Having successfully duped the coconut tree, Li Hao was in a fairly good mood.
Much of the gloom that the Wind and Cloud Pavilion had stirred up earlier had now dissipated.
Throughout the following day, Li Hao kept his people busy across the city. What Heavenly Star City saw was a stream of orders issuing forth from the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office.
The provinces of the Central Region swiftly received instructions from the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office.
Investigate the Wind and Cloud Pavilion thoroughly!
Anyone suspected of belonging to the Wind and Cloud Pavilion was to be captured and brought to Heavenly Star City. Once verified, the bounty was ten drops of the Spring of Life!
Members of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion who surrendered of their own accord would receive a clean slate. Those who provided crucial intelligence would be rewarded with anywhere from ten to a hundred drops of the Spring of Life.
Anyone who captured a leader of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion would be rewarded with five hundred drops of the Spring of Life.
The moment this order was proclaimed, major factions across the realm drew in sharp breaths.
Are they insane?!
Of all people to provoke, the Wind and Cloud Pavilion just had to cross Li Hao. Truth be told, even they felt tempted. Five hundred drops! To trade divine energy stones for that, they would have to scrounge up tens of millions of stones.
Of course, no one was foolish. Such a bounty was hardly easy to claim.
Yet despite knowing it would not be simple, rogue cultivators, Heaven-Blessed Godly Masters, and local warlords across the Central Region immediately mobilized their searches. Even if capturing a leader was impossible, catching a mere scout still meant ten drops of the Spring of Life—by no means a petty sum.
Naturally, the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office had made it crystal clear: conclusive evidence was required. Otherwise, anyone who dared stage a false capture would not only suffer terrible consequences themselves, but would also drag many others down with them.
In this day and age, there were countless people willing to gamble their lives for ten drops of the Spring of Life.
Offer ten thousand divine energy stones to someone's entire family, and they would gladly lay down their life for you. Whether for their loved ones or for some other purpose, there were always those daring enough to impersonate members of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion even knowing death was certain; it all depended on whether the price was high enough.
……
At the Inspectorate.
Chen Yao had also been studying the proclamation from the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office. Since it had been posted publicly, it was no secret.
After reading for a while, Chen Yao let out a breath. "He really doesn't hold back, damn it!"
To be frank, an ordinary person could never afford such a price.
Yet on second thought, remembering that Li Hao could trade three thousand stones for a single drop made Chen Yao's heart ache. The monster plant backing his own family offered a price that wasn't exceptionally steep—fifty thousand stones, though some demanding ones charged sixty thousand.
That was dozens of times what Li Hao paid!
What was there to say? Li Hao could fetch over thirty drops with a hundred thousand divine energy stones, whereas they could only get two. How could they compare?
With that in mind, Chen Yao walked toward the backyard. This time, his elderly father was not reading a book, but rather holding and teasing a toddler of one or two years.
Chen Yao rolled his eyes.
What a disgrace.
This was his sister—he didn't even know where she ranked among his siblings. At his age, if he were outside, any granddaughter he had would be older than this sister. There was simply no reasoning with it.
As if knowing what he was thinking, the old man remarked indifferently, "What are you staring at? In the ancient civilization era, powerhouses had prolonged lifespans and fathered children at a thousand or ten thousand years of age. If you lived back then, wouldn't you have died of indignation long ago?"
The logic was sound, but those people had lived long lives; could he live to be a thousand or ten thousand?
Not bothering to argue, Chen Yao glanced toward the depths of the rear courtyard. "Have you spoken with our backer?"
Ever since Li Hao brought up the exchange rates, a bitter taste had lingered in Chen Yao's mouth.
It was simply too expensive!
"I spoke with it,"
the old man replied flatly. "It said... not a single coin less!"
A ferocious glint flashed through Chen Yao's eyes before quickly settling into calm. He cursed inwardly. In the past, they had had no idea how exorbitantly these bastards profited. Everyone had been in roughly the same boat; back at the very beginning, a hundred thousand stones per drop was the norm.
Later, when the prices dropped slightly, everyone had been overjoyed.
Yet once they found out about Li Hao's exchange rate... joy turned to murderous fury.
"It's draining the pond to catch the fish!"
Gritting his teeth, Chen Yao sent a voice transmission: "If it took a bit less, we could cultivate more powerhouses, expand our influence, and fight for greater opportunities and benefits, ultimately providing it with even more gains. Doesn't it understand that?"
The old chief glanced at him with an air of relaxed detachment. "Right now, it profits forty-seven thousand on a single drop. If it collected ten thousand per drop, making a profit of seven thousand, it would take seven drops to earn what one used to bring. Can your demand for the Spring of Life expand to seven times what it is now?"
If not, why should it accept less?
Seven times... Of course they could use that much; they would take as much as they could get. But upon closer thought, every ruin that could be excavated had already been excavated, and those that couldn't be excavated remained out of reach. As for the Heavenly Star Great Mine, every faction feared it deeply and dared not touch it rashly.
Thus, the total volume of divine energy stones remained essentially unchanged. In the end, the bulk of them would still end up in its hands.
So why should it provide you with more Spring of Life?
Wouldn't it be better to absorb more itself?
