"One hundred million!"
In North City.
Li Hao's eyes lit up instantly with genuine shock. *Damn!*
They really spared no expense!
One hundred million divine energy stones... Even with numerous factions pooling their wealth, each would have to put up at least several million, or even ten million. Did they plan to bankrupt themselves?
Of course, these factions had been established for decades and had begun excavating ruins long before the rise of supernaturals. Even so, massive ore veins were rare.
Even by military-grade standards, one hundred million was equivalent to ten million pieces.
And if measured against the kind Hong Yitang had once found—where three chunks were worth ten thousand regular stones—such massive blocks would still amount to thirty thousand pieces.
Yet in this era, energy was depleted.
Where had they gotten so much power?
Li Hao's expression shifted.
Southern Fist had reported that the stones were simply piled up there without any elaborate traps. The message was obvious: *The prize is right here. Do you dare come in and take it, Li Hao?*
Of course he dared!
Li Hao looked at the others and said gravely, "Uncle Hong, come inside with me."
Hou Xiaochen frowned. "Just the two of you?"
Were they looking to die?
Or marching to their slaughter?
He stood up and said indifferently, "I'm going in this time as well! It'll be nothing more than origin talismans, four- or five-element divine powers, monster plant avatars, and the like... I might as well see it for myself!"
Yao Si opened his mouth to speak, but ultimately remained silent.
Li Hao was having him stay behind to watch over the Night Patrollers, and the surface indeed required a powerhouse to hold the fort.
Bright Light Sword stood up. "Count me in too!"
A faint smile appeared on Chief Steward Yu's aloof face. "Then I shall go as well!"
"You're too weak!"
"..."
The moment those words were spoken, Chief Steward Yu's expression changed, and Bright Light Sword frowned slightly.
Hou Xiaochen stood as steady as a mountain. *He doesn't mean me. He's only talking about the two of them.*
"Director Hou, you stay behind too."
"..."
Hou Xiaochen looked at him, gazing in deadpan silence without a flicker of emotion.
*What does that mean... Did 'too weak' include me as well?*
He simply stared at Li Hao, his face perfectly placid.
Since when had he been considered weak?
Just days ago, he had slaughtered multiple divine powers. Had the boy not seen that?
Throughout his life, who had ever dared regard Hou Xiaochen as weak?
Even when the Plain King was alive, he had not dared.
When Ying Hongyue struck into Silver Moon, he had not dared underestimate him in the least.
Yet now, he was being dismissed by a wet-behind-the-ears kid. It was an insult. A faint glint stirred in his eyes as he looked at Li Hao for a moment, then glanced toward Hong Yitang. *Did Hong Yitang teach him this?*
"One hundred million divine energy stones... What a grand gesture."
Director Zhou spoke slowly at this moment. "It seems the Nine Departments are truly determined. If you can escape with your life this time... you will truly have secured your foothold in the world, Li Hao. After that, no matter how much you stir things up, no one will dare provoke you until the second revival."
If they won this time, even the Nine Departments would have to pull their heads into their shells and quietly lick their wounds.
"Naturally!"
Li Hao chuckled. "I intend to settle everything in a single stroke. Otherwise... why be so high-profile? Once we succeed this time and break their spines, won't those old bastards in the Nine Departments crawl right back into hiding? I'd really like to see whether the Nine Departments will send their old relics out this time."
"They might not come out."
Director Zhou smiled faintly. "Those people won't recklessly venture inside; they still need to keep the imperial family suppressed. The imperial palace likely has a powerhouse restrained by them, possibly the Old Heavenly Star King... Otherwise, there would be no need for such caution."
"Decades ago, the Old Heavenly Star King fought against the Nine Departments and ultimately lost, giving them the chance to rise. Yet several decades ago, several old directors also retreated behind the scenes, likely related to that man's counterattack..."
Li Hao had long grown accustomed to such things.
Was it surprising that those people were still alive?
Not in the least!
At the moment, he was actually curious about how many older martial masters were still alive in Silver Moon.
