Superpower and martial dao coexisting—that was Li Hao's current state.
The discussion among the martial masters had given Li Hao a good deal of inspiration. Those were all questions of martial arts, but his choice to stay in Heavenly Star City wasn't just for martial dao. There were other reasons as well, such as tempering the mind. Martial masters cultivated the mind; this was an insight Li Hao had gained recently.
Follow your true heart, and your force will naturally grow strong.
After turning things over in his mind for a while, Li Hao let out a soft breath, laid out a general plan of what to do next, and then looked at Black Panther.
Black Panther was looking right back at him.
"Still staring?" Li Hao rolled his eyes. "The seniors have already left. Why do you have to be so stingy?"
Before the others left, the dog hadn't brought out a single storage ring, terrified that someone might rob him!
In truth, aside from Southern Fist, who was obsessed with dividing the loot, no one else had any intention of doing so.
Black Panther barked repeatedly.
It seemed to be saying that it was doing this for Li Hao's own good. Over the past two days, Li Hao had burned through an enormous fortune, tossing divine energy stones around as if they were free. In the short time everyone had sat together discussing the dao, Li Hao had burned several hundred thousand divine energy stones.
There were too many martial masters, every one of them an expert, and the speed at which they absorbed energy was terrifying.
Right now, Li Hao wasn't short on money either. He had seized plenty during the previous clash.
This time was different, however. This time had involved true powerhouses, and many Divine Power experts had died. Li Hao wanted to see if these people possessed any exceptional treasures.
The dog spat out a collection of storage rings.
There weren't many this time—only a little over twenty in all.
Yet simply looking at these storage rings gave off a completely different feel; their quality and texture were far superior.
Li Hao casually picked up one, having no idea whose it was. Sending his divine intent inside to inspect it, he instantly sucked in a breath of cold air.
Whose was this?
There really weren't many divine energy stones—barely a dozen or so. Yes, just a dozen.
Yet every single stone felt far larger and more potent than the ones Hong Yitang had brought out back then. If Hong Yitang's stone could match three thousand regular ones, this single stone could match ten thousand.
Immensely dense energy was contained within, surging like flowing water.
Even if the total converted to just over a hundred thousand ordinary stones, high-tier divine energy stones like these couldn't be exchanged on a whim; you couldn't trade for them even if you wanted to. This was unequivocally retrieved from ruins, and top-tier ruins at that.
*True experts really are different!* Li Hao sighed inwardly.
There weren't many divine energy stones, nor was there much else in the ring. Aside from the stones, there was a small vial—the Spring of Life was practically standard equipment. Counting them, there were ten full drops. He had no idea who had brought it, but they hadn't even had the chance to use it before dying.
He continued inspecting the contents, and after a moment, his eyes flickered.
Besides ordinary cultivation supplies, there was one item in the storage ring that stood out conspicuously. He took it out to look: it seemed to be a piece of amber with a drop of blood-red liquid swirling inside. It resembled a phoenix, yet also looked like a giant roc...
"What is this?" Li Hao wondered.
Black Panther's nose twitched, and looking rather excited, it nudged Li Hao with its head.
Li Hao glanced at the dog.
"Woof, woof, woof!"
Black Panther barked impatiently, even going so far as to scratch a small cut on its own body, letting blood flow out...
A thought struck Li Hao. "Essence blood of a great demon?"
"Woof, woof, woof!"
Black Panther nodded vigorously!
Indeed, this was the blood of a great demon. It was unclear where the ring's owner had obtained or traded for it.
Li Hao inspected it and murmured with a flicker in his eyes, "Heavenly Roc Mountain, Phoenix Mountain..."
Both sacred mountains were dominated by avian demon beasts.
Currently, there didn't seem to be any extraordinarily powerful great demons on land, nor did there seem to be any in the water. Instead, two top-tier great demons had emerged among the flying demon tribes. It was hard to say whether the land and ocean beasts were merely keeping a low profile or if there was another reason.
This blood likely came from one of those two great demons.
The blood of the demon race could also temper and strengthen the physical body. Li Hao was well aware of this; when Yuan Shuo had bitten Black Panther's rump until it bled, it was to absorb blood and strengthen his five visceral organs.
"You want to eat it?"
"Woof!"
Black Panther nodded. As a great demon, hunting other demons had been an instinct since ancient times. If a demon's blood contained power, it was far more nourishing to Black Panther than even sword energy.