Furious as he was, Chen Yao knew their hopes of advancing currently rested on the monster plant. Helpless, he changed the subject: "Forget it, let's not dwell on that!"
With that, he transmitted his voice again: "Should we collaborate with Li Hao and have him supply us with some cheap Spring of Life? As for our people, I've already promised two supernatural experts to go help him. He probably needs them... That serves as a foundation for cooperation. Supplying some to an ally should be reasonable enough, right?"
"You go try, then!"
Chen Yao cursed under his breath. If I try, I'm afraid I'll be thrown out.
Coming to you means I naturally want you to go try.
You have more face than I do!
Even so, Chen Yao voiced his true thoughts: "My thinking is, isn't he planning to deal with the Wind and Cloud Pavilion? He has gathered the Silver Moon martial masters, so he must truly be set on it. I was thinking... why don't you keep a low profile, disguise your identity, and sneak into the ranks to bring back some benefits? You rarely show your face anyway, and no one will care if you disappear for a while. If not for me, you should at least pitch in for my thirty-seventh, thirty-ninth, or however many younger siblings I have, right?"
Chen Zhongtian froze, looking up at him.
It was as if he were seeing his son for the first time.
Are those words a human would say?
Paying no heed, Chen Yao continued his voice transmission: "You're very strong. He would certainly be thrilled to have your help. I won't do; I'm only at the three-element supernatural level, and he doesn't lack a three-element fighter. You are at least at four or five elements, right? Qi Pingjiang is at the peak of six elements, and if you told me you've stepped into six elements, I would believe you! If you go, he'll definitely offer a handsome price!"
"Besides, I can't just stay out of sight all the time. But you can... act as a mercenary helper. Make some extra while you can still fight. We can't keep relying on this unreliable monster plant forever, can we?"
"If nothing else, have you calculated how much Spring of Life will be needed for so many younger siblings to step into the supernatural realm in the future? Right now, your children might outnumber Ying Hongyue's!"
"Ying Hongyue is ruthless and cold-blooded; he doesn't care if a few die. Can you do the same?"
"……"
Strangely enough, these words gave Chen Zhongtian pause. Unreliable though this son was, there were points he raised that Chen Zhongtian truly hadn't considered before.
Indeed, having many children brought its own headaches.
In the past, some were still young, but now over ten had grown to adulthood.
Outsiders were unreliable, whereas one's own children were far more dependable. Because of this, his grown daughters were all fairly strong. The Chen family hadn't cultivated many outside powerhouses, but they had poured tremendous resources into his offspring.
Several were already approaching the supernatural level.
To cross into the supernatural level and stabilize two-element supernatural power required roughly fifty drops. At current prices, that amounted to fully 2.5 million divine energy stones, and that was merely for a two-element supernatural.
Two and a half million each; for ten of them, that would be twenty-five million...
He needed to cultivate, Chen Yao needed to cultivate, others in the clan needed to cultivate, and several powerful retainers following the Inspectorate needed to cultivate as well... Almost all the profits the Inspectorate had amassed over the years had been poured into this.
Chen Zhongtian fell into deep thought.
Chen Yao pressed on: "Didn't you talk about drawing closer to him? Isn't now the best opportunity? If I go, he won't look twice at me. But if you go, he'll treat you like a treasure. We don't have to ask for much—we pay him ten thousand stones per drop. If we can buy a hundred drops at that low price, it's only one million... Instantly saving four million divine energy stones. Think of how much that can accomplish!"
"Where else could you work a job and earn four million in one go?"
"……"
Chen Zhongtian stared at his son for a long time before sighing with emotion. "You've grown!"
Grown enough to con your own father.
This was damn dangerous!
Of course, given the current constraints of heaven and earth, the strongest was merely at the peak of six elements. It wasn't necessarily perilously fatal.
Yet his son's words truly made sense.
"Fine, then... Sigh, old as I am, I still have to head out and earn money myself. The massive foundation I built in my youth isn't even enough for you to squander!"
Chen Yao didn't bother to argue, content as long as his father agreed to go.
The recent financial crisis was a harsh reality!
Li Hao was driving the competition far too hard. He was pushing the Nine Departments, the imperial family, and every faction to desperately escalate their military readiness. Otherwise, the urgency to break into the supernatural realm would not have been so intense; everyone had originally planned to take their time and advance steadily.
Cultivating for an extra day and absorbing a few more divine energy stones allowed one to strengthen the five organs gradually, reducing the final consumption.
But now?
That was no longer an option!
You had to advance immediately. Reaching two elements wasn't enough; you had to push to three elements. Three elements weren't enough; you had to push to four. The competition grew fiercer by the day. Crucially, advancing in rapid succession put severe strain on the physical body, burning through even more resources!
Right now, the monster plants' refusal to lower their prices had a great deal to do with Li Hao as well. The monster plants knew that everyone held high ambitions and faced an urgent need for the Spring of Life. Under such circumstances, not raising the price was already generous enough; hoping for a price drop was entirely out of the question!
Even the Inspectorate was facing a financial crisis, and Chen Yao believed other factions were in similar straits.
At a time like this, the Spring of Life had become the most vital strategic resource.
……
Without waiting for the next day, that very evening, Li Hao was still awaiting the others. Tyrant Saber had already arrived, while Thunderbolt Leg and several others were on the road and close by; they would all arrive before daybreak tomorrow.
