Turmoil

Yao Si chose to yield. He had no choice; Li Hao was simply too strong. Of course, that was not the true reason. The true reason was that when Li Hao's single sword strike heavily wounded him, his long-calm heart had begun to stir. There were people stronger than him, quite a few of them, in fact. If raw power were all it took, he would have grown restless long ago. Yet he had never yielded to those people. Mere strength was not enough to earn his submission. The key was that what Li Hao wanted to achieve was precisely what Yao Si had wanted to do all along. At this moment, Yao Si was lost in thought. He pondered many things. Li Hao was forging an unprecedented path. He had actually managed to fuse four disciplines of divine abilities. The water and fire abilities, in particular, were extraordinarily unique—he had completely reined them inward, absorbing supernatural energy for his own use. External wind and lightning power coexisted peacefully with internal water and fire power. Within Li Hao's body, a completely unheard-of situation had emerged. And he could still wield martial master sword intent. Was this a fusion of martial arts and supernatural power? It was almost unbelievable! Could it really be that simple? A problem that had plagued everyone for twenty years had been solved by Li Hao after only a few months of practicing the martial path? Yao Si was still somewhat dazed. Of course, Li Hao possessed extraordinary exposure. The secret arts of Zhenxing City had given him immense inspiration, and he had Yuan Shuo, the most gifted martial master in the world, as his teacher, holding nothing back. Li Hao had encountered things that many people would never see in their entire lifetimes. His horizons were vast! Yet, at times, it also came down to courage and opportunity. Not everyone had the guts to attempt such things. Whether martial masters or supernaturals of this new era, they mostly lacked this sort of boldness. Those who possessed it were few and far between. Yao Si drew upon sword energy to heal his injuries. Savoring the sensation, he suddenly asked, "It seems your divine abilities aren't just attacks of mysterious energy. There's something else attached to them." Li Hao nodded. Naturally! Force, spiritual intent, and vital blood had all been fused together, along with the integration of life force. This power was a complete synthesis of multiple strengths, far more than just a simple strike of mysterious energy. "Does it place a heavy strain on your body?" Yao Si asked again. Li Hao considered for a moment, then shook his head. "As long as I don't unleash it, the strain isn't large. The energy can be almost entirely contained within. However, if I use it, my current limit is similar to a martial master's seal... except I can draw upon it at any time!" In other words, even if he possessed seven divine abilities, he could bear them within him, though he could only deploy four simultaneously for now. Deploying more wasn't entirely impossible—provided one wasn't afraid to die and one's physical body could withstand such a ferocious burst of power. Yao Si's brow furrowed slightly. "Then doesn't that make it... the same as a martial master's seal?" Li Hao chuckled. "Of course it's different!" The difference was enormous! "The power of a martial master's seal can only be released by snapping the supernatural locks. Once snapped, a brief loss of control occurs as a massive flood of foreign energy rushes in. But my divine abilities remain mine, always. Even when dormant, they belong to me!" "That means, first, I hold complete control over the power." "Second, I can unleash and regulate it at will, whereas snapping supernatural locks is a passive, uncontrollable process." "Third, aside from the instant of release, my power remains gentle, even nurturing my body, rather than tearing through me like the destructive shock of an unsealed lock." "Fourth... the upper limit is higher. Unsealing for a martial master is strictly limited to the supernatural locks currently saturated, while divine abilities are limited only by the total number of supernatural locks you have discovered." Yao Si grew pensive. Put that way, it was truly extraordinary. As for the crucial details, he asked no further. Why hadn't Li Hao transformed his wind and lightning attributes into that kind of power? Was there an issue, or something else? And what about the non-elemental locks in his limbs? The locks in the limbs represented non-elemental energy. For now, that neutral power within Li Hao also remained in an unorganized state. Water and fire seemed to have fused with force. Did it have something to do with force? Yao Si quickly noticed a few clues and grasped the general picture. Remembering that Li Hao had five forces, while most martial masters possessed only one, it was hard to say whether Li Hao's path was universally applicable. Regardless, Yao Si was already very satisfied. