Intelligence

The Central Region. When Yuan Shuo arrived in the Central Region riding high on his confidence, not much news of the Wind and Cloud Ranking had reached Silver Moon yet. Here in the Central Region, however, discussions were raging everywhere. When Yuan Shuo got his hands on a copy of the Wind and Cloud Ranking, his mood instantly turned sour. Three seven-element experts! Fine, set that aside—what in the world was this "six-element peak" beside his disciple's name? And setting that aside, what was with that entire parade of Silver Moon martial masters? Even though Li Hao had later added more names to the Divine Power Ranking until it held fifty entries, the cutoff was still three-element divine power. The divine power combat strength that Yuan Shuo took so much pride in didn't even make the list. He felt thoroughly deflated! Behind him, the Jade Light Sword took a look at the ranking as well, remaining speechless for a long time. Good grief, even Southern Fist was on the list! Although Southern Fist was ranked dead last, it was written in plain black and white: three-element divine power. Southern Fist had reached three-element divine power combat strength already? She glanced sideways at Yuan Shuo. This time, Yuan Shuo had taken a devastating blow. After a long pause, Yuan Shuo snorted and tore the parchment to shreds. "These fellows must have severed their supernatural locks and degraded themselves into supernaturals! This is not the proper path!" He quickly added, "If I were willing, I could snap my supernatural locks whenever I pleased. What three-element or four-element... they're all pathetic weaklings!" The Jade Light Sword said nothing. Unable to save face, Yuan Shuo waited a good while before saying, "Come on, let's head to Heavenly Star City and see what's going on..." As he hurried along, confusion gnawed at him. This time, he was genuinely baffled. Had they all broken their supernatural locks? For martial masters, that was hardly a good thing. And what about Li Hao? Had he even severed the supernatural locks of his five internal organs? Back then, Li Hao still had a chance to recover. Before leaving, hadn't he told the boy not to be in a rush? Had the situation become that dire? He made inquiries along the way, only to learn that several days ago, the Nine Departments had mounted a coordinated threat, the Wind and Cloud Pavilion had surfaced, and Li Hao had launched a counterattack. Li Hao had slain multiple powerhouses, finishing off figures like Qian Wanhao and Hu Mingfa. Even the Lord of Mount Futu and the Lord of Heavenly Roc Mountain were dead. He had only been gone for a handful of days, yet the entire realm seemed to have undergone earth-shattering changes. Yuan Shuo felt as though a lifetime had passed. It was always like this. His closed-door cultivation was considered quick. This time was on the longer side—only half a month. Yet after emerging from a mere half month, the world had completely transformed, advancing faster than it used to in several years. With a mix of bewilderment and helplessness, Yuan Shuo hastened his pace toward Heavenly Star City. *** Around the same time. The release of the ranking triggered several ripple effects. The City of Supernaturals suddenly announced its willingness to cooperate with the Jade Flute Sacred Mountain and the Setting Sun Sacred Mountain of the Seven Sacred Mountains. Among the Seven Sacred Mountains, the masters of Mount Futu and Heavenly Roc Mountain were dead. Though the two sacred mountains remained, they had adopted a much lower profile and rarely showed themselves anymore. The master of Haotian Mountain Villa was formidable and maintained good relations with the Three Great Organizations. Sky Sword Mountain Villa belonged to Sky Sword, who was currently running errands for Li Hao. The master of Phoenix Mountain was of the demon race. The remaining two sacred mountains had kept quiet primarily because they had never opposed Li Hao, which meant that even Li Hao knew very little about them. It was only when the City of Supernaturals announced its pact with these two factions that Li Hao gained some understanding of the two mountain domains. Evidently, the emergence of three seven-element figures had unsettled these top powerhouses, prompting them to band together. All three factions possessed formidable experts, and their three leaders were all figures on the Divine Power Ranking. The leader of the City of Supernaturals was certainly no slouch. The masters of the other two mountains hadn't appeared on the earlier list, but Li Hao surmised that even if they were slightly weaker, now that they knew how the land lay, they were likely advancing by leaps and bounds. Perhaps before long, they would reach five-element or six-element strength as well. *** The power dynamics of the Heavenly Star