Heavenly Star City.
Li Hao’s ostentatious return from Silver Moon to Heavenly Star was common knowledge.
As for the thousand-odd soldiers he brought back, nobody paid them much mind.
On the imperial family's side, anticipation grew. Li Hao had brought ordinary soldiers with him, proving he genuinely intended to put down roots in Heavenly Star. This was good news. Every day he remained, the Nine Departments would suffer.
And so, within the imperial palace:
A voice echoed, "The Marquis of Heavenly Star is about to return. Little Nine, go to the northern city to welcome him, to show imperial favor!"
"Yes, Imperial Father!"
In the vast hall, a young man bowed in acceptance of the order.
Leaving the hall, the young man walked for a time, crossing several courtyards before finally locating someone at a small training ground. With a smile, he said, "Master He, the Marquis of Heavenly Star will arrive shortly. Imperial Father instructed me to receive him, so I must trouble you to introduce us."
He Yong glanced back at the prince, pondered a moment, then nodded with a chuckle. "Very well!"
Over the past few years, he had fared quite well within the imperial court and had developed a close relationship with this increasingly influential Ninth Prince.
In earlier years, this prince had displayed unremarkable talent and meager strength, and his maternal family lacked influence, leaving him neglected within the palace.
He Yong, merely looking for something to pass the time and enjoying the amusement, had secretly taught him martial arts. To his surprise, the prince possessed considerable aptitude. Over the years, his strength grew steadily formidable, and as supernaturals continued advancing, personal strength commanded greater and greater respect.
Now, the Ninth Prince had become a hot contender for the title of crown prince.
In this generation of the Heavenly Star imperial family, the position of crown prince had yet to be decided, primarily due to the restrictions imposed by the Nine Departments.
He Yong turned toward the royal scions practicing martial arts and chuckled. "Keep practicing for now. I'll be back soon. When I have time, I'll bring Demon Sword to the palace to mingle with everyone..."
His words brought a small stir of excitement to the practitioners.
Naturally, Southern Fist was just talking.
...
A moment later, Southern Fist and the Ninth Prince walked together.
The Ninth Prince appeared gentle and scholarly, looking somewhat frail, yet his martial cultivation was remarkably high.
At this moment, as gentle and humble as always, he asked, "Master He, I've only heard of the Marquis of Heavenly Star's exploits, never met him in person. Is there anything I should keep in mind?"
Southern Fist chuckled. "Nothing in particular. If you want to make an impression, give him some treasures. He'll be happier receiving treasures than seeing anything else."
The Ninth Prince broke into a helpless laugh.
Southern Fist turned solemn. "It's no joke. We Silver Moon martial masters are poor, so we have this little quirk: once our eyes catch sight of treasure, we can't look away!"
The Ninth Prince paused slightly, thoughtful, and nodded without further comment.
Walking and pondering, he asked after a short silence, "Master He, do you think the Marquis of Heavenly Star will continue to stir things up after this return? Or will he be content with the status quo, satisfied to secure a firm foothold in Heavenly Star City and make no further moves...?"
"Hard to say!"
Southern Fist shook his head. "Though I've cooperated with him multiple times, Li Hao is young. He acts on whim. Sometimes it's purely for amusement, sometimes out of a momentary fit of rage. It's very difficult to predict what he actually intends to do."
The Ninth Prince couldn't tell whether Southern Fist was withholding or being sincere, but he didn't press further.
Li Hao... he would know once they met.
The imperial court's desire to win over Li Hao was an open secret, so there was no need to hide anything.
...
Outside Heavenly Star City.
Over the Heavenly Star Sea.
The divine boat rippled across the water's surface.
Li Hao and his companions stood at the prow, gazing from afar at Heavenly Star City, vibrant as woven brocade.
Winter's chill still lingered in the north, yet Heavenly Star City enjoyed eternal spring. Compared to the northern chaos, without Li Hao around to stir up trouble, this place seemed exceptionally peaceful.
Deputy Director Zhou stood at the prow and gazed into the distance for a moment before speaking: "The second supernatural resurgence might not occur in Silver Moon. Heavenly Star might be the key."
Li Hao could not suppress his curiosity. "What exactly causes a supernatural resurgence? The release of energy between heaven and earth? Where does this energy come from? It couldn't just pop out of thin air, could it?"