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Open the barrier. That mirror fragment of yours..." "Belongs to the Duke of Dingguo's Manor." Yao Si nodded slightly. "I know. But that mirror was originally a whole piece. I believe I've seen fragments like it before. The imperial palace has one, and the Nine Departments... most likely possess some as well!" "Not just them—the Three Great Organizations and even certain factions within the Seven Sacred Mountains have pieces." Li Hao was taken aback. He had suspected the palace had one, but everyone else had them too? Were these things so common? "That mirror was likely a top-tier divine artifact that shattered long ago. Most factions have collected a piece or two." Pausing, Yao Si added, "Undo the seal. If it stays up too long, it'll draw suspicion." Li Hao smiled and lifted the mirror's barrier. In truth, Yao Si had the strength to break through it himself. The barrier could block a Rising Light, but it could not stop an expert of the Divine Power Realm. Curious, Li Hao asked, "Director Yao, how many supernatural locks have you saturated?" Yao Si gave a light chuckle. "Put it this way: saturate nine, and you can fight a Divine Power expert. Saturate ten, and you're slightly stronger than an average two-discipline combatant, roughly at Hu Xiao's level. Saturate eleven, and you'll be about where I am." Eleven? Li Hao raised an eyebrow. "Meaning that under normal circumstances, you possess the strength to fight a three-discipline expert?" "Not quite. Hu Xiao wasn't truly at the peak of two disciplines. Under normal conditions, I rank among the very top of the two-discipline tier..." Eleven saturated supernatural locks! Li Hao was still somewhat astounded. The four limbs and five internal organs formed the foundation, nine in total. That meant Yao Si had saturated two additional supernatural locks beyond those. What about Hou Xiaochen? Hou Xiaochen had effortlessly slain two Divine Power experts last time, meaning he had saturated at least ten as well. Hong Yitang probably had that many, too. Of course, Hong Yitang might have only had nine or ten at first, but after completing the cycle of the five internal organs, his strength had likely surged further. In terms of original baseline, he might not have matched Yao Si or Hou Xiaochen. Li Hao calculated swiftly. Evidently, even among top-tier martial masters, the disparity was significant. At the top was someone like Yao Si, with a full eleven saturated locks. At the lower end was Southern Fist, who had only saturated five before and now had somewhere between seven and eight. Li Hao pondered further. Once someone began saturating locks, they generally attained the strength of a Rising Light. The limbs provided little enhancement early on, but once the fifth lock was saturated, one could unleash unsealed combat power, even matching the peak of Transmutation when unsealed. Under normal conditions, however, that only allowed one to rival a Rising Light. Only at nine locks could one truly battle the Divine Power Realm. Yet the further one progressed, the harder it became, because the number of discoverable supernatural locks was inherently limited. As the two spoke, Xiao Ye entered the room, looking anxious. Seeing them sitting peacefully, she let out a sigh of relief, though her expression turned slightly awkward. "Um... I couldn't open the door just now. My apologies, Director. Please continue!" She had suddenly noticed that no sound was coming from the office and feared something was wrong. When she tried to push the door open, it hadn't budged. However, before leaving, she noticed the director's desk had been shattered to pieces. Had they fought? She hadn't heard a single sound! How bizarre! Naturally, she didn't dare ask and quickly shut the door. Yao Si gave a chuckle. Seeing Li Hao's wary look, he laughed. "Don't stare like that. She simply admires you. When you cut down those nobles the other day, you caught the eye and fascination of quite a few people." Li Hao paused. Admiration? After a moment, he smiled. "Not a bad feeling, I suppose!" No wonder he had felt Xiao Ye was overly warm, to the point of suspecting she might be a spy. Yao Si's explanation brought sudden clarity, leaving him chuckling. Yao Si did not dwell on the matter. Looking at Li Hao, he pondered for a moment before saying, "Are you truly intent on founding a Tenth Department?" "Did you think I was joking, Director?" "Not that... I simply think we ought to make more preparations." He met Li Hao's gaze. "From the looks of it, even if you possess the strength of four disciplines, establishing a Tenth Department... even if the imperial family turns a blind eye, that person from the Administrative Department might not sit by