As soon as Chen Yao left, the others arrived one after another.
Southern Fist was the most curious. "What did that little hoodlum want with you?"
Li Hao stared blankly. Who was he talking about?
"Chen Yao, of course!"
Seeing his confusion, Southern Fist chuckled. "You didn't know? Don't be fooled by Chen Yao's age. Years ago, before he took over from his old man, he was the biggest punk in Heavenly Star City—strolling with songbirds, walking hounds, he indulged in every vice. Even after taking office in his father's place, he still acted like a scoundrel. His old man was cut from the same cloth. I don't know him that well, but supposedly his father was a ruffian in his younger days too..."
With another chuckle, he added, "Over eighty years ago, his father had an even worse reputation in the martial world than mine..."
Everyone turned to stare at him.
Southern Fist felt a prickle of annoyance. "What are you looking at? Wasn't that just smear campaigns run by you lot? I couldn't be bothered to argue!"
No one said a word.
So you actually know your reputation stinks.
We thought you were oblivious!
Li Hao laughed in spite of himself. "The head of the Inspectorate... was a hoodlum?"
"Naturally! Don't let his dignified posturing fool you. Word is, he later tried to play the cultured scholar, but in truth, he barely recognized a few words and could only read picture comics!"
Everyone looked thoughtful, getting the picture.
Southern Fist rolled his eyes again. "I didn't mean anything dirty! Genuine comic books, you hear? What's with those looks?"
"What Martial Uncle Southern Fist means is..."
"I mean that this family comes from street-thug stock! They're sharp at reading the wind, but when a true crisis hits, they're completely unreliable!"
Southern Fist held nothing back. "That guy crept over here in secret almost certainly to play both sides..."
Everyone looked at him again.
It seemed... he had met a kindred spirit.
Birds of a feather. By rights, you ought to get along swimmingly with the Inspectorate.
Southern Fist felt thoroughly exhausted!
His reputation had been ruined!
My reputation is fine! I, Southern Fist, am loyal and stand by my brothers. I would take a blade between the ribs for a brother and bare my heart for a friend. Why do you keep staring at me?
"Anyway, keep your guard up. When things are going well, you can count on the Chen clan, but the moment the wind turns against them... they'll run faster than anyone."
Everyone looked at him yet again.
Southern Fist blew his top!
"What are you looking at?" he roared, infuriated. "Look again and I'll turn on you!"
Why the hell do you keep looking at me?
The crowd composed themselves and stopped staring. Turn on us? Even if you did, you're the weakest one here. Who's afraid of you?
They just didn't care to bicker with a hooligan—it was beneath them.
Li Hao smiled and gestured for everyone to sit. The small lakeside pavilion was packed to capacity.
Southern Fist, Hou Xiaochen, Director Zhou, Bright Sword, Hong Yitang, and Sky Sword were all present.
Sky Sword hadn't left; this time, he seemed far less aloof than before.
In truth, Li Hao guessed it likely had to do with his own recent transformation.
Nine times out of ten, Sky Sword was waiting to see if Li Hao would share anything.
Yao Si remained at the Night Patrollers' compound and hadn't arrived yet.
Chief Steward Yu was assisting Liu Long and the others with reorganizing the Heaven's Punishment Army.
Aside from Yang Shan and his wife, nearly every powerhouse was gathered here.
Very few Silver Moon martial masters had joined them this time, mainly because Li Hao had led the assault before they could arrive. They had moved in silence, and by the time they emerged, the enemy was wiped out. Li Hao didn't mind whether the others had turned back midway, were still traveling at a leisurely pace, or hadn't set out at all.
No one was obligated to arrive at a moment's notice every time, and he hadn't actively called for aid. Showing up once was already a favor.
He wouldn't hold a grudge just because someone failed to arrive within three days on a second occasion.
"Let's all sit down and talk!" Li Hao said, looking at Hong Yitang. "Martial Uncle Hong, men must be killed, but business must also be done. Slaying enemies comes second; handling affairs is paramount. Freezing weather is fast approaching. It's cold now, but winter hasn't reached its peak..."
Hong Yitang asked softly, "What do you mean?"
"December is almost upon us, and the new year will be here soon. The academy must open its doors before next year begins."
Li Hao pondered for a moment before continuing, "To be honest, the first batch of recruits will mainly be those who aren't afraid of death, but that isn't the core issue. I simply want to plant the academy's banner... and draw in talented individuals! For instance, some of the former instructors from the Heavenly Star Ancient Academy are said to be in dire straits. We can recruit them specifically and implement some reforms..."
Hong Yitang nodded slightly.
Li Hao added, "A single academy can only accommodate so many students. The real goal is widespread education. While that's clearly impossible right now, we must strive toward it. Advancing on both fronts will ensure we don't fall behind!"
