Emerging One After Another

News of the battle in the North Sea spread with astonishing speed. The moment Li Hao and his companions departed, organizations across every quarter equipped with communication networks received word almost instantaneously. *** Deep within the West Sea, an isolated island hovered aloft, resembling an immortal peak rising into the heavens. At that moment, a formidable figure was practicing his fist techniques on the mountain. A powerful expert soon tore through the air, halting outside the training grounds. The man practicing his punches ceased his movements. "Mountain Lord!" The newcomer bowed his head and lowered his eyes, holding out a jade pendant. The Futu Mountain Lord glanced at him, his voice calm. "Chiyu is dead, isn't he?" The messenger's expression shifted. Not daring to say more, he kept his head down. "He is dead." "The Bright Light Sword had her seals broken for far too long; she couldn't have pulled it off alone. Which Silver Moon martial master intervened?" "The Earth-Overturning Sword and the Demon Sword." The old man gave a slight nod. The Earth-Overturning Sword... that was not entirely unexpected. But the Demon Sword... Li Hao? Two swordsmen went to rescue the Bright Light Sword? "These Silver Moon martial masters..." King Futu shook his head, unsure of what to say or what ought to be said. After a long pause, he took the jade pendant, examined it closely, and let out a faint chuckle. "Three people and a dog joined forces and shook the North Sea to its core. That hound must possess ancient demon blood. And this Demon Sword Li Hao... is indeed worthy of being Yuan Shuo's disciple." As for the death of his younger brother, Chiyu, he did not seem to care very much. "Mountain Lord, Lord Chiyu..." "He was too greedy. Dying was entirely his own doing." King Futu said calmly, "Are the Bright Light Sword's Wind-Chasing Boots that easy to snatch? I warned him that the area was far too close to Silver Moon, that it was very likely to draw attention and provoke the Silver Moon martial masters into action. He neither believed me nor listened. I foresaw that he was walking to his doom, but since I couldn't dissuade him, I could only let him be!" The subordinate's complexion changed slightly. The Mountain Lord had anticipated this all along? King Futu said nothing further, falling into reminiscence. A moment later, he shook his head, brushing the memories aside. The Earth-Overturning Sword, the Demon Sword... Judging by the intelligence, the Earth-Overturning Sword had also reached the pinnacle. The only question was how many supernatural locks he had filled. Five? Six? Or even more? Unsealing combat power was not something anyone could accomplish, nor was it open to just any martial master. One had to saturate their supernatural locks first, though it was difficult to tell precisely how many had been filled. The Bright Light Sword, the Earth-Overturning Sword, Hou Xiaochen, Huang Yu... Names flashed through King Futu's mind. Had all of them advanced to this stage? That bunch from Silver Moon was truly terrifying. And Yuan Shuo had vanished without a trace. *Yuan Shuo... where did you go?* King Futu pondered in silence before finally letting out a soft sigh. "Leave it be. Tell the disciples of our sect not to go looking for trouble in Silver Moon either. Unless you are completely certain of victory, do not clash with that lot." "Understood!" The subordinate promptly accepted the order, though after a moment's hesitation, he ventured, "Mountain Lord, Lord Chiyu was killed. Are we..." *Are we really going to do nothing at all?* *Wouldn't that completely destroy the prestige of Futu Mountain?* "Yama, Feitian, and the Plain King's Residence have all suffered losses. The unluckiest of all was the Duke of Dingguo's Residence—that old fossil had his son and grandson killed in succession, and five of his eight great generals were slaughtered. If anyone wants to stake their life in retaliation, he will be the first!" King Futu's voice remained exceptionally calm. "Undercurrents are surging right now. Who would willingly be the first to wage war against Silver Moon? Those people in Silver Moon refused to become lambs waiting for slaughter long ago; every one of them is striking back. Hou Xiaochen went to the Central Region, the Sky Sword founded the Sky Sword Divine Mountain, and the Tyrant Saber's tracks have already surfaced... All of them are fighting for their lives. Striking out first right now is simply asking for trouble!" *Lambs waiting for slaughter... striking back...