Observations

On solid ground. Li Hao was climbing onto Black Panther's back. Black Panther squirmed, wagged its tail, shook its head, and then turned to lick Li Hao... Li Hao gave it a swat. "What's that for? If you don't want to, just say so. If you don't say anything, that means you're willing. What are you licking all over the place for?" "Woof, woof, woof!" "Speak human! Staying silent means you agree. You're fast, so pick up the pace. Don't take a wrong turn, we're in a hurry!" "Woof!" Tears welled up in Black Panther's eyes. *I can't speak human.* *And I don't want to be ridden, either. It's uncomfortable.* Li Hao straightened its head forward. "Let's go. Move faster. The sooner we arrive, the sooner you won't have to carry me. The longer you drag this out, the longer I have to ride you. Think about it yourself—doesn't that make sense?" "I don't particularly enjoy riding a dog, either. I find it embarrassing enough as it is. But look how fat you've gotten from eating so much; it's high time you lost some weight. Otherwise, in our next battle, you'll be too chubby to even run. I'm doing this for your own good. If I take you to Battle Heaven City next time and the expert who awakened your bloodline sees how fat you've become, they might just put you through another round of torment, don't you think?" *That does make a bit of sense!* Black Panther thought. *But...* *Forget it!* Resigned, Black Panther let its tail droop. Li Hao pointed in a direction, and Black Panther shot forward. It had to be said that even though it was a dog, it was a demonic beast of a dog, and its speed was truly astonishing. Like a gust of wind, it streaked across the sandy shore in an instant. A smile appeared on Li Hao's face. The howling wind whistled past his ears. Wanting something to lean against, he looked around and found nothing, so he could only say, "Stick your tail straight up so I can lean on it. Sitting like this isn't comfortable." "Woof, woof, woof!" Black Panther roared in protest! "I'm cultivating! If I cultivate, sword energy leaks out to you. But if my posture is uncomfortable, I won't cultivate." *Snap!* The tail shot straight up like a flagpole. Li Hao curled his lip. He knew this dog couldn't kick its gluttonous habit. At this moment, they were on the edge of the North Sea. Traveling along the North Sea, heading directly east, one could cross the entire Northern Continent in less than ten thousand li. Between the Northern Continent and the Eastern Continent, in addition to being separated by an expanse of sea, there was also a mountain range. The four continental regions were largely situated like this, with the Central Continent resting in the middle. Viewed from above, the four outer continents and the Central Continent resembled an enormous basin, ringed by hills and mountain ranges, with the four outer continents separated by four seas, and the largest expanse—the Central Continent—at the center. Among the provincial regions, the North had nineteen provinces, the Center had twenty-two provinces, and the East had twenty-one provinces. The Eastern Continent was vast and abundant in resources, far from being as barren as Silver Moon. It was said that the East was extraordinarily wealthy. In the land of the sunrise, humans had even constructed an awe-inspiring eastern sea bridge across the East Sea, spanning the waters to connect with the central region—an incredible feat. Of course, in this era, if supernaturals were willing, such a thing was indeed achievable. If powerful experts of earth, metal, and water joined hands with a unified purpose, building a bridge that spanned a stretch of sea was well within reason. Even so, to this day, only the Eastern Continent had constructed such a sea-crossing bridge. This alone showed how wealthy the East was, and how many experts and supernaturals resided there. Among the twenty-one eastern provinces, the Xu family was not the sole overlord, but they were the nominal rulers of the East. Beyond the title of duke, the Duke of Dingguo held another official post: General of the East Sea. He commanded the East Sea navy! Of course, the sea territories were now dominated by pirates, and the so-called navy existed largely in name only. Yet with that title in hand, as long as he possessed sufficient strength, he could build a massive naval fleet and unify the East Sea, and not even the Nine Departments would have the authority to stop him. ... Li Hao turned these pieces of information over in his mind as he watched the scenery fly past on both sides. Silver Moon lay too far north. By the tenth month, frost began to form, accompanied by whistling, freezing gales. Past Silver Moon, the North Sea was also cold, though slightly milder than Silver Moon, without that piercing chill. Continuing further east, even though they still bordered the sea, the cold gradually receded. The razor-sharp freezing wind softened into a mild, warm breeze. Not only that, but Li Hao noticed a peculiar phenomenon. Sprinting all the way like this, even the time of day seemed different. It had been daylight earlier, and after running for quite a long time... it was still daylight! The world was vast, and full of wonders! One place had just been caught in a downpour, and in the next breath, after crossing a border, the sun hung bright and high. Heavy rain on one side, blazing sun on the other. Li Hao paused for a moment right at the dividing line, his eyes filled with marvel! If one never stepped outside Silver Moon, one might never witness such magnificent sights in an entire lifetime. The skies of Silver Moon were somewhat somber and dim. Yet the sky here was