Dynasty shifted like tempestuous clouds. In the blink of an eye, factions fell, others rose, and some formed alliances. Li Hao's rise had stirred up all of this. Had it not been for him, everyone would have chosen to bide their time until the secondary resurgence before truly flexing their muscles, rather than taking the stage now. *** Inside Heavenly Star City. Li Hao was quietly waiting for news—specifically, news regarding the Wind and Cloud Pavilion. Naturally, he wasn't idling either. Li Hao left mundane affairs to Director Zhou and the others. At this moment, he was studying those supernatural locks. If nothing else, he hoped to resolve the physical strain on his body, which was of paramount importance. Second, he aimed to successfully comprehend forces such as wind, thunder, light, and darkness. Li Hao possessed the Wind and Thunder Sword Technique, as well as secret arts like the Bright Sword and Shadowless Sword that led directly to force. For him, comprehending force was merely a matter of time. The critical question was: how much time would it take? How much time remained before the secondary resurgence began? If the major energy mines ruptured in an instant and their ancient powerhouses poured forth all at once, then with their current strength, they would be no better than ants when facing those truly peerless beings. "And then there's Battle Heaven City..." Li Hao pondered whether he should visit General Huai and awaken it. He felt somewhat hesitant. One thought after another drifted through his mind. Before long, someone returned. That bickering pair, Southern Fist and Northern Fist, had returned together. They had also captured someone—the chief of the Night Patrol branch of Nandou Province. Inside the hall. With a dull thud, the two tossed a middle-aged man onto the floor like a sack of worn rags. "Cough, cough..." The man continually coughed up blood. When he saw Li Hao seated above, despair filled his eyes. "Governor-General... I..." Li Hao did not reply. He waited for a moment until Yao Si arrived shortly after. Yao Si glanced down at the man, let out a sigh, and said softly, "Speak. To what extent did you collude with the Wind and Cloud Pavilion? Hand over all your intelligence. You will die, but your family will be looked after." He turned to Li Hao. "This man joined our Night Patrol ten years ago and once served at my side." On the floor, the branch chief was consumed by despair. Even Yao Si couldn't save him? Li Hao said nothing. This captive had been exposed by Director Wu of Nanyue. As for Director Wu, he had fled to who knew where. Li Hao didn't even need to pursue him—the Wind and Cloud Pavilion wouldn't let him off the hook. In truth, Li Hao had deliberately spared Wu's life. The man was a Divine Power Realm cultivator, after all. With him fleeing ahead of time, it wouldn't be easy for the Wind and Cloud Pavilion to assassinate him. They would likely deploy their treasures to pin down his location, which meant Wu could serve as bait to uncover something useful. As for not knowing where he had run, that hardly mattered. Once a fight broke out, Li Hao, who now commanded the Night Patrol in the Central Region, would receive word in no time. With the Inspectorate assisting, tracking him down would not be difficult. While Li Hao pondered this, the branch chief's face was ashen. He said helplessly, "I only collaborated with them. I didn't actually surrender to the Wind and Cloud Pavilion..." Yao Si replied calmly, "There is no need to make excuses. I know your character. You are a cautious man who would never rashly collaborate with an outside force—unless you believed they were stronger than me, stronger than the Night Patrol! Their powerhouses must have shown themselves to you, perhaps even brought you to their lair. Otherwise, after all your years in the Night Patrol and the experience you've gathered, you wouldn't have thrown your lot in with them so easily." The man looked up at Yao Si, bitterly resigned. "You truly know me well, Chief." Yao Si understood him thoroughly; had he lied, Yao Si would have seen straight through it. After a pause, he spoke again. "Governor-General Li, Chief Yao... Is there truly no way out for me?" Yao Si said coldly, "You belong to the Night Patrol. Had you been anyone else, there might still be a path forward. Have you forgotten the oath you swore when you joined the Night Patrol?" The man murmured, "I haven't forgotten... But Chief, in an era where powerhouses of the ancient civilization run rampant across the realm, tell me, what is the point of struggling and striving as hard as we do? "Governor-General Li is formidable right now, and the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office enjoys support from all sides. Silver Moon and the Night Patrol are both gathering behind him. But... what happens once