* These words left the subordinate somewhat bewildered. Yet King Futu offered no further explanation. Those who understood naturally understood; those who didn't... there was no helping them. Buried beneath that land were far too many secrets, and powerful figures were watching like hungry tigers. Yet the Silver Moon martial masters refused to let outsiders intrude. Their previous probe had begun with the burial of several thousand supernaturals. That had merely been the beginning, and it signified that Silver Moon had no intention of sharing that sacred land! King Futu had foreseen it long ago. That crowd from Silver Moon was first-rate at infighting, but they were equally first-rate when fighting outsiders. How could they ever willingly surrender that sacred land to others? The Silver Moon martial masters who understood the situation were all striking back frantically. Hou Xiaochen entering the Central Region was the start of that counteroffensive, an attempt to erect a first line of defense outside Silver Moon. Yet... how could it be that simple! As more and more powerful figures hit their bottlenecks, Silver Moon's blockade line was bound to be breached sooner or later. With the passage of time, supernatural abilities were advancing rapidly, and more and more experts were entering the metamorphosis phase. Perhaps Silver Moon possessed a better method to allow them to take that next step. With these thoughts, King Futu waved his hand. "Step down. For now, the Central Region is your training ground. As for Silver Moon... set it aside for now!" "Understood!" Not daring to say another word, the subordinate hastily departed. King Futu resumed his boxing practice, yet his heart could no longer settle. Silver Moon resurfaced in his mind, bringing with it many familiar faces. As the leader of the western martial forest in years past, he had broken through to the Thousand-Battler realm, earning renown as an earthly immortal. He had swept through all opposition before stepping into the Silver Moon martial forest, harboring nothing but disdain for this so-called sacred land of martial arts. Yet the truth had been a lifelong, unforgettable humiliation. In the Silver Moon martial forest, not a single Thousand-Battler martial master had come out to face him. Only Yuan Shuo, who had been riding a wave of fame back then, grew intensely interested upon hearing that the leader of the western martial forest had arrived and challenged him to a duel. King Futu had naturally looked down on him, not even deigning to accept... In the end, that man came knocking on his door uninvited. After a fierce battle, King Futu's Thousand-Battler strength was actually overcome by Yuan Shuo. Both of his arms were broken. Because of a verbal clash, Yuan Shuo humiliated him further by shaving his head clean, turning him into a true ascetic monk, and hung him from the boundary stone. On that day, he had wanted nothing more than to die. Yet in the end, he endured it. And... he had survived to this very day. "Yuan Shuo..." King Futu suddenly smiled. It was good! Having you alive was actually quite good. He even hoped Yuan Shuo would grow stronger, far stronger. As long as Yuan Shuo lived, King Futu felt that the humiliation of his life still existed, constantly spurring him forward. No matter how bitter or exhausting it became, he would never forget the shame and humiliation of that day. For the Futu Divine Mountain to become one of the Seven Divine Mountains today, Yuan Shuo deserved considerable credit! Who would have thought that while Yuan Shuo had vanished recently, his disciple had proven just as restless. Wielding the Li family's divine sword, Li Hao would likely become an enemy of all under heaven soon enough, just like his master. *** Futu Divine Mountain remained deathly quiet. Meanwhile, in the Central Region. At the end of a bustling marketplace stood an imposing, grand estate. The Plain King's Residence. Eighty years ago, this residence had been sacred ground. Today, its prestige was a shadow of its former self. The Nine Departments curtailed the imperial clan, and even as one of the imperial clan's Nine Kings, the Plain King maintained an exceedingly low profile. Beyond establishing the Martial Guard Army several decades ago, he had made no major moves since. Inside the manor. A dignified middle-aged man sat upon a wooden chair, sipping tea. Upon hearing the report from his intelligence apparatus, he set down his teacup and sighed softly. "Qian Feng is dead... I originally thought that having stepped into the metamorphosis phase, this might be a chance for him to break through. A pity... and utterly detestable!" A pity that Qian Feng, loyal for so many years, was gone. Detestable that the wretched scum of Silver Moon were growing stronger by the day, every one of them still alive. The Plain King shook his head gently. After a long silence, he said, "Go inform Huang Yu. Have Silver Moon return Qian Feng's corpse so he may be properly laid to rest!" "Your Highness!" Several generals stood in the hall, one of them overwhelmed with grief and fury. "General Qian was murdered. We cannot accept this..." "Then endure it!" The Plain King shook his head. "Now is not the time. The powerful figures of Silver Moon are not merely one or two individuals, but an entire host! Once our estate takes the lead in instigating a war, the end result... could very