A Major Client

Having escaped the division commander's office, Li Hao let out a sigh of relief. The pressure had been immense! Even after stepping into the Divine Power Realm, the sensation remained the same. So the instant the division commander told him he could leave, Li Hao had bolted without hesitation. Director Wang was much better after all! Director Wang answered whatever was asked, even if he was occasionally reluctant to share. *** Logistics Department. The silver logistics officer was playing dead again, only seeming to revive once Li Hao stepped through the door. This was an old acquaintance—Deputy Director Zhang Liang of the Logistics Department. Word had it that the former director had perished long ago, but unfortunately, the entire city had fallen into ruin before Zhang Liang had the chance to get promoted. "Commander Li!" "Director Zhang!" "*Deputy* Director!" "Deputy Director Zhang!" Li Hao readily obliged with a bright smile. Zhang Liang was desperate for a promotion, yet insisted on being addressed as deputy. It was truly pitiful. But with the city still dormant, any hope of advancement was out of the question. "The division commander just sent word. I hear you seized some good items outside?" Li Hao nodded and produced the sets of armor. Zhang Liang examined them for a moment and said casually, "Void Breaking armor and Heavenly Star armor—both are merely standard-issue armors. I thought you'd brought something special." These pieces were standard military issue, so they indeed weren't considered treasures. Two thousand three hundred sets weren't worth much to Battle Heaven City. Li Hao, however, was beaming. "Can I exchange them for Battle Heaven armor?" "Of course." With a wave of his hand, Zhang Liang collected all the armor. His voice pulsed: "They're all uniform standard gear with fundamentally similar construction. The only differences among the various branches are the coloration and the integrated systems. If the need arises, they can be formatted and reconfigured uniformly, which facilitates joint operations between the armies!" "You want Battle Heaven armor?" "Yes." "An equal exchange." As Zhang Liang went to fetch the gear, Li Hao hurriedly said, "Director Zhang..." "*Deputy* Director!" "Right, right, Deputy Director Zhang." Li Hao quickly corrected himself. "Let me ask you something. Since I'm a regiment commander in the Battle Heaven Army, can I directly activate this equipment?" "No." Zhang Liang shook his head. "Different branches belong to different armies; you cannot command across military branches! Of course, that depends on rank. You're merely a regiment commander, so you have no authority to command troops from another military district! But if you were an army commander—say, the Army Commander of the Battle Heaven Army... once your rank reaches that level, you can naturally reach across armies to make adjustments and mobilize troops. Whether it's the Heavenly Star Army or the Void Breaking Army, both are only minor military districts. The Battle Heaven Army is a major military district, so their commanders must obey orders from the Battle Heaven Army." *Incredible!* Li Hao calculated his path. His next rank was division commander, followed by reserve guard corps commander, and above that was army commander... The gap didn't seem all that huge, did it? Just three ranks! Wait... what about deputy positions? Counting deputy posts, that made six ranks. Was it really that simple? Of course not. Li Hao needed ten thousand points of military merit to be promoted to division commander. A corps commander would take at least a hundred thousand, and an army commander had to require over a million... In truth, upon reaching that stage, military merit alone would not suffice. Earlier, killing a Rising Light gave ten points of military merit, while killing a Divine Power should yield around a hundred, right? Li Hao did the math. Well, maybe if he killed ten thousand Divine Power combatants, he could make army commander! He had originally hoped that being a regiment commander might allow him to access the Heavenly Star Army's network, giving him a smooth entry into the imperial family's Black Armor Army. Seeing that this avenue was closed, Li Hao got straight to the point: "Deputy Director Zhang, a group of people wearing Heavenly Star Army armor is plotting against me lately. Is there any way I can deal with them? Even if they activate their armor, they're just ordinary soldiers. If they attack a regiment commander from a major military district like me, aren't there any countermeasures?" "Just spit it out. What are you trying to do?" Zhang Liang refused to play along, saying bluntly, "I already told you, you're not from the same military district. Countermeasures exist within the same district, but different districts have different administrative methods. How could you enact countermeasures against someone else?" "So... there's no way at all?" "There is!" Zhang Liang's voice rippled: "Like I said, if you were an army commander, you could directly restrict them through their armor. Aside from that, there's another method..." "What is it?" Li Hao's interest was piqued. He wanted to paralyze the imperial family's Black Armor Army, relying on his status as a regiment commander. While the enemy might possess high ranks as well, they might not have living relics like Battle Heaven City did. Of course... that possibility couldn't be ruled out. "Our military district ranks a grade higher than theirs. If you obtain an army order or mobilization order from an army commander, that will also work!" "..." *Forget I asked.