In North City.
Li Hao kept his gaze fixed on the central district. There, the clashes between the Nine Departments and the imperial family seemed to have died down. It appeared that once the imperial family realized the Silver Moon faction would not intervene, they chose to continue biding their time.
Maintaining such a balance between the two sides was actually the outcome Li Hao hoped to see.
A good thing!
Had either side emerged victorious, it would have left Li Hao ill at ease instead.
Having killed several Divine Power experts, Li Hao had clearly given the imperial family reason to believe it was time to test the waters. They had remained passive before, yet resisted fiercely today, which was likely tied to Hu Xiao's death as well.
The energy fluctuations coming from the Penal Department were distinctly weaker.
With their old director dead, his son was clearly a cut below, and his control over the divine armament was far feebler.
Beside Li Hao, powerful figures stood in silence, all looking in that direction.
Meanwhile, a faint golden gleam surfaced in Li Hao's eyes.
His eyes had always been able to perceive energy fluctuations, perhaps due to his bloodline. Today, the little sword had absorbed a great deal of blood once more. Though it hadn't unsealed much—possibly owing to the purity of his bloodline—his vision seemed to have undergone a subtle shift at this very moment.
He could see the flow of energy. It was no longer mere raw energy; he could even faintly discern the circulation of inner strength. He glanced sideways at Hou Xiaochen beside him, and Hou Xiaochen turned his head to look back at him.
Light flickered in Li Hao's eyes, and he seemed to faintly catch sight of massive supernatural locks.
Indeed, his eyes had changed slightly.
*Why?*
Li Hao mused inwardly, clutching the little sword. A faint realization dawned on him: perhaps absorbing the blood had purified his bloodline, making it more refined. Could that be it?
He wasn't entirely sure, and his ability to see certain things had always mystified him.
He seemed different from Heavenly Eye cultivators.
Heavenly Eye cultivators relied on inherently powerful spiritual strength to peer into things. He did not. He relied on bloodline rather than divine intent detection; Heavenly Eye cultivators merely possessed formidable divine intent.
With these thoughts in mind, Li Hao kept them to himself.
He looked around. Many martial masters stood nearby.
However, earlier, after absorbing just a wisp of sword energy, one of them had fled—bolting so fast that even his shadow was gone. Li Hao looked at Hou Xiaochen. "Senior Thunderbolt Leg ran off, Director. What crime did he commit?"
Of all the martial masters who had come to reinforce them this time, this was the only one he was unfamiliar with, remembering only the man's rather wretched appearance.
Hou Xiaochen said indifferently, "Over twenty years ago, when he sparred with Crippled Leg, spectators gathered nearby. Furious over losing to Crippled Leg, he lashed out at the onlookers and slaughtered more than twenty people."
Li Hao frowned slightly.
Yuan Shuo, however, was dismissive. "Knowing full well that powerful figures were clashing, they insisted on gawking like it was a monkey show! They died for nothing. Hou Xiaochen, you're clearly overcorrecting on some of these matters! Martial masters generally don't fight near commoners, and those watching were all martial masters themselves. Since ancient times, Silver Moon has maintained a rule: watch masters fight at your own peril!"
"That was willful murder!"
Hou Xiaochen looked at him, his voice chilly. "Yuan Shuo, your disciple is preaching the law right here! And what about you?"
Not to be outdone, Yuan Shuo retorted, "Those are the rules of the martial world! The law is the law, and unspoken codes are unspoken codes! Martial masters all acknowledge them by default, just like the rules of the supernatural. Nowadays, the same rules don't apply to transcendents and ordinary mortals anyway! It didn't involve ordinary people, so the law must distinguish the circumstances. Thunderbolt Leg is different from these nobles, so don't muddy the waters! Furthermore, if you want to talk about breaking laws and committing offenses that actually hurt common folk, very few among us have done so. In fact, there's only one. Go arrest Southern Fist!"
Southern Fist was completely dumbfounded.