idly. He and the head of the Military Law Department are top-tier powerhouses! Both likely command three-discipline, or even four-discipline strength." He continued, "Among the Nine Departments, only three true top-tier powerhouses exist: the chiefs of the Administrative Department, the Military Law Department, and the Inspectorate." The other six departments were a step below. Thus, from the very beginning, supremacy had always been contested among those three. Yao Si added, "Fourth might be the old chief of the Department of Finance. That old fellow is quite formidable as well, only far more slick and calculating. Perhaps because he controls money and wealth, he behaves more like a merchant." Having stayed in Heavenly Star City for many years, Yao Si had interacted with those department chiefs in his earlier days and understood them well. "The old chief of the Administrative Department is strong, and his son is no weakling either. A formidable father raises formidable sons!" Li Hao fell into thought. He truly had never crossed paths with the Administrative Department. "Even so, we must establish it! At worst, we fight!" Seeing his persistence, Yao Si stopped trying to dissuade him, only warning, "Then you must be careful of them. As for me, even if I unseal my power now, at most I can only spar with the chiefs of the other departments." "There are also the Three Great Organizations. Watch out for their interference." Pausing, he concluded, "And then there's the City of Supernaturals. After killing that woman last time, be wary of their retaliation." "What is the background of the City of Supernaturals?" Li Hao asked, puzzled. "I heard that the Nine Departments, the imperial family, the Sacred Mountains, and the Three Great Organizations all have forces stationed there. Located in the Central Region, it held over a million supernaturals at its peak. Why would the Nine Departments allow such a formidable force to sit unchecked in the heart of the realm?" He had always been curious about the City of Supernaturals. Initially, he had assumed the Nine Departments built it, but after examining some documents, that seemed unlikely. The city even dared to bestow titles upon Divine Power experts, which was quite something—it indicated they held no fear of displeasing the Nine Departments. "The City of Supernaturals..." Yao Si knew the story and took a moment to formulate his thoughts. "It's rather complicated. In the beginning, it was just a small-scale collective. Later, powerhouses moved in, and it gradually expanded. The initial founders were nothing special. What truly changed the city's status and landscape was the subsequent arrival of a specific group of people." He looked at Li Hao, pausing before asking, "Do you know about the ancient clans?" Li Hao blinked, recalling something. Back then, the giant serpent had said he was a descendant of an ancient clan, which was technically correct—the Li family certainly qualified as one. Hearing Yao Si's words now, Li Hao seemed to understand. "You mean..." "Yes!" Yao Si nodded. "Much like the Eight Great Families of Silver City. In the beginning, the Eight Families weren't well known; it was only later, when ancient texts were unearthed, that people learned of their existence. These ancient clans might be legacies passed down from the ancient civilization, or families whose ancestors excavated ruins centuries or millennia ago, cultivated ancient martial secret arts, and passed them down through generations to this day." "The City of Supernaturals was primarily founded by them. Later, the Nine Departments and the imperial family stationed forces there, and the Three Great Organizations and Seven Sacred Mountains sent representatives as well... That's how it gradually grew so massive!" "Strictly speaking, Silver Moon was somewhat similar." He looked at Li Hao. "Some martial masters in Silver Moon actually fit that profile, carrying techniques down through the generations. But Silver Moon's martial masters are too fond of fighting. Even when such families appeared, they were wiped out before many years passed." Yao Si smiled wryly. "Silver Moon actually possessed the foundation to foster ancient clans, but because its martial masters fight so fiercely, every rising generation climbs upward by stepping over the bones of the old. Tell me, what family could withstand that kind of endless conflict?" Silver Moon was the place that truly had the soil for ancient clans to thrive. And yet... Silver Moon had none! Strange as it sounded, anyone familiar with Silver Moon found it completely natural. Silver Moon people simply loved to fight! Yuan Shuo was merely one example; generation after generation of Silver Moon people were cut from the exact same cloth. From weak to strong, from ancient times to the present, they did nothing but fight! After