Inconceivable

Yuanping Martial Arts University. Li Hao stepped inside, moving with extreme caution. The ignorant were fearless; the more one learned, the more one grasped dread. It was only human nature. In the past, Li Hao had thought the ancient civilization was long gone, so what was there to fear? But later, as monster plants were found surviving, as Director Wang and the others spoke, and as he learned that those at the Peak Realm could tear through space and traverse thousands of li in an instant, he realized that in the eyes of the ancient civilization, he was... nothing at all. A minor pawn whose strength only equaled that of a silver regiment commander. Back in the ancient civilization, he would at most be fit to lead a thousand men. Of course, Li Hao did not belittle himself. He was only at the beginning and had no need to rush. Even so, he understood the meaning of reverence. When dealing with the ancient civilization... caution was always warranted. He swiftly navigated past four office buildings. Soon, Li Hao reached the back grounds—or was it an athletic field? The area was completely packed with divine energy stones. At this moment, no one touched the stones, nor was there any need to. The victor would take all. Whoever won would claim them; the stones were not going to sprout legs and run away. And if you lost... even if you took them, your corpse would belong to someone else. Looking at the densely packed divine energy stones before him, a rich wave of energy wafted out. Li Hao felt a jolt in his heart. *So many!* At the same time, the little tree seemed to sense them as well. It trembled slightly, sending out a mental fluctuation: "So many..." It was itching to come out! Yet it also hesitated. Among the monster plant lineage, it was merely a later-generation being, genuinely weak. Even though it had paid a tremendous price this time by cleaving away half its origin—something ordinary monster plants would neither dare nor choose to do—this place still filled it with dread. While the group debated whether to take the stones right away, powerful auras emerged from behind. The experts from the outside world had entered. Those who had been hiding in various corners rushed out one after another, hurriedly converging with the powerhouses at the campus entrance. Just then, faint waves of mental energy rippled through the air. "Xunmu, you're still alive?" "Giant Redwood, if even you survived, how could I be dead?" In that instant, the monster plants that rarely crossed paths in ordinary times began exchanging mental fluctuations. They did not belong to the same ruin. There were quite a few ruins on Heavenly Star Island, but since they had all resided on the island in the past, they were acquainted. Now, meeting again after countless ages, even though these were not their true forms and the origin power they had cleaved off was limited, they still felt a twinge of sentimentality. Neo-Martial... had passed away! Who could have imagined that an entity as mighty as Neo-Martial could fade into nothingness? Who could have imagined that the ancient Human King—who had traversed the world, swept all before him, and campaigned across the cosmos—would vanish as well? It was unimaginable! It almost felt as though their faith had collapsed. When the land of Silver Moon was thoroughly sealed, those left behind either died or scattered. Watching with their own eyes as the Silver Moon land entered the End of Martial era... these monster plants had endured an unimaginable blow. Neo-Martial was gone! On this land, the Eight Great Guardian Families were gone, and the mighty army of ten million that had once conquered the world had dissolved into nothingness. Countless supreme experts had vanished. Until today, Neo-Martial had become Ancient Martial. Just like the Heavenly Emperor era of old, the Ancient Martial spoken of by the ancient Human King had become a thing of the past. The mighty figures who had split the heavens and cleaved the earth had all faded into the river of time. And now, history was repeating itself. Neo-Martial was gone too. The monster plants were overwhelmed with emotion. Yet a rift had grown between them. In the Neo-Martial era, they had stood in the same camp. But once Neo-Martial faded, they no longer shared that allegiance. Having slumbered in silence for countless ages, everything was different now. Time was the greatest enemy of all. "Enough. Let's not speak of the past. What is gone is gone. This time, what they want to kill is the successor of the Sword Venerable..." As soon as these words were spoken, the monster plants fell silent. The successor of the Sword Venerable! Back then, who would have dared touch him? Yet... times had changed. Even Neo-Martial was gone; why should they still fear such things? Who knew how many generations the Sword Venerable's lineage had passed through? Who knew how many of his successors had already been slain without the Sword Venerable ever returning? At first, they might have felt fear. Now... that dread had long since vanished. "I smell energy stones..." "Friends, don't fight me for them this time. Once I recover my strength and the outer space stabilizes, I will help you all recover. You must remember, our enemies are not each other, but those fellows in the Central Region!" The Central Region they spoke of was not this place, but Silver Moon. That was the true heart