extraordinarily bright. The roads of Silver Moon were bumpy and potholed, but the roads here were straight and wide... Of course, not everything was good! Along the way, Li Hao saw ruins and shattered walls. A coastal village had been razed by fire. Cries of grief drifted to his ears. Li Hao urged Black Panther closer and listened carefully. The language was the same, though the accent differed slightly. "Curse those damn Black Mountain Bandits... Stealing all our grain at this time of year, aren't they just driving us to our deaths?" "Dad, let's go join the White Sage Army!" "Bullshit! What White Sage Army? They're nothing but rebelling bandits too..." "Dad, the Heavenly Star Dynasty is finished! Chaos is brewing everywhere. Can't you see the whole realm has fallen into turmoil? Black Mountain Bandits, Cyclone Stronghold, Starlight Pirates... Dad, we can't survive like this anymore! Those supernaturals and martial masters run rampant and trample over everyone. We can't live like this... So what if we rebel? At least the White Sage Army gives out food. At this time of year, we can't plant crops, our food has been stolen, and the officials and bandits are two sides of the same coin... If we don't rebel, are we supposed to just wait around to die?" A chorus of arguing rang in Li Hao's ears. Vaguely, he heard another person say, "Those Black Mountain Bandits are bloodthirsty and ruthless. When would they ever just steal our things, burn down the village, and leave without killing anyone?... The way I see it... it's the damn White Sage Pirates pretending to be the Black Mountain Bandits, forcing us to take to the hills!" "Who cares? We're out of options either way. Out of all the bandit gangs, only the White Sage Army still treats people like human beings... So what if we join them? Every one of us knows how to handle a weapon. If they have a use for us, then we'll fight. At least we can fill our bellies and feed our children!" "True enough! Let's go, let's go find the White Sage Army..." "Old Zhang's second son is with the White Sage Army..." "Damn it, it was probably that bastard leading the White Sage Army disguised as Black Mountain Bandits who did this... Forget it, who cares!" "..." As the distant voices reached his ears, Li Hao's gaze turned complicated. Was the realm... truly falling into chaos? This was a northern province bordering the Eastern Continent, known as Shuanglu Province, implying that it bridged two continents. Judging by the locals' words, outlaws like the Black Mountain Bandits, the White Sage Army, and the Starlight Pirates ran rampant across the land and sea, yet the authorities seemed powerless to eradicate them—or perhaps not powerless, but simply turning a blind eye! Bandits had already begun openly coercing people into taking to the hills and joining their ranks! Suddenly, Li Hao's eyes shifted slightly. He urged Black Panther into a swift leap, and a moment later, in a small copse of trees, he spotted several white-robed supernaturals. Those men were spying on the distant village. "Burned to the ground..." "Good!" "Has Zhang the Second gone over? With a little steering, those fellows will all join the White Sage Army. The men of this village are all skilled in water operations. With a bit of training, they'll make an elite naval unit! Guide them into the supernatural, and ninety percent will enter the Extraordinary realm as water-type supernaturals..." "Nicely done!" "..." Several white-robed men were celebrating their success. Li Hao frowned, indignation stirring in his heart. Burning villages, stealing food, and forcing people into banditry... They deserved to die! Just as he was about to end them with his sword, he heard another man say, "Hurry up and lead them away. If we don't move fast, when the Black Mountain Bandits arrive, not a blade of grass will be left standing in that village!" "Yeah, that bunch is far too vicious..." The sword in Li Hao's hand suddenly halted. After a long silence, he sighed softly in his heart and steered Black Panther into the air, flying away. Right and wrong? Where was right and wrong to be found in this! The authorities were incompetent, and bandits ran rampant. Neither side was good. The White Sage Army was certainly no righteous force either, but in a contest of lesser evils, at least they hadn't slaughtered the villagers. From the sound of it, if the Black Mountain Bandits arrived, everyone would die! If he acted on a righteous impulse right now and killed these members of the White Sage Army, not only would the Black Mountain Bandits pose a threat, but if the White Sage Army learned their men were dead, they might take vengeance on the villagers as well. And Li Hao couldn't possibly escort these people across such a vast distance to Hong Yitang. *Right and wrong... are hard to distinguish!* *What meets the eye isn't necessarily the whole truth!* At this moment, Li Hao gained a bit more enlightenment. Why did one need to travel the world during cultivation? Precisely for experiences like this. Sometimes, what appeared to be an evil act... if interfered with, might result in an even greater evil. Yet Li Hao did not mistake the root cause. *The root cause lies in the incompetence of the government! They failed to wipe out these bandits, failed to provide adequate defense, and failed to protect the people's livelihoods... One cannot consider them good simply because they didn't slaughter people. At most, they are merely a relatively milder sort among thieves and bandits...