Seeking Nothing

When the news broke, the world was shaken. What Li Hao had done was considered even more outrageous than annihilating Four Seas Corporation. This was not merely a matter of killing a hundred people; had Li Hao simply wished to slaughter, he could have wiped out an entire city, and the major organizations might not have paid it much mind. The strong possessed such privileges. And Li Hao possessed them now. Yet executing nobility—regardless of standing or numbers, and beheading them in broad daylight—was an overturning of the social hierarchy. It was something utterly terrifying. It meant the authority of the ruling class would be broken. From that moment on, everyone would truly understand: if the emperor breaks the law, he is as guilty as any commoner! Before this, even when the imperial family receded into the background and the Nine Departments were established, putting the nobility on trial had never happened. When the Duke of Dingguo acted with reckless abandon and launched a city-destroying bomb, he was merely demoted in noble rank. When Hou Xiaochen killed the duke’s younger brother, it was done in secret, whispered only among the high nobility. Yet Li Hao... what terrified people most was that he intended to behead them publicly! …… Nine Departments Avenue. Every department was packed to bursting right now. Crowds of elderly nobles prostrated themselves on the ground, weeping tears of blood as they cried out, "Under no circumstances can this northern barbarian be allowed to execute the descendants of our families and clans in public! He can kill them—he could kill every last one of them in secret if he wants to establish his authority—anything!" "Under no circumstances can there be a public trial and execution!" "Chief, this is subversion! This is an omen of the dynasty's collapse!" Elderly nobles submitted petitions written in tears of blood: the nobility must not be tried before the common populace of the realm; otherwise, chaos would engulf the world! Li Hao could kill, but he must never kill publicly. If some were truly executed in secret, as long as people knew of it behind closed doors, it was fine—whether to intimidate or eliminate enemies, it would be acceptable. Yet this time, Li Hao had stomped right over their bottom line. If this happened, the nobility could never again maintain their so-called face, dignity, and privileges. *So nobles can be killed too, and even put on trial.* *When their heads roll, it doesn't look any prettier than ours.* This was shattering the barriers in people's hearts! The nobles knew and understood: once this happened, everyone would realize... the ruling class could be overthrown. The wall in the hearts of the common folk would crumble! A wall once deemed insurmountable! …… Department of Finance. Liu Yunqing, who had initially intended to go into seclusion, opened his eyes. He listened to the weeping and wailing outside. This time, it was not merely one family, but nine clans—even the imperial palace had nobles kneeling and pleading. Li Hao must not be allowed to succeed. Otherwise, the nation would fall. A cold sneer and mockery appeared in Liu Yunqing's eyes. *I thought I would have to wait a long time, but it turns out... today, the other eight of the Nine Departments are probably regretting everything.* Regretting letting Li Hao run wild yesterday. A sneer tugged at his lips, but he gave no reply, said not a word, and did not show his face. What did it have to do with him! When so many powerhouses of the Department of Finance were slaughtered, nobody said a word. Now they were frantic? "I knew this man wouldn't let things rest... He dared to disregard royal authority and strike at us, so he will dare to overturn heaven and earth... Just wait and see!" Liu Yunqing sneered, choosing to ignore everything. He let the cries rise to high heaven outside; he let those old men weep until they lost their voices. …… Inspectorate. Today, the Chief of the Inspectorate did not seem as excited or happy as yesterday. Outside, cries and wails shook the skies. Inside, Huang Long was berating angrily: "Chief! Li Hao’s actions are pure madness! He is dragging both the Inspectorate and the Night Patrol into the mud! Wiping out Four Seas Corporation and the Heavenly Star Colosseum yesterday was one thing, but he actually wants to execute over a hundred nobles in public... and has detained thousands more... He has gone mad!" "I want him dismissed from his post as Heavenly Star Vice Governor-General... Didn't he say this was within his authority?" Huang Long yelled furiously, "Then strip him of that authority! Li Hao is slaughtering indiscriminately, implicating the entire Inspectorate and the entire Night Patrol! He is far too selfish!" The room was utterly quiet. No one spoke. Under normal circumstances, had Huang Long roared like this, the Chief would have disciplined him. Yet now... he was hesitating. He knew Li Hao and his crowd were arrogant, but he had never imagined Li Hao would actually... actually execute over a hundred nobles in public. This matter could be trivial or monumental—and at its greatest, it was overturning the rules and governance of the dynasty built over two centuries. A revolution! Yes, at this moment, the Chief, well-read as he was, thought of this word. Li Hao was leading a revolution. Overturning the nobility, revolutionizing the privileged class. And every single one of them belonged to that very class. Li Hao himself, as a provincial commissioner, and now with a proposal to promote him to Vice Minister of the Night Patrol—whether it succeeded or not, Li Hao was already a noble. Besides, the imperial court had just enfeoffed him as the Marquis of Heavenly Star. The Chief of the Inspectorate wondered: *Has the imperial family... come to regret it?