Exchange

Over the communicator, Kong Jie quickly recounted everything that had happened. Li Hao listened in silence. Only at the very end did Kong Jie add, "Return to White Moon City immediately, and don't leave again for now. White Moon City is still safe for the time being. No matter how bold those bastards are, they wouldn't dare charge into White Moon City just to throw their lives away." "Understood," Li Hao replied calmly, offering nothing more. Ending the call, Li Hao turned toward the Earth-Overturning Sword and the Bright Light Sword. "I need to head back to White Moon City. Are you two going your separate ways now, or coming to White Moon City as well?" "I'm going with you!" the Bright Light Sword said without hesitation. Although she had suppressed some of the light energy, it was not yet enough. She still needed to stay by Li Hao's side. "Suit yourself," Li Hao said, keeping his thoughts to himself. He had to return to White Moon City first to collect the bounty from his previous mission. Once he had the goods in hand, he would head to the ruins to find the little tree. After all, he had promised to provide it with a generous share of benefits. Besides, the members of the Demon Hunt Corps were all waiting there. There was no need to take these two along to the ruins, however, lest it invite unnecessary complications. As for the matter Kong Jie had spoken of, Li Hao did not bring it up. Isolated from news though the two swordmasters might be, they would soon learn of it on their own. Whether he mentioned it or not made no difference. Besides, only a couple of days had passed since the leak. Everyone knew how formidable the Earth-Overturning Sword and his companion were; without thorough preparation, no one would act rashly. *Ying Hongyue,* Li Hao murmured inwardly. *It's you again.* Was that man so terrified of Li Hao having a moment of peace that he just had to stir up more trouble? Yet Li Hao was no longer the man he once was. With broader horizons, immense strength, and unshakable confidence, Ying Hongyue's petty tricks could no longer frighten him! *** They were less than a thousand li from White Moon City. The three cultivators and one hound were all exceptionally powerful, traveling at blistering speed. Li Hao brought out the divine vessel and flew with the group. In less than three hours, they touched down near White Moon City. Upon reaching the perimeter, Hong Yitang seemed disinclined to enter. "Now that you've arrived, I'll be heading back..." "You're not going to see Hong Qing?" Hong Qing was still inside the ruins, but Li Hao intended to bring everyone back shortly. Was this man truly not going to see his own daughter? "Looking after her will be enough." "I might not have the time to look after them going forward..." Li Hao chuckled, then added, "Of course, I'll make proper arrangements. Rest assured!" Hong Yitang glanced at him without speaking, his thoughts veiled. "By the way, Martial Uncle Hong, I heard you're planning to build a city?" "Not building a city..." Hong Yitang started to deny it, but reconsidered and said, "Just expanding Sword Gate a little." "That sounds good." After they exchanged a few words, Kong Jie, having received word of their arrival, flew out to meet them. Seeing the Bright Light Sword and the others, he gave a slight nod, then looked at Li Hao with a furrowed brow. "You're finally back. If you took any longer, I would have thought you'd been assassinated..." Li Hao gave a light laugh, skipping all pleasantries. "I don't die that easily. Director Kong, I've brought back the Bright Light Sword. Where are the goods?" "What goods?" "The payment for the mission. I only took a deposit earlier. You still owe me one Origin God Armament and twenty thousand divine energy stones." Kong Jie was speechless. Was this kid not worried about his own safety in the slightest? "I'll give them to you tomorrow..." "I want them right now!" At a loss for words, Kong Jie could only say, "I don't have that much on hand. I need clearance and resources from the General Administration Bureau and the military..." "Then go get them!" "..." Kong Jie frowned, giving Li Hao a sideways look. Why was this kid in such a tearing rush? No one was going to shortchange him! Li Hao paid his reaction no mind. He needed them right this second. He had to head into the ruins, and showing up without enough treasures was out of the question. Cursing under his breath, Kong Jie wasted no more breath and promptly turned to leave. Only after Kong Jie was out of earshot did Hong Yitang chuckle helplessly. "You really are brazen!" Kong Jie was a top-tier powerhouse after all, yet this kid did not give him an ounce of face. Li Hao remained nonchalant. When the Silver Moon authorities