* Pondering this, Li Hao smiled wryly, retrieved a flask of wine, and took a sip. The realm was about to plunge into turmoil. At the grassroots level, there was already a sense of an empire on the brink of collapse. How much longer it could hold together, no one knew. Those regional overlords and ambitious figures were probably looking forward to that day. "Black Panther!" "Woof, woof!" "They say it's better to be a dog in peace than a human in chaos... Tell me, is being a dog sometimes more carefree?" "Woof, woof!" "Sigh!" Li Hao sighed. A dog that couldn't speak. "Even trees can talk, snakes can talk, birds can talk... yet you can't. If talking is too hard, mental transmission would work too, but you can't even do that... You really are as dumb as they come!" Black Panther felt wronged. *This isn't about being dumb; it's a difference in species. Who knows why?* "How about I teach you how to read later?" Li Hao suggested with a sudden grin. "If you learn to read, whenever you don't understand something, you can write it down... I noticed that communication jades allow you to input text and transmit messages. If you and I set up a two-way channel, like typing messages into a communicator, we could talk to each other. That way, we won't have to rely on guesswork." "Woof, woof!" At that moment, Black Panther looked utterly terrified. *No!* Deep in its bloodline memories, there seemed to be a deep-seated dread of literacy. "You agree? Excellent. Good boy, Black Panther. I'll teach you later!" "Woof, woof, woof, woof..." Black Panther barked frantically. *You misunderstood! I didn't agree!* Li Hao burst into laughter and paid it no further attention. *If I say you agreed, you agreed.* *If you have the ability, speak up!* Taking another swig of wine, Li Hao stopped teasing it and fell silent. Closing his eyes to rest his spirit, he began cultivating. This time, instead of practicing the Five Forces, he focused on filling his supernatural locks. He was curious: if he filled the lock around his heart without filling the limbs first, could he unseal his combat strength? Southern Fist and the others had all filled their limbs first. Of course, after filling them to saturation, their combat prowess had increased significantly. Take Southern Fist, for instance. Under normal circumstances, he possessed roughly the strength of a mid-stage Rising Light. He had saturated five supernatural locks in total: four in his limbs, and one in his five viscera. If one saturated six locks, with two in the heart area, wouldn't their everyday strength reach at least the late stage or even the peak of Rising Light? The Bright Light Sword had mentioned that she had saturated two supernatural locks in her viscera, giving her roughly peak-level combat strength under normal conditions without unsealing. Meanwhile, Hong Yitang could confront a Rising Light Transformation phase combatant without even unsealing. Li Hao knew this well from their encounter in the mountains. The Earth-Overturning Sword had saturated at least three, or perhaps even four locks! *It will take at least another full day to reach Dingbian Province... In that day or so, perhaps I can saturate the supernatural lock of my heart...* This supernatural lock had absorbed a massive amount of energy. The energy absorbed by a supernatural lock seemed virtually bottomless. More importantly, it was difficult to tell precisely how much it had absorbed; one could only judge by consumption, and going by that metric, Li Hao had already consumed thousands of divine energy stones. Li Hao wanted to see whether taking an unconventional route and saturating the visceral supernatural locks first would trigger any anomalies. With treasures like the Spring of Life and sword energy at his disposal, he wasn't particularly worried about things going wrong. At worst, if signs of breakage appeared, he should be able to suppress them. Perhaps it might even enhance his combat power. At present, his Five Forces were merely stitched together rather than truly merged. Merging them was simply too difficult; Li Hao felt he lacked the monstrous talent to fuse them within a day or two. That was beyond human capability. In that case... saturating the supernatural locks took priority. A torrent of sword energy, mysterious energy, and elemental energy surged into the supernatural lock. Within his heart, the bound tiger seemed to stir with restlessness. It trembled ceaselessly. The chains binding the tiger took on an increasingly tangible presence. Ignoring this, Li Hao continued absorbing energy. Inside his body, supernatural locks began to manifest one after another. The four limbs, the five viscera, the forehead, the navel, the spine. Vaguely, a total of twelve supernatural locks emerged. Yes, twelve. In conventional understanding, there were only nine, but everyone knew there was actually one in the skull. Many believed that practitioners with special-type supernaturals had broken that cranial lock. As for why their abilities differed... perhaps it was due to variations in mutation. Thus, common perception held that there were ten supernatural locks. Yet on Li Hao at this moment, twelve supernatural locks were manifested. The spine served as bone; Shenque served as body. Li Hao paid it little heed. The supernatural locks within the human body might well number more than twelve. In fact, whenever he made breakthroughs, he would experience moments of insight or internal vision where he glimpsed deeper layers, showing that the human body held more than twelve supernatural locks. Perhaps due to insufficient potential or his current lack of strength, the others simply had not manifested yet. If the path of supernaturals could truly continue indefinitely... it would be terrifying. Breaking one lock was a