"I know what to do," Hong Yitang said with a slight nod.
Li Hao then turned to Director Zhou. "Over on the Eastern Continent, word has it that the Marquis of Dongji and Yu Qiao are besieging the Xu family in my name. That was your doing, Director?"
Director Zhou smiled. "Just a few casual remarks. They figured that since the emperor is far away and the mountains are high, having a formal pretext wasn't bad. In truth, they never took the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office seriously."
"Well, that doesn't matter. They used my name on the pretext of avenging me, so I'll grant their wish. Next time I head east, I'll pay them a visit directly."
It worked out well enough; there was no need to worry about the eastern Xu family for now, as those two factions were more than enough trouble for them.
Li Hao continued discussing various minor matters, all recent developments.
Large or small, even if Li Hao hadn't taken part directly, he inquired about them to prevent anyone from accusing him of neglect.
In truth, he didn't care to manage administrative affairs.
His current objective was simple: build this platform, wipe out everyone he despised, and then decide later whether to keep running things himself or hand the reins to someone else.
For this winter, if nothing else, Li Hao wanted all those supernaturals to keep a low profile.
It was already the dead of winter, cold enough to freeze people to death.
If a full-scale supernatural war broke out now and swept across the dynasty, displacing hundreds of millions of commoners, half of them would freeze to death before spring.
Once they finished discussing these matters, Li Hao cleared his throat.
At once, everyone pricked up their ears.
Their attention was instantly captivated.
Time for serious business!
"Chen Yao came here mainly to inform me that the Nine Departments, the imperial family, and other factions are all waiting for the secondary revival to make their move against us."
"Right now, the Chen family wants to play both sides, but they also want to see our strength and performance."
Li Hao smiled. "Frankly, I don't care what choice the Chen clan makes. The crucial point is that he was right about one thing: the secondary revival truly is our greatest threat!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Hou Xiaochen added, "What Silver Moon has always guarded against is precisely the secondary revival! After the initial revival, Silver Moon suffered a massive setback. Back then, the ancient ruins in Silver Moon... sigh, they were simply too voracious. They swallowed all the reviving energy in an instant, turning Silver Moon into a barren land in the blink of an eye."
He felt utterly helpless.
Letting out a bitter laugh, a rare note of wistfulness crept into his voice. "Otherwise, with the mettle of Silver Moon's people, how could we have failed to produce top-tier supernatural powerhouses? But Silver Moon never gave us the chance."
Li Hao said nothing on that topic and continued, "At any rate, trouble is guaranteed. But we can't just sit and wait. Waiting passively is never a good choice. We must take the initiative to strike while they still fear provoking us!"
At those words, Director Zhou and Hou Xiaochen fell silent at the same time.
The others looked toward the two of them as well, as if to say: he's talking about you. The powerhouses of Silver Moon had always been waiting—waiting for the secondary revival, waiting for the enemy to attack before striking back.
Of course, that had been their only option.
In overall strength, Silver Moon was certainly no match for them.
During the initial counterattack by Silver Moon's martial masters, a vast number of the older generation had fallen. In the years since, Silver Moon had mounted very few counterattacks.
"None of that is the main point today. The key is that right now, Southern Fist, Bright Sword... and perhaps Director Zhou as well, are martial masters."
Perhaps?
Everyone turned to look at Director Zhou.
Director Zhou felt a wave of helplessness. "Phrasing it like that... makes me quite uncomfortable."
Li Hao smiled. "What is your true strength, Director Zhou?"
Director Zhou remained silent for a moment, helpless and resigned. "It's not as complicated as you imagine. Put it this way: I'm a special kind of martial artist, understand? I walked the path of ancient martial arts down to the finest detail. The reason I was able to continue was that in my youth, I chanced upon an opportunity that altered my constitution to resemble that of an ancient martial artist. So in truth, I was never deliberately concealing anything, unlike what you all think."
An ancient martial artist!
Li Hao looked at him with some surprise. "Authentic ancient martial arts?"
"Yes!" Director Zhou laid it all bare. "Inside a ruin, I chanced upon a legacy. A top-tier ancient martial powerhouse on the verge of death passed on his heritage to me. He had only a single breath left, and using his final divine ability, he altered my physical constitution.
"Therefore, I belong to the pure ancient martial lineage. By their standards, I can be considered moderately accomplished. But now that the origin path has collapsed, it is difficult for me to walk other paths. In truth, my achievements fall short of everyone here."
Hou Xiaochen smiled. "In that case... I understand a few things now. That means your physical body is extraordinarily sturdy, Director! Ancient martial arts speak of the golden body—surely you possess one as well?"