well be our total destruction. Even then, that crowd in Silver Moon might not necessarily perish. Our only option is to wait! Wait until more and more people enter the metamorphosis phase, all seeking a breakthrough... That will be the moment to leak the news that breakthroughs are possible in the land of Silver Moon. Only then can we eradicate the Silver Moon martial forest in one fell swoop!" At that point, his eyes turned cold. "Thirty years ago, I already knew that the Silver Moon martial forest would become a disaster sooner or later! I originally intended to use barbarians to control barbarians, to pit brute against brute, but it ended in failure... And now, the true threat of the Silver Moon martial forest has revealed itself." Years ago, he had known that lot was a scourge. Unfortunately, the imperial clan's power was suppressed far too heavily. The Nine Departments had turned a blind eye to their attempts to purge the Silver Moon martial forest—neither supporting nor opposing them, but never granting them any convenience either. He wondered whether the Nine Departments regretted it now. The Plain King sneered inwardly. Everyone wanted to seize the land of Silver Moon, but taking it would be no easy feat anytime soon! Yet anyone wishing to settle the fate of this realm would find it impossible without first subjugating Silver Moon. Without subjugating Silver Moon, how could one reap those benefits, advance to higher realms, and reestablish order over the world? *Hou Xiaochen, you and your lot are still thinking far too naively.* Any overlord with ambitions of vying for the position of Human King would inevitably march into Silver Moon sooner or later. Without pacifying Silver Moon, how could anyone become a Human King? *** On that day, the three swords of the North Sea made their move, shaking every quarter. Hou Xiaochen, who had only recently arrived at the Night Patroller Headquarters, received the news immediately. Glancing at the crowd attending his welcome banquet, he saw quite a few people looking down at their messages, and he couldn't help but smile. There were quite a few directors at the Night Patroller Headquarters. One chief director and nine deputy directors. Counting Hou Xiaochen, there were a full ten deputy directors. Eleven director-level experts in total. Among them, the one who drew the most attention was naturally the renowned Huang Long. Yet Hou Xiaochen did not spare him many glances, looking instead toward the chief director seated at the front, who resembled a motionless Buddhist statue. This man was actually less famous than Huang Long, consistently keeping a low profile and being heavily suppressed by Huang Long. The Night Patrollers originated from the Inspectorate. By rights, it was normal for the chief director to concurrently serve as a deputy director of the Inspectorate. But for a deputy director to concurrently hold that post as well... that reeked of intentional provocation and balancing of power. Evidently, Huang Long had backers behind him—perhaps the general administration of the Inspectorate itself. And their objective was to keep this chief director in check. While Hou Xiaochen was still studying the man, someone beside him spoke up: "Congratulations, Brother Hou. You have a worthy successor! Yuan Shuo's disciple appears to be serving as the deputy director of the Silver Moon Night Patrollers. We just received intelligence that he wiped out a band of brigands in the North Sea. Judging by his strength, he might not be any weaker than those young fellows here at headquarters..." Brigands. No one mentioned the true identities of those individuals, slapping them all with the label of brigands. Had Li Hao and his companions died, they too would have been labeled brigands. Yet at that moment, the dignified Huang Long seated at the head coldly scoffed. "Defying all law and discipline! Wiping out brigands is one thing, but the intelligence I received states that as a Night Patroller, Li Hao struck down Xu Zhen of the Duke of Dingguo's Residence! Though the imperial clan has stepped behind the scenes, they remain nobles of the Heavenly Star Dynasty, and the Duke of Dingguo's Residence is nobility recognized by the Nine Departments. This Li Hao, just like his master, has no regard for royal law. The original intent behind founding the Night Patrollers was precisely to deal with such people... Yet he knowingly violated the law, showing utter disregard for discipline! Furthermore, the Bright Light Sword served as a retainer to the Duke of Dingguo's Residence, yet she betrayed and murdered her master. For such a vicious villain to draw the Night Patrollers to her rescue..." In an instant, everyone turned their eyes toward Hou Xiaochen. Here it came! Everyone knew Huang Long would never let Hou Xiaochen gain a firm foothold easily. Sure enough, Hou Xiaochen had barely arrived, during his welcome banquet no less, and Huang Long was already launching an attack. Huang Long looked at