* He smiled. Perhaps they had. The imperial family had wanted to use Li Hao to suppress the Nine Departments, only for him to turn around and do something that terrified everyone. "Chief!" Seeing the Chief suddenly smile, Huang Long could not help but press, "I was just speaking. Dismiss him or not—give us an order." He added, "Chief, you see it yourself. The gates of the Nine Departments and the imperial palace are swarming with nobles. These people are the bedrock that sustains the Heavenly Star Dynasty. If something happens to them all... the dynasty will collapse!" He frowned. "Li Hao doesn't use his brain at all. That's a brute for you! He doesn't understand that the Night Patrol isn't doing nothing, but that one cannot be so impatient! It has to be done step by step. Once these nobles are executed, general panic will set in, and the entire dynasty will crumble!" As he spoke, several in the room nodded in agreement. Someone sighed, "Indeed. The Inspectorate also wishes to strive forward and strictly enforce the law, but Li Hao must think carefully. If widespread turmoil truly breaks out, what then?" Faced with such an extreme course of action, even the Inspectorate—which had profited before—found it inappropriate now. Someone else said, "Chief, Li Hao doing this makes it very easy for people to wonder whether the Inspectorate secretly backs him. Otherwise, where would he get the audacity?" "His position as Heavenly Star Vice Governor-General needs to be reconsidered... As long as he is stripped of that post, he will have no authority to act in Heavenly Star City!" Among the crowd, some objected and some agreed. This situation was simply too difficult to shoulder. The Chief glanced at Yao Si, who held a large tea mug and seemed somewhat absentminded, and said slowly, "Old Yao, what do you think?" Yao Si seemed to only just snap out of his reverie. He looked up, looking somewhat bewildered. "What?" The Chief was speechless. After a pause, he said, "You gave him the post of Heavenly Star Vice Governor-General. In truth, the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office does not fall under our jurisdiction; it is an internal agency of the Night Patrol. The chief post goes through the Inspectorate, but you decide the deputy posts yourselves. I am asking you, how do you view Li Hao's actions?" He spoke at greater length than usual. At this moment, many thoughts churned in his mind, none of which seemed entirely sound. Otherwise, given his temperament, he would never have asked Yao Si. Clearly, he was wavering. Should they continue? True, Li Hao's move had brought great authority to the Inspectorate, potentially helping it secure its footing and make a bid for the foremost department. But doing so would also invite immense trouble! Before this, he had supported them all along, even if not explicitly. From promoting Li Hao to demoting the Duke of Dingguo—whether to strengthen the Inspectorate or for other motives—he had granted his backing to Li Hao and his faction. Yet now... he too hesitated. This was a revolution—one that would chop at their own necks. Yao Si seemed slightly dazed. After a long moment, looking quite aged and worn, he said, "He's merely executing a hundred criminals... If he kills them, so be it. There are so many nobles, what does it matter if a few die?" Huang Long immediately snapped in displeasure, "It's not about killing a hundred people! If Li Hao killed them in secret or under some other pretense, as long as it wasn't in public, the dynasty doesn't lack a handful of nobles. But he wants to execute them in broad daylight! Has Director Yao grown too old to understand, or do you think this has nothing to do with you? In the first place, that post of Heavenly Star Vice Governor-General shouldn't have been given to him. You didn't even say a word before signing the appointment letter! Why wasn't a meeting called to discuss it back then? I only found out after the fact that Li Hao had become the Vice Governor-General!" Yao Si smiled, coughed lightly, and said in a slow voice, "I merely thought it wasn't a big deal. Hou Xiaochen is quite powerful, and he sent the paperwork over... I am getting old, so why bother clashing with him over it..." Huang Long said irritably, "He's an outsider! You could have pushed it onto me! Why fear him?" Yao Si let out a soft breath and