"Take it!"
Li Hao didn't dwell on who it had belonged to and tossed it to Black Panther, who swallowed it in one gulp.
Li Hao made a mental estimate. The ring had no name on it, but judging from some of the basic items inside, it might have belonged to the North Sea King. But if it was his, wasn't he far too poor? There were a few treasures, but they hardly matched his status as the foremost pirate of the North Sea!
*Could it be... he traded away his treasures to purchase an opportunity to step into Divine Power?*
Li Hao thought it through and arrived at an answer: that was likely it. If so, then these newly ascended Divine Power experts might all be impoverished, as advancing to Divine Power undoubtedly came at a steep cost.
At this thought, Li Hao felt a sharp pang of regret.
What a shame! Otherwise, how could the grand foremost pirate of the North Sea be so broke?
He continued inspecting the rings, and the more he looked, the more stunned he became.
*Damn! These bastards are loaded.*
The North Sea King's storage ring lacked treasures, but the one Li Hao was examining now in all likelihood belonged to the Plain King. As one of the Imperial Family's Nine Kings, the treasures in this man's storage ring dazzled Li Hao's eyes!
Setting aside divine energy stones—there were so many large chunks that Li Hao couldn't even be bothered to count them, likely because the imperial family had excavated the Heavenly Star City ruins, which sat atop a colossal ore vein that powered the eight ancient cities—the key was that the Plain King's ring held a vast collection of books. Li Hao flipped through one at random, only to find it was a martial secret art.
The man who had founded the Martial Guard Army had also delved deeply into the martial dao.
He appeared to have been quite the scholar. With a cursory glance, Li Hao spotted no fewer than a hundred secret art manuals, and anything worth keeping in this man's collection was extraordinary. Li Hao even spotted several secret arts renowned throughout the Silver Moon martial arts world.
"Iron Cloth Armor... Grass-Skimming Flight..."
His eyes narrowed. The master of Grass-Skimming Flight was Wu Xinghong, the grandfather of Wu Chao. It was said that Feitian had wiped out the family years ago to steal their secret art, yet here it was in the Plain King's storage ring.
*Did the Plain King hire Feitian, or was he simply one of their financial backers behind the scenes?*
Li Hao pondered this, and his thoughts drifted to Willow Catkin Sword. Was his death connected to the Plain King as well? This fellow seemed to have been plundering Silver Moon's secret arts.
Li Hao scanned through them one by one. There were numerous secret arts, including the Piercing Foot Art of the Piercing Foot Sect. Its most prominent figure was Lady Bai, who had married into the Bai family, the former castellans of Silver Moon City.
Did that mean Lady Bai had offered this up willingly? The Bai family truly had ties with the imperial family after all, even handing over their sect's secret art. And his senior sister's husband, Hu Dingfang, had ties to the Bai family as well...
Li Hao frowned slightly, deciding not to dwell on it for now.
In addition to secret arts, the Plain King's storage ring contained sets of black armor. They looked similar to his own black armor, but felt somewhat different. Li Hao immediately thought of the imperial family's Black Armor Army! These were clearly armors of the Black Armor Army—around three hundred suits in total.
At present, Li Hao also had a thousand suits of Sky Breaker armor in his possession.
***
He went through the storage rings one after another.
After an unknown amount of time, Li Hao took a deep breath. Setting aside the other treasures, a golden booklet appeared in his hand. Among all the spoils, this was the item that drew his attention the most.
It came from Hu Xiao's storage ring.
A moment later, another golden booklet appeared in his other hand, nearly identical to the first. This one came from Old Duke Xu.
Two golden booklets! Almost identical.
Yet there were slight differences. Both carried an ancient aura, and large characters were inscribed upon them.
*Origin Combat Method: Attack.*
Beneath it ran a line of smaller characters: *Authored by the Chen Family of Neo-Martial.*
The Chen family. The Chen family of Neo-Martial.
Li Hao's heart stirred. He knew of an expert surnamed Chen—Director Chen, who had written the foundational sword manual and excelled in the Stream Sword Art. Was this Chen family of the Origin Combat Method the same one? Were they of the same lineage?
Was this the combat method those old directors had deployed earlier?