Hou Xiaochen. "Deputy Director Hou, Li Hao knowingly broke the law. As a veteran inspector and a senior Night Patroller, tell us: how should this person be handled?" Hou Xiaochen replied calmly, "It would be best for me to recuse myself. Why not ask for the chief director's opinion? If that doesn't work, ask everyone else for their thoughts..." At this point, he smiled faintly. "If all else fails, simply strip Li Hao of his post. It's not as though we need to bring him in under arrest, right? Now that I've left Silver Moon, no one over there listens to me anyway... How about this: Deputy Director Huang can send people to arrest Li Hao. I won't raise any objections. Scoundrels like him truly deserve to be slain!" Huang Long furrowed his brows and said coldly, "And what if we have Deputy Director Hou go and apprehend him?" "Fine by me!" Hou Xiaochen chuckled. "Then I'll gather some men right now and set off for Silver Moon to arrest Li Hao and the Earth-Overturning Sword's group. However, their strength is formidable, so headquarters will need to provide adequate support. Give me a year, and I guarantee I will bring them to justice!" "..." Silence fell over the room. They had gone through great pains to bring Hou Xiaochen here; sending him back now would be nothing short of releasing a tiger back into the mountains! The old man who had remained silent all this while gave a light cough and spoke: "Very well, let this matter rest here! The Duke of Dingguo's Residence... has yet to publicly acknowledge that the deceased were their men, nor have they reported any crime. We have no standing to intervene. Let them handle it themselves." The old man offered both sides a way out, then added, "Xiaochen has just arrived and isn't very familiar with the situation here. Aside from us directors, the Night Patroller Headquarters also has Five Regional Commanders overseeing the east, south, west, north, and central regions. Director Huang Long has always concurrently held the post of Northern Commander... Xiaochen hails from northern Silver Moon, and being newly arrived, he knows little of the other territories. Director Huang..." He looked toward Huang Long. "Why not hand over the post of Northern Commander to Xiaochen for now? He is more familiar with it, and it will give him something to do so his great talents don't go to waste in idleness." Huang Long's face turned icy. In terms of official hierarchy, the Five Regional Commanders were naturally subordinate to these deputy directors. But in terms of real authority, the position of a Regional Commander carried far more weight than that of an ordinary deputy director. They oversaw the Night Patrollers of an entire region! He had always held the Northern Commander post concurrently, yet the moment Hou Xiaochen arrived, this old fossil started reigning him in, actually asking him to surrender the Northern Commander post. "Chief Director, that hardly seems appropriate, does it?" Huang Long was naturally unwilling and countered immediately: "Director Hou is only familiar with Silver Moon; he likely knows little about the other regions. Moreover, the north is somewhat turbulent at present, and Director Hou might not grasp the full picture. Changing leadership rashly might not sit well with the Night Patrollers of the other eighteen northern provinces. Why not hold off for a while... I don't mind bearing the burden. Isn't the Chief Director still concurrently serving as the Heavenly Star Commander? The Central Commander doesn't have many affairs to attend to. Why not let Director Hou take that post?" He tossed the ball back. The Central Commander's official title was the Heavenly Star Commander, overseeing the Central Region, but in reality, it was purely nominal. With so many powerful institutions concentrated in the Central Region—the Nine Departments, the imperial clan, numerous prince and duke residences—along with the overlords of every province, who would ever listen to the Heavenly Star Commander? That position was truly worthless. The other four Regional Commanders could still exercise authority; even if some individuals proved disobedient, it was impossible for everyone to defy them. The old man glanced at Hou Xiaochen, then looked at Huang Long, smiling as he nodded. "Very well! Let it be so. Xiaochen has just arrived, and adapting to things first is fine as well. The post of Heavenly Star Commander shall be handed over to Xiaochen. I will place a call to the Inspectorate shortly; there shouldn't be much of an issue. With Director Huang supporting it as well... there won't be any difficulty." Huang Long's brow furrowed slightly. *Did I support it?