looked around, paying no heed to Huang Long's insolence. He looked at the Chief of the Inspectorate and murmured, "Strip Li Hao of his post? It's not out of the question. But right now, the arrow is on the bowstring... The Inspectorate and the Night Patrol have finally established some authority... If we remove Li Hao now, I fear... our prestige will be utterly swept away, leaving us worse off than before." "Old Huang makes a fair point," Yao Si continued slowly. "Yet Old Huang also forgets that our current standing was given by the Inspectorate and the Night Patrol. Removing Li Hao now... is equivalent to handing over our law enforcement authority to others." Yao Si spoke very softly, without any hint of reproach, merely laying out his thoughts in a measured tone. "Even if we don't approve this time... it wouldn't be right to oppose it. Opposing Li Hao is fundamentally opposing ourselves... If even the Night Patrol and the Inspectorate don't support him, how will outsiders view us?" "Cough, cough, cough..." After coughing for a while, a faint smile appeared on his face. "It's merely executing a hundred junior delinquents who broke the law. In truth, it isn't as severe as that; you are blowing it out of proportion! As long as everything is well-founded, reasonable, and lawful, none of it is a problem. Chief, what do you think?" The Chief of the Inspectorate looked at him, his eyes flickering slightly. Huang Long spoke anxiously again: "Director Yao, you don't understand! Besides, if we remove Li Hao, what consequences could there be? Too many people under heaven wish him dead! Everyone will only applaud. Who would question us?" Yao Si seemed to hesitate before saying after a moment, "At the very least... some of Heavenly Star City's commoners will question us..." Huang Long froze, then laughed in disbelief. "Director Yao really... overthinks things! A bunch of commoners! Do they have a say?" He thought Yao Si was going senile! On one side was the negligible doubt of commoners; on the other was the opposition of the other eight departments and even the imperial court. And here you are talking about this? What are you thinking! The old man was getting more and more muddle-headed. Yao Si took a deep look at him, nodded slightly, and smiled without uttering another word. Cradling his large tea mug, no one knew what was going through his head. Seeing this, Huang Long assumed he had been persuaded and looked back to the Chief of the Inspectorate: "Chief, I think we should deal with Li Hao before things escalate, and preferably deal with Hou Xiaochen as well... Otherwise, the consequences will be severe!" The Chief of the Inspectorate remained silent for a moment, then spoke: "We will watch from the sidelines!" "What?" "I said, watch from the sidelines!" The Chief frowned. "Are you deaf? You made some good points, and Old Yao isn't wrong either. Caught in a dilemma... neither choice is sound! If that's the case, we watch from the sidelines and let Li Hao and his people handle it and face it themselves. Is there something wrong with your ears?" Huang Long was startled, caught off guard and wanting to curse! *You were the one who called everyone here to discuss it, and wasn't I doing just that?* *And now you're picking a fight with me!* He said nothing more; pushing any further would make the Chief lose his temper. The Chief of the Inspectorate stood up, exhaled, and said with slight disgust, "I don't care anymore. It's the same old words as before: either tell me when Li Hao executes the hundred nobles, or tell me when he dies..." Last time, with Xu Qing, he had said the exact same thing. And this time, once again. The others grumbled internally. What was the Chief actually thinking? To stay out of it at such a juncture was actually worse. Sometimes, neutrality was the most dangerous stance of all. Win or lose, there was little benefit. Had the Chief lost his mind lately? Before anyone else could speak, Yao Si had already risen, holding his tea mug, and turned to leave. Seeing this, Huang Long cast caution aside, followed him directly, and frowned. "Director Yao, even if the Chief says so, we still have to manage Li Hao's side!" Yao Si smiled and nodded. Seeing this, Huang Long added, "Then after we head back, let's hold a meeting and put our heads together. What do you think?" "Whatever you like." Yao Si continued walking forward. As he walked, he looked up. Not far away, someone was approaching with strides as confident as a dragon and fierce as a tiger. Huang Long looked up as well. On either side, officials clad in Inspectorate uniforms fell silent the moment they saw the arrival. The entire Inspectorate seemed to quiet down in that instant. Sinking into dead silence. The departing Chief also halted his steps and glanced back. Beyond the main hall, a figure strode in, accompanied by a dog. No longer wearing the ridiculous trench coat and fedora, nor carrying a cane, he was clad solely in silver armor, a sword at his waist. At the entrance, Li Hao didn't spare Huang Long a glance. His voice rang out like a great bronze