Deep beneath the sea.
Three men, one woman, and one dog.
Yes, there was a woman. The two people Southern Fist had brought along were actually a married couple, both appearing to be in their forties.
At that moment, inner force formed a massive protective barrier.
Like Southern Fist, the man sported a full, bushy beard, whereas the woman looked rather petite.
Right now, the man was groaning in sheer ecstasy. "Ohhh... Heavens, is this what cultivating is like?"
"So comfortable!"
"Ah, this feels amazing!"
"..."
Black lines crept across Li Hao's forehead. The man's wife was equally mortified, wishing she could sink into the seafloor.
Southern Fist rolled his eyes to the back of his head.
*What an embarrassment to me!*
"Too damn good!"
The man's name was Yang Shan. He had once been a martial master as well, but when supers rose to prominence, he had crossed over to supernatural powers. By now, he was at the peak of the Rising Light stage. Anyone possessing peak Rising Light strength was rarely an unaffiliated rogue.
And indeed, he was no rogue cultivator.
Years ago, he had risked his life working for the Duke of Anguo in the west, reaping considerable benefits. Eventually, he set his sights on the pirates of the Western Sea, decided he didn't have enough resources, and went to shake them down for some quick cash.
As it turned out, he targeted the wrong people—he wiped out a crew of pirates secretly maintained by the Duke of Anguo's Residence. Even then, the Duke of Anguo hadn't made a fuss; he simply told Yang Shan to hand over the seized treasures and let the matter drop, given that Yang Shan was genuinely powerful, brave, and skilled in battle.
Those pirates had dredged up a treasure from the sea that the Duke of Anguo desperately needed, so the terms offered were remarkably generous.
Yet whether blinded by greed or genuinely disgusted by the ducal residence colluding with pirates, Yang Shan took the loot and bolted. His wife fled right alongside him. In truth, she hadn't been his wife back then—she had been a head housekeeper in the inner courtyards of the Duke of Anguo's Residence.
Somehow, he had seduced her into running off with him. Had it not been for her inside help, he never would have escaped the west.
Right now, Yang Shan hollered without stopping, laughing like a madman. He looked even more reckless than Southern Fist and carried himself just like a pirate—one look told anyone he was up to no good.
Birds of a feather really did flock together.
Southern Fist's circle of friends were cut from the exact same cloth.
"Good lord, cultivating can feel this good? It's better than what my wife does at night—"
"Yang Shan!"
The petite woman's voice turned shrill with fury as she glared daggers at him. *What the hell are you babbling about?*
"Oh, uh... that's not what I meant."
Yang Shan chuckled awkwardly, then turned back with bubbling excitement. "Li... Chief Governor Li! From now on, my wife and I will work for you! Our demands aren't high—just give us this kind of rush every few days, and we'll hit whoever you point at!"
Li Hao smiled faintly. "That won't be necessary. As long as you two don't harbor any sneaky thoughts about seizing my divine sword, there will be plenty of opportunities to cooperate."
"How could we!"
Yang Shan chuckled bashfully. How could they possibly do that? Were they that sort of people?
Li Hao smiled without replying.
When they first met, he hadn't missed the greedy gleam in their eyes.
Then again... one was at peak Rising Light, the other at the late stage. Trying to rob him would be nothing short of a pipe dream.
Had Southern Fist not been the one to bring them, and had they not ultimately suppressed their greed... Li Hao wouldn't have minded adding two more souls beneath his blade. He had killed plenty of people by now and felt no lingering squeamishness about it.
All supers could be slain!
Yes, that was how it went.
Including Li Hao himself. Since they had set foot on this path, there was nothing more to say. You kill me, I kill you. Where this bloodshed would ultimately lead, no one knew. But whoever entered this trade had blood on their hands.
"Is there a chance you can step into Transmutation?"
Li Hao glanced at Yang Shan. After some consideration, Yang Shan replied, "Transmuting requires touching a sixth supernatural lock and releasing a portion of a second supernatural power. My original affinity is fire, and the lock I'm touching now is on my kidneys. I want to unleash a water-element power, letting water and fire blend into a water-fire divine power.
"It's just that alternating between water and fire makes it easier for the lock to snap completely... It's quite dangerous..."
Li Hao looked at him. "What if I use sword energy to stabilize your five viscera?"
"Then... it shouldn't... be that big of an issue?"
Yang Shan's eyes flickered. "However, that requires a substantial amount of sword energy. My wife and I... don't have that kind of money. Even the payout you promised might not cover it. I can see you've already burned through plenty of divine energy stones."