realm; breaking twelve would mean twelve realms. Yet currently, even the strongest had only severed five. As for whether anything existed beyond Rising Light, Li Hao wasn't certain. But seeing how low-profile and wary Hong Yitang and the others acted, perhaps there was. Li Hao didn't dwell on it too much. As he continuously absorbed energy, a thought formed in his mind. If filling a lock meant it could be severed... Should he... attempt to snap a supernatural lock to unseal his power? Even if it didn't elevate him by an entire major realm, a minor realm would still be useful. Right now, he could kill late-stage Rising Light experts; if unsealing allowed him to slay peak Rising Light foes, that would be fantastic. Of course, he wouldn't snap it entirely—just a small fracture would do. With sword energy supporting him, he had nothing to fear on that front. Of the thirty thousand divine energy stones Silver Moon had paid him earlier, ten thousand had gone to the little tree, roughly ten thousand had been consumed during cultivation, and the remaining ten thousand were on his person. In reality, Li Hao possessed even more than that. From slaying so many foes earlier, he had gathered an enormous hoard of spoils. What he had consumed over the past two days actually came from Hong Yitang and the Bright Light Sword; Li Hao himself had barely parted with his own reserves, having merely absorbed his handling fees. During his cultivation, a colossal mountain range appeared across the horizon. Like a dividing line, it separated the Eastern Continent from the Northern Continent. This mountain range was named Mount Kui. Why it bore that name, Li Hao did not know; that was simply what the books recorded, and he didn't care much. Even Mount Cang in Silver Moon harbored great demonic beasts. With the East possessing such abundant supernatural power, Mount Kui might harbor great demons as well. Li Hao opened his eyes, growing more vigilant, and instructed, "Be careful. If we encounter a great demon, steer clear. Your nose is sharp, so you should be able to catch their scent!" "Woof, woof!" Black Panther nodded, looking rather expectant. It had never seen a great demon before. What did a great demon look like? Were there dog demons like itself? Li Hao had seen demons before, but as for dog demons, the one beneath him was the only one he knew. ... Mount Kui sprawled like a coiled serpent. Twisting and winding, it stretched for thousands of li. On a map, Mount Kui did not appear particularly imposing, but standing before it in person, its peaks were immense, towering magnificently when contrasted against humans. Black Panther leaped into the air, soaring across without bothering to follow conventional paths. Mountain roads and pathways meant nothing to a great demon of Black Panther's caliber; any ground before it was a road. It bounded straight across the heights! At the foot of the mountain, there seemed to be people—perhaps local mountain villagers. Faint voices drifted to Li Hao's ears: "Dad, an immortal!" "What immortal? Stop spouting nonsense..." The next instant, a terrified shriek rang out: "Run! It's a demon!" "..." Li Hao felt weary. Shouting that loudly—if it had been a real monster, they would have been swallowed in a single gulp. He didn't bother responding. Right now, he had no fear of being seen. Of course, that applied only to ordinary mortals. Common folk would likely never cross from one continent into another in their entire lives. ... At the same time. Deep within Mount Kui, a gigantic serpent—horns already budding upon its head as it transitioned into a flood dragon—abruptly opened its eyes. Its cold, emotionless pupils radiated a chilling gleam. Its massive body wove through the mountains, swiftly coiling toward a specific direction. It surged forward continuously. Its speed was astonishing! Crossing over towering ridges and deep valleys, after a short while, the giant serpent caught sight of something—a swiftly running dog. A black dog! Meanwhile, Li Hao hadn't paid it much mind at first, but moments later, his eyes snapped open again. Gazing into the distance, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and an inward curse escaped him! That idiot Black Panther! Was its nose broken? Not far away, a colossal serpent, even larger than the great snake of Mount Cang, coiled like a small mountain. At first glance, Li Hao had genuinely mistaken it for a ridge, but looking closely, he saw a blinding radiance shimmering around it. Identical to the great demons of Mount Cang! A Transformation phase great demon! In an instant, Li Hao understood, his teeth aching with frustration. How had they managed to charge straight into someone else's territory? Black Panther seemed to notice it as well, glancing in that direction with canine eyes full of curiosity. Was this a demon? Seeing one for the first time was truly fascinating. It was huge! Comparing that colossal frame to its own small size... Black Panther suddenly felt that Li Hao's nagging about losing weight was pure nonsense. It showed no fear whatsoever, only curiosity. Instead of retreating, it actually trotted forward toward the beast and barked, "Woof, woof, woof!" Just as Li Hao was about to scold the dog, the massive serpent suddenly pulled back slightly. Its giant eyes fixed upon Li Hao and Black Panther. "Mount Kui is my territory. Descendant of an ancient demon, from whence do you hail, entering my domain of Mount Kui?" Li Hao was stunned! *What the hell?* *What's going on?