The Demon Hunt Army

Turmoil also gripped Heavenly Star City. A rising swell of agitation swept through its streets. That barbarian from the north was truly ruthless, fierce, and unstoppable! People had previously hesitated over whether they dared attend the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy, but at this moment, countless hearts were stirred. What was there to fear? Fortune favored the bold, while timidity bought only starvation! It was rare for an academy to have few restrictions and open its doors to everyone. Aristocrats likely would not dare attend, but for commoners, it was the greatest opportunity they had ever seen. Although it was rumored that few would be admitted this time, it remained a chance for all. Were they to resign themselves to mediocrity for the rest of their lives? Were they to live under oppression forever? Li Hao had killed many people, but plenty of observers could tell that troubled times were unavoidable. While some nobles in the city had yet to realize what was happening, ordinary people were the first to grasp the truth. The price of rice had gone up! Anyone with common sense knew how serious that was. The Heavenly Star Dynasty had enjoyed favorable weather for years, meaning food had never been an issue. Yet over recent years, massive wars had raged in the Central Region, the north, and everywhere else. And now, the price of rice was actually climbing! Moreover, the winter flood season had begun, disrupting maritime transport. Heavenly Star City was merely the imperial capital and had little farmland of its own, making grain shipments even harder to bring in. On land, other areas in the Central Region were showing signs of food shortages as well. Clever individuals could already see that widespread chaos was looming. The Heavenly Star Dynasty had not faced a food crisis in decades. To make matters worse, this winter was unusually bitter, as if the very heavens had changed, making life harder still for ordinary folk. Battles broke out frequently, and supernaturals consumed enormous amounts of food. Furthermore, portions of fertile land had turned barren. Supernaturals absorbed mysterious energy, and mysterious energy seeped out all over the realm. The wealthier the region, the more mysterious energy it held, welling up from beneath the earth and pouring down from the sky. Now, with swarms of supernaturals greedily draining it dry, fertile fields were withering into wasteland. Under such circumstances, the moment Li Hao made his appearance, the registration station for the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy—once completely deserted—was instantly packed with throngs of applicants. In this moment, nobody cared about retribution down the line! Their very lives hung by a thread. With the harsh winter descending, if they did not find a path to survive, there was no telling whether they would even live to see next year. And this was wealthy Heavenly Star City; one could easily imagine what state the rest of the world was in. *** The registration grounds were overflowing. Meanwhile, Li Hao strode back through the air. Without hesitation, he shouted, "To Nine Departments Avenue! Seize the yamen of the Department of Criminal Law! Who cares about some Heavenly Star Governor-General compound... It's not worth a damn. March out! We are taking the office of a department to govern from!" His declaration stunned the crowd. They had not heard Qi Pingjiang's words. Consequently, no one knew that Qi Pingjiang had already agreed that Li Hao could replace the Department of Criminal Law. All they knew was that the Department of Criminal Law was one of the Nine Departments, an immensely powerful institution that had stood in the Heavenly Star Dynasty for eighty years. And now, it was to become the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office? The crowd went from disbelief to wild excitement. The next instant, cheers erupted in thunderous roars: "The Governor-General is mighty!" Dominant beyond measure! What was a mere Governor-General compound worth? It was nothing compared to seizing the headquarters of one of the Nine Departments! Li Hao had already slain two successive directors. Even if the Hu family still had members left, would they dare contest territory with Li Hao? "March!" At the command, a rumbling cadence shook the ground. Several thousand soldiers clad in black armor, bristling with spears and swords, advanced with stern majesty. *Thump! Thump! Thump!* Drums beat the cadence as a banner bearing the character "Li" alongside a fierce tiger fluttered high in the air. At the front of the ranks, a soldier hollered, "The Demon Hunt Army marches! Bystanders, clear the way!" *Thump, thump, thump...