* Yet Zhang Liang dismissed his dismay: "What, you think it's hard? It's not! As long as you have proof that the Heavenly Star Army committed rebellion, attacked humanity, or breached military discipline... you can request an army order through the division commander! The army commander may be gone, but that doesn't mean orders cannot be issued. By invoking the provisional emergency protocols, an army order can still be triggered automatically." Li Hao paused, startled. "That works too?" "What kind of proof do you mean...?" "You can enable the recording function in your armor. If they slaughter innocents or violate discipline, record it. Next time you come to Battle Heaven City, submit it as evidence. Once the facts are confirmed, the Inspection Guard will review the matter, apply the rebel statutes, invoke the provisional emergency protocols, and lawfully punish them!" "Even that works?!" "Why wouldn't it?" Zhang Liang was speechless. Wasn't that perfectly reasonable? Were they supposed to be polite when dealing with rebels? Of course, nobody back then had dared to rebel in the first place. That was why it fell under provisional emergency protocols rather than routine disciplinary codes—it had simply never been needed. Li Hao's mind stirred, and he asked, "What if the opposing side also has someone at the regiment or division commander level? Can they punish me?" "They cannot!" Zhang Liang said indifferently, "The Heavenly Star Army is merely a minor military district. Their highest officer is only their Heavenly Star Corps Commander, equal in rank to a reserve guard corps commander in the Battle Heaven Army. They have neither the qualification nor the authority to punish us. They can only submit a report to the major military district to place you on military trial..." *Excellent!* Li Hao was overjoyed. Even that was possible? He had never considered these factors before and hadn't realized there was such utility. After explaining this, Zhang Liang added, "Don't obsess over punishing anyone; it isn't very meaningful. First, tell me what style of general armor you want. In the past, general armor was individually forged based on personal requests. We don't have those conditions anymore, so I can only give you a set of standard combat readiness armor—the standard backup general armor." "Is there a difference?" Li Hao was quite curious. "Aren't they all golden?" "..." Zhang Liang was rendered speechless, answering only after a long pause, "Of course there's a difference. General armor serves as personal combat equipment reserved for the strong, and everyone has different fighting habits... Since custom forging isn't an option now, let me tell you about the differences among the general armors we have in stock. "Currently, there are three main types of standard armor. The first suits ordinary martial artists, possessing both spiritual and physical defense systems... It's balanced, suitable for general combatants. "The second suits specialists of the spiritual path. They possess powerful spiritual energy and don't require mental defense, so it focuses heavily on physical defense. Its physical resilience is exceptional, but it offers almost no protection against spiritual attacks. "The third suits specialists of the physical body. This type of general armor provides virtually no bodily defense, but its core lies in the helmet, which effectively wards off most spiritual attacks. "As for standard sets, there are only these three." Zhang Liang explained, "These were the three mainstream cultivation paths of our era, each with a different focus. Under normal circumstances, unless someone has specific requirements, they choose from these three." Li Hao understood! Reflecting on the current era, there didn't seem to be many people specializing purely in spiritual energy—those with exceptionally formidable spirit intent and force were rare, and even if they existed, they were mostly martial masters. Still... one couldn't be entirely sure, as demonstrated by figures like Ying Hongyue. With that in mind, he considered for a moment and said, "Give me the balanced one. Is its defense strong?" "Of course! To you, its defense is exceedingly powerful. However... it still depends on personal strength. Only with greater strength can you unleash greater defensive power. Don't expect the armor itself to grant you invincibility—that's unrealistic." "Understood!" *** Zhang Liang said no more and emerged from the armory a moment later. He tossed a storage ring to Li Hao. "All two thousand three hundred sets of Battle Heaven armor are inside." "And this is the general armor..." He took out a suit of golden armor, his tone tinged with envy. "This is reserved for general-grade officers... In the past... the director of the Logistics Department was eligible to wear one..." *If I were promoted, I could have one too.