of the entire Silver Moon land. All the monster plants sensed the dense energy. Then, one of them sent a sudden mental transmission: "Does this place... feel a bit off to you?" At this, the other origin clones were somewhat puzzled and probed around quickly. They didn't detect any major issues. Another monster plant wondered, "This place... have we heard of it before?" "It seems so... Back then, an expert supposedly came to Heavenly Star Island and established Yuanping Martial Arts University. However, they had little interaction with the island's residents or garrison. But that was then... Don't forget how many years have passed since." They were all ancient relics; none could fool the others. There were no living monster plants here, nor any demonic beasts. The humans had died out long ago. Even if some formations or remnants remained, what was there to fear? Besides... they were only origin clones. They wouldn't truly perish. Right then, a monster plant's mental voice rippled: "I can forfeit the energy stones, but I want that sword in the Sword Venerable successor's hand..." "Quite an appetite you have!" "Aren't you afraid of choking?" "The sword he inherited might not be the Sword Venerable's personal blade. Friends, it could just be a replica. If it were truly the Sword Venerable's sword, do you think someone like him could wield it? Leave him aside—could even we easily wield the Sword Venerable's blade?" "That's hard to say. The Sword Venerable went through swords very quickly... Perhaps it was one he used and discarded. Regardless, it is no ordinary item." Everyone knew of the Sword Venerable's swords. Legends recorded that with a single strike, the enemy died, and the sword shattered. It hadn't happened just once! Whether the sword had been used by the Sword Venerable or was merely a replica, any blade from the Eight Families was worth coveting. To them, the Eight Families had been invincible beings. At that moment, the monster plants communicated in secret, their mental power crisscrossing the air. The other experts sensed it as well, though none commented. Qian Wanhao looked deeper inside and vaguely spotted Li Hao and his companions. He sent a voice transmission: "Stay sharp, everyone. Although we have overwhelming odds this time... we must watch out for their counterattack. If Li Hao dared enter, he must have something to rely on!" With that, he pulled out a mirror fragment and hurled it outward. A barrier instantly rose around the group. In the next moment, the Directors of Civil Service Evaluation, Protocol and Foreign Affairs, and Criminal Law each tossed out a fragment of their own. The four fragments hovered in the four cardinal directions, raising four distinct barriers. Back at the Duke of Dingguo's Residence, a single barrier had withstood the assault of a Transmutation expert. Now, there were four! Even a divine power expert would have to pay a steep price to shatter them. Given their sheer numbers, this was an extra precaution. The old director of the Commerce Department remained thoroughly vigilant. Next, his voice transmission sounded secretly: "The moment we face them, don't exchange words. Throw out every Origin Talisman, divine power talisman, and supernatural bomb we have... Kill one or two of them right off the bat!" There was no need for conversation. They had only one goal: kill them! "If they survive the initial volley, the Three Great Organizations will handle Hong Yitang. The Lord of Mount Futu and the Lord of Heavenly Roc Mountain will handle Hou Xiaochen. King Dingshan and the other departments, together with the City of Supernaturals, will deal with Sky Sword and Black Panther. Li Hao will be left to our four departments!" No one objected. Among the four opponents, Li Hao might be the hardest to deal with; the others were comparatively manageable. None of the people who dared enter were weak. Aside from the Inspectorate, which hadn't sent a soul, even the Department of Finance had sent a deputy director—primarily to witness the deaths of Li Hao and his crew. "Don't spread out. Watch for ambushes. Don't give them any opening..." Despite having total confidence, the old director kept speaking, urging everyone to treat the situation with utmost seriousness. He wanted to ensure they didn't capsize in calm waters. *** Ahead. Sky Sword's brows knitted tightly. He looked at the gathered crowd, his expression growing solemn. In a low voice, he said, "Triple-discipline divine power... there are at least three or four of them. That Qian Wanhao might even be... a four-discipline expert!" And that didn't even count the monster plants they hadn't seen yet. Sky Sword glanced at Li Hao, feeling a slight headache. Before coming, he had been somewhat careless. It felt like... it felt like Li Hao hadn't prepared anything at all! *I thought you had an ambush waiting in the ruins.* *Turns out... you really don't!