* The drums reverberated. At that moment, every soldier of the Demon Hunt Army was thrilled, energized, and filled with an unspeakable pride—a sense of honor they had never possessed before, but now felt deeply in their bones. *** On Nine Departments Avenue. Powerhouses hovered in the sky, watching in silence. They watched the army of thousands march through the city under the gaze of countless onlookers. The Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office had officially planted its feet in Heavenly Star City. Yet when they saw the force heading straight for the Department of Criminal Law, many felt their composure fracture. Someone muttered with cold eyes, "How arrogant!" It was not as though the Department of Criminal Law had no one left. Countless offices operated along Criminal Law Avenue. The department was responsible for penal laws throughout the land. Laws still existed, even if they had no hold over supernaturals, regional overlords, evil powers, or nobles... Was Li Hao truly going to seize one of the Nine Departments today? *** Along the avenue of the Department of Criminal Law. Some yamen compounds kept their gates tightly shut, while others threw them wide open. Presiding officials emerged, their expressions unreadable as they gazed wordlessly toward the front of the thoroughfare. Not a single pedestrian could be seen on the street. At the far end of the avenue stood an enormous yamen whose grand gates hung wide open, chaos reigning inside. Powerhouses within were thrown into utter disarray. The old director was dead, the current director was dead, and the Hu family was finished! Even with the directors dead, the department still possessed powerful figures, including numerous deputy directors who were at least at Rising Light, along with plenty at the Transmutation stage. Yet what good did that do? The Department of Criminal Law also maintained an independent supernatural army known as the Heaven's Punishment Army, created to execute justice on Heaven's behalf! This supernatural force numbered three thousand strong, every member a supernatural and nearly all above the Moon Nether realm. Raised at great expense by the department, it had been designed specifically to rival the Night Patrollers. Hu Mingfa had served as its supreme commander. Now that the supreme commander was dead, the deputy commander—a white-haired elder in bronze armor wielding a long spear—led five thousand supernatural soldiers of the Heaven's Punishment Army in encircling the department, forbidding anyone from leaving. The veteran general stood tall before the entrance, his forces arrayed to block all exits and seal the entire yamen. "General He... what is the meaning of this?" someone barked angrily. At a time like this, what was he doing? Another voice raged, "Have you betrayed the Department of Criminal Law as well? Do you intend to present our heads to Li Hao as a pledge of allegiance?" By locking down the yamen and refusing to let anyone leave or take treasures away, the veteran general appeared to be preserving the department intact to present to Li Hao. Holding his spear across the entrance with his back to the officials, the old general said with chilling calm, "No one enters or leaves. Violators... shall be executed without mercy!" "How dare you!" a deputy director shouted. "Are you rebelling?" The veteran general remained silent, but his aura surged. In an instant, the crowd fell quiet, chilled to the bone. When had this man stepped into the divine ability realm? Previously, the Transmutation stage had predominated, and divine abilities had only emerged very recently. The old general had been merely at Transmutation just days ago, yet now... he had crossed into the divine ability realm! The officials were furious and frantic. Yet they knew they could not afford to provoke him. A divine ability powerhouse! Moreover, the five thousand supernaturals of the Heaven's Punishment Army had been raised through the Hu family's vast fortunes. Among them were no fewer than ten Rising Light practitioners, dozens of Three Suns, and nearly half at Solar Flare, with the remainder at Moon Nether. Truthfully, such a force was not to be trifled with. Had the Hu family's two directors not been killed in succession, this army would have dared to clash directly with the Night Patrollers. Right then, at the far end of the long street, a black-armored army approached with heavy, rhythmic strides, shaking the ground. From surrounding offices, some bowed in submission and acknowledgment, while others kept their gates shut tight to observe from safety. On this day, some chose to surrender. They submitted to Li Hao! They submitted to this overlord from the north. "Halt!" The army came to a stop. At the front, Liu Long frowned slightly, surprised by the