Yuan Shuo sneered. "In my eyes, Thunderbolt Leg's conduct is far better than Southern Fist's! The man killed a few spectators... but that's business of the martial world! Southern Fist, on the other hand, frequently eats out without paying his tab, acting no better than a street hooligan and constantly throwing his weight around the markets! If you truly want to enforce the law, execute him first. I see no issue with that!"
At these words, Northern Fist, who had always been rather observant of rules, nodded silently. After a moment's contemplation, he said softly, "Little He is indeed somewhat undisciplined, fond of doing such disgraceful things. Back then in the Silver Moon martial world, his reputation among the common folk was relatively the foulest... Even the likes of Ying Hongyue didn't smell as bad as him."
This was primarily because those figures ran rampant strictly within the martial world, unlike Southern Fist, who skipped out on dining bills among ordinary folk not once or twice, but on a regular basis.
Southern Fist grew flustered and irritated. "Later on, whenever I had money, I paid them back! I only ate a few meals on credit when I was broke, and I always agreed with the shopkeepers that I'd pay as soon as I had the funds! I merely owed them money; it wasn't like I refused to pay!"
He felt his reputation had been completely ruined in an instant.
Annoyed, he added, "Go ask around Silver Moon yourselves—didn't I repay them the moment I had money?"
"Have you ever actually had money?" someone scoffed.
Southern Fist froze. After a long moment, he cursed under his breath. Of course he had!
Who did they think they were looking down on?
Li Hao remained silent, lost in thought. Did the law truly apply differently depending on the person?
It wasn't quite like the present situation, where a single set of laws was applied in two contradictory ways.
Rather, if transcendents and common mortals were separated, supernatural law applied to transcendents while ordinary law applied to commoners. But when transcendents interfered in mortal affairs, which set of laws should govern them?
He sank into deep thought.
He had never pondered these questions before, yet today brought many reflections. Take Thunderbolt Leg, for instance: following the unspoken code of the martial world, he had vented his fury after defeat by slaughtering spectators.
From the martial world's perspective, Yuan Shuo saw nothing wrong with it.
Hou Xiaochen, however, believed it was intolerable and warranted arrest. That was why Thunderbolt Leg, seeing them here, had fled immediately after absorbing a wisp of sword energy without even caring about further benefits—he was clearly terrified of Hou Xiaochen.
After pondering for a while, Li Hao turned his gaze to the Martial Guard Army below, and then toward the nobles who had neither fled nor been executed.
He swept his eyes over the crowd and spoke after a long silence. "Those who have not been judged may leave. But those who fled... I will track down and bring to justice, every single one! Releasing you is the prerogative of the Night Patrollers. Fleeing... is a crime!"
Below, the nobles were stunned. They had assumed they were marked for death!
Yet... they were being released?
Could this be real?
Meanwhile, those who had fled were descendants of powerful nobles, yet Li Hao intended to hunt them down?
Everyone found it hard to believe!
Some were paralyzed with fear and dared not move. Others observed cautiously, and seeing that Li Hao ignored them, they carefully crept forward. In the next moment, they bolted into the distance, their eyes alight with wild joy!
Seeing that some had left first, the rest fled one after another...
Hou Xiaochen glanced at Li Hao. "Why didn't you kill them?"
Li Hao shook his head. "There's little point. The first batch was enough! I will deal with these people slowly in due time. Today's toll suffices. Letting them return will intimidate the rest, and it will also cause trouble for certain people..."
Li Hao chuckled and cast his gaze toward Nine Departments Avenue.
Finally, he looked at Hou Xiaochen. "Director, you should head back as well—back to Silver Moon! It is enough for me to remain here alone."
Hou Xiaochen frowned.
"You cannot manage alone!"
Li Hao said no more, turning his gaze toward the others. "I am endlessly grateful to all seniors for coming to my aid today! Last time, everyone left in a hurry. This time, please stay for a day or two. Once I finish the matters at hand, I will release some sword energy to help reinforce your five internal organs!"
With that, he glanced at Yuan Shuo.