* Li Hao caught on instantly and whispered, "Since the Logistics Department already has some, and the circumstances are exceptional..." "Are you trying to get my head lopped off?" Zhang Liang looked up at Li Hao. This fellow was no good, actually egging him on to commit misconduct! Li Hao chuckled awkwardly and whispered again, "By the way, Deputy Director Zhang, with these two thousand three hundred sets of armor, can't I be assigned two sets of silver armor and twenty-three sets of bronze armor?" "No... Silver armor requires nomination and approval from a division commander, while bronze armor requires clearance from the Inspection Guard... You can nominate candidates, but once you step outside, you'll lose contact, making verification impossible... unless you bring the candidates inside." *Alright then.* Li Hao felt a touch of regret. Putting it out of his mind, he turned his attention to the golden armor. Without needing Zhang Liang's instruction, he dripped a bead of blood onto it. In an instant, the gold armor vanished. The next second, a dazzling suit of golden battle armor manifested over Li Hao's body! A stream of information flashed through his mind, outlining the golden armor's fundamental capabilities. Beyond what the silver armor possessed, the golden armor offered numerous additional functions. For instance, its transmission range extended to three thousand li, which was astonishing. A thousand li generally covered a single province, but a circle with a radius of three thousand li encompassed a vast territory. It was no exaggeration to say that Li Hao could now send transmissions to any Battle Heaven soldier within the borders of Silver Moon, regardless of location, as Silver Moon spanned less than three thousand li from end to end. Even Silver City in the far north was only about two thousand li from White Moon City. Expanded communication range was only one aspect. Another difference between golden armor and silver armor was its ability to freely alter its form. Silver armor could only remain silver armor, but golden armor could transform into anything, including weapons. Li Hao had a grand time playing with it, shifting it into a spatula one moment, a small dagger the next, and then into ordinary clothing that looked completely lifelike and natural. With this, he wouldn't need to throw a trench coat over his armor to conceal it anymore; he could simply turn the armor itself into a trench coat. "Now that's impressive!" Zhang Liang appeared quite envious: "Naturally! General armor wasn't forged by ordinary craftsmen; it was crafted by top master smiths. Of course, that's nothing compared to commanders at the army level. Their gear is no longer standard armor, but unique divine armaments forged by Sovereign-grade figures. Those with exceptional connections could even commission the Godcasting Sovereign himself." "The Godcasting Sovereign?" "Yes, a paramount powerhouse famed throughout the world for his smithing. Anyone could seek him out—except people from Star Suppressing City... provided they had sufficient connections, of course." "Why not people from Star Suppressing City?" "Because there was a grudge." "A grudge?" "You wouldn't understand even if I told you!" Zhang Liang was unwilling to elaborate. These were disputes among supreme figures, not matters fit for idle chatter. Besides, so much time had passed. Who knew what the situation was today? Perhaps... all of them were gone. He avoided dwelling on such thoughts; doing so only invited despair. They firmly believed that could not be the case. Such an overwhelmingly powerful group could never truly perish. Perhaps they had lost their way, perhaps the outside world was too much fun and they had gotten carried away, or perhaps they were deep in the cosmos where time flowed differently... In any case, no one in the Battle Heaven Army, from top to bottom, believed those people could ever be defeated. The omnipotent Sovereigns! Especially since they were campaigning under the leadership of the Human King and the Martial King. When that group stood together, no one could stand in their way. No one! Li Hao was speechless. If you weren't going to tell me, why bring it up in the first place? Still, having just received the golden armor put him in a great mood, so he didn't hold it against the man. After thinking for a moment, Li Hao asked, "Right, Deputy Director Zhang, I obtained some other treasures outside. Can I trade them for items here?" "We don't accept junk!" Zhang Liang replied bluntly, "This is the military, not