opposing supernatural force. So many supernaturals... Was this the Heaven's Punishment Army? He had gathered intelligence and knew the basics of the Nine Departments. In a deep voice, he called out, "Is that Commander He Liang, deputy commander of the Heaven's Punishment Army?" "It is!" The old general stepped forward with spear in hand and looked at Liu Long. "And you are Liu Long of the Demon Hunt Army? The son of the late Silver Spear of Silver Moon?" "I am!" Liu Long studied him. This veteran general was moderately famous, a martial master of the spear who had crossed over into the supernatural path and recently reached the divine ability level. Anyone who used a spear could not avoid the legacy of the Three Spears of Silver Moon. Though Silver Spear had died young, his fame endured, celebrated far and wide through the Roster of Heroes of the Thirty-Six of Silver Moon. Liu Long frowned slightly. "Commander He should be garrisoned elsewhere. Why are you here without orders?" "Orders? Whose orders? The Nine Departments? The imperial family? Or... the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office?" Liu Long watched him with furrowed brows, uncertain of the man's intentions. "Then... are you waiting for the Governor-General, Commander He?" "You could say that." He Liang smiled, looked at Liu Long, and then glanced at the Demon Hunt Army behind him. He sighed softly. "There is no need to guess. I stand here only to say this: as long as I draw breath, none of you shall take a single step into the Department of Criminal Law!" *Boom!* The surroundings stirred in shock. Had he lost his mind? Liu Long was thoroughly astonished, yet he also felt a degree of understanding. Looking at the veteran general, he frowned. "Why bother? The Hu family was no virtuous master. They bear undeniable blame for the realm's chaos. You were once a man of the martial world..." "Indeed!" The old man smiled. "As you said, I was once a man of the martial world, and the martial world does not belong only to Silver Moon! Right and wrong do not matter here—only gratitude. The Hu family helped me attain the divine ability realm. In these chaotic times... one must honor loyalty, must one not?" Indeed, the Hu family was no noble master. Yet he had been a man of the martial world. Why speak of righteousness and grand justice? They were merely madmen who licked blood from blade edges. The Hu family had been good to him, and that was enough. He was no righteous hero! He was... a man of the martial world! "Who will take my head?" He Liang soared into the air with a hearty laugh. "If Governor-General Li does me the honor, my death will be well worth it!" Behind him, powerhouses took to the air. Bright Sword and Southern Fist whistled through the sky. Yang Shan and Qin Lian also flew up quickly, eager to strike down He Liang as an opening merit for the establishment of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office! Just then, Li Hao's voice rang out. "Regiment Commander Liu... go ahead!" Everyone froze. Who? The next instant, Liu Long stepped forward from the ranks, leaving the onlookers bewildered. What did this mean? Was he sending Liu Long to his death? What a joke! Liu Long had only recently entered the Spirit Nourishing realm. He could kill Three Suns, and might barely manage Rising Light—at a tremendous stretch. But divine ability? Nobody believed it. Sending Hao Lianchuan would have made more sense; at least he was at Rising Light! Though Liu Long served as deputy commander of the Demon Hunt Army, his cultivation was simply too weak. He Liang laughed as well. "Does the Governor-General think so little of me that he must humiliate me like this?" He knew Liu Long's strength all too well. "No, I hold you in high regard!" Moments later, Li Hao approached through the air, saying calmly, "You spoke rightly. You are a man of the martial world, answering to gratitude rather than right and wrong. There is no fault in that. The Hu family is gone, and you wish to see your benefactor off and guard what remains. I can understand that. Therefore, sending the scion of Silver Spear and deputy commander of the Demon Hunt Army to send you on your way... shows great respect!" He Liang smiled broadly. "In that case... it is my honor!" "Indeed it is!" Li Hao turned to Liu Long. "Kill him. If the Heaven's Punishment Army moves... annihilate them!" "Understood!" With a thunderous roar, Liu Long sprang into the air and shouted, "Form ranks!" *Boom!* A thousand soldiers shifted into formation. In an instant, blood qi surged, shaking heaven and earth as the black armor gleamed. Roaring fiercely, Liu Long swung his short axe! *Boom!