* A demon that greeted them cordially? The four great demons of Mount Cang hadn't uttered a single peep, let alone offered greetings, until Hong Yitang and the others gave them a thorough thrashing before they finally behaved. Yet now, this great demon had taken the initiative to greet them politely. "Just passing through! I am heading to the Eastern Continent, with no intention of disturbing you!" Li Hao replied via mental resonance, carrying an ancient cadence. It wasn't intentional, he swore. It was simply that he usually communicated via mental resonance with the little tree, the golden warrior, and the silver warrior, so he had formed a habit of using an archaic inflection. Yet to the giant serpent, that mental ripple sent a wave of shock through its massive eyes. *It truly is a descendant of an ancient demon!* *Could this human be a scion of an ancient human heritage clan?* The great serpent looked at Li Hao, then back at Black Panther, and suddenly transmitted mentally, "Does Your Honor hail from an ancient clan? This humble demon dwells in Mount Kui with an incomplete heritage. Now seeking to shed my skin and transform into a dragon, I find myself entirely at a loss... Might Your Honor grant me a word of guidance?" Li Hao was completely dumbfounded! What was happening? A serpent blocked their path, only to ask whether he could instruct it on how to turn into a dragon... *Good grief!* *It's already trying to transform into a dragon?* *I've never even seen a dragon—how am I supposed to guide it?* *Besides, asking that right upon meeting... isn't that a bit inappropriate?* Li Hao wore a bizarre expression as he looked at the great serpent. Sensing some of Li Hao's thoughts, the giant serpent transmitted again: "Does Your Honor feel this humble demon has overstepped? I harbor no intention of offense. It is merely that in years past, I received guidance from an esteemed senior who said he did not know the method of dragon transformation, and that only ancient demon lineages or ancient clan heritages possessed such knowledge. Unfamiliar with demonkind, he had no dragon transformation art. Seeing Your Honor traveling alongside a descendant of an ancient demon..." Li Hao paused. "How many years ago did you meet that person?" "Many years ago!" *Well, obviously it was many years ago. I'm wondering exactly how many years ago you're talking about.* Supernatural abilities had only emerged twenty years ago. Yet someone back then had already known about ancient demon heritages. Of course, all that talk about ancient clans was nonsense... Li Hao technically counted, since the Li family was undoubtedly an ancient lineage, but now it was just Li Hao alone. How could that be called an ancient clan? He possessed no inherited techniques, only a sword. "I do not know the art of dragon transformation either!" Seeing that the serpent couldn't provide any clear details, Li Hao had no choice but to say, "My mount received guidance from a top expert within Battle Heaven City, who helped awaken its bloodline." "Battle Heaven City?" "One of the Eight Cities of Neo-Martial. Have you heard of it?" The giant serpent felt as if it were hearing profound and boundless mysteries. Bewildered for a moment, it finally replied after a long pause, "I seem to have heard faint mention of it. Years ago, that esteemed senior spoke of eight cities standing within the land of Silver Moon. Could it be..." Li Hao was completely taken aback. "You know of the Eight Cities? Who on earth was that person?" "This humble demon does not know his revered name. Is Battle Heaven City truly one of the Eight Cities?" "Indeed!" The serpent grew even more reverent, casting an envious glance at Black Panther. "Awakening the bloodline... to have an ancient demon bloodline awakened... This descendant of an ancient demon possesses such concentrated blood, far beyond what the likes of us could ever hope for. How lamentable, how tragic; our bloodlines are feeble, and awakening them seems nearly impossible..." With that, it added, "Your Honor... Battle Heaven City... may this humble demon... visit it?" Li Hao was still completely dazed. He had no idea why a serpent had suddenly bounded out, asked for guidance on the spot, and then, when he deflected with Battle Heaven City, reacted with such fervent anticipation. What was going on? And who had given guidance to this serpent back then? "In theory, you could... but not right now. Battle Heaven City has sealed its gates!" Li Hao's eyes flickered, and he spoke quickly: "I am a commander of the Battle Heaven Army in Battle Heaven City, currently carrying out military orders, so I cannot assist you at this moment. However... once I complete my mission, perhaps I can bring you into Battle Heaven City... Of course, whether you can obtain assistance, I cannot guarantee. The ancient city is sealed, energy reserves are depleted, and the experts have only barely awakened..." "This humble demon understands! That Your Honor would even consider it already fills me with immense gratitude... I will not delay Your Honor's military duties. Might there be any service this humble demon can render?" Li Hao truly felt like he had seen a ghost! Why was this happening? The serpent demon was actually offering to help him. With a flicker of thought, Li Hao replied swiftly, "No need. My mission this time involves classified military affairs; anyone outside the Battle Heaven City hierarchy cannot participate! However, if you are willing, should I be pursued back this way after completing my mission... I hope you might lend a hand. Though my enemies are formidable, and you appear to be only in the Rising Light Transformation phase, if we encounter powerful foes..." "If there is a need, I shall spare no effort!" The giant serpent was exceedingly polite, hurriedly transmitting: "This is Mount Kui, and I am not alone. The Viper lineage possesses several experts. While we cannot compare to the ancient demon lineage, obstructing a few pursuers is well within our power." Feeling a bit guilty, Li Hao said no more and replied briskly, "Then, as military duties press upon me, I thank you for your willingness to help. Once my duties are complete, I shall return to converse further with you!" "Many thanks, Your Honor!" The giant serpent even bowed its massive head, watching respectfully as Li Hao and Black Panther sped away. Only after the man and dog had vanished into the distance did the great serpent gaze toward the horizon with a look of awe, thinking to itself: *That ancient demon bloodline is so rich!