Yuan Shuo's face was dark. Seeing his disciple look his way, as if knowing what Li Hao had in mind, he said indifferently, "You want me to impart the method of fusing intent? Aside from the Five Animals Breathing Art, none of it matters. It's merely a concept, not an actual concrete legacy... Do as you please!"
Except for the Five Animals Breathing Art, which he would not pass on, he didn't care about the rest.
They were just theoretical concepts.
Yet for the crowd, no matter how powerful the Five Animals Breathing Art was, it might not suit them. Instead, Yuan Shuo's concepts on fusing intent interested them immensely.
The moment these words fell, even Sky Sword, who had originally intended to leave, halted in his tracks and chose to stay.
Right at that moment, Black Panther suddenly appeared.
Having been absent all this time, Black Panther silently padded over to Li Hao's side. The dog's face was flushed with delight, but it made no sound, stealthily drawing close to Li Hao.
Li Hao glanced down, raised an eyebrow slightly, and said after a moment's thought, "Black Panther, hand over the belongings of the people Director Hou and the others killed!"
"*Woof, woof, woof!*"
Black Panther barked loudly!
Its canine face was full of reluctance and disbelief. *You're telling me to hand them over?*
Yes, it had run off to scavenge spoils.
Li Hao knew where it had gone. He hadn't gathered any spoils from the battlefield, but he knew nothing would be lost. Why? Because a dog had been watching the whole time, just as it always did.
Black Panther would never let a single scrap of benefit slip by.
During a fierce battle, who had the leisure to scavenge spoils?
Yet this fellow wouldn't miss a single one. No wonder it had vanished after stepping in briefly against the Transmutation experts at the very beginning—it had most likely been sweeping the battlefield the entire time.
The crowd turned to look at Black Panther one after another.
It had to be said that many powerful experts had died this time—fourteen in Divine Power alone. As for the Transmutation stage, counting Huang Long's group, a full nine had perished, along with numerous Rising Light experts.
Among them, figures like the Plain King were masters of princely manors.
Figures like the Heavenly Eye cultivator and Hu Xiao were overlords in their own right, and their possessions were guaranteed to be extraordinary. There was also the North Sea bandit leader who had plundered for decades, and the old Duke from the ducal manor...
Who among them wasn't wealthy enough to rival a nation?
At this moment, several people were indeed tempted. Southern Fist shot Li Hao several glances, looking as though he wanted to speak up—should they divide the spoils?
Naturally, Sky Sword and a few others paid no mind to such things. By now, the Nine Departments' side seemed to have fallen completely silent. Sky Sword watched for a while before remarking, "If we remain, we might be safe, or... we might face a joint encirclement from both sides!"
There were only two possibilities left. The Nine Departments would no longer move against Li Hao and his companions alone; otherwise, the imperial family would break free from their suppression—unless both factions reached a consensus.
These words cut Li Hao off.
Meanwhile, Black Panther seized the opportunity to bolt instantly.
Clearly, the dog was selfish and had no desire to share the loot.
Just as Li Hao was about to speak again, Hou Xiaochen frowned and said, "Never mind. If it took them, so be it. To us, whether it is divine energy stones or the Spring of Life, the effects are limited. What we need isn't this, but the path ahead!"
This was merely a trivial matter.
The truly significant issue lay elsewhere. He looked toward Hong Yitang, who had remained calm the entire time. After a moment's reflection, Hou Xiaochen spoke: "Brother Hong, how many supernatural locks did you shatter?"
Hong Yitang glanced at him and smiled. "Why inquire into my true state?"
"I want to see if you have confidence in recovering."
"It doesn't matter."
Hong Yitang replied placidly, "If not, I'll simply continue down the energy path. At least there is a clear way forward above. Once the five organs are strengthened, I can continue attempting three-element abilities, four-element abilities... There's no issue with that."
He was unwilling to say more.
Seeing this, Hou Xiaochen sighed and pressed no further.
At this stage, Li Hao, Hong Yitang, and Sky Sword were all in the same boat, having fully transformed into Divine Power cultivators. All three were top-tier experts and premier geniuses of the martial path, leaving him filled with an indescribable melancholy.