* He Liang's heart jolted. His long spear tore through the air, divine ability bursting forth in a dazzling display of gold and fire! Around them, watching powerhouses gasped in shock: "A battle array!" "He has only just entered Spirit Nourishing... at best comparable to the peak of Three Suns..." Yet at this moment, Liu Long, matching a peak Three Suns, cleaved the sky with a single axe blow! *Rumble!* Waves surged as nine layers of force stacked together. The Nine-Fold Forging Force! Spear and axe collided in midair, and to everyone's astonishment, Liu Long did not yield an inch. Two thousand ordinary soldiers in formation allowed a peak Three Suns to battle a divine ability expert on equal footing! It was simply incredible! Li Hao's voice echoed across the city: "So what if they are ordinary men? Two thousand mortals can still slay a divine ability practitioner! The will of the people cannot be defied, and the momentum of the realm cannot be halted. How can mantises like you hope to block the chariot?" As his words fell, the two thousand soldiers roared in unison: "Kill!" Their murderous intent surged to the heavens! With a colossal crash, an axe stroke tore through the air! Liu Long roared, his short axe swelling in brilliance as he unleashed over a hundred strikes in succession. With a deafening snap, the spear shattered... In midair, a bloody fissure appeared across the veteran general's head. He glanced at Liu Long and suddenly chuckled. "The scion of Silver Spear... did not learn the spear... what a pity..." *Boom!* Mysterious energy detonated, and the old general crashed to the ground, a crimson line splitting downward from his crown. When Liu Long landed, blood ran beneath his armor and coated his face, though outsiders could not see it. It had been an immense strain; despite Li Hao's repeated enhancements, his body had nearly ruptured under the combined blood qi of two thousand soldiers. Yet at that moment, heroic pride swelled within him! *I have slain a divine ability expert! He fell by my hand!* "General!" Behind, thousands of supernaturals trembled in shock! The general was dead! They had anticipated his death, but they had never imagined he would fall to Liu Long. They had expected an enemy powerhouse to strike, not Liu Long himself. Liu Long barely spared He Liang another glance. History was written by the victors; had Li Hao been defeated, it might have been his own corpse lying there today. There was nothing more to say. He turned to face the opposing army of thousands and shouted, "Will you surrender or fight?" "Surrender or fight!" the two thousand soldiers bellowed, their blood boiling with unprecedented fervor. Heavens! Through their formation, they had slain a divine ability expert! A divine ability practitioner! The pinnacle of power in this era! Even the weakest among them was a divine ability powerhouse, yet their combined might had struck him down! The onlookers were equally stunned. Two thousand soldiers could slay a divine ability expert? What kind of power was this? *Surrender or fight?* The opposing army wavered. The next moment, a Rising Light expert stepped forward, roaring, "Cowards, fall back! Those who aren't afraid to die... charge with me and test the Demon Hunt Army's mettle! The Hu family treated us well. You train an army for a thousand days to use it for an hour. Today... we fight!" "Kill!" Liu Long swung his short axe and bellowed, "Kill!" *Rumble!* Nearly a thousand men from the Heaven's Punishment Army charged forward behind the burly officer. The two armies collided instantly. The Demon Hunt Army maintained strict discipline, organized in squads of ten, centuries of a hundred, and cohorts of a thousand. Across the wide Nine Departments Avenue, blood flowed like a river! Roars, screams, war cries, and the clash of steel filled the air. Barely ten minutes later, nearly a thousand supernaturals were wiped out entirely! The black-armored soldiers still stood tall and proud. The difference in strength was plain to see. "Impossible..." someone murmured. Nearly a thousand supernaturals, including several Rising Light experts, had been routed by two thousand Demon Hunt soldiers without a single casualty on the opposing side. The Demon Hunt Army had emerged entirely unscathed! The shock was profound, bordering on sheer disbelief. Above the Military Law Department, the God of War drifted into view, gazing down at the avenue with a grave expression. "What a Demon Hunt Army. Battle Heaven armor, blood qi channeled into formations, squads of ten linked as one..." Their defense rivaled Solar Flare, and a ten-man formation's offensive power exceeded it. Against Moon Nether and Solar Flare opponents, crushing victory was inevitable. Yet it remained astounding! Down below, Liu Long shouted once more, "Will you surrender or fight?" "Surrender or fight!" the soldiers