Supers Are All Trash

Having stepped into Divine Power, Li Hao instantly unleashed terrifying might. Not only did his wind and thunder abilities grant him unparalleled speed, but the explosive fury of his lightning possessed staggering burst power. His state was stable, and his five internal organs were solid. In such a condition, Li Hao was unimaginably formidable. At this moment, five old fellows surrounded him—all top Divine Power experts with firmly consolidated cultivation. Apart from the slain Hu Xiao and the former Inspectorate Director who had just struck down King Chujiang, two former directors had yet to show themselves. Li Hao did not know which two departments were absent, nor did he particularly care. Beside him, only Hou Xiaochen and a few others remained, swiftly cutting down the Transmutation experts. Hou Xiaochen’s face was dark as pitch. Almost every thrust of his spear claimed a life! Terrified out of their wits, the Transmutation experts fled frantically, but scarcely any managed to survive; their courage had long since shattered. Meanwhile, Li Hao moved like lightning, teleporting time and again. Yet despite his repeated strikes, he struggled to gain ground. The five experts fought in unison; aside from being slower than Li Hao, their offensive power was barely inferior to his. Facing any one of them alone, Li Hao had nothing to fear, but against all five, he lacked the strength to overcome them. The five old men looked equally grim. The tide had turned far too quickly! "Hah!" *Boom!* A massive construct resembling a giant millstone descended from the heavens, crushing down on all four directions. Li Hao’s speed visibly dipped as one of the elders deployed his divine ability. Li Hao did not know what it was, only that the surrounding space had grown remarkably viscous. "Suppress!" With a low bark, an elder waved his hand. The massive millstone ground downward, enclosing the perimeter as if intent on crushing Li Hao into the earth! Having slaughtered the fleeing experts, Hou Xiaochen moved to assist, but Li Hao roared, "Go! Wipe out those Divine Powers outside! Leave these old bastards to me!" Hou Xiaochen’s expression shifted slightly. Without another word, he dissolved into a breeze and vanished. There were still several Divine Power experts outside. The Plain King, An Wushen, the three Red Moon elders, the North Sea King, and the Lord of Mount Futu were all in full flight. Aside from the Old Duke slain by Li Hao and King Chujiang killed by the former Inspectorate Director, the remaining powerhouses fled wildly in all directions without the slightest hesitation. Matters inside the city were grim. Even though Li Hao was pinned down, the spectacle of him slaughtering Hu Xiao still sent shivers through their spines. Moreover, with Yao Si and Hou Xiaochen freeing up their hands, and the Inspectorate's two Divine Powers suddenly intervening, several more formidable combatants had joined the fray. Knowing the situation was lost, none dared linger. In the brief moment Li Hao was entangled with the top Divine Powers, the Bright Light Sword let out a roar. Radiance erupted as she cleaved downward. With a deafening boom, the North Sea King stumbled. Even with all her strength unleashed, an unsealed martial master was still slightly inferior to a true Divine Power. Yet he had no desire to fight; he only wanted to escape. Because his heart was set entirely on fleeing, he had no mind to duel her. But an unsealed martial master was a pinnacle fighter; how could escaping be so simple? Just as the North Sea King moved to flee again, his expression warped. The Inspectorate Director had arrived! *Boom!* A long saber manifested in the director's grip and slashed downward. Divine power erupted with a thunderous roar, silencing heaven and earth. For this man to hold the position of Inspectorate Director, his strength was naturally formidable. Against such a strike, the newly ascended North Sea King was utterly outmatched. In a flash, one of his arms was severed. He wanted to roar, to curse them all. *It was your Nine Departments that brought me here!* Yet... the curse died in his throat. The Inspectorate Director swung his saber once more. Atop the blade materialized a savage beast. In the blink of an eye, with a thunderous boom, the beast seemed to shatter the void as the saber cleaved through heaven and earth! *Slash!* The broad blade took the North Sea King's head clean off. The Inspectorate Director stumbled slightly as super energy bled from his form, his state momentarily unstable. He swiftly swallowed several drops of the Spring of Life to stabilize himself, then laughed heartily. "The great bandit of the North Sea is slain!" No sooner had he spoken than a shattering explosion echoed from the distance. Sky Sword’s thrust pierced the firmament. With a colossal boom, the dual energies of water and wood erupted from one of the three Red Moon elders before the massive sword ground him into bloody powder! The other two elders turned pale with fright. Three against one, and one of them had still been killed! Sky Sword was likely every bit as formidable as Li Hao, lacking only his terrifying speed and ability to tear freely through the void. Seeing Yao Si closing in as well, the remaining two elders fell into absolute despair. Yao Si was also a pinnacle expert. With his arrival, there was nowhere left to run! Just as the thought crossed their minds, the sky dimmed and the world spun. Sky Sword suddenly barked, "You dare!" The great sword blazed with light as it slashed downward! *Clang! Boom!