* Li Hao, however, said nothing. At that moment, his eyes burned like torches as he looked into the distance. In his vision, the world spun. Even through the four mirror fragments, he could see what lay beyond. He saw clusters of glaring light. Though he hadn't yet discerned the origin power, his gaze suddenly locked onto several radiant spheres. The first was Qian Wanhao. Sweeping his eyes over him, Li Hao seemed to see right through the man. The radiance was as scorching as a blazing sun. Li Hao muttered, "Impressive. This man commands four elements: metal, wood, water, and earth!" He certainly hadn't possessed such strength before; he had most likely paid a massive price recently to push himself up. His water and earth energies were noticeably unstable, meaning he had probably been a dual-discipline expert until recently, when he poured unimaginable resources into reaching four disciplines. As long as their five organs were stable, such people could continuously advance—they simply required an immense quantity of the Spring of Life. He wondered how much those suckers had been bled by the monster plants. Next, he looked toward the Lord of Mount Futu, his gaze shifting slightly. "Triple-discipline divine power: metal, earth, and fire!" He then looked at the Lord of Heavenly Roc Mountain, that massive bird, and glanced at Black Panther. "He seems a lot stronger than you..." Black Panther ignored him, merely staring fixatedly at the giant bird. A single glance confirmed they were all formidable powerhouses. He scanned them one by one, then suddenly paused. He looked back toward Orange Moon. Previously, he hadn't paid her much attention because he had met her before and knew she was weak. Yet now... his brows drew together. Orange Moon wasn't strong; judging by her light sphere, she had only recently stepped into the divine power realm. She had consumed countless treasures, and her foundation still felt unstable. However... a faint, piercing ring of light enveloped her body. *What is that?* In that split second, Li Hao actually felt a sense of threat. When looking at Qian Wanhao, he hadn't felt threatened at all, which meant that four-discipline expert was no match for him. *Is it Ying Hongyue's doing?* Li Hao's vigilance grew. *Quite a lavish move!* He glanced at Hong Yitang. Hong Yitang remained calm, looking across the way as though recognizing someone. Li Hao followed his gaze and saw that he was watching the people from the City of Supernaturals. Li Hao didn't know them... but Sky Sword seemed somewhat familiar with their mannerisms. Hong Yitang also looked puzzled. He glanced at Sky Sword and transmitted mentally, "Are those people from the City of Supernaturals?" "Yes." "Don't you find them somewhat familiar?" Sky Sword was surprised. *Familiar?* He scrutinized them for a moment. At first, he didn't recognize them, but after sensing their aura again, he suddenly looked toward Hong Yitang, surprised by his sharp perception. Transmitting his voice, he said, "A little familiar... that scent... Are they from the same bunch of outsiders who appeared in the Silver Moon martial arts world back then?" "Yes!" Li Hao grew curious. "Who?" "You wouldn't know even if we told you," Sky Sword replied. Hou Xiaochen chuckled and transmitted, "Just some old gossip, nothing major. Years ago, a group of outside martial masters appeared in the Silver Moon martial arts world, claiming to be an Ancient Martial clan. They demanded the return of certain secret techniques, calling them their ancestral heritage... In the end... several were beaten to death, and others were crippled. That happened many years ago." *Oh!* Li Hao lost interest. *So that's all it is.* He had thought there was some juicy secret. Soon, however, Hou Xiaochen added, "Back then, Liu Long's father, Silver Spear Liu Hao—one of the Three Spears of Silver Moon—essentially died at their hands. Silver Spear's Nine-Fold Tempering Force was one of the secret techniques they wanted back. As a result... Silver Spear accepted seven challenges in a single day, using the Nine-Fold Tempering Force every time. It shattered his foundation... and he eventually died sick in bed. "Still, it was an official challenge. Even though it smacked of a war of attrition, Silver Spear chose to accept the fights himself. Since he won, no one said anything further." Hou Xiaochen added that detail: Silver Spear's death had been tied to these people. Yet they hadn't broken the rules, so when Silver Spear died, the Silver Moon martial arts world didn't seek retribution. As long as it followed the rules, it stood. Li Hao raised an eyebrow. "Then this time... ambushing us doesn't follow the rules. In a moment, I'll beat a few of them to death first!" Hou Xiaochen couldn't help but laugh. *What arrogance.* Indeed, pure arrogance. Even now, Li Hao remained so brazen. To be honest, even Hou Xiaochen couldn't quite figure out where Li Hao drew such confidence from. Li Hao glanced around, stepping slightly further away from the buildings and retreating into the open space behind them. He didn't want their fight to damage the structures and trigger some catastrophic hidden mechanism. "Let's not wait for them... When they arrive, Director Hou will open with the Soul-Rending Spear to shatter the mirror fragments' defense! Senior Sky Sword will unleash a giant blade strike to suppress them... an area-of-effect attack will do! Uncle Hong, you and I will each pick a target... Who do you want?" Hong Yitang chuckled and transmitted, "For me... I'll take King Dingshan! He seems to have transformed into a divine power expert, with roughly triple-discipline strength. I'm more adept at dealing with martial masters." King Dingshan had likely been a martial master originally, but had now transformed into a divine power user, clearly having discarded all reservations. As for the Lord of Mount Futu, Hong Yitang didn't pick him. The Lord of Mount Futu had average offensive power, but terrifying defense. Li Hao swept his eyes across the crowd. "Then I'll take that fellow from the Department of Criminal Law. He looks at me with immense hatred... I'll send him on his way first!" He had to guarantee the kill! Otherwise, the opening strike wouldn't be shocking enough. The two of them split their targets as casually as dividing spoils, causing Hou Xiaochen to frown. *What's with these two? How can they be so arrogant!