roared together, their battle lust surging and their killing intent piercing the heavens! The terrifying aura shook the surroundings, causing even Three Suns powerhouses to tremble as if gazing upon celestial majesty. Heavens! These were merely ordinary weaklings... How could they be so formidable? Li Hao remained impassive. This was precisely the result he had sought. Opportunities for pitched battles were rare, and letting the Demon Hunt Army test its strength like this was remarkably effective. Among the two thousand soldiers were hundreds of Thousand-Battlers, far from weak. Organized into ten-man squads, virtually every squad had a Thousand-Battler. A single squad could suppress a Three Suns expert! Two thousand men formed two hundred squads! Outsiders had thought he was wasting resources, but today they learned whether he had wasted anything at all. Across the street, the remaining thousands of supernaturals, including several Rising Light experts, trembled violently. A middle-aged commander stepped forward and sighed deeply. "The Heaven's Punishment Army surrenders!" Not everyone was He Liang, nor did everyone share the burly officer's reckless courage. The Hu family had nurtured them, yes, but the Hu family had fallen! He Liang was dead, and the thousand men who charged had been wiped out in moments while the enemy suffered no losses at all. Their resolve was shattered; the Demon Hunt Army was invincible. The enemy had not even deployed their true experts. The strongest fighter so far had merely been Liu Long. What hope was left? "We surrender!" they called out in low voices. Liu Long barked, "Kneel and live!" "Kneel and live!" The Rising Light commanders' faces shifted. After a brief pause, they dropped to their knees, followed by the thousands of Heaven's Punishment soldiers, their faces deathly pale. Defeated! Utterly crushed! Inside the yamen behind them, terrified officials collapsed to their knees with dull thuds. A chain reaction of falling bodies echoed through the compound. Southern Fist sneered, muttering, "A bunch of spineless cowards. Just slaughter them all and be done with it!" Beside him, Hou Xiaochen shot him a glare. The campaign had only just begun. If they executed surrendered troops now, did he expect to slaughter the entire realm next? Those who resisted had been slain, but the remaining supernaturals were far more capable than ordinary laborers, even if put to work in the mines. What did a brute like Southern Fist know? Four thousand supernaturals could erect a city in a single day. Hou Xiaochen cursed inwardly: *Boor!* Li Hao, ruthless killer though he was, had accepted their surrender for precisely this reason. Did Southern Fist truly think Li Hao was softer-hearted than him? Sure enough, when Hou Xiaochen looked over, Li Hao was practically beaming. Four thousand supernaturals! As for their lack of backbone, Li Hao did not care. That was how warfare worked: with the commander and deputy slain and the resisters crushed, the rest simply went with the flow. Every dynasty in history had seen the same. Strictly speaking, soldiers in this era fought merely to earn a living; what more could one expect of them? That a fifth of their forces had stepped forward to fight was honestly beyond expectation. He had half-expected the Heaven's Punishment Army to surrender immediately or scatter to the winds. That they had maintained cohesion until now proved He Liang's capability as a general. He had maintained order and earned his soldiers' loyalty. Leading five thousand supernaturals here under such circumstances had been no easy feat. With their supreme commander dead and morale shattered, a thousand men had still been willing to fight. Even Li Hao had to acknowledge their discipline. "Enter the yamen!" Li Hao ordered softly. Liu Long and the others moved forward to clear the path, shoving aside the supernaturals blocking the way. Within the Department of Criminal Law, nearly everyone prostrated themselves on the ground. "Please enter the yamen, Governor-General!" "Please enter the yamen, Governor-General!" The crowd roared in unison. Nine Departments Avenue fell deathly silent. Clad in golden armor, Li Hao drew every eye. Several powerhouses felt their hearts pound—ancient civilization golden armor! No wonder he commanded over a thousand troops! Li Hao held the rank of a division commander from the ancient civilization. It was staggering. Nearby, Qi Pingjiang looked surprised for a moment, but after a brief glance, he vanished from sight. There was no need to watch further; the Department of Criminal Law had changed hands entirely. All who stood in the way had been killed. Who could stop Li Hao now? From this day forward, the Nine Departments would still number nine... but with