* A folding fan materialized in the void, halting the great blade with a resounding metallic crash. In that same instant, a massive hand scooped up the two elders. Farther out across the sea, a figure strolled forward with measured steps. Smiling, he produced another fan and gave it a gentle flutter. Glancing at the grim-faced Sky Sword, and then at Yao Si, he remarked with a faint sigh, "To think Li Hao actually stepped into supers and severed his supernatural locks. A pity. What a terrible pity!" Farther away, Yuan Shuo’s expression twisted. Staring in that direction, he ground out through clenched teeth, "Ying Hongyue!" Ying Hongyue turned toward Yuan Shuo with a nod and a polite smile. "Brother Yuan, it has been too long!" Handsome and dashing, he looked no different than he had decades ago—still as youthful as ever. Yuan Shuo tore through the air to glare at him. Ying Hongyue kept his smile. Flanked by Cyan Moon and Orange Moon, he fluttered his fan with effortless grace, as if the surrounding experts meant nothing to him. Yao Si and Sky Sword were pinnacle powerhouses. Yet he seemed completely unfazed. He simply glanced toward the city and murmured wistfully, "Young people still have blood in their veins. Severing them the moment he chose to... I must admit, he has far more resolve than we did back then." He let out a light laugh. "Gentlemen, don't just stand there watching. If everyone dies while you look on, that wouldn't be good either, would it?" "Ying Hongyue, do you always have to be such a flamboyant prick?" A hearty laugh boomed out as a burly giant materialized, his punch knocking the former Inspectorate Director back several paces. The old director’s expression shifted erratically. The giant chuckled, "Old Chen, you looking to test me?" "Yama!" The giant laughed boisterously. "Old Chen, we're cuts from the same cloth—drop the act and back off! I won't hold King Chujiang's death against you; his condition was a wreck and his cultivation unstable. Only a shameless old dog like you would stoop to preying on him!" The former director raised an eyebrow. An instant later, the current Inspectorate Director arrived at his side, father and son standing shoulder to shoulder to block Yama’s path. Yama paid them no mind. Scanning the surroundings, he clicked his tongue regretfully. "King Chujiang is dead, and the second elder of your council is dead as well... With An Wushen still alive, doesn't that mean they lost one fewer than the two of us?" Ying Hongyue smiled. "That does seem only fair!" In the next breath, the two of them struck together! *Boom!* A deafening blast shattered the sky. A flying sword whistling through the air was battered aside—originally aimed straight at Hou Xiaochen, it was knocked down by their joint blow. An instant later, Hou Xiaochen thrust his spear forward. With a sickening squelch, he ran An Wushen straight through, killing him on the spot! Hou Xiaochen cast a cold glance back. "The Flying Sword Immortal thought a strike from afar could stop me? Did you two really need to meddle?" Yama guffawed. "Just to be safe! Everyone losing one expert makes it fair, doesn't it?" In a flash, space fractured. A woman of breathtaking grace emerged—the Flying Sword Immortal was actually a woman! Reaching out, she recalled her flying sword. She glanced across Yama, Ying Hongyue, and Hou Xiaochen before finally looking toward the city, paying no further mind to the dead An Wushen. Each of the three organizations had lost one Divine Power expert. She had wanted to save him, but with those two causing trouble, she had arrived too late. Without lingering on the matter, she swept her gaze over the battlefield and finally fixed on Yuan Shuo, who looked ready to erupt like an enraged lion. Her voice was calm and frigid: "Yuan Shuo, hand over the Five Animals Breathing Art. We did not come for Li Hao. Since he has entered supers, so be it. Just hand over the Five Animals Breathing Art. Otherwise... you likely will not have time to find him, save him, or recover your strength." She continued placidly, "Hou Xiaochen and the others are unsealing their strength, but they cannot sustain it for long. Consider your options carefully. We will not force you. Hand over the art and we leave. Refuse... and we will grind you down!" "Hahaha!" Yama roared with laughter. "Well said! Losing a Divine Power is nothing. Yuan Shuo, hand it over and we all withdraw. Otherwise... how long do you think Li Hao can last? Aside from Sky Sword, how long do you think any of the others can hold out?" The three of them had come not for Li Hao, but for Yuan Shuo’s Five Animals Breathing Art. At these words, several faces changed color. Indeed, the unsealed strength of the martial masters could not last indefinitely. Had the three leaders not arrived, the martial masters could have wiped out the remaining foes, regrouped with Li Hao, shattered the five-man encirclement, and retreated in peace. But these three top figures were fathomless in power. Just then, a light breeze stirred, and laughter rippled across the void: "This seat is quite interested as well. Yuan Shuo, why not share a copy of the Five Animals