Darkness blanketed the sea.
The ocean wind howled.
Yet the island was bustling with vibrant activity.
Brilliant lights blazed everywhere, accompanied by women's coquettish giggles, men's roaring shouts, gamblers' clamoring barks, and the impassioned cheers of spectators surrounding the arena rings.
Inside the city, people still exercised a modicum of restraint. Heavenly Star City was, after all, the imperial capital. Even though soundproofing measures were in place, not even the crowd at the Heavenly Star Colosseum dared to howl too outrageously.
Here, however, the roars echoed to the heavens.
What did it matter?
This place was over fifty li from the coast. The pounding surf drowned out every last trace of noise; no one was here to police them. The noble ladies, young masters, and pampered scions who put on grand airs of respectability during normal days could vent every last ounce of their desires and vitality with complete abandon.
As long as you had money, you were a king here!
Even pirates who ruled the four seas would be tossed out on their ears if they lacked the coin. But if you possessed wealth, you were a lord.
Martial might?
Might was useless here. No matter how powerful you were, could you rival the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce? Could you rival the Department of Finance, one of the Nine Departments?
As for Li Hao, as for Hou Xiaochen... many people didn't even know of them. They hadn't set foot outside for days on end, lingering continuously within this pleasure den of squandered gold; who among them had time to care about such trivialities?
Who would dare provoke the Nine Departments?
No one dared!
Yes, that was what occupied the minds of countless people here.
Yet without anyone noticing, a thin layer of mist was encroaching, gradually blanketing the entire island.
***
Li Hao burned money without pause.
One hundred stones, five hundred stones, a thousand stones...
The bronze mirror fragment continuously emanated faint wisps of white mist, just as it had in the Xu family treasury, beginning to deploy its specialized defensive barrier. Only this time, it was not meant to protect, but to trap the enemy.
Last time, this artifact had resisted an expert of the Transmutation stage. This time, Li Hao merely hoped it would contain anyone below the Three Suns stage.
He continued expanding its perimeter, seeking to swallow the modest-sized island whole.
Up in the sky, avian demons seemed to sense something.
In the surrounding sea, several sea demons also seemed to perceive a disturbance. The sixth sense of the demon race was sharper than that of humans; they faintly sensed an oncoming crisis.
Just as one bird demon blinked its eyes and prepared to let out a shriek of warning, the feathers all over its body suddenly stood on end!
A dread originating from the depths of its bones and its very bloodline flooded its entire being.
*A king!*
It was an instinctual terror rooted deep within its lineage—a gulf in hierarchy, an insurmountable chasm of bloodlines. In that split second, the small bird demon completely forgot to sound the alarm, forgot even how to move.
*Whoosh! Swish! Swish! Swish!*
It plummeted from the sky.
It wasn't alone. In an instant, more than a hundred small bird demons scattered across the perimeter plunged simultaneously.
On the island itself.
A gigantic bird suddenly felt its feathers bristle as its wings went rigid...
The attendant serving it paused in confusion and asked gingerly, "Bird King... are you all right?"
The giant bird remained motionless, prostrating itself flat on the ground.
At this moment, sheer terror resonated from the marrow of its bones.
A great demon had arrived!
A great demon of an exceedingly high rank—and one possessing a bloodline of incomparable nobility.
An ancient demon!
And not just any ordinary ancient demon. If it were merely the descendant of a common ancient demon, it wouldn't have provoked such a reaction. This was one of the most supreme entities among ancient demons. The giant bird's own lineage was far from ordinary; the more extraordinary its pedigree, the more acutely it felt this soul-crushing fear.
Within its mind, a title seemed to reverberate... Demon Suppressing Emissary!
The ruler of all demons under heaven!
That was an imprint etched into its bloodline, a legacy reminding descendants that even ancient demons possessed a sovereign.
The giant bird trembled and shuddered.
*The ancient era fell long ago!*
At that moment, it wasn't just the giant bird. Across the island, countless demon beasts fell prostrate, while many others lost control entirely.
Inside the beast-fighting arena.
Of the two demon beasts engaged in battle, one suddenly went berserk and lunged straight toward the spectators. An expert maintaining security acted in a flash, throwing a heavy punch at the rampaging behemoth as he roared furiously, "Have you lost your mind? They are our guests! Damn it, what are you doing?"
These demon beasts had agreements with them.
The demons came here to earn money, and the island profited off them in turn. But by contract, they were forbidden from harming the guests. Yet right now, a Three Suns great demon had gone completely mad!
*Roar!*
The massive lion demon roared, its eyes turning bloodshot. As if violently provoked, its mane stood completely on end.
It was a primal fear, an overwhelming sense of dread.
Yet it had no idea where the threat was coming from. It could only lash out in frenzy, striking everywhere. It clamped its jaws down onto the attacking expert, offering no response as it tore away madly. Danger permeated this place; it wanted to flee!
***
Even Li Hao hadn't expected that allowing Black Panther to unleash its bloodline so recklessly would trigger such widespread chaos.
As it happened, this island harbored quite a few demon beasts.
In an instant, pandemonium erupted across the entire island.
"Quick, to the beast-fighting arena... the demons are revolting!"
"Damn it, I told them long ago that these demons are hard to tame! We never should have let them in..."
"Shut up!"
"Someone come quickly, a beast is rampaging on Demon Beast Street!"