"Indeed," Deputy Director Zhou nodded. "There are many reasons. The first resurgence was triggered by the breach of a ruin. That ruin was likely connected to a colossal mine that had originally been sealed off. Once breached, all the energy inside leaked out, triggering the resurgence of worldly energy.
"Of course, there is another reason: the demon plant originally sealing the colossal mine died completely, resulting in the energy leak that caused the first resurgence."
A sealing demon plant?
Li Hao's heart stirred. "If a demon plant resided right above a colossal mine, it would never lack energy. Why would it die?"
Such a demon plant ought to be stronger and more capable than any other.
Deputy Director Zhou smiled faintly. "Emerging before its time, rejection by heaven and earth, shattered void, the tearing force of chaotic currents, invasion by corrupt qi... all of these are reasons a demon plant might perish. Perhaps because of that, other demon plants and beasts realized today's heaven and earth have changed, and they cannot emerge at will!"
Li Hao understood.
The first resurgence was said to be connected to Ying Hongyue and his people. Whether it was accidental or deliberate was unknown.
As for the exact details, now no one knew except the parties involved.
Deputy Director Zhou mentioned that the key to the second resurgence might lie in Heavenly Star City... could he be referring to the great mine in Heavenly Star Town?
One had to know, the colossal mine in Heavenly Star Town had once satisfied the energy needs of the eight ancient cities. Vast beyond measure, it had supplied the energy reserves for the entire Silver Moon region.
Li Hao actually had another question: why had energy steadily declined ever since the ancient civilization era?
Only twenty years ago did it begin to revive slightly.
Before that, the entire land of Silver Moon seemed devoid of any energy whatsoever.
Of course, now was not the time to pursue these questions.
At this moment, Li Hao could already see the gates of Heavenly Star City.
A quiet commotion stirred within the cabin. Many soldiers were embarking on a long journey for the first time, arriving at the fabled capital, filled with curiosity and anticipation.
From departing Silver Moon to arriving at Heavenly Star, Li Hao's group had spent four days.
Not an overly rushed pace.
Over these four days, Li Hao and the others had not idled. Copious sword energy had flowed forth, purifying vast quantities of mysterious energy. While the boost this provided to Li Hao was limited now, for a group of ordinary men, one could imagine how magnificent the results were.
Nearly all thousand soldiers had smoothly stepped into the Ten-Slayer realm.
Going from near-Ten-Slayer to actually entering the Ten-Slayer realm was a substantial elevation, yet for Li Hao, it was a mere drop in the ocean. The Ten-Slayer realm was not difficult for martial masters; before reaching Hundred-Breaker perfection, progress was relatively effortless.
Especially with sword energy assisting to suppress the violent fluctuations of mysterious energy, had Li Hao not worried about their strength escalating too quickly and spiraling out of control, forcing them into the Hundred-Breaker realm over several days would not have been difficult at all.
Coupled with the Battle Heaven armor, they were already an elite unit, and their combat strength would skyrocket.
Meanwhile, Liu Long and his team hadn't practiced much over these past few days, focusing primarily on teaching the Ten-Ring Mountain-Sealing Formation.
Groups of ten formed a small Ten-Ring Mountain-Sealing Formation, a hundred formed a larger scale...
Once all thousand men mastered it and could coordinate successfully to channel their power into a single person, the effect would surely be extraordinary—provided the recipient could bear the load.
At the city gates.
Li Hao spotted the imperial banners fluttering in the wind.
The Heavenly Star Dynasty's imperial banner shone like a brilliant starry sky, glittering with starlight—the Heavenly Star Banner, from which the dynasty drew its name.
The massive divine boat touched down.
Li Hao raised an eyebrow slightly. Someone from the imperial family had come?
He had already received a transmission from Southern Fist that the Ninth Prince was coming. Rumor had it that within the imperial family, the Ninth Prince was now a strong contender for the throne. Of course, the Heavenly Star King was still alive, and Li Hao wasn't even certain whether the previous generation's king was dead or not.
The old directors of the Nine Departments were still alive, so the previous emperor being alive wouldn't be surprising either.
Though said to have died long ago, who really knew?
In the distance, a young man robed in yellow, bearing a warm smile, stood waiting with hands clasped behind his back. Flanking him were escorts from the Black Armor Army—not many, only around a hundred.