sweeping across the world, they would return to Silver Moon just to keep fighting amongst themselves, never stopping until someone claimed the title of number one under heaven. Under such circumstances, how could a powerful clan ever take root in Silver Moon? No family could ensure that every generation stayed mighty. The moment a single generation faltered, challengers would immediately arrive at their doorstep... Unless you relocated, there was simply no avoiding it. Take Liu Long's Liu family, for instance. It had once been an ancient martial clan, but his father had constantly fought challenges until his body could no longer endure the strain, dying of illness in his prime. The Nine Refinements Force had been passed down through numerous generations, yet by the time it reached Liu Long, hadn't he been forced to hide in Silver City with nowhere else to turn? Listening to this, Li Hao paused in surprise, then broke into helpless laughter. "Don't laugh!" Yao Si said exasperatedly. "There's a reason your Eight Families declined. According to our records, five generations ago, the Eight Families still had martial masters... Well, they were most likely beaten to death in duels, which is why your families fell into ruin." Li Hao went rigid. Yao Si sighed. "Don't doubt it—that's the simple truth! The decline of the Eight Families had everything to do with the culture of the Silver Moon martial arts world. Otherwise, do you think they would have fallen so low? The one saving grace of Silver Moon's martial world is that they don't exterminate bloodlines. Call it womanish mercy or unwritten rules, but once a family's martial master died in combat, rivals rarely rooted out the surviving relatives... Otherwise, it's questionable whether the Eight Families would even exist today!" Li Hao felt a sudden sense of enlightenment. So that was it! As it turned out, the Eight Families had possessed powerhouses in the past. But under the constant duels of Silver Moon martial masters over the years, no family could remain evergreen, and they had ultimately fallen. At this moment, Li Hao didn't quite know how to judge the Silver Moon martial world. Yet... perhaps this was what a true jianghu was supposed to be! "So, the ancient clans in the City of Supernaturals are just martial families that inherited ancient arts?" "More or less," Yao Si nodded. "When supernaturals emerged, those families had large populations and many martial masters, so their people were among the first to break through into supernaturals, quickly securing a foothold. However, those ancient clans have their drawbacks: they are restricted to bloodline members, so their overall numbers are relatively small, even if their experts are numerous... Later, as supernaturals grew stronger, supernatural powerhouses decided to establish the City of Supernaturals, inviting many ancient clan members to build it together, aiming to carve out their own domain within the Heavenly Star Dynasty." "I see!" With that explanation, Li Hao understood completely. "Then that Heavenly Eye cultivator we killed earlier... was she a member of one of those families?" "Hard to say." Yao Si laughed. "I haven't managed affairs for five years. I don't know much about the current state of the City of Supernaturals, and their experts rarely show themselves. Whether she belonged to an ancient clan or was raised by them in recent years, I can't say for sure... Not that it matters much." Li Hao nodded. Today, Yao Si was remarkably willing to share information with him. Previously, he would likely have brushed Li Hao off entirely. "Understood!" Li Hao said, keeping his thoughts concise. Seeing his calm demeanor, Yao Si asked, "When do you plan to formally inaugurate the office?" Li Hao thought for a moment. "Soon... but before that, I want to stir things up. Someone is bound to cause trouble on the opening day, so I want to test the waters first." "What do you plan to do?" "First, leak word that I intend to establish the office. You will also spread the word that the Night Patrol will be joining... and push back the actual opening date for a short while!" Smiling at the thought, Li Hao continued, "Whether it's the Nine Departments or the Three Great Organizations... they probably all want me dead! By the way, hasn't the Department of Finance opened a secondary ruin? Those fellows probably think killing me out in the open has too many variables, so they might try to lure me inside to finish me off." That was a distinct possibility. Li Hao rubbed his chin. "I actually want to use the opportunity to eliminate some of them first! Before my full strength is exposed, I can wipe out a batch of them inside the ruin..." Before the Nine Departments could even set their trap, Li Hao was already planning to entice them into the ruin to kill him. Yao Si's expression shifted slightly. "A ruin might not be wise. It could easily trigger massive complications. The Nine Departments collaborate with ancient demons..." "I know!" Li Hao grinned. "But this isn't the era of full revival yet. Even if they collaborate, the ancient demons can at most expend some origin power to form avatars, reaching the level of three, four, or maybe five disciplines of divine ability, right?" "That is indeed possible!" Li Hao smiled. At that moment, his mental intent rippled: *Senior Little Tree, inside a ruin, could your half-origin avatar handle avatars of ancient demon plants? They might possess the strength of four or five disciplines...