Li Hao stared at him for a moment before speaking slowly. "If Brother Yang is willing to put in real effort and get the job done, everything is negotiable! Someone in the Transmutation stage can accomplish far more than someone at peak Rising Light. Look a little further ahead, and you'll realize that stepping into the Divine Power Realm requires many things. The most critical factor is the stability of your five viscera."
At those words, Yang Shan's expression shifted slightly.
Indeed, the Divine Power Realm!
Nowadays, aside from those who had broken through years ago or led colossal factions capable of obtaining vast amounts of life energy to fortify their viscera, it was extraordinarily difficult for anyone else to cross that threshold.
Going from Transmutation to Divine Power was a gamble with a nine-in-ten chance of death.
While he was pondering this, the petite woman chimed in with a radiant smile. "Chief Governor Li, rest assured. Brother He called upon us because he trusts us. Whether it's the Li family's divine sword or the Wind-Chasing Boots, are those things people like us can even dream of touching?
"Hunted by the entire world... Truth be told, my husband and I have no backing. We don't possess Chief Governor Li's confidence to make enemies of the whole world! The Silver Moon martial arts world boasts countless powerhouses. During that single campaign, Sky Sword, Tyrant Saber, Southern Fist, and the Five Animals King all made their moves... How would we dare provoke them?"
She was far smoother than Yang Shan. Smiling brightly, she continued, "Not one of them made a move to seize the Li family's divine sword. If they didn't dare, would we? Chief Governor Li overestimates us."
Yang Shan rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Exactly. Chief Governor Li, you can rest easy."
Li Hao smiled. "I am quite at ease. I simply don't want any accidents or misunderstandings. I prefer laying things out in the open to avoid unpleasant surprises down the road. Both of you are friends of Martial Uncle Southern Fist, and I have no wish for things to end on a sour note."
Southern Fist snorted dismissively. "If they dare turn coat, I'll be the first to beat them to death. Don't worry!"
"..."
Yang Shan rolled his eyes and didn't bother arguing.
After thinking it through, he said, "Then I'll attempt stepping into Transmutation. But my wife probably can't. Advancing in supernatural powers requires a body strong enough to meet the threshold, plus touching the lock. She's still a bit short... If she keeps absorbing sword energy and five-element essence, reaching peak Rising Light is feasible... But for Transmutation, she hasn't adapted to the rapid increase in power. She won't be able to control it, and it could easily cause her to blow apart."
Supernatural advancement was simpler, yet inherently more hazardous than martial arts.
Because the power did not originate from one's own flesh and blood but was absorbed from external sources, advancing too rapidly could easily spiral out of control.
Li Hao understood and nodded. "That works too. One in Transmutation and one at peak Rising Light is still better than what we had!"
Li Hao smiled. "We sustain war through war. Once we crush the Four Seas Corporation, we'll go deal with the Heavenly Star Colosseum and clean out Director Liu's coffers... By then, Divine Power won't be far off!"
With that, Li Hao said no more, continuously channeling sword energy and five-element elements.
Meanwhile, he absorbed them himself.
Within his five viscera, the temporary five bridges circulated rapidly. Surges of power poured into his viscera—no longer reinforcing a single organ in isolation, but strengthening all five simultaneously.
Beside them, Black Panther was also greedily taking in energy.
Li Hao sighed inwardly.
Black Panther ate... an absurd amount!
More than anyone else.
Yet the creature's strength never seemed to change. It had been like this since Battle Heaven City and remained the same now. Whenever Li Hao asked if it had made any progress, Black Panther simply shook its head.
Whether it had actually grown stronger was something Li Hao had no way of telling.
Li Hao paid it no further mind. While furiously pumping out sword energy, he was also enhancing and fully arming himself.
Securing a firm foothold in Heavenly Star City was his best-case scenario.
To understand the dynasty as a whole, Heavenly Star City could not be bypassed.
This time, it would be best to strike awe into the entire capital and buy himself some breathing room.
As he absorbed energy, Li Hao turned other thoughts over in his mind.
A mirror fragment materialized in his hand.
This was the mirror from the Duke of Dingguo's Residence. It possessed surveillance capabilities, but because it could not be refined, it seemed capable of monitoring only a small area.
Li Hao frowned slightly.
A moment later, he brought out another shard. This was a weapon fragment that looked like a piece of a saber or sword, retrieved from the third tier among six treasures.