bell: "Li Hao of the Night Patrol's Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office pays his respects to the Chief! Yesterday, the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office eradicated the two tumors of Four Seas Corporation and the Heavenly Star Colosseum, seizing substantial spoils. I have specially delivered the confiscated goods: five hundred thousand divine energy stones, five drops of the Spring of Life, and ten Origin God Armaments!" His voice resonated in all directions! In an instant, every gaze in the Inspectorate locked onto him. Huang Long frowned and stared at Li Hao. Standing very close, Huang Long lowered his voice and said coldly, "Li Hao, this matter must go through the Night Patrol first..." Li Hao turned his head and bellowed, "Get lost!" Huang Long was stunned! Li Hao scolded fiercely, "Who gave you the right to speak? The Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office answers only to Director Yao and the Inspectorate. What kind of thing are you to be pointing fingers here?" "..." Huang Long’s face turned livid as he glared at Li Hao. Li Hao glared back just as coldly, lowering his voice: "Stop meddling in business that isn't yours. You're hopping around quite merrily, but whether I die or not is up in the air—before I die, I'll kill you first! You're only in the Metamorphosis stage. No matter who stands behind you, I fear nothing. Don't go stirring up trouble, or you might find yourself without a corpse left to bury!" Huang Long’s expression shifted rapidly. A moment later, he sneered and kept silent. *Let's see how long you can keep hopping!* *Whom the heavens would destroy, they first make mad!* Today’s Li Hao was practically lawless. "Useless trash!" A voice of sheer contempt drifted over. From Li Hao! Huang Long's expression darkened further, but he walked away without another word. Li Hao... was truly arrogant, truly brazen. As for the spoils of war... that depended on whether the Inspectorate accepted them. Li Hao coming to deliver spoils right now probably carried some intention. If they accepted, it signaled tacit approval of certain things. If they refused... it would show that the Inspectorate disapproved. As Huang Long walked, he waited for a response from the figure inside the Inspectorate. Meanwhile, out in the courtyard, many people were kneeling, waiting for something. Some glared at Li Hao with venomous hatred. Yet... none dared act out. Li Hao was far too domineering! Even Huang Long had been barked at like that. If they spoke up and provoked Li Hao into a frenzy of killing them, they would be throwing their lives away. Beside Li Hao, Yao Si glanced at him, said nothing, and walked away. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Inside the Inspectorate hall. The Chief stopped in his tracks, seemingly deep in thought. After a long wait, while the entire Inspectorate remained eerily silent, he finally spoke calmly: "Take the items to the warehouse to be cataloged!" Everyone's expression tightened! The next moment, the Chief continued, "Li Hao has achieved distinguished merit, performing great service upon arriving at the Inspectorate... Reward him with one million divine energy stones and one Heaven-grade Origin God Armament. I am feeling slightly indisposed and unfit to receive guests today; come another day for an extended talk!" Hearing this, everyone was taken aback before vaguely catching his drift. It was roughly an equal exchange! Five hundred thousand divine energy stones and five drops of the Spring of Life were worth around one million stones. One Heaven-grade Origin God Armament was only better, never worse, than the ten Origin God Armaments Li Hao had brought. *I accept your goods, but I return them to you. I accept them because you wiped out two organizations and I acknowledge that; I reward you in return to show that I don't quite approve of your executing the nobles.* *Neither supporting nor opposing. If you survive, come find me again; today, I will not see you.* A single sentence carried a wealth of meaning. Li Hao didn't mind. Instead, he smiled. "My thanks to the Chief for the reward!" With that, he turned and left. He didn't bother going to the warehouse, nor did he actually hand over the money. Since the values were equivalent... logging it was enough; there was no need to waste effort making another trip. He understood the Inspectorate's stance. Neutrality! Out in the courtyard, some of the kneeling nobles sighed in relief, while others felt indignant. Some thought it was good enough that the Inspectorate gave no backing, while others felt the Inspectorate shouldn't act like this—it should have suppressed Li Hao! …… Inspectorate main hall. After speaking, seeing Li Hao leave without hesitation, the Chief fell into deep thought as well. Li Hao... was far too straightforward. He hadn't insisted on anything, nor spoken a single superfluous word. He had come to show his face and left immediately. For himself... was this good or bad? "Li Hao has very little regard for rules!" someone chimed in. The Chief