Quartermaster Office.
Li Hao returned once more.
Zhang Liang had already heard General Huai’s voice, and right now, he felt rather glum.
The kid had become a division commander.
With the rank of general, no less.
It truly was nice having backing. Look at that—even with the army commander gone, the corps commanders gone, and the city lord gone, someone who was meant to rise through the ranks still rose.
“You’re here...” Zhang Liang muttered listlessly, sounding as though he had knocked over a whole vat of sour vinegar.
“Greetings, Deputy Director Zhang!”
“...”
Zhang Liang, who in the past had always loved correcting Li Hao’s forms of address, was now thoroughly dejected. You really had to emphasize the “deputy,” didn’t you!
Once people came into power, they really changed.
What a petty little upstart!
Pah!
Zhang Liang cursed inwardly. But the next instant, Li Hao grinned and said, “Deputy Director Zhang, I’ll be sure to put in a good word with General Huai later. Now that the Quartermaster Director is gone, someone has to take the post, right?”
“Greetings, Division Commander!”
Zhang Liang snapped straight to attention, suddenly brimming with energy. “Division Commander, whatever your needs may be, Zhang Liang is at your service!”
“...”
Li Hao chuckled.
Now this was an officialdom addict.
Not him.
He just wanted tangible benefits; titles and formalities meant nothing to him. This man was the true ladder-climber, miserable unless he was getting promoted.
Li Hao was vastly amused, his mood brightening even further.
“Give me ten thousand suits of armor!”
Previously he had requisitioned five thousand, so by rights, restocking another five thousand ought to have been enough.
However... who said the previous batch counted?
Li Hao sighed. “The newly formed Eleventh Division is starting from utter scratch! Deputy Director Zhang, I’m counting on your help here. While General Huai is awake and has some spare time, I’ll chat with him more. Under the special wartime provisions, pushing your promotion through shouldn't be too hard, right?”
Zhang Liang hurriedly said, “Ten thousand suits of armor, was it? No problem! The Reserve Guard Army has spare sets kept in storage that haven’t been touched in years. Now that everyone has perished, they won’t be needing them anyway. I’ll go fetch them for you right away. Aside from armor, is there anything else you require, Commander?”
Li Hao asked with a smile, “What are other divisions outfitted with?”
“Energy cannons—do you want those?”
“What?”
“You know... the kind capable of bombarding cities...”
Energy cannons?
Weren’t those the city-destroying bombs?
Li Hao’s heart skipped a beat. “I want them. How many do you have?”
“A standard division is assigned an energy company equipped with ten cannons and a thousand rounds of ammunition.”
Li Hao’s eyes sparkled. “Only ten? Mine is a newly formed division—isn’t there a quota for write-offs and breakage?”
“...”
It was a good thing Zhang Liang had no physical teeth, or they would have ached straight through his jaw. Where had this kid learned such terminology?
After a long pause, he mumbled reluctantly, “There is... In that case... how about allocating twelve cannons and twelve hundred rounds to you, Commander?”
“Mm, Director Zhang truly is a splendid man!”
Zhang Liang was speechless, though strictly speaking, all of this fell within wartime regulations, so it could hardly be considered bending the rules for Li Hao.
“Aside from those, what else does a regular division receive?”
Zhang Liang answered promptly, “Under normal circumstances, a newly formed division’s equipment depends on its designated function beyond armor and energy cannons. However, many facilities in the city cannot currently be activated, and some items are completely out of stock in the warehouse. I’ll only list what we actually have.”
He made a quick mental tally before speaking: “A newly formed division is equipped with ten radiation towers. They can expand communication range tenfold—ten times a thousand li, mind you, not three thousand... Meaning that under a radiation tower, your communication range can reach ten thousand li. Each regiment can be assigned one.”
Radiation towers!
Those sounded excellent. Li Hao nodded vigorously.