"Disembark!"
Li Hao barked a low command, and squad after squad of the Demon Hunt Army marched off the vessel.
...
Not far away.
The Ninth Prince furrowed his brow slightly, smoothing it an instant later as he sent a voice transmission to Southern Fist: "Is this the Battle Heaven Army? No wonder the Marquis of Heavenly Star brought a thousand soldiers—they're all equipped with Battle Heaven armor... Does this mean the Marquis of Heavenly Star obtained regiment commander authority in Battle Heaven City and can expand his army at will?"
Even an ordinary person equipped with Battle Heaven armor would be tough for common Hundred-Breakers or Moon Ming supernaturals to harm.
Possessing the Black Armor Army, the imperial court naturally knew the secrets involved.
"Isn't his status as a regiment commander old news?"
Li Hao hadn't concealed his silver armor. Anyone who knew the ropes understood what it signified. Whether there were silver armors in the Black Armor Army was currently unclear, but most likely they had some, just unrevealed.
The Ninth Prince shook his head and transmitted back, "It's different! Master He has likely noticed as well. While the Black Armor Army is indeed the legacy of an ancient military... even if a regiment commander level emerges among them, they can't just expand the ranks whenever they please. It's exceptionally arduous! Yet the Marquis of Heavenly Star expanded his force by a thousand men as easily as breathing."
He glanced at the thousand-strong army in the distance, his eyes flickering slightly.
The imperial court had a considerable number of Black Armors.
Back then, they had paid an enormous price just to obtain authority, and later an even more staggering price to counter the Nine Departments. Precisely because of that momentary lapse in vigilance, the Nine Departments seized the initiative; those old foxes struck a heavy blow against the imperial court at a crucial juncture.
"Master He, you wear bronze armor too. Are there many ancient powerhouses left in the Battle Heaven Army who can still fight?"
"Hard to say. I've only seen one golden warrior and three silver warriors... but rumor has it there's another golden warrior in the barracks."
He didn't bother hiding it; after all, there was no need.
The waters of the ancient city ran too deep; what they showed you was merely the surface.
The Ninth Prince fell into deep thought. Two golden warriors?
Division commander level entities?
Not weak by any means.
Yet to say the eight ancient cities had only preserved such meager strength... was truly unimpressive. It was said Battle Heaven City once held tens of millions of people and over a million combat-ready troops, where division commanders commanded ten thousand men each.
If out of hundreds of division-commander-tier powerhouses, only two remained... that was genuinely few.
Besides, whether they were truly alive or merely functioning was hard to determine. Moving didn't necessarily mean being alive.
Among the living entities discovered in ancient ruins so far, almost all were demon plants.
Demon plants possessed long lifespans and could generate Springs of Life to nourish themselves, living far longer than ordinary demon beasts and humans.
That was why almost every ancient powerhouse mentioned by various factions was a demon plant.
*Clack, clack, clack!*
A series of synchronized footsteps approached from afar. The Tiger Banner snapped in the wind as Li Hao drew near.
A smile spread across the Ninth Prince's face. Ending his conversation with Southern Fist, he stepped forward and declared loudly, "Upon the Marquis of Heavenly Star's return, Imperial Father was overjoyed and specially dispatched this humble prince to welcome the Marquis upon his triumphant return..."
"Triumphant return?"
Li Hao chuckled helplessly, taking a step forward to face the somewhat frail youth. "I merely went home for a bit and came back. How does that make it a triumphant return? Still, my thanks to the Ninth Prince!"
With that, a thought crossed his mind: "Must I kneel and offer thanks for imperial grace?"
The Ninth Prince gave a light chuckle. "No need. The imperial court stepped back eighty years ago, and such rules have long been discarded as mere formalities. With the rise of supernaturals, times have changed. The Marquis of Heavenly Star is one of the supreme powerhouses of this age, so there is even less need for such things!"
He spoke with utmost courtesy.
As for Li Hao's lack of etiquette, he didn't take offense. In this era, the strong acted boldly. A kneeling ritual?
Unless the imperial family reunited the realm and suppressed all four corners once more.
Otherwise, clinging to such trifles was merely courting embarrassment.
The Ninth Prince sighed with feeling. "Meeting the Marquis of Heavenly Star today, hearing of you truly does not compare to seeing you in person. You are even bolder and younger than the rumors say..."