glanced at him, pausing before saying, "Go capture Li Hao and teach him what rules are. Go right now. If you don't, I'll kill you!" The speaker's face blanched. He said sheepishly, "Chief, that's not what I meant..." "Then what did you mean? Is your mouth that big? Don't you know how to shut up?" The Chief of the Inspectorate felt somewhat irritated and snapped angrily, "Get out, get out, get out! And those dogs outside, get lost too! If anyone dares bother me again, I'll execute the lot of you! All of you, scram, did you hear me?" Instantly, everyone vanished. The nobles outside blanched and scrambled to their feet, leaving in a hurry. This man did not have the best of tempers. He hadn't spoken before, but now that he had, staying any longer might cost them their lives. Once everyone was gone, he snorted. After a moment of thought, he headed toward the back courtyard. The back courtyard of the Inspectorate was his home. Apart from his family, no one dared set foot there. He navigated hallways and alleys all the way to the deepest part, arriving at a small room. It wasn't a secret chamber, but an open little cottage where an old man was reading a book. The Chief of the Inspectorate asked with restless irritation, "Old man, tell me, was my decision right or wrong?" The old man turned to look at him and chuckled. "What?" "Are you hard of hearing?" The Chief of the Inspectorate fumed, "You hear clearer than I do, what are you playing at! You're over a hundred years old, yet just a few days ago you secretly slipped out looking for women. Do you think I didn't see?" The old man chuckled helplessly. "You overthink things. How could I do such a thing?" The Chief ignored him, still perplexed. "Earlier, I thought staying neutral was fine. I'm not afraid of anything! Whether it's Silver Moon or anyone else, it doesn't matter to me! But today... Yao Si seemed off, and this Li Hao... feels brimming with confidence! Old man, where do you think his confidence comes from? Would the people of Silver Moon truly make an enemy of the whole world for his sake?" The old man flipped through his book and smiled. "Who knows? I haven't concerned myself with these matters for years. How would I know if you ask me? However, reading ancient texts in recent years has granted me some insights." "What insights?" The old man smiled meaningfully. "Clasping Buddha's feet at the eleventh hour." The Chief of the Inspectorate thought he was about to impart some profound wisdom, but was left briefly stunned. *That's it?* The old man continued, "Where Buddha's feet are, no one knows... But in three days, it will naturally become clear. Seek not merit, but seek only to avoid fault. In three days, handle it as you see fit." The Chief pondered for a moment and nodded. "Fair enough! The old man does have more experience after all. I roughly get what you mean. Fine, then!" He said no more and turned to leave. Pausing, he looked back. "Do you think Hou Xiaochen has taken that step? Can he fully stabilize it?" "Don't know. Go test him yourself, or just ask him." "Bullshit!" The Chief cursed. Once these old men aged, they started speaking in riddles, talking with this irritating tone. After cursing, something came to mind, and he suddenly laughed: "Never mind, I know what to do! By the way, don't run around these next few days. Something might happen in Heavenly Star City; when push comes to shove, I still have to rely on you to hold the fort!" "You speak as though your father were a mere tool..." the old man chuckled. The Chief sneered, "If you stopped constantly giving me younger brothers and sisters, I might show you more respect! At your age, give it a rest. My youngest brother is younger than my grandson! I can't afford the embarrassment!" The old man sighed, "You don't understand. This is called interrogating the heart—asking one's true heart. What is the true heart of the martial path? I have comprehended a bit of it over the years: it is unfettered freedom. Free and unconstrained, between heaven and earth, I am bound by nothing... This is the martial path!" "Heh!" The Chief said no more and turned to leave. *You have the final say.* *Say what you will, I won't argue.* Once he left, the old man looked into the distance and laughed softly: "In a quiet, dead, stagnant pool of water, a river-crossing dragon has appeared... There's a good show to watch!" Then he looked outside, his brows furrowing slightly. *Yao Si, you... weren't quite right today!* The Yao Si of twenty years ago remained vivid in the memories of these elders. Back then, Yao Si had not been an old fellow holding a large tea mug just idling his days away; twenty years ago, Yao Si had been overbearing and ferocious. *Has his realm stabilized?