It was impossible that Silver Moon had none left. People in the Nine Departments and the imperial family were living well past a hundred. Though Silver Moon martial artists were prone to fighting, currently the oldest active master appeared to be Yuan Shuo, who at seventy was already considered a senior veteran.
Were all those above him truly dead?
Of course, he did not voice this question.
He glanced at Hou Xiaochen. "Director Hou, if you enter... it might... be rather difficult. Once a large number of powerhouses appear, Uncle Hong and I have already severed our supernatural locks, but you..."
Hou Xiaochen merely stared back at him, his expression cold and aloof, utter silence his only reply.
*Are you underestimating me?*
Li Hao laughed. "All right, count Director Hou in as well!"
As they spoke, someone tore through the sky. Without a single word, purely exuding haughty grandeur, his burly frame blocked the sunlight.
Heaven Sword wore a flowing robe, descending like an immortal.
Behind him rested a greatsword, lending him an exceptionally otherworldly aura.
Glancing at Li Hao, he uttered a single, flat word: "Go!"
"..."
No idle talk, no questions, just one command: *Go!*
It was as if he had already seen through everything to the core. He had come solely to kill.
Li Hao looked at Heaven Sword. This was their third meeting.
The first was at the Eastern Sea, where a single sword strike had repelled the old duke.
The second was at the Heavenly Star Sea, where he had slain a divine power expert with a single blow. Even when besieged by three Red Moon elders, he had still cut one down, showing incomparable might.
Today, he had come once more.
Without a wasted breath, he arrived and said only *Go!*
Li Hao could not help but laugh.
Heaven Sword!
This tyrant of the Central Region had arrived again.
"Senior Heaven Sword..."
"Not leaving?"
Heaven Sword looked at him, slightly puzzled. "Inside the ruin, there is still a chance to fight. Outside the ruin... it seems easier, but in truth, it is far more dangerous! If we display too much strength, we might provoke the old relics of the imperial family and the Nine Departments into joining forces to surround and kill us... Inside the ruin, though the risk is immense... the enemies outside will have no idea what is happening, which offers a fighting chance!"
He spoke sparsely, yet struck straight to the heart of the matter.
Outside, things appeared safer than inside, but in reality, a single misstep would draw attacks from experts of all factions just like last time.
Inside, though the trouble they faced might be tremendous... if they wiped out all the enemies within, those outside would remain none the wiser. Even if an enemy died in combat, reinforcements could hardly arrive in time.
"Then count Senior Heaven Sword in too!"
Li Hao grinned.
Without further ado, he said, "That makes the four of us!"
Bright Light Sword started to speak, but Li Hao cut her off: "Just the few of us. Senior Bright Light Sword and Chief Steward Yu will stay behind. I will also have Senior Southern Fist remain... Coordinate with the Demon Hunt Army outside to prevent any unforeseen accidents. Along with Director Yao and Director Zhou... that should be enough."
With that, he brought out a small bottle. "Here are one hundred drops of the Spring of Life... If you need to unseal your power, use these first. Once I go in, I likely won't return until five days from now."
Saying that, he produced another bottle and handed it to Director Zhou: "This is another one hundred drops of the Spring of Life. If the situation truly demands it, and Yang Shan and Qin Lian are willing to risk their lives... help them break through to the Divine Power Realm. This will be more than enough to stabilize their cultivation!"
Two hundred drops!
Everyone took a sharp intake of breath. This kid was absurdly lavish!
Even Director Zhou was surprised and shot a glance at Li Hao.
*Just how many divine energy stones did you trade to get a single drop of the Spring of Life?*
He had given Zhou two hundred drops before, and now another two hundred. Adding the drops Li Hao had used for his own cultivation and the Demon Hunt Army's training lately... that had easily been over a hundred drops, hadn't it?
All at once, five hundred drops had been spent.
Just how filthy rich was he?
Li Hao actually wanted to say that he had very little left. This time, he truly had almost run dry—barely over a hundred drops remained in his possession.
He was genuinely running out!
It might look like a lot, but... among those entering this time, even if he and Hong Yitang didn't take any, wouldn't he have to leave some for Director Hou and Heaven Sword?
If he failed to secure that one hundred million divine energy stones, he would suffer a catastrophic loss!