Breathing Art with me? The City of Supers has a few martial masters of its own!" The void trembled, and a moment later, a figure stepped forth, her eyes burning like twin torches. Many gasped in shock—a Heavenly Eye cultivator! One cultivated to the absolute peak! A Heavenly Eye cultivator in the Divine Power Realm! Someone from the City of Supers! In that single instant, every newcomer's target was Yuan Shuo. No matter how extraordinary Li Hao’s sword might be, it was merely an external treasure. For pinnacle experts seeking to peer into the realm beyond, their only hope likely lay in the Five Animals Breathing Art. Yuan Shuo furrowed his brow, silent. At this moment, the surviving Divine Powers regrouped with the pinnacle figures. The Plain King, the two Red Moon elders, and the Lord of Mount Futu swiftly disengaged from the battlefield. Of the nine Divine Powers outside the sea, each of the three great organizations had lost one, while the North Sea King and the Old Duke had fallen as well. Five Divine Powers had perished on the open sea, and five had died inside the city. Ten mighty Divine Power experts had fallen in the blink of an eye. Yet with the arrival of the three organization leaders and the Heavenly Eye cultivator from the City of Supers, the enemy’s overall strength had grown rather than diminished. Before long, Sky Sword and the others converged as well. Huang Yu, Sky Sword, Hou Xiaochen, Yao Si, and the two Inspectorate directors all possessed Divine Power combat strength. The others were slightly weaker, including the Earth-Overturning Sword, who had struggled to gain the upper hand against the Plain King earlier. Now gathered together with grim faces, they shielded Yuan Shuo behind them. Ying Hongyue and his companions were in no hurry; they were not the ones on a timer. Fluttering his fan, Ying Hongyue smiled gently. "Brother Yuan, the martial path exists to be practiced and passed down. The Five Animals Breathing Art does not belong to you alone; it is the crystallization of ancient secret arts. You destroyed countless ancient texts to forge it. Sharing it with us would simply elevate the martial path to a new zenith!" Yama laughed boisterously. "Indeed, Old Yuan, we're all old friends! And it's not just us. If you drag this out any longer, things will only get messier. It looks like Haotian is on his way." Even as he spoke, the void tore open once more. A figure of peerless elegance appeared, long hair drifting in the wind, a serene smile on his face. "Brother Yama truly shares my thoughts. You knew the moment I arrived." The Lord of Haotian Divine Mountain! Of the Seven Sacred Mountains, three lords had arrived today: Mount Futu, Haotian Divine Mountain, and Sky Sword. Aside from the two Sacred Mountains ruled by the monster race, the remaining two factions kept to themselves and rarely meddled, leaving no sign of their presence. With Haotian’s arrival, the opposing side grew even more formidable. Their overwhelming aura alone left Southern Fist and the others struggling to breathe. These were all experts with firmly stabilized Divine Power cultivation. Furthermore, Ying Hongyue was likely far stronger than he let on; he had brushed aside Sky Sword’s strike with effortless ease. Inside the city, explosions rumbled continuously. Li Hao was still battling the five experts. He could sense everything unfolding outside, but he was powerless to intervene. There were simply too many experts! Far more than anyone had anticipated. Even more unexpected was that they had all shown up in person. The three leaders were usually elusive figures, and the Lord of Haotian Divine Mountain was notoriously enigmatic. As for the City of Supers, despite being a named powerhouse, none of its Divine Powers had ever appeared before. Yet today, every single one had arrived. Their sole aim seemed to be the Five Animals Breathing Art, and now was their finest opportunity. If Yuan Shuo refused, his disciple would perish, and every Silver Moon martial master present would be in mortal peril. In a war of attrition, only the Silver Moon faction stood to lose. Yao Si and the others, who had just been rampaging across the field, looked utterly grim. Sky Sword revealed his true countenance—imposing and majestic, his gaze razor-sharp. Leveling his great sword, he said coldly, "Silver Moon martial masters only die in battle!" Ying Hongyue chuckled softly. "Don't say that; we are martial masters too! I am from Silver Moon, and while Yama, Flying Sword, and Haotian aren't entirely, they grew up in Silver Moon just the same. Were it not for the locals' xenophobia back then, the three of them would have made the rankings, wouldn't they? Look at how well they've flourished today; they should thank Silver Moon for nurturing them. We all harbor deep reverence and passion for the martial path... Since that is the case, why must Brother Yuan hoard his treasures?" Yuan Shuo glared at them with a stony face. Ying Hongyue fluttered his fan. Noticing Yuan Shuo’s stare, he smiled. "Save your curses; calling me flamboyant is pointless. It's a habit of mine, second nature by now, and I can't change it. After all these years, doesn't Brother Yuan know me?" "Look, my little martial nephew was forced into becoming a super. Had you shared the Five Animals Breathing Art with us sooner... would things ever have come to this? The