"Damn it, why is there a riot over there too? What's going on?!"
"..."
Within moments, the entire island descended into turmoil. Large numbers of experts took to the air, and squads of uniformed enforcers sprinted in every direction. As various demons ran amok, the metallic stench of blood permeated the air.
Under such circumstances, hardly anyone paid attention to the faint white mist hovering overhead.
After all, fog was common at sea.
Under normal circumstances, they might have spared it a second glance. But with so many demon beasts violently rioting at once, no one had the luxury to care about anything else.
***
At the center of the island stood a six-story building, an impressive height for such an outpost.
Several Rising Light experts quickly converged. One asked in a low voice, "What happened?"
"My lord, the demons have rioted!"
"Bastards!"
A moment later, a burly man with golden hair walked over with a solemn expression, glaring at the crowd with furrowed brows. "Why would the demons revolt? We have an agreement to supply what they need... mutual benefit! What game are they playing?"
He then demanded, "What does the Wind-Listening Bird King have to say about this?"
An attendant rushed over in a panic, blurting out, "My lord, the Bird King seems to have suffered some sudden shock. Something's wrong—no matter how we call out, it refuses to pay us any heed..."
The blond man's frown deepened.
Just as he moved to inspect the situation personally, he looked up. A thin veil of mist was drifting across the sky. His brows knitted even tighter as he gazed into the air, faintly sensing that something was amiss. Fog?
"Was fog forecasted for the sea today?"
"I don't know, my lord. There was no forecast."
The blond man's frown grew progressively tighter. "Demons rioting, and a sudden fog rolling in... Before President Wu left, he warned us to stay vigilant... Could someone be doing this deliberately?"
After a moment of thought, he retrieved a communication jade, intending to send out a message.
Something was wrong!
Of course, he couldn't put his finger on what exactly felt off. But right now, the entire Four Seas Island was in disarray, and the demons had turned hostile. Perhaps it was best to summon the president back... Even though the president was stationed at the colosseum to guard against an enemy assault, hadn't that Li Hao already slipped away?
As he channeled his message into the jade, he bellowed in a booming voice, "Rest assured, everyone! A minor incident has occurred on the island, but it will be handled shortly! Please continue enjoying yourselves, dining, drinking, and making merry... It will not disrupt your pleasures!"
His voice reverberated far and wide.
Many patrons dismissed the commotion entirely, regarding it as mere entertainment.
Inside a lavishly decorated hotel, a man leaned against the window, watching the chaos below with a hearty laugh. "Fascinating! Truly fascinating! This is how it ought to be done! Next time they should let loose rampaging demon beasts to hunt down ordinary folks... no, hunt down supers! We could place bets on who survives the longest and who dies the fastest! Hahaha, now that would be thrilling, a real man's game!"
"Exactly! Over at the arena, they stage those demon fights for us every day, treating us like we're blind. I don't even go there anymore! They fight half the day without a single fatality—what a bore, I'm sick to death of it!"
"You can say that again!"
The man's remarks drew enthusiastic agreement from those around him. Many patrons peered out at the chaotic districts below, laughing uproariously.
Now this was interesting!
The demons were rioting, and the island guards were frantically trying to suppress them. Amid the chaos, many people were fleeing, while many others, trusting in the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce's ability to restore order, not only stayed put but even pressed closer to watch the spectacle, roaring with laughter.
Wasn't this infinitely better than staged demon bouts?
Wasn't this better than watching supers duel?
This was more exhilarating than bedding women!
A crowd of men and women laughed wildly, watching with flushed excitement. When someone saw a demon rip a guard apart, far from being terrified, they cheered with manic delight: "Beautifully shredded! I knew it! I always knew the Lion King's rending technique was top-tier! Damn it, it used to put on an act every single day, failing to even tear through a Solar Flare. Look at that—now it tears through a Solar Flare super in the blink of an eye!"
"Hell yes, wipe them out! Hahaha, tear into them, Lion King! Rip them to shreds!"
A flock of nobles yelled with utter abandon, laughing crazily.
A guard roared in fury, "Get out of the way!"
The demons were truly running amok!
These idiots were still howling their heads off. The louder they cheered, the more agitated the beasts became.
One nobleman instantly flared with rage. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to? Tell Wu Yong to come out here! Even if he were standing before me, he wouldn't dare speak to this lord in such a tone! Do you have any idea who I am?"
The guard had no choice but to clamp his mouth shut, unable to provoke such an individual.
Yet fury burned in his heart.
A bunch of useless bastards!
Seeing their comrades torn to pieces incensed the guards, yet at this moment, they didn't dare to outright kill the demon beasts either, forced to resort to pure suppression. As more and more experts joined the fray, they managed to barely keep the demons contained.
At that exact moment, in the distance, the blond man frowned slightly.
He pulled out his communication jade to check it... The message he had sent didn't seem to have gone through.
He turned to the people behind him. "Try sending a transmission outside. It seems I can't get any messages through on my end. What's going on?"
The others quickly tested their jades.
A moment later, someone exclaimed in alarm, "It's not working!"
The blond man scowled. It wasn't working?
This was bad!
Right at that instant, an intensely cold voice rang out through the air:
"Night Patrol enforcement! Everyone submit and surrender! Squat on the ground! Anyone who resists will be executed without mercy!"