Director Zhou smiled faintly. "I do... but with energy being so thin today, maintaining a fragile golden body is difficult. Fortunately, Governor-General Li provided me with some Spring of Life to nourish it. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare deploy it recklessly."
Everyone grew intrigued.
A pure ancient martial artist was entirely different from someone who merely cultivated ancient martial secret arts.
A pure ancient martial artist followed the exact path, realms, and Great Dao of the ancients.
Those who merely cultivated ancient martial secret arts usually had to modify them to suit the people of this era. Their paths diverged, and their physical bodies remained generally frail.
Modern martial masters primarily cultivated force.
Ancient martial artists, however, cultivated the origin path.
Li Hao also felt a sense of clarity. No wonder he had never sensed any weakness in the man's physical form. While others were constantly coughing or turning pale, Director Zhou had never shown such signs.
So that was why. Ancient martial arts had no concept of fragile internal organs.
Director Zhou's confession now was likely to avoid being branded a scheming villain.
With everyone staring at him, he had felt quite helpless.
Li Hao smiled. "Setting Director Zhou aside for now, Martial Uncle Southern Fist and Martial Uncle Bright Sword are both martial masters. The rest of you, including Chief Hou, have broken your supernatural locks and count as supernaturals.
"Having reached this stage... the supernatural path is difficult, and the road ahead is uncharted. There's no need for me to worry on your behalf."
Everyone stared at him. Get to the point!
Hong Yitang already knew, but he merely sat there in leisurely silence, waiting for Li Hao to speak.
Li Hao smiled. "As you've all seen, my strength has progressed rapidly. Usually, I don't reveal much of my aura, though I don't deliberately conceal it either. The greatest flaw of supernaturals is that mysterious energy is external. You cannot use force, and you can only rely on supernatural power to face formidable foes..."
Southern Fist grew impatient. "Get to the main point!"
"The main point is that through trial and error, I stumbled onto a new path—though I don't know if it truly counts as a Dao. I don't know what the future holds, what the outcome will be, or what lies ahead... but at this stage, it allows one to integrate mysterious energy into the body!"
At these words, Southern Fist's eyes lit up. "Teach us! We love the unknown!"
He was startlingly direct.
Southern Fist was no fool.
Who cared about the distant future?
Right now, divine abilities were emerging in droves. If he didn't advance, he would soon be suppressed by them.
Never mind what path it was, as long as it worked!
Who cared about the eventual outcome?
Any path that made him stronger was a good path. Once enough people walked it, it would naturally become a grand heavenly highway.
Beside him, Bright Sword frowned slightly. "I have a question. If we take this path, does it mean breaking our supernatural locks? Are there any restrictions? For instance, if I've saturated eight locks, can I only break eight? Or can I break as many as I discover, regardless of saturation?"
Li Hao had experience with this. "Unsaturated locks can be broken too... but the resulting divine abilities will be far weaker! Not only that, because the locks weren't saturated, your constitution and vitality will be substantially frailer."
Southern Fist slumped in dismay. "In other words, even if we walk the same path, whoever saturated more locks beforehand will be stronger?"
Li Hao nodded.
Naturally!
What else did you expect?
That you could instantly surpass everyone else?
How could that be possible?
The saturation of supernatural locks reflected the strength of one's vitality, physical body, spiritual intent, and internal organs. You could break unsaturated locks, but your body might not withstand the strain.
Moreover, forming divine characters required the unification of essence, energy, and spirit. If your essence, energy, and spirit were too feeble, you couldn't form divine characters at all.
Breaking a supernatural lock didn't automatically grant a divine ability.
"Feel it for yourselves!"
Without further ado, Li Hao manifested the character for "Fire." A ferocious tiger materialized in midair, initially dim and lusterless, before suddenly erupting into towering flames!
The next instant, the tiger vanished, reappearing directly above Southern Fist's head.
Southern Fist's heart jolted, and he threw a punch upward!
Boom!
The tiger dispersed. Southern Fist withdrew his fist and glanced at his hand, frowning slightly. "What blistering fire energy!"
His fist was actually slightly scorched.
What formidable fire energy!
Hou Xiaochen reached out, conjuring a fiery phoenix that surged toward the tiger.
Having broken a supernatural lock himself, his phoenix was also a fire-based divine ability. It collided with the tiger, but in an instant, the phoenix shattered, torn apart directly by the tiger!
Hou Xiaochen looked thoughtful. "It isn't just for show. The crucial part is that the power is far more condensed and easier to control. It's stronger than divine abilities of the same rank. It combines mysterious energy and force, even carrying the sensation of inner strength, vitality, and spiritual intent fused into one. In terms of pure quality, it surpasses raw mysterious energy!"
From a single clash, he had perceived a great deal.