sent him out to rescue people, they should have anticipated that his identity might be exposed. He had harbored faint suspicions himself, but had not dwelt on it. Regardless, he had earned these rewards with a clear conscience. Money bought lives. He had risked his neck for this payout, and there was nothing embarrassing about demanding it. If he didn't bring it up, people might pretend to forget, and the reward would simply vanish into thin air. Who had the time to haggle back and forth later? With both the Earth-Overturning Sword and the Bright Light Sword standing beside him, Director Zhao and the others would never dare renege. After waiting where they stood for ten minutes or so, Kong Jie reappeared and tossed a storage ring to Li Hao. "Here. You nearly bled Silver Moon's coffers dry, you brat." Li Hao did not believe him for a second! Thirty thousand divine energy stones and three Origin God Armaments were certainly a massive sum. But emptying the personal reserves of those old foxes? He would never buy that. "I'll be off to bring back the Demon Hunt Corps. Wait for me a moment... Martial Uncle Hong, if you have business to attend to, you may leave first." Kong Jie cut in hurriedly, "With the Earth-Overturning Sword here right now, your safety is far better assured..." Hong Yitang shot a look at Kong Jie. Kong Jie swiftly sent him a mental transmission explaining the situation. Hong Yitang's brow knit together instantly, his eyes darting between Kong Jie and Li Hao. That bastard Ying Hongyue... truly had nothing better to do! "Then I..." "Martial Uncle, go back to Sword Gate!" Li Hao said flatly. "Sword Gate might not be safe either. Once foreign powerhouses infiltrate Silver Moon, defenses outside of White Moon City won't be very strong. Without you at Sword Gate, your people will be vulnerable. Everyone knows your strength, and they might try to threaten you using Sword Gate." Hong Yitang hesitated. Had he not known, it would have been one thing. But now that he did... he was genuinely concerned. Li Hao was likely headed for no small amount of trouble. Li Hao added, "Don't worry, Martial Uncle. I'll remain safely in White Moon City from now on. No matter how bold those bastards are, they won't seek death in White Moon City. Commander Yu, Director Zhao, Director Kong, Director Zhou, and the Bright Light Sword will all be stationed here. If they dare come, they'll just be throwing their lives away!" Hong Yitang pondered this for a moment and nodded. "Then be careful yourself. Sword Gate truly might not be safe. If you need anything, contact me anytime!" "Understood!" Hong Yitang lingered no longer. White Moon City was indeed comparatively secure. Back at Sword Gate, without him present, someone might very well slip into his home base. Without a parting word to Kong Jie, Hong Yitang departed on his own. Kong Jie opened his mouth to speak, but sighed helplessly instead. In truth, he had wanted Hong Yitang to stay. The man possessed extraordinary combat prowess; had he been willing to remain in White Moon City, the city's defenses would have peaked instantly. The defensive might of the Earth-Overturning Sword was beyond dispute. Unfortunately, Sword Gate was that man's true home. Li Hao turned to leave as well. When the Bright Light Sword moved to follow, Li Hao said hurriedly, "No need to follow me. It's very close, and I'll be back shortly. Senior, you might as well chat with Director Kong. After all, they paid a hefty price for your rescue!" The Bright Light Sword looked at Li Hao, then at Kong Jie. Remembering that the Silver Moon authorities had indeed footed the bill, she felt basic courtesy was warranted, and reluctantly stayed behind. Li Hao, accompanied by Black Panther, vanished from the spot in an instant. *** After flying for a short distance, Li Hao's eyes flickered. A faint gleam showed in his eyes. Feigning nonchalance, he swept his gaze across his surroundings before glancing up toward the sky, then quickly lowered his head. His brow furrowed slightly. Someone was shadowing him. He felt a faint prickling sensation, but the observer was too far away for him to see clearly. After considering it, Li Hao came to a realization: it had to be either Director Zhao or Huang Yu. One of the two was trailing him. Perhaps it was for protection, perhaps for surveillance... Regardless of the motive, Li Hao was not particularly fond of either. Furthermore, he was headed to see the little tree. Having these powerhouses follow him risked causing a misunderstanding with the treeling. After a brief thought, he brought the divine vessel crashing down. The massive ship slammed into the ground, gouging out a tremendous crater as it plummeted downward into the earth. Taking advantage of the collision, Li Hao slipped out of the vessel and vanished. Under his remote manipulation, the Giant Kun Divine Vessel continued its downward plunge. Up in the sky, Huang Yu frowned. *Why go underground?