What Li Hao was currently weighing was whether to deal with the big tree first or strike the Wind and Cloud Pavilion once he made his breakthrough.
Not only that, he had even obtained a copy of the Wind and Cloud Roll.
Not the forged version he had made, but the genuine one!
The Wind and Cloud Pavilion's agents had surprisingly failed to detect him, and the intelligence truly hadn't leaked. Of course, Li Hao couldn't be entirely certain whether it was real or fake, but Deputy Director Wu in Nanyue had indeed acquired the roster.
Moreover, the other side had ordered Director Wu to print ten thousand copies to distribute across various regions the day after tomorrow.
At this moment, Li Hao was reviewing the Wind and Cloud Roll, his gaze shifting unpredictably.
A voice announced from outside the door.
"Governor-General!"
"Enter!"
Liu Long entered briskly, whispering, "Someone from the Inspectorate has arrived, saying he wishes to see you. He says his name is Chen Zhongtian!"
Li Hao's eyes flickered slightly.
He cast a glance at the roster in his hands.
Chen Zhongtian, first-generation Chief of the Inspectorate, peak six-element combat power, ranked ninth.
Yes, ninth.
Chen Zhongtian... peak of six elements!
After a moment's contemplation, Li Hao said, "Show him in!"
……
A moment later, Chen Zhongtian stepped into the room.
The elderly man possessed an immortal demeanor, carrying the air of a refined scholar. With a beaming smile, he said, "Governor-General Li, we only just met yesterday, yet here I am disturbing you again today!"
"Old Chief Chen is far too polite! Please, have a seat!"
Li Hao gestured toward a chair. Chen Zhongtian smiled and sat down without ceremony.
Li Hao looked at him, hesitated briefly, and then dispensed with pleasantries, cutting straight to the point: "Old Chief Chen, there is a puzzle I hope you can resolve for me. I happen to be somewhat uncertain..."
"A puzzle? Governor-General Li, speak freely!"
"You..."
Li Hao paused to consider his words. "You, Qi Pingjiang, and the others—are you martial masters, or supers?"
Yes, that was his puzzle!
Could martial masters reach six elements?
And what about supers? Supers were something Li Hao could perceive directly; they shone with dazzling golden radiance. Yet these figures gave Li Hao no such impression. While they were dazzling, they lacked that distinct flickering sheen of supernatural energy.
Hearing this, Chen Zhongtian chuckled. He looked at Li Hao for quite a while before finally speaking: "We started out as martial masters, and later became supers, yet we are not purely supers."
Li Hao blinked. Not purely supers?
What did that mean?
Seeing Li Hao's curiosity, Chen Zhongtian pondered for a bit and decided to speak frankly. In any case... a certain fellow in Silver Moon probably knew this as well, so there was no need to deliberately conceal it.
"The difference between supers and martial masters lies in the fact that one has severed their supernatural locks while the other has not; one has unleashed their potential, while the other has not. Is there a way for a martial master to unleash their potential without severing their supernatural locks, allowing them to grow powerful while maintaining their identity as a martial master?"
Maintaining the status of a martial master was meant to preserve access to Silver Moon's heritages and treasures.
Yet remaining strictly an ordinary martial master wouldn't do either, as their combat power would be left far behind.
This had been a dilemma for countless martial masters until Li Hao developed the divine character method.
From the sound of it... they had a method of their own as well?
Then why hadn't it been popularized?
Li Hao frowned. "What method?"
Chen Zhongtian smiled. "This method... ordinary people truly cannot use. Over in Silver Moon... your Director Zhao likely uses this very approach."
"Speak plainly, Chief Chen!"
Why beat around the bush and keep people in suspense?
"It is truly difficult... nurturing weapons to bear locks!"
Li Hao was taken aback. "What does that mean?"
"Ordinary weapons won't do. One requires formidable divine weapons, generally Heaven-tier divine weapons!"
The old chief stopped playing games. "In other words, one nurtures their supernatural locks through divine weapons, integrating the locks into the weapons. By using the divine weapons, one unleashes the combat strength of the supernatural locks without breaking them. However... the requirement is extremely high: one weapon per meridian!"
He sighed. "Therefore, this is not a method ordinary people can employ. What does 'one weapon per meridian' mean? To reach the supernatural level, one needs at least six Heaven-tier divine weapons. For three elements, seven weapons. For five elements, nine weapons..."
He shook his head, sighing. "It is extraordinarily difficult, which is why this method cannot be spread. Only the heads of certain top factions, who had explored ancient ruins early on back in the day, were able to pull it off. It isn't considered an overly deep secret; in fact, many know of it. For instance, Ying Hongyue likely elevated himself through this very approach..."
"Tell me, what use is spreading such a method? To create a single supernatural expert requires six Heaven-tier divine weapons... How is that possible? Only people like us managed to gather a few back then. Look around: Earth-tier and sub-Earth-tier divine weapons are plentiful under heaven today, but how many Heaven-tier ones are there?"
Li Hao raised his brows. Nurturing weapons to preserve meridians!
Such a method actually existed!
Of course, it was absurdly costly and consumed far too much.
He knitted his brows slightly. "What are the advantages and drawbacks of this method?"