Sky Sword didn't hesitate either. A beam of sword energy shot forth. Though devoid of force, its sword intent remained intact as it struck the tiger directly.
He silently assessed the impact. "Intriguing. Last time, your teacher spoke of fusing the five meridians. You took it a step further—not merely fusing the five meridians, but blending essence, energy, and spirit, merging inner strength, spiritual intent, and divine energy..."
He nodded. "A fine concept. It probably draws inspiration from the Star Suppressing City ultimate arts those people used last time, doesn't it?"
"Yes!" Li Hao nodded. "Partly, and it also relates to my master's Five Animals Breathing Art and the Blood Saber Art. It's a bit of a hodgepodge. At present, I'm still deducing further developments."
He hadn't dared make such claims before, but after reading the *Yuanping Chronicles*, Li Hao had gained numerous insights.
Without another word, he manifested the character for "Water."
This time, it wasn't water force alone. Instead, "Water" and "Fire" intertwined—a genuine fusion. A slight mutual repulsion arose, but Li Hao forcibly suppressed it.
The next moment, a unique blend of water and fire power fused together. Boom!
He tossed it directly at Southern Fist... and in the blink of an eye, Southern Fist was charred black as charcoal.
Southern Fist's eyes blinked, his fist still extended, but his face was completely blank. After a long pause, he choked out, "Holy shit!"
What just happened?
It was at least twice as powerful as a single character!
Li Hao smiled. "I had some minor gains in the ruins and decided to give it a try. It was my first attempt, so please don't take offense, Martial Uncle Southern Fist!"
Southern Fist was speechless!
Hong Yitang's eyes flickered, and he chuckled. "Quite interesting. How about having a look at mine?"
The next instant, the character for "Sword" emerged.
Sword intent surged, instantly transforming into lightning. Before anyone could react, the lightning shifted into flames, and the flames morphed into a towering mountain in the blink of an eye...
The transitions were astonishingly swift!
He hadn't fused elements like Li Hao. Instead, he deployed various divine abilities with effortless mastery, shifting through multiple forms in the blink of an eye. Most remarkably, no conflict arose between the different powers!
Watching this, the others drew sharp breaths.
Li Hao and Hong Yitang were distinctly different.
Yet regardless of the approach, both revealed extraordinary potential.
"Does... does this count as martial arts? Or supernatural power?"
Li Hao shook his head. "I don't know either. Call it a synthesis. As I said, it's a hodgepodge! It differs from martial arts, and it differs from supernatural power. If you call it a new path... right now, it's only at this stage, so I don't think it qualifies yet. But it truly resolves the issue of mysterious energy being an external force..."
And that was all it resolved for now!
After a moment's thought, he added, "Actually, there's another crucial issue left unsolved!"
Li Hao frowned slightly. "The physical body!"
Indeed. Li Hao felt that for any path to be walked successfully, this problem had to be fixed before it could be considered a true new Dao. Otherwise, what kind of new path was it?
Even if this method suited everyone, the physical body remained fragile. Every breakthrough required the Spring of Life to protect the internal organs and flesh... If this wasn't solved, what would happen if they ran out of sword energy or monster plants one day? Would they all perish?
They were far too reliant on monster plants!
Ancient martial arts didn't have this issue, which was why their path was a grand heavenly highway. But modern people weren't suited for it unless everyone was like Director Zhou, having their body forcefully remolded by a supreme powerhouse.
Then they wouldn't be modern people anymore!
You couldn't possibly reconstruct the bodies of tens of billions of people across the world, could you?
If you could, why would you need to create a new path?
This was the biggest dilemma Li Hao currently faced. He didn't know how to resolve it. Hong Yitang had suggested condensing divine characters to address it, but what kind of characters? Divine characters were linked to supernatural locks, and Li Hao's wind and lightning abilities both strengthened the body and vitality... yet even they fell short.
Could there be other supernatural locks within the human body specifically meant to strengthen the entire physical form?
Southern Fist didn't care. "Why dwell on that? Everyone faces the same problem. At this stage, solving whatever we can is good enough. Being able to solve the issue of mysterious energy being external... that's already magnificent!"
That was the honest truth!
He hadn't expected Li Hao to be so unsatisfied as to want to solve the physical body's frailties all at once.
Li Hao smiled. "True enough... but regarding the body... I think there might be a way. My master's Five Animals Breathing Art might hold the key... but it remains incomplete."
He felt the Five Animals Breathing Art showed promise in resolving this.
It was just that at present, the results were too slow and barely noticeable.
The human body was a vast treasure trove that had barely been tapped. The Five Animals Breathing Art only developed the internal organs, which wasn't enough. Li Hao felt his master had thought too small. If his master integrated dozens more secret arts, perhaps they could strengthen everything...