* *A ruin?* He knew Li Hao and his group had been exploring ruins, though he had no idea which specific site it was. *Plunging underground now... could it be here?* He did not follow, choosing instead to watch quietly from afar. After a while, the massive vessel settled deep below and came to a complete halt. Huang Yu waited patiently, but the vessel remained motionless, which struck him as rather odd. *Could something have gone wrong?* Yet he sensed no energy fluctuations. After a moment of thought, he decided to stay concealed and wait. *** Meanwhile, Li Hao had long since left the area. The moment the vessel hit the earth, he had unleashed his Earth Sword momentum, carving a small tunnel underground. Gifted with formidable concealment techniques, Li Hao took advantage of the vessel's downward momentum to slip away, abandoning the divine vessel for Huang Yu to watch over. Evading the watcher in the shadows served as a drill for Li Hao. He wanted to see whether he could successfully escape under the noses of such figures. For the sake of this exercise, he even tapped into the Wind-Chasing Boots, instantly clearing a thousand meters—the sensory radius of many powerhouses. Using them three times in succession took a heavy toll on Li Hao's energy, but it put three thousand meters between him and the divine vessel. Sensing his surroundings once more and looking around, he no longer felt that lingering sensation of being trailed. *Not bad!* Li Hao smiled to himself. It worked well. Combining the Wind-Chasing Boots with his identity as a martial master and his dark-element abilities, ordinary experts would find it nigh impossible to detect his movements. Having shaken off his pursuer, Li Hao pushed forward swiftly. Before long, Cat Head Mountain came into view. With a few flashes of movement, he returned to the familiar cave. Several days had passed since his departure. Though everyone had brought ample rations, staying cooped up here for days must have made them anxious. Li Hao leapt down into the black fissure. Before his feet even touched the ground, a faint ripple of mental energy drifted toward him: *You seem to have acquired a rather decent god armament...* *And you truly comprehended another Dao?* The little tree's mental ripple carried a hint of surprise. *So fast!* It could not tell whether people of this era were naturally more gifted or if Li Hao was simply an anomaly. Only a few days had passed. It had assumed Li Hao would need several more sessions comprehending the Origin Dao before managing it. Yet after a single trip outside—a mere blink of an eye to the treeling—he had already succeeded. "Just good fortune!" Li Hao replied. As he landed, the others spotted him. Seeing him return safe and sound, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Hao Lianchuan spoke up immediately: "You're finally back! It's been days. If you took any longer, we were about to head out and search for you." Li Hao smiled, glancing at him with a look of surprise. "Peak Three Suns?" *That was fast!* Looking at the others, quite a few martial masters seemed to have gained new insights into divine intent, though their overall progress was less pronounced. The truly dramatic breakthroughs belonged to the supernaturals. Wang Ming, who had been stuck for so long, was now an early Three Suns. Hu Hao, Li Meng, and Yun Yao had all made considerable strides as well. Li Meng in particular, who had previously been at the Full Moon stage, had now stepped into the Solar Flare realm. Before leaving, Li Hao had left behind some divine energy stones for the little tree, asking it to release energy for their cultivation. He had not expected the results to be this remarkable. Hao Lianchuan chuckled. "Cultivating here works wonders for us supernaturals! Because mysterious energy is so domineering, it leaves behind endless hidden injuries. Even though the energy you provided earlier had healing properties and cleared up most of the damage, mysterious energy is still fiercely aggressive... But cultivating here brings a gentle, nourishing sensation. It feels as if even our spent lifespan is being replenished..." At that moment, the little tree sent out another mental pulse: *These individuals have severely overdrawn their potential! Especially that fat one—his potential has been depleted excessively. The people of your era are peculiar; there seem to be seals within your bodies that lock away your potential while simultaneously shielding you. But these martial masters who walk the path of energy are slightly different... Life energy can help them recover some vitality... However, I can currently only disperse a fraction of life energy. I cannot thoroughly repair and restore them.