"The advantage is retaining one's identity as a martial master. Martial masters still have a very promising future. Supers... well, they're decent enough, but their greatest flaw is that their power remains externalized."
"As for the drawbacks, there are several. First, the consumption is astronomical. Who can bear such an expense? Ascending by a single rank demands a Heaven-tier divine weapon. Second, it does not allow one to unleash their full power seamlessly. When a super breaks a supernatural lock, they unleash the full combat power of that meridian; for us, it falls slightly short... though the gap isn't massive."
"Third, divine weapons are hard to come by, particularly regarding compatibility. Compatibility is truly necessary; ideally, the attribute should match. For example, using a fire-attribute divine weapon for the heart. They must correspond one-to-one to unleash greater might!"
Li Hao nodded.
Acquiring just a few was already exceedingly difficult.
Requiring different elemental attributes made it even harder.
And finding ones that matched oneself perfectly was mind-bogglingly rare.
Truth be told, this method was terribly exorbitant. It would be simpler to just advance directly into a super. Yet to preserve their martial master identity, they chose this path anyway—the privilege of the wealthy and willful. How could the poor afford such extravagance?
Even Li Hao didn't have that luxury!
He didn't possess any Heaven-tier divine weapons.
At this thought, Li Hao frowned. "Then why didn't I obtain any divine weapons when I killed Hu Xiao and Qian Wanhao...?"
Chen Zhongtian smiled. "That is why I said it requires the heads of top factions. Those two... fell a bit short. Early on, it was manageable, but once they stepped into the supernatural realm, they needed six. For three elements, seven; for four elements, eight... Do you think they could produce that many?"
"Among the Nine Departments, probably fewer than half can accomplish it."
Fewer than half meant three or four at most. Naturally, this man before him was one, leaving at most one other, since two of the spots undoubtedly belonged to Qi Pingjiang and Director Zhao. The one from the Administrative Department was also surnamed Zhao. Li Hao's heart stirred slightly; could he be related to Director Zhao?
"Nurturing weapons to preserve meridians... nurturing the supernatural locks within divine weapons so that when power is unleashed, the locks do not completely break?"
"Correct!"
Chen Zhongtian nodded. "However, the consumption is immense. Nowadays, divine weapons generally require vast amounts of energy; every time one is utilized, it burns through a sum of divine energy stones. That is another drawback."
"Divine weapons can tether the supernatural locks..."
Li Hao thought of his divine characters. Wasn't that essentially a variation of divine characters?
Except his own method wasn't nearly as cumbersome and required no divine weapons.
In that moment, various thoughts ran through Li Hao's mind. After a long silence, he said apologetically, "Pardon me, I was lost in thought and neglected you, Old Chief."
With that, he remembered why the man had come. "May I ask what brings you to see me this time, Old Chief...?"
"It is like this. The Wind and Cloud Pavilion brings chaos to the realm, and seeing Governor-General Li determined to purge them, I, despite my advanced age, am willing to contribute my humble efforts. The Inspectorate was originally meant to protect the realm and stands irreconcilable with evil energy organizations!"
"……"
What a load of rubbish!
As if anticipating Li Hao's thoughts, Chen Zhongtian chuckled. "Eighty years ago, when the Inspectorate was founded, that was its core purpose. The induction oath was drafted by my own hand."
Li Hao smiled noncommittally.
"Forget it. I wouldn't presume to trouble you, Chief..."
Chen Zhongtian gave a dry cough. "No need to be polite. This comes from the sincerity of my heart. Furthermore... my household is having trouble putting food on the table. It is truly... embarrassing to bring up, yet I must! My thought is... if Governor-General Li is willing to supply me with five hundred drops of the Spring of Life at a low price..."
"Take care on your way out, Old Chief!"
"……"
Chen Zhongtian coughed again. "Four hundred would be fine too. There are too many children at home, so as a father... old as I am, I still have to look after them... Divided among them, four hundred drops doesn't even come out to ten drops per child—not even enough to break through to the supernatural realm..."
Not even ten drops each?
Doesn't that mean there are over forty children?
Yet I recall Chen Yao mentioning only thirty-odd. How did it increase again?
Just how many children do you have in your house?
Li Hao finally caught on, somewhat astonished. He... truly came here to earn a paycheck?
This was simply... unbelievable!
The dignified Chief of the Inspectorate, the founding chief no less, had actually come to propose working for him to earn money for his kids.
How bizarre!
Li Hao still shook his head. Even if the man paid for them at a discount, four hundred drops was far too much. Two elements took fifty drops, three took a hundred, four took a hundred and fifty... Four hundred drops could very well produce a five-element supernatural expert.
Why look for trouble for himself?
As for the Wind and Cloud Pavilion, Li Hao intended to handle them on his own.
Just as he was thinking this, Chen Zhongtian added, "This old man... still possesses some strength. Moreover, I excel exceedingly at defense and speed..."
Defense and speed...
Li Hao's heart stirred. He said abruptly, "Too much! Besides, I don't believe I need it... However... if you are willing to fight at full strength for me once, life and death notwithstanding... it isn't out of the question!"
"At full strength? Naturally!"
Chen Zhongtian said solemnly, "Does Governor-General Li think I would deliberately hold back?"