One had to remember that a single drop of his Spring of Life could fetch one hundred thousand stones... Even if nobody bought at that price, selling it for forty or fifty thousand would certainly find eager buyers.
His dream of soaking in a bath of the Spring of Life would have to wait a little longer.
At this moment, Bright Light Sword frowned slightly, and Chief Steward Yu also showed some displeasure.
*What, looking down on us for being weak?*
Bright Light Sword in particular was a peak martial master. By following Li Hao, she had absorbed a tremendous amount of energy, including a massive quantity of dark-affinity power. By now, eight of her standard nine meridians were fully saturated, leaving only the final lock of the standard nine unfulfilled, and even that was close.
With such strength, even without unsealing her power, she was hardly inferior to a divine power combatant.
Once unsealed... she would unequivocally possess divine power combat strength.
*Do you look down on even divine powers now?*
After grumbling internally for a moment, she said nothing more.
Li Hao looked at the other three and smiled. "Gentlemen... let us... take a trip!"
"Let's go!"
As the words fell, the four vanished in an instant like a whirlwind.
Behind them, a large dog quietly disappeared as well. Black Panther had grown increasingly lazy lately, but whenever moments like this arrived, its courage was boundless; no matter how perilous, it would always follow.
Only by doing so... did it never miss out on any benefits.
Ever since coming out of Battle Heaven City, Black Panther had never been absent whenever Li Hao cultivated. Yet its overt strength seemed frozen at the exact moment it walked out of Battle Heaven City, without the slightest ripple of change.
Four men and one dog vanished in the blink of an eye.
***
Western Suburbs.
A low hill.
Space seemed to shatter for an instant as four men and a dog appeared.
There were people in the small hollow, Southern Fist among them. Seeing Li Hao and his group, everyone felt a jolt of astonishment. *So strong!*
More importantly, only these few had come?
At this moment, several people sensed an aura blanketing the area—the signature of a mirror fragment.
Someone was observing this place!
***
Inside the imperial palace.
The Heavenly Star King leaned back in his chair. A scene floated before him, showing the exact area in the western suburbs. He glanced at it and smiled faintly. "Heaven Sword, Earth-Overturning Sword, Demon Sword, Sickbed Ghost..."
Just those four?
To think Li Hao had not even brought Yao Si and the others along. Was it confidence, or did he feel that bringing them would be useless anyway?
Below him, several princes and princesses were gathered.
Among them, the Seventh Princess of Nine Dragons Pavilion was watching as well. After observing for a moment, she asked softly, "Father, will the Nine Departments dispatch their former directors this time?"
"They will... but not many. Perhaps only one or two, or maybe... just a single person to preside over matters."
The seemingly youthful Heavenly Star King chuckled softly. "However, the directors of the Military Law Department and Department of Administration likely won't go. They will not easily leave their posts."
"Then do we... need to intervene?"
The Heavenly Star King pondered for a moment and smiled. "There is no need to send any powerhouses inside... lest they be besieged. Dispatch some men from the Black Armor Army purely to observe and record... If they can make it out alive, that would be for the best."
If they couldn't, it hardly mattered.
The crowd nodded slightly.
The Heavenly Star King chuckled again. "Keep watching. Let us see who among the various factions arrives once they enter. This time... it won't just be people from the Nine Departments!"
Everyone remained quiet, watching silently.
In the projection, Li Hao appeared completely at ease. He laughed heartily and called out, "Uncle Southern Fist, don't linger here. Head to Heavenly Star City and assist the others in defending the Demon Hunt Army's base. Await my triumphant return!"
Below, Southern Fist raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
"Positive!"
Southern Fist thought it over, smiled, nodded, and shot through the air.
In the grand hall.
Someone looked at the Ninth Prince and remarked flatly, "Ninth Brother, Southern Fist is an ungrateful wolf that can never be tamed. No matter how many benefits he takes from the imperial family, he will never acknowledge us as his masters!"
This ungrateful wolf had been helping Li Hao nonstop recently.
Many in the palace had long found it displeasing.
Southern Fist had received no shortage of benefits from the imperial family.