* Li Hao understood completely! Supernaturals overextended their potential far too much. In their situation, overdrawing potential was effectively burning through their own life force. They were bound to die young! Powerhouses of the ancient civilization could live for ages. Once they forged a golden body, living for a thousand years was no trouble at all. Yet modern martial masters and supernaturals alike fell vastly short of that. One could sense it simply from their own vitality. A martial master's divine intent was too overpowering, grinding away at the physical body. A supernatural's mysterious energy was too volatile, constantly burning through life force. Thus, modern practitioners cultivated at breakneck speeds and wielded terrifying might, but this sudden explosive growth inevitably exacted a price—namely, their lifespan. Without a word, Li Hao retrieved a wood-element Origin God Armament and ten thousand divine energy stones, instantly shifting them to the base of the little tree's roots. "This is your compensation!" The little tree swayed its branches, seemingly in high spirits. While divine energy stones were ordinary to it, a large quantity was still welcome. As for the god armament, that wood-element weapon was likely crafted from the remains of a demon plant from the past; it would aid its recovery. Although the tree had cleaved away a portion of its origin power earlier, origin power was not particularly helpful to it at this stage. What it lacked most right now was pure energy. Recovering its origin power was a matter for later. Besides, as long as it had sufficient energy, it could recover on its own. At that moment, Li Hao suddenly dumped out a massive pile of items—including the wind chimes, a gauntlet, and nine whole weapons, making eleven Origin God Armaments in total, not counting the one he had just given to the tree. Even the little tree was taken aback! Though none were of exceptionally high grade, such a large collection of god armaments was still a surprise. "How much water from the Spring of Life can these fetch?" Li Hao looked at the little tree. "Give me a number." The little tree paused, dazed. After a long silence, its mental voice rippled out: *Are you certain... you want me to absorb all of them? For people of your era, these armaments should be hard to come by. Furthermore, several among them are of decent quality...* Counting the one it already had, that made twelve god armaments. And Li Hao had already consumed several previously. In truth, Li Hao had acquired a staggering number of these items recently. He had kept very few for himself, such as the Giant Kun Divine Vessel, which served unique purposes. As for the rest, having already comprehended Wood Sword momentum, he had little interest in exploring any so-called Origin Dao for the time being. Consequently, he was far more eager to obtain water from the Spring of Life. This substance possessed a massive advantage over sword energy: no matter how grievously you were wounded—even if limbs were severed—it could regrow them entirely. He still had one drop in his possession... but Li Hao felt it wasn't enough. He needed more Spring of Life! *If I absorb and digest all these armaments... those forged from demon plants will yield more energy, while those from demon beasts will be slightly inferior... How about ten drops of Life Essence?* Li Hao stared at the little tree. The tree had previously stated that one drop cost ten thousand divine energy stones. The value of Origin God Armaments was hard to quantify, but at the current stage, they were hardly worth ten thousand stones each. It depended on the grade. For example, the so-called Heavenly Dao Ruler in the Central Region—Night Patrol would never hand it over to Yama for ten thousand stones, or even a hundred thousand. Still, he caught the faint guilt in the tree's tone... Eleven Origin God Armaments could definitely produce more than ten drops. This fellow was certainly skimming a hefty profit off the top! That was only natural; the little tree wanted to recover as well. Li Hao pondered for a moment. "Make it fifteen drops! Right now we count them by the drop, but ancient texts mention that during the era of the ancient Human King, they even constructed entire lakes of life..." The little tree swayed, its mental voice pulsing: *That is an entirely different plane of existence. Don't let your imagination run wild.* Even you know that was the Human King. "Fifteen drops isn't asking too much, is it?" The little tree thought it over before sending another pulse: *Very well! But are you truly going to dissolve all of them?