Yet Li Hao said nothing and asked nothing.
This time, he had actually prepared himself to face it all alone.
That so many powerhouses had come was beyond his expectations.
Of course, he had known some would arrive.
Even so, the arrival of Yao Si, Thunderbolt Leg, and the others was still surprising. The two from the Inspectorate were opportunists, and Li Hao didn't care much about them; their motives were fickle, so he paid them no mind.
As for himself, he had prepared to remain in Heavenly Star City for some time.
The situation here was intricate, and the emergence of so many Divine Power experts was unnatural in itself, signifying that these people possessed an abundance of the Spring of Life. What he currently saw was merely the surface.
Li Hao was certain there were ruins here, and quite a few at that.
Heavenly Star City might very well be the former Heavenly Star Town.
Rumor had it that an immense mine once existed here, garrisoned by troops. Battle Heaven City had mentioned that the 10th Heavenly Star Army once stationed this area before losing contact. At this point, Li Hao felt confident that this place was indeed the site of the Heavenly Star ruins.
He simply didn't know whether the Nine Departments and the imperial family were developing them together, or if each held their own ruins.
All manner of thoughts flashed through his mind.
Just as he was thinking, Hong Yitang spoke up: "Let's find a place to discuss the sensation of transforming into a supernatural... Leave this place to them for now; nothing will happen in the short term."
Li Hao was somewhat surprised, knowing the man had something to say.
He truly felt apologetic toward him this time.
The others raised no objections. Li Hao and Hong Yitang stepped into the air and vanished from the spot.
Once they were gone, Yuan Shuo finally let out a snort.
Displeasure welled in his heart!
*That fellow is at it again.*
Of course, Hong Yitang had completely unsealed himself for Li Hao's sake, which left Yuan Shuo feeling helpless. He had wanted to do so himself, only to be stopped by Hong Yitang.
Beside him, Jade Light Sword hadn't played much of a role this time, but she didn't mind too much. As long as Li Hao hadn't died, all was well. She sent a voice transmission: "Didn't you claim that the stronger your foes, the stronger you become?"
Yuan Shuo cursed under his breath!
He transmitted back, "What do you know?! If they had pushed me to the brink, it would have been an epochal battle! What the hell do you know?"
"You still have trump cards?"
"Nonsense! Who doesn't keep a few tricks up their sleeve?"
Yuan Shuo grumbled, yet thought to himself that perhaps... he should make more preparations. His disciple was growing increasingly unpredictable, and he couldn't always rely on external help.
...
By the seaside.
Hong Yitang didn't actually discuss any supernatural matters. Instead, he asked, "What is your goal in staying here?"
Li Hao shook his head. "I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Yeah."
Hong Yitang laughed out of exasperation. "Without knowing, you dared to act so recklessly? By causing such a stir, you've broken quite a few unspoken rules. For instance, Silver Moon was waiting for the various experts to enter Silver Moon, while the Nine Departments weren't prepared, nor was the imperial family... Furthermore, you gave everyone so little time that no one was truly ready." Li Hao also smiled. "Isn't that great?"
"You!"
Hong Yitang sighed with emotion, then added, "Even your master wasn't prepared. He has always held some confidence, and I generally know why. That fellow must have reached an agreement with a monster plant or monster beast... or perhaps he knew where one was, but hadn't excavated it yet... Judging from his recent performance, though, he might have dug one up recently..."
Li Hao thought about it and nodded. "Earlier, my master's five organs strengthened very rapidly. He might have dug up a monster plant in the Central Region, and there could be some agreement between them."
He had noticed it too.
When Yuan Shuo fused the five forces back then, he had absorbed a great deal of the Spring of Life. Li Hao hadn't provided it; Yuan Shuo had dug it up himself. He had likely unearthed a monster plant in the Central Region, and the two sides probably maintained contact.
However, cooperating with a monster plant was not necessarily a good thing.
Drawing out a monster plant could lead to unpredictable consequences.