“Ten Internal Qiankun Military Tents. They can contract and expand spatial dimensions, unfolding instantly to house a force of a thousand. Their defensive resilience is exceptional, making them suitable for combat bivouacs in any environment. When packed away, they fold into small cubes capable of holding military supplies.”
Li Hao’s eyes lit up. “How strong is their defense?”
“Effective against anything below the Peak Realm!”
Li Hao’s gaze turned razor-sharp. Holy crap!
That formidable?
Good heavens, so this was what a proper division was supposed to look like! Did that mean everything before had just been him playing make-believe?
He hadn't been given a scrap of the real goods.
“What else?”
“One aerial combat airship, one naval combat cruiser, one earth-drilling shuttle...”
Li Hao swallowed hard. “How effective are they?”
“They were specifically commissioned, so of course they are extraordinary. The aerial combat airship is built for dogfights; in air combat, it can even slip into the void to engage enemies across dimensions. The naval combat cruiser carries the power to deter and drive off sea demons, subduing aquatic monsters since it was forged and quenched in the blood essence of mighty demon experts. As for the earth-drilling shuttle, it traverses a thousand li beneath the earth in an instant, though every activation consumes massive quantities of energy stones... It was designed specifically for hunting down Peak Realm targets!”
Li Hao swallowed again.
Zhang Liang continued, “Furthermore, there is one Sky-Covering Shield, capable of veiling the void and deflecting void attacks to defend against ranged strikes from powerhouses above the Peak Realm! Also, one Sky-Locking Chain, capable of sealing the void for a thousand meters around to prevent foes above the Peak Realm from tearing through space to escape...”
Li Hao stood completely dumbfounded.
Everything here had been designed specifically to counter combatants above the Peak Realm. In other words, back in the day, the Battle Heaven Army’s targets had all been beyond the Peak Realm.
Heavens above!
Such a terrifying army numbering in the tens of millions had actually vanished.
And this was merely the land of Silver Moon—what about the main world?
Could an ancient civilization like that truly have been wiped out?
It defied belief!
A single division was fully capable of suppressing any Peak Realm or even Immortal Realm combatant. From top to bottom, every piece of ordnance was a war engine forged to fight enemies beyond the Peak Realm.
Utterly terrifying!
“All of these... are available?”
“All available!”
Zhang Liang nodded, though his expression soon turned troubled. “They can be issued to you, Commander, but... there is no energy supply to go with them!”
“What do you mean?”
“These armaments are voracious consumers of energy. Ever since contact with Heavenly Star Town was severed, the city’s energy reserves have been drained dry, leaving behind only a minuscule stockpile of cultivation energy stones... far too little to supply sufficient activation energy for you.”
“The consumption is very heavy?”
“Extremely heavy!” Zhang Liang was fully cooperative now. “By the standards of your current era, activating any single one of these armaments requires a bare minimum of a hundred thousand divine energy stones in a single go—at the very least! If you wish to sustain their operation, the investment grows far steeper.”
Li Hao’s mouth fell open, a sudden pang of anxiety striking him.
Dammit!
He had only held over thirty million divine energy stones in total, and almost all of them had just been handed over to General Huai. He had barely a few million left.
Who would have guessed divine energy stones were so crucial?
“Then... without energy stones, aren't they basically useless?”
“More or less... Though not entirely useless. Take the military tents, for instance. They can still be used; their defensive strength is just vastly diminished from their peak...”
Wasn't that obvious?
Li Hao nearly coughed blood. Money-gobbling monsters, the whole lot of them! If the Battle Heaven Army fought a pitched battle at full strength, how much would it burn through?
No wonder their combat prowess had declined so catastrophically once their energy reserves ran dry.
Yet as much as his heart ached, Li Hao was still going to take every last item without leaving a single piece behind.
“Anything else?”
“No more.” Zhang Liang shook his head. “That is the full allocation. There used to be other armaments, but the warehouses are empty now. I’ve given you everything we have left.”
Fair enough!
Li Hao felt a twinge of regret. Even if they burned through resources like water, they were all priceless treasures.
