. By Li Hao's estimation, those who had previously seen the red shadow were all Heavenly Eye cultivators. Such people did not grow strong easily. However, once they entered a cultivation system, especially after breaking through certain hurdles, they became utterly terrifying. As for Heavenly Eye cultivators, Red Moon seemed to have sent one in earlier, but unfortunately, he had died quickly, swatted to death by Director Wang's sword. As for himself... Li Hao had inquired a bit, and it seemed he was different from them. He hadn't probed deeper. Could Li Meng be a Heavenly Eye cultivator? Yet he had never heard of Heavenly Eye cultivators sprouting a third eye. Furthermore, it was said that cultivating as a Heavenly Eye cultivator was difficult to control and prone to self-destruction, yet Li Meng showed no such signs. Still puzzled, Li Hao stopped dwelling on it. If it was mental-system... that would be hard to improve. To date, he had not even discovered what kind of power could be extracted to strengthen spirit intent. He did have some Mind-Nourishing Fruits, but since he hadn't tested them himself yet, he naturally wouldn't hand them out casually. Though he now paid more attention to Li Meng's third eye, having no way to boost it, Li Hao could only say, "Keep cultivating for now. Any faster than before is still good." At least it was faster than before; he had no other solutions for now. ... Leaving that aside, Li Hao went back into the storehouse and collected all the remaining divine energy stones. After some thought, he considered Hao Lianchuan. Venturing out tonight, who knew if they would encounter pirates... Should he bring that fellow along? The man was a Three Suns and not weak. More importantly, Hao Lianchuan had eagerly clamored to tag along earlier... After thinking it over, Li Hao shook his head. *Forget it, next time.* This trip was just to take a look, not to pick a fight. Besides, if he left and Hao Lianchuan took off as well, who would handle things if an emergency arose at the Night Patrol? Li Hao abandoned the idea of calling along the fat man. Next time would do. ... Soon, night deepened. Late at night. A party of fifty-five. Aside from Li Hao, everyone wore black armor. Originally there had been only fifty-one, but now joined by four supernaturals, Li Hao had outfitted them in black armor as well, primarily to prevent their supernatural energy from leaking. By now, their black armor had all been activated by Li Hao. Activating the black armor offered one distinct advantage: Li Hao no longer needed to address them aloud, transmitting messages directly through the armor: "Everyone can receive my transmissions. I have now granted all of you permission to transmit to me... but unless necessary, do not bother me with idle chatter... Moving forward, everyone try to maintain radio silence. If anything happens, communicate within the armor." A group of martial masters naturally emitted no supernatural aura, and clad in armor that allowed internal communication without voice transmission, the entire Demon Hunt Corps was plunged into near-total silence. "Tonight's voyage is merely to familiarize ourselves with the sea. If we happen across a small band of pirates to practice on, all the better..." After transmitting through the armor for a while, Li Hao fell silent. Having completed a mission with Li Hao before where they had run alongside him for days, the group was now accustomed to his style. No one raised objections, and their actions took on the discipline of an army. While still far from the instant obedience of the Battle Heaven Army, they were on par with regular Martial Guard forces. The four newly joined supernaturals moved alongside Liu Long as auxiliary personnel. The fifty-five figures swiftly vanished into the darkness. This location was not far from the coastline. Moments later, the group arrived at the shore. With a wave of Li Hao's hand, a pitch-black, ghostly vessel materialized on the sea surface. The ship was rather peculiar, sporting wing-like structures along its flanks. A ship capable of flight! The onlookers marveled at the sight. *What kind of contraption is this?* Seeing Li Hao board, the rest followed suit. The ship was not overly large from the outside, but once inside, they discovered the interior was surprisingly spacious. Li Hao said nothing, stepping into the helm at the prow. He slipped several divine energy stones into an indentation, fiddled with the controls for a while, and entered a map onto the Origin God Armament's display screen. "Just follow the route and halt where the Moon Sea and Beihai intersect. Conceal our aura. The total distance is about three thousand li... You're an Origin God Armament, so your speed shouldn't be sluggish, right?" No reply came. Li Hao paid it no mind. Looking out at the sea from the helm, the waters were pitch-black in the dead of night. For an ordinary ship to travel at night without lights would court disaster. For an Origin God Armament, however, as long as its energy supply remained sufficient, no such problem existed. Soon, without a sound, the flying Giant Kun Divine Vessel shot forth like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, vanishing across the sea. ... Li Hao's departure was frighteningly quiet. Even the supernaturals remaining in the base had not realized they were gone. Clad in black armor, these martial masters moved silently, deliberately avoiding surveillance as they traversed the artificial forest. Up until their complete departure, the base remained utterly still, awaiting the morrow's sunrise. On the first day after Hou Xiaochen left, everyone assumed Li Hao would stay put in the base, lying low for at least a few days. Yet no one expected that on the very first night, Li Hao would take his men and vanish. The small black vessel moved