the outside world! Unless you're settling military missions, you can only trade along the way. That armor earlier belonged to the military, which is the only reason it could be exchanged..." Pausing, he added, "However, if you find those items useless, while the military won't take them, you might be able to trade them if you find a martial arts university that still retains its basic functions. "Back in the day, martial arts universities doubled as recycling stations for scrap! "Some students weren't strong enough, so they had to earn money and trade for resources by collecting junk..." "..." Li Hao nearly choked on his anger. He had slain so many experts to gather those spoils, and the man called them junk? Was this a joke?! Still, the officer had pointed out a viable route: he could trade at a martial arts university. Remembering the message relayed to him earlier by the Inspectorate, Li Hao mused, "A martial arts university... Is there one on Heavenly Star Island?" "There probably was, though I don't recall. It's normal to have them; they were everywhere back then. It depends on the university's scale and ranking. Martial arts universities were all over the place back in the day, but truly elite ones were rare. I don't think there were any premier universities on Heavenly Star Island. If there were, I'd definitely remember." *Alright then.* Li Hao felt slightly disappointed. As expected, if the Liu family was willing to part with it, it couldn't be that great of a place. He chatted with Zhang Liang for a few more minutes. However, the moment the transaction concluded, the officer turned cold and indifferent. Seeing that Li Hao had no remaining military merit, he couldn't be bothered to pay attention, offering only perfunctory replies before finally slumping face-down on the desk in silence. Li Hao cursed under his breath! *Just you wait until I become a true general. Becoming division commander might be tough since the Ninth Division Commander is still alive, but I'll become the Director of the Logistics Department and be your superior!* As the Bright Light Sword had put it: *Ignore me today, and tomorrow you won't be worthy to look at me!* Grumbling internally, Li Hao stepped out of the Logistics Department. The moment he walked out, his golden armor shimmered into view, looking exceptionally imposing. Red-armored soldiers from the Inspection Guard and other Battle Heaven soldiers stopped in their tracks to salute him, giving Li Hao a thrill of satisfaction. *Exhilarating!* Managing to snag a suit of golden armor wasn't half bad. Not wanting to make a nuisance of himself before the division commander again, Li Hao left the barracks and headed straight for the city gate. *** "Congratulations!" At the city gate, the three regiment commanders offered their congratulations. Seventh Commander added, "Even if it's only a reinforced regiment, it's still quite a feat! The only problem... is that you have too few people!" "Commander Li, you need to recruit new members into your regiment!" Li Hao's Twelfth Regiment actually consisted of only three people. The rest hadn't been registered, leaving their official roster pitifully small. Li Hao laughed heartily. "When I get the chance, I'll bring my soldiers back with me. Putting everything together, I have about three thousand sets of Battle Heaven armor now, enough to form a reinforced regiment of three thousand!" "The quality must keep pace as well!" "Of course!" After exchanging pleasantries, Li Hao looked toward Seventh Commander: "Commander Jiang, I unexpectedly obtained a 'Pierce' formula booklet outside. Director Wang suggested I consult you about it..." "The Pierce formula..." Jiang Shixun seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking: "That technique works best when paired with the origin path, aligning with the Great Dao to draw upon its power! In the past, its tremendous might came from borrowing the Great Dao power of supreme figures. Today, that is likely impossible, so it won't carry much strength." After a brief explanation, he continued, "If you want to learn it, the process itself isn't difficult; the hard part is making it powerful. This era may no longer support the origin path, but you can adapt..." He glanced at Li Hao. "Don't you possess force? It seems you've grasped some sword momentum. You can nurture the Pierce formula using sword momentum. Whether it's the Pierce formula or the Attack formula, both are meant for killing and offensive power, which aligns well with sword momentum! You can innovate and adapt it yourself. The ancient battle arts of our era can no longer keep up with the times; there's no need to follow the old manuals to the letter. Back in our day, even arts created by the Human King were quickly phased out or revised. That's entirely normal." He felt Li Hao lacked creativity. Nothing dictated that one had to study strictly according to ancient texts; age didn't automatically make something powerful. In the Neo-Martial era, no one clung