Because of his formidable strength, Ninth Brother had even brought him along to ruins—places exclusive to the imperial family.
Amidst the crowd, the polite and well-mannered Ninth Prince bowed slightly at the remark. "Third Brother speaks the truth. However, Master He taught me martial arts long ago, and as a Silver Moon martial master, he naturally values loyalty and bonds in their time of crisis... One cannot say he is completely ungrateful to the imperial family... At the very least, he has never raised a hand against any of our kin."
"Yet he has created zero value for us!"
"Enough!"
The Heavenly Star King said flatly, "Cease this meaningless bickering! As brothers and sisters, you should unite your efforts. The world is in turmoil, and whether this dynasty belonging to Heavenly Star... will still bear the surname Jiang remains in question."
Everyone fell silent.
They turned their eyes back to the screen.
As Southern Fist departed, Li Hao and his party advanced with easy confidence. Dropping down in a flash, they headed straight for the glowing halo at the end of the tunnel. In a single instant, the four men and one dog vanished without a trace.
And at that very moment, dozens of figures swarmed in from outside!
In the blink of an eye, the halo underwent a subtle shift, turning like a black hole that allowed entry but no exit.
Right then, people began to show themselves.
Someone let out a cold snort and glanced toward the sky as if looking at something.
The Heavenly Star King did not mind, nor did he withdraw the shroud of the mirror fragment, continuing to wait. The early arrivals did not enter either.
After another moment, figures converged from all directions.
Some wore masks, some were enveloped in black cloaks, some were surrounded by blurred silhouettes, and there were even demonic beasts streaking through the sky.
In the grand hall, the princes and princesses drew in sharp breaths one after another.
"Director of the Department of Merit Examination, Director of the Department of Penal Law, Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs..."
Three director-level figures revealed their true faces, all appearing in person.
Curiously, however, the Director of the Department of Internal Affairs did not appear.
Nor did the Director of the Department of Finance.
Of course, aside from the Inspectorate, the other eight departments had all sent representatives, some stronger, some weaker, but the weakest was at least at the Metamorphosis level. At this moment, every one of them wore a solemn expression, as though still waiting for something.
Suddenly, a prince in the hall inhaled sharply: "The Mount Futu Lord? Is that him?"
A figure emerged, radiating golden light that obscured his true features.
Yet the onlookers quickly deduced his identity. It was likely the Lord of Mount Futu, who had previously been forced to become a supernatural. With a top-tier martial master turning supernatural on top of being the master of a sacred mountain, he was almost certainly a three-element divine power powerhouse by now.
A top-tier powerhouse from the Seven Sacred Mountains had finally appeared.
And that swift figure arriving on the wind seemed to be... the Heavenly Roc Mountain Lord!
"The Heavenly Roc Mountain Lord has arrived as well!"
"And... those are... folks from Supernatural City!"
At this moment, three figures arrived side by side—one woman and two men—all displaying their true faces, appearing quite young.
"Supernatural City has twelve ancient clans large and small, and they dispatched three divine powers in one breath... It seems Li Hao's killing of their member last time truly enraged them."
"Did the Three Great Organizations send anyone?"
"King Qinguang!"
Someone suddenly barked in a low voice. In the image, a god-like demonic figure stepped through the air, dignified and aloof. Casting a cold gaze upward toward the sky, he said coldly, "Never seen me before?"
Among the Ten Yama Kings, King Qinguang was second only to Yama himself. Rumor even had it that King Qinguang's combat prowess might exceed Yama's. No one had expected this formidable figure to come in person.
The princes were thoroughly shaken.
This lineup... was truly extravagant.
Yet they were all still waiting.
Who else were they waiting for? People from Red Moon and Feitian?
Just as the thought crossed their minds, several more figures appeared. These powerhouses did not conceal their appearances either. The onlookers paused, their brows furrowing in surprise after taking a closer look.
Why her?
The newcomer was strikingly enchanting... yet everyone recognized her as Orange Moon, one of Ying Hongyue's harem, also known as the Black Widow.
Her combat strength was merely between the peak of Rising Light and Metamorphosis. What was the use of her coming?