across the water like a phantom shadow, completely silent. Even if scouts monitored the nearby waters, they detected nothing. ... Meanwhile, Hou Xiaochen's convoy had not traveled very far. After an entire day without stopping, pressing forward with all haste, the convoy had only just exited Linjiang Province and begun advancing toward Beihai Province. Traveling through the night without rest, the earliest they could cross Beihai would be tomorrow afternoon or evening. Precisely because Hou Xiaochen had not traveled far and had not completely departed the North, the pirate band led by Big Beard dared not approach Silver Moon's perimeter yet. Only once Hou Xiaochen was gone completely and had disappeared from Beihai's boundaries would the man dare make his move. And on this night, the pirates under Big Beard's command acted like wild horses slipping their reins, plundering a coastal town. There was no great commotion—because the town's residents had been almost completely wiped out. ... The carriages continued to jolt along the road. Inside the carriage, Hou Xiaochen opened his eyes and glanced out both sides. The convoy was about to enter Beihai Province, yet the surroundings appeared desolate—even more desolate than Silver Moon. Along the roadsides... faint glimpses of skeletal remains could be seen. Chief Steward Yu said softly, "We are about to enter Beihai. The Three Northern Provinces have been in turmoil these past days, but with our Martial Guard Army on the march, none of them dare provoke us." Hou Xiaochen nodded slightly. His gaze lingered on the roadside. The road was rutted and potholed. At times, faint sobs drifted from the darkness in the distance—far away, yet with his sharp hearing, he caught them nonetheless. With October arriving, the weather in Beihai had begun to turn cold. "Pirates run rampant, rebel forces stir up chaos, and the official military of the Three Northern Provinces is spiraling out of control. After General Guarding the North died, the three provinces began to fracture, with no one capable of holding supreme command over the region... A chaotic age has arrived!" Hou Xiaochen spoke softly. Chief Steward Yu nodded without adding a word. "The death of Kou Long—do you think... I did it?" Chief Steward Yu remained silent. Whether he had or not... who could say? "If I was the one who did it, do you think killing Kou Long and triggering riots and turmoil across the three provinces was right or wrong?" Chief Steward Yu said, "Whatever the Director does naturally has its reasons..." "No, you are a human being; you should have your own mind, not merely parrot others!" Hou Xiaochen said calmly, "A human being should have their own ideals, their own dreams, their own thoughts! You are Jade Rakshasa, and you are Yu Fuyao. My thoughts do not represent yours. What do you... think yourself?" Chief Steward Yu's brows knit slightly. After a moment, she said, "Though Kou Long was tyrannical and brutally suppressed uprisings across the three provinces, one cannot deny that while he lived, even if life was arduous, the common folk could scrape by... Now that Kou Long is dead, the three provinces have completely slipped out of control. This is only the beginning. If the region is not pacified soon, vast numbers of people will perish! Winter approaches, and northern winters are bitterly cold. Once heavy snow blankets the cities and the North Sea freezes over, I fear... corpses will float for thousands of li!" "The three provinces have a massive population exceeding three hundred million, spanning over a hundred cities. The turmoil has already engulfed a third of the region... If a thousand die in every city, it amounts to a staggering number." Hou Xiaochen nodded slightly. "So Kou Long shouldn't have been killed, right? At least, not right now." "Kou Long brought death upon himself as well..." Chief Steward Yu continued along his train of thought. "During his years in the three provinces, he suppressed the populace, killing at the slightest whim. His troops were undisciplined and unruly, frequently slaughtering innocents to claim military merit..." "None of that matters!" Hou Xiaochen shook his head. "What matters is that he should not have died at this juncture. Even if he were to die, someone should have taken command of the three provinces' military power first, rather than killing Kou Long in a leaderless void, plunging the region into total chaos!" Chief Steward Yu was utterly bewildered. *What are you getting at?* Hou Xiaochen fell silent for a while, then suddenly said, "Everyone thinks Huang Yu and I killed him... We didn't bother defending ourselves. In truth... that day, we did come here, but not to kill him—rather, to protect him." "Huh?" "The Imperial Family sent people to kill him." "What?" Chief Steward Yu froze. What did that mean? Hou Xiaochen sighed and shook his head, looking somewhat dejected. He fell silent, leaning back against his seat, lost in thought. After a long time, he suddenly said, "I know who came that day. King Pingyuan!" The Imperial Family had Nine Kings and thirty-six Dukes. The Xu family held a ducal title as well, though not as imperial kin; imperial dukes were all members of the royal bloodline. King Pingyuan... Chief Steward Yu pondered, her eyes shifting slightly. "The one who founded the Heavenly Star Martial Guard Army back then?" "Yes." Hou Xiaochen chuckled. "My former superior! Huang Yu and I joined forces to battle him... and lost." Jade Rakshasa's expression changed drastically! *Lost?