one fewer Department of Criminal Law, and one Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office in its place. Li Hao stepped inside. The courtyard was filled with kneeling figures, though a few remained standing. An elderly official looked at Li Hao, paused in silence, and said slowly, "Governor-General Li, we are merely ordinary scribes and clerks. Supernatural warfare has nothing to do with us... May we take our leave?" Ordinary clerks? Li Hao smiled. Though they appeared old, their cultivation was not weak. He regarded them with a nod. "You may! Provided you are innocent of crime. You will be questioned and detained first. So long as you are clean, you may go as you please. Those found guilty... will be executed!" Some looked relieved; others showed fear. Without another word, Li Hao commanded, "Take them away and investigate them thoroughly! As for the rest... stand up and return to your duties!" "Yes, sir!" Guards stepped forward swiftly and led away the elderly officials who had refused to kneel. None dared resist, nor had they the power to do so. At this moment, experts of the Rising Light and Transmutation realms looked up at Li Hao with trembling apprehension. "Governor-General Li... we know every operation of the department inside and out. We are willing to serve you, and beg that you take us in!" Power and influence were hard to relinquish. Seeing that Li Hao was not engaging in indiscriminate slaughter, these experts began to harbor hope. Could they remain? Li Hao would need people to handle administrative affairs, after all. As for the Nine Departments and the imperial family, who feared them now? Could they possibly bring Li Hao down? Li Hao laughed heartily. "Very well! Stand up and perform your duties diligently... On the condition that you have committed no heinous crimes. Minor offenses may be confessed and penalized later; at worst, you will face a heavy punishment, but your lives will be spared, and you can make amends through service. But if you carry serious crimes on your conscience... do not blame me for showing no mercy to corrupt law enforcers!" Several people breathed sighs of relief. It seemed the young man was not as bloodthirsty as rumors claimed. Not only those inside, but even observers outside relaxed slightly. Some who did not belong to the department felt a weight lift, wondering whether things might go the same way if Li Hao marched on their own departments next. Observing this, a few onlookers frowned with subtle concern. *** Inside the imperial palace. The royals watched the scene through surveillance screens. A prince frowned and remarked, "This Li Hao isn't slaughtering indiscriminately as rumors suggested. If he were, it would work in our favor—tyrannical brutality only breeds fear, deterring people from surrendering or joining him..." Yet from the reactions of those present, many had breathed a sigh of relief. That was not good news! The Heavenly Star King watched in silence, saying nothing. Li Hao's annihilation of his enemies had exceeded expectations, as had his seizure of one of the Nine Departments' headquarters. The performance of the Demon Hunt Army was another surprise. Most unexpected of all was that Li Hao had spared those officials, merely placing them under temporary detention. This was no wandering swordsman of the martial world! A martial wanderer would have acted on impulse, taking vengeance with swift delight. Wouldn't slicing them down on the spot have been far more satisfying? Yet Li Hao had refrained. The Heavenly Star King closed his eyes in contemplation. *Li Hao, do you aspire to be a ruler?* Only a ruler would act this way. A true wanderer would never behave like this. If Li Hao merely aimed to become an alliance leader of the martial world, the imperial family would gladly support it. But if he sought to be a ruler... that could not be allowed! The Heavenly Star King vanished from the spot. In the rear garden, he looked toward a small sapling and spoke in a deep voice: "How did Li Hao advance so quickly? He can even trade blows with Qi Pingjiang. Even as a descendant of the Li family, and even with the divine sword's aid... by all logic, he shouldn't have grown this fast!" And to become this powerful! What was the explanation? Resentment, jealousy, and anger mingled in his chest. The Heavenly Star King knew the imperial family might have nurtured a tiger to their own detriment, but who could have foreseen that Li Hao would advance at such a terrifying pace? The small tree swayed gently. "It is hard to say. Perhaps a supreme expert restructured his physique, or perhaps a powerful monster plant bestowed vast amounts of Spring of Life upon him, or perhaps he is simply gifted with extraordinary talent..." How could one be