Nine Departments may be formidable, but we are no pushovers. Silver Moon is one family; naturally, we would have lent a hand..." The former Inspectorate Director remained silent, glancing left and right without offering a word. Yao Si’s face was dark. Today had gone entirely against their plans. Sky Sword seemed poised to unleash a massacre at any second. Yuan Shuo took a deep breath, looked at them, and asked calmly, "If I give it to you, will you withdraw?" "Naturally!" Ying Hongyue smiled. "We will all leave, rest assured. You know how martial masters are—our word is our bond. Of course, I'm not familiar with our friend from the City of Supers. For a Heavenly Eye cultivator to reach this level is no small feat... But once we depart, if she dares linger, she will surely die. Surely you don't fear her?" The Heavenly Eye cultivator was indeed a woman. There were few female powerhouses present—aside from her and the Flying Sword Immortal, even the Bright Light Sword was somewhat overshadowed. The Heavenly Eye cultivator said softly, "Once I obtain the secret art, I will naturally depart. You need not concern yourself." Even as a super, she sought the Five Animals Breathing Art. Clearly, they all knew something of its prowess, having witnessed Yuan Shuo’s joint strike with Li Hao against Xu Qing. Under normal circumstances, wresting it from Yuan Shuo even in death would have been nearly impossible. But right now... the timing was immaculate! *** Inside the city. Li Hao repeatedly attempted to break out, but he could not pierce the defense of the five powerhouses, who were steadily tightening their circle around him. Li Hao suddenly transmitted his voice: *Let me out so I can slaughter those bastards! If you don't... do you truly believe I can only sever six supernatural locks? Can you not tell these are wind and thunder attributes? The locks of my five internal organs remain completely intact! My physical body may be fragile, but it can still bear the severance of one more lock... Do you truly wish to fight me to the bitter end?* The five old men looked grave. Li Hao transmitted again: *Let me out! I will slaughter those who dare threaten my master! I can spare your lives, you old dogs, but I am going out there to face them!* The five experts exchanged glances, their expressions heavy. Should they let Li Hao go? Li Hao had slain so many Divine Powers, even killing Hu Xiao. As long as they kept him trapped, the martial masters outside would receive no support and would eventually sever their supernatural locks or suffer internal organ ruptures. Ying Hongyue and his cohort were seizing this very window. If the two sides coordinated properly, not a single Silver Moon master would escape alive. *If they obtain the Five Animals Breathing Art, do you think they will give you a share?* Li Hao’s voice was frigid and urgent: *I give you three seconds to decide. If you do not let me go, I will shatter my seventh supernatural lock... Just you wait!* The five elders looked at one another. A moment later, the colossal millstone in the sky loosened ever so slightly. Li Hao, who had been pinned inside their perimeter, vanished in an instant. The five elders frowned. They did not know whether this choice was good or bad, but... there hardly seemed to be a worse outcome than the present. In truth, they hoped Li Hao would tear into those newcomers until both sides bled each other dry! The barbarians of Silver Moon rarely bowed their heads. Currently, the Silver Moon masters were paralyzed by hesitation—torn between worrying for Li Hao’s safety and risking the collapse of their supernatural locks. Even Yuan Shuo had seemed on the verge of relenting. But with Li Hao free... the outcome might be entirely different. The elders exchanged uncertain, conflicted glances. Having released Li Hao... they had no idea whether their actions would spawn an even greater catastrophe. *** Just as Yuan Shuo was about to reply, Ying Hongyue and the others broke into smiles. As expected! Targeting Yuan Shuo alone yielded little, but now he was wavering—a splendid result. To them, losing a hastily elevated Divine Power meant nothing at all. Divine Power was difficult to attain, but if the Five Animals Breathing Art could grant steady advancement and stabilize the five viscera, Divine Power would soon pale in comparison. Just as these thoughts crossed their minds, Ying Hongyue’s expression shifted. He glanced toward the rear of the group. Li Hao had already spotted them. Without a word, he produced the Starry Sky Sword and plunged it directly into his own heart! A surge of vital heart blood rapidly poured into the blade. He had not resorted to this even when facing Hu Xiao. Yet at this moment, he was enraged beyond measure! Absolute, blinding fury! As the sword drank his blood, its blade flushed crimson. Li Hao knew these people were far more troublesome and formidable than the five former directors. But so what? Having absorbed a massive amount of essence blood, Li Hao turned deathly pale. His five viscera felt on the verge of collapsing. But did he care? Not in the slightest! He was dealing with the Nine Departments, yet the three organizations repeatedly meddled. Did they truly think they were above the fray? At that moment, even Sky Sword felt a tremor in his spirit. The great blade in his hands suddenly began to hum. Li Hao