* *The ancient civilization is reviving once more!* *As expected, that esteemed senior was right years ago. This world will undergo earth-shattering changes sooner or later. Yet my viper form remains incomplete; if I wish to leap through the dragon gate, my only hope is to seek the aid of an ancient demon with concentrated bloodline purity.* *To think that after taking a mere nap... I would stumble upon such a tremendous fortune!* Out of nowhere, it had encountered an ancient demon and a scion of an ancient clan. And by the looks of it, a very young one at that. *Battle Heaven City... one of the Eight Cities... hailing from the northern land of Silver Moon?* The great serpent pondered. It was said that the land of Silver Moon was filled with formidable experts and fiercely xenophobic. It had known of Silver Moon for a long time, but had never dared venture there. Yet now, it had met an ancient clan scion from Silver Moon who was so remarkably approachable... The great serpent was ecstatic! Was dragon transformation finally within reach? ... Meanwhile, Li Hao remained thoroughly perplexed, unable to resist transmitting to Black Panther: "Are demons really this foolish? Or is this snake just an idiot, offering to help before figuring out the situation?" He truly was baffled. Of course, he hadn't dared let the giant serpent follow him. What a joke—something that massive, while formidable, was still only in the Transformation phase, which wasn't unkillable. It would be spotted immediately. Still, Li Hao wondered: who had instructed that great serpent back then? Regardless, with the serpent's promise, if he ended up exposed and pursued later, running back in this direction would be a viable option. Li Hao had explicitly stated that Transformation phase strength might not suffice, yet the serpent had readily agreed anyway; perhaps Mount Kui housed even more powerful demons. Black Panther didn't respond—and couldn't, even if it wanted to. In truth, Black Panther had a faint inkling. It was probably because of itself—yes, entirely because of itself! Last time, that old turtle had mentioned that its bloodline was noble, being the descendant of some Demon Suppressing Emissary who oversaw all the demons in the world! Whenever it encountered great demons that possessed even a shred of ancient demon bloodline, the stronger they were, the clearer they would sense it. Knowing it was passing by, even if they didn't bow in worship, ordinary demons wouldn't dare provoke it. The giant serpent had obviously sensed something, but lacking understanding, it hadn't dared cause trouble, adopting an exceedingly polite stance instead. *Taking credit for my prestige...* Black Panther thought. Pity it couldn't speak, and pity it couldn't write; otherwise, it would have scrawled a note for Li Hao to read, letting him know that this had nothing to do with him—it was all thanks to the dog! In this manner, the man and dog crossed Mount Kui and entered the Eastern Continent. ... Meanwhile. Experts arriving from the Central Region had only begun trickling into the outskirts of Silver Moon. The adjacent Linjiang Province, in particular, had gathered a large number of powerful figures. Inside the Linjiang Governor-General's Office. Experts clinked glasses and toasted with Linjiang Governor-General Fan Chang. Soon, someone spoke up: "Governor-General Fan, you have clashed with both the Earth-Overturning Sword and the Bright Light Sword. In your opinion, how strong are they really?" Fan Chang replied grimly, "Extremely formidable! Qian Feng and I joined forces, two against one, to battle Hong Yitang, yet we were still defeated and forced to retreat. Qian Feng fell in battle, while I lost an arm, barely escaping with my life!" Everyone shivered inwardly! Formidable indeed! "That Li Hao has now retreated into White Moon City, and with multiple experts residing in Silver Moon, dealing with him will be difficult... Your Province borders Silver Moon. Could you offer any guidance or strategies?" The crowd had gathered here precisely because Linjiang bordered Silver Moon and had a better grasp of the situation. Perhaps Fan Chang had an idea; moreover, having lost an arm to their foes, he shared their hatred and would never collude with Silver Moon. Fan Chang took a sip of wine, pondered for a moment, and suddenly smiled. "Dealing with Silver Moon is difficult, but luring Li Hao out might not be as hard as you think." Everyone turned their gazes upon him. *Are you certain?