As thoughts raced through his mind, he turned his gaze to the second golden booklet: *Origin Combat Method: Sunder.*
Beneath it was another line of small characters: *Authored by the Jiang Family of Neo-Martial.*
Evidently, these origin combat methods were not left behind by a single family, but by various clans. Yet one had been in the hands of the old duke, while the other was on Hu Xiao, and the other directors might possess some as well.
Li Hao was somewhat puzzled. Had they explored the very same ruin? Otherwise, why would the Duke of Dingguo's Residence in the east possess one?
Carrying these doubts, he flipped open a page of the golden booklet. In the next instant, he felt as if he had been pulled inside. His vision blurred, and a supremely formidable figure appeared before him, terrifyingly powerful beyond belief!
"The Jiang Family's Sunder formula: nothing it cannot break, nothing it cannot accomplish! This king bears the title Battle King, the Human Race's King of War!"
An ancient voice echoed through Li Hao's mind.
Battle King!
An ancient expert! In the next breath, his mind roared as heaven and earth shattered. The character "Sunder" manifested, traced in blood and driven by the dao, reducing all things to dust.
Li Hao blinked, returning once more to reality.
The Battle King. The Jiang family. The Sunder formula!
The golden booklets were ancient martial inheritances.
He felt deeply shaken. Compared to what this figure had displayed, the techniques those old directors had exhibited were practically... trash! A complete disgrace to the combat method!
*Master said these were combat methods from the ancient sacred ground of Zhenxing City. Last time, Xu Qing told me the Xu family had excavated Zhenxing City... So what was the story with the Nine Departments? Did they seize things from the Xu family, or did the Nine Departments and the Xu family explore it together?*
Li Hao was puzzled, though he broadly understood now that these combat methods likely originated from Zhenxing City. But why did the Nine Departments have them?
*Martial Arts Universities!* A thought suddenly struck him.
Yes! The records in Battle Heaven City said that the Martial Arts Universities of that era encompassed nearly all martial arts. When the top experts of old created a secret art, it would be swiftly popularized rather than hoarded in secret. In that case, finding secret arts anywhere would be perfectly normal. However... there might well be a powerful Martial Arts University on Heavenly Star Island.
*Two top-tier secret arts...*
Li Hao felt a surge of excitement, but then frowned slightly. Could he learn them? These seemed to belong to the martial path—no, to the origin path—and might not suit him very well. When the old directors used them, they were powerful, yet completely lacked that sense of absolute invincibility.
"I'll know once I test them later."
Li Hao looked at the two golden booklets, his excitement lingering. There might be more than just two; perhaps there were others.
"Woof, woof!"
Black Panther barked, as if asking Li Hao whether the haul was good.
Li Hao chuckled. "A huge haul... Over five million divine energy stones. Not many Origin God Armaments, only a dozen or so, but the lowest are Mysterious tier, with a few Earth tier as well... The Spring of Life isn't too plentiful, just around fifty drops, plus countless miscellaneous items... Happy?"
"Woof, woof, woof!"
Black Panther looked bewildered, as if asking why there was so little.
Li Hao replied helplessly, "Don't look at me. The other new Divine Power experts were practically paupers. Only Hu Xiao and the old duke had real wealth."
Even if they were paupers, they were Divine Power paupers—still quite wealthy!
Strictly speaking, though, that bastard Huang Long had more divine energy stones in his storage ring than any of them. Huang Long alone had contributed around eight hundred thousand stones. That grandson was far too skilled at raking in money!
Li Hao calculated that, combined with the nearly two million stones he already had, his total divine energy stones had exceeded seven million.
He had given away twenty Origin God Armaments earlier, but instead of decreasing, his stash had grown to over forty, all of high quality. As for life essence, Li Hao had gifted some to the senior masters and hadn't kept much for himself, but this harvest had yielded over fifty drops, making him wealthy again in an instant.
Not to mention the two golden booklets and hundreds of secret art manuals.
Aside from those, there were numerous suits of ancient armor. In addition to the Plain King's collection, the old duke's storage ring contained a thousand suits of Sky Breaker armor, giving Li Hao two thousand suits of Sky Breaker armor all at once. He was a member of the Battle Heaven Army, yet the armor he held the most of was Sky Breaker armor.
"Way too many divine energy stones..." Li Hao scratched his head. Having so many was almost useless! Even if he burned sword energy every day, he couldn't use them up.