Hong Yitang nodded as well, adding, "Heavenly Star is no benevolent place. Remaining here means being surrounded by wolves and tigers. The Nine Departments haven't fully revealed their underlying foundation either."
"Aren't the former directors their foundation?"
"Not necessarily."
Hong Yitang glanced toward Heavenly Star City. "The one from the Administrative Department never made a move. Only seven former directors took action. Aside from the Administrative Department, the former director of the Military Law Department didn't appear either... Those two are likely the strongest. The third strongest... should be that opportunistic old fellow."
"Him?"
The old man from the Inspectorate?
Li Hao pondered and nodded. The man was indeed formidable; he had slain King Chujiang the moment he appeared, yet took no further action afterward, making his depth hard to gauge. He hadn't coughed or displayed weakness, and... he felt more like a martial master. Li Hao had barely detected any luminous sphere within him.
Among the Nine Departments, there were both martial masters and supers. Hu Xiao was a super, whereas the old man from the Inspectorate resembled a martial master.
At their level, it was difficult for Li Hao to discern much, though pure supers were unmistakable to him, as their light spheres burned too brightly.
Hong Yitang offered a brief analysis before continuing, "Do you wish to reform this dynasty? Forgive my bluntness, but there is no hope—unless... you completely overthrow it and rebuild from scratch!"
"I never thought about reforming it."
Li Hao shook his head once more. "To be honest, I don't even know what I want. I simply feel indignant and unwilling, feeling that things are far too dark. I know my own capabilities; I don't have the power to do what you describe, to become some savior... That isn't realistic, nor is it what I seek!"
Li Hao thought for a moment, then added, "Put it this way: perhaps having seen Battle Heaven City and read some ancient texts... I feel that whether it is the supers or martial masters of this era, everyone is merely pursuing the path to personal power. It has nothing to do with ordinary people. If so... why drag them into it? Must there be war? Must they be exploited? Did ancient civilization grow powerful by exploiting defenseless commoners?"
He didn't understand!
Nor did he see the necessity.
Hong Yitang smiled and shook his head. "They aren't simply exploiting them; they want to extinguish the people's intellect and cultivate hundreds of millions of ignorant masses. The various factions aren't foolish; they know the value of popular sentiment. But why don't they foster it? Because it's too difficult!"
"Who could easily gain the genuine approval of billions of people?"
"Far too difficult!"
"Thus, there is a simpler method: make them ignorant, brainwash them, and strip them of independent thought. Once someone unifies the dynasty, a facade of popular support will emerge—a false will of the people..."
Seeing that Li Hao still didn't quite grasp it, he was forced to be more direct: "Do you know why they reduce the number of schools and constantly suppress the populace?"
"I don't."
"The hearts of the people!"
He explained further, "A Human King... relies on the hearts of the people! Ancient texts once recorded that to become a Human Sovereign or a Human King... one needs all minds united as one, with everyone acknowledging you. Only then can you wield boundless power, step onto a unique Grand Dao, and become a truly peerless expert!"
"Yet neither the Nine Departments nor the imperial family has the confidence to achieve this. Therefore, they wish for the people to remain ignorant and easily controlled, so that a Human King might eventually be birthed from among them!"
"..."
Li Hao froze, staring at Hong Yitang.
Hong Yitang smiled. "This way is far simpler. What else can be done? The world is in chaos, and no one dares guarantee they can treat billions of commoners benevolently and win their heartfelt devotion. That is beyond human capability. Since that is the case... of course they take the shortcut!"
This time, Li Hao understood!
His expression shifted. "You mean... this is all deliberate? The Nine Departments and the imperial family know the current situation, yet do this on purpose?"
"Nonsense!"
Hong Yitang chuckled. "The wise among them are far sharper than you! Of course they know everything, and of course they know the people are living in misery. But once the masses are kept ignorant, they become easy to control. It has been so since ancient times."