certain? It was impossible to tell. "Does he face no bottlenecks?" "Rest assured. In this era, before the secondary revival begins, no one can surpass the six-element threshold. The moment anyone touches the power of seven divine ability elements... space will instantly tear them to shreds upon breakthrough!" "What if they break through within the ancient ruins, stabilize their realm, and suppress their power before emerging?" "Are you referring to your imperial father?" The sapling chuckled softly. "Your father chose that very path. It remains to be seen whether it will work, at least until he breaks the seal of the Nine Departments... but I suspect it will still fail. While beings native to this era might emerge if they restrain their aura, powerhouses of your time possess very clumsy control over their energy. Martial masters fare slightly better, but supernaturals have virtually no hope." "You mean... if a martial master reaches seven-element divine ability strength, they stand a chance of surviving without being crushed by space?" "Correct." The Heavenly Star King frowned slightly. A martial master reaching seven-element strength? Was that even possible? Even if one saturated eleven supernatural locks like the supreme martial master Yao Si, one could only match a two- or three-element divine ability. Once a martial master broke their supernatural locks, they ceased to be a martial master. Therefore... it was impossible! He exhaled and nodded. "Understood!" In other words, before the secondary revival, no one comparable to the Paragon realm of the ancient civilization could emerge in the world. That was welcome news! It meant that no matter how fast Li Hao progressed, six elements remained his absolute ceiling until the secondary revival arrived, which put the king's mind somewhat at ease. "Then... if my imperial father breaks free of the Nine Departments' restraint, can he emerge?" "Unknown," the small tree replied indifferently. "Perhaps he can, perhaps he cannot..." "Is my father a supernatural, or a martial master?" "You ask too much!" The Heavenly Star King furrowed his brow. The Nine Departments were so wary that they refused to lift their suppression; whenever his father stirred, even from across the ruins, they found ways to keep him pinned down... Could he truly be a martial master? Impossible! How could a martial master match a Paragon? Unless... his father walked the path of ancient martial arts. But with the Origin Dao severed, how could he possibly have attained the Paragon level? He could not fathom it. Perhaps there was some special method? The old fellows of the Nine Departments remained perpetually vigilant, suggesting they knew something he did not. His own knowledge was limited by comparison. It seemed the old man still longed to break free and had not given up hope! Very well... let him and the Nine Departments continue checking one another! At that moment, the shouts of thousands echoed from outside: "The Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office is hereby established at the former headquarters of the Department of Criminal Law! As of today, the Department of Criminal Law is abolished! All laws governing the supernatural and mortal realms shall be administered by the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, which shall oversee all laws under heaven!" "..." The Heavenly Star King cast a cold look in that direction. What breathtaking audacity, what boundless ambition. Previously, Li Hao had concerned himself only with supernaturals; now he had swallowed mortal law in a single bite. What ravenous ambition! *** Along Nine Departments Avenue, reactions varied. Some sighed, some lamented, some felt helpless, while others harbored fear or fury. In the rear courtyard of the Inspectorate. Director Chen Yao sat deep in thought while the old director read a book nearby. After a long silence, Chen Yao sighed. "When you said earlier that if he emerged alive... I should immediately bow down and submit, were you serious?" The old director looked up and smiled. "Decide for yourself!" Chen Yao said nothing. *Decide for myself? What is there to decide!