tore through the void in the blink of an eye, brandishing a blood-red sword. There was no sword intent upon it, only the crimson sheen of flowing blood. "Die!" A savage roar descended from the heavens. This strike seemed to mirror the very slash Li Hao had witnessed in his memories. Overwhelmed by murderous rage, casting all caution aside, he cleaved directly toward the crowd! He did not target the leaders of the three organizations; he knew they were exceedingly powerful and might survive it. Instead, he struck at the experts behind them—the Red Moon elders, the Plain King, and the Lord of Mount Futu! Every one of them had already been worn down by battle. A sword plunged from the heavens! Killing intent rent the sky and earth! Even Ying Hongyue’s face shifted. Hesitating for a fraction of a second, he grabbed Orange Moon and Cyan Moon and vanished instantly. Yama cursed under his breath and slipped into the void just as quickly. The Flying Sword Immortal was faster still, having long disappeared. Their subordinates were already dead; Ying Hongyue would rather save two weaker allies than lift a finger for the two elders. None of them were willing to waste their strength parrying Li Hao’s earth-shattering blow! *Rumble!* Space tore apart as the two elders and the Plain King blanched in terror! A brilliant golden aura erupted around the Lord of Mount Futu. Golden Body Protection! The Plain King bellowed, and with a resounding snap, flames burst from his form. A martial master to the core, he acted decisively, shattering one of his supernatural locks completely! His aura surged violently, and he vanished from the spot in the blink of an eye. The two elders, however, were too late. Compared to these veterans, their foundation was nonexistent. Despair welled in their eyes. Far in the distance, Ying Hongyue seemed to feel a twinge of guilt. With a flick of his wrist, his fan intercepted the descending blade. With a crisp snap, the fan that had easily blocked Sky Sword’s strike was reduced to dust! Ying Hongyue grunted, his brow furrowing deeply. The Starry Sky Sword had unsealed far more of its power... *Crack!* The void shattered as the crimson sword descended. The two elders were instantly ground into dust. The sea cleaved open in a massive rift, the water evaporating entirely before the surrounding ocean surged back in a titanic tidal wave! Li Hao reappeared, face as pale as paper. He glared coldly at the fleeing figures. The golden light around the Lord of Mount Futu had shattered; though drenched in blood, he was still breathing. The Plain King had retreated far into the distance, fiery super energy radiating from his body, his face livid and silent. He was a pinnacle martial master who had once suppressed both Huang Yu and Hou Xiaochen, a genuine master with nine saturated locks. Yet now, one of those locks was permanently broken, filling him with boundless rage! "Li Hao!" The Plain King glared at him, fiery super energy spilling uncontrollably from his form. Abandoning all pretense, he snarled through gritted teeth, "Splendidly done!" Permanently severing a supernatural lock was a catastrophic loss for a martial master. How could he not be furious? Li Hao stared back with icy eyes. "Break two more, and then you can talk to me!" The Plain King fell silent. With only one severed, there might still be hope... Break a few more, and no price in the world would ever restore him as a martial master. Behind them, the five elders arrived side by side. Farther back, several next-generation directors were rushing forward. In an instant, formidable experts hemmed them in from front and rear. Ahead stood the three organizations, the Sacred Mountains, and the City of Supers, none of whom had retreated. Behind them, the five elders led multiple Divine Powers into position, though they kept their distance, measuring the situation and biding their time. If both sides joined forces, they could easily annihilate Li Hao’s group. Twelve Divine Powers had already fallen today—a grievous loss! Yet Li Hao’s side remained in the greatest peril, for he did not have the time to mend everyone’s supernatural locks. Unless they all followed the Plain King's path, they would be hard-pressed to survive. But if they did, Li Hao would never forgive himself. He had become a super, but he could not rob every other martial master of their future. Without a word, Li Hao plunged the blood-red sword into his heart once more. Countless streams of blood surged into the blade, leaving him even paler. In the distance, Ying Hongyue frowned. "You are not ready for this. Forcibly unsealing the Starry Sky Sword will only bleed your vital energy dry! Li Hao, all we want is the Five Animals Breathing Art. Now is not the time for modern martial masters to slaughter one another..." Li Hao said nothing. He drew the blood-red sword forth once more, an aura of ancient sword intent spilling from the blade. His body swayed, struggling to keep its footing. He said nothing, merely staring at Ying Hongyue before suddenly breaking into a smile. "So you are Ying Hongyue!" Ying Hongyue remained silent. "You are strong... ridiculously strong! But... I finally understand why you didn't dare make a move against me!" Ying Hongyue said nothing. Li Hao burst into wild laughter. "I know why you ran the moment you saw me... Ying Hongyue, how does it feel to