He could not resist asking, “Then... back in the golden age, what else would a division be equipped with?”
With so much already listed, there was more?
“Temporary fixed teleportation channels, emergency void-tearing talismans, restriction-breaking divine needles... Those were standard issue for frontline corps.”
No explanation was needed!
Li Hao could easily infer what kind of miracles those were, and envy gnawed at him.
Zhang Liang continued, “And that was merely for frontline corps. True core army formations were equipped with even greater treasures, such as world-suppressing divine weapons. Operated by an entire corps, they could unleash combat power at the Saint Realm or even beyond... Back then, the First Corps of the Battle Heaven Army was issued one, while our Reserve Guard Army never had such an allotment.”
Alright.
Li Hao was completely numb!
All he could say was that having boundless wealth meant having boundless license.
With that in mind, Li Hao said, “Right, I completed a mission and earned ten thousand military merit points. What do you think I should exchange them for?”
The Sky-Breaking Sword Art?
Yuanping Martial Arts University possessed it as well, but Li Hao lacked the authorization to exchange for it there. Having chosen the Records of Yuanping, he was barred from taking other core secret arts, yet the military seemed to allow such an exchange.
Aside from that, was there anything else?
As the de facto head of the Quartermaster Office—even if not yet in official title—Zhang Liang ought to know far more than Li Hao did.
“Ten thousand military merits?”
This time, Zhang Liang did not simply toss over a booklet as he had done previously. Li Hao was a great patron now; Zhang Liang was counting on him to secure the director’s position.
He racked his brains, dredging up ancient memories.
After pondering for a long while, he said, “I can offer you three choices, Commander, all relatively suitable for you. First, the Sky-Breaking Sword Art. If you are determined to pursue the way of the sword, it is an exceedingly worthwhile investment!
“Second, a war puppet. This is not standard issue, but a specialized weapon capable of housing a thousand soldiers. By harmonizing their vitality and blood through a formation, the war puppet can be activated instantly. The combat power it unleashes depends on the strength of the troops inside; under peak conditions, it can even exert Immortal Realm combat power... Of course, that requires extraordinarily powerful soldiers—a thousand ninth-ranks at the very least!”
Li Hao’s heart stirred slightly. A thousand ninth-ranks... meaning six-element supernaturals?
A thousand six-element cultivators joining hands to slay an Immortal...
Forget it. Li Hao shook his head. The prospect was alluring, but where on earth would he find so many six-element combatants?
Besides, their group had already slain an Immortal last time.
Naturally, Zhang Liang was referring to an intact, peak-power Immortal, not a crippled husk like the big tree. Furthermore, on Li Hao’s side, whether it was Little Tree, Li Hao himself, or Director Zhou, they were all far stronger than ordinary ninth-ranks, so it was hardly the same comparison.
“And the third...?”
Zhang Liang glanced at Li Hao and abruptly fell silent.
Li Hao blinked. Well, spit it out!
“Director Zhang?”
What about the third option?
Zhang Liang’s voice wavered. “Um... Commander, will you truly speak to General Huai on my behalf?”
“Of course!”
“You’re not tricking me?”
“Naturally not!”
Zhang Liang remained silent for a moment. “Then swear on the honor of the Li family that you will definitely speak to him!”
Li Hao rolled his eyes hard. “Is my word that worthless to you?”
“Well... I don't know you that well.”
Li Hao was speechless. He could only say, “Is the third option that important?”
“Yes!”
Li Hao considered it and immediately declared, “I swear on the honor of the Li family that I will speak to General Huai about promoting Director Zhang Liang. However, I cannot guarantee success!”
“That works!”
Zhang Liang nodded. That was good enough. Whether it succeeded or not was secondary; the critical problem was that with no one advocating for him, General Huai and the others had completely forgotten he existed, which was what made him feel so aggrieved.
“For the third option, if you aren't satisfied with the first two, Commander... I suggest trading for a weapon-forging furnace.”