Yes, he felt he ought to track down his teacher, tell him to stop wandering about, and have him figure out how to incorporate seventy or eighty secret arts—some to strengthen the limbs, some for the brain, some for the bones, and some for vitality...
If all of them were integrated, wouldn't the Five Animals Breathing Art directly temper the entire body?
His teacher ought to be working toward that!
The others pondered the idea and nodded.
Sky Sword spoke up: "Last time, your master suggested fusing five supernatural locks to nourish the self, which was an excellent approach. Now you've separated the locks individually, turning each into a character. If we follow your master's theory and link these characters together, wouldn't that equate to fusing all the supernatural locks throughout the entire body? Could that solve the physical issue?"
Li Hao's heart stirred. Sky Sword's reasoning made considerable sense.
"We can give it a try... but for now, even I haven't fused many locks. It will take time!"
He added, "Even if it succeeds... I suspect it will still pose a challenge. After all, in the early stages, one would still have to endure this process."
"Stop overthinking it!" Southern Fist grumbled. "Just tell us what to do! Teach us directly. As for solutions... once more people cultivate it, everyone will have different ideas. The more people there are, the faster we'll find a way to solve the problem!"
There was no fault in that logic!
Li Hao chuckled. "Martial Uncle Southern Fist is right... But aren't you going to think it over before breaking your supernatural locks?"
Southern Fist snorted.
Think it over? What was there to think about?
What time was it already?
If he didn't catch up now, he feared he would end up like Golden Spear—miserable and forced to flee with his tail between his legs, perhaps dying in some godforsaken wilderness without even his bones left behind.
"Silver Moon martial masters cultivate the heart, not just inner strength. Be bold! When it's time to act, just do it!"
Li Hao thoroughly agreed with that sentiment.
Without further preamble, he swiftly explained the entire process.
The group listened in silence. It wasn't overly difficult—which was how a cultivation path ought to be.
If it were too difficult and inaccessible to ordinary people, how could it be called a cultivation path?
Only something everyone could learn deserved to be called a new Dao.
"This requires a substantial amount of Spring of Life!" Sky Sword frowned slightly. "I still have a little left, but... it might not be enough. By your estimation, even if it requires slightly less than what others use to advance to divine ability, it's still a sizable amount."
The consumption was indeed enormous!
Of course, Sky Sword had already achieved a dual-element divine ability and had recently broken through to three elements. His body had already undergone the necessary tempering. Even so, this process drained life force, requiring the Spring of Life for replenishment.
Now he understood why Li Hao had brought up the physical body and life force earlier.
Li Hao smiled. "Don't worry, I have plenty!"
Little Tree had been converting stones for him over the past few days.
Previously, he had needed them to pay the fine, but now that the fine was off the table, he had no shortage of Spring of Life.
From all the people he had killed this time, aside from the Hong family's hammer, his greatest harvest was divine energy stones. Black Panther had collected roughly fifty-five million. Most of the other victims were paupers, but the first one killed—the Master of Heavenly Roc Mountain—had been exceptionally wealthy.
The various factions hadn't made him pay up front, so he had been carrying a staggering five million divine energy stones, all of which fell into Li Hao's hands.
Counting the miscellaneous bits from others, he had amassed sixty-five million stones in total. It was slightly less than expected, but considering he had spent fifty million to read the *Yuanping Chronicles*, Li Hao considered it a bargain!
As for Little Tree, Li Hao now knew its base cost was probably around three thousand stones per drop, since Little Tree had later quoted four thousand itself.
Of course, the tree needed to recover and cultivate too.
Li Hao had never intended to shortchange it. Even at ten thousand stones per drop, his current haul could yield sixty-five hundred drops—a truly astronomical figure. The only caveat was that Little Tree couldn't convert non-stop; it had to rest and cultivate as well.
Sky Sword was about to speak, but Li Hao smiled. "Senior contributed greatly during our entry into the ruins; you didn't sit idle! The only one who didn't lift a finger..."
"Stop looking at me!" Southern Fist snapped, humiliated and exasperated. "What are you staring at me for? I'll contribute twenty drops, alright? That's my entire life savings!"
And Li Hao had given them to him in the first place!
Li Hao gave a half-smile. "If I recall correctly, Martial Uncle Southern Fist has at least twenty-five drops..."
Southern Fist nearly spat blood. You even remember that?
Yes, Li Hao had given them to him earlier, but hadn't he forgotten? Did you really have to fleece him dry?
He felt rather aggrieved. Guarding Heavenly Star City counts as contributing too, doesn't it?
"What... what about Bright Sword?"
Bright Sword kept a stiff face. At least Southern Fist had some savings. As for her... she truly had nothing left. If she had any, she would have used it long ago; would she have waited until now?