* "Yes!" Li Hao did not hesitate. "These things are merely external tools. I have the Starry Sky Sword in hand, and I've now acquired a Wind-Chasing Boot. Keeping these is of little use to me. I'm only lacking a defensive god armament; the Black Tortoise in Battle Heaven City fits my expectations... The rest are nothing special!" "..." The little tree fell silent. The folks in Battle Heaven City had no idea what Li Hao was scheming; otherwise, that old tortoise would probably be astonished: *You brat, you're actually targeting me?* Li Hao's logic was simple. One weapon for attack, one for defense, and one for running away—three armaments were plenty. The Starry Sky Sword, the Wind-Chasing Boots, and the Black Tortoise Seal or Shield were the choices in his mind. As for the rest, even the Wheel-Turning King's wind chimes held little appeal to him, which was why he had left them unused. With that in mind, Li Hao suddenly produced two more items: the bronze mirror he had obtained from Qiao Feilong, which he wore constantly to conceal his aura, and the saber he had acquired after killing Sea Shark. The saber's quality was exceptional; even the Starry Sky Sword had failed to sever it. "Senior Tree, do you recognize these two armaments?" The little tree examined them. It gave the saber only a passing glance before explaining: *This was forged during the late Neo-Martial Era. Its craftsmanship is superb; it was not crafted from demon beasts or demon plants, but produced through exquisite skill and formidable forging techniques as a new-style god armament! The blade is of fine quality and high grade.* But that was all. Li Hao understood. The little tree then turned its attention to the bronze mirror, taking a long time before sending a mental ripple: *This item... I cannot say for certain, but it is currently in a sealed state. It might... might be... a replica of a supreme treasure?* It searched the memories inherited from the ancient tree. Those memories were vast, and the names of several supreme treasures surfaced in its mind: *Back then, the paramount treasure among mirrors was the Heaven-Peeping Mirror... though it was later shattered. Nothing escaped its sight, and nothing lay beyond its power! The second greatest mirror treasure was the Sea-Calming Divine Mirror, forged in imitation of the Heaven-Peeping Mirror to suppress the Taboo Sea. Some, however, claim the second greatest was the Heaven-Inquiring Treasure Mirror, which could capture the vitality of all living things. In ancient times, it gathered the life-force intensities of all beings and projected a stele ranking life intensity—which served as a ranking of the mighty...* At this point, the little tree hesitated. *Your mirror... might be a replica forged after one of those treasures. Naturally, nearly all mirror treasures trace their lineage back to the Heaven-Peeping Mirror. As for what it truly is, you will only know once the seal is undone.* "How do I break the seal?" Li Hao thought of another armament: the small sword he had handed over to Night Patrol, which Hou Xiaochen had likely taken with him. He had rarely encountered sealed ancient god armaments. This bronze mirror was one, the weapons of the Eight Great Families were another, and the remaining one was that little sword. *Treasures obscure their own brilliance. Left unused for extended periods, they naturally become dust-bound. Sometimes it isn't even an intentional seal. As long as you use it regularly and nourish it with energy, it will naturally awaken over time.* Li Hao understood. In plain terms, the tree simply didn't know how. It could only be worn away with time! Still, knowing it was an extraordinary item gave Li Hao considerable peace of mind. The little tree spoke no further. Beneath its roots, a wood-element Origin God Armament shattered in an instant. A faint weapon soul seemed to emerge, only to melt away in a flash. "Senior Tree, these weapon souls..." *They are the spirits of demon plants and demon beasts. Shattering them is a release... In truth, such armaments ceased production long ago. I did not expect so many to remain... Likely, the new-style armaments were all taken away, leaving behind stockpiles of old-style weapons, making them appear abundant.