Several patrons froze for a second, then burst into uproarious laughter. "Holy shit, are they putting on a play? Even the Night Patrol's enforcement is here... Hahaha, that's fucking hilarious... Can the Night Patrol's jurisdiction even reach this far?"
"Hahaha!"
A chorus of laughter erupted from the crowd.
This was the Four Seas Corporation!
Someone roared with laughter, "They don't even know how to act! They should have claimed to be the Department of Finance's guard army! The Night Patrol has no authority here, what an idiot..."
*Boom!*
Before the words had fully faded, a gigantic fist crashed down from the sky!
Meanwhile, the blond man and his companions showed not the slightest hint of amusement; only sheer shock filled their faces. They sprang into action at once, with the blond man roaring at the top of his lungs, "Enemy attack!"
"Resisting enforcement—die!"
*Boom!*
A pair of iron fists descended. Southern Fist, clad in bronze armor, directly unsealed his strength—yes, completely breaking open three supernatural locks. In any case, Li Hao was present; Li Hao could help him mend the locks later, and he might even reap some benefits in the process.
Southern Fist never engaged in losing trades.
Unleashed to his utmost, Southern Fist possessed unfathomable might. As his punch blasted out, a thunderous explosion shook the surroundings.
Some recognized the blond powerhouse taking to the air: he was the president of the East Sea Chamber of Commerce under the Four Seas conglomerate, an expert at the peak of the Rising Light stage.
Yet in that very breath... while the onlookers were still mocking and chuckling, that man was blasted apart by a single punch. Innumerable chunks of flesh and blood erupted instantly across the air.
Stunned silence!
Absolute shock!
In that moment, there was no fear, because no one had even processed the reality fast enough to feel afraid. Across the entire island, countless people stared dumbly toward the sky, gazing at the bronze-armored warrior whose visage was completely concealed.
A peak Rising Light powerhouse... obliterated in a single strike!
"President!"
Panic finally seized someone. The remaining Rising Light experts soared into the sky—not to pursue Southern Fist, but to flee for their lives.
They understood far better than the guests what was taking place.
Run!
"The Night Patrol... the Demon Sword!"
"Silver Moon martial masters!"
Those who recognized the signs were gripped by utter dread.
In that very instant, a saber severed the darkness. Yang Shan's blade cleaved through the void, cutting down a Rising Light expert on the spot. In the distance, Qin Lian emerged from the shadows like an assassin, her sword skewering another Rising Light expert through the chest.
In the blink of an eye, three Rising Light powerhouses lay dead.
"Flee!"
Someone lost control, shrieking hysterically.
"The Demon Sword is here!"
Many patrons remained utterly bewildered, but by now they realized that things were terribly amiss. It seemed... this was no performance.
In a flash, two Rising Light experts breached the thinning fog and bolted straight out.
They dove directly into the sea!
They didn't dare fly. Not knowing how many enemies had arrived or how many experts lurked outside, they understood that taking to the air was likely the most dangerous and foolish thing they could do.
However... the moment one plunged into the water, a claw pierced clean through his heart.
On the other side, Li Hao held the bronze mirror as he thrust his sword forward. Sword energy swept across the area, cutting down an early Rising Light expert on the spot.
Clad in silver armor, Li Hao let out a soft chuckle.
He stepped onto the island with a faint smile.
It seemed... somewhat easier than anticipated.
These fools had actually mistaken it for a staged performance, treating it as a joke.
Of course, what had truly turned the tide was Black Panther inciting the demon beasts on the island to riot. That had been the deciding factor.
In the blink of an eye, five Rising Light experts had been slain.
The enemy had only nine to begin with. Wu Yong wasn't here, and neither were the other three!
The peak Rising Light expert crushed by Southern Fist had been the strongest among them—the president of the East Sea Chamber of Commerce.
The presidents of the other three chambers were absent.
In other words, the battle had concluded before it had truly begun.
The five experts stationed here had been met one by one—not a single one more, not a single one less—and were wiped out in an instant.
Of course, Li Hao knew there were more Rising Light powerhouses on the island.
The clusters of light he had perceived were far more numerous.
There were five more!
A full ten Rising Light powerhouses in total, though the remaining five likely did not belong to the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce.
In the distance, Southern Fist hovered in the air.
His voice boomed like a bronze bell: "Nobody move! Take another step, and you will be executed without mercy!"
The next instant, his fist crashed down!
*Boom!*
With an earth-shattering crash, an elder vaulted into the air, flames erupting around him as formidable power swept outward. Mingled with terror and rage, he shouted, "Who are you? The Night Patrol? I belong to the Department of Administration..."
"Surrender peacefully! Otherwise... be executed on the spot!"
Southern Fist barked coldly. In battle, Southern Fist was entirely different from his usual self. A single punch blasted out with a deafening roar that shook heaven and earth. The elder was formidable, also at peak Rising Light, yet beneath Southern Fist's strike, his bones shattered into splinters within seconds, and he was smashed violently into the ground!
At that moment, near the edge of the island, a figure attempted to slip away unnoticed.
*Hum!*
A massive saber slashed out, alternating between water and fire. The man ambushed by the blade roared in terrified fury, "Transmutation? I am—"
*Squelch!*
A head went flying!
Meanwhile, the peak Rising Light elder on the ground spat up mouthfuls of blood, coughing repeatedly with a mixture of terror and despair. "South... Southern Fist..."
Southern Fist revealed his face and sighed. "I didn't manage to kill you in one blow... You're remarkably tough!"