It had rested side by side with three Earth-tier Origin God Armaments.
Judging by its aura, it was undeniably formidable, yet keeping it around served no practical purpose. Li Hao brought out the Starry Sky Sword.
Could it swallow this?
The small sword had only ever consumed weapon spirits. Could it digest this ancient divine armament?
If it did, would it unseal further?
The sword was far easier to control now than before, but Li Hao still couldn't refine it into his body, which proved it wasn't fully unsealed.
Holding the fragment in view, Li Hao circulated the Five Animals Breathing Art. The small sword seemed to register an appetite for the shard.
Li Hao brought the fragment close to the blade.
A moment later, the small sword stirred. A faint suction force emanated from the blade, and the weapon fragment trembled slightly before appearing to soften.
Then, melting into a golden, liquid-like substance, it was absorbed by the small sword.
A faint imagery seemed to surface across the Starry Sky Sword.
Li Hao's vision blurred slightly, as though catching a glimpse of an illusion.
"Kill!"
A piercing, deafening battle roar struck his ears.
Vaguely, he seemed to see a warrior split the heavens with a single slash of a saber. The blade shattered, yet it hacked the enemy into ten thousand pieces. The next instant, saber fragments scattered in all directions.
Then, Li Hao's vision cleared, snapping back to reality.
He understood implicitly: that was the scene of the saber's destruction long ago. A powerful blade master had slain an enemy at the cost of shattering his own weapon, scattering its fragments, of which this had been one.
The flow of sword energy pouring from the small sword seemed even richer now.
As for other changes, none were apparent.
After a moment's thought, Li Hao retrieved the three Earth-tier divine armaments.
He possessed many divine weapons—a total of thirty-five, all plunder from his previous battle.
In addition, of the sixteen drops of the Spring of Life, he had given three each to Bright Light Sword and Earth-Overturning Sword. His teacher hadn't accepted any, seemingly possessing some of his own. Having consumed one drop at Nine Dragons Pavilion, Li Hao still had nine left.
After deliberating, he sealed four drops into a small vial and tossed it to Southern Fist.
Southern Fist was thoroughly shaken!
"During battle, I might not be able to suppress your supernatural lock flare-ups in time... But with the Spring of Life, Martial Uncle, you can unseal your power without hesitation. As long as you don't snap the lock entirely, the Spring of Life will help you suppress it in time!"
Southern Fist inhaled sharply. "You're buying my life with money!"
Sometimes, gifts were not so easy to accept.
Four drops of the Spring of Life all at once! Truth be told, Southern Fist had acquired many treasures throughout his life, but never four drops at a single time.
"Martial Uncle jokes."
Li Hao looked at the remaining five drops, retrieved two smaller vials, and put a single drop into each. Yang Shan and his wife grew visibly excited, sensing what was coming.
Sure enough, Li Hao tossed one vial to each of them. "For saving your lives!"
"Generous!"
Yang Shan practically snatched it out of the air, exclaiming ecstatically, "Chief Governor Li is truly a magnanimous man! This is the first time Old Yang has ever seen such generosity from a Silver Moon martial master! Old He here is stingy to the bone; I've never seen him give away anything..."
Southern Fist sneered.
*Nonsense, I'd have to actually own some first!* He was dirt-poor. Very few Silver Moon martial masters were wealthy; they spent whatever they had on their own cultivation. Where was he supposed to get treasures to share?
Yang Shan's wife, Qin Lian, hurried to express her gratitude. "Many thanks, Chief Governor Li!"
"It is only right!"
Li Hao smiled faintly. "Saving your life implies you must risk your life. You two need to weigh that for yourselves."
With that, he gestured toward the three Earth-tier divine armaments before them. "I have plenty of Origin God Armaments, but Earth-tier ones are rare. Low-tier ones won't be much help to us. There are three Earth-tier items here: a suit of armor, a saber, and a war hammer... You three can decide how to split them. These are on temporary loan, not gifts. The Spring of Life is yours to keep."
Yang Shan grinned broadly. "Of course, of course! This saber... can I take it?"
He quickly added, "My wife can wear the armor. Old He has formidable defense, so the hammer fits him perfectly!"
Southern Fist rolled his eyes again.
*Listen to this bastard!*
Still... having a war hammer wasn't bad. Grinning from ear to ear, Southern Fist scooped up the weapon. "Now this is what I call fully equipped!"
He had his bronze armor, and now he had a hammer. If only he had a pair of gauntlets, it would be perfect.