* The boy wasn't stupid. He undoubtedly knew the danger, so how could he be lured out? "The White Shark Pirates!" Fan Chang took another drink. "Li Hao previously killed two commanders of the White Shark Pirates. The pirates have been seeking revenge ever since, and Li Hao once boldly declared he would eradicate them! Why not have the White Shark Pirates enter the Moon Sea region and stage a threatening posture against Nandu? Silver Moon may have many experts, but White Moon City and Yaoguang City are their core strongholds, which will inevitably require powerful figures to guard them. This calamity was provoked by Li Hao; knowing the temperament of Silver Moon martial masters, he will certainly make a move... Of course, whether the Earth-Overturning Sword and the others will accompany him, I cannot say. At the very least, it will minimize the number of Silver Moon martial masters by his side!" "If we can also induce the Starlight Pirates to launch a threatening advance, sending part of their forces from the West Sea into the other end of the Moon Sea to menace White Moon City... then White Moon City will definitely have to retain a large contingent of experts..." He was plotting with cold calculation. He had no intention of committing his own forces, seeking instead to leverage their strength to intimidate the pirates and set up both the Starlight Pirates and the White Shark Pirates. Meanwhile, the Sea Demon Pirates he secretly backed might reap some benefits. He continued, "This way, we maximally restrict people like Huang Yu from aiding Li Hao. Even knowing it's dangerous, Silver Moon martial masters love to parade their sense of righteousness, taking full responsibility for their actions. Since Li Hao brought trouble from the White Shark Pirates upon them, he will be compelled to act. Otherwise... the martial masters of Silver Moon will look down on him. Even knowing it's a trap, they won't stop him from going. That lot is just that stubborn!" The listeners fell into thought. This wasn't impossible. Of course, the premise was that the pirates agreed. Yet would the pirates dare refuse? It wouldn't require real sacrifice on their part anyway. The pirates only needed to make a show of force, not actually invade Silver Moon. But Silver Moon couldn't afford to take it lightly; if they treated it as a bluff and the pirates truly broke through, it would result in catastrophic bloodshed. Seeing everyone looking at him, Fan Chang smiled. "If you still feel uneasy... I can also mobilize the Governor-General's army to advance near Silver Moon for a military exercise!" He gritted his teeth, thoroughly ruthless! The Earth-Overturning Sword had severed one of his arms. Although he had obtained a drop of the Spring of Life to regenerate the limb, the new arm was noticeably weaker than before, which filled him with burning resentment! Hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up. Linjiang pressing down by land. Pirates menacing from the sea. If arranged like this, a vast portion of their forces would be tied down. When the time came, if Li Hao dared step out, he would surely die. It all came down to whether Li Hao dared take the gamble. Yet if he refused to emerge and the White Shark Pirates actually overran Nandu... Li Hao's reputation in Silver Moon would be utterly ruined! Even the veteran martial masters of Silver Moon would likely deem it disgraceful to associate with him! Men like Huang Yu might consider the bigger picture, but the older generation of martial masters was relatively pure-minded, believing that one should die in battle rather than compromise the pride of a Silver Moon martial master. They would certainly view Li Hao as untrustworthy. Even if the trap failed to kill him, Li Hao would likely be abandoned by the Silver Moon martial arts world! "Governor-General Fan truly possesses far-reaching foresight!" The crowd raised their cups, wearing satisfied smiles. Indeed, to hold down all the various organizations across Linjiang, Fan Chang was a ruthless and venomous figure. If Nandu fell, it would bring immense benefits to Linjiang as well. Nandu had stolen much of Linjiang's limelight, which involved massive economic interests. Fan Chang wasn't acting purely for revenge; rumor had it that one of the Eight Great Pirate Fleets belonged to him. Reflecting on this, everyone smiled, understanding what he truly stood to gain. ... At this moment, Li Hao had no mind to worry about any of that. Had he been in Silver Moon, regardless of the danger, Fan Chang's scheme would have inevitably drawn him to Nandu. As a martial master—or rather, as a member of Silver Moon—it would have been impossible for him not to go. Yet he was no longer there, so naturally, none of it concerned him. As for the White Shark Pirates, in order to seize the Wind-Chasing Boots first, Li Hao had temporarily set them aside. By now, he had stepped into Dingbian Province. To conceal his movements, Li Hao had stopped riding the dog. Instead, he put a leash on Black Panther, holding it in his hand, and bought a small car using Star Coins plundered from who-knows-where, driving toward the provincial capital of Dingbian. Dongxin City was the provincial capital of Dingbian Province, where the Xu family resided. The city's name had been bestowed by the Xu family, signifying the core of the East. Li Hao drove at breakneck speed. Tomorrow was the seventh-day memorial for Xu Zhen. Along the way, Li Hao barreled straight through without swerving... As for hitting anything, there was no need to worry; before any collision occurred, sword energy would burst forth, shattering every obstacle in his path. Thus, to him, the road ahead was entirely smooth. Who dared claim his driving was poor? Nowadays, he could practically make a car fly! Driving from dawn to dusk, Li Hao finally crossed into the territory of Dongxin City. *Wind-Chasing Boots, here I come!