"The Ninth Prince is very young as well!"
Li Hao laughed. "I heard that the Ninth Prince is only twenty, the same age as me."
This had been mentioned by the Seventh Princess; the frail young man before him was indeed not old.
The Ninth Prince gave an easy smile. "We are different. Born into the imperial family, I received resources inaccessible to ordinary people since childhood, wanting for nothing from birth. Thus, I admire self-made heroes like the Marquis of Heavenly Star all the more!"
He carried himself with great modesty.
Li Hao smiled without replying. Seeing this, the Ninth Prince quickly added with a smile, "After a long journey, the Marquis must be fatigued and longing for an early rest. This prince will not intrude further, lest I wear you out..."
Saying so, he produced a storage ring and smiled. "A small token of goodwill from the imperial family. The Marquis has just returned to Heavenly Star City, with a hundred matters awaiting attention, so I will take my leave! In the future, should the Marquis wish to have a drink and chat, you can send word through Master He. I will come at your call... though I cannot leave Heavenly Star City."
"Much obliged!"
Li Hao accepted it directly and chuckled. "Certainly. Next time, I'll invite the prince for a drink!"
"Master He, please stay and keep the Marquis company. I shall head back first."
He Yong nodded.
The Ninth Prince did not linger. Smiling brightly, he turned and departed, the Black Armor Army quickly falling in behind him.
Li Hao watched them, his eyebrows arching slightly.
The Black Armor Army!
There were only around a hundred of them, yet judging by their stride and bearing, though concealed beneath armor, Li Hao could sense that these Black Armors were extremely powerful. Not a single one fell short of the Hundred-Breaker realm, and their force permeated the ranks.
There was no telling how many Thousand-Battlers or even higher existences were among them.
Compared to them, the Demon Hunt Army behind him lagged far behind.
Southern Fist beamed, cast a glance in that direction, and laughed. "Still looking? Thinking of picking a fight?"
"Is he strong?"
"Couldn't you tell?"
Li Hao pondered. "I could tell a bit. He's a powerful martial master. As for how many supernatural locks he has saturated, I couldn't quite see. How does he compare to you, Martial Uncle Southern Fist?"
"Hard to say," Southern Fist shook his head. "I used to know a bit, but later he entered the ruins several times, and his strength must have improved significantly. As for his exact level, it's hard for me to judge. He hasn't used force in a long time."
With that, he looked at Li Hao and sent a voice transmission: "Why did you bring that old codger from the General Administration Bureau along?"
"To help manage some trivial matters."
"You're something else!"
Southern Fist was speechless. Impressive.
This fellow had actually abducted the Deputy Director of the General Administration Bureau. Whether this man surnamed Zhou was a powerhouse or not was a subject of much debate in Silver Moon.
There was a kind of strength that hid in plain sight. People knew you might be strong, but never how strong... and that was what bred wariness.
Director Zhao and Deputy Director Zhou had governed Silver Moon for many years; to say they weren't powerhouses was something few believed.
Yet if they were... just how strong were they?
No one had ever seen them fight.
Deputy Director Zhou glanced at Southern Fist and nodded with a faint smile. "Master He, it has been a long time!"
He Yong didn't bother to reply, saying nothing.
Li Hao didn't elaborate either. "Let's go, into the city. My place is small and rather crude. The imperial family promised to bestow a marquis estate upon me, said to be on Nine Departments Avenue and quite spacious. Unfortunately... I don't dare go. I'm afraid the Nine Departments would beat me to death!"
Southern Fist burst out laughing. Deputy Director Zhou, however, remarked calmly, "If it's bestowed, why not take it? Nine Departments Avenue is the core of the world. Occupying the northern city indefinitely is no long-term plan; it gives the impression of a makeshift troupe... Sometimes, do not assume location and facade are unimportant. Only by stepping onto Nine Departments Avenue are you in the vital heart of the Heavenly Star Dynasty."
This place was no place to remain for long.
Staying here, people would only assume you were ready to flee at any moment.
Li Hao pondered, nodded, and didn't reply.
Southern Fist glanced at Zhou, baring his teeth in a smirk.
This old man rubbed him the wrong way—that know-it-all expression made Southern Fist itch to punch him.