"I am with... the Department of Administration..."
"Resisting enforcement, violently obstructing the law... execution without mercy!"
*Boom!*
A single punch slammed down, pulverizing the elder completely.
A sudden hush fell across the entire island.
In the distance, a young nobleman who had been cowering in terror suddenly looked elated. He shouted urgently, "Instructor He, it's me! It's me... Did the imperial family launch this raid? I am—"
*Bang!*
Southern Fist threw a ranged punch from afar, obliterating the man on the spot. His voice was bone-chillingly cold: "Are you all deaf? Nobody move! Move, and you die! Night Patrol enforcement—none of you move a muscle, or they will be your example!"
"My father is—"
*Bang!*
Explosions echoed one after another. Whenever someone tried to cite their family background, Southern Fist struck with ruthless brutality, detonating them with a single blow.
"I don't care what your family is, what clan you hail from, or what background you possess... Right now, in this place, all of you are prisoners!"
Southern Fist's voice resonated in every direction: "Do not dream of escaping, and do not think of sending messages. It's useless!"
His voice turned chilly: "There are still three Rising Light experts hiding among the crowd. Shall I drag you out myself, or will you step forward on your own? Step out right now, kneel before me, and your lives may be spared!"
A momentary ripple stirred the crowd.
A moment later, a wiry, muscular man stepped forward. He looked at Southern Fist, then glanced toward the island's periphery—at the elusive Transmutation-stage saber wielder, the dark-attribute peak Rising Light cultivator, and the unfathomable danger lurking beyond the island. He chose to step out.
Without a single word, he walked up to Southern Fist and dropped to his knees.
Dignity?
Could dignity feed you?
Dignity... was worth nothing in this moment.
Under the gaze of an existence surpassing Transmutation, another at Transmutation, another at peak Rising Light, and an unknown number of powerhouses lurking in the dark, so-called dignity held no value whatsoever.
Once the first stepped forward, the second followed.
A short while later, a second figure emerged. It was an exquisitely beautiful woman, forcing a tight smile as if she recognized Southern Fist and wanted to greet him. Southern Fist merely regarded her with cold indifference.
A chill gripped the woman's heart, and she knelt as well, inner terror gnawing at her.
*The imperial family?*
*Or... the Demon Sword?*
*Does Southern Fist have ties with the Demon Sword as well?*
She possessed some insider knowledge and knew the Demon Sword had gone missing, but... where had Li Hao obtained so many powerful helpers?
And... he had actually dared to assault Four Seas Island!
Countless people shuddered; countless people trembled.
Yet the third Rising Light expert failed to show himself.
Right then, Li Hao descended from the sky holding the bronze mirror. His eyes shone like torches as the mirror revealed a figure. In a secluded corner, an elderly man kept his head bowed, squatting on the ground. The next instant, as if sensing something, he snapped his head up—
*Boom!*
A sword beam soared into the sky!
Li Hao's voice was utterly calm: "You were told to step out, yet you refused. Did you truly believe your dark-attribute peak strength made you invincible?"
"Or did you think you could elude my senses?"
Sword beams crisscrossed the air.
The force of the five elements, unified by sword intent, descended upon the old man. Li Hao moved with blinding speed, appearing before the elder in a flash. Thrust followed thrust, followed by an explosion of blood and vitality as a decisive slash cleaved downward!
*Boom!*
A thunderous crash echoed far and wide. The old man, wearing an expression of disbelief, was split clean in two.
The spectators crouching all around were horrified to the core.
Li Hao, however, didn't spare the corpse a second glance. Frowning slightly, he vanished from his spot and reappeared before a giant bird. By now, the creature had recovered somewhat.
Gazing at Li Hao with a look of dread, the giant bird transmitted its thoughts: "I am the emissary of Phoenix Mountain... You... now that you have slain them, we can cooperate. Phoenix Mountain is one of the Seven Sacred Mountains; our mountain master is the Great Venerable Phoenix..."
Li Hao said nothing, merely staring at the blood-stained skeletons strewn around the area. With an expressionless face, he looked at the giant bird. "You eat people?"
"No, no, no, I do not eat people; that is blood-food... supplied voluntarily by the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce..."
Sensing danger, the giant bird transmitted frantic mental pulses: "They were merely slaves, not supers..."
Slaves... were not people.
Perhaps that was simply how demons saw it. It hadn't consumed any supers, merely the blood-food offered by humans—ordinary after-meal snacks.
What was wrong with that?
"Slaves?"
Li Hao glanced around, then suddenly stomped his foot. The ground split open, revealing a massive subterranean cage. Inside sat several individuals with numb expressions—all women and children, none of them very old.
"What you ate... was this?"
The giant bird didn't deny it: "Merely blood-food... devoid of supernatural abilities, physically frail, the most useless and weak beings among your human race... Consuming them even helps you clean out the rubbish..."
It saw nothing wrong with this. In fact, no demon would find anything amiss; in their own tribes, the weak were abandoned or even devoured.
Of course, the giant bird hadn't originally eaten humans.
It had merely asked the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce to prepare food. The chamber had provided these offerings on its own initiative. After trying it once and finding the taste pleasant, the bird had continued consuming them ever since.
"How long have you been here?"
"How long?"
The giant bird pondered for a moment. "By your human reckoning, three years..."