* Hu Mingfa of the Department of Criminal Law currently commanded triple-discipline divine power. King Dingshan was also a triple-discipline expert. To be frank, without unsealing his power, Hou Xiaochen felt he likely wouldn't be their match... Yet these two were discussing taking one each and killing them instantly. It was one thing for Li Hao to be mad, but had the Earth-Overturning Sword gone mad as well? Sky Sword glanced at them both without a word. Since Li Hao had laid it out... they would follow his lead. If things went south, none of them would escape anyway. *** Qian Wanhao and his group were equally wary, finding the situation strange. Li Hao and his companions weren't hiding or dodging; they were simply waiting on the other side. Did they... intend to fight head-on? The more this was the case, the more cautious Qian Wanhao became. As he grew older, he had lost the reckless valor of his youth and favored a steadier approach. "Be careful!" he warned again. The others nodded, their expressions grave. *Have these fellows lost their minds?* The two sides drew closer. Five hundred meters, four hundred meters... At such a distance, powerhouses could close the gap in an instant, yet Qian Wanhao and his allies moved slower and slower. The Heavenly Roc King of the monster race grew impatient. It hadn't come merely to kill Li Hao; more importantly, it needed resources. It had little contact with monster plants, and this trip was meant to help it strike a deal with a monster plant or one of the departments. Yet these humans were dawdling so much that it was losing its temper. With their side so powerful, was all this caution really necessary? This Qian Wanhao grew more cowardly the older he got. "Director Qian, this king possesses a formidable physical body... If you are worried about unexpected complications, I will charge first. You can all follow together... A mere Li Hao, even if he has stepped into triple-discipline divine power, is someone this king can take down!" Qian Wanhao was startled. *You...* The monster race truly didn't fear death. Seeing Li Hao like this, didn't it fear he had tricks up his sleeve? Still... where else could one find such a good deal! He had wanted to hurl origin talismans right away, but having someone pin them down first was the ideal outcome. Now that a great monster was willing to take the lead, what reason did he have to refuse? "Very well. Then we trouble the Heavenly Roc King! Once this succeeds, every faction will sell the Spring of Life to you at a low price!" A glimmer of delight flashed in the Heavenly Roc King's eyes. Did they think it was reckless? Hardly. It was confident its defenses wouldn't be easily broken. Furthermore, as an avian beast, its speed was peerless—how could anything happen to it? What it wanted was precisely Qian Wanhao's promise. In the next instant, it shot out from the defensive perimeter at blinding speed. In the blink of an eye, it vanished. Despite its colossal size, no one could even see its silhouette. It was too fast! Li Hao, who had been preparing to strike, paused slightly. *Damn it!* *An idiot rushed out from the opposite side! My plan is ruined.* Sure enough, his teacher had been right: in clashes between powerhouses, plans were useless. Everything came down to adapting on the fly. No plan could keep up with sudden changes. He had calculated everything so neatly... Now, the rhythm had been completely disrupted. Li Hao gritted his teeth, thoroughly annoyed. A red gleam flashed in his eyes, locking onto the Heavenly Roc King as it tore through the air. The beast moved with terrifying speed, its sharp claws already closing in on Li Hao. At that moment, Li Hao's fury flared. "Are all beasts this stupid?" A sword materialized. In an instant, three divine characters hovered in midair in an arrangement no one anticipated. Opposite them, Qian Wanhao was taken aback. *A secret art of Zhenxing City?* This... was powerful, but only relatively speaking. Against true powerhouses, it wasn't particularly useful. Times had changed. "Lifeless!" In that split second, the divine characters vanished, fusing into the blade. Li Hao thrust his sword outward! Silent and soundless, the elements of water, fire, wind, and lightning erupted across the blade. Four-discipline divine power burst forth in an instant, and an incomparably terrifying force detonated! The sword strike was impossibly fast! The Heavenly Roc King hadn't felt any massive energy fluctuation, yet in that instant, it was seized by the chill of impending death. Its eyes widened in terror, and a white bone materialized before its chest. Yes, a white bone! It was the bone of an Ancient Monster Venerable, unimaginably tough, and one of the reasons for its immense confidence. Its defensive power was incredible. The beast was fast, and the speed at which it summoned the bone was even faster. Yet in the next moment, its vision blurred, and Li Hao vanished. From above its head came an overwhelmingly lethal threat. *Clang!