Coupled with four whole drops of the Spring of Life, he was armed to the teeth.
Yang Shan and his wife each claimed an Origin God Armament along with their drop of the Spring of Life.
Li Hao tallied it up: he had parted with six drops of the Spring of Life, and maintaining the sword energy had consumed over thirty thousand divine energy stones.
At the exchange rate offered by Little Tree, that was equivalent to ninety thousand stones.
At Nine Dragons Pavilion's rates... that value was magnified tenfold!
A million stones!
Indeed, the thirty thousand stones he spent could have been traded to Little Tree for three drops, making it nine drops in total. Valuing the expense at one million stones was hardly an exaggeration.
The Starry Sky Sword was entitled to a handling fee as well.
"I have paid such a steep price—the equivalent of a million divine energy stones. If our harvest doesn't match up..."
Li Hao looked at them and said slowly, "Then I will have taken a loss, and I rarely do business at a loss! Naturally, the boost to your strength is real, but to me, that is secondary. Do you understand what I mean?"
Yang Shan said excitedly, "Rest assured, Chief Governor Li! This time, we'll stake our lives to pull off a massive score!"
The man had paid them, and at an astronomical price at that.
Compared to such a lavish patron, even the Duke of Anguo seemed petty and narrow-minded.
Now this was true magnanimity!
When serving a big patron, one had to serve him well.
More crucially... if they wished to step into Divine Power, Li Hao was their golden ticket. Without him, unaffiliated rogues like them reaching Divine Power was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Unless they attached themselves to another major faction—assuming anyone would take them. Would another faction find it worthwhile to offend the Duke of Anguo on their behalf?
Furthermore, would an ordinary faction ever dare let outsiders step into the Divine Power Realm?
They would probably have to serve like dogs for three to five years before earning a shred of trust. That was far too tedious. Looking at Li Hao, he didn't seem to care about any of that.
...
The cultivation session did not end there.
Li Hao continued absorbing sword energy to saturate his supernatural locks.
Previously, he had saturated his heart lock.
During his ten days of cultivation back then, aside from strengthening his forces and refining the bridges between his five viscera, he had continuously absorbed energy. By the time he left Dongbin, he had saturated four visceral locks.
This time, he set out to saturate the fifth lock of his viscera.
As for the limbs, Li Hao had not even begun—the exact reverse of most people.
His teacher had once warned that having forces that were too strong was not necessarily a blessing. If the core sword intent was insufficient, he had to take things slowly, preferably perfecting the overarching sword intent before raising his cultivation.
Otherwise, the five forces could easily run wild.
Yet Li Hao wasn't overly concerned at the moment; he could hold them in check for a short period.
Once all five visceral locks reached saturation, a normal cultivator could use them to construct true visceral bridges.
That would make nurturing force much easier.
Completely mastering the five visceral bridges and merging them with force would allow Li Hao, if he could unseal like the others, to step into what Yuan Shuo called the Spirit Integration Realm.
However, Li Hao chose not to unite the five bridges.
Once united, his forces would receive a massive surge of feedback, which would likely overwhelm his overarching intent—an outcome he wanted to avoid for now.
Over the course of three days, Li Hao saturated only a single lock.
Southern Fist, harboring no such reservations, absorbed energy with reckless abandon. Having already taken in a great deal before, covertly siphoning energy while Li Hao helped suppress his locks, and having gained benefits in the imperial ruins, he managed to saturate about one and a half locks this time. In the blink of an eye, he had three visceral locks saturated.
His vitality and blood surged tremendously.
Previously, without unsealing, his combat strength had been roughly at mid-stage Rising Light. Now, he felt that even while sealed, he possessed the power of peak Rising Light.
Three saturated visceral locks put him on par with Bright Light Sword's current state.
However, his strength while sealed still fell short of Bright Light Sword's sealed strength. This was the fundamental divergence among martial masters at this stage: their paths and degrees of reinforcement differed.
Having saturated his third lock, Southern Fist muttered with a hint of dissatisfaction, "Why do I feel like... my blood and vitality still aren't strong enough?"
He was baffled.
Li Hao shot him a glance. "It's probably an issue with your physical body. You've completed your limbs and three visceral locks, but you haven't touched the locks in your Purple Mansion or your spine. For blood and vitality to truly erupt, the core lies with the lock in the Purple Mansion."
Southern Fist's eyes flickered as he looked at Li Hao.