* New-style armaments were indeed rare; Li Hao had only obtained a single saber. Yet on second thought, armor could probably be counted as a new-style armament as well. Origin God Armaments, on the other hand, had likely been scattered among rogue cultivators outside the establishment, making them far easier for future generations to unearth. One by one, the Origin God Armaments were shattered by the little tree. Beastly roars and strange cries echoed faintly as the tree's luster grew visibly brighter. A surge of momentum—or rather, mental energy—surged continuously, growing stronger by the second. Li Hao's brow knit slightly. Yet he held back. The Demon Hunt Corps was right here. Having made this choice, he could only wait passively for the outcome. Once the little tree recovered its strength, it would surely be far more formidable than before... But sometimes, how could one advance without taking a gamble? With countless enemies outside watching his every move, itching to kill him and tear him to shreds, he had to take his chances here! One weapon, two, three... Gradually, all the armaments were reduced to dust. The divine energy stones shattered in rapid succession as well. The little tree seemed to shoot up in height. Earlier, it was merely the height of a man, looking like a sapling next to the collapsed trunk of the ancient tree; now, it had grown to five or six meters tall. Inside its trunk, a crystal-like energy flowed swiftly. Li Hao clearly sensed that the space within the ruins had expanded slightly. The surrounding darkness receded, as if the tree were expanding its territory. After a while, all the divine energy stones were depleted. The Origin God Armaments had vanished entirely as well. At this moment, a faint, shimmering face appeared upon the little tree's trunk. Its features were indistinct, little more than an outline. A mental ripple washed over him once more: *You have immense courage.* Yes, immense! Li Hao remained calm. "Mutual benefit. If you kill me, no one else will help you like this! Senior, you've seen the results of collaborating with me. In just a few days, I dare say that among individuals in this era—leaving aside major factions—few could produce the treasures I've gathered! And those willing to offer them for your absorption are fewer still! Meanwhile, my enemies span the world; everyone wants me dead... and I want to kill them too. A person like me finds it easiest to obtain treasures!" *Enemies spanning the world!* At these words, the little tree swayed slightly. Internally, it found the thought rather curious. The geniuses of every era truly loved making enemies. It seemed the rising powerhouses of all ages walked a path paved with foes! Then again, rising to power and growing stronger inevitably encroached upon the interests of many, offending legions of people. In turn, those very enemies became the resources fueling their growth. *What you say is true... I can condense the Life Essence for you...* With that, energy surged within the little tree. A distinct wave of life force rippled outward, washing over Li Hao and the others with a sensation of profound cleansing. The little tree kept its word. Li Hao was right: if it grew greedy over today's gains and refused to condense the Spring of Life for him, there would be no next time. Sacrificing the future for a petty gain was utterly pointless. Even condensing fifteen drops for Li Hao took relatively little out of it; it had retained at least seventy percent of the energy from the armaments it consumed! Compared to before, when it could barely repel Li Hao, the little tree was now substantially more formidable. After a short while, drops of water from the Spring of Life floated toward Li Hao: *This substance cannot be stored in ordinary containers. It is best kept in an energy crystal...* "What is that?" *The fragments of what you call divine energy stones. Forging them into a bottle will suffice...* Li Hao understood. Reaching out, he drew together a pile of shattered fragments from the ground. A fierce tiger manifested in his mind, and a surge of flame energy flared up, instantly melting the stone into a large jar. "..." The little tree was stunned. *I only condensed fifteen drops for you. A small vial would have done the job. Why forge a giant jar?* Li Hao was thinking ahead. He had fifteen drops now, plus the one on his person, making sixteen in total. Such treasures would only accumulate over time. Take mysterious energy or divine energy stones: in the past, a single unit of mysterious energy was a treasure, but now, after killing a Rising Light expert, he could hardly be bothered to extract it. The same went for divine energy stones... What made the Spring of Life any different? It was simply a matter of procuring more quality goods for the little tree to absorb. In time, his supply of the Spring of Life would naturally swell, sparing him the trouble of forging another container. Sooner or later, he would fill this entire jar! He wanted to experience what it felt like to bathe in the Spring of Life. The fifteen drops of Spring of Life settled into the jar, rolling about like crystal spheres, breathtakingly radiant. A smile broke across Li Hao's face. Sixteen drops! Every single drop was a life-saver. Grievous as the Bright Light Sword's wounds had been, a single drop had restored her significantly; had her supernatural locks not ruptured, she might have healed completely! What did this signify? It meant he possessed sixteen chances to cheat death—sixteen ultimate lifelines. The people outside wanted him dead, and he wanted them dead just as badly! Whoever came to kill him, he would kill in return. With that thought, Li Hao spoke up again: "Senior, to return to my earlier question—are you willing to leave with me?" *No.