—* The Heavenly Roc King let out a metallic screech. Before the surrounding experts could even process what was happening, Li Hao flickered like a phantom, his blade driving straight through the massive golden skull! In an instant, Li Hao disappeared. When he reappeared, he was already slashing toward the crowd opposite him. "Kill!" Li Hao roared furiously! Behind him, Hong Yitang and the others appeared simultaneously, unleashing their attacks. As for the Heavenly Roc King, the light in its eyes had dimmed. Its colossal body slammed into the ground with a resounding thud. A dog opened its maw wide and swallowed the massive Heavenly Roc King whole in a single gulp! Because the beast was already dead! Black Panther had originally planned on a beast-versus-beast brawl, but who knew this giant bird had a screw loose? It had charged out first, only to have its skull pierced by Li Hao's single sword strike. Even with terrifying strength, having zero intellect made it entirely useless! The Heavenly Roc King was formidable—a triple-discipline divine power user, bolstered by the peerless physical body of the monster race and shielded by the ancient monster's bone... Ordinary people truly couldn't kill it. In today's world, very few could. Yet that did not include Li Hao wielding the Starry Sky Sword. The fusion of four-discipline divine power was already vastly superior to it, not to mention the indestructible sharpness of the Starry Sky Sword. Li Hao simply hadn't bothered hacking at the ancient monster's bone; otherwise... even that bone would have shattered! Transforming into a giant golden hound, Black Panther swallowed the Heavenly Roc King. In the blink of an eye, it didn't join the slaughter, but sprinted toward the rear. Opening its mouth to devour the world, countless divine energy stones surged into its belly like a flowing river. These things had to be collected. If they weren't... something might go wrong. Black Panther's instincts told it that the divine energy stones couldn't remain here, because it sensed something—the power of the stones seemed to be getting absorbed by something. Of course, because there were so many stones, the others hadn't noticed. But Black Panther was exceptionally sensitive to such energy. It sensed that if this continued, something terrifying might awaken here! So at this moment, Black Panther didn't bother killing anyone. Its strength was decent, but the humans had things covered. It needed to take all the divine energy stones it could. The more, the better; if it delayed, there might be nothing left. *** Opposite them. Qian Wanhao and the others only saw a blur: the Heavenly Roc King vanished, Li Hao struck, Li Hao vanished, Li Hao reappeared... and the Heavenly Roc King, an overlord of one of the Seven Sacred Mountains... was gone! Qian Wanhao was an old fox. His expression warped instantly, and he roared, "Throw them!" In a flash, those with quick reflexes hurled their divine power talismans, Origin Talismans, and even massive quantities of supernatural bombs. In an instant, at least twenty to thirty terrifying forces erupted. Yet Li Hao vanished on the spot. Transforming into lightning! Water, fire, wind, and lightning swirled around his blade as he unleashed a strike. With a thunderous boom, he cleaved right through the protective barrier erected by the four mirror fragments. Just as Qian Wanhao and his allies were reeling in shock, a figure appeared before their eyes—not Li Hao, but Hong Yitang. "Sky-Toppling!" A divine character for "Sword" emerged, flashing with four colors: lightning, fire, earth, and metal. In an instant, heaven and earth inverted. The crowd felt the world flip upside down, their footing faltering. Meanwhile, Hong Yitang's sword pierced through, and he vanished from the spot. Amidst the crowd, King Dingshan stared blankly at the massive hole in his chest... then looked up at the Earth-Overturning Sword! Just like his royal brother! Back then, Hong Yitang had done the exact same thing, thrusting his sword out before everyone's eyes to pierce the Plain King's chest, ending the life of a man who had reigned supreme. And today... it happened again! Qian Wanhao had said they would be safer grouped together, and he had thoroughly believed it. He hadn't even been at the very front. Yet when that Sky-Toppling, Earth-Overturning Sword struck, the flipping of heaven and earth had deposited him directly at the vanguard, as though he had willingly offered himself up to die. His immense power was completely useless; his five internal organs and six viscera had already been run through by a single sword strike. King Dingshan stared blankly ahead... the light in his eyes slowly fading. *So... this was how my royal brother felt before he died?* *Perhaps I truly shouldn't have come.* "Impossible..." At this moment, Qian Wanhao was utterly incredulous. He roared furiously as his four-discipline divine power erupted. With a thunderous crash, a weapon resembling a golden coin appeared in his hand, blocking the descending Starry Sky Sword. *Boom!