"The full strength of a peak six-element powerhouse?"
Chen Zhongtian kept his expression steady. "Governor-General Li overestimates me. I possess only five-element combat strength, which is already quite extraordinary."
"Peak of six elements!"
Li Hao said calmly, "At that level of strength, I can supply you five hundred drops at ten thousand stones per drop! For five elements... twenty thousand per drop, up to two hundred drops. Otherwise, let's forget it."
Under the first option, buying five hundred drops for five million meant a profit of twenty million.
Under the second option, buying two hundred drops for four million meant a profit of six million.
The difference between the two was a staggering fourteen million!
Calculating it at fifty thousand stones per drop, Chen Zhongtian clicked his tongue inwardly. Damn, the gap is this huge?
While Chen Zhongtian was still weighing the options, Li Hao added, "Furthermore, everything must follow my command. You strike whomever I tell you to strike... You can't just run off or act recklessly! Even if you claim to be at five elements, I'll still arrange an opponent stronger than you. In the end, you'll expend six-element combat power while only receiving a five-element payout..."
Chen Zhongtian cursed inwardly. Earning money these days was truly tough.
Yet he had to admit that Li Hao's price was undeniably enticing. Testing the waters, he ventured, "Then... what about five thousand per drop...?"
Li Hao smiled. "That works too!"
Chen Zhongtian was stunned. That works too?
Li Hao chuckled. "I need you to tie down an opponent. Hold them for three minutes, and it's ten thousand per drop. Four minutes, eight thousand per drop. Five minutes, five thousand per drop... A battle usually ends within five minutes. If it's under three minutes... I'll still count it as ten thousand per drop, but you must hold out for at least one minute..."
Chen Zhongtian was slightly taken aback, almost finding it humorous.
You know I possess six-element combat strength. In this era, which powerhouse could outmatch me by so much?
All I have to do is tie down an opponent, yet you look down on me this much?
To put it bluntly, in this day and age, powerhouses stronger than him could be counted on both hands.
Even if someone was stronger, the margin was limited. At worst, they might suppress him slightly; it wouldn't be to the point where he couldn't even fight back.
What Li Hao said was truly intriguing.
Chuckling, he asked, "And what if the enemy is slain within one minute...?"
"Then we calculate it at the highest rate!"
Li Hao laughed as well. "Then it'll be five thousand per drop, for five hundred drops!"
Chen Zhongtian chuckled, about to say more, when he suddenly paused. "Who... do you intend to target?"
Li Hao was formidable himself and knew that Chen Zhongtian was no weakling, yet he suddenly made such a condition. Truth be told, an unsettling feeling began to creep up.
Li Hao smiled. "That isn't convenient to disclose."
Frowning slightly, Chen Zhongtian looked at him. "The Wind and Cloud Pavilion?"
"Not convenient to disclose!"
"……"
Damn you!
Chen Zhongtian's brow furrowed deeply, his gaze darting to Li Hao repeatedly. I only came here to earn some money to feed my family, not to throw my life away.
You wouldn't be asking me to deal with a top-tier powerhouse, would you?
Like an entity residing in the ruins?
But... Li Hao should know how massive the disparity was. That would be impossible; it would be pure suicide!
"Will you take action alongside me?"
"Naturally!"
"You... won't run off and deliberately trap me to my death?"
"……"
Li Hao sighed. "I, Li Hao, would never do such a thing to a comrade on my side. If I did, who would ever trust me today? On this point, you can rest completely assured, Old Chief!"
After a moment's thought, Li Hao added, "Then again, forget it. I'm afraid too many things might be exposed in the end..."
"Don't!"
Chen Zhongtian smiled. "Then... then I can agree... But I want an advance of one hundred drops of the Spring of Life."
Li Hao stared at him. Chen Zhongtian smiled. "Although I don't know who you plan to face, to treat it with such gravity... it certainly isn't an ordinary foe. Could it be Ying Hongyue? That would make sense; he is your nemesis, and his strength is undeniably formidable. He is indeed worthy of your caution!"
At this moment, the person he had in mind was Ying Hongyue.
A terrifying fellow.
That man was truly strong and undeniably dangerous, but Chen Zhongtian believed stalling him for several minutes would be no problem at all. No matter how powerful Ying Hongyue was, he couldn't possibly unleash seven-element combat strength.
If he could truly buy five hundred drops at five thousand stones each, 2.5 million would suffice, whereas going to the monster plant would cost twenty-five million!
The difference was enormous!
Compared to his previous price, it also saved over two million stones... Wasn't two million stones real money?
"An advance?"
Li Hao frowned slightly, only speaking after a brief pause: "That's not impossible! But I will only hand it over right before we set out, right before we make our move!"
When dealing with the big tree, the more powerhouses, the better.
It might expose many secrets, of course!
Yet even if it did... so what?
It was better than suffering more casualties.
If Chen Zhongtian were merely at five elements, Li Hao wouldn't have cared as much. But on the Wind and Cloud Roll, he was listed at peak six-element combat power, which was terrifying. Li Hao doubted whether he himself could beat this man.
Having such a top-tier powerhouse assisting them could significantly reduce losses, and might even save lives.
As for the man deserting on the battlefield... Once they reached the location, stepped inside, and began the slaughter, would the monster plant spare him?