Damn that Southern Fist, why drag her into this?
Li Hao laughed. "Alright, I was only joking. I'll need everyone's help moving forward. If you take the benefits, you must pull your weight—fair exchange. That's what Chief Hou always says, and ancient martial arts likewise preach that the martial path must be contested. You fight for what is yours; only by giving do you receive. There will surely be fierce battles ahead!"
Without a doubt!
For one, he intended to explore the ruins, deal with the Supernatural City, take on the Nine Departments, handle the Three Great Organizations, and confront the Seven Sacred Mountains...
Without enough powerhouses, how could they manage?
Their supernatural foes were advancing to divine ability without restraint or regard for consequences; his side couldn't afford to fall behind.
"Enough talk. Let's begin cultivating... and condense our divine ability characters."
Li Hao said solemnly, "Once you're done... it will depend on how many elements of divine ability each of you can withstand. Don't worry about resource consumption; push yourselves to your absolute limit. Afterward, I intend to strike at the monster plants within the ruins! We'll test our strength. If we can defeat a monster plant... not only will the harvest be immense, but I'll also have the confidence to take on the major factions!"
Director Zhou couldn't help but ask, "Target the monster plants first?"
Why did this kid always pick the strongest opponent first?
Li Hao nodded. "Simply put, the monster plants haven't returned to their peak. The longer we wait, the stronger they'll become! Right now, they're actually easier to deal with!"
Living humans were adaptable and wary of Li Hao.
Monster plants, however, were cut off from outside news. They only knew that modern humans were weak. Their first thought would likely be that he had come seeking cooperation, especially with the precedent set by the Nine Departments.
Director Zhou asked again, "Are you... certain you want to target these ancient civilization monster plants? I thought you would seek cooperation..."
"That depends on the circumstances!"
Li Hao let out a cold laugh. "For one, seven monster plants chose to execute me this time... There can be no cooperation with those seven! You tried to kill me over a handful of divine energy stones... so naturally, I will retaliate!"
Li Hao bore no inherent hostility toward ancient civilization, even though his master had warned him several times that ancient civilization was different from the present and urged caution.
Li Hao still held a favorable impression of Battle Heaven City.
But this time... he harbored immense malice toward the seven monster plants.
You want to kill me... so I will kill you!
"Director Zhou, what about you...?"
Director Zhou smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry about me. I don't have supernatural locks, so I can't cultivate like you for now. I'm doing quite well as I am... Though if you kill a monster plant, letting me absorb some origin power would be of great benefit!"
That made sense.
Walking the path of ancient martial arts, absorbing a bit of origin power wouldn't open the origin path, but it would certainly help.
The fact that he had no supernatural locks surprised everyone, but on second thought, it made sense.
He had already become an ancient martial artist; why would he have supernatural locks?
Director Zhou added, "Go ahead and cultivate. I'll head out to handle some administrative matters. If you prepare to move against the monster plants... I can lend a hand. Also, I need to draft official documents... and don't forget, the day after tomorrow is the official opening of the governor-general's office. Don't miss it. Even if it seems trivial now, we must show everyone that we are the legitimate government authorities, not some private martial arts hall!"
The others nodded in agreement. That was true; they had almost forgotten.
"Should we call Yao Si over?" Hou Xiaochen asked. "He's quite formidable. If he manages to condense characters, he'll be a powerhouse with at least four or five elements!"
Yao Si's strength as a martial master surpassed even Hou Xiaochen's and Hong Yitang's.
If he were willing to break his supernatural locks, he would instantly become top-tier.
Li Hao smiled. "He probably isn't interested. I demonstrated it before, and he never mentioned wanting to convert..."
Hou Xiaochen chuckled.
The others smiled as well.
Director Zhou shook his head in amusement. "You're still too young. A man like Yao Si isn't as thick-skinned as Southern Fist. But since he chose to side with you, it means he sees potential in this path. And if he sees potential... do you think he'd be unwilling? It's just that he isn't close to you. If you don't bring it up, could he shamelessly demand it like Southern Fist? That leaves things at an impasse. Unless you take the initiative... he'd rather take it to his grave, or wait until you become familiar enough, before mentioning it."
"Is that so?"
Li Hao was a bit surprised. On second thought, that seemed reasonable.
To be honest, he had genuinely thought Yao Si wasn't interested.
After a moment's consideration, he laughed. "Then I'll go and ask him... Also, with so many of us cultivating, we should find a quiet place to condense our divine abilities... Otherwise, the commotion will be too great."
They needed a suitable location.
This place wasn't ideal.
Going too far wasn't good either.
Li Hao pondered for a moment. "I'll head to the western suburbs shortly to see if we can enter again... If so, cultivating inside the ruins might be a fine choice..."