“What?”
Li Hao was startled. Zhang Liang explained, “How do you think the Battle Heaven Army’s million soldiers obtained their million suits of armor, let alone replacements and spares? Battle Heaven City possessed a complete military-industrial system and weapon factories. These were not top-tier divine armors requiring individual forging; they were assembly-line products manufactured in mass batches.
“The weapon-forging furnaces were issued by the Weaponry Department, overseen in antiquity by a Sovereign. Battle Heaven City had an armory factory housing a hundred forging furnaces, operating on a fully integrated construction process to produce armor in bulk. A single furnace had a daily output of up to a hundred suits, and during peak periods, the facility could turn out ten thousand suits of armor a day!”
Li Hao was flabbergasted!
Assembly-line manufacturing?
Zhang Liang added, “Under ordinary circumstances, these furnaces were never allowed to be requisitioned away, as they were centrally managed. However, during the twilight era of Battle Heaven City, resources grew desperately scarce. To encourage commanders to overcome hardships independently, authorization was granted to certain division and corps commanders to exchange for them, allowing them to replenish damaged armor in a timely manner while venturing out on campaigns or seeking reinforcements.
“That authorization remains open today and has never been rescinded.”
Li Hao’s eyes sparkled. “Then... is the production process difficult?”
“Not at all. It’s practically foolproof. The only hurdle is securing raw materials.”
“What materials?”
Zhang Liang thought for a moment. “Standard mineral ores—gold, silver, copper, iron... If none of those are available, you can simply melt down old armor. Didn’t you give me some armor from other ancient armies earlier? Those were actually tossed back into the furnace and recast...”
Li Hao asked hurriedly, “The core of the armor lies in its internal operating system. Do the newly forged ones come equipped with that automatically?”
“Yes, it’s an integrated system. You only need to link it into the Battle Heaven Army’s network.”
With that, Zhang Liang added, “You are in command of a newly formed division, Commander, and your gold armor has now unlocked higher authorizations. Study it carefully; you can initiate that network connection directly through your armor.”
Li Hao nodded eagerly.
He had originally intended to exchange for the Sky-Breaking Sword Art, but on second thought, wouldn’t this furnace be vastly better?
It could produce a hundred suits a day... provided there were enough materials.
Yet... was he lacking materials?
How could he be?
Rumor had it the imperial family’s Black Armor Army numbered in the tens of thousands. Well, those would all be his eventually! Melting them down and recasting them was the way to go; waste not, want not. It would also save him the hassle of coming back here every single time.
Of course, a hundred suits a day was still somewhat slow.
Producing a thousand a day would be even better; once he conquered the Black Armor Army, he could instantly whip up ten thousand suits of Battle Heaven armor.
Beyond that, the crucial factor was self-reliance. Li Hao could not rely forever on Battle Heaven City’s handouts; if he could study the mechanism and replicate it, that would be even better.
Controlling the armory was the true foundation of any army.
“I’ll take that!”
“I knew you would choose it, Commander!”
Zhang Liang was not surprised. The item was undeniably practical.
“I’ll go fetch everything for you right now, Commander. Don’t forget your promise...”
Li Hao rolled his eyes. What an incurable climber.
“I won’t forget!”
Zhang Liang entered the warehouse, taking quite a while this time. When he finally reemerged, he handed over not just one storage ring, but several.
Inside were packed countless suits of armor and mountains of military provisions.
Li Hao swallowed hard. He had struck it rich this time.
He truly had not expected a genuine division commander to receive such lavish treatment.
His previous post as a regimental commander had been a complete sham.
He hadn’t been given a thing!
Aside from tossing him a single suit of armor, they hadn't even paid his salary.
Earlier, he had assumed the old tree was merely tossing him an empty title. Now it seemed... it was worth every bit! Wasn’t this infinitely sweeter than a few hundred or thousand drops of the Spring of Life?
These were treasures that money could never buy!