the ancient powerhouses can emerge?" He raised his head to look at Li Hao and the others, deeply despondent. "In an era devoid of hope, what do you expect us to fight for?" There was no hope! Ordinary people might see hope in the strength of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, but powerhouses knew better. They understood that this era was completely overshadowed by the ancient civilization. Yao Si said evenly, "If this were some time ago, I might have thought the same. This era seemed thoroughly hopeless. But now... I understand that man can triumph over nature! What of the ancient civilization? Besides, these are merely lingering remnants from the ancient civilization, not its golden zenith!" "That is easy for you to say, Chief..." The man let out a scoff, letting go of all restraint and speaking with disdain. "Man can triumph over nature? "What an utter joke! "If it were truly that simple, why did you lie low for the past five years? It was because you were afraid! Even you were terrified, Chief, so how could we not be afraid?" He stared at Yao Si. "Huang Long ran amok within the Night Patrol, and you turned a blind eye. What were people like us supposed to do? Our only choice was to seek out a powerful backer. The Three Great Organizations didn't dare take me in, fearing I was a spy. I couldn't defect to the Nine Departments because of my Night Patrol background... In the end, when the Wind and Cloud Pavilion extended an olive branch, I had no choice but to accept it." Yao Si fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Perhaps you are right. Over the past five years, I indeed disappointed many. Li Hao once rebuked me, saying I was the pillar of faith for the Night Patrol, yet even I chose compromise—so how could I blame the others? I extinguished the very last ember of passion within the Night Patrol." Hearing this formerly capable subordinate say that his retreat had driven them to despair, Yao Si felt the sting all the more keenly. Over those five years, his compromises truly might have been a mistake. However, he had now awakened. Yao Si looked at him and said, "If... if over these years you only provided some intelligence to the Wind and Cloud Pavilion and committed no other wicked deeds, once I verify the facts, I can plead for leniency on your behalf... "The Wind and Cloud Pavilion hasn't caused catastrophic destruction yet... You..." On the floor, the man sneered. "Forget it, there's no need to trouble yourself, Chief! Wicked deeds? What even counts as wicked? Does colluding with the Three Great Organizations count? Does slaughtering commoners count? Does extortion and pillaging count? If they do... then my head probably isn't staying on my shoulders! Governor-General Li despises evil like an enemy, but does the Governor-General know how many people like me exist? Far too many. Could he ever execute them all? "If I deserve to die, then half the supernaturals in the world ought to be put to death! "Why hasn't Governor-General Li gone to pacify the City of Supernaturals? Back when they established that city, they picked a prime location and ordered everyone living there to relocate. Because the land had great geomancy, the City of Supernaturals drove out every single native resident... Those who refused to leave were slaughtered, and those who left were displaced from their ancestral homes. That winter, the roads were littered with the frozen corpses of the original inhabitants. "The Nine Departments looked on, and the royal family watched from the sidelines. Shouldn't they all be executed as well? "Governor-General Li has killed many, but... could he ever kill them all?" With a trace of mockery in his voice, he continued, "This is the nature of the era. What were we supposed to do? "Behind all those factions stand demon plants and demon beasts. If you want to kill, you must kill those beings as well... Can you kill them all?" Li Hao remained silent. Yao Si sighed. "As long as one is willing to act... nothing is impossible!" "What nonsense!" Li Hao gave a light cough, cutting short their exchange, and said flatly, "Enough of these pointless arguments. Let me ask you: how much intelligence do you have on the Wind and Cloud Pavilion? If you have plenty, I might consider letting you see a few things. If not... you can meet your end sooner rather than later. As for the people you mentioned, none of them will meet a good end." The man paused, looking at Li Hao. After a long while, he smiled. "A fair amount, actually. Certainly more than that fellow surnamed Wu from Nanyue. He sent people to tail operatives of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion, and I knew about it all along. His subordinates were far too clumsy—don't forget, the Night Patrol are the real professionals!" Li Hao smiled and nodded. "Good. Chief Yao, take