be trapped in a web of your own making?" Ying Hongyue’s brow furrowed. "Li Hao, do not push me. Perhaps I cannot kill you, but your master and your friends will all die!" Li Hao laughed even harder. "No, no, no, you don't dare! Ying Hongyue, my Li family is the head of the Eight Great Families! What monstrous ambition—you actually devoured the bloodlines of seven families to merge them into one! But... your bloodlines seem terrified of my Li family blood! Ying Hongyue... you are playing with fire!" Ying Hongyue’s brow tightened. "You are welcome to test that theory." Li Hao continued to laugh wildly! He could see them. At this moment, seven faint threads hovered above Ying Hongyue’s head, just as Ying Hongyue could likely see the red thread above his own! They were all connected to the Eight Trigrams diagram in Silver City. Yet those seven threads seemed resistant; several of them even leaned faintly toward Li Hao. In an instant, Li Hao understood why Ying Hongyue had never gone to Silver City to kill him in person, relying instead on subordinates! It turned out... he feared him! No, his bloodlines were rebelling against him. He had devoured the bloodline power of seven families! Laughing boisterously, Li Hao strode toward Ying Hongyue step by step. Ying Hongyue frowned and vanished with Orange Moon and Cyan Moon, reappearing behind Yama and the Flying Sword Immortal. Glancing at the two of them, he said quietly, "I leave him to you." Yama and the Flying Sword Immortal looked at him with strange expressions. Fascinating! Ying Hongyue truly seemed wary of Li Hao. Li Hao grinned. "Your seven bloodlines have not fully merged. You must belong to one of the Eight Great Families; only one bloodline truly aligns with you, while the other six resist! You haven't completely unified them. If you had, perhaps you wouldn't fear me. But right now... you can't! The other six bloodlines feel far closer to me!" Ying Hongyue said placidly, "Even so, what of it? You cannot kill me, nor can you even approach me, even with the Wind-Chasing Boots. And while I may not be able to kill you, I can kill your master, your friends, and everyone at your side... Li Hao, it is such a simple matter for Yuan Shuo to hand over the Five Animals Breathing Art. Why must you complicate it?" His bloodlines were not fully unified; they resisted integration and resonated with the Li family bloodline. Thus, clashing with Li Hao risked triggering a total collapse of the six external bloodlines. Yet just as he said, he was terrifyingly powerful; he could slaughter anyone here aside from Li Hao. He could also negotiate with Yama and the others to handle Li Hao, though they might not be willing. Just as Li Hao was about to speak, someone sighed—a soft, weary sound carrying a hint of melancholy: "Ying Hongyue, after all these years, you remain just as arrogant and insufferable as ever!" The speaker was none other than the Earth-Overturning Sword. He placed a firm hand on Yuan Shuo’s shoulder, holding him back just as the older master was about to act. Hong Yitang glanced at Li Hao, then at the others, smiling faintly. "Brother Sky Sword, the taste of super power is quite delightful, isn't it?" Sky Sword glanced at him. "You are welcome to try it yourself." "As you wish." Hong Yitang chuckled, then turned to Hou Xiaochen. "Forget about you; your nine supernatural locks aren't fully stable—perhaps you have ten, or even eleven... You have your mission to bear, but as for me, it hardly matters." Everyone felt a jolt of shock. Li Hao’s expression changed. Just as he opened his mouth, Hong Yitang smiled. "Strength lies in how it is wielded. Your master’s martial path holds greater promise; I don't mind either way... Don't let your master do anything reckless, and don't be reckless yourself..." Even as he spoke, a titanic power erupted from within him. In an instant, the crisp sound of chains snapping rang out clearly for all to hear. *Crack! Crack! Crack!* One after another! Hong Yitang maintained his easy smile, utterly nonchalant. "I was experimenting with this long ago, though back then I only dared sever the locks in my four limbs, never daring to take the next step. Seeing Li Hao advance just now and watch his strength skyrocket... I must admit, I felt a bit tempted." With those words, his sword drifted forward—light and gentle, yet heaven and earth seemed to flip upside down. "Li Hao, I must thank you for the sword energy you provided all this time. It benefited me greatly; otherwise... stabilizing so quickly would not have been easy!" *Boom!* A deafening explosion rang out. In the distance, the Plain King stared blankly down at the blade piercing his heart. Confusion filled his eyes. *When did it pierce through me? And the three organizations were the ones pressuring you—why kill me?* "I killed you because you are a martial master who already severed one supernatural lock. I was worried you'd throw caution to the wind and break the rest—that would have made you a formidable enemy, tough to handle. None of them have broken theirs yet, so they still have reservations!" Hong Yitang offered a serious, earnest explanation. "Plain King, I killed you because you warranted my respect, not out of any personal malice... I hope you can understand!" The Plain King parted his lips, suddenly feeling like laughing. *So that was it!