Once inside, there was no turning back!
Right now, Chen Zhongtian suddenly felt... Li Hao had agreed too readily. An uneasy feeling arose, and he suddenly felt that his son's suggestion to come here and work wasn't a very sound choice.
He almost felt like backing out!
A vague sense of foreboding hung over him.
Yet the massive bait tempted him deeply. As a prudent man, he wanted to refuse, but couldn't resist the allure. The Inspectorate had been far too broke lately; they didn't even have enough resources for his son to break through to four-element supernatural power.
Weighing the pros and cons and deliberating again and again, he finally nodded. "Then I agree!"
With that, he asked, "Roughly when will we strike?"
Li Hao was also pondering. Earlier, he had planned to deal with the Wind and Cloud Pavilion first... but the pavilion might not appear right away. If he had Chen Zhongtian's assistance, and with his roster of people fully assembled... why not take down the coconut tree first!
After all, the little tree needed to devour the other's clone; the stronger it became, the better, and the sooner, the better.
With that in mind, Li Hao calculated the timing. Kong Jie and the others would arrive soon, and one day was plenty of time for everyone to form their divine characters.
The deadline stated by the Wind and Cloud Pavilion wasn't until the day after tomorrow.
"Tomorrow night!"
"Hmm?"
Chen Zhongtian froze once more. "Are we facing Red Moon or the Wind and Cloud Pavilion? That soon?"
Striking tomorrow night already?
Li Hao smiled. "Tomorrow night it is. As for the specific target, I won't say, lest the news leak! Rest assured, Chief Chen. This time, it won't be just the two of us; everyone I've summoned will take action. It will be completely foolproof, so set your mind at ease!"
He then added, "Additionally, Chief Chen, you had best... best bring your trump-card divine weapon, the one used to suppress the Old Heavenly Star King, just in case!"
"……"
Chen Zhongtian's scalp suddenly went numb!
"Don't you do anything reckless... I don't want to lose my life just to earn a bit of coin. Exactly who... are you targeting?"
A chill ran down his spine!
Could it be... could it be that he wanted to enter a ruin and face an ancient powerhouse?
The centenarian felt his scalp tingling. "Are we going into a ruin?"
Li Hao smiled. "Probably... yes!"
At that instant, Chen Zhongtian's scalp went completely numb!
For a moment, his voice even trembled slightly: "Powerhouses of the ancient civilization are beyond match! Once revived, they are at the very least in the Peak Realm! It is only because this is the modern era that things are slightly better; in the past, even a hundred six-element experts might not have matched a Peak Realm powerhouse..."
"That was in the past, was it not?"
Li Hao smiled. "Now... they are nothing more than has-beens. If we do not shatter the fear in our hearts, are modern people to be ruled by ancients forever? You will find that when you break through that fear and slay an ancient powerhouse... a transformation will occur within you! Mentally, willfully, spiritually... Otherwise, we will spend our entire lives living under the intimidation of the ancient civilization!"
"You're insane!"
Chen Zhongtian's voice grew shrill. "You really intend to take on..."
His heart turned ice-cold.
For modern powerhouses, the stronger they were, the better they understood the might of the ancient civilization, and the more keenly they recognized the terrors of ancient powerhouses.
The weak, on the contrary, lacked that direct perspective.
A top powerhouse like him knew this all too well. He had never imagined Li Hao would actually harbor such designs.
Li Hao looked at him. "Then forget it. I won't need your assistance, Chief Chen."
Li Hao added calmly, "You were never part of my plan to begin with."
"You... you gathered the Silver Moon martial masters not to face the Wind and Cloud Pavilion, did you?"
His face had turned somewhat pale. "You set your mind on facing an ancient powerhouse long ago... You are leading Silver Moon straight into a pit of fire!"
He understood completely now. Li Hao was not simply aiming at the Wind and Cloud Pavilion; everything was merely a smokescreen. Summoning so many people was meant for taking on an ancient powerhouse, and the Wind and Cloud Pavilion served as the perfect cover.
Otherwise, if he summoned so many people under normal circumstances, everyone would wonder: what is Li Hao planning?
Now, everyone would simply say: Li Hao is truly mad, the Wind and Cloud Pavilion is truly unlucky, and Li Hao is going all out to crush them!
Yet no one would ever suspect—or rather, no one would dare to imagine—that Li Hao intended to strike at a revived entity from the ancient civilization.
Li Hao said placidly, "Doesn't this suit your desires? If we stumble and all perish, you will have peace of mind. But once we succeed and manage to kill an ancient powerhouse, we will have nothing left to fear, and our strength and hearts will undergo a qualitative leap. At that point... once I emerge, the secondary revival likely won't be triggered, and I will slaughter every last person who opposes me!"
"Consider it for yourself, Chief Chen. However... you must not leak a word!"
Li Hao fixed him with a profound gaze. "I have told this to you and you alone. Since I dare to hunt an ancient powerhouse, I naturally have at least a fifty percent certainty. If the secret leaks, does Chief Chen believe the Inspectorate is stronger than an ancient powerhouse?"
"Rest assured, never!"
Chen Zhongtian responded heavily, an urge to flee welling up within him.
This lunatic!
This bunch of lunatics!