him to the ruins for a look!" Yao Si was somewhat taken aback, but nodded after a brief moment. He soon led the man toward the back courtyard. To any contemporary supernatural, the slaying of a demon plant was something utterly earth-shattering. Once they had departed, Southern Fist asked doubtfully, "Can this fellow really know anything useful?" The captive wasn't particularly powerful; though he had barely stepped into the Divine Power Realm, Director Wu from earlier had known very little. The Wind and Cloud Pavilion had invested in them, but had not intended to mobilize them yet. Consequently, these people knew very little about the inner workings of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion. "I don't know, and it doesn't matter," Li Hao said. "If he doesn't know, we'll keep investigating. Taking out two of their Divine Power Realm assets is already a decent harvest." The group chatted casually for a while. Nearly half an hour later, Yao Si led the man back out. By now, the branch chief was entirely stunned, looking as if he had lost his very soul. Even demon plants could die! The demon plant backing the Department of Criminal Law had been killed. Returning to the hall, he looked at Li Hao for a long while before speaking slowly. "Governor-General, I saw another demon plant over there... I want to ask you a question." "Speak." "Do you... intend to establish a new dynasty, or... an inherited dynasty subservient to the ancient civilization?" Li Hao frowned slightly. The man gritted his teeth. "You have slain an unimaginable entity, Governor-General, yet ancient beings are still involved in your circle. You are the heir of the Eight Great Families, carrying the legacy of the ancient civilization! Of course, there is nothing wrong with that—which human alive today isn't descended from the ancient civilization? But I want to know what you ultimately desire. A new dynasty belonging to this era, or a vassal state reliant on the powerful ancient beings of Silver Moon?" Li Hao chuckled. "An interesting question." Without excessive deliberation, he answered directly, "Naturally, an empire belonging to the new era! As for the ancient civilization, our ties are merely cooperation and mutual utility. I admire their spirit, but I will never allow them to continue manipulating this era! "The turmoil engulfing the realm is largely tied to these beings. We shall take the essence and discard the dross. Those willing to assist our development are welcome! Those who refuse and wish to cause havoc will all be slain! "Not all entities of the ancient civilization can be painted with the same brush." Li Hao said solemnly, "However, there is one thing I, Li Hao, see clearly: this era belongs to us! If they require assistance, I can help them through mutual benefit. But the moment it involves anything else, I will resolve it myself!" The man sank into contemplation. After a moment, he spoke again. "You established the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy to give the common folk access to the extraordinary, granting them hope to transcend their social class?" "Yes." Li Hao nodded slightly. "However, this is only the beginning. Next, reforms will be introduced to food, clothing, housing, and transportation, alongside the promotion of technology and education. Perhaps nothing is visible just yet... but once I purge a portion of the corrupt, I will do everything in my power to push these forward!" The man pondered for a moment and asked, "Then what about factions like the City of Supernaturals...?" "In the coming days, I will pacify them one by one!" The man smiled. "I believe you!" There was no way he couldn't believe it. While others in this era were scrambling to find a backer, Li Hao and his allies had slain the very backer behind their enemies. That was determination. Exhaling deeply, he seemed relieved. "I'm not afraid of dying. What I fear is dying with regrets! Dying unsatisfied! You can ask Chief Yao—back when I was in the Night Patrol, how many members of the Three Great Organizations did I kill? I'm not saying this to claim merit. I only mean to say... if I must die while those more wicked than me live on, I cannot accept it! "If they are on your death list, Governor-General, then I am content." Death wasn't terrifying. What terrified him was the thought that those more wicked than him would escape punishment; if that happened, he would die unreconciled. "Do you have brush and paper, Governor-General?" Li Hao reached out with his hand, summoning brush and paper to his grasp. The man quickly jotted down names, appending notes on their identities. "When the Wind and Cloud Pavilion sought me out for cooperation, it was because of my position in the Night Patrol. I could supply them with massive amounts of intelligence. Their external intelligence network wasn't