Besides, the little sword's appetite had grown picky; it barely seemed willing to absorb ordinary divine energy stones anymore. High-grade ones were fine, but it turned its nose up at low-grade ones.
*The little tree... General Huai!*
Li Hao's heart stirred. He thought of General Huai in Battle Heaven City, and of the little tree.
When he left Battle Heaven City last time, Director Wang told him the city lacked life energy unless General Huai revived, but the general couldn't awaken because he required too much energy. The little tree was likely not as powerful as General Huai, yet even the little tree needed an immense amount of energy to recover, let alone General Huai.
Back then, Li Hao had nearly cried over losing a few dozen divine energy stones, reluctant to supply any more. But now... he was holding seven million divine energy stones!
Li Hao stroked his chin. *If I return to Battle Heaven City now... can I revive the city?*
With seven million, he was practically a tycoon, wasn't he?
Of course, if he went to find the little tree now... the little tree should require less. General Huai was hard to say, but the little tree might truly make a full recovery.
Thoughts flashed through his head one after another. Then, three red spheres materialized in his hand, causing Li Hao to lose himself in thought.
These were Blood God Seeds!
Belonging to the three elders, they were extremely formidable. They hadn't reached the Divine Power level, but were likely at the peak of the Rising Light Transmutation stage. Li Hao hadn't obtained these himself; Sky Sword had tossed them to him.
Among the three elders, Sky Sword had killed one. Although Li Hao killed the other two, he hadn't paid attention to the blood shadows at the time. The shadows seemed to have entered Sky Sword's body, and the man was so ferocious that he hadn't even appeared to notice being invaded by three blood shadows. Later, they had all condensed into Blood God Seeds.
Originally, Li Hao had wanted to obtain one, but after transitioning to Divine Power, he had lost interest. Yet now that he had them... should he make a trip back?
Whether it was the little tree, Battle Heaven City, or the Bagua diagram in Silver City... they were all in Silver Moon!
And now, holding colossal wealth, perhaps... it was time to make a trip back.
*Yang Shan hasn't returned yet... but he should be back soon.*
Yang Shan was only in the Transmutation stage. Li Hao had started killing people the day Yang Shan left, and barely four days had passed since. The man might not have even reached the North Sea yet in four days... Who knew if he had received word that the North Sea King was dead and the previous agreement was naturally void?
*Perhaps I should visit Battle Heaven City...*
Li Hao pondered. He could have a chat with Director Wang. The division commander in the army was out of the question—he seemed to look down on Li Hao—but Director Wang was very easy to talk to. Now that he had money, he could consult him on various matters upon returning.
Of course, now that he had become a supernatural, he wasn't sure if Battle Heaven City would still let him enter.
Besides, staying here was still rather perilous. It would be best to advance further, and even if he couldn't, he should gather some treasures to see if he could help the others advance.
One thought followed another in rapid succession.
Just as he was pondering, a knock came at the door.
"Commander!"
Mu Lin's voice sounded. Li Hao was surprised; he had explicitly instructed not to disturb him unless something happened.
"What is it?"
"Someone wants to see you."
"Who?"
"A young girl. She said that on the day you arrived, you gave her two hundred star coins and that she's an acquaintance of yours..."
Li Hao paused, then remembered. He couldn't help drifting into thought. *What's going on? Were the coins I gave her counterfeit? That shouldn't be possible. Or did she recognize me, realize I'm a big shot, and come trying to claim some connection? But... I only rode her bicycle for a little while. That's hardly enough to build a relationship, is it?*
Outside the door, Mu Lin was still waiting. Normally, he wouldn't bother Li Hao, but the person claimed to be an acquaintance, and Li Hao had given her two hundred star coins...
Mu Lin's thoughts were already veering into dangerous territory!
Under what circumstances would someone hand over two hundred star coins? To a young girl... who looked no older than fifteen or sixteen.
Li Hao was that kind of person? Good heavens! And now she was knocking on the door... Could it be...
Some things shouldn't be examined too closely. After all, why would anyone give away two hundred star coins for no reason? Li Hao was notoriously stingy—generous with cultivation resources, but ruthlessly tightfisted when it came to ordinary currency. Rumor had it he was always broke; for him to give someone two hundred star coins, the sun must have risen in the west.
"Commander!" Mu Lin called out again.
Li Hao waved a hand, and the door swung open. Looking puzzled, he asked, "Did she say why she wants to see me?"