* Inside the storage ring, Little Tree was slightly surprised, but sent back a mental ripple: *Four disciplines or five, until they achieve a fundamental transformation, they all belong to what you call the Divine Power Realm... In the ancient martial era, that was simply beneath the Peak stage... I was split from half my true origin, slightly weaker than an average Peak expert, but stronger than anything below the Peak.* Understanding dawned on Li Hao. In that case, what did he have to fear? As for whether those ancient demon plants would sever large amounts of their origin, Li Hao considered the probability very low. Virtually negligible! Those demon plants were all in a recovery phase; none of them were like Little Tree, a budding sapling gambling everything on Li Hao. Perhaps... he truly could reap a major harvest while eliminating a batch of enemies along the way. Furthermore, he had another thought: creating a commotion in the outside world was too noticeable, but inside a ruin, he might be able to condense his third and fourth divine ability characters. And only inside a ruin could Little Tree unleash its power without restraint. Out in the open, it ran great risks. After assessing the situation, Li Hao said, "Let's do it this way. Shortly, we'll coordinate to announce that in ten days, the Night Patrol will join the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, and the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy will open on the same day, simultaneously integrating into the office... giving the Nine Departments some time to prepare to kill me!" Yao Si felt a headache coming on. This brat... was far too reckless! He felt that keeping a low profile would be far better. Did they really need a formal integration? Wouldn't it be better to align quietly beneath the surface? Yet Li Hao believed that without proper authority, nothing was legitimate! He wasn't seeking power for power's sake; he wanted more people to know that he was resisting the Nine Departments and defying the injustices and chaos wrought by the imperial family. His mindset differed entirely from Yao Si's. Men like Yao Si believed in keeping a low profile, delaying claims of kingship, and quietly hoarding grain. None of that aligned with Li Hao's path. Yao Si took a deep breath, and after a long silence, sighed, "As you wish... But I must make one thing clear beforehand: if anyone refuses to join the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office... you must let them leave." "Naturally!" Li Hao smiled. "However, I also have one thing to make clear: they may leave, but if any of them stir up trouble, they die! Furthermore, for those who bear past crimes, I will investigate and hold them accountable—I will not simply wipe the slate clean!" *You vicious little monster!* Even so, Yao Si nodded in agreement. With that, the two reached a consensus. Yao Si then asked, "Then... if the Nine Departments truly try to lure you into the ruin to kill you, do you need me to accompany you?" "No need!" Li Hao shook his head. "Director Yao, you only need to hold down the fort outside! Besides, the Nine Departments might not even take that route; it's merely my own speculation." It was simply a plan of his own making. What he didn't know was that this was already the exact plan of the Nine Departments. They were currently racking their brains trying to figure out how to lure Li Hao into the ruin to kill him, wondering what precious treasure could entice him inside. If Li Hao knew, he would probably be more than happy to tell them... *Let's drop the scheming and just go straight inside to fight!* Yet at this moment, Li Hao was unaware, and his enemies had no inkling of his intentions either. "Then... when will this be made public?" "Right now!" Li Hao looked entirely unruffled. "First establish an undeniable reality and broadcast it far and wide: the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office has only one duty—to purge all defiant, lawless supernaturals! All supernaturals fall under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, including the Nine Departments and the imperial family!" "Let everyone under heaven see whether I, Li Hao, have the guts to do it!" He gave a soft laugh and glanced at Yao Si. "Once this announcement goes out, Director Yao, many will likely curse you as a madman!" *Come be crazy with me!