* It was practically unbelievable. Jade Rakshasa had always believed that while Hou Xiaochen might not be invincible under the heavens, at this stage, unless facing someone like Earth-Overturning Sword who unsealed himself, no one could rival him. Yet he and Huang Yu had joined forces... and lost? How was that possible! Hou Xiaochen laughed softly. "Don't look like that. It's only natural. He founded the Heavenly Star Martial Guard Army back then, and he was already a top martial master expert at the time. With the Imperial Family lying dormant for so many years, he naturally made corresponding advancements." Chief Steward Yu said at a loss, "But... that makes no sense!" Kou Long was a grand general enfeoffed by the Imperial Family! He was a staunch supporter of the royal house in the North. To kill Kou Long... had the Imperial Family gone mad? They had already lost most of their power. Why would they execute a royal general who supported them? Were they insane? Who would believe it? Even Chief Steward Yu found it hard to believe, let alone outsiders. If uttered aloud, not a soul would credit it. Hou Xiaochen said calmly, "Yes, are they mad? Who would believe it? Yet we... believe it! If the realm does not descend into chaos, how can the Imperial Family rally its strength, reign supreme once more, demonstrate imperial might, and restore the state? With Kou Long dead and riots breaking out across the three provinces, does it not prove one thing? That the Nine Departments are incompetent, greedy for power, and willing to assassinate commanding generals for political control—even striking down a border-guarding general to suppress the Imperial Family! No matter how many die across the three provinces, the blame falls upon me, upon the Nine Departments. If the Imperial Family can pacify the chaos, the common folk will only weep in gratitude..." "The common people, at times, follow the crowd blindly and are ignorant, seeing only what lies before their eyes... They cannot see far into the distance. There is no helping it—if everyone were wise, the world wouldn't be as it is." "All they see is that with Kou Long dead, the days they could barely scrape through have now become unlivable... Ah!" He sighed and shook his head. The world thought him omnipotent, but who knew he had suffered several major setbacks in succession? Chief Steward Yu found it hard to believe. "The Imperial Family... is too mad!" "Mad? No, merely confident, coupled with boundless ambition." Hou Xiaochen chuckled. "By killing Kou Long, the Imperial Family appears pitiful and tragic in the eyes of many—even the general backing them was assassinated, winning them the world's sympathy. *They have already abdicated, so why do you hound the Imperial Family so ruthlessly?*" "King Pingyuan's move didn't really cost them anything. The Three Northern Provinces were never of paramount importance anyway. If using them can win the Imperial Family opportunities for a comeback, why wouldn't they do it?" Chief Steward Yu's brow remained tightly furrowed. After a long while, she asked, "Then that battle earlier..." "King Pingyuan was wounded as well. Regrettably, we couldn't keep him there." Hou Xiaochen expressed a trace of regret. "Had he died, that day would have been the true earth-shattering news. What is the death of a single Kou Long? If King Pingyuan were slain, once Kou Long learned King Pingyuan had come to assassinate him, he would have rebelled against the Imperial Family without question! The Nine Departments would also have become exceedingly vigilant, letting them tear at each other's throats inside Heaven Star City... That would have brought true peace to the world!" He sighed. "Unfortunately... we failed." Others believed that the unrest in the three provinces was his chance to extract himself. Little did they know that was not what Hou Xiaochen sought at all. He had wanted the Nine Departments and the Imperial Family to fight it out in Heaven Star City—that would have been a genuine opportunity to extricate himself. Not this situation, where riots in the three provinces threatened to embroil Silver Moon at any moment. Heading to the Central Region was a choice born of necessity. Had they killed King Pingyuan... that day would have shaken the entire world, and the Imperial Family would likely have lost their composure. Yet both he and Huang Yu had underestimated their opponent. Though they wounded him, the two of them suffered far heavier injuries. Chief Steward Yu was in a daze. After a long silence, she murmured softly, "Without having killed him on the spot, I imagine no one would believe you even if you told them, Director?" Even she had never suspected the Imperial Family. How could outsiders! Public clamor melts metals—even if it wasn't you, it became you. Hou Xiaochen smiled faintly. "It doesn't matter. My journey to the Central Region this time also comes with the intent of paying respects to my old superior." "But..." "It's fine." Hou Xiaochen shook his head. "I am now an official of the Nine Departments. Once I arrive there, he won't dare act rashly! Entering the Central Region and stepping into Heaven Star City serves only two objectives: first, purge members of the Three Great Organizations; second, use my status within the Nine Departments to deal with the Imperial Family!" Chief Steward Yu said nothing. Either of these two objectives was fraught with immense peril. Yet the Director was entering the capital with precisely such intentions... Heaven Star City truly was a dragon's pool and a tiger's den! "Telling you this is only to ensure you understand the dangers involved. Do not emulate Green Peacock and the others. Ying Hongyue's designs are not the same as mine... Placing you in charge of the Night Patrol all these years was also in the hope that you would think independently. You have done... passably." Chief Steward Yu offered a faint smile, like an ice lotus blooming. Yet Hou Xiaochen did not spare her a second glance, merely closing his eyes in contemplation. Chief Steward Yu felt somewhat speechless and fell silent as well. Quiet descended upon the carriage once more.