* Well, he had been the one to propose it, but he hadn't expected the old fossil to agree so readily. Vaguely, he sensed something amiss. The Heavenly Star Commander truly possessed little practical power, but nominally, it was the foremost of the Five Regional Commanders. Moreover, its jurisdictional remit was immensely broad, covering all supernatural affairs across the Central Region. Previously, the old director had lacked the strength to enforce it and had simply curled into his shell without interfering. If Hou Xiaochen forcefully asserted authority... it could become troublesome. Yet on second thought, doing so would surely offend countless institutions and organizations. Huang Long smiled inwardly. If Hou Xiaochen truly had a death wish and insisted on sticking his nose everywhere, it didn't matter. When the time came, others would gladly teach him a lesson without Huang Long having to lift a finger! "Very well. I will communicate with the Chief Inspector as well; it shouldn't be a problem." Below, Hou Xiaochen smiled faintly. "Then I offer my thanks. As a newcomer, there is much I do not know. If I handle anything improperly, I hope you will all show some forbearance." At this point, no one discussed the North Sea incident any further. The distance was far too great; their reach could not extend that far. Furthermore, with Hou Xiaochen caught in the middle, everyone was reluctant to say too much regarding the Silver Moon martial masters. After finishing his remarks, Hou Xiaochen glanced at the old chief director, then surveyed the other directors, smiling without another word. As for the old director's obvious intention to pit him against Huang Long... everyone could see it, and everyone could sense the old director's helplessness. Yet Hou Xiaochen would never underestimate this man. One had to remember that when the Night Patrollers were founded, this man was the chief director. All these years later, he remained the chief director. One had to remember that he had been a powerhouse from the start; otherwise, how could he have become the first-generation director? Now that he hadn't fought in years and sat there looking like a carved Buddha, did that mean he was truly nothing more than a statue? Hou Xiaochen pondered this, his thoughts turning to the Earth-Overturning Sword and his companions. Those fellows were truly reckless. When they remained quiet, they did nothing, but the moment they struck, they killed so many experts. What lay ahead... might not be easy for them. Although all factions harbored reservations and were reluctant to strike first, being so high-profile would lay bare all their cards. Hou Xiaochen sighed inwardly. As one Silver Moon martial master after another exposed their foundation for all to see, experts across the realm would prepare accordingly, understanding Silver Moon better by the day. Once they felt they had grasped all of Silver Moon's secrets, that would likely be the moment they made their move against it. Silver Moon... was headed for great tribulation! Surrender Silver Moon? The thought crossed his mind, but he swiftly dismissed it. That was their root; how could they ever abandon it? Not just him—no one else would be willing either. *** Discussions were underway across every faction. Meanwhile, near the North Sea region, a pale-faced, domineering middle-aged man looked toward the sea, gripping someone in his hand as he demanded coldly, "Has the battle over in the North Sea ended?" "It... it's over..." The captive's face was ashen, and he pleaded in haste, "Lord... my lord, I was merely passing by, I don't know anything..." The pale-faced man said nothing, rummaging through the captive's robes to pull out a jade pendant. After inspecting it, he nodded faintly. "Not bad. The Earth-Overturning Sword... that fellow was actually concealing his strength." "Did the Black Widow escape?" He frowned slightly, though his brow soon cleared as he remarked indifferently, "Forget it. There's no point in killing her; better to wait until Ying Hongyue shows up." The man in his grip trembled even more violently. Having spoken, the middle-aged man casually tossed the captive away, and the man detonated in midair. A scout from the Three Great Organizations—killing him was no loss. The middle-aged man surveyed his surroundings. He had originally intended to seek out Yuan Shuo, but Yuan Shuo had vanished. Then, hearing that a battle had broken out here, he had come to see the Bright Light Sword, only to find the fight was already over. At this moment, he felt a bit uncertain about where he ought to go. After a brief contemplation, the man made up his mind: go have some fun with the North Sea King! The foremost of the North Sea pirate bands, the Starlight Pirates, was led by a man who styled himself the North Sea King. It seemed he had also participated in this affair, even dispatching a grand duke, though the North Sea King himself hadn't appeared. With these thoughts, the man stepped into the air and vanished from the spot in an instant. Long after the man had disappeared, a head surfaced from the ground nearby, murmuring in utter shock, "Was that... the Tyrant Saber?" The Tyrant Saber was still alive! No, the Tyrant Saber had always been alive, but very few had ever laid eyes on him. That man just now resembled the Tyrant Saber; portraits of the Silver Moon Thirty-Six Heroes were core documents held by every major organization. The Tyrant Saber had actually come to the vicinity of the North Sea! The scout in hiding was filled with terror. Judging by his aura, he was immensely powerful. First the Earth-Overturning Sword, now the Tyrant Saber—just how many experts remained hidden within the Silver Moon martial forest? He hastily began composing a transmission to report back that the Tyrant Saber had appeared in the area... The moment he mobilized a wisp of supernatural energy—*boom!