* At this hour, Dongxin City appeared extraordinarily prosperous. Compared to the North, the East was indeed far more bustling. Deep into the night, like Nandu, it was bathed in neon lights and lively revelry. In the center of the city, a magnificent estate stood ablaze with lights. Just entering the city as an out-of-town vehicle had cost Li Hao three hundred Star Coins—an outright robbery! No wonder they were so wealthy! Finding a hotel, he parked the car and booked a room. This location wasn't far from the Duke of Dingguo's Residence. Probably no one would ever suspect that he had dashed across the land for two days and two nights, racing all the way from Silver Moon to Dingbian. Fortunately, times were chaotic, travel between regions was inconvenient, the dynasty's bureaucratic network lacked unity, and no identification papers were required, allowing Li Hao to check into the hotel without issue. Black Panther was treated as a pet dog, led on a leash as they went up to the room together. Heading upstairs, Li Hao couldn't help marveling inwardly that women in the East were far more daring. The climate here was much warmer than in the North, and many were showing off long, bare legs. In the elevator, a pretty young woman even patted Black Panther on the head, scaring Li Hao half to death thinking the beast was about to lash out... only to find the wretched dog drooling as it stared at her legs... Li Hao was speechless. These days, even a dog was fond of women. No wonder his teacher had run off with the Jade Light Sword, vanishing without a trace and leaving not a single message behind. Pity his own lot: wandering far from home, accompanied only by a dog. ... Entering the room, he tidied up briefly, changed into fresh clothes, and put on his glasses, looking quite scholarly. After a hearty meal, Li Hao walked out into the night, leading the dog. It was said that to project an image of being close to the people, and because imperial power was restrained, the Duke of Dingguo had a bustling street right outside his residence. It had once been an internal avenue of the estate, later opened to the public. It was precisely here that the Bright Light Sword had killed the five generals last time, extremely close to the duke's estate. Li Hao lacked the time to gather intelligence, so right now, the best method was to get close and observe. Martial masters were difficult to gauge, but when it came to supernaturals, if someone was an expert, none could hide from his perception! That night. On the bustling street outside the duke's residence, Li Hao strolled leisurely, wearing his glasses and holding the leash, wandering all the way to the end, barely one or two thousand meters from the estate. At the end of the street was a large plaza where many people were dating and dancing. Over by the duke's estate, white mourning silk was draped everywhere. Li Hao spotted various experts coming and going. Unlike the casual crowds outside, those heading to and from the estate maintained an extremely low profile, every one of them wearing somber, sorrowful expressions. Assorted chatter drifted to his ears. Before long, Li Hao picked up several conversations. "I heard the Duke's Residence is holding a memorial tomorrow, and prominent figures from every province in the East will be attending... The Duke's Residence seems to have suffered a heavy blow this time, and the eastern provinces are growing restless... I wonder if this gathering is meant to project strength and deter them... Big things might happen tomorrow." "What's that got to do with us? That's business for high-and-mighty figures. Why should little folk like us care?" "True enough!" "..." Li Hao's thoughts stirred slightly. Prominent figures from every province in the East? That was definitely something to keep an eye on. It wouldn't do to capsize in a ditch. Right now, the greater challenge was how to sneak inside. If he couldn't sneak in, was he supposed to just launch a frontal assault and snatch it? Li Hao sank into thought; the difficulty of that was by no means small. Soon enough, someone else gave Li Hao an idea as another conversation drifted over: "The Duke's Residence will be bustling tomorrow. Brother Zhang, is there any way you could get us inside to see the spectacle? I heard all sorts of big shots will be there..." "It's a memorial service, you fool—do you think you're going in to watch a street performance? You'd be courting death! But if you really want to watch the excitement, it's not impossible. Just grease some palms at a newspaper office to get a press pass. Tomorrow, the duke will be holding talks with prominent figures from the various provinces... Rumor has it he might announce the heir to the dukedom... They probably want to generate momentum, so plenty of newspaper offices received invitations..." "Is it expensive?" "Of course it's not cheap! It'll run you at least eight to ten thousand. Otherwise, who would dare take you inside?" "Forget it, then. Way too expensive!" "..." Li Hao rubbed his chin. A reporter? What on earth was that? Silver Moon didn't seem to have such a thing. Yet for eight to ten thousand, one could simply stroll inside? Could it really be that easy? Li Hao glanced toward the imposing Duke's Residence in the distance, then looked back at the noisy crowd, letting out a chuckle. The Duke of Dingguo had opened the street outside his doors and drawn such a crowd just to seem close to the common folk—who knew what he had been thinking? "Let's go!" Li Hao tugged the leash. Black Panther grumbled, but followed along nonetheless. As it left, it cast reluctant glances back at several dancing middle-aged aunties... Li Hao could only conclude that this dog's eyes were utterly blind! As long as it was female, the beast seemed interested!