Li Hao met his gaze. "Did you not sense it, Martial Uncle?"
Southern Fist said gravely, "I have a vague feeling, but pinpointing it completely is beyond me... Can you do it?"
"Not yet either. It simply means that your physical and skeletal strength haven't caught up."
Southern Fist nodded, exhaling a breath. "So that's how it is... No wonder. Here I was, thinking I'd saturated my third visceral lock, yet I'm still weaker than Earth-Overturning Sword and the others. Could it be... their flesh and bones are tougher than mine?"
"Martial Uncle Hong is probably tougher than you. As for Bright Light Sword..."
Li Hao pondered and smiled. "She's probably tougher as well. Her light energy possesses the property of nourishing the physical body, and the effect is exceptional!"
Southern Fist grew dejected.
"What about Tyrant Saber and the rest? Tyrant Saber's physical body definitely isn't tougher than mine; he focuses entirely on saber intent..."
Li Hao shook his head. "That I don't know. But for them to be that strong, they might have strengthened other locks—such as the ones in their heads!"
Southern Fist drew a sharp breath.
"So you're saying... I'm still bringing up the rear?"
Li Hao smiled. "Not necessarily... But if you can saturate either the Purple Mansion lock or the spinal lock, I believe that even while sealed, you'll possess Transmutation-level combat power."
Southern Fist grumbled, "Then I'll have to wait until I finish digesting all this. I was wondering why, after improving all these years, I was still trailing behind them. Seems those bastards have been secretly skimming plenty of perks behind my back."
As they spoke, an energy fluctuation suddenly erupted nearby. Water and fire clashed—the fire element was conspicuously stronger, while the water element was noticeably weaker. The violent backlash caused Yang Shan to spit out a mouthful of blood.
As a flood of sword energy surged into him, Yang Shan snapped his eyes open, lingering terror in his gaze.
"Fuck!"
He cursed, but then broke into a grin. "The Transmutation stage is this dangerous? If your sword energy hadn't fortified and shielded my five viscera, snapping that lock just a tiny bit would've blown me to pieces... Those bastards who managed to cross into Transmutation really have some guts!"
A mere clash between water and fire had nearly shattered his organs.
One could only imagine how formidable those who completely severed locks to enter Divine Power truly were.
Southern Fist asked curiously, "Did you succeed?"
"Of course!"
Yang Shan laughed loudly. "I'm already channeling water and fire—what do you think? It's just that the water affinity is too weak, so I don't dare unleash too much of it. I can only weave in a tiny sliver, but I'm definitely stronger than before..."
He had officially stepped into the Transmutation stage, though the degree of severance was minimal.
His strength was likely comparable to General Huang, whom Li Hao had ambushed and killed. Still, equipped with an Earth-tier divine armament and backed by the Spring of Life, he was no pushover.
His wife, Qin Lian, had completed her advancement to peak Rising Light the day before, a process far simpler than Yang Shan's.
By now, exactly three days had passed.
Li Hao calculated the time and said, "Brother Yang, take a moment to adapt. Once night falls, we move!"
Remembering something, he produced two suits of black armor. "One for each of you. Put them on. Their defensive capabilities are solid, though they place minor restrictions on supernatural powers... However, they can suppress energy leakage to the greatest extent possible.
"Wear them initially. If we get into a major battle, you can take them off."
Southern Fist chuckled smugly. *Black armor.* He was a bronze-armored company commander!
Without asking questions, the couple swiftly donned the black armor under Southern Fist's guidance. They were astonished to find that the armor included a communication function effective over thousands of li. That was impressive!
...
When night descended, the four people and one dog finally emerged from the seabed, making their way toward the headquarters of the Four Seas Corporation.
...
Meanwhile, Li Hao—having vanished for three whole days—had become the laughingstock of the capital.
And not just him, but Hou Xiaochen as well.
Inside the Night Patrol headquarters.
Over the past two days, Hou Xiaochen had faced relentless ridicule and multiple impeachments. Several officials from the Nine Departments were constantly conferring with the Inspectorate, questioning whether Hou Xiaochen's position required adjustments.
Who gave him the nerve to pick a fight with the Department of Finance?
Inside the conference room, Huang Long spoke up once more. "Deputy Director Hou, the Department of Finance has withheld our stipends for this month. The brothers need to eat! While the Inspectorate provides a portion of our funding, Finance accounts for the lion's share... If Finance doesn't disburse the funds, you and I might manage, but the subordinates down below will starve!"