"No, just that she has an important matter to discuss with the commander..." Mu Lin said offhandedly, "You really gave her two hundred star coins? She wasn't lying?"
"Yeah, that happened." Li Hao nodded.
Mu Lin understood, sighing internally. *What a beast! She looks barely fifteen or sixteen.*
Li Hao didn't think much of it. What was wrong with two hundred star coins? He had simply been generous for once. He was just surprised that she had tracked him down. After a brief pause, he didn't have Mu Lin turn her away, standing up instead. "Let's go take a look. Did I give her fake money last time?"
Mu Lin said nothing, trailing quietly behind him, his mind already churning through countless scenarios... and... *It couldn't be... could it? Is the commander going to have a child? Though, that might not be a bad thing. Still, we have to make sure it's actually his. Yes! Li Hao is so young; this matter must be taken seriously.*
"Brother Er Mu, what are you daydreaming about?"
"Huh?"
"I asked you a question!"
"What?"
Li Hao was speechless. What was wrong with Mu Lin?
"I asked, was there any movement in the city today? How are things on the Nine Departments' side?"
"No, nothing... The Night Patrol asserted its authority, and the Nine Departments have remained silent. No movement so far."
"Mm." Li Hao nodded and asked no further. Was Mu Lin distracted because Golden Spear had left?
He walked outside. Here in North City, the compound previously garrisoned by the city guards had been requisitioned by them and was now serving as the temporary Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office.
In truth, Li Hao ought to have established a Heavenly Star Viceroy's Office, but strictly speaking, a viceroy's office would fall under the imperial family's jurisdiction. He hadn't bothered; a governor-general's office was better, falling solely under the Night Patrol's jurisdiction. Since the Night Patrol was his own territory, the rank was slightly lower, but it avoided imperial oversight.
At that moment, outside the courtyard, a girl was waiting anxiously. Some Martial Guard soldiers had invited her inside, but she refused to enter, waiting stubbornly outside the gates.
Meanwhile, several martial masters in the Martial Guard Army were exchanging gossipy glances.
A girl, looking for Li Hao. Very young, claiming Li Hao had given her two hundred star coins... The news was already spreading through the Martial Guard Army. In the distance, one could even faintly spot Chief Steward Yu, though it was unclear whether Hou Xiaochen had sent him to indulge in the gossip.
Li Hao hadn't realized what they were thinking yet. Had he known, he would have beaten a few of them to death to set an example! Slandering his good name!
***
When Yuqi saw Li Hao, she was thrilled and visibly agitated.
From a distance, she hurried over, her face a mix of joy and nervousness. "Um... Lord... Lord Li, do you still remember me? The one who accompanied you to Nine Departments Avenue last time... I even said that if my lord ever needed anything in the future, you could find me in East City anytime. My name is Yuqi..."
Li Hao nodded. Of course he remembered; his memory wasn't that terrible.
Behind him, Mu Lin's gaze grew even more conflicted. *Find you anytime he needs something... truly... incredible.*
"Yuqi, right? I remember!" Li Hao laughed. "The money I gave you last time wasn't counterfeit, was it? Surely not. Those star coins weren't mine anyway; I got them from killing people. If they're fake, I'll make it up to you..."
"No, no!" Yuqi shook her head frantically. Why would he think that?
"My lord, I came to find you about an important matter..."
"Don't call me 'my lord.' Just call me Big Brother!" Li Hao said casually. Seeing many people looking their way, he was puzzled. What were they staring at? Could he not have an acquaintance?
When he sensed the gossiping looks, understanding faintly dawned on him. He turned to glance at Mu Lin, noticing the disbelief in Mu Lin's eyes, an expression practically screaming that Li Hao was a monster...
Li Hao understood!
Maintaining a calm exterior, Li Hao chuckled. "Come, let's talk inside. Last time you rode your bicycle to take me to the Night Patrol headquarters, and I didn't even get to properly thank you. Earning a living independently at such a young age isn't easy!"
The moment those words landed, everyone froze.
Riding a bicycle? Giving a ride?
Just that?
That was it?!
Mu Lin was taken aback as well. *It wasn't what I thought?*
Li Hao clapped Mu Lin on the shoulder. "Brother Er Mu, stop daydreaming. Go get back to your duties!"
"Oh, right, right! Okay!" Mu Lin nodded hurriedly.