* Qian Wanhao staggered back a step, and Li Hao was knocked back slightly as well. Behind them, thunderous detonations erupted. Explosion after explosion shook the area! Hou Xiaochen and Sky Sword roared, shattering the concussive force of the blasts and charging out. But when they emerged, they saw Li Hao forcing Qian Wanhao back with a sword strike, while the Earth-Overturning Sword had just slain King Dingshan! The two of them were completely dazed. *What is going on?* *Two supreme experts, the Heavenly Roc King and King Dingshan, were killed just like that?* Before they could recover, Qian Wanhao shrieked, "Summon the monster plants!" In an instant, he hurled a storage ring, which shattered immediately. He wasn't the only one; several people threw out storage rings at once. Everything had happened too fast! They truly hadn't had time to react before two supreme experts were slain in the blink of an eye! Storage rings shattered one after another. Mental power swept across the heavens and earth, and in the next moment, several phantoms manifested. A rose, a massive willow tree, a sunflower, a thorny vine, and a large tree resembling a coconut palm. Five monster plants appeared simultaneously. Their translucent roots dug instantly into heaven and earth, as though executing divine powers, or simply absorbing the surrounding energy. The five monster plants did not rush to attack. Instead, their mental power rippled: "Since we are all here, it is good to come out and breathe some fresh air. Why hide and hoard that little bit of origin power...?" "Indeed!" Laughter rippled through the air. In the blink of an eye, a redwood appeared, followed by a Xunmu tree. A full seven monster plants! They came from seven of the Nine Departments, excluding only the Inspectorate and the Department of Finance. Even for the Department of Internal Affairs, although Mu Hai hadn't come, he had sent someone carrying a monster plant clone. Seven terrifying entities instantly unleashed their auras to the limit. In a flash, they surpassed the Heavenly Roc King from moments ago. A split second later, they even surpassed Qian Wanhao's four-discipline divine power. Qian Wanhao let out a massive breath of relief! To kill Li Hao, the seven monster plants had truly spared no expense this time. Though they were only origin clones—scarcely even full clones—each one possessed the power of at least five-discipline divine power. In this era, any one of them was an invincible existence. And now, seven had appeared together! Earlier, he had felt they were using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken! Now, he realized... fortunately, they had overestimated Li Hao and paid an immense price. Otherwise, they might have suffered a catastrophic defeat. It was terrifying! Li Hao and Hong Yitang had both become four-discipline divine power experts. Crucially, they could still utilize martial force—it was practically inconceivable! Qian Wanhao breathed easier. In the crowd, Hu Mingfa of the Department of Criminal Law bellowed, "Li Hao, did you think this was the outside world? You've hidden your strength deeply indeed... but so what?" Four-discipline divine power! No one had anticipated this. They had thought he might have reached three disciplines, but he was far more terrifying than anyone had imagined. Such progress was chilling! The experts who had accompanied them also wore shifting expressions. The Lord of Mount Futu looked particularly grave. He had come for revenge. Yet who could have known... fortunately, the Nine Departments were fully prepared. Otherwise, they would have stumbled into ruin. Against such overwhelming might, Li Hao and his allies had still managed to kill two people right under their noses. It was simply horrifying. Li Hao and Hong Yitang retreated rapidly. In the sky, the seven monster plants blanketed the heavens, their mental power sweeping outward. Even before they struck, their sheer presence was enough to force anyone below the divine power realm to their knees. Li Hao's expression turned grim. Seven peak divine power experts—true peak powerhouses. Each felt slightly stronger than himself, and he was no ordinary four-discipline expert. Ancient monster plants... with just a sliver of origin power, were they really this terrifying? Could the little tree truly fight seven on its own? At this moment, even Li Hao felt a tremor of uncertainty. It wasn't fear, but hesitation—hesitation over whether he should try condensing a fifth divine power right now. He had never planned to rely entirely on the little tree. "The successor of the Sword Venerable?" "So weak... how is he worthy?" "Don't put it that way. The Sword Venerable vanished tens of thousands of years ago. It has been a hundred thousand years since the Neo-Martial era, hasn't it?" "Almost, just about..." "Who knows how many generations have passed? There's barely any bloodline left to speak of. That the lineage survived at all is already a miracle..." The monster plants chatted casually, laughing and talking amongst themselves. They had no concerns whatsoever. Indeed, they had no reason to worry. In this era, they were invincible. Even if they possessed less than a tenth of their true bodies' power here, it was more than enough to obliterate Li Hao and his crew. Li Hao's expression remained impassive. Just as he was about to test the monster plants' capabilities, the little tree's voice rang in his ear: "Let me handle this. I only have one humble request... Once they are slain, their origins... are perfect nourishment for me. I don't want the divine energy stones; can you give all their origin power to