Beaming with satisfaction, Li Hao did not linger. After reaffirming to Zhang Liang that he would definitely mention his promotion, he departed contentedly.
...
The great tree required three days to complete its transformation.
Li Hao had no intention of idling away three days here.
In his current position, time was extraordinarily precious.
Without bothering to bid farewell to Director Wang and the others, Li Hao exited the city. Seeing the massive tree in the midst of its conversion, translucent and shimmering with crystalline light, he called out, “General, Deputy Director Zhang Liang of the Quartermaster Office has been acting as director for ages. Since the corps commanders and the city lord are absent, no one has made his appointment official... I was hoping you might help confirm his promotion.”
“...”
A phantom projection of the great tree manifested, staring down at Li Hao.
You really caught the bug, didn’t you?
Now you’re petitioning for other people’s promotions?
As guardians, they generally never meddled in administrative affairs unless special emergency conditions arose, and Zhang Liang’s situation hardly qualified as an emergency.
Just as General Huai was about to refuse, Li Hao cleared his throat and said, “General, I heard there are still thirty-six auxiliary demon plant generals in the city awaiting revival, all requiring vast reserves of energy. While you have awakened, it is barely a tenuous recovery. Over the coming days, I will do everything in my power to secure more treasures to help you restore yourself...”
General Huai fell silent.
This kid!
Quite sharp!
Chuckling, the tree nodded. “I shall speak to the old turtle. It is a trivial matter.”
“Thank you, General!”
Li Hao beamed. See? Handled!
That taken care of, Li Hao asked curiously, “The thirty-six auxiliary generals... why haven’t I seen any sign of them?”
General Huai sighed. “They were on the verge of death. Back then, in order to preserve my life, they voluntarily relinquished their intake of energy. At the final moment, I drew them into my origin sea. So long as my origin remains unextinguished, they cling to life for the time being. However... if I were to wither away, they would all perish.”
Li Hao felt a surge of solemn respect. To ensure the survival of this guardian, thirty-six demon plants had renounced their own hopes of life. That was truly worthy of admiration.
“Then I shall do my utmost to help revive them!”
Li Hao said, then asked out of curiosity, “Then... what is your cultivation realm, General? And what about those auxiliary generals?”
“Mine?”
The old tree chuckled. “Nothing worth boasting about. The guardian demon plants of the eight main cities were all in the Saint Realm. The auxiliary generals varied: the weaker ones were merely at the Peak Realm, while the stronger ones attained the Immortal Realm.”
Li Hao frowned slightly. “The ten at Heavenly Star Town were all in the Immortal Realm...”
Were the ones in the main city weaker than those in the town?
There were actually some at the Peak Realm.
As for the old tree being in the Saint Realm, that was hardly surprising.
General Huai laughed. “That is normal. That location had abundant energy, so progress came faster. Furthermore... the demon plants there were somewhat... wild...”
Li Hao did not grasp his meaning.
General Huai explained more bluntly, “They were conscripted from the wilderness. Their raw strength was certainly formidable, but they lacked certain foundations. On our side, almost all of us hail from orthodox lineages, often even belonging to the same clan. For instance, the thirty-six auxiliary generals here all belong to the scholar tree lineage. We coordinate in battle, maintain mutual defense, and lay down warding restrictions... Our teamwork is far superior. Yet because our bloodline origins are singular, our individual strengths vary. A single clan cannot produce boundless numbers of top experts...”
Demon plants had clans too!
Li Hao was thoroughly stunned!
As if reading his thoughts, the scholar tree smiled. “Demon beasts possess clans and bloodline inheritances; why wouldn’t demon plants? Moreover, my lineage possesses an extraordinary heritage. Among demon plant clans, there are several prominent houses, akin to the lineages of the Demon Suppressing Emissary or Sea Suppressing Emissary. The first is the one from the Imperial Palace; that the Imperial Palace guards were able to serve and attain sentience was largely due to that venerable existence.”