"How many such people have you eaten?"
"They are not people..." The giant bird still sought to explain. "This emissary only consumes blood-food once a month, selecting only the ten tenderest morsels each time..."
"So that's one hundred and twenty people a year, three hundred and sixty over three years..."
Li Hao nodded in understanding, smiling faintly. "An emissary of Phoenix Mountain?"
"Yes!"
"What did your cooperation with the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce entail?"
"We were responsible for monitoring the surrounding areas and providing long-distance flight transport, acting as liaisons between Phoenix Mountain and the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce. We traded regional demon specialties and procured the items Phoenix Mountain required..."
The giant bird knew this human was not to be trifled with and dared not conceal anything.
The moment it finished speaking, its mental ripples spiked violently: "What are you doing?"
*Boom!*
Imbued with suffocating murderous intent, Li Hao's sword cleaved through the air. A single strike sheared away half the giant bird's skull. This was a late Rising Light avian demon, yet here... in Li Hao's hands, it was utterly fragile.
A single blow left it on the brink of death.
Without uttering a word, Li Hao unleashed slash after slash, blade following blade...
In the end, only an avian skeleton remained; every scrap of flesh had been cleanly carved away by Li Hao.
"You're quite tender as well!"
Li Hao smiled faintly, then turned to Southern Fist. "Kill every last member of the guard force on this island! Leave none alive!"
*Boom!*
The guards prostrate on the ground were seized by absolute terror.
Yet how could these guards, whose strongest were merely at Three Suns, hope to contend with a monster like Southern Fist? Knowing Li Hao was enraged, Southern Fist wasted no words. A single punch blew a massive crater into the earth, obliterating dozens of guards on the spot!
"Senior Yang, execute every demon beast on this island!"
"Understood!"
A low bark answered, followed by the gleam of cold blade light.
"Everyone else on the island, gather here! Anyone who fails to arrive within five minutes... will be executed without exception!"
Li Hao hovered in midair, his silver armor glinting brilliantly.
Holding the bronze mirror, he watched in silence.
Then he swept his gaze across the surroundings. "If you believe you can escape, feel free to try! I am Heavenly Star Vice Governor-General Li Hao, also known to you as the Demon Sword! Today, the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce colluded with pirates, colluded with demons, slaughtered humans, and fed people to beasts as blood-food—all of which you have witnessed with your own eyes! If you run, go ahead and see if you can keep your lives!"
Groans and weeping arose from all around.
No one dared to move.
The nobles who had been cheering and shouting earlier were now disheveled, kneeling flat on the ground. Some were so terrified they lost control of their bowels, sending a foul stench wafting through the air.
One man, shivering with fright, heard Li Hao announce his identity and carefully called out, "Vice Governor-General, I am with the Night Patrol..."
*Pfft!*
A sword beam punched clean through his skull.
Li Hao glanced at the corpse, then back at the crowd. "I told you to gather here and keep quiet. Speak again, and everyone dies!"
Watching this demonic fiend slay even his own kind, the onlookers were utterly petrified, and even more people soiled themselves.
Li Hao remarked calmly, "The Night Patrol? There may be more of you among this crowd. But for now, do not say it out loud. Hearing it makes me sick to my stomach, knowing that I belong to the same Night Patrol... What a disgrace!"
"Perhaps once I've calmed down, I might spare you for the sake of our shared affiliation. Understood?"
No one dared utter another sound.
Across the island, hordes of people began converging on the square.
In other quarters, Southern Fist was relentlessly hunting down the fleeing guards. Some made it to the island's perimeter only to be stopped dead in their tracks. While Rising Light experts might breach the barrier, these guards—some merely at the Lunar Glow stage—had no hope of breaking through!
Within moments, agonized screams echoed endlessly!
"Demon Sword... we are people of the Department of Finance..."
"Ahhh!"
"The Department of Finance will never let you get away with this!"
"..."
Li Hao remained silent, merely tracking the time.
A short while later, he took to the sky.
In an instant, hundreds of sword beams erupted outward, blasting across the landscape. *Boom!*
Building after building was reduced to rubble, accompanied by wretched screams!
"Whether martial master or super, can any of you hide from me?"
Li Hao couldn't see the light clusters of martial masters, but he held the bronze mirror. Within its range, any vital sign could be captured. Where could they possibly run?
The next moment, a martial master vaulted into the air, fleeing madly into the distance.
Li Hao's incoming sword beam was shattered by the man's punch!
A powerhouse!
A formidable martial master.
The man roared in a low voice, "I am a disciple of Mount Futu—"
*Boom!*
A massive sword beam crashed down. Li Hao swooped down like a bird of prey, trading blows with a punch and a kick. Heavy impacts thundered out, and within moments, the man plummeted in critical condition. Li Hao's claw shot forward, snapping his throat with a crisp *crack*.
"Your mountain master's brother... seemed to have been killed a few days ago. We killed him, too. Your mountain master doesn't get along with my master either. Mount Futu? Are you trying to scare me?"
He had been a capable martial master, on par with Golden Spear.
Yet meeting Li Hao here, he was cut down in an instant.
The surroundings fell increasingly silent.
Li Hao looked back toward the assembly point. By now, a massive crowd of several thousand people lay prostrate on the ground—an impressive sight, though the foul stench hung heavy in the air.