* For five years, this man had become somewhat indecipherable. …… Heavenly Star City. The slums. Right now, a group of children was also discussing something. One child said excitedly, "Three days from now, that demon king is going to chop off nobles' heads! Is everyone going to watch?" "Watch what? Aren't you afraid of dying! I heard someone say that demon king is definitely done for in three days. Daring to chop nobles... You know, they have so many experts, incredibly powerful ones. The demon king is a barbarian from the north, and he doesn't have anyone helping him here..." "Didn't he just kill the people from Four Seas Corporation and the Colosseum?" "What good is that!" Among the group, a visibly scrawnier boy shook his head and swayed back and forth, reciting, "You don't understand. The books say this is touching fundamental interests—the first step in breaking class struggle. In ancient times, this was the first step of political reform! Since antiquity, those who spearhead reforms almost always end up dead without a burial place, meeting tragic ends!" "Reforms? What's that?" the other children asked curiously. The scrawny youth smiled. "I told you to read books, but you wouldn't. Reforms... reforms mean... mean... making it so nobles aren't nobles forever, giving commoners a glimpse of the future, of hope, of light... It means our generation, and the generation after us, will also have hope of becoming leaders, of becoming the backbone of society, instead of what we do now... picking through trash, wandering the streets, running petty cons just to scrape together a meal..." "Hahaha, you read yourself stupid!" "Yeah, reading turned your brain to mush! They have money and power, they have countless powerhouses, generations of accumulated wealth, and they're born nobler than us... How could we ever catch up to them!" "Exactly!" "Sister Yuqi, your brother read himself stupid, hurry up and hit him!" "..." The children roared with laughter, calling out to Yuqi, who was daydreaming not far away. The young girl looked up and snapped crossly, "You're the ones who read yourselves stupid... wait, you barely know a handful of characters, what do you know! Some of what Yuming says I don't understand either, but I know this: if that formidable figure can actually kill nobles this time... then there's hope!" "Is that true?" "Then should we go watch the commotion?" "I'm afraid it's too dangerous!" "..." The children chattered on, quickly changing the subject. They lacked the patience of adults to linger on a single topic, and soon they were daydreaming of becoming supers or martial masters, soaring through the skies and tunneling through the earth. Meanwhile, the scrawny Yuming walked over to Yuqi, sat down beside her, and whispered, "Sis, that Demon Sword from the north... is really fierce!" Saying that, he sighed again. "Too bad... I walked around outside today, and no one thinks highly of his chances. He's so impulsive, too. The books say that these matters must be pursued gradually; they can't be accomplished overnight!" "This Demon Sword definitely doesn't like to read. He doesn't know what the books say: reading history brings wisdom!" Yuqi smacked him upside the head with a *smack* and scolded, "Crow's mouth! Besides, I heard people say he used to read books too, and was even a university student at an ancient academy..." "Then it must be a northern ancient academy with no cultural depth." Yuqi glared at him, but on second thought, maybe he was right. That man had acted like a fool, not even knowing how to take a carriage, and might not even recognize many characters... Northern ancient academies might truly be lacking. "True enough... I heard he came from an ordinary background and isn't a noble, so how could he have had the chance to receive a fine education? Many schools and ancient academies across the land have closed down now. There used to be a few chances, but now even that sliver of hope has been snuffed out..." Yuqi muttered under her breath, then added in a voice barely audible, "I really hope he can succeed... It's been so many years since someone was like him." Yuming also whispered, "I want him to, as well. But... Sis, we'd better not hold out hope." "I can't be bothered talking to you!" Yuqi ignored him, standing up to head outside. "Sis, where are you going?" "To earn money! If I don't earn money, what are we eating tomorrow? Out of two hundred star coins, you spent a hundred and eighty buying a pile of scrap paper! You infuriate me. Next time, I won't give you any money!" "Sis, that's knowledge!" "Bullshit!" Yuqi cursed, already walking away. Yuming just chuckled. His sister was always like this; though she said she wouldn't give him any, next time she earned money, she would still give it to him. Looking back at the pile of books, however, he sighed. Next time he really couldn't waste money like that. Yesterday, on an impulse—and because he knew the teacher selling the books, whose whole family was starving without a bite to eat—he had actually spent one hundred and eighty star coins to buy these books that were practically scrap paper. "Demon Sword... does the Demon Sword know what reform is?" The boy muttered to himself. Maybe the man had no idea at all and just wanted to kill people. *Sis, don't hold out too much hope.