"Martial Uncle Southern Fist, did anything major happen in Heavenly Star City while I was away?"
"What could happen? As long as you aren't making trouble, Heavenly Star City could stay quiet for eighty years without anything happening!"
Southern Fist chuckled. "Though, there is one small matter. Didn't the Finance Department yield a ruin earlier? A martial arts university. Now the Nine Departments, the imperial family, and even several clans have their eyes on it.
"Although the Finance Department explored it for a while, they haven't completely developed it. There should still be some good things inside. Interested in checking it out?"
Li Hao considered this. "I heard about it once, supposedly a Grade Two ruin. Do ruins have grades?"
"Of course!" Southern Fist nodded. "It's just a simple classification based on danger level. Not a fixed danger level, but determined by how many people enter versus how many come out—the casualty ratio! Take Battle Heaven City, for example... that's a Special Grade ruin; barely anyone makes it out alive.
"For a Grade One ruin, the fatality rate exceeds fifty percent.
"Grade Two is between thirty and fifty percent, which is considered fairly dangerous. Normally, when the Finance Department explored it, Rising Light cultivators certainly entered."
Li Hao understood. This classification... didn't really mean much.
Had it not been for Li Hao and his allies, not nearly as many people would have died in Battle Heaven City.
So it was merely a rough gauge of hazard. He had thought it reflected yields and treasures.
Beside him, Deputy Director Zhou said softly, "Ruins are currently divided into three main categories: first, ancient cities; second, martial arts universities; third, ancient clan and sect headquarters. These three types are the easiest to preserve. Others, lacking special protective forces, could hardly survive.
"Every ruin that managed to survive..."
He paused before continuing, "Only has a few possible explanations. First, a treasure exists that stabilizes the ruin. Second, a powerhouse exists to seal the ruin. Third, lacking treasures or powerhouses, it was the former residence of top powerhouses where Dao charm lingered. In those ruins, the lingering Dao charm itself is the greatest treasure!"
Evidently, this man knew ruins inside out.
Southern Fist glanced at him again and sneered, "Old fellow, looks like your administration excavated plenty of them to know so much?"
Deputy Director Zhou looked at him and said after a long pause, "Read more books. These aren't the words of the administration, but from a book Yuan Shuo published years ago titled *Records of Ancient Civilization Exploration*... Though after fewer than a thousand copies were printed, it was banned. The administration does not encourage people to explore ruins; it is far too dangerous."
Southern Fist froze, then cursed under his breath.
Who was he throwing shade at?
No, he was practically saying right to his face that he was illiterate!
Li Hao was also surprised. "Really? I've never seen that book."
"Mm, it was banned early on."
Li Hao smiled helplessly. His teacher had never mentioned it; either he had forgotten, or he was too annoyed to bring it up.
Hearing this, Li Hao nodded as well.
There was indeed a reason behind every ruin's preservation.
Whether to explore that martial arts university was something he was considering. In Silver Moon, he would go without hesitation, but here... he had to beware of traps.
The Finance Department yielding it didn't mean they had good intentions.
Besides, Li Hao had never visited such a ruin. In fact, he had visited few ruins altogether—only Battle Heaven City and the Imperial Palace—both of which yielded plenty.
Martial arts universities... a term that popped up often.
Crucially, according to Zhang Liang from Battle Heaven City's logistics office, if a martial arts university still had functioning systems, one might trade useless junk for treasures... provided treasures remained.
Ordinary martial arts universities seemed to possess such functions.
There was no rush, however. It wasn't the first time it was being explored; if there were truly great treasures, they would have been taken long ago. If they hadn't been taken, it meant danger, and ordinary people couldn't reach them anyway.
...
The group walked from outside the city to the temporary headquarters of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office in the northern city, drawing quite a few glances along the way.
The current headquarters was merely a collection of dilapidated mansions cobbled together, utterly devoid of majesty.
This area had previously been considered a slum.
Compared to the skyscrapers in the city center, it was shabby.
Compared to Nine Departments Avenue in the city center, it lacked that imposing, magnificent grandeur, looking thoroughly petty. No wonder Director Zhou had said remaining here was no long-term solution.
Moreover, staying in the northern city hampered local business, forcing many poor residents to travel farther just to eke out a living.
Li Hao walked and pondered, reaching a decision.
Perhaps... he really should move to Nine Departments Avenue!