stubbornly to obsolete arts without adaptation. People continuously innovated and improved. Li Hao's heart stirred. "Nurture it with force?" "Of course!" Seventh Commander took it for granted. "Try everything. If that doesn't work, nurture it with supernatural locks. If that still fails, try blood qi, flesh, spiritual energy... Test them all to see which yields the best results. Give everything a shot. At worst, your body explodes and you die. Back then, plenty of experts perished from self-detonation while creating new martial arts... Just prepare plenty of life essence, and it won't be an issue. Don't be afraid. If you fail, you fail; just try again. Once you succeed and popularize a new martial art, you'll earn both fame and fortune. That's quite rewarding!" He added, "Back in the day, Senior Nanjiang Governor-General started creating all sorts of martial arts in his youth. What was it—God Slaying, Immortal Slaying, Sovereign Slaying, Emperor Slaying... How utterly shameless were those names? Yet later on, didn't they spread far and wide? Being weak at the start is nothing, so long as you have the nerve to try!" Those words invited plenty of unspoken ridicule. Even the other two usually silent commanders spoke up. Ninth Commander said coldly, "Later on, that esteemed lord was mocked relentlessly... I advise against choosing... embarrassing names!" Seventh Commander dismissed the warning: "That was only because his strength hadn't peaked yet. Look at the martial arts passed down by the Human King... Would you dare mock those?" "..." Silence fell. Li Hao asked curiously, "The Human King passed down martial arts as well?" "Of course. Which of those great figures didn't leave behind martial arts?" Seventh Commander paused briefly before continuing, "Still, my advice... is not to take the names of martial arts too seriously in the future! Just look at the essence... What you have now sounds normal, but some arts... their names... are far too embarrassing!" "What did the Human King pass down?" "Not telling you!" "..." Li Hao was speechless. Refusing to tell him again! To satisfy Li Hao's curiosity, Seventh Commander thought for a moment and said, "It's not proper to discuss the secret arts of the Human King and his peers, but I can mention one from the demon race... It might even have something to do with your dog..." He glanced at Black Panther, a hint of amusement in his tone. "The Feast in All Directions Divine Art—what do you think of that name?" "What on earth is that?" "Hahaha, you think it sounds foolish too, don't you?" Seventh Commander laughed. "Yet I must tell you, in the entire history of the demon race since the dawn of heaven and earth, this divine art ranks among the top three!" Beside them, Black Panther blinked its canine eyes. It seemed... to stir a faint memory, though very hazy. It was likely connected to devouring; the hound had a vague impression of it, but no concrete method of cultivation. *Feast in All Directions?* *What a name!* Li Hao inhaled sharply. "Top three in the entire history of the demon race?" "Of course!" Seventh Commander chuckled. "What did you think? Some combat arts are unimaginably powerful, but their names... are quite ordinary. They sound like cheap street-stall goods, yet in truth, they are unfathomably formidable!" Li Hao was at a loss for words. This was pure gossip. Even disciplined soldiers seemed fond of gossip. Nonetheless, he grasped Jiang Shixun's point. Li Hao nodded. "Seventh Commander is right. Self-experimentation, innovation... In our era, almost everyone lacks that spirit. Only my teacher enjoys researching such things." He now understood how others felt: creation was a tedious, agonizing, and immensely arduous process. Whether martial masters or supernaturals, people preferred following established steps, ideally with ready-made martial arts handed to them. This era desperately lacked creativity. Nobody liked doing the hard work! Or rather, they lacked the awareness, perhaps due to their environment or the collapse of education. Very few around Li Hao possessed such a mindset; his teacher was one of the rare exceptions. Look at Ying Hongyue and the rest—all they did was fight to snatch the Five Animals Breathing Art rather than creating something of their own. Jiang Shixun hadn't given him specific cultivation instructions, but he had pointed him toward a direction. The more he interacted with these people, the more Li Hao felt that the Neo-Martial era was truly remarkable. Even a regiment commander would urge you to adapt and innovate on your own, telling you not to ask questions about everything like a child. They told you that times had changed, human bodies had changed, and the focus of martial arts had shifted, so one shouldn't cling to ancient rules. Even if an art was created by a so-called Battle King or an invincible supreme expert, in Jiang Shixun's eyes, it could be overturned at will, shattering rules and conventions alike. That was what Li Hao absorbed here. Break the shackles! Don't assume an art was supreme. There was no strongest technique, only the most suitable one. Even if ancestors had created it, it wasn't absolute. He believed he could forge arts far greater than those of the ancients! *Shatter the gods in my heart... I am my own god!