The money managed by the Department of Finance did not belong solely to them; it had to be distributed to various branches, which served as a method for the Nine Departments to keep one another in check.
The Inspectorate had manpower and troops, but lacked funds.
The Director of the Inspectorate certainly had personal wealth, but expecting him to finance everyone out of pocket was impossible; he couldn't afford it even if he wanted to.
Hou Xiaochen replied calmly, "What's the rush? Today is only the fifth. If I recall correctly, salaries are issued on the tenth."
Huang Long sneered coldly. "The Department of Finance has already stated that they won't be paying this month... They are facing difficulties, particularly with tax revenue issues in the East, so payments will be delayed. Deputy Director Hou knows full well why. Why not visit the Department of Finance, speak properly with Director Liu, and apologize? Go bearing brambles on your back to beg forgiveness if needed. I'm sure he won't make things too difficult for you."
Turning to Yao Si, Huang Long added, "Director, regarding Li Hao's appointment as Deputy Chief Governor of Heavenly Star, I believe it is entirely inappropriate! Furthermore, the man has fled. In my view... it's best to revoke his post. Besides, Li Hao is suspected of dereliction of duty, and I believe he should be held accountable."
Yao Si sat sipping tea from his large mug. Seeing Huang Long look his way, he raised his head with a faint smile. "This... you should discuss it with Deputy Director Hou, draft a formal document, and submit it directly to the Inspectorate. I won't interfere."
Huang Long cursed inwardly and snorted softly.
*Not interfere?*
If you weren't interfering, why did you sign the appointment document in the first place? Hou Xiaochen had no authority to appoint a Deputy Chief Governor on his own.
The old fox had signed off without consulting him, clearly unwilling to concede either.
Refusing to waste more words on the old man, Huang Long turned back to Hou Xiaochen. "Deputy Director Hou, what say you?"
"No rush,"
Hou Xiaochen smiled. "Once we take the Heavenly Star Colosseum, we won't lack funds. If the Department of Finance won't pay, I'll pay out of pocket."
Huang Long frowned. "What, Deputy Director Hou intends to persist?"
"The Heavenly Star Colosseum is frequented by countless nobles and dignitaries. If you shut it down, aren't you afraid of sparking chaos? Those people possess boundless energy; without an outlet to vent, won't they cause trouble for the Night Patrol? Has Deputy Director Hou considered that widespread unrest could cost many Night Patrol lives? Maintaining the status quo seems perfectly fine to me..."
Did that make sense?
To some extent, it did.
Yet leaving evil unchecked merely to avoid immediate casualties would ultimately result in far more deaths.
Hou Xiaochen chuckled, casting him a glance before speaking softly. "Deputy Director Huang's grand discourse... is truly eye-opening! By your logic, we shouldn't bother with the Three Great Organizations, nor should we police anyone. If they want to fight and kill, let them, and the Night Patrol will suffer fewer casualties, correct?"
Huang Long said blandly, "I meant no such thing. The Heavenly Star Colosseum and the Three Great Organizations are entirely different matters—there is no need to conflate them!"
Hou Xiaochen rose to his feet. "Enough. Let us end today's discussion here. What's the hurry? When payday arrives, if the Department of Finance still hasn't disbursed the funds, I will find a way to cover it."
"I only fear you won't be able to afford it!" Huang Long sneered.
The Heavenly Star City branch of the Night Patrol alone had thousands of supers. Factoring in the rest of the Central Region, there were around thirty thousand Night Patrol members in total. That required a staggering sum—not just gold and silver, but mysterious energy and divine energy stones.
The Four Continents could be ignored, but the Central Region had always relied on allocations from Heavenly Star City.
By choking off funds, the Department of Finance was strangling far more than just Heavenly Star City.
When payday arrived and no money came, those people wouldn't blame the Department of Finance; they would direct their fury at Hou Xiaochen and Li Hao.
Courting death by picking a fight with the wrong people.
...
Hou Xiaochen paid him no heed and strode out.
Behind him, Chief Steward Yu quickly caught up, her expression dark. She sent a voice transmission: "Director, that Huang Long is thoroughly repulsive. Why not..."
"He is a Deputy Director of the Night Patrol and a Deputy Director of the Inspectorate,"
Hou Xiaochen smiled and shook his head.
They couldn't do that.
If the final bottom line of the rules was shattered, his killing of Huang Long would grant others license to abandon all restraint and gang up to kill him. Neither the Nine Departments nor the imperial family would tolerate that.