* Yao Si was speechless. Indeed, any normal person would think he had lost his mind. Yet... what choice did he have after being thrashed by this little bastard? He said no more, pondered for a moment, and nodded. ... Just as various factions were secretly cursing Li Hao as a deceiver and fraud; Just as the residents of Heavenly Star City learned that Li Hao had headed to Nine Departments Avenue; Just as Hou Xiaochen was wondering when Li Hao would get sent flying by Yao Si... A grand voice echoed in all directions. It was Yao Si's voice, immensely resonant and laden with majestic authority. "I am Yao Si, Director of the Night Patrol!" "The Night Patrol was founded to purge the supernatural chaos under heaven. Yet I am advancing in years and find my strength waning, while the likes of Huang Long scramble for power and profit, throwing the realm into disorder. The Night Patrol is no longer capable of quelling the turmoil under heaven! I feel deep trepidation over this state of affairs. In light of this, Governor-General Li Hao of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office is now willing to shoulder the heavy responsibility of purging supernatural chaos..." "Therefore, ten days from now, the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office will be formally inaugurated. I am willing to lead the Night Patrol into the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office to serve Governor-General Li to the utmost! We shall assist the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office in fulfilling the unaccomplished wish of the Night Patrol!" "Ten days from now, I will assume the post of Deputy Governor-General of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, continuing to command the Night Patrol, willing to contribute my final measure of strength toward peace under heaven!" ... The moment these words rang out, the entire city of Heavenly Star was shaken. Inside Hou Xiaochen's office. With a sharp *crack*, Hou Xiaochen crushed his teacup, his face filled with sheer disbelief and profound shock. How could that be? To be frank, a man like Yao Si was notoriously difficult to manage. As a top-tier martial master, he had his own ideas, his own determination, and his own plans. Hou Xiaochen had assumed that even if the two didn't come to blows, Li Hao would never be able to convince him easily. And yet... Hou Xiaochen was genuinely astonished. He sprang to his feet, murmuring, "Has Yao Si had too much to drink?" Chief Steward Yu was equally astounded, but quickly offered, "Perhaps Li Hao persuaded him. After all, Li Hao acts for the public good..." How could it be that simple! How could an expert like Yao Si yield, let alone submit to Li Hao, merely over appeals to the common good? Hou Xiaochen was utterly mystified. What had happened in that room? ... In the Inspectorate. The moment Yao Si began speaking, the Chief of the Inspectorate appeared in the main hall. When the final sentence fell, he slammed his palm down, splintering the table beneath him. His expression turned thoroughly grim. Even though he had supported Li Hao once before, the Night Patrol was a subordinate branch of the Inspectorate, one of its primary facades. And yet... Yao Si and Li Hao had made this decision without even consulting the Inspectorate. Founding the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, leading the Night Patrol to directly join it, and Yao Si taking the post of Deputy Governor-General—clearly, they were treating the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office as an institution on equal footing with the Inspectorate. Without any warning, without notifying anyone in the Nine Departments, not even sending a word to the Inspectorate. Gritting his teeth, he let out a low snarl: "Bastards!" Outrageous! This was utterly outrageous! Even if they intended to do this, they should have given advance notice, rather than making an open, public declaration like this. What were they doing? Trying to force a fait accompli? Inside the Inspectorate headquarters, dead silence fell instantly. The next moment, experts rushed toward the main hall in droves—something monumental had occurred! This was far more severe than Li Hao slaying Divine Power experts. The dynasty's sole official supernatural agency had chosen to break away from the Inspectorate, break away from the Nine Departments, and join the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, which stood in direct opposition to the Nine Departments! ... In the imperial palace. Certain figures recoiled in shock, their expressions etched with disbelief. Yao Si... had yielded? How could that be! "Investigate! Go find out