Li Hao led Yuqi inside.
Just as they stepped through the door, Mu Lin suddenly felt a stinging pain across his body. An instant later, he let out a sharp cry, giving the surrounding Martial Guard soldiers quite a fright, thinking enemies had launched an ambush.
Mu Lin waved his hands frantically. At that moment, his hair stood completely on end as crackles of lightning burst across it, styling it straight up.
Numb from the electricity, Mu Lin gave a bitter smile. Did he even need to ask who had done this? Remarkable! The moment Li Hao had patted his shoulder, supernatural energy had probably slipped into his body, only detonating after the man walked away, nearly charring him crisp.
*The little girl's phrasing was ambiguous... Why zap me?*
He knew full well Li Hao had seen through his thoughts and was exacting petty revenge. What a narrow-minded fellow!
***
Inside the hall.
Li Hao smiled, looked at Yuqi, and said casually, "Sit down. What brings you to see me?"
"My lord..."
Seeing that she wouldn't change how she addressed him, Li Hao dropped the subject.
"I... I have an accusation to make!"
An accusation?
Li Hao was surprised. After thinking it over, he asked, "Did someone withhold your payment for giving them a bicycle ride?"
What else could it be?
Yuqi felt a bit exasperated. How could that be? Besides, when it came to giving rides on a bicycle, only he would ever take one. Who else would be so foolish... so generous!
Yuqi looked around cautiously. Seeing her furtive demeanor, Li Hao couldn't help but chuckle. What was she doing?
"This is my territory. There are no outsiders here, and even the Nine Departments have no authority here! If you want to accuse someone, just say it. I happen to be looking for someone to kill to establish my authority. Of course, if it's a minor figure, I'll let others in the governor-general's office handle it..."
Yuqi blurted out, "It's important figures!"
"Important figures?"
Yuqi didn't beat around the bush any longer. Since she had come all this way, she naturally hoped to gain Li Hao's help.
She said urgently, "My lord, I want to accuse many people—princes of the imperial family, high officials of the Nine Departments, the director of the Heavenly Star Superpower Academy, and... and high officials of the Inspectorate!"
Gritting her teeth, she continued, "I accuse them of slaughtering the innocent and robbing others by force!"
Li Hao's brow furrowed slightly.
He looked at Yuqi. She was just an ordinary person, and a child at that. Judging by her attire, she wasn't well-off, and last time she had been hauling passengers to earn money. How could an ordinary person like her accuse princes, academy directors, and high officials of the Nine Departments?
He watched her with knitted brows. Yuqi gritted her teeth once more. "There... there's a reward! As long as my lord is willing to uphold justice for me, I'll... I'll tell you the location of a ruin!"
Li Hao's interest was piqued. "A ruin? You know of a ruin?"
"Of course!"
Yuqi threw caution to the wind. Gritting her teeth, she lowered her head, not daring to look at Li Hao. "I know the location of a ruin, and this ruin... is different from ordinary ones. Most ruins are sites of martial arts sects, armies, or clans, but this one... seems to be... seems to be a university dedicated to research and development from the ancient civilization. Not a martial arts university, but likely a research institute or academy of studies.
"As long as my lord is willing to uphold justice for me, I will tell you where it is and how to enter..."
She was truly risking everything. Looking up at Li Hao, she pleaded, "I... I didn't dare tell anyone else, but I believe my lord is a good person. In the entire dynasty, perhaps only my lord would be willing to seek justice for me, to seek justice for the Yun family!"
The Yun family?
Li Hao thought of someone: Yun Yao. Of course, the thought only flashed by.
He looked at Yuqi, his brows knitting as he said, "Tell me the details. What happened?"
"I... I am Yun Yuqi of the Yun family's third generation. My grandfather was Yun Haoran, director of the Heavenly Star Ancient Academy. Five years ago, my grandfather was murdered at home. Killed along with him were my grandmother, eldest uncle, eldest aunt, third uncle, third aunt, my parents, and my youngest aunt..."
She lowered her head, biting her lip. "Those people originally had no intention of sparing anyone, but my grandfather used a special method to... to hide me! My entire family was slaughtered by them. Not only did they kill my grandfather, they tried to force him to reveal the location of that ruin. My grandfather refused to tell them, and after a fierce struggle, he met a tragic end!