* *Because I warranted respect, because I had already severed one lock and he feared I would break the rest, because he saw me as a threat... Should I feel honored?* *Perhaps I should!* *After all, the Earth-Overturning Sword completely severed his locks just to kill me... What an honor! Was it not a fair trade to exchange my life for him turning into a super?* Hong Yitang drew his sword back with a sigh. "The Plain King was truly talented, having saturated nine supernatural locks. Had he fully unsealed, few here could have matched him. Sending him on his way first was the prudent choice. Director Hou, Commander Yu, you don't object, do you? After all, he was once your superior." Hou Xiaochen narrowed his eyes and said nothing. Huang Yu remained cold and silent. Object? Like hell they would! As for the Earth-Overturning Sword, he had unsealed completely and was still snapping supernatural locks. No one knew how many he had broken, yet his body held together—traveling with Li Hao had certainly tempered his physique. The Plain King had died an unjust death, but there were no second chances in war. Li Hao gripped his blood-red sword in silence, his expression dark. The Earth-Overturning Sword... had become a super! Hong Yitang walked up beside him, smiling. "Not bad at all. This feeling of invincibility is rather comfortable!" He turned his gaze toward the opposing side. "Do you still want the Five Animals Breathing Art? As for those who can instantly unseal their full strength right now, I imagine Yao Si, Hou Xiaochen, and Huang Yu could all manage it... Must we truly take it that far?" He addressed only the martial masters, paying little heed to the Heavenly Eye cultivator from the City of Supers. Looking at them, he repeated, "Will you withdraw now, or would you like to test your mettle against me?" Yama chuckled. "Brother Hong, you're making this rather awkward. We had no such intention! Look at the mess we've made—why don't you try sealing them back up?" Hong Yitang laughed and swept his blade out! "Yama, you always did love joking around. I seem to recall Yuan Shuo beating you black and blue several times for your jokes back in the day. Have you still not learned your lesson?" *Boom!* A thunderous blast echoed through the sky. Yama was forced back several paces, his face flushing crimson. Hong Yitang coughed lightly and chuckled. "Truly tough! Your Iron Cloth Armor has reached its absolute peak. Back when Yuan Shuo beat the Iron Cloth Armor master to death, you actually ran away. I wonder if that junior brother of yours ever resented you for it." In the space between them, the void seemed to split. Yama glanced down at his chest, where a faint bloody line appeared and quickly sealed shut. Frowning, he eyed Hong Yitang. "How many supernatural locks did you sever?" "Take a guess!" Hong Yitang beamed. "Are you leaving?" Yama frowned in silence. In that split second, Yama’s expression shifted and he vanished from the spot. A blood-red sword tore through the space he had just occupied. Li Hao said nothing, his brow furrowing slightly. *So fast!* Hong Yitang started to speak, then stopped. *Why be so reckless?* An instant later, Li Hao vanished again, reappearing before the Lord of Mount Futu. Mount Futu’s lord blanched, golden light flaring around him. With a sharp snap, the golden barrier shattered. Reeling backward, super energy bleeding from his form, he snarled, "Do not push me! I will leave right now! I am not the Plain King—if you force me to unseal completely, none of us will walk away from this!" Li Hao remained silent, thrusting his sword again and again. The Lord of Mount Futu looked panicked. Suddenly turning to take a strike head-on, he coughed up a mouthful of blood and tore through the void to flee! He did not want to die, nor did he want to completely unseal his strength like the others. In that moment, he chose flight. Right then, a massive sword descended from above! *Boom!* With a deafening explosion, golden light flared around the Lord of Mount Futu once more—not the martial aura of before, but golden super energy, followed immediately by fiery-red super energy! Spitting blood, he threw a desperate punch. The massive sword was knocked back, but as he dodged, a blade cleaved downward with a sickening crunch, severing his arm entirely. Face pale as ash, the Lord of Mount Futu let out a thunderous roar. *Snap! Crack!* The sounds of breaking supernatural locks rang out continuously. He struck back at Li Hao, forcing the young man to stagger back, and used the momentum to break away. Glaring toward Sky Sword, he was met with a cold, impassive gaze. "What are you looking at? Just unseal. You came all this way; did you really think you could simply walk away?" Sky Sword was a super himself; perhaps everyone had forgotten he was a pinnacle Divine Power. Now that Hong Yitang had unsealed, they had seemingly disregarded him. In that case... let them see for themselves! That strike had been his, directly forcing the Lord of Mount Futu to sever his locks. A faint smile touched Sky Sword’s austere face. "Everyone should just unseal completely! This path of martial masters sealing themselves was riddled with flaws from the start; hiding and cowering is utterly pointless! Unseal, turn into supers, and let us fight until one side is wiped out!" He seemed genuinely delighted by the prospect. Perhaps because