Utterly useless. Was she here to throw her life away?
Soon, however, the Heavenly Star King spoke: "Ying Hongyue is quite interesting!"
"Father... Red Moon only sent Orange Moon... Isn't this... far too careless?"
"No!"
The Heavenly Star King glanced at the Black Widow on screen, his eyebrows lifting slightly. "This proves Ying Hongyue is taking this genuinely seriously!"
"Huh?"
Everyone was baffled.
The Heavenly Star King did not elaborate. He took another look, then shook his head. "The one who truly doesn't care is Feitian! Truly an organization of assassins—unwilling to exert themselves unless the rewards are massive. They only sent Vice Pavilion Master Ju Que, who has barely stepped into the divine power level, merely to join the spectacle."
He shook his head. Of the Three Great Organizations, Feitian was the most pragmatic.
This time, they had only sent a single vice pavilion master. Flying Sword Immortal clearly did not care much, dispatching a representative merely with the mindset of grabbing a share if there were spoils, or pulling out if there were none.
Even with the arrival of the Three Great Organizations' powerhouses, the crowd still did not move.
In truth, there were already numerous experts present.
Three department directors had arrived in person, accompanied by King Qinguang, the Mount Futu Lord, the Heavenly Roc Mountain Lord, and others. Such collective might was already terrifying.
Yet they still seemed to feel it was insufficient.
At that moment, the Heavenly Star King suddenly sat upright.
A figure drifted down from the void.
The Heavenly Star King's eyes shifted. While some princes failed to recognize him, others experienced a sudden change in expression: "He's the one presiding this time?"
Seeing that the Ninth Prince did not seem to know who it was, and noticing no one was paying attention, the Seventh Princess transmitted her voice: "Ninth Brother, that is the old director of the Department of Commerce. He has rarely shown himself in recent years, and didn't even appear during the previous battle..."
The Ninth Prince instantly understood.
The old director of the Department of Commerce—no wonder he looked unfamiliar. All commerce across the realm fell under the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce. It was said that before establishing the Department of Commerce within the Nine Departments, this old director had been a merchant tycoon famous throughout the world!
Compared to him, the Four Seas Corporation under the Department of Finance was practically nothing.
Today, the Department of Commerce controlled fifty percent of the realm's major conglomerates.
Clothing, food, shelter, and transport were virtually all monopolized by them, including the cars driven and the houses lived in today... All were dominated by the Department of Commerce. They were vastly wealthier than the Four Seas Corporation, simply less conspicuous and therefore less hated.
"Is there such deep enmity between the Department of Commerce and Li Hao? For him to take action in person..."
"No, it's just that the others might not be willing to act. The Department of Finance and the Inspectorate remain uninvolved; the Department of Administration and Military Law Department are the main forces restricting us; and the directors of Merit Examination, Foreign Affairs, and Penal Law have all arrived. Only Internal Affairs remains absent, though no one knows Mu Hai's situation..."
As the old director of the Department of Commerce arrived, the Heavenly Star King also fell into contemplation, murmuring after a moment, "Qian Wanhao actually showed up. I thought that old ghost from Finance would step forward this time."
The Liu father and son from Finance had been acting like invisible men recently, and surprisingly did not appear now either.
This was even more baffling than the Inspectorate's absence.
As for Internal Affairs, the Heavenly Star King knew the situation. That fat Mu Hai was nursing a grudge because his daughter had been captured and neither the Nine Departments nor the imperial family had intervened. Why would he participate? He would love nothing more than to see the Nine Departments suffer a massive loss!
"Everyone should be here!"
Just as the Heavenly Star King said this, he abruptly rose to his feet, his gaze turning razor-sharp!
A surge of aura instantly pressed down upon the surroundings!
The other princes and princesses were stunned as well, all staring at a newly arrived figure on the screen.
Not just them—even the people present at the scene seemed astonished!
***
Western Suburbs.
A man strode through the air with a frosty demeanor, clad in a yellow robe and crowned with a royal headdress. He looked toward Qian Wanhao of the Department of Commerce and nodded slightly. "Old Director Qian, you wouldn't mind, would you?"