* Li Hao felt a twinge of disappointment, but pressed no further. "Then recover well, Senior. I shall take my leave." If it was unwilling, so be it. The little tree seemed to gaze at Li Hao. After a moment of contemplation, its mental voice pulsed: *I shall grant you an Origin Talisman, just like before. Now that I have regained some strength, its lethality will be far greater... However, I have a condition...* Li Hao's heart skipped a beat. *Even stronger?* Previously, it could slay mid-to-late Rising Light experts. If it was even stronger now, just how lethal was it? "Senior, what is the condition? And how powerful is it exactly?" *I cannot accurately gauge the strength of powerhouses in your era. If their cultivation is only slightly above yours, they can all be slain! As for the condition, it is simple: I require vast quantities of energy, immense amounts... Whenever you acquire energy in the future, you may trade it with me for Life Essence... If you encounter other beings... or other demon plants, do not forget that I was the first to collaborate with you...* *What does that mean?* Li Hao's mind stirred. "Senior, you mean... other entities from the ancient civilization might still be alive?" *I know nothing of the humans, but demon plants... possess immense lifespans. Even if withered, they might be reborn from their parent roots, just as I was.* Li Hao understood. "Rest assured, Senior, you will always be my first choice!" *That is well!* The little tree added: *The entity in Battle Heaven City is far too powerful. The energy you provided me wouldn't even suffice to revive a single one of its branches... so there is no need to seek it out.* Li Hao suddenly saw through its motives! So it was afraid he would go looking for General Huai? He nodded without another word. Having invested heavily, the little tree condensed another crystal-like rootlet and sent it floating toward Li Hao: *Try not to use this unless necessary. This item is formed from concentrated origin power, and I do not know whether modern martial arts are compatible with it... Using it might bring unforeseen consequences... Nor do I know whether this realm still has a master... If it is masterless, you may use it freely. But if it has a master, and that master is not of the Neo-Martial supremacy, they may well be an enemy... The details remain unclear, so exercise discretion!* Those brief sentences revealed a wealth of hidden information. Moved, Li Hao nodded and carefully stowed the crystal root away. This was likely the most formidable trump card he had ever obtained. He thought back to the bomb that the Viceroy of Linjiang had thrown earlier, wondering which of the two was more potent. That bomb had left even Hong Yitang thoroughly disheveled. Could this rootlet deal with the Metamorphosis stage? The little tree's previous strength had been roughly on par with a mid-to-late Rising Light expert. Whether this could threaten someone in the Metamorphosis stage was hard to say; after all, it was merely a condensed Origin Talisman, not the tree's true body. Regardless, having it was far better than nothing. Li Hao said no more, turning instead to the crowd. "We're heading back. Everyone has gained something from this trip. I hope you all... achieve Thousand-Battler soon!" If they did not reach Thousand-Battler, the Demon Hunt Corps would be of diminishing help to Li Hao. Only by attaining Thousand-Battler and strengthening their five viscera could they advance rapidly once more, becoming a formidable force at his back. No one spoke, but every member committed the words to heart. Before long, the group leapt out of the fissure one after another. Once they were gone, the little tree fell silent. Moments later, the opening vanished as the tree sealed off the domain. This human would likely not return anytime soon. Its branches swayed gently, as if gazing toward the distant palace. *Can this abandoned palace... ever await the return of its master?* *Perhaps... it never will!* *Did Father's perseverance truly hold any meaning?* Moments later, the thoughts dissolved. *I was born a tree. Since I have taken root here, I shall remain rooted here forever.*