Li Hao's voice rang out once more: "Everyone, write down your identity and power level, and hand over your storage rings. You may sign your names... Anyone who conceals their information will be executed!"
"Do not imagine that writing a false identity will allow you to escape... Try it and see!"
The next instant, thousands of sheets of white paper and pens fluttered down before them.
At this moment, people trembled so violently that their hands couldn't even grip the pens, their livers and gallbladders nearly ruptured with fright. However arrogant they had been earlier was precisely how terrified they were now of these murderous butchers.
These were true demons!
Li Hao chuckled softly. "These are your nobles?"
He landed before the crowd and sighed. "With degenerates like you in the dynasty, how could it not rot? How could it not collapse? Snap out of it. You have five minutes. Anyone who hasn't finished... get someone to write for you. If you can't manage it, you can be buried right here!"
Instantly, the rustling of pens sounded like a classroom of schoolchildren. Many frantically scribbled their identities, while those shaking too hard to write begged their neighbors in hushed, tearful whispers to write on their behalf.
At this point, Southern Fist returned, smiling as he nodded. "Handled!"
In just this short span, six Rising Light powerhouses and one Rising Light great demon had been slain.
There had also been nearly a thousand guards on the island.
Yet now... they had been slaughtered clean by these few butchers!
In Li Hao's eyes, these people were even more repulsive than pirates. Every last one of them was guilty!
Rearing demon beasts was one thing.
Feeding them blood-food!
Feeding them human beings!
Consuming children, consuming women... under the grand pretense of purging waste for mankind... Did these guards truly not know?
Did the revellers on this island truly not know?
Li Hao had honestly wanted to slaughter them all... In the end, he reined himself in. He forcibly suppressed the burning rage within his chest, knowing he couldn't act on impulse. There were too many people here, implicating too many factions.
Killing a few was fine; killing a dozen was fine; killing all of them... would cross the line.
Unless he was prepared to turn against the entire dynasty right now.
And he did not yet possess that kind of strength.
These people deserved to die.
Li Hao believed that slaughtering every last one of them wouldn't wrong a single soul, yet... he ultimately reined in his fury. Wearing a faint smile, he continued, "Once you've written down your identities, write down the crimes of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce... As for which crimes, think of them yourselves!"
"When you're done, sign and stamp them!"
He produced countless more sheets of paper that fluttered before the crowd. Seeing their fearful expressions, Li Hao said calmly, "Write it, and you live! Refuse... and feel free to see what happens!"
A moment later, Yang Shan appeared, holding a large bundle of storage rings. He transmitted mentally, "The storehouses have all been cleared out. We've collected the storage rings from the Rising Light corpses, as well as those from the Three Suns experts... However, there are likely many more treasures scattered inside the island's buildings that we haven't had time to retrieve."
Li Hao took them without inspecting them.
He merely continued watching the bronze mirror. After a moment, he extended a hand and drew all the papers and storage rings into his grasp.
Glancing through them, Li Hao laughed. "My, what prominent backgrounds!"
"If we summoned all your fathers and grandfathers... half the officials of the imperial family and the Nine Departments would probably show up. No wonder the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce is so arrogant and wealthy. With you people here, of course they're rolling in gold!"
He pointed at a young man who appeared relatively composed. Seeing Li Hao point at him, the young man lowered his head slightly. Li Hao smiled. "You're the grandson of the North Sea King?"
The North Sea King, the pirate king of the North Sea!
The foremost pirate!
And this man had written his identity as the grandson of the North Sea King...
A big fish had been caught!
The youth said in a low voice, "Yes. But my grandfather has many children and grandchildren. I am merely one of them, not particularly favored..."
"You should know that if you hold no value, there's no reason to keep you around... Are you certain?"
The youth hesitated, then sighed. "I am one of the juniors grandfather dotes on relatively more. This person... is my bodyguard!"
He pointed toward the two kneeling Rising Light experts; the wiry man was indeed his guard.
A powerhouse at late Rising Light.
The wiry man sighed helplessly. The grandson of the North Sea King... There was bad blood between Li Hao and the North Sea pirates; earlier, an archduke of the North Sea pirates had ambushed Li Hao, only to be slain.
While not one of the archdukes, he was a trusted retainer of the North Sea King, which was why he had been assigned to protect this youth.
Li Hao smiled and nodded.
He then turned his gaze toward the kneeling woman, an expert at the middle Rising Light stage. Li Hao looked at her. "And your identity?"
Before the woman could speak, Southern Fist chimed in, "She's quite something. If you check the Divine Master Roll, you'll find her name: Mu Xiaorong, the youngest daughter of the Director of Internal Affairs, with close ties to the imperial family."
Li Hao was surprised. "A director's daughter?"
"Yes!"
Southern Fist added, "And she's quite talented, an accomplished figure on the Divine Master Roll."
Li Hao chuckled. "The Department of Internal Affairs represents the imperial household, while the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce belongs to the Department of Finance. What are you doing here? A woman like you came here to drink, feast, and gamble?"
It seemed an even bigger fish had landed in his net!
The exquisitely featured woman, who appeared no older than thirty, transmitted mentally to Li Hao: *Vice Governor-General Li, exposing my identity here... will not do you any good. It involves matters between the Nine Departments and the imperial household...*
*Boom!*
Li Hao threw a punch. Mu Xiaorong's expression shifted as she attempted to resist, but the strike smashed her straight into the ground. Blood sprayed from her body as she coughed violently, her face pale with shock.