The pot-bellied old director looked at him, slightly surprised. "Dingshan King, what brings you..."
A prince!
Of the imperial family's Nine Kings, the Plain King had died, leaving only eight.
Yet now, the Dingshan King had arrived.
Bearing dignified, stern features, he said calmly, "Hong Yitang killed my royal brother. I have come to take a look. Of the current Nine Kings, only the Plain King and I were born of the same mother. The other royal brothers likely do not wish to show their faces... so I shall come!"
Everyone was surprised, but none objected.
The Nine Kings were of the same generation as the Heavenly Star King, all biological brothers and sons of the previous Heavenly Star King. As for the princes of the previous generation... all were gone, slain by unknown hands.
The late Old Heavenly Star King had later enfeoffed his nine sons, but only the Plain King and this man were born of the same consort.
This generation of the imperial family was replete with talent.
The current Heavenly Star King possessed grand strategic vision, and the Nine Kings were all top-tier powerhouses who had once led the Black Armor Army across the realm. The Plain King had founded the Heavenly Star Martial Guard Army, and the Dingshan King before them had likewise led troops in battle across the four directions in his earlier years.
Qian Wanhao smiled faintly. "Very well... Since the Dingshan King has come... our numbers are just about complete."
Counting himself, there were four directors new and old, two mountain lords, one royal prince, powerhouses from each of the Three Great Organizations, three divine powers from Supernatural City, and various experts from the other departments...
The number of divine powers alone exceeded the total from last time.
More crucial than these divine powers were the monster plant avatars they brought along.
With such strength, how hard could it be to eradicate Li Hao and his three companions?
Qian Wanhao primarily looked at the Dingshan King, and then at Orange Moon.
Particularly Orange Moon... Though many believed Ying Hongyue was taking this lightly, Qian Wanhao looked at her several times and nodded inwardly, somewhat shaken. This time, Ying Hongyue truly seemed willing to spare no expense.
That man was truly feeling the heat.
"Since everyone has arrived... let us enter!"
Looking at the vortex before him, he smiled. "Lest the Demon Sword becomes too excited upon seeing all those divine energy stones and burrows deep inside, making him hard to find."
Everyone burst into hearty laughter!
The next moment, the group of over thirty stepped into the vortex together.
The western suburbs instantly fell silent.
Before long, more powerhouses appeared, though none entered; they merely waited outside.
If all went smoothly... slaying Li Hao would not take long. But whether the hunt succeeded or failed, they would still need five days before they could exit.
During these five days, they also had to remain vigilant against the imperial family.
Yet an imperial prince had entered as well, leaving everyone uncertain about the Heavenly Star King's true thoughts.
***
Inside the imperial palace.
The Heavenly Star King remained silent. Someone cursed in a low voice, "Uncle Dingshan... truly... has no sense of decorum!"
The imperial family had declared they would not participate this time, yet the Dingshan King had gone anyway, blatantly disregarding the Heavenly Star King.
The Heavenly Star King merely swept a silent glance at the speaker, frightening that prince into trembling anxiety. After a long pause, the Heavenly Star King said slowly, "No matter. With the fall of Brother Plain, it is normal for him to harbor some resentment! But if the imperial family wishes to rise again, sacrifice is inevitable! He will understand sooner or later!"
Unwilling to say more, the Heavenly Star King brushed the topic aside and stated flatly, "Make preparations. If Li Hao does not emerge in five days, the Nine Departments will inevitably strike against Yao Si and the others. Let us see whether Silver Moon sends more people this time..."
No matter the outcome, he stood to gain.
Dog eat dog; whether they all perished made no difference.
Mutual destruction would be the best result!
Such a spectacle was precisely what he delighted to see.
The Seventh Princess spoke up at this moment: "Father, Li Hao took several people from the Ancient Academy away from the Nine Dragons Pavilion..."
"If Li Hao does not come out, execute them in secret!"
Just do not leave them to the Nine Departments!
Without another word, he turned and left.
Now that nothing could be seen, there was no point in watching any longer.
Seeing this, the others waited until he departed before gradually dispersing.