* A thunderous blast erupted as a burst of saber qi detonated on the spot, obliterating everything in an instant, including the man beneath the earth. Far in the distance, the departing middle-aged man glanced back, cold disdain flashing in his eyes. Disinclined to look further, he vanished instantly. Did anyone not know that the Tyrant Saber was not to be spied upon? At that very moment, barely a hundred li from where the Tyrant Saber had been. A refined man looked up in a certain direction, seeming to sense something faintly. Soon, he shook his head with a smile, paying it no further mind as he looked at the figure retreating warily before him. "Sister Spider, it's been years. How have you been?" Beneath her mask, cold sweat drenched the Black Widow. At this moment, she felt far more terrified than when facing the Earth-Overturning Sword, struggling to suppress the dread in her heart. "Quite well. Red Moon has been searching for you all along, hoping to plan great things together..." "You aren't being very honest, sister." The refined man chuckled. "All you know is using Ying Hongyue to frighten me. I haven't done anything to you, and I dislike killing the innocent, especially old friends. I only came to take a look after hearing the Bright Light Sword was besieged... Sister, you didn't participate in the siege, did you? We're all old friends, after all..." "N-no..." "Sister, you truly are dishonest!" The refined man laughed again. "I've already received the intelligence. Look, I have one of these too!" He produced a jade pendant. "Sister, I heard you ran exceptionally fast, the very first to flee. That was how I learned you took part. Otherwise, I wouldn't have believed Sister Spider would join outsiders in besieging a Silver Moon martial master. Silver Moon martial masters can kill each other, but outsiders cannot kill us. Have you forgotten? Ying Hongyue has truly led you astray over the years..." Cold sweat poured down the Black Widow's face. "I was merely observing from the sidelines and didn't attack with full force. I was only astonished by the Bright Light Sword's power and wished to probe her a little..." "You, nothing but lies!" The refined man shook his head, sighing softly. "Forget it, I won't hold it against you. We're old friends, after all." The Black Widow was seized with panic and said hurriedly, "Then I shall take my leave. Another day, when time permits, allow me to invite..." "Leaving already?" The refined man chuckled. "Very well, but you did break the rules, and I happen to be someone who values rules... Let me give you one punch so you learn your lesson. When Ying Hongyue wanted to kill Yuan Shuo, he handled it internally within Red Moon; when did he ever join forces with outsiders to besiege someone... Truly devoid of discipline!" "No..." The Black Spider shrieked in terror and fled instantly! This peak Rising Light expert was more terrified right now than when being hunted by the Bright Light Sword, taking to the air and fleeing at maximum speed. Yet the man merely sighed and threw a punch! It seemed light and effortless, yet it was vast and open, devoid of any trickery. *Boom!* A fist descended from the heavens, majestic and magnificent, matching and even surpassing the Earth-Overturning Sword's blade. *Boom!* A thunderous roar rang out as the great fist struck down. With another deafening crash, the Black Spider was slammed directly into the ground. Her mask shattered to reveal a charming, delicate face, now vomiting blood uncontrollably, her eyes wide with terror. A fist imprint was stamped into her chest; every bone was shattered, and most of her internal organs were ruptured. Her supernatural energy... had dissipated by more than half. Despair covered the Black Spider's face. In the distance, the refined man smiled faintly. "There, that fulfills the rule. You won't die; just take plenty of tonics once you get back. Remember this lesson next time, and don't go flirting and colluding with that crowd outside. In the past, you liked flirting, but at least it was with Silver Moon men; now you're flirting with outsiders... Truly pathetic!" "Guh..." Blood gushed from her lips. The Black Widow seemed to want to say something, but could not produce a sound. She felt as though she were on the brink of total annihilation, her eyes filled with nothing but horror and dread. The Northern Fist! She had known the Northern