Li Hao laughed. "Don't threaten me. Furthermore, I don't care what you were negotiating; someone else will look into it! All I know is that right now, you are a captive, a criminal. Understood?"
Coughing blood continuously, Mu Xiaorong said in a low voice, "I am your prisoner... but I am no criminal!"
"No, no, no!"
Li Hao shook his head. "You must understand that all supernatural affairs under heaven fall under the jurisdiction of the Night Patrol! You are a super, and you just attempted to threaten the Vice Governor-General of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office via mental transmission. That is a crime! Understood?"
Mu Xiaorong remained silent.
"Hand over your storage ring!"
Li Hao stared at her with piercing eyes. "What were you trying to pull out?"
Mu Xiaorong's heart skipped a beat. Lowering her head, she muttered, "Nothing..."
"Do you honestly believe whatever you pull out could kill top martial masters like Southern Fist and me?"
Li Hao said coldly, "Why don't you give it a try and find out?"
Her face deathly pale, Mu Xiaorong tossed her storage ring over without another word.
Li Hao caught it. A moment later, his expression shifted slightly as he extracted an object from within. It resembled a transparent crystal, yet it contained immense energy—energy that felt exceedingly volatile, as though it could detonate at any second.
Southern Fist drew in a sharp breath. "An energy bomb!"
Soon, he exhaled in relief. "It probably wouldn't kill me!"
With only one, it likely wouldn't be enough to take his life.
Li Hao's brow furrowed slightly as well. He recognized this item; Fan Chang had used one before, forcing Hong Yitang to retreat and inflicting a minor wound.
Wealthy and ostentatious indeed!
For a mere middle Rising Light expert to possess such a treasure.
He smiled, glancing at the descendant of the North Sea King. "And you?"
The youth hurriedly said, "I don't have anything like that..."
Li Hao chuckled. "Will you hand over your storage rings yourself, or shall I cut you open to retrieve them?"
The youth's face paled.
Li Hao added indifferently, "Not just him, the rest of you as well! You must understand that storage rings hidden inside flesh and blood can still be detected. Keeping one on the surface and one in reserve—I'm intimately familiar with that trick!"
"If you insist on making me cut you open one by one... you're welcome to test me."
At that moment, several people in the crowd trembled violently.
Soon, someone grunted in pain, carving out a concealed storage ring from their own flesh.
These were precautions prepared for worst-case scenarios.
If they encountered bandits or dire peril, these hidden rings held lethal treasures or escape items...
The young man sighed as well. Instead of slicing open his flesh, he coughed up a storage ring from his mouth.
Li Hao... was truly difficult to deal with!
He had hidden the ring inside his internal organs, yet it had still been exposed.
Li Hao smiled.
Had he truly seen through it?
Not really.
It wasn't that simple.
However, he recalled the time he and Liu Long had concealed divine energy stones. If they could hide stones inside their stomachs, why couldn't others do the same?
Sure enough, more than one person had hidden a storage ring.
Over several dozen individuals had secreted rings away.
A vast haul of storage rings was confiscated.
Two Rising Light experts were captured alive—one the bodyguard of the North Sea King, the other the daughter of the Director of Internal Affairs. Neither was an ordinary figure.
Among the crowd, an abundance of people had ties to the Nine Departments and the imperial household!
Grandsons and granddaughters of vice directors were everywhere.
Yet direct descendants of the directors of the Nine Departments seemed limited to this woman alone.
There were also numerous descendants of imperial dukes and princes, though regrettably, no imperial princes or princesses were present.
Li Hao swept his gaze over the crowd. There were at least three thousand people!
A substantial number!
However, many were service personnel of the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce. Li Hao had only ordered the execution of the guards, leaving these staff members unharmed. Some were here to conduct legitimate business, while others were merely service workers; Li Hao had no interest in slaughtering them indiscriminately.
Between the survivors and the dead, this small island had held nearly four thousand people.
While not overwhelming, it was by no means a small gathering, especially considering that many held extraordinary backgrounds.
Right now, everyone watched Li Hao with terrified apprehension, the foul stench still lingering in the air.
Li Hao checked the time. Twenty minutes had elapsed since the surprise attack began.
Someone might have noticed something by now.
For instance, if someone attempted to contact people here and failed to connect, suspicion would inevitably arise.
Looking at the crowd before him, Li Hao appeared lost in thought.
Southern Fist transmitted mentally: *What now? Should we slaughter them all, or what?*
Li Hao glanced at him and transmitted back: *Martial Uncle, go ahead and kill them all!*
*...*
Southern Fist was speechless. *Like hell I will.*
*If word of this gets out, how am I supposed to survive in the realm?*
Offending the Department of Finance was fine since Hou Xiaochen was there to shield him, but if he slaughtered all these people, he might as well flee to Dali.
Li Hao said nothing more, collecting all the written confessions.
After a moment of thought, he turned back to Mu Xiaorong. "You write one too... Write about... the Department of Internal Affairs..."
Mu Xiaorong said in a low voice, "You might as well kill me. It's impossible for me to write that. I'm different from them; if I write such things... it represents the stance of the Department of Internal Affairs."
*Boom!*
Li Hao threw another punch, and terror flooded Mu Xiaorong's face!
Killing intent!
The next instant, all her composure vanished as she shrieked, "I'll write!"