me?" The origins of seven monster plants! The little tree was trembling with excitement. Sure enough, its choice had been right. Coming out with Li Hao and cleaving away half its origin had been the correct decision. This human was too good at stirring up trouble, but... he stirred it up brilliantly! If it went to their territory, let alone facing seven, it wouldn't be a match for any single one in a one-on-one duel. Yet here, these were merely origin clones of the seven monster plants. The portion they had cleaved off was miniscule. Whereas it had cleaved away a full half of its origin. Truly, one had to invest boldly to reap massive rewards. Li Hao agreed without a second thought. "Done!" The moment the words left his mouth, a sapling suddenly manifested in midair, growing with the wind. It resembled a willow, yet also bore traits of a poplar, rising rapidly. The seven chatting monster plants froze instantly. In the next moment, tens of thousands of branches plunged into the void! *Boom!* A terrifyingly immense aura surged upward! "Who are you?" a shrill screech rang out. The little tree remained silent as its myriad branches wove through the void. *Boom!* A deafening roar echoed across heaven and earth. In all directions, the weaker figures who had come along merely to make up the numbers began bleeding from their seven orifices, screaming shrilly as their heads burst apart! Li Hao and his companions retreated as well, thoroughly shaken! Qian Wanhao and his allies were even more dumbfounded! "How is this possible..." The monster plants of Silver Moon couldn't possibly awaken yet. The monster plants of the Silver Moon region were exceptionally powerful, and there, not only did the plants need energy, but the ruins did as well. Consequently, during their initial awakening, they couldn't absorb enough energy. Therefore, they had wagered that Li Hao had a ninety-nine percent chance of lacking a monster plant clone. Even if he had one... it shouldn't be very strong. Even if those monster plants had awakened, they couldn't afford to cleave off much origin power. Yet... at this moment, the situation was completely different. One could clearly see that the seven monster plants in the air appeared somewhat illusory, whereas this little tree seemed almost solid. While they were still reeling in shock, a thunderous crash erupted. The little tree's countless branches coiled around the rose. In an instant, the rose shook violently, filled with fury and indignation as its mental power fluctuated wildly: "You are no Neo-Martial monster plant... You dare slay my clone? Once my true body awakens..." It could tell this was no Neo-Martial plant—it was far too tender! It was a monster plant born in later generations. Moreover, it had reckless courage, having likely severed nearly half its origin power. If destroyed, this plant would be crippled if not dead. How could Li Hao be accompanied by a monster plant just as insane as he was? Were monster plants... also this crazy? The little tree remained silent. With a thunderous boom, its thousands of branches constricted, crushing the phantom into oblivion! In an instant, the seven monster plants were reduced by one. The thorny vine was shaken. "What an audacious descendant, severing nearly half its origin just after stepping into the Peak Realm..." "You dare destroy our clones... When our true bodies sense this, you will surely die!" The remaining monster plants erupted with terrifying power. In the void, Great Daos seemed to intertwine with overwhelming grandeur! Yet at that moment, the little tree's mental voice resonated: "Clay chickens and pottery dogs, all of you! You dare look down on me?" In an instant, as if mental power had materialized, an Imperial Palace resembling a giant cat manifested! It was merely a phantom! Yet at this moment, the monster plants cried out in sheer terror! "The Imperial Palace?" *Boom!* The phantom of the Imperial Palace pressed downward. With a deafening roar, the thorny vine that had just spoken was instantly suppressed, blasted into nothingness. "An envoy of the Imperial Palace... No... impossible... The Imperial Palace vanished long ago... There is no Imperial Palace in Silver Moon..." One of the monster plants shrieked in sheer terror! How could the Imperial Palace appear? This was no ordinary Sovereign. The only one who could omit all titles—not referred to as this Sovereign or that Great Emperor, but simply addressed directly as the Sovereign or the Great Emperor—was that single existence! An existence that one could not even describe. It was said that this existence's perception surpassed even that of the ancient Human King. Anyone who spoke its name would be sensed. It was an entity terrifying to the extreme, capable of reaching across countless times and spaces to extinguish one's soul! No one dared utter its name! That was an existence far more terrifying than the Longevity Sword Venerable... "The Imperial Palace... endures forever! What my clan guards is precisely the Imperial Palace!" The little tree spoke with cold displeasure. Who did they think they were looking down on? So what if their true bodies awakened? It might not be their match, but... that assumed they would have the chance to inform their true bodies. *Boom!