well-developed, so over these years, they relied entirely on me." As a provincial Night Patrol chief rooted in the Central Region, he possessed undeniable competence. "Some of these individuals are subordinates I helped them recruit, while others were recruited by them directly, though I had people tail them the entire time... These are the ones I know of. As for whether there are others, I cannot say. Every one of them works for the Wind and Cloud Pavilion." As he wrote, he continued, "Furthermore, I visited the headquarters of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion once. I don't know the exact coordinates, but it is very likely situated between Nanyue and Nandou. "I was kept under a seal when I was brought into their ruins." At this point, he began sketching on another sheet of paper, and an outline of a city soon appeared. "This is what their ruins look like—a city. There are many people inside. The ones I encountered numbered at least five hundred! "All of them living humans!" He continued his account, emphasizing an estate at the center of the city. "This is where the Pavilion Master resides. Furthermore... this Pavilion Master... might be an ancient human!" Li Hao paused, startled. "An ancient human?" How could that be? Among the ancient humans, even Great Saints had decayed. Could the Pavilion Master be stronger than a Great Saint? The man explained, "I cannot be certain. I only saw him once from a distance, and I deduced this from his behavior, mannerisms, and a few brief remarks. Even if he isn't an ancient human, an ancient human must be alive and guiding him. You must be cautious of this, Governor-General. The reason I suspect this is that he seems to have received tutelage from an ancient human. "He knows very little about the realities of our current era, relying on reports from others. "Yet he seemed exceptionally familiar with the ancient civilization, despite not saying much..." Since the man couldn't be entirely sure, Li Hao nodded slightly and asked, "Is there a demon plant?" "Yes!" The man nodded firmly. "Behind the estate stands a towering ancient tree. I once witnessed a brief exchange between the tree and the Pavilion Master. That tree... treated him with great respect, not as though it were commanding a subordinate. "That was another reason I suspected he was an ancient human. "I stayed in that city for three days, during which they demonstrated their might. "The Wind and Cloud Pavilion possesses many powerhouses. That was several years ago when I visited; by now, they must be even stronger..." Pausing to reflect, he added, "If you wish to eradicate them, Governor-General, venturing into their ruins might not be a wise choice." Even though Li Hao had slain a demon plant, the opposing side possessed one as well, along with potentially living ancient human experts. Li Hao's brow furrowed slightly. The man continued, "Right, there is one more thing. They once instructed me to keep an eye on the Red Moon organization and investigate them thoroughly, seemingly wary of them. "Therefore, the demon plant or ancient forces backing Red Moon must be formidable as well!" Li Hao nodded once more. By now, the man had sketched the entire city and listed every single name. Finally, he said, "That is all I know. I have also marked the approximate location of their ruins. "There is another crucial detail: every month, their people leave the ruins to purchase essential supplies. "However, they never procure them through our channels..." After a moment's thought, he said, "I once looked into it and determined that their procurement site is likely in Nanyue or Nandou. However, my authority was limited and I didn't dare investigate too openly. You can start from this angle, Governor-General. Each purchase is meant for roughly five hundred people, enough to last at least a month! That constitutes a bulk transaction, so tracing it shouldn't be difficult. "In fact, they aren't the only ones; every major faction has departments for this. But the Three Great Organizations and the City of Supernaturals conduct theirs openly, so there's no need to investigate them. The Wind and Cloud Pavilion keeps it hidden, yet it can still be tracked. "They generally do not settle payments in star coins, but rather in divine energy stones... That means a major merchant guild must be serving them. Ordinary merchants wouldn't dare deal in divine energy stones, so narrowing it down should quickly identify the specific guild!" Li Hao's eyes flickered. As expected of a veteran Night Patrol officer—rising to this position wasn't just a matter of martial prowess, but genuine skill. Had the man actually pursued the trail back then, he might have uncovered the Wind and Cloud Pavilion long ago. "One more thing: regarding their purchases, these people have a peculiar preference. They