"Killing my grandfather wasn't enough for them; they killed many others as well—instructors from the ancient academy, and many students were murdered too. To the outside world, they simply claimed everyone was killed by the Three Great Organizations.
"I know who took part. That day, when my grandfather fought them, he shouted several of their names..."
Li Hao's face darkened. After a long silence, he said, "The Yun family... Yun Haoran, the Heavenly Star Ancient Academy..."
He seemed to vaguely remember hearing that name. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly said, "Uncle Hong mentioned him once before, though I didn't pay much attention at the time. Now I remember. A few years ago, Yun Haoran... the Haoran Research Institute..."
A thought struck him. "Was there a Haoran Research Institute? It recruited students across several ancient academies... but closed down not long after. I remember a few years ago at the Silver City Ancient Academy, people mentioned that there was a Haoran Research Institute in the capital, a dream sanctuary of research for many, yet it shut down shortly after being established..."
He remembered!
Yuqi nodded hurriedly. "Yes! My grandfather established it. Originally, he wanted to recruit people of insight across the world to promote and popularize certain technologies together. But later... my grandfather died, and the research institute was abandoned. It has been five years now."
Li Hao suddenly felt that fate was truly marvelous.
When he entered the ancient academy, the research institute had already collapsed, but people in the academy were still discussing it. The news was evidently delayed; it had felt like it happened not long ago, yet the man's entire family had been slaughtered five years ago.
No, a granddaughter had survived.
At this moment, Li Hao didn't understand the full picture. He was somewhat puzzled. Why would all these important figures gang up to kill the director of an ancient academy? For what?
Earlier, Hong Yitang had mentioned in passing that this man seemed dedicated to promoting certain initiatives, but after he died, everything came to an abrupt halt.
Seeing Li Hao appear somewhat bewildered, Yuqi knew he probably didn't understand the significance. Gritting her teeth, she said urgently, "You might not know of my grandfather's deeds, but you have definitely used the products he developed.
"The electric lights and the electrical power grid you use today were promoted by my grandfather fifteen years ago. And the automobiles and trains today... they are all products of the research institute. Even the messaging jade system, the communication networks... nearly all of them were promoted by my grandfather!
"My grandfather said that by first improving the dynasty's transportation and communications, the dynasty could be rapidly integrated, allowing information to spread quickly. It would make it easier for the general public to receive new knowledge and enable population mobility... It would make commerce flourish, allowing people from remote regions to enter big cities quickly, achieving population exchange..."
She couldn't explain it very clearly, speaking somewhat vaguely. "Later, five years ago, my grandfather wanted to unite the ancient academies across the realm to carry out educational reforms... But not long after, he was murdered... Those people were unwilling to let my grandfather continue!
"What's more, many technologies were stolen and locked away by them. They refused to allow these technologies to be widely popularized!"
At this, Li Hao felt shaken.
He couldn't help saying, "You're saying... the current electrical system and transportation system were both popularized by your grandfather?"
"Yes!"
Li Hao sucked in a breath. To be honest, he truly hadn't known what Yun Haoran did, and it wasn't due to ignorance.
Practically no one ever spoke of that name.
The fact that he had even heard of it was already impressive.
Yet hearing Yuqi's words gave Li Hao an unreal feeling. So... he had crossed paths with the man's legacy long ago. Electricity could be considered a monumental leap for the entire dynasty. With electricity, so many things had changed. And with vehicles, travel became far simpler. Li Hao remembered that for a time, roads were being paved rapidly everywhere, as if aiming to connect the entire dynasty. To think it was all related to Yun Haoran.
After a dazed moment, he frowned.
He instantly understood why the imperial family and the Nine Departments had killed him!
He had just discussed this with Hong Yitang earlier. Hong Yitang had said that the rulers wanted the populace to remain ignorant, not enlightened. But with advanced communications and transportation, information spread rapidly, and people moved freely. When that happened, even citizens in remote areas would quickly become enlightened.
And if an educational reform was launched on top of that and succeeded... how could they keep the populace in the dark?
If Yun Haoran didn't die, who would?
Li Hao's brow furrowed. This matter would be very difficult to resolve.
He had just fought a major battle against the Nine Departments, and they were barely maintaining a fragile peace. Now, even the imperial family was implicated. If he launched an investigation now, it would be equivalent to forcing them to unite against him!
It would be suicide!