* The phantom of the Imperial Palace suppressed heaven and earth! At this moment, its overwhelming aura was suffocating. The corner of the Imperial Palace vaguely visible was merely a projection of a traveling palace, a materialization formed along the Origin Dao. Yet even so... it was terrifying to the extreme. *Rumble!—* Another monster plant phantom exploded. The remaining plants roared in fury, sending countless branches stabbing through the void toward the little tree! If this continued, they would all be slain! This little tree had cleaved off a massive portion of its origin, possessing strength just shy of the Peak Realm. Bolstered by the Imperial Palace projection, it was truly terrifying... However, the little tree was inherently not that strong, and controlling this projection was clearly straining it. In that case... there was still a chance! "Qian Wanhao... what are you standing there for? Kill! Kill them... and come aid us..." The Xunmu tree roared frantically. Only then did Qian Wanhao and the others awaken from their shock. Snapping out of their daze, they looked toward Li Hao's group. Both sides had been so stunned that they had momentarily forgotten to attack. Meeting eyes, Qian Wanhao bellowed, "Kill them, at all costs! Otherwise... none of us will leave here alive!" In the crowd, Orange Moon was equally shaken. *So that's how it is!* This was Li Hao's true reliance: a monster plant clone that had sacrificed half its origin, possessing the power of six, perhaps even seven disciplines of divine power! Five disciplines was the absolute peak of divine power. Reaching six disciplines meant that in the ancient civilization, one would have stepped onto the Origin Dao as an Origin cultivator. Seven disciplines was undoubtedly comparable to the Peak Realm. *So that's how it is!* Orange Moon felt a sense of clarity; she finally knew Li Hao's trump card. Within her body, a red silhouette gradually emerged. An aura grew from faint to overwhelming. Slowly, Orange Moon's face turned deathly pale. She frantically swallowed drop after drop of the Spring of Life, and a sinister dark shadow seemed to surface over her face. Frenzied, yet eerily calm. *Li Hao... this time, you meet your end!* Li Hao, who was about to strike, suddenly halted and looked toward Orange Moon. In the next instant... the coldness on Li Hao's face twisted into madness and fury! Was that... Zhang Yuan? Was it Zhang Yuan? No... it wasn't just one face! On Orange Moon's face, a dark shadow was shifting wildly. Face after face flickered across the gloom. He even... he even saw the likeness of his parents. Li Hao closed his eyes. When he opened them again, there was only madness! Ying Hongyue! *I... will tear you to pieces!* "Die!" A sword thrust pierced the sky. With a deafening boom, a Feitian expert standing in his way was obliterated into nothingness. Li Hao roared furiously, "Uncle Hong, hold off the others for me... I'm going to kill her!" His aura turned berserk in an instant! A character emerged, shifting into "Metal," unleashing a brilliant golden elemental force. *Rumble!—* His five organs churned like thunder. Li Hao swallowed dozens of drops of the Spring of Life in one gulp. Not enough—he swallowed more! In the blink of an eye, a massive quantity of the Spring of Life flooded his stomach. His body continued to fracture, but he barely held it together. The characters "Water," "Fire," "Metal," and "Oblivion" surfaced, and five types of divine power surged forth at once. Blade in hand, Li Hao strode toward Orange Moon. Orange Moon's face gradually settled on a single form. A familiar face! "A'Hao!" A familiar voice and a familiar visage caused Li Hao to daze for a split second. In that exact instant, like a clap of heavenly thunder, a sound exploded, and Li Hao sprayed a mouthful of blood! His divine intent seemed on the verge of shattering! A massive hammer appeared in Orange Moon's hands! The hammer of the Hong family! That great hammer seemed to erupt with an unimaginably terrifying mental slaughter force. Striking across the void, it felt as though Li Hao's mental power was being demolished! "Zhang Yuan" smiled faintly. "A'Hao, the Eight Families should become one. Only when united are we the true Eight Families... Come, merge into me!" Li Hao opened his eyes and looked across at him. "You... are not Yuan!" He smiled and shook his head, a trace of regret and sorrow in his voice. "Still... thank you for letting me see you once more." Contradictory words. In the next instant, a longsword shattered the void. A strike tore forward as divine power detonated. Characters vanished and reappeared—*Boom!* A deafening explosion rang across heaven and earth! The Starry Sky Sword collided with the Hong family hammer. A terrifying shockwave rippled out in all directions, rattling even the monster plants battling in the sky! Li Hao, vanishing like a breeze, activated the Wind-Chasing Boots! He reappeared in a flash—*Boom!* Another strike cleaved downward! "Ying Hongyue, you dare use my friend's residual spirit to craft a red shadow puppet... I will kill you! I swear it! Just you wait!" Li Hao roared. He finally understood what this was. A red shadow! A red shadow so terrifyingly powerful it possessed its own consciousness, having devoured an untold number of lives. Ying Hongyue must have recalled all his red shadows, slaughtering countless people—all of them Red Moon members! Anyone carrying a red shadow had likely been harvested by him! This red shadow was monstrously powerful!