Fist was formidable, but she had never imagined that a single punch... would bring her so close to death, leaving her completely powerless to resist. Just what heights had the Northern Fist reached? Where had he gone all these years? Why had he chosen to reveal himself near here right now? The refined man paid her no further heed, looking around before sighing after careful thought. "Forget it, I won't head back to Silver Moon. It isn't convenient to cause a huge stir there right now anyway. I heard Yuan Shuo came out of seclusion and wanted to see him, but the man is gone. The Tyrant Saber might be nearby as well... I can't be bothered to deal with him either." After lamenting for a moment, he smiled again. "I hear King Futu is still alive and even founded some divine mountain... The Sky Sword did the same... I think I'll go have a chat with them... Oh, right, my little brother He Yong—I heard he threw his lot in with the imperial clan to become their lapdog?" "Cough, cough..." Blood welled up, leaving the Black Widow unable to answer. The Northern Fist glanced at her, frowning slightly. "You truly have no manners. My rank back then was higher than yours. I asked you a question, yet you won't answer me. Are you asking to take another punch?" Abject terror flashed through the Black Widow's eyes. Suppressing the agonizing pain in her organs, she struggled desperately to squeeze out the words: "He's... the Southern Fist... the Southern Fist is with the imperial clan..." "That's more like it!" The refined middle-aged man nodded, a smile gracing his face. "Then I'll go check on my little brother. Pass word back to that pretty boy in Red Moon to come find me for a chat. It's been years; let's see if he's still as handsome as before. Every time I see that face of his, I want to smash it to pieces. I despise people who are more handsome than me!" "..." The Black Widow dared not utter a single word, merely nodding. The Northern Fist did not press her further, smiling as he waved a hand. "Then I'll be off. Sister, when you go back, tell that pretty boy of yours that having his supernatural abilities ruined is for the best. What's the point of practicing supernatural powers? It's a waste of time. The martial path is the true way!" With that, he strode away. He didn't seem to walk quickly, yet he vanished before her eyes in the blink of an eye. Long after he had departed, the Black Widow finally retrieved several pills and swallowed them in haste, wanting nothing more than to weep. That single punch had broken countless bones and devastated her internal organs... Without the Spring of Life, she likely wouldn't recover from these wounds anytime soon. Fortunately, the Northern Fist had only delivered one punch. Had there been a second... she truly would have perished. She sighed inwardly. These people... An inexplicable sensation welled within her. Ultimately, she let out another sigh and struggled to her feet, limping away. It seemed her return to Silver Moon would have to be delayed. Under the current circumstances, even if Huang Yu and his companions didn't make things difficult for her, that Li Hao might strike her down on the spot. The Northern Fist had appeared, the Tyrant Saber had appeared, and the Sky Sword, the Earth-Overturning Sword, Yuan Shuo, and the Jade Light Sword had all emerged. The Black Widow knew that an era of chaos was close at hand. With these figures stepping into the light, even if various factions didn't seek them out, they would likely take the initiative to strike. *** At the same time. Li Hao and his two companions swiftly vanished from the North Sea. Beihai Province. Though the Three Northern Provinces were plunged into turmoil, the provincial capital of Beihai Province, Haifeng City, remained peaceful and serene. In the outskirts of Haifeng City, inside a grand hotel. The Earth-Overturning Sword had rented a small villa near the coast, offering picturesque scenery. At that moment, divine energy stones materialized one after another, including a massive divine energy stone that the Earth-Overturning Sword produced. Hong Yitang couldn't help but sigh; this was the very last one he had left! Of the treasures he had scavenged in Battle Heaven City back then, one had been given to the Southern Fist, this one was being used now, and the Spring of Life had been consumed as well. His fortunes... had simply vanished like this. Li Hao said nothing, thrusting his sword directly into the largest divine energy stone. Since the Earth-Overturning Sword insisted on giving it... he couldn't stop him. The Silver Moon authorities had provided a considerable quantity of divine energy stones. As Li Hao absorbed the energy, he remarked, "The authorities supplied abundant resources for this rescue mission. I had no desire to rush all the way to the North Sea to save anyone; the authorities paid for it... Let me make that clear upfront. However, the divine energy stones provided by the authorities are poor in