"A few years ago, Yun Haoran of Heavenly Star tried to accomplish something, only to die horribly in his own home shortly after. Do you think people don't know the benefits of popularizing certain advancements? Ancient civilization's technology was extraordinarily advanced! Once disseminated, daily necessities—clothing, food, shelter, travel—would see tremendous improvement. But when people grow intelligent and enlightened, they have too many ideas."
"Do not assume the high nobles are idiots who know nothing of this. They know full well; otherwise, why would they themselves study, learn to read, and cultivate?"
Hong Yitang looked at Li Hao and smiled. "So, the current state of affairs is precisely what all sides wish to see. Do you understand now?"
Li Hao nodded. After a moment of silence, he spoke: "Is there not a single faction that truly wants to become a Human King by earning the hearts of the people, rather than relying on keeping the public ignorant?"
"It is too hard!"
Hong Yitang sighed. "Truly far too hard—difficult as ascending to the heavens! Since ancient times, scarcely anyone has achieved it. It is not merely a question of martial might. It requires advancing society across every dimension—clothing, food, housing, travel, spiritual fulfillment, and material abundance! Li Hao, even if your martial power reaches the heavens, if you rule solely through force, you will eventually end up just like them... Do you understand what I mean?"
Back then, the Nine Departments had also tried to win the hearts of the people through various measures, only to abandon the effort in the end.
The dragon slayers turning into dragons—it wasn't that they were blind to it; they were keenly aware!
Yet sometimes, they had no choice but to walk that path, for the alternative lay impossibly far ahead, entirely out of reach.
If there was a shortcut... they might as well take it.
Li Hao considered it, then shook his head. "It truly is too difficult! Hearing you explain it, I know I'm not cut out for this. But Martial Uncle, you could give it a try..."
"Are you joking?"
Hong Yitang laughed at the thought. "Are you out of your mind? Managing a thousand-plus people already has my hair turning gray! When I think about managing ten thousand, a hundred thousand, a million... I scare myself to death! What's more, we aren't talking about ten thousand or a million, but hundreds of millions, tens of billions... To your ears, it's just a number, but in reality, it is terrifyingly boundless!"
Even he shuddered at the thought!
Thus, he could understand the dread felt by the Nine Departments and the imperial family; it was simply too daunting.
Li Hao frowned. "Then don't become a Human King—just follow your conscience! Perhaps one cannot satisfy everyone, but do what ought to be done, and refrain from what shouldn't. Why deliberately suppress people just to forcefully become a Human King?"
"Human hearts are greedy. When you know there's a chance to become a Human King and attain immortality, wouldn't you want it? As things stand, no matter how strong a Divine Power expert is, how long can they live? If you were offered three thousand or five thousand years of life, wouldn't you desire it? The older generation has aged. The former directors of the Nine Departments, for instance, are over a hundred years old. In this era, even if you reach Divine Power at that age, your physical body is too fragile and decrepit—you will still die of old age!"
*Extending lifespan?*
*Immortality?*
Li Hao pondered and smiled. "I haven't really considered such things yet."
"Exactly, which is why you can't understand. That is why those old directors crave it so desperately. When people grow old, they make mistakes. Even if they spent their lives fearless of death, once they truly age, they still fear mortality. Especially that sensation of knowing you are going to die of old age... It's unbearable. Even those former wise men cannot resist such temptation."
Li Hao listened attentively throughout, finally nodding. "I understand everything you've said, Martial Uncle Hong, and I grasp your meaning. In other words, unless we eliminate them, staying behind serves little purpose, right?"
"Correct!"
"Then let's eliminate them!"
Li Hao bared his teeth in a grin. "I think you're far better suited to be the Heavenly Star King than they are, Martial Uncle!"
Hong Yitang rolled his eyes. *Get lost!*
He wanted no part in that!
He had explained all this to Li Hao simply to help him see the essence of the matter: certain things could not be changed by a single person, no matter how strong, unless one became so overwhelmingly powerful that none of them could resist.
Li Hao continued, "Martial Uncle, one cannot become fat from a single mouthful! I understand what you mean, but we can take things slowly. If one year isn't enough, then ten; if ten years aren't enough, then a century... I think the ancient civilization was quite wonderful. Someone has to step forward and do these things!"