Hou Xiaochen and the others stared at him, dumbfounded.
Have you lost your mind?
You know how terrifying that black armor is, yet you want to go back?
Are you knocking on trouble's door?
Li Hao chuckled. "We count as official students now. He said official students can come and go... If we bring a few friends inside and don't damage anything, would he really kill us? It's close, it's safe, and no outsiders can interfere. There are only puppets... and that black armor. At this stage, I don't think anyone can breach that ruin!"
They could only marvel at his sheer audacity.
Southern Fist hadn't gone inside and knew nothing about it, so he asked curiously, "There are powerhouses in there?"
"Of course!" Li Hao smiled. "Four hundred puppets, plus a black-armored general or instructor."
"Very strong?"
"Yeah. Any random puppet could beat you to death without much trouble."
Southern Fist's jaw dropped!
Good grief!
Is that really necessary?
It's that dangerous, yet you still want to go?
What a lunatic!
***
At the Night Patrollers' headquarters.
When Li Hao descended through the air, Yao Si was busy handling administrative affairs. He had his hands full lately; with the Night Patrollers preparing to merge into the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, the paperwork was endless, and branch offices across the land were stirring up trouble.
Some local branches had simply chosen to defect to regional hegemons, creating an immense headache.
Seeing Li Hao, Yao Si glanced at him with undisguised irritation.
You certainly have it easy!
All you damn well know how to do is fight and kill, leaving every other chore to someone else!
"Something the matter?"
"Interested in cultivating the new path?"
Yao Si asked flatly, "The one that turns into characters?"
"Yes."
Yao Si stroked his mustache. "If I cultivate it, roughly what strength could I achieve?"
"Four elements at the very least."
"Let's go!"
Li Hao was left speechless, staring at him.
Yao Si frowned. "What? Move! Let's find a quiet place to cultivate. As a martial master, you should be decisive; as a regional hegemon, you should be even more decisive!"
Li Hao laughed helplessly. Just as the others had said, this man was indeed waiting for him to bring it up.
So if I didn't say anything, you were never going to ask?
"The conversion consumes a massive amount of resources..."
Yao Si snapped impatiently, "I sold my damn life to you! Have you given me any benefits? Did you pay a joining fee or a resettlement allowance? If I didn't mention it, did you think it didn't matter? As a top-tier martial master joining your camp with a major faction in tow, have you shown any sincerity?"
None whatsoever!
And you have the nerve to complain to me about resource consumption?
Didn't you make a fortune this time?
If I'm risking my neck for you, you'd better pay up!
Li Hao froze, then realized he had a point.
Even condemned criminals got a full meal before the executioner's blade fell.
At that thought, he tapped his forehead. "When I executed those nobles last time... did I forget to give them a farewell meal?"
Yao Si was utterly speechless.
What do you mean by that?
Are you treating me like a condemned prisoner?
I really don't like the sound of that!
Li Hao grinned. "Let's go!"
With that, the two stepped outside. Xiao Ye called out hurriedly, "Governor-General, you're leaving already?"
"Yes."
Xiao Ye looked disappointed. "I just brewed the tea..." Seeing that Li Hao was truly departing, she could only add, "Next time you visit, I'll brew another pot for you, Governor-General."
Li Hao smiled and nodded.
Yao Si followed behind, and Xiao Ye escorted them downstairs. Seeing Li Hao walk away, she looked regretful, but when she noticed Yao Si following him out, she grew frantic. "Minister, where are you going?"
"Official business!" Yao Si replied without an expression.
So you only just realized I'm leaving too?
Are you my secretary?
You might as well be Li Hao's secretary!
I can't keep this secretary around anymore!
"Oh, right! Safe travels, Minister!"
Xiao Ye snapped out of her daze and thought nothing of it. Going with Governor-General Li shouldn't be an issue.
Yao Si nearly coughed up blood. He shot Li Hao a glare, but Li Hao wore an innocent expression. Why look at me?
Besides, at your age, are you seriously getting jealous over this?
Bizarre!
***
When they regrouped with Hou Xiaochen and the others, an additional person had joined them: Chief Steward Yu.
Old Hou hadn't forgotten his own secretary.
Chief Steward Yu was indeed qualified to convert. At this stage, Li Hao only selected martial masters who had reached their limits and saturated their supernatural locks; once they succeeded, they would immediately wield divine abilities.
As for Liu Long and the others... there was no rush. Even if they converted successfully, they wouldn't attain divine abilities yet, remaining comparable to Three Suns or Rising Light at best. Converting now or later made little difference.
The group set off together, heading straight for the western suburbs.
Their departure immediately drew the attention of numerous powerhouses.
Seeing them head straight for the western outskirts, many frowned. Were they entering Yuanping Martial Arts University again?