why Yao Si abruptly made such a decision! Li Hao only went to speak with him for a short while—why would such a massive upheaval occur?" "Understood!" Scouts quickly rushed out to gather intelligence. Not just the imperial palace—at this moment, from every corner of the city, nobles and commoners alike were completely stunned. And right then, Li Hao's voice also reverberated across the four quarters. "The Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office will formally open in ten days. It is my great honor to welcome the Night Patrol! I look forward to working alongside Director Yao to accomplish great deeds, defending the dynasty, protecting our homeland, and guarding the realm!" "Furthermore, the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office will soon establish the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy, open exclusively to ordinary people, with an initial enrollment of three thousand students. Earth-Overturning Sword Hong Yitang shall serve as the academy's dean!" "I will invite experts from all quarters and Silver Moon martial masters to join the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy as instructors, raising an army of martial artists to quell turmoil in all directions!" "From this day forth, all supernaturals across the twenty-two provinces of the Central Region, as well as Heavenly Star City, shall fall under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office! Anyone who stirs up disorder or violates the law shall be executed without mercy!" "May we all strive toward this together!" The voice rolled like thunder, sweeping across heaven and earth. Yet that youthful tone left everyone utterly dumbfounded. Was this... a formal declaration of war? Or was it merely a grab for power? No one knew, yet they could feel the supernatural energy boiling across the city in an instant. Countless people stood frozen in shock. Was the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office... truly preparing to go to war against the Nine Departments, the imperial family, and even formidable factions like the Three Great Organizations? ... At this moment, transmission jade messages flew out in rapid succession across Heavenly Star City. Every major faction was instantly thrown into turmoil. In the Central Region. Inside a magnificent metropolis where countless supernaturals congregated. A bolt from the blue seemed to strike the earth. Someone cried out in shock, gasping in disbelief, "Over in Heavenly Star City, Demon Sword is establishing the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office!" At first, no one paid much heed—hadn't that already been known? Yet the next moment, everyone was shaken to their core. "The Night Patrol... Director Yao Si has led the Night Patrol to join the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office! Li Hao declared... declared that effective immediately, all supernaturals across the Central Region fall under the office's jurisdiction, and anyone who breaks the law will be... will be executed!" *Boom!* In an instant, the entire city erupted. Some sneered, "Who does he think he's scaring?" Others grew fearful. "He couldn't possibly try to enforce his rule here, could he? This is the City of Supernaturals, home to countless supernaturals—we're far outside his jurisdiction!" "Let him pacify the Three Great Organizations first before spouting such nonsense!" "We'd better keep a low profile. That Li Hao slaughtered so many Divine Power experts before... even Director Hu Xiao of the Nine Departments was killed..." "..." The entire city boiled over in an instant. This was the headquarters of supernaturals, a gathering place for powerhouses from every corner of the realm. Yet now, Li Hao, an expert who had never even set foot in the city, instantly became the focal point of all discussion. Regardless of whether Li Hao would actually follow through, the moment he spoke those words, unrest was destined to follow. ... On that day, the news spread like wildfire. In Silver Moon, White Moon City. Director Zhao had been aware of Li Hao's intentions, yet even he was caught off guard by this moment. So fast? Yao Si... Zhao knew him. For that old man to choose submission so quickly was far too unexpected! Was it Old Zhou's doing? Yet... Old Zhou hadn't mentioned anything, nor had he sent any messages back, which didn't add up. ... At the Red Moon headquarters. Ying Hongyue's brow furrowed tightly. After a long silence, he muttered darkly, "How could this happen!" Yao Si was not the kind of man to relinquish authority lightly. How could he have done this? He knew what kind of person Li Hao was. Once Li Hao spoke, he wouldn't merely be playing games or shouting empty slogans. He truly intended to purge supernatural chaos and set down rules for the supernaturals of the Central Region! Did Li Hao