At the very least, they had to preserve order in the Central Region from crumbling entirely.
That was the bedrock of the dynasty's rule.
Killing intent flared in Chief Steward Yu's eyes. She yearned to slaughter that man... yet she couldn't.
With that thought, she transmitted again: "Then tonight, I shall pay a visit to the Heavenly Star Colosseum..."
"Wait a little longer!"
Hou Xiaochen exhaled, gazing toward the outskirts of the city, his brow slightly furrowed. *Did Li Hao... truly run?*
*I don't believe it!*
If that kid had the nerve to come, why would he flee so easily?
Perhaps he had matters to attend to, perhaps he had gone to recruit help, perhaps he was cultivating, or perhaps something else entirely... but Hou Xiaochen believed Li Hao wouldn't simply vanish without a sound.
...
At that very moment.
Across the surface of the sea, Li Hao and his companions moved with astonishing speed.
With Li Hao leading the way, they easily slipped past the patrols on the water, including members of the Night Patrol.
The Heavenly Star Sea was an inland sea, heavily guarded by patrol units, yet to Li Hao, they shone like beacons in the night.
The headquarters of the Four Seas Corporation occupied an entire island on the Heavenly Star Sea.
They had transformed the island into a paradise of earthly delights.
Before long, Li Hao and his group drew near the brilliantly illuminated island.
Even from a distance, the clamor of voices reached their ears.
Over the communication channel, Yang Shan, who seemed quite familiar with the corporation, transmitted: "The Four Seas Corporation doesn't just run a massive merchant fleet sailing across the four seas. Their headquarters is a renowned den of vice and pleasure.
"Casinos, brothels, underground fighting arenas—they have it all! It's an extraordinary leisure retreat, selling regional specialties from all four continents, and even sea monsters... If you can imagine it, they offer it.
"In fact, many people know this is also a trading hub for pirates..."
Li Hao transmitted back, "Pirates dare conduct trade so close to Heavenly Star City?"
"What's strange about that?" Yang Shan said casually. "They aren't entering the city. Even if they did, as long as they behave themselves, no one bothers them! Conducting trade under the Four Seas Corporation comes with guaranteed security. The corporation just takes a cut—a hefty one, at that... But to pirates, that's nothing; everything they have is stolen anyway!
"The most famous attraction here is actually the auction house... Setting aside precious treasures, heh heh, they even auction women... Heh heh heh, any kind of woman you want, every variety imaginable. And for those with exotic appetites... monster beasts are an option too!"
Monster beasts couldn't take human form yet.
Even monster beasts...
A chill ran down Li Hao's spine, followed by a cold sneer. "So it's just a glorified pirate den? Excellent. That means plenty of money and treasures!"
With that, he brought out the mirror fragment. A peculiar energy rippled outward toward the distant island.
Li Hao closed in swiftly; the shard had limited range.
Yet carrying this allowed him to see everything. While Li Hao could detect supers, he couldn't spot martial masters. He needed to scout whether there were many martial masters here, especially any formidable ones.
He wanted to avoid walking into a trap.
If the Department of Finance had anticipated his strike against the Four Seas Corporation and laid an ambush here, he would suffer a massive loss.
Only when Li Hao pressed right against the island's edge did the mirror reveal the interior.
The island was vast; right now, only a portion appeared in the reflection.
Within the mirror, Li Hao saw things with tenfold clarity.
Patrol guards swarmed the perimeter.
Some wore uniforms of the Inspectorate and the Night Patrol, others wore military fatigues, and some belonged to the private guards of the Department of Finance...
The defense was airtight!
A bustling harbor accommodated dozens of docked vessels.
Furthermore, a faint barrier enveloped the entire island. Though tenuous, any intruder would likely trigger an instant alarm.
Suddenly, Li Hao looked up as a large bird swept across the sky.
His expression shifted, and he transmitted urgently: "Submerge into the sea!"
The group plunged underwater. Li Hao was genuinely surprised. "Their defenses are incredibly tight. Besides the ground patrols, they even have avian beasts patrolling the skies..."
Remembering something, he scanned their surroundings. Sure enough, faint pinpricks of light lingered in the depths.
"There are probably sea monsters patrolling the waters as well... Where did they get so many tamed beasts?"
Li Hao frowned. The Four Seas Corporation was guarded with absurd vigilance.
Sea, land, and sky were all monitored.
A single misstep would expose them and summon powerhouses in an instant.