At least intelligence would be more comprehensive and getting things done would be easier. Right now, visiting the Night Patrollers headquarters required crossing half the city.
...
Night Patrollers.
Big Eyes jogged through the door and immediately babbled, "Li Hao is back! Rumor has it the imperial court sent the rising Ninth Prince to welcome him, but they barely spoke a few words before the Ninth Prince left!"
With that, she looked at Dao Jian. "Dao Jian, are you going to the northern city?"
Dao Jian smiled faintly. "What would I go there for?"
"To spar!"
"He is at the Divine Power realm, while I have only reached Transmutation... Am I looking to humiliate myself?"
Dao Jian laughed helplessly. "Goading me into sparring with him—aren't you just asking for me to get beaten up?"
"No, couldn't you challenge across cultivation realms before? Besides, you have the Heavenly Dao Ruler..."
Dao Jian showed no interest, shaking his head. "No need. Rumor has it he has quite a temper. If a spar turns heated, people will only laugh at us. You all should quiet down as well; there's no need to clash with him."
"We're not!"
Big Eyes denied it, then added, "It's not just us. Many among the Night Patrollers are waiting. Rumor has it Li Hao wants to absorb us! He's powerful, sure, but absorbing us directly... would you agree to that? Not just me, plenty of people are unhappy!"
They didn't bear much malice toward Li Hao.
Yet Li Hao was too overbearing!
Over the past few days, rumors had circulated that Li Hao intended to absorb the Night Patrollers and establish his own domain—not inheriting Yao Si's legacy, but usurping all of Yao Si's foundation and swallowing it whole!
One had to know, the Night Patrollers had tens of thousands of supernaturals across the Central Region.
Even if regional branches were somewhat unruly, Heavenly Star City alone housed over three thousand Night Patroller supernaturals, representing a formidable force.
At headquarters, counting them, there were dozens of Rising Lights alone.
With such a power, and Yao Si still very much alive, Li Hao doing this showed far too little respect!
Dao Jian said nothing, merely waving a hand. "Let's wait and see!"
At this stage, it was only rumors. What was the rush?
Even if the Night Patrollers agreed, the Inspectorate had to agree as well. Li Hao wanting to swallow the Night Patrollers in one bite... wasn't something mere martial strength could accomplish.
He felt Li Hao was being too naive. Just because Yao Si had helped him previously didn't mean Yao Si was willing to hand over the Night Patrollers on a silver platter.
Huang Long had stirred up trouble in the Night Patrollers for five years, yet in the end, at least more than half of the Night Patrollers still supported Yao Si.
...
The Inspectorate.
The Director of the Inspectorate was reading. Hearing the chatter around him, he looked up at the subordinates below and remarked coolly, "He returned, that's all. Must we hold a welcoming gala?"
"Director, rumor has it Li Hao wants to swallow the Night Patrollers, and whispers from the imperial family suggest he wants to independently establish a Tenth Department..."
The Director chuckled softly. "Is it that easy? Even if he starts another battle, achieving such a goal... is virtually impossible. The establishment of the Nine Departments wasn't merely about martial strength; you wouldn't understand even if I explained."
He shook his head. "Little hope. As for wanting to swallow the Night Patrollers to make a breakthrough, that depends on their reaction. Right now, because Yao Si intervened before, people still hold a sliver of goodwill toward Li Hao... Once Yao Si pushes back, the Night Patrollers will swiftly sever ties with him. Li Hao will realize then how grave an error this decision was!"
To build the Night Patrollers with blood and sweat, only for Yao Si to finally pull himself together—would he agree to surrender it freely?
The Director of the Inspectorate felt Li Hao was playing with fire.
Having managed to win over a few people with great difficulty, why be so impatient?
Young people, always unable to keep their composure!
Now, the Nine Departments were all waiting to watch a joke unfold. As for the imperial family, it didn't matter to them either way; if he succeeded, it struck a blow against the Nine Departments' pride; if he failed, they lost nothing, so they were naturally happy to fan the flames for Li Hao.
...
As Li Hao returned, discussions buzzed on all sides.
Meanwhile, in the shabby courtyard of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office.
Shortly after Li Hao led Deputy Director Zhou and the others inside, Yun Yao's expression shifted slightly within the Demon Hunt Corps. She seemed to have spotted someone.