"The opportunity lies right before your eyes... Miss it this time, and there may not be another. Safe travels, Chief Chen, I won't see you out!"
Chen Zhongtian's expression fluctuated for a while before he turned and departed swiftly.
That son of his... he would beat him to death when he got back!
Damn it all, having me work for Li Hao to earn money? Go to hell! Was this just earning money?
This was crueler than selling blood!
Watching him scurry away, Li Hao let out a light laugh. If the man didn't show up tomorrow, so be it; but if he did... that would be interesting.
He returned his attention to the roll. After a long silence, he sneered, "Ying Hongyue!"
Apart from himself sitting high and mighty in the first spot, the second spot belonged to none other than Ying Hongyue!
A terrifying fellow. His own first-place ranking was definitely inflated, but Ying Hongyue's ranking was likely genuine.
"He is the true number one... On Silver Moon soil, the strongest is actually Ying Hongyue!"
Even Li Hao found it somewhat hard to believe. That man, who hadn't even dared approach him—Li Hao had known he was powerful, but had never imagined he would hold the top rank.
Combat strength... peak of six elements.
Indeed, an unbroken line of six-element peaks without reaching seven elements. Yet above Ying Hongyue's first-place ranking, there was an accompanying note: *Possesses extraordinarily robust vitality; capable of transcending ranks to elevate at any moment.*
What did that mean?
He could step into the true seven-element tier at any moment?
Li Hao stared at the name, his eyes growing increasingly cold. He had originally thought that since Ying Hongyue was younger, he would likely fall short compared to the likes of Qi Pingjiang and the Old Heavenly Star King. Even if he were at the peak of six elements, Li Hao might not necessarily fear him at this stage.
Yet... what now?
The Old Heavenly Star King was ranked third!
Fourth was Director Zhao of the Administrative Department. Fifth was not Qi Pingjiang, nor was sixth...
Fifth was Lin Hongyu. Li Hao had not recognized the name, but quickly learned who it was from the note appended behind: City Lord of Superpower City.
Sixth gave him an even greater shock: Zhao Shuguang, Director of the Silver Moon Administration Directorate.
Seventh was also unexpected: the Heavenly Star King, the reigning monarch of Heavenly Star!
Eighth was Qi Pingjiang... Yes, Qi Pingjiang was eighth, while Chen Zhongtian was ninth. Was this roll targeting him, or was it targeting the imperial family?
Both kings of the imperial house were actually ranked within the top ten.
Of course, Li Hao soon realized who it was truly targeting.
Tenth: Zhou Chuan, Deputy Director of the Silver Moon Administration Directorate.
Eleventh: Yama.
Twelfth: Flying Sword Immortal.
Thirteenth: Haotian Mountain Lord.
Fourteenth: Hong Yitang.
Fifteenth: Yao Si.
Sixteenth: Hou Xiaochen.
Seventeenth: Sky Sword.
Eighteenth: Liu Hao. Li Hao hadn't recognized the name either, only discovering from the note that he was actually the Chief of the Finance Department—quite unexpected.
His combat power was described as mid-to-late six elements.
Thus, this roll was definitely forged, deliberately inflating the rankings of Silver Moon's figures. Hong Yitang and the others were all labeled around the peak of six elements... Total rubbish!
Utterly bogus!
Yet... if everything else proved true, people would harbor suspicions even if they knew parts were fabricated.
Among the top ten, three were Silver Moon powerhouses.
And among the top twenty, there were not eight, but nine!
Nineteenth: Phoenix Mountain Lord.
Twentieth... Yuan Shuo!
Yes, Yuan Shuo.
Could anyone believe it?
Even Li Hao couldn't believe it. The combat strength noted for him was the peak of five elements... Pure, unadulterated nonsense!
Li Hao was utterly speechless. The moment anyone from Silver Moon was involved, discrepancies immediately appeared in their combat strength; it was completely inaccurate.
Yet by setting it up like this—nine out of twenty people from Silver Moon?
What a joke!
The others were all leaders of major factions. Among the Seven Sacred Mountains, aside from the Phoenix Mountain Lord and the Haotian Mountain Lord, plus the deceased Slaughter and Heavenly Roc Mountain Lords, and Sky Sword, the remaining two mountain lords hadn't even made the top twenty!
As long as the combat strengths listed for the others were largely accurate... that spelled the greatest trouble for Silver Moon.
"Hmph!"
Li Hao snorted cold. Why didn't you rank yourself on it?
The roster only listed the top twenty without continuing further, whether intentionally or because they had only uncovered that many. Most likely there were more, but the other side had deliberately withheld them.
These twenty names alone were enough.
Once released, it would surely spark a colossal uproar.
Nine people from Silver Moon making the list was nothing short of a fantasy!
The Nine Departments possessed countless powerhouses, yet the strongest among them, the Chief of the Administrative Department, was only ranked fourth, while the one from the Military Law Department was merely eighth.
Not a single serving chief had made the list.
Moreover, alongside the twenty-person Supernatural Roll, there was actually a Divine Master Roll. This one had more names, a roster of thirty people. Ranked first was surprisingly Dao Sword, who was with the Night Patrollers and therefore counted as part of Li Hao's camp.