are extremely fond of fresh vegetables... They have little demand for meat, but their standards for vegetables are exceptionally high, which makes pinpointing the source even easier! "Their organization has existed for over ten years, leaving clear traces..." Li Hao nodded slightly. With this information, tracking them down would indeed be straightforward. Particularly in this freezing season, vegetable supplies were scarce. Identifying which merchant guild could provide them would be quick work. At this moment, Li Hao felt a touch of regret over the man's wasted talent. Just as he was thinking this, the man turned to Yao Si. "Chief Yao, I followed you for many years. Now that things have come to this, there is little left to say. I only have one parting remark..." "Go ahead." The man smiled. "You shouldn't remain a leader, Chief Yao. You lack the resolve; you're far too indecisive. You would be better off as a simple martial artist than a leader. Over these past few years, you broke the hearts of many!" Yao Si's expression shifted slightly. The next instant, blood spilled from the man's mouth as his internal organs shattered. He let out a soft laugh. "I shall resolve this myself, no need for you to dirty your hands! I joined the Wind and Cloud Pavilion simply because... I saw no hope, no light! In a peaceful era, perhaps... I could have been an upright official. But there are no 'what ifs.' Today... perhaps... I have glimpsed a sliver of light. Governor-General Li, this era is far too dark... The darkness does not stem from the Nine Departments or the royal family... but from those remnants of the ancient civilization who seek to overturn the world... Leaving Silver Moon aside, the demon plants and demon beasts in Heavenly Star City... Governor-General... they must all be slain!" Boom! His body burst apart, but Li Hao reached out and caught the dispersing remains, gathering them back together. Li Hao remained silent. In this moment, a sudden wave of emotion struck him. All along, he had focused on slaying the Nine Departments and the royal family... Yet now, someone had told him that he was wrong—the root did not lie there. The root lay in those demon plants, demon beasts, and even the ancient humans. They were the true culprits. They manipulated the Nine Departments and controlled the royal family. They were the ones who truly deserved to die. Li Hao closed his eyes, while Yao Si stood by with conflicting emotions, speechless for a long time. The man had taken his own life. He had said he wasn't afraid of dying, only of dying unreconciled; so long as Li Hao could slay those even more wicked than him, he would accept his fate. Was he a good man? No. By his own admission, he had slaughtered commoners, extorted others, killed members of the Three Great Organizations, and colluded with the Three Great Organizations... Yet he claimed that it wasn't his choice—it was simply the reality of the era. Li Hao drew a deep breath. After a long pause, he asked, "What was his name?" "Chen Hai!" "Bury him. Report to the outside that he fell in the line of duty!" Yao Si nodded. "Follow the list... and arrest them one by one!" Li Hao said coldly, "Then, using the intelligence he provided, pin down their exact coordinates. Even if we cannot breach the ruins to kill them, we will seal the ruins and trap them inside!" Pinpointing the Wind and Cloud Pavilion had originally presented a challenge, but with the detailed intelligence provided by Chen Hai, the search area was significantly narrowed. Finding their location would now be straightforward. However... dealing with them would not be easy. Li Hao furrowed his brows slightly. Perhaps he truly did need to make a trip to Battle Heaven City. Little Tree alone might not be enough. If General Huai were willing to provide an origin source avatar, the general possessed power at least at the level of an Immortal or even a Great Saint. An avatar would not be weak either. Only... would the general agree? One thought followed another. Still, it was worth a try. Li Hao made up his mind. Outside, the gathered experts quickly departed, and Yao Si hurried off as well to initiate the thorough investigation into their location. *** Meanwhile. Yuan Shuo entered Heavenly Star City. This time, he made no attempt to conceal his movements, striding in openly and proudly. Consequently, word of his arrival reached various factions almost immediately. Yet nowadays, people no longer harbored much fear toward Yuan Shuo. The only reason they held back was that this man had an extraordinary disciple. Thus, Yuan Shuo experienced the privilege of walking into the city in broad daylight without anyone daring to provoke him. It was only a pity that this deterrent didn't stem from his own legendary renown, but from the shadow of his disciple—a truly galling realization.