The Heavenly Star King made his way to the rear courtyard. A small tree extended outward, its spiritual energy rippling faintly: "Have they all entered?"
"Yes."
The Heavenly Star King nodded slightly. "I wonder how many monster plants were mobilized this time."
The small tree seemed to chuckle. "For that Li Hao to dare act, he must have something to rely on... Regardless, let us wait and see."
With that, it added, "That martial arts university... may not be simple. I hope no unexpected complications arise."
"Not simple?"
The Heavenly Star King frowned slightly. "It is merely a tiny martial arts university, perhaps only possessing the name. The Department of Finance previously gained nothing from it..."
"It is called Yuanping Martial Arts University, correct?"
"Yes."
"I am not entirely certain either... When that university was founded in the ancient era, there was nothing particularly remarkable about it. However... when it was established, the commander-in-chief of the Heavenly Star Army went there in person to offer congratulations... Ordinarily, for the founding of such a small university, having a division commander attend would already be conferring great face, let alone an army commander!"
It continued, "Not only that, if I remember correctly, on that day... powerhouses from the Eight Main Cities may have even gone there to congratulate them! On the soil of Silver Moon, martial arts universities were numerous, and there were even branches of top-tier universities... But on Heavenly Star Island, the most famous should have been Heavenly Star Martial Arts University, while the others were small-scale... On the day Heavenly Star Martial Arts University was established, people from the Eight Main Cities attended as well, but only weaklings..."
After this brief explanation, the small tree swayed slightly. "As you know, Heavenly Star Island was merely a mining ground back then, and the entire land of Silver Moon was nothing more than one part of the human realm, far from the entirety... Some matters are beyond my knowledge as well. Perhaps... they originated from the primary world?"
The Heavenly Star King frowned slightly. "You have mentioned the primary world several times. What does it actually mean? Could it be that the entire dynasty and the four seas and eight wildernesses still do not encompass the entirety of the ancient civilization's territory?"
The small tree seemed to chuckle, perhaps in mockery, perhaps in reminiscence.
"You must understand... this place... is merely the land of Silver Moon!"
The Heavenly Star King frowned again.
"You still do not understand. Here, among the Eight Great Families, the Li family, though the strongest, was merely one of the Sovereign's clans. The so-called Battle Heaven City was merely a branch of the Sovereign. In ancient times, the Human King possessed peerless might, followed by countless powerhouses... After uniting the realm, they fell silent for a thousand years, and when they emerged once more, it was to campaign into deeper realms..."
Reaching this point, it seemed constrained by some taboo and did not continue, merely offering a reminder: "You must realize that everything is merely a beginning. Only by opening the Star Gate can one witness the true ancient civilization!"
"What the Eight Great Families guarded was the Star Gate... That Ying Hongyue you speak of insists on gathering the bloodlines of the Eight Great Families, likely for this very purpose..."
The Heavenly Star King remained silent.
After a long while, he murmured softly, "I... shall sweep across the realm and restore the glory of the ancient civilization!"
"..."
The small tree did not respond, though mockery filled its heart.
*The glory of the ancient civilization?*
*You?*
*You will never comprehend just how glorious the ancient civilization was at its peak!*
*In the land of Silver Moon alone, an army of tens of millions boasted no fewer than a thousand Pinnacle experts among its commanding generals!*
*What an awe-inspiring era that was!*
*And now... counting on you people to restore ancient glory?*
*A joke!*
It said no more. As the guardian monster plant of the imperial family, enjoying geographic advantage, it had absorbed a vast amount of divine energy stones from the imperial family over the years. Compared to other monster plants, its recovery was far more advanced, which allowed it to barely bridge the ruin and extend its spiritual will to this place.
It cared little for the others, but harbored some curiosity regarding Yuanping Martial Arts University.
In its memories, that university was exceedingly mysterious.
Rarely did students emerge from it, and even when they did, they generally did not remain in the land of Silver Moon. Despite being a small university, its peak enrollment was said to never exceed a thousand students.
*Could there... be a secret there?*
With that thought, it ceased communication with the Heavenly Star King and swiftly reeled in its spiritual will, retreating into the ruin. Underground, within a magnificent hall, an enchanting rose bloomed.