"If you won't do it, and I won't do it, and we only talk about how difficult it is... then of course it's difficult!"
He looked at Hong Yitang, smiling broadly. "I think of myself as just a martial artist. I can clear away some obstacles for you, Martial Uncle, and you can slowly expand Sword Gate. Start with the lowest echelon, then move to the slightly higher tiers, until you encompass the general public... Don't think about tens of billions of people right away. Let's aim for ten thousand first, then a hundred thousand, then a million... A million isn't that many. Take Silver City, for instance—I don't think it's that hard to help Silver City prosper so everyone has drive and purpose."
Hong Yitang had originally intended to lecture Li Hao, but now he froze slightly, his mind drifting.
*If you won't do it, and I won't do it, of course it's difficult.*
*Yet once you act, more people will follow in your footsteps.*
Just like this time: Li Hao had stood up in defiance, and so Yao Si stepped forward, and a few among the Night Patrollers ultimately stood up as well. Had Li Hao not stepped forward, would these people have appeared?
He had intended to dissuade Li Hao, yet in this moment, he found himself somewhat swayed by Li Hao's words.
After a silence, he nodded. "You are far more mature than before, with more independent thought. You're right: if you take action, people will naturally follow. Even if they don't, they will respect you and won't all stand in your way..."
At this moment, countless thoughts raced through his mind, and he suddenly remarked, "Silver Moon will inevitably see unrest sooner or later, and it will eventually become the center of the world, but not so quickly. For now, Heavenly Star has a firmer foundation; it is the core of the entire dynasty. Here, anything done is amplified!"
At this point, he gave a sudden laugh. "Making some changes in Heavenly Star City might cause them to ripple swiftly across the entire dynasty. Li Hao, I actually feel like staying behind now, to accumulate some experience here. What do you think?"
"Huh?"
Li Hao was taken aback. "You're not returning to Silver Moon, Martial Uncle?"
How sudden!
Hong Yitang nodded. "These days, I have also been reflecting and pondering. I realized my thinking was still too simplistic. Certain things are too difficult, and much of my experience was overly idealistic and impractical!"
"Furthermore, at times, it truly gives me a headache..."
He smiled bitterly. "For instance, I brought back some things from Battle Heaven City that I found very practical and advanced, yet some people in Sword Gate couldn't understand or appreciate them, continuing to go about things in their old ways... So after much thought, I realized they simply have too little knowledge and too little schooling. I want to rebuild the Heavenly Star Ancient Academy. First teach everyone to read, then start printing books and popularizing all of this..."
He continued, "First and foremost, fill their bellies! Once their bellies are full, better opportunities will follow. Once material needs are met, people will pursue spiritual fulfillment..."
Li Hao only half-understood, but listened intently.
Hong Yitang seemed to be convincing himself as well. Toward the end, he smiled. "The timing is just right. The hearts of the people are restless, the imperial family and the Nine Departments keep each other in check, and the Three Great Organizations and Seven Sacred Mountains are biding their time... If we make a move during this window, bolstered by the deterrence from our earlier battle that left them wary, we can actually accomplish something."
"It won't delay your cultivation, will it, Martial Uncle?"
Li Hao asked, and Hong Yitang smiled. "This is also cultivation—cultivating the heart. I thought you understood that."
"I do have some insights!"
Li Hao smiled as well. "Everything is cultivation. The essence of a martial master lies not in sheer force, but in the heart. Am I right, Martial Uncle?"
"Promising! That's why those mere brawny fighters only obsess over the difference between the martial path and the energy path... In reality, it doesn't matter; there is no difference!"
Hong Yitang chuckled. "To be frank, that you could advance so quickly in such a short time and gain so many insights comes as a pleasant surprise to me. Only pure brutes constantly fret over supers versus martial masters. You don't need to dwell on such things."
Li Hao nodded. "It doesn't bother me. Besides, my five organ locks are still intact. If I truly want to convert back, the opportunity remains."