* …… Heavenly Star City was in a state of great turmoil. The news spread rapidly, throwing the entire Central Region into unrest, and word even began filtering toward the four surrounding continents. Executing nobility—over a hundred of them! This news truly shook the four quarters. Every gaze focused on the Central Region, zeroing in on Heavenly Star City. …… Silver Moon. White Moon City. Director Zhao's expression changed repeatedly. Huang Yu fell into deep thought. Kong Jie furrowed his brows, saying after a long silence, "I thought he would stay quiet for a few days, but instead... Old Zhao, do you think Old Hou can protect him? Why didn't Old Hou talk him out of it? Doing this... will easily cause a catastrophe." Director Zhao remained silent, holding a pen and scribbling something, who knew what. Kong Jie was growing impatient! Talking to scholars was exhausting. "Old Huang, do you have any good ideas?" "What?" Huang Yu looked up at him, puzzled. "I said, Li Hao is definitely in grave danger! He was already a target everyone wanted to kill. People only held back out of consideration for rules, propriety, and mutual wariness, which was what gave him an opening. If he stopped here, he could secure his footing. Why must he kick up such a massive storm?" He sighed. "Anyway, I think... doing this might truly get him killed." "Not to mention the distance between us—even if we were close by, if a supernatural expert truly arrives... unless we completely unseal ourselves, there's no way we could deal with them!" Kong Jie sighed. At that thought, he added with a hint of sorrow, "My daughter is still in Heavenly Star City! I almost forgot about that. If she gets dragged into this by Li Hao and dies, that would be terrible... Sigh!" This fellow had only just remembered his daughter was over there. Director Zhao glanced at him, speechless, and said faintly, "I thought you'd remembered your daughter was there long ago." "I've been brainwashed by Li Hao these past few days; my mind is full of his name... Where would I find time to think about so much?" Kong Jie said, then added, "Whatever. As long as she doesn't die, it's fine. If she dies... she can't escape her fate anyway. Whoever kills her, I'll go kill them... I'll take down as many as I can!" Director Zhao couldn't be bothered to entertain him. After pondering for a while, he said, "We can neither persuade nor stop him... What Li Hao is truly thinking, I do not know. But I know that whether he succeeds or fails... this marks a new beginning! The only thing we can do right now... is spread the news far and wide. Whether people watch for the spectacle or just for gossip... at least let the people of Silver Moon know that Demon Sword Li Hao is in Heavenly Star City, doing what no one else dared or could do!" "And he is a man of Silver Moon!" Director Zhao looked up at the two men. "Let the world know that our Silver Moon people possess the greatest courage! Let the people of Silver Moon know that in all the vast world, save for our Silver Moon... none dare be the first beneath the heavens!" He stood up with a smile. "As for the rest, leave it to him!" "You... you're not going to do anything?" Kong Jie was speechless. What good was mere publicity? He had thought Old Zhao had some brilliant plan. "Go about your business!" Helpless, Kong Jie had no choice but to leave. Old Zhao was useless. Once he had gone, Huang Yu shook his head and said, "Old Kong has been restless lately. Looks like he wants to go to Heavenly Star City. His heart was stirred by Li Hao and Xiaochen, and he feels uncomfortable staying behind to guard this place." Director Zhao said calmly, "Sometimes, staying behind is the harder choice... If he doesn't understand, so be it." "How far has this really gone? Heavenly Star is merely the beginning; the real issue still lies with Silver Moon!" After a pause, he added, "Three days. If you go all out, can you reach Heavenly Star?" Heavenly Star City was too far away. Hou Xiaochen and his party had traveled by car for seven full days. And cars were not slow. A martial master rushing with all their might might reach it in three days, but upon arrival, there might not be enough time to recover. "I can have a helicopter take me part of the way... that will speed things up." Huang Yu looked at him. "Are you having me go?" "You can go take a look." Huang Yu smiled. "I thought you would send Old Kong." "If he goes, he won't be of much use." "Then I will hurry." "Mm." The two exchanged a few words, and Huang Yu didn't linger. Time was tight; now that Old Zhao had made up his mind, he needed to set off quickly. …… While factions everywhere were in heated discussions, Li Hao, the center of it all, couldn't care less about their chatter. Right now, he was in a ninth-floor private room at Nine Dragons Pavilion. Just him. And a dog. He was eating and drinking tea. Beside him, the female manager from last time attended to him, picking up food with chopsticks and pouring his tea and wine. Compared to last time, she had no complaints or discomfort. Watching Li Hao wolf down his food, a single thought crossed her mind... *An extraordinary man performs extraordinary deeds!