*Bang!*
Even so, Li Hao's punch sent her flying, coughing blood endlessly. Li Hao scoffed softly, "Truly... pathetic!"
Absolute silence enveloped the surroundings as everyone was terrified out of their wits.
Was this the Demon Sword?
This was the daughter of the Director of Internal Affairs, yet he struck to kill without hesitation... In that instant, everyone abandoned all lingering thoughts of defiance. Their only hope now was that Li Hao might spare their lives; as for resistance... it was out of the question.
"And you... write down every detail of the collusion between the North Sea pirates and the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce!"
He looked at the North Sea King's grandson. "Don't tell me you know nothing."
The youth sighed. "I... only want to ask one thing: do I have a chance of living?"
Unlike the others, he was the grandson of the North Sea King; Li Hao might not spare his life.
This man was a demon!
Li Hao smiled. "You do. I won't kill you. You'll serve better alive, though you will likely be locked away in the Inspectorate or the Night Patrol headquarters... Of course, if your grandfather has the means to bribe the higher-ups of the Inspectorate or the Night Patrol... you might even return alive! But as long as I am here... you will serve as my witness!"
A witness!
The youth understood, despair welling up within his heart. If that was the case... even if he escaped the Night Patrol, he would be a dead man walking. Li Hao's intent was clear: he was going to bring down a cohort of powerful figures, and this youth would be the prime evidence.
"Smile, everyone!"
Li Hao chuckled. "I am a good man, a champion of justice! In a moment, I will escort you all back to Heavenly Star City... I've even prepared transport for you... As long as you are innocent, you will not die. Cheer up, or people might think I, Li Hao, eat people!"
Hearing this, several people let out a breath of relief.
Yet inwardly, they cursed him to high heaven.
*You don't eat people?*
*You're more terrifying than any man-eating demon!*
Meanwhile, Li Hao tossed out an Origin God Armament that rapidly expanded, enveloping a large area in the blink of an eye as it transformed into a flying ship. It boasted considerable space, having been one of the spoils taken from the Duke of Dingguo's Residence.
Li Hao exhaled, looking at Southern Fist. "When we return to Heavenly Star City... there might be some trouble on the road. Martial Uncle Southern Fist, stay alert."
Southern Fist gave a slight nod.
Li Hao then retrieved a communication jade. After a moment's consideration, he dispelled the bronze mirror's barrier and transmitted a message: "Sudden heavy fog blankets Four Seas Island; communications severed; suspected demon rampage..."
Having sent the transmission, he paid it no further mind.
The next moment, he whispered several instructions to Southern Fist via mental transmission. Southern Fist looked slightly surprised, but nodded without uttering a word.
***
Meanwhile, at the Heavenly Star Colosseum.
Wu Yong frowned deeply, looking toward Liusha. "Something seems to have gone wrong on Four Seas Island; communication is down... Many people have asked me about it, unable to contact their families. I just received a brief transmission from the island, but when I sent a reply, nobody answered..."
Liusha's brows knitted as well. "Could something have happened?"
Wu Yong was taken aback, turning to Liusha in disbelief. After a moment, he transmitted mentally: *Do you... think... the Demon Sword...*
Liusha's expression shifted drastically. "He... he dares?"
Of course he dared!
Striking the colosseum was one thing, but striking the Four Seas Chamber of Commerce was no different—why wouldn't he dare?
Wu Yong swallowed hard. If their suspicions were true, then... they were in massive trouble!
Although there were many Rising Light experts on the island, the Demon Sword was formidable as well...
Yet upon further reflection, he furrowed his brow. With so many people stationed there, could it be that not a single one had managed to escape and transmit a message?
Perhaps he was simply overthinking.
"Inform the director that I want to head over and take a look... As for the colosseum, be careful they aren't making a feint to strike elsewhere..."
"You're going alone?"
"Yes!"
Wu Yong nodded. "I'll go alone... and bring... bring that item. I'll leave the energy bomb with you for now. That way, both of us will have the means to protect ourselves."
"All right!"
After a brief discussion, Wu Yong departed swiftly with two Rising Light experts.
Although he worried about being lured away, he was terrified of anything happening to Four Seas Island. If disaster struck there, the consequences would be catastrophic; countless treasures were stored on the island, alongside numerous scions of influential figures.
If they all died, Wu Yong's head would roll.
Not even the director could shield him!
The moment Wu Yong left, Liusha promptly reported the matter. Before long, Director Liu's message arrived: *Investigate together with Wu Yong; do not act alone!*
Director Liu was furious. Facing an incident like this, they should naturally move together; were they trying to give the enemy a chance to pick them off one by one?
Those two fools!
***
Inside the Department of Finance, Director Liu frowned slightly.
He pondered the possibilities.
Could it truly be Li Hao?
Did he have the courage, the capability, to deal such a devastating blow to Four Seas Island without a single scrap of news leaking out?
*Unless he has helpers—immensely powerful helpers—it should be impossible...*
With that thought, he quickly dispatched orders to have his subordinates keep a close watch on Hou Xiaochen. Could that man have taken the field in person?
His subordinates quickly reported back: Hou Xiaochen was still at the Night Patrol headquarters. This put Director Liu slightly at ease.
"Everything should be fine..."
Whether out of self-comfort or genuine belief, Director Liu exhaled, yet a lingering sense of unease still gnawed at his heart.
Chapter 209