* The thought crystallized in Li Hao's mind. He suddenly felt that this trip had brought tremendous gains—not in the conventional material sense, but as a profound realization guiding his cultivation path. *** Bidding farewell to the three regiment commanders once more, Li Hao advanced with Black Panther. It was time to leave. Reaching the hollow of the tree, he spotted the sacrificial altar. Pondering for a moment, he approached and said, "Director Wang mentioned that Senior requires too much energy, and the small amount I can offer won't do much good... Even so, I'm grateful for Senior's support last time in granting me a drop of the Spring of Life..." With that, Li Hao produced a large pile of divine energy stones and shoved them inside. Massive quantities of divine energy stones were devoured. Ten thousand, twenty thousand... He poured in nearly five hundred thousand stones, yet the altar showed virtually no reaction. Li Hao didn't know whether to laugh or cry! *Last time I only put in a tiny amount and received a drop of the Spring of Life. It really was baiting me...* If he had been greedy back then and continued shoving stones in, even exhausting everything he possessed wouldn't have elicited any further response. The tree had deliberately dangled a hook last time. Amused and exasperated, Li Hao stuffed in a bit more. Only when his remaining reserve dwindled to roughly six million stones did Li Hao say, "I don't have the ability to support Senior's full revival just yet, so consider this a small taste. Once I take down the imperial family and seize the great Heavenly Star Town mine... energy won't be an issue! I eagerly await the day Battle Heaven City fully awakens..." With that, he turned and walked away. In the darkness, a few branches swayed gently, as if thoroughly satisfied. *** Inside the City Lord's Estate. Director Wang stood on high ground, looking toward the outskirts with a smile. "It seems his harvest was indeed bountiful. General Huai managed a hearty meal. Though the effect is limited, it shows his sincerity." He hadn't made Li Hao leave everything behind; there was no need. Li Hao was still weak, and reviving the small tree would provide far more immediate assistance. General Huai was a bottomless pit; no amount of energy would ever be enough. "Lord Guardian, the Imperial Palace lies abandoned. Can the demon plant there still be trusted?" The old turtle's voice rumbled slowly: "Whether it can be trusted or not... it will not harm Li Hao for the time being. Li Hao has provided it with ample benefits, so why wouldn't it rely on him to continue reviving and growing stronger? Slaying Li Hao brings no advantages whatsoever... Compared to demon beasts, demon plants are somewhat more dependable." "Lord Guardian... you've forgotten about yourself..." "I am merely a divine armament now!" *Fair enough!* Director Wang laughed. Turning his head, he glanced toward the military barracks, where another figure in golden armor seemed to manifest. "It seems the Ninth Division Commander harbors higher expectations as well." He spoke again. When Li Hao converted his energy, neither of them felt disappointed; instead, their anticipation grew. It was a clear sign of maturation, and neither found fault with it. Moreover, on this visit to the city, Li Hao appeared to have developed ideas of his own. Only such an individual was worthy of inheriting the legacy of the Neo-Martial era. Men die, but ideas endure. No matter how strong an expert was, without independent thought, they were merely a weapon of war, not a true powerhouse. The old turtle remained silent, but the colossal turtle pagoda shifted slightly, turning toward that direction. After a long pause, it said, "You need to work harder. If not for that calamity back then, he would have been promoted to corps commander long ago. Though his physical form has decayed, his spirit grows increasingly formidable! He truly lives up to his Mowu origins." Director Wang sniffed disdainfully. "What's so great about Mowu? In the past, my Jingwu was number one!" "..." The old turtle couldn't be bothered to respond. What era was it, and he was still bickering over that? Seeing the turtle remain silent, Director Wang pressed, "Does Lord Guardian disagree?" "It has nothing to do with me." The old turtle refused to get involved. Mowu produced the Human King, Jingwu produced Sovereigns, and Nanwu claimed they were the greatest. Why should the spirit of a divine armament get dragged into that? Besides, this was Battle Heaven City. Neither Mowu nor Jingwu was number one here. The army commander hailed from Nanwu! It was only because those figures weren't present that he dared to talk like this. If they were here, they would have broken his legs. *When the tiger leaves the mountain, the monkey claims to be king—you only dare talk big now.