he was already an unsealed super, he wished nothing more than for everyone else to join him. This sight gave several onlookers pause. Yama and the others frowned, looking toward the Lord of Mount Futu. With a grim, dark expression, Mount Futu's lord turned and fled, his voice drifting back: "Sky Sword, Li Hao... just you wait! But if you can force all of them to turn into supers... all the better! I eagerly await that news!" He had unsealed! His combat strength had skyrocketed in an instant, yet he chose to depart. This was not his purpose here; rather than stay, he would leave these Silver Moon madmen to run rampant. It would be best if they forced Yama and the others to do the same—if one was ruined, let them all be ruined together! Once unsealed, the Lord of Mount Futu was blindingly fast, vanishing in the blink of an eye. The reversals had unfolded with dizzying speed, leaving everyone breathless. Seeing this, Ying Hongyue sighed and shook his head. He moved to flutter his fan, only to remember it was destroyed. Smiling faintly, he grabbed Orange Moon and Cyan Moon in either hand and vanished from the spot. "Li Hao, stay alive. We shall meet again in Silver Moon! Once my seven bloodlines are fully unified, I imagine... the eighth will not be far behind!" With those words, he was gone. Seeing him depart, Yama and the Flying Sword Immortal both chuckled. "A pity... Still, he speaks the truth. We shall meet again in Silver Moon. Even without the Five Animals Breathing Art, we will take that step eventually... Soon!" One powerhouse after another vanished, choosing retreat. Seeing the others leave, the Heavenly Eye cultivator from the City of Supers turned pale and slipped into the void, preparing to withdraw as well. At that exact moment, a thunderous roar shattered the air! In a single instant, Li Hao, the Earth-Overturning Sword, Sky Sword, Hou Xiaochen, Huang Yu, Tyrant Saber, Northern Fist, Southern Fist, Yao Si... Virtually every expert capable of bursting with power struck simultaneously! Their target was one and the same: The Heavenly Eye cultivator! Far in the distance, Ying Hongyue turned back within the void, an utterly bizarre expression on his face. "Where did that idiot super come from? We all left, yet she actually paused to think about it? Had she not been so hideous, I might have warned her..." He was genuinely bewildered. *All of us were leaving, yet you lingered? Did you truly believe the City of Supers was invincible? They didn't stop us because they feared pushing us to unseal completely and dragging everyone down with us. What right does a pure super like you have to be so arrogant?* Similarly, Yama wore a look of disbelief. He chuckled and cursed under his breath, "Brain-dead!" *Are all supers this brain-dead? With so many experts holding back their fury, watching both the Earth-Overturning Sword and Li Hao forced into becoming supers, the Silver Moon martial masters were practically mad with rage. Couldn't you see the rest of us running for our lives? And you stayed behind? What were you thinking? Ugly people really do the strangest things!* Farther out, the Flying Sword Immortal had already vanished into the distance. Sensing the commotion behind her, she merely offered a contemptuous sneer. In their eyes, supers outside the martial lineage were all trash, brain-dead, and utterly idiotic... Losing one was no great loss. *** *Boom!* A plume of smoke erupted over the Heavenly Star Sea! With a solitary shriek, the formidable Heavenly Eye cultivator was blown to smithereens—an outcome completely devoid of suspense. Everyone had been suffocating under immense fury. Against so many pinnacle powerhouses, what use was a single Divine Power Realm cultivation, no matter how stable? Even Li Hao and his companions had not expected this woman to be the last to leave. Had she not noticed the Lord of Haotian Divine Mountain slipping away without uttering a single word from arrival to departure? "What a moron!" At least seven or eight voices spat the curse in unison! Where on earth had such a brainless cultivator come from? Even the former directors in the rear couldn't help muttering curses under their breath. *What was she thinking? Are pure supers all this utterly useless?* A woman that powerful might have held her own even against Sky Sword in a duel, yet she had been obliterated by the Silver Moon masters in a single concerted strike! A Heavenly Eye divine ability was exceedingly rare. Yet what good was it now? In the blink of an eye, not a trace of her remained. She was the fourteenth Divine Power expert to fall today. Of the fourteen Divine Powers who had initially participated in the encirclement, all had perished save for the Lord of Mount Futu, who had fled. But with the death of this Heavenly Eye cultivator, the tally was rounded out once more! For a time, the Heavenly Star Sea fell terrifyingly still. Behind them, over a dozen supers had gathered—all experts of the Divine Power tier, including the five former directors and several next-generation directors, their expressions heavy. The three organizations and the Sacred Mountains had fled, while the City of Supers, joining in merely to watch the spectacle, had lost a top Divine Power. Across the entire expanse of the sea, the howling winds and surging waves ground to a halt, swallowed by a stifling, suffocating silence.