* In truth, she had many doubts, questions, and perplexities that she wanted to ask this man who had shaken the world, but... she didn't dare. Li Hao ate quickly. When finished, he exhaled contentedly: "Truly delicious! Just too expensive." "Governor-General Li, please eat to your heart's content. This time, someone is treating you," the female manager smiled gently. "Our pavilion master is footing the bill this time. Aside from taking away precious items like the Spring of Life, all food and drink are complimentary." "Pavilion master?" "Yes, the master of Nine Dragons Pavilion." "Doesn't this belong to the imperial family?" "Indeed, our pavilion master is a member of the imperial clan." "Then my thanks!" Li Hao burst out laughing. "How generous! All right, bring ten more portions just like that one. I really haven't had my fill yet!" The female manager didn't mind and stepped out to give the instructions. Shortly after, she returned to Li Hao's side. Li Hao let out a burp, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and smiled. "They say Nine Dragons Pavilion can do anything. Care to do some business?" "Please speak, Governor-General." "That thing Southern Fist used last time... that projection, the massive one... do you have that? The kind that can project into thousands of households, and can't easily be destroyed by people... I want to behead them live for the whole of Heavenly Star City to see!" "..." The female manager felt weary. Every word out of this man's mouth was so... so horrifying! "We do, but it is virtually impossible to keep people from interfering... Nobody wants this kind of thing broadcast so widely." "Even Nine Dragons Pavilion can't manage it?" "We can, but we cannot do it!" "I'll pay." "Even that will not do." The female manager looked at Li Hao with conflicted emotions: "Governor-General, this is not a matter of money. This is... a matter of what everyone forbids. Not just everyone else; perhaps... even we are not very willing to do so." Li Hao chuckled. "Then let's do this: change the premise. Project me being killed... my defeat! You have to learn to be flexible. It's not as if I'm guaranteed to win. I'm just a newcomer, fresh to the city—how could I possibly defeat them? Just tell them: let the whole world watch how Li Hao dies!" The female manager's eyes flickered slightly. "That... might actually work! But we need to submit a request. After all... the Governor-General is exceptionally powerful; even the Nine Departments wouldn't dare claim they can easily take you down." "So cowardly?" Li Hao chuckled. "Then what are you afraid of? If they're that cowardly, whether I project it or not makes no difference. Lacking even this bit of backbone, and they dare claim the Nine Departments rule the world? Are you kidding me?" The female manager spoke again: "I will do my best to submit a request for the Governor-General... As for the fee, there is no need. I imagine that if approved... many people would love to watch how you die." Li Hao glanced at her and grinned. "Oho, miss, you've become quite direct!" The female manager smiled softly. "A man like the Governor-General might prefer hearing things more directly." "Flattery well played!" Li Hao nodded. "I like hearing it! Truly, once someone has power and strength, it is easy to lose oneself." He laughed. The female manager smiled along, and after a moment, she said, "Then I will go submit the request for the Governor-General... In addition... if I may take the liberty to ask..." "Ask away!" "What are you seeking, Governor-General?" Having asked, she waited, but Li Hao said nothing. She didn't mind and turned to leave. *What do you want out of this?* *Acting like this will only plunge you into a desperate situation, far more perilous than before.* Just as she was about to step through the door, Li Hao suddenly smiled: "To seek a clear conscience and peace of mind! Such is the martial path, and such are Silver Moon martial masters! You are not a martial master, nor a Silver Moon martial master. 'He who is not afraid of being hacked into pieces dares to drag the emperor off his horse.' In the past, didn't the Nine Departments accomplish just that?" The female manager's steps stiffened, a trace of panic in her posture, and she hurried away. Those words were not meant for her ears. Li Hao chuckled and stroked Black Panther's canine head, sighing with emotion: "I'm not a dog, after all. If I were a dog, sleeping when full and eating when awake, I wouldn't care either. Right, doggie?" "Woof, woof, woof!" Black Panther shook its head. Dogs had troubles too! For instance, right now, Li Hao kneading its head didn't feel very comfortable, leaving it rather annoyed. A glorious descendant of an ancient demon shouldn't be treated like this. "Indeed, you agree with me!" Li Hao laughed and patted the dog's head. Black Panther could only nod. *Forget it. A dog under another's roof has no choice but to bow its head.* *As long as there's food, why worry so much? Even the great ancient demons are gone; what does a descendant count for anyway?* it comforted itself.