quality and average in efficacy, so this piece Martial Uncle Hong brought out will be billed to the Bright Light Sword's account. I won't take responsibility for it." He spoke bluntly and directly. The Bright Light Sword said nothing in response, merely nodding slightly. Li Hao added, "So there's no need to feel indebted to me. Suppressing the violent turmoil in your body was paid for by the authorities, and it was also something I agreed to when you coerced me that day... Once this matter is resolved, there will be no lingering ties between us. What you did to browbeat me back then still stands!" The Bright Light Sword remained silent. Hong Yitang gave a light cough. "It was just a minor matter..." Li Hao didn't pick up the thread. Sword energy surged forth, and the Bright Light Sword began absorbing it rapidly. All three fell quiet. There was no trace of the tacit understanding they had shared earlier. Joining forces to kill enemies was one thing, but personal grievances would not dissolve because of it. As Li Hao channeled sword energy, he nudged Black Panther with his foot. Black Panther looked at him with an innocent gaze. Li Hao glared at it! *That's enough. You're taking it too far—the woman is half-dead, yet you're still greedily sucking up sword energy. What a black-hearted hound!* The Bright Light Sword, however, opened her eyes, glanced at Black Panther, and coughed lightly. "This great demon came to save me as well. However much it absorbs, all expenses shall be billed to me... I am not as destitute as you imagine... Having served the Duke of Dingguo's Residence for twenty years, I haven't come away empty-handed all this time..." *She has money?* Li Hao's eyes flickered slightly. Instantly, a massive surge of sword energy poured toward Black Panther. *Why didn't you say so earlier!* The corner of the Bright Light Sword's mouth twitched faintly before she closed her eyes in silence. Black Panther was overjoyed, eagerly absorbing the energy. What comfort! The entire large divine energy stone was consumed, yet it remained far from enough. This time, the Bright Light Sword's supernatural locks had shattered far too severely. Fortunately, this old man... this old woman still retained a few residual connections, along with a unique light energy shielding her, complemented by the drop of Spring of Life she had absorbed. Otherwise, Li Hao truly might not have been able to save her. Even so, the consumption was immense. Beyond exhausting the massive divine energy stone, Li Hao shattered divine energy stones continuously—a hundred, two hundred, five hundred... They were crushed by the hundreds. Only after roughly three thousand stones had been shattered did the Bright Light Sword's absorption rate begin to slow. Li Hao continued shattering stones, this time supplying them to Hong Yitang. Hong Yitang accepted them without hesitation, absorbing whatever Li Hao channeled like a bottomless pit. Li Hao was also shattering and absorbing stones for himself. Part of it was to heal his own injuries, while the other part was to rapidly draw vast quantities of sword energy into his body to fill his supernatural locks. Last time, the supernatural lock in his heart had absorbed tens of thousands of cubic units of elemental energy without reaching saturation. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he directly absorbed sword energy to test whether he could fill the supernatural lock completely. Three people and a dog absorbed energy without restraint. Gradually, more and more divine energy stones were shattered and consumed. The wisps of divine energy leaking outward soon caught the attention of several individuals... However, when a Three Suns expert received word and drew close, the moment he sensed that sword intent... he fled in an instant. In that moment, the entire world fell silent, and the residents nearby vanished without a trace. At this point, the upper echelons of the North Sea knew who was staying there. Yet no one dared to make a move. Many high-ranking figures had received reports of the battle in the North Sea. To deal with this group, unless multiple metamorphosis-phase experts were deployed, there was not the slightest hope. Even if the North Sea emptied its coffers, it likely possessed no means to confront these individuals. Following this battle, the fame of the Earth-Overturning Sword and the Bright Light Sword spread across the entire dynasty. While Li Hao's renown was slightly less, his reputation soared once more. Capable of slaying late Rising Light experts! Previously, when he killed the second-in-command of the White Shark Pirates, some had doubted it, believing it to be a rumor or the work of another Silver Moon expert. But this time, before the eyes of countless witnesses, he had struck down Xu Zhen directly. No one doubted Li Hao's strength any longer. The only slight pity was that this time, his master had not received the news. The ruins had completely cut off all communication.