In the center of the hall, an old man sat cross-legged, dressed in yellow robes.
At this moment, nine chains seemed to bind his body, rendering him unable to move.
As the spiritual will that had taken the form of a small tree returned, the old man opened his eyes. "Can it be broken?"
"Not for now. Those two have not left!"
The old man frowned, said nothing more, and closed his eyes once again.
***
Meanwhile.
Inside the ruin.
Li Hao stepped inside and surveyed this small martial arts university, feeling rather surprised. "Southern Fist said it was small... but I didn't expect it to be this small!"
There were only a few isolated small buildings.
A perimeter wall seemed to enclose the grounds.
The sky was a murky twilight.
At the university gates stood several toy-like statues. To Li Hao, they did not feel majestic or terrifying in the slightest; it felt as if he had walked into a kindergarten.
At this moment, there were people inside.
However, they had all hidden themselves and did not show their faces.
Li Hao paid them no heed and strode inward. By his ear, the voice of the small tree sounded. Here, the small tree's spiritual will began to spread outward, carrying a trace of fear: "Li Hao... this place... is not somewhere to linger!"
Li Hao's heart stirred. *Why?*
"There is great terror here!"
The small tree seemed to tremble. "I have already sensed a terrifying aura... This place... may not be unowned! You must be careful... Do not lightly disturb a single blade of grass or tree here. You possess the bloodline of the Sword Venerable, so you may be able to protect yourself. As long as you do not touch any object here... you might be fine!"
Li Hao was deeply shaken.
*Great terror?*
This tiny martial arts university was described by the small tree as harboring great terror. One had to realize that when the small tree went to Battle Heaven City, it had not been anywhere near this frightened.
"Is this... not a martial arts university?"
"It is..."
The small tree gingerly probed the surroundings, saying with a slight shudder, "I do not know where the danger originates. My father might... might have had some experiences regarding this place; I merely sense this dread from the depths of my inherited memories... You must take care. The danger this time may not come from the outside world..."
Li Hao's expression instantly turned grave.
This was a Pinnacle monster plant.
Yet it was filled with dread toward this place.
The small tree's father had been a guardian plant of the Imperial Palace.
He had seen supreme figures!
Li Hao looked toward the campus grounds again. It remained quiet and serene, with four small buildings standing there. Looking closely... the arrangement of the buildings faintly resembled a human face—two eyes, a nose, and a mouth.
Without saying a word, he hurried inward, transmitting his voice to the others: "Careful. Do not touch anything here... There might be huge trouble! This ruin ceded by the Department of Finance... might not be a good place at all!"
Heaven Sword and the others felt a chill run through them. Without speaking, they followed closely behind Li Hao, swiftly heading into the depths.
***
At the same time.
Inside the Department of Finance.
Liu Yunqing leaned back in his chair, looking toward the western suburbs. His father's voice echoed in his ear: "Did powerhouses die in that ruin before?"
"Why do you ask, Father?"
"I remember last time, you went there together with Liu Yang. Liu Yang never came out... Did he die?"
"Yes."
The old director fell silent for a long while before saying, "As expected, just as I guessed! It seems you are still unwilling to accept defeat... Forget it, pretend we know nothing. It is merely a secondary ruin. As for news of Liu Yang, silence everyone who knows!"
"Understood."
Liu Yunqing said nothing further, yet a faint smile curled on his lips.
*Li Hao, the Nine Departments, the imperial family, the Three Great Organizations...*
*Last time, the Four Seas Corporation was destroyed. Li Hao was the chief culprit, but none of those other bastards are good things either!*
*This time... go eat shit, every last one of you!*
*It would be best if you all dropped dead!*
*A secondary ruin?*
*From its scale, it looks like a dump, but when the time comes, you'll find out just how terrifying it really is!*
He stood up with a cold chuckle, glancing toward the Inspectorate, then in the direction of the Military Law Department and Department of Administration. He felt a pang of regret that no experts from these three factions had gone—especially the Inspectorate, which hadn't sent a single soul...
What a pity!
Chapter 243