Were they collecting spoils, or something else?
Others had previously sent suicide squads to investigate, only to find the entrance barred. Had Li Hao already conquered the ruins?
***
Inside the Department of Finance.
Liu Yunqing's brow remained tightly furrowed. "He went there again... That place is exceptionally dangerous... Has he reached an agreement with the powerhouses inside that martial arts university?
"Aside from those powerful puppets... has a sentient monster plant or another powerhouse awakened?"
If so, Li Hao's faction would be even harder to deal with.
After a moment's thought, he said no more.
For now, the Department of Finance had suffered minimal losses; at least none of their divine ability experts had fallen. With Li Hao and his entourage departing openly, no one dared lay a hand on those left behind.
***
Yuanping Martial Arts University.
In the deep pit at the center of the training grounds, a figure in black armor lay sleeping.
Suddenly opening its eyes, it looked toward the distance.
"Student Li Hao has returned to cultivate and brought a few friends to cultivate and comprehend the martial path together. May we enter?"
The black armor fell silent.
What brazen audacity this kid had!
It had assumed Li Hao might never dare enter again in his lifetime. Yet less than a day later... here he was!
His guts were truly immense!
After a brief silence, the black armor spoke coldly: "Suit yourself. But remember... non-students may not enter the campus proper; remain by the entrance! Furthermore... if you damage anything, do not forget the fine. And you had best pay your previous fine soon, or else... interest will accrue!"
Li Hao paused. There was interest?
"Is the interest... high?"
"Thirty-six percent annually. Not particularly high."
Li Hao stared in shock. Good grief, that wasn't high?
That was outright usury!
The fine last time had been fifty-five million. In a single year... Li Hao felt his scalp go numb. That would be nearly twenty million in interest. What an extortionist!
Still, a year... stalling for a year wasn't bad. In a year's time, twenty million might not be worth much anyway.
Not bad at all!
With that thought, Li Hao smiled. "Thank you, Senior!"
He vanished instantly, heading outside.
A short while later, the group entered.
None ventured onto the campus grounds, remaining near the main gate. The black armor hovered in the air, watching silently. Soon, it sensed surges of differing auras erupting. After observing for a moment, it grasped the general idea of what they were doing.
In several academic buildings, puppets leaned against the windows, peering out with curiosity, though Li Hao didn't notice them.
Gradually, some puppets began patrolling near the school entrance.
The doll-like puppets by the gate opened their eyes one by one as well.
At that moment, Li Hao vaguely sensed countless eyes watching him. He glanced around, yet saw nothing unusual... He couldn't help but mutter internally: the black armor's gaze was truly piercing!
It felt as though several hundred people were staring at him.
The puppets, the dolls, and the black armor all watched in silence.
The black armor sensed it most acutely. At this moment, it clearly felt subtle changes—not here, but in the world outside. The constraints of heaven and earth seemed to have loosened slightly, easing the suppression on them.
The spatial fabric of the outside world seemed to have stabilized somewhat.
"Does it relate to those characters? They bear a striking resemblance to the ultimate arts of Star Suppressing City, yet... they incorporate essence, energy, spirit, and life force, making them suitable for this era... Does this count as pioneering a new path, prompting the world itself to begin reviving?"
It pondered the thought, genuinely shaken.
If so... this world might soon recover to the scale of its own era.
"Once more people cultivate this path, it may quickly form a unique method of cultivation... giving rise to a new path akin to the origin path, or an internal world Dao..."
In the ancient civilization era, the origin path was the primary Dao of early Neo Martial arts. In the later era, the Human King pioneered the internal world path, but its difficulty was immense, and many of the older Neo Martial generation continued walking the origin path.
Now... these people appeared to be cultivating an entirely different path.
Fascinating!
However, it could also tell that the path remained incomplete, still relying on external resources. That was not an encouraging sign.
"It would be far better if paired with a golden body!"
The black armor thought silently. They needed a dedicated method to temper the physical body; otherwise, this system was unsuitable for widespread adoption.
Meanwhile, Li Hao and the others paid none of this any heed. Mysterious energy surged wildly through them as vast quantities of the Spring of Life were consumed.
One aura after another skyrocketed!
Divine characters hung suspended in the air!
This was the true, massive eruption of strength for the group. Even Li Hao was attempting to outline his next divine character. Now that Metal, Water, and Fire had appeared, he was eager to resolve Earth and Wood as well.
If he succeeded, he might barely qualify as a seven-element divine ability user, even if Wind and Lightning were lagging.
Li Hao continued his attempts, hoping for success. Even if he could manifest just one more character, he would have a chance of standing against Qi Pingjiang. For now, he was still slightly outmatched—and he loathed being threatened.
Chapter 252