"According to the intelligence I bought from Nine Dragons Pavilion, the master of the Four Seas Corporation is Wu Yong, who is in the Transmutation stage. Beneath him are four vice presidents managing the business across the four seas, all in the Rising Light stage—typically between late and peak strength... In addition, there is the captain of the Four Seas Guard, who sometimes leaves on escort missions and sometimes stays behind... Including Wu Yong, that's nine Rising Light experts in total!"
That was the full high-end combat force of the Four Seas Corporation.
Were they weak?
Not in the slightest!
Nine Rising Light experts, one Transmutation powerhouse, and the Department of Finance backing them—this was formidable strength.
"They might not all be here... but at least two or three should be guarding the place... If they're all here, so much the better!"
While briefing the group, Li Hao continued scanning through the mirror fragment.
He had located a structure housing numerous supers; some were resting, others playing cards. These were likely ordinary guards and posed no real threat.
Li Hao looked toward the island, identifying several radiant Rising Light signatures and locking onto their coordinates. "This time, we catch them all in one net!"
"..."
Southern Fist and the others froze. *All in one net?*
Don't joke around!
On such an immense island, how could that be possible?
If the targets scattered in all directions, there was no way to stop them. The island was massive, and even if the four of them guarded one direction each, they couldn't contain everyone—not to mention the risk of being ganged up on.
Li Hao continued, "Don't worry. This treasure of mine can create a cage-like barrier covering the entire island... Of course, over a small area, it can withstand Rising Light attacks, but spread this thin, even a Three Suns expert could probably shatter it... That's why as long as we eliminate all the Rising Light and Three Suns experts, the rest won't be able to flee!"
Back then, Red Beard—a Transmutation expert—and several Rising Light combatants had failed to break through this barrier. Its only drawback was its massive consumption of divine energy stones.
Southern Fist felt a headache coming on and transmitted, "You want to slaughter them all? There must be at least ten thousand people on this island..."
"Of course not!"
Li Hao chuckled. "There are bound to be Heavenly Star City nobles on this island. We are a law enforcement agency, not bandits! We can't slaughter people just because they came here to gamble or visit brothels—that would make enemies of everyone, wouldn't it?"
*So you do know that!*
"Capture them all and make their families pay ransom! While we're at it, have them testify against the Four Seas Corporation and sign written confessions. With their testimony, and if we capture some pirates alive... the charges against the Four Seas Corporation will be ironclad! We must do things thoroughly. We are not bandits—remember, we are law enforcement!"
He emphasized the point once more!
No indiscriminate killing; everything had to be grounded in evidence so their actions could stand up to scrutiny.
"Also, beware of them using communication jade... I don't know if messages can breach the barrier, but we must prepare for the possibility. If powerhouses rush here from Heavenly Star City, it will only take ten-odd minutes... Within that window, we must execute every pirate and bandit who dares resist!"
"Understood!"
Southern Fist grinned. "I didn't realize you'd become even more cautious than before..."
"Caution harms no one!"
With that, Li Hao transmitted, "Senior Qin Lian, you specialize in dark-element abilities. You and Black Panther will be responsible for hunting down any fleeing powerhouses. Southern Fist and Senior Yang Shan, you will eliminate the powerhouses within the island... I'll provide everyone's coordinates!"
As for himself, he would hold back initially to see if any powerful martial masters emerged. A truly formidable martial master posed the greatest threat.
After briskly issuing assignments, Li Hao turned to Black Panther. The hound maintained an innocent gaze as Li Hao instructed, "When I tell you to release your bloodline power, unleash it immediately... Suppress every beast on the island! Throw all the beasts inside and outside into utter chaos!"
Black Panther's ability was too valuable to leave idle.
Black Panther bobbed its large head. Having eaten so much, it naturally understood that it had to work. Besides, pulling off a major heist meant far more food next time.
Li Hao settled in to wait.
He waited for the night to deepen, and the darkness to grow absolute.
...
On Four Seas Island.
Several powerhouses felt a faint, nagging unease. Though subtle, they conducted a sweep of the perimeter and found nothing amiss. Neither the avian scouts in the sky nor the sea monsters in the depths reported anything unusual.
The special defensive formation enveloping the island remained undisturbed.
At that, they relaxed.
The Four Seas Corporation commanded respect across the realm; who would dare cross them?
Even Hou Xiaochen, who had sought to target the Heavenly Star Colosseum, was currently eating dirt, practically reduced to the laughingstock of Heavenly Star City.
Chapter 208