* *** Meanwhile, Li Hao had already stepped outside Battle Heaven City. The boundary of the ruins shimmered faintly. Night Patrol sentries guarded the perimeter, but they noticed nothing. Li Hao was a regiment commander; his movements produced minimal commotion, and he had no desire to announce his presence. Leaving the ruins, he vanished into the distance. *** In less than an hour, Li Hao arrived at the cave where the small tree resided. "You're here!" The small tree trembled slightly, its branches swaying. "The energy stones and divine armaments you had delivered earlier—I converted them all into the Spring of Life, one hundred and twenty drops in total... Have you received them?" As it spoke, it felt somewhat anxious. Why had he returned so soon? Had it given too little? Was he... here to pick a fight? *Still, I have to embezzle... ahem, deduct a processing fee to nourish myself, don't I?* *A reasonable processing fee!* *He wouldn't think he got shortchanged and come demanding more, would he?* At this moment, the small tree felt nervous. It hadn't felt this way before, but now it knew Li Hao was a major client. He was truly capable; after providing so much last time, the tree had assumed it wouldn't see another delivery for years. Yet within days, he had sent ten times as many divine energy stones! Should it offer a bit more to such a major client? "I haven't received them yet, but that doesn't matter." Li Hao smiled. "I came this time to ask: if Senior wishes to fully recover, how many divine energy stones would it take?" "Fully recover?" "Yes, restoring Senior's Peak Realm strength, True God strength..." "Hmm?" The small tree swayed gently. After a moment, it answered, "A great deal!" "A million stones?" "Not enough." "Ten million?" "...Roughly... roughly around that..." The small tree gave its estimate and added, "There's no rush. You can gather them slowly. Once I recover, I will repay you..." Li Hao smiled. "No worries!" Then he asked, "I also came to ask Senior something: if the origin path no longer exists outside, can Senior venture forth?" The small tree hesitated. "It no longer exists?" "It shouldn't!" "Then... unless I suppress my strength, venturing out at full power would easily cause space to collapse!" *Just as I thought!* "Then if energy revives further, becoming sufficient to accommodate experts of Senior's caliber, does that mean you can roam freely?" "If there is sufficient energy, yes. Even without the origin path, the power belongs to oneself. As long as heaven and earth can endure it without space tearing apart... one can naturally survive!" *Indeed!* Li Hao understood why everyone was waiting for the Second Supernatural Revival: it was to prepare for the return of revived powerhouses. At the current stage, it was impossible. "Senior, I have a small request. I wonder if Senior would agree?" "Speak." "I'd like Senior to help me cultivate a batch of grain... a massive quantity. The kind where eating a single grain keeps a person full for three days and brims them with energy..." Li Hao calculated for a moment and added, "At the very least, enough to feed a hundred million people for a year. If one person eats one grain a day, that's three hundred and sixty-five grains a year—a little over thirty billion grains would suffice. It doesn't amount to that much in the grand scheme..." "I cannot do that!" The small tree refused outright: "That requires immense energy and life force. At my current stage, I cannot sustain such consumption." "A hundred thousand divine energy stones?" "Not enough!" "Two hundred thousand?" "Far from enough!" "Five hundred thousand?" "That... that... is barely feasible..." The small tree hesitated. Five hundred thousand stones... well, that would do! Li Hao smiled. "Then by that logic, feeding a billion people for a year would only take five million stones?" *What kind of talk was that?!* The small tree was speechless. Did he think that was little? That was an astronomical sum! How much did he even have? Earlier, he had gathered a million stones only by slaughtering countless people and experts outside. Did he consider that negligible? Li Hao sighed with emotion. "No wonder people didn't starve in the Neo-Martial era!" A single demon plant, consuming five hundred thousand divine energy stones, could easily cultivate enough grain to feed a hundred million people for an entire year! Of course, the small tree had probably skimmed off the top as well! Still, to many people, trading five hundred thousand divine energy stones for a year's worth of food for a hundred million commoners seemed like a terrible deal, a catastrophic loss. They would rather let those hundred million starve to death; after all, the dynasty had no shortage of people. With those thoughts in mind, Li Hao said no more on the topic. "Senior, I'll give you five million divine energy stones. Just help me cultivate that batch of grain... Of course, enough for a hundred million people for one year is sufficient. Convert the rest into the Spring of Life for me." "That much?!" The small tree was astounded! It could hardly believe its senses! *Who on earth did you rob?!