Currently, the imperial family and the Nine Departments were keeping each other in check, which gave Li Hao room to maneuver. But if Li Hao harbored thoughts of overturning Yun Haoran's case and seeking vengeance for him... that would truly be courting death.
He also recalled Hong Yitang mentioning that he wanted to enter the Heavenly Star Ancient Academy—the ancient academy, not the superpower academy. Hong Yitang seemed to hope to gain some inspiration from the ancient academy; he must know of Yun Haoran.
Li Hao remained silent for a moment. "Do you have evidence?"
"Yes!"
Yuqi looked at Li Hao. "I have... very clear recordings! You might not know what that is; it's a device that records your every action completely. It was actually being promoted back then, but was later wiped out..."
Li Hao's heart stirred. "Like surveillance cameras?"
"Yes!" She looked puzzled. "How do you know?"
"Silver Moon has surveillance equipment... Of course I know."
Yuqi was surprised. "Silver Moon has them? But ever since my grandfather died five years ago, those things—those technologies—were banned from spreading. Even existing ones were destroyed. That was an imperial order!"
"The dynasty can't reach Silver Moon!"
Li Hao smiled, somewhat surprised. To think that what was circulating in Silver Moon was actually forbidden technology! Of course, there were very few in Silver Moon as well; only the Inspectorate had some, while almost nowhere else did. It turned out they had been destroyed.
"Where are the recordings?"
"Has my lord agreed to seek justice for me?"
Li Hao felt a headache coming on. "This matter... is very difficult to handle. I'd love to just wipe them all out in one breath, but as you know, that's impossible. I don't have that kind of strength yet... But I accept your accusation!"
Yuqi looked somewhat crestfallen. "Can my lord... not do it either?"
"The Nine Departments and the imperial family are allied on this!"
Li Hao no longer treated her as an ignorant child, sighing, "On my own, even with Silver Moon behind me, I can't take them on. Of course, anything is possible. How about this: it seems you don't entirely trust me, so keep the items safe for now. I'll look through some records and understand the details first."
This was no small matter.
Li Hao suspected that the moment he stepped into this, it would provoke a combined backlash from both the Nine Departments and the imperial family. Hong Yitang entering the Heavenly Star Ancient Academy would also become a massive issue.
However, the Nine Departments and the imperial family might not care too much right now, because many things were lacking, and Hong Yitang was not Yun Haoran. For instance, the development of key technologies, the shortage of talent... Even if Hong Yitang founded another ancient academy, he couldn't reach that stage.
And the ruin Yuqi mentioned might be the true key to it all.
Yuqi felt downcast, but she also knew how difficult it was. Forcing a smile, she said, "It doesn't matter, my lord... I'm just... just unwilling to let it go, though I know it's extraordinarily difficult... It's just that with my lord, there's a sliver of hope. Otherwise, no one will ever avenge my Yun family."
Li Hao consoled her, "Rest assured, if things are truly as you say, I will certainly weigh the matter. But it takes time!"
Pausing, he added, "Does anyone know your identity?"
"No."
"Then... you should stay here for now. Coming here today, you've likely drawn a lot of attention. If they dig deep enough, they might uncover your identity..."
"I..."
Yuqi wanted to go back, but on second thought, Li Hao was right. Going back might implicate her younger brother and others. Moreover, aside from Li Hao, there truly wasn't anyone else who could help her.
After thinking it over, Yuqi added, "My lord, if you want to know the location of the ruin, I can tell you. But... we might not be able to enter right now. The ruin should have a key, but we can't get in because the key is lost. I don't know if the Nine Departments or the imperial family took it... They don't know where the ruin is; only I know."
She made things clear to prevent Li Hao from thinking she was deceiving him, which would cause trouble.
Li Hao didn't mind. "No problem, there's no rush!"
He truly wasn't overly concerned; his priority was advancing his martial dao. Of course, obtaining research achievements from the ancient civilization would be even better, as they might provide immense assistance to Hong Yitang's future plans.
Afterward, Li Hao summoned Xie Lan of the Jade Sword Sect to arrange accommodations for the girl, simply saying she was here to help with cleaning and tidying up...
Well, the gazes the Martial Guard soldiers directed at him were once again filled with animalistic shock. Li Hao felt these people were sorely in need of a beating!
Had they forgotten that the very first time he visited the Martial Guard Army, he had thrashed them thoroughly?
Chapter 224