not understand how difficult that would be? Did he not know the danger involved? He knew! And yet... he had still done it. Ying Hongyue scowled. This time, he was genuinely baffled. Had Li Hao grown too arrogant, or did he possess absolute confidence to act like this? Where could such confidence come from? "Recall all Red Moon supernatural forces immediately. Maintain a defensive posture for now, and do not act rashly!" Ying Hongyue's voice carried a hint of perplexity, layered with grave concern. Ever since Li Hao had stepped out of Silver Moon... things had spun completely out of control. This time, the shift had come far too fast. ... On this day, all corners of the realm trembled. Some scoffed, believing Li Hao was chasing a fool's dream. Purging supernatural chaos? What a joke! Setting rules for supernaturals... did he have the strength for that? The Three Great Organizations, the Seven Sacred Mountains, the City of Supernaturals, the Nine Departments... which of them was easy to provoke? Had this fellow come to believe he was invincible under heaven just because he killed a few Divine Power experts last time? Was he truly not afraid of death? Opening the office in ten days—could he even successfully pull it off? Meanwhile, the Silver Moon martial masters scattered across the realm developed massive headaches. Should they... head to Heavenly Star City again? It felt like an all-out war was about to erupt once more! In Linjiang. In a courtyard, Thunderbolt Leg was teasing a child when his jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "Holy hell... is this generation's martial leader really this arrogant? This insane?" Going to fight last time had felt like going just to get beaten up. Only a few days had passed, and here it came again? He certainly couldn't take another beating like that! Compared to this brat, Yuan Shuo was practically a saint. Yuan Shuo had only sparred with martial masters; he hadn't gone around provoking total war at every turn like Li Hao! "Daddy... are you going to fight again?" a delicate little girl asked curiously. Thunderbolt Leg felt utterly awkward. Fight? Fight what? This time... your daddy doesn't dare go. If I go, I'm afraid you'll end up an orphan with no one to care for you. It was simply too dangerous! Li Hao had completely lost his mind... Were the Silver Moon martial masters supposed to keep indulging his madness? During the previous battle, everyone had seen the gap. Perhaps they were strong enough to handle Transmutation cultivators, but against the Divine Power Realm, they were clearly outmatched! Thunderbolt Leg hesitated. For a long while, he offered no reply. ... At this moment, he was not the only one. Tyrant Saber, Northern Fist, and even Sky Sword... all hesitated. *Li Hao, what on earth are you trying to do?* *If you keep this up... you're going to get us all killed!* At Sky Sword Manor. Dozens of martial masters gathered in the grand hall. One shouted loudly, "Manor Lord, you cannot go to Heavenly Star City again... If the major factions move against Demon Sword this time, they will certainly come fully prepared... If you go... you might truly never return!" "Demon Sword is too reckless! He is always this conceited!" "..." The crowd roared in indignation. This was asking the Silver Moon martial masters to march to their deaths. One battle after another, relentless warfare spreading from the East to the Central Region. Sky Sword had stepped in to help multiple times, already feeling stretched to his limit during the last engagement. Were they supposed to keep paying the price for Li Hao's madness? Sky Sword remained silent. No one knew what he was thinking, only that on this day, Sky Sword seemed lost in deep contemplation. ... In the imperial palace. Southern Fist sat blankly, suddenly feeling a chill run through his entire body. *Li Hao... you're a raving lunatic!* *Can't you give us a break?* *Can't you take turns with someone else?* At this moment, he could clearly sense the murderous intent permeating Heavenly Star City. Li Hao had gone completely mad. *Hong Yitang, aren't you going to rein him in?* ... "Fascinating!" Hong Yitang let out a soft laugh. Glancing at Deputy Director Zhou nearby, he smiled. "Exciting, isn't it?" "..." Deputy Director Zhou remained silent. It was indeed fine. It was just... he hadn't expected it to happen so fast. What on earth had happened to Li Hao yesterday? For Yao Si to be won over so easily was unnatural, unless some unbelievable transformation had taken place within Li Hao. Exciting? It truly was exciting. Ten days... Setting such a distant date, wasn't he afraid that delays would breed trouble? Or was Li Hao doing this deliberately? Countless thoughts surged into his mind. Deputy Director Zhou let out a breath. Perhaps... this was the true reason he had left Silver Moon behind.