Looking toward a corner, a small figure was peeking around like a thief.
Yun Yao was currently clad in armor, her face hidden.
Glancing over, her expression changed subtly, and she turned to Liu Long beside her, whispering, "Captain, I have something to take care of. I'll be back shortly."
"Right now?"
"Mm."
Liu Long frowned slightly and warned in a low voice, "Don't wander off. Be careful!"
"I will."
Without further explanation, Yun Yao walked toward the corner. Liu Long watched her go, his brow furrowing slightly, but he said nothing.
The martial masters from Silver City each had their own stories.
Yet, there were times when he felt utterly powerless.
Even though Li Hao was powerful now, Liu Long did not wish to burden him with too much trouble. Some things were not so easily resolved.
...
Yuqi was keeping watch. Li Hao had taken her in, only to turn around and leave for an entire week.
She had grown very anxious lately.
Her younger brother was still outside.
Staying here indefinitely wasn't an option. If she didn't leave soon, what if her brother starved to death?
Although she had left all the savings accumulated over the years to Yuming before departing, Yuming was reckless with money; whenever he saw someone in dire straits, even while starving himself, he would lend a hand.
She had to get out!
Now that Li Hao was back, she wasn't sure when he would reopen the Yun family's case. Rather than continuing to wait, she might as well head back first.
Watching Li Hao lead his entourage into the main hall, she planned to approach him once he came out.
As she pondered, she sensed someone beside her. Glancing to the side, she saw a black-armored warrior. A guarded look flashed in her eyes; she remained wary of black armors because the imperial Black Armor Army wore similar gear.
Though this force supposedly had no relation to the imperial family, equipped instead with Battle Heaven Army armor.
The black-armored figure stood motionless, merely staring at her.
After what felt like an eternity, just as Yuqi was about to flee, a raspy voice sounded beside her ear: "What is your name?"
Yuqi looked wary.
"You are sixteen this year, and you have a younger brother, fifteen, a year younger than you, correct?"
Yuqi's face drained of color, and she turned to run.
Only a few children in the slums knew about her brother. Had something happened to him?
"Xiao Qi, don't you recognize me?"
In the next instant, the visor retracted, revealing Yun Yao's face.
Yuqi turned back to look, her expression shifting in bewilderment and uncertainty. She did not speak, only staring with utmost caution.
"It's me!"
Yuqi remained silent, staring.
She recognized that face... though it had changed somewhat, it was still largely the same as before.
Yet... she was dead!
She had seen it with her own eyes!
An imposter... definitely an imposter.
Rumor had it certain supernaturals nowadays could alter their appearances. This had to be a fake. On high alert, she glanced toward the distant hall. "What do you want? This is the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, and Governor-General Li is right inside!"
"Sigh!"
A soft sigh echoed, filled with emotion and heartache. "Weren't you and Yuming... dead?"
Yuqi's face paled further. "Who is Yuming?"
"I'm your aunt. Have you forgotten?"
Recalling something, Yun Yao hesitated before adding, "You have a scar on your waist. When you were little and I was looking after you, you were accidentally scalded..."
Yuqi was suspicious, uncertain, and incredulous.
After staring at Yun Yao for a long time, she shook her head. "No... you're not... Auntie died..."
Saying so, she sprinted toward the main hall.
Yun Yao froze, hesitated, and stopped in her tracks. Yet confusion and disbelief welled within her as well. They were still alive?
...
Inside the hall.
Li Hao was chatting with Deputy Director Zhou and the others when someone suddenly rushed in like a gust of wind. Li Hao frowned slightly, but his expression soon softened.
Could she not wait any longer?
The Yun family's matter couldn't be resolved overnight.
Young girls were simply too impatient.
Granted, when it came to seeking vengeance, impatience was natural. At times, he also wanted to storm Red Moon headquarters and slay Ying Hongyue, but his strength did not permit it, so he had to bide his time.
"My lord, you have a bad person among your subordinates!"
Yuqi's cry left Li Hao stunned. A bad person?
Who?
The next moment, Yun Yao appeared in the doorway, saying nothing.
Li Hao paused, glancing at Yuqi, then at Yun Yao, completely taken aback.
Yun Yao...
Surely not?
Yun Haoran... Yun Yao... Could there truly be a connection?
Chapter 233