"Don't obsess over converting back either,"
Hong Yitang said with a smile. "That's too deliberate! Just let nature take its course. Of course, if you can seal them, then seal them first. You've likely unlocked six supernatural locks—your four limbs, purple palace, and spine. Leave the five organs alone for now. Li Hao, you must understand that the human body possesses far more supernatural locks than just these. Furthermore... you can strengthen your supernatural abilities first before reconsidering the martial path. The Dao is not singular."
Li Hao nodded once more.
Every exchange with Hong Yitang yielded gains, and his mind felt far more settled now.
Hong Yitang never dwelt on specific cultivation methods, offering instead comfort akin to chicken soup for the soul. Yet truth be told, each conversation gave Li Hao fresh perspectives.
In reaching his current stage, the two people who had helped him most were probably his master and Hong Yitang—one a guiding beacon on the path of cultivation, the other a pillar of spiritual conviction.
As for Hong Yitang's decision to stay, Li Hao had no objections.
At worst, they would just fight again!
Who was afraid of whom?
He was no weakling now.
His adversaries knew his capabilities, but he had also gauged theirs. If they wanted to kill him now, they might not succeed.
If he didn't seize this opportunity to establish his authority and fled instead, it would make him look like a deserter.
Of course, he had to guard against their retaliation; his strength still needed to grow.
After exchanging a few more words with Hong Yitang, Li Hao began walking back alongside him. After a short distance, a thought struck Li Hao. "Martial Uncle, Ying Hongyue and the others haven't unsealed either. Why are they so much stronger?"
"Their saturation levels and the number of supernatural locks they've developed are different. Moreover, their physical bodies, blood vitality, and spiritual strength are all growing stronger. They are more well-rounded than us."
Li Hao understood.
...
The two spoke no further.
Meanwhile, news of the events in Heavenly Star City spread rapidly that day.
A massive number of Divine Power experts had fallen, the Nine Departments had suffered a rout, the North Sea King was slain, the Plain King had died in battle, and three hundred nobles had been beheaded...
Under the deliberate dissemination of certain parties, these revelations quietly rippled outward.
Silver Moon, in particular, broadcast every detail across the region without delay.
...
Inside White Moon City.
Kong Jie exhaled heavily. "Incredible! Just reading the intelligence makes me want to charge over myself. I never expected all of them to go. You should have had Old Huang bring me along!"
Director Zhao couldn't be bothered to respond.
What would your going accomplish?
You couldn't change anything anyway.
Kong Jie added, "It's a pity about Li Hao..."
"Not necessarily,"
Director Zhao said indifferently. "Stop lamenting this and pitying that all the time. What's wrong with being a super? There's nothing wrong with it! It's not that Silver Moon martial masters have inner strength superior to supernatural energy; it's that Silver Moon martial masters possess a different kind of heart. Would you say Eyebrow-Level Staff and Sky Sword count as martial masters?"
Kong Jie was momentarily stunned.
"Earth-Overturning Sword, on the other hand, sees things clearly!"
Director Zhao smiled. "Earth-Overturning Sword is far more broad-minded than the rest of you. In my view, among the martial masters of Silver Moon, in terms of sheer talent, he isn't first—Yuan Shuo is the strongest. But when it comes to the future... Yuan Shuo might not necessarily measure up to him!"
"Shortly after Li Hao took his first steps into the martial path, he spent a great deal of time around Earth-Overturning Sword and was heavily influenced by him. Otherwise, you wouldn't see the Li Hao of today. If he had only followed Yuan Shuo, Li Hao might have simply become the next Yuan Shuo—a martial overlord. But a martial overlord... has too narrow a perspective after all!"
He saw through things far better than most, seeing nothing wrong with the outcome.
Kong Jie frowned. "Then what about the Eight Great Cities...?"
"Do you think the ancient civilization was as short-sighted as you?"
Director Zhao couldn't be bothered to explain further. It was useless trying to make them understand. Still, this was fine!
At this moment, his anticipation for Li Hao had grown even stronger.
Chapter 222