* The Department of Criminal Law was gone! Just like that, the Nine Departments had lost one of their number. His emotions were tangled; Li Hao had risen so quickly that he could barely process it. Not long ago, the youth had been merely an operative under the Night Patrollers. In the blink of an eye... he was expected to bow before him? The Nine Departments had ruled the realm for eighty years, and the Chen family had lived like kings in their own right! He had enjoyed royal prestige. Now... he was expected to submit to Li Hao? He was reluctant, unwilling, and thoroughly aggrieved! Yet today, Li Hao had displayed overwhelming might, slaying powerful foes, seizing the Department of Criminal Law, holding his own against Qi Pingjiang, and intimidating the world. His two thousand soldiers had joined forces to slay a divine ability expert and annihilate the Heaven's Punishment Army! This time, Li Hao had truly established an unshakeable foothold. Chen Yao looked at his father. "What are Qi Pingjiang and the others thinking? Things have reached this point... and they're still letting Li Hao grow unchecked?" "What are they thinking?" The old director smiled. "Nothing complicated. No matter how talented someone is, they cannot break past the barrier. Six elements is the limit. Only when the secondary revival arrives will the true contest begin! At that time, victory will depend on whose foundation is deeper, whose backing is stronger, and who prepared more thoroughly... Li Hao may have Silver Moon's Battle Heaven City behind him, but the secondary revival... likely won't reach Silver Moon so easily. In fact, Silver Moon will become a prime target for every faction... Why would they clash head-on with Li Hao right now?" Chen Yao frowned. "Aren't they afraid that Li Hao's freakish talent will shatter the barrier, allowing him to reach seven elements or beyond before the secondary revival...?" The old director paused, looking at him. "Why would you think that?" "Why wouldn't I?" Chen Yao asked in confusion. The old director chuckled. "A curse that no one can break, an established reality, a spatial constraint, an insurmountable contradiction... Why do you believe Li Hao can break it?" "Why?" Chen Yao was taken aback. What kind of question was that? He simply felt that Li Hao was miraculous, advancing at a staggering pace. When everyone deemed something impossible, why couldn't he achieve it? Yet his father seemed to think his reasoning was flawed! What nonsense was this? Wasn't it natural to think that way? He frowned. "Anything is possible, especially where Li Hao is concerned!" The old director smiled. "So... you believe he can work miracles? If that is the case... what are you hesitating for?" To believe someone could work miracles meant you had already yielded inwardly, terrified of what he represented. If you feared him that much... why hesitate? Chen Yao froze. "But... what if he fails? Once the secondary revival arrives, he truly lacks powerful backing... We don't even know if he secured any divine energy stones this time to awaken the monster plant in Battle Heaven City... If he didn't, he will instantly become the weakest player once the revival begins..." The old director said with a smile, "Exactly... That is why you must gamble. You can lay all this out plainly before Li Hao; offering your help in his hour of need will secure your future! You would be betting that Li Hao can create a miracle... Otherwise, stay right where you are and keep mingling with the Military Law Department and the rest." Chen Yao fell silent, sinking into deep contemplation. *Gamble on a miracle?* The crux lay in whether Li Hao could shatter the limits before the secondary revival. If he could, he would seize the upper hand, eradicate his rivals, and even if ancient entities awakened, he could still retreat to Silver Moon. Yet if he could not... once the secondary revival began, Li Hao would be reduced to an insignificant figure. At that time, ancient monster plants would roam free, Paragons would stride the world, Qi Pingjiang and the others would immediately break through to seven elements, and legions of powerhouses would emerge... It would no longer be Li Hao's era. Aligning with Li Hao under those circumstances would be courting disaster. After a long while, Chen Yao spoke again: "I find it strange. Since Li Hao could withstand Qi Pingjiang, it means he didn't reach five elements in a single bound—he might have attained three or four elements while outside... Do you think he knows how to conceal his aura? And if he conceals his aura, could that prevent space from tearing him apart?" "..." The old director laughed helplessly. "Could you stop asking me? I'm no deity; how would I know! Rather than asking me, why not ask Li Hao yourself? Go ask the man in person... If he answers, consider it an unexpected boon; if he doesn't, make your own judgment! He managed to subdue Yao Si, so he must have something up his sleeve. Figure it out yourself—stop pestering me. I've been retired for years." Chen Yao scoffed coldly, saying no more. This old man was always keeping his thoughts to himself. Fine! He would ask Li Hao directly! He had never held a formal discussion with Li Hao. Tonight, he would pay him a visit! Chen Yao stood and walked outward. Once this choice was made... the future of the Chen family would truly hang in the balance.