The top spots on both the Supernatural Roll and the Divine Master Roll belonged to Li Hao's side.
Although the Divine Master Roll was negligible right now, it represented future potential. This roster was far too pointed.
"Trash! Trying to set me up... Do you truly take everyone for fools?"
Li Hao cursed.
A moment later, he sighed. Yes, people were fools. They believed their own strength had been thoroughly concealed, yet it had been laid bare; whether true or false, Silver Moon would draw heavy suspicion.
At that point, probes would be inevitable, and could Li Hao refrain from retaliating?
If his retaliation resulted in slaying the other side's powerhouses... it would instantly validate the roll as true, and that was when the real trouble would arrive.
"What a pity... your roll won't be making it out!"
Since the other side had only released this handful of people, Li Hao decided to alter it.
Certain people had no need to appear on the roll, while others absolutely had to.
Amidst his busy preparations, Sky Sword spoke from outside the door: "Everyone has arrived!"
Li Hao's heart stirred, and a smile broke across his face!
It was good that everyone had arrived; all preparations were complete. He needed to make a trip into the ruin.
Half an hour later, Li Hao quietly departed with the group.
Six senior martial masters, Northern Fist, Tyrant Saber, Thunderbolt Leg, along with Kong Jie and Huang Yu—a total of eleven top-tier martial masters.
Counting the previous group—Sky Sword, Hong Yitang, Hou Xiaochen, Yao Si, Southern Fist, Bright Sword, and Jade Rakshasa—plus Li Hao himself and Black Panther, whose strength remained an enigma, that made nineteen people and one dog. This was Li Hao's entire fighting force assembled to take on the big tree.
If Chen Zhongtian joined, that would make twenty top powerhouses. Even the weakest, Jade Rakshasa, possessed supernatural combat strength. Moreover, Li Hao had not been stingy; he had provided Yang Shan and his wife with a generous supply of the Spring of Life. If the couple also successfully advanced, that would be over twenty supernatural powerhouses.
Add the little tree into the mix... and it became truly terrifying!
……
Li Hao departed with his forces.
Meanwhile, Chen Zhongtian returned to the Inspectorate. Without a single word of explanation, he grabbed Chen Yao and gave him a sound thrashing, beating him until Chen Yao nearly turned hostile.
After a long while, Chen Zhongtian said heavily, "You unfilial wretch!"
Chen Yao's expression was ugly.
Chen Zhongtian took a deep breath. After a long silence, he spoke: "If we take out all the family's savings and trade them for resources, it will be enough for you to step into four-element supernatural power... Tomorrow I am heading out. If I don't return... head to the Administrative Department overnight, or simply flee. Abandon the Inspectorate... and find a place to hide..."
Chen Yao froze, staring at his elderly father, unable to tell for a moment whether the man was deliberately trying to frighten him or speaking the truth.
Yet Chen Zhongtian said no more; he... had made up his mind.
He had to take this gamble!
He thought very highly of Li Hao. Crazy though the young man was, it was just as Li Hao had said: if the gamble succeeded, the gains would be immense—not in wealth, but in spirit.
He gazed toward the backyard, a sharp glint surfacing in his eyes.
Everyone feared ancient civilization powerhouses, believing them insurmountable. He himself had shared that exact mindset. Yet if one could shatter the demon within their heart, for a martial master, cultivating the heart marked a monumental leap!
Even Qi Pingjiang and the others wouldn't dare claim they could strike an ancient monster plant... but I... dare!
Li Hao was ninety-nine percent likely targeting the monster plant left behind by the Hu family; Chen Zhongtian had already guessed as much.
Li Hao dared to gamble, even staking many Silver Moon martial masters on the wager; he had to possess some certainty. I... will take part in this as well.
In that moment, Chen Zhongtian made his decision.
Tomorrow night... before the roll was made public. Li Hao's intentions weren't hard to deduce: deal with the monster plant first, then turn around to face the Wind and Cloud Pavilion. If he succeeded, the Wind and Cloud Pavilion would be nothing to fear; if he failed... however the Wind and Cloud Pavilion ranked them wouldn't matter in the slightest.
It would be utterly inconsequential!
"Old man... you're deliberately joking, right?"
Chen Yao raised his brows. "I only asked you to work for Li Hao to earn a bit of coin, not to go throw your life away. What's with this grim attitude?"
Chen Zhongtian didn't bother responding. He scooped up a little girl, planted a few kisses on her cheek, and turned to look at him. "If I haven't returned by the morning after tomorrow, send everyone to the Administrative Department. As for yourself, do as you see fit. These younger siblings of yours are too young, and it will be difficult for them to flee."
Chen Yao frowned, watching intently. Chen Zhongtian paid him no further mind, walking toward the depths of the estate. Seeing him enter a secret chamber, Chen Yao felt a jolt in his heart!
That place... housed the divine weapon enshrined by the Chen family, their most formidable divine weapon.
The divine weapon that had suppressed the Old Heavenly Star King, tied to the supernatural methods they had left behind back then. What was the old man doing?
Taking that thing along meant he was truly staking his life!
At this moment, Chen Yao felt dazed. What in the world was going on?
He couldn't make heads or tails of it.
I only asked you to earn some coin, not to go throw your life away. What on earth did Li Hao say to my father?
Chapter 258