* "There are also over fifty Origin God Armaments, including some Earth-grade ones, all quite good... Please convert those into the Spring of Life as well, Senior." The small tree was utterly stunned. After a long time, it asked slowly, "Did you... excavate someone's palace?" "No, just gathered them by killing people." "..." It was left completely speechless. "You want so much Spring of Life... Producing it takes time. Of course, it isn't too troublesome, but... do you really need that much?" At this rate, it would amount to at least five hundred drops. The small tree shivered with excitement. With this much, if it skimmed seventy percent... ahem, deducted a processing fee, it could recover fifty to sixty percent of its strength, if not reach its peak! This deal had to be done! Not only did it have to do it, but it also had to secure this major client. It quickly sent a mental pulse: "I don't recommend exchanging for so much Spring of Life. It might not be as useful to you..." "No, convert it all into that!" Li Hao stated firmly, "I only want the Spring of Life!" He had already prepared to sell some. Sell it secretly! Others sold it for a hundred thousand; could he sell it for fifty thousand? Sell it for divine energy stones, trade with the tree again, sell more, trade again... Perhaps he could amass the hundred million stones needed to revive General Huai... Of course, that assumed the various factions could cough up that many divine energy stones at this stage. This business was undeniably worth doing. Li Hao had come this time precisely to conduct business. *What does a little tree know! You charge ten thousand, but others charge a hundred thousand outside.* Since Li Hao insisted, the small tree didn't press further. Excited, it said, "Very well, but it will take some time. Absorbing and converting both require time. Three days... can you give me three days?" "Of course, no problem!" Li Hao smiled and tossed over several storage rings. The small tree trembled with excitement. It added, "Come collect it in three days. I... I'll throw in an origin talisman as a gift... No, two origin talismans..." "No need. My current enemies are too strong, so origin talismans aren't very useful." Li Hao revealed a sliver of his aura. The small tree had already sensed it, replying quickly, "I know. But... you should understand that in three days, my strength won't be what it is now!" *Do you understand?* Li Hao's heart stirred. That made sense! A broad smile spread across his face. "Then I thank Senior!" "You're welcome, you're welcome!" The small tree replied hastily, its branches swaying in sheer delight. *A major client!* *Must not be stingy! Giving a few gifts is only proper so he comes back next time.* *If he does this two more times, I can complete my restoration entirely and no longer remain trapped in this constant state of starvation.* Li Hao was also in high spirits: five hundred drops of the Spring of Life, plus food for a hundred million people... "By the way, how long will the grain take?" "It depends on the quality of the seeds you provide. If they're high-grade, a month will do. If they're low-grade, they'll need enhancement, which takes at least three months..." *Right! Seeds...* Li Hao had nearly forgotten about seeds, foolishly assuming the tree could generate them on its own. He had indeed gotten ahead of himself. "Then I'll return in three days and bring the seeds for Senior." "Good!" In a pleasant mood, Li Hao prepared to leave, but turned back to ask, "Senior, General Huai requires a hundred million stones just to barely revive... Is he far stronger than Senior?" The small tree knew Li Hao had visited Battle Heaven City. It hid nothing, sending a mental pulse: "Naturally! The guardian demon plants of the eight great cities were all supreme existences! Compared to them, I'm merely a weak, wild demon plant; there is no comparison." Li Hao was shaken. Was the disparity truly that immense? The more he compared, the weaker his Divine Power Realm appeared! *No, I have to work harder!* Without delaying further, he left everything behind and quickly took his leave. The instant he was gone, the small tree quivered violently, frantically absorbing the divine energy stones in ecstatic joy. *Unbelievable... To encounter someone at random who could... could gather so many energy stones in such a short time. This person is terrifying...* Even amid its excitement, a deep sense of crisis washed over the tree! Battle Heaven City seemed poised to poach its major client! What should it do? Should it offer other perks? Yet... it had nothing else to its name. What else could it give? The small tree drifted into a daze. How could it retain this major client? *Don't tell me... I really have to sell my own flesh?*