Li Hao nodded. He knew about that. Back when he looked into Little Tree’s memories, a wretched-looking old man had fed a cat to Little Tree’s father.
“The second is the First Tree of Creation. Had it not been for the one in the Imperial Palace, this tree would undoubtedly have ranked first.”
The First Tree of Creation!
Now that sounded magnificent!
The scholar tree continued, “The third is our lineage.”
General Huai smiled proudly. “The ancestor of our lineage was a companion spirit to a supreme expert. During the Neo-Martial era, he set things right, abandoned darkness for light, and pledged allegiance to the Human King. Thus, we were among the earliest demon plant lineages to pledge fealty to the Human King in the Neo-Martial era.”
Li Hao understood.
So they had a grand pedigree after all.
No wonder the tree carried such pride!
He could not help asking, “Does my Li family’s ancient city possess a demon plant?”
Where was the Li family’s ancient city anyway?
Even now, he had no idea.
Among the eight main cities, where was the Li family’s city located?
General Huai faltered for a moment, pausing before answering, “There was one, I suppose... Though whether it is still around, I cannot say.”
What did that mean?
Was it dead?
General Huai coughed lightly. Only then did Li Hao realize the tree was not communicating via spiritual transmission, but speaking aloud directly, unlike other demon plants.
“The Li family’s domain... was the Sword Venerable’s territory. We rarely visited in normal times. I knew back then that a Sword Tree resided there, but it had little contact with the rest of us. The Sword Venerable was... somewhat... peculiar...”
What kind of peculiar?
Li Hao was intensely curious. “A Sword Tree?”
“Yes, a Sword Tree. However... its temperament was quite eccentric and withdrawn, rarely interacting with us. Therefore, I have no idea whether it accompanied the Sword Venerable in the final hour, remained behind, or has already perished.”
Fine, an antisocial tree.
It sounded downright bizarre.
Li Hao asked again, “Then... can I search for the Li family’s ancient city?”
“It would be difficult,” General Huai said candidly. “It is not that we intentionally hide it from you to keep you pouring resources into Battle Heaven City. Rather, the Li family’s ancient city was the core of the eight cities back then. After the great cataclysm, it very likely drifted near the Star Gate. If so, finding it now is practically impossible. After the secondary recovery, it might become discoverable, because the ancient city may have slipped into shattered space...”
Li Hao’s heart stirred. “You mean... the spatial layer that powerhouses enter after shattering space at the Peak Realm?”
“Correct.”
Alright!
Li Hao sighed. Truly formidable.
Naturally, whether that was the case remained mere speculation. Li Hao had even fantasized that once he entered that ancient city, he might be able to assume the role of city lord directly.
Just as he was pondering this, the scholar tree cleared its throat at an inopportune moment to caution him: “Um... you had best not seek out the Li family’s ancient city.”
“Why?”
General Huai sighed softly. “If living beings still survive within the Li family’s ancient city... and you go there, you might very well be seized, locked up, and beaten every single day!”
“...”
Li Hao stood agape. What on earth?
“You are far too weak, and the techniques you cultivate are an absolute mess. Over at the Li family, they are wholly devoted to the sword. If you showed up like this, they would view you as having forgotten your ancestors and betrayed your roots. It would be entirely normal for them to force you to practice the sword until you dropped dead.”
That terrifying?
Li Hao was speechless. Though he did not swallow the claim entirely, the prospect was frightening enough. Never mind, he would hold off on seeking it out for now.
“Right, General, I acquired the Hong family’s hammer, and I think I know where their inheritance ground is located. Can I take the hammer and open it?”
“You had best not do so right now!”
General Huai had been unaware of this, and upon hearing it, he grew alarmed. “Opening an inheritance ground may trigger cosmic upheaval! The inheritance ground will ravenously siphon energy, pulling upon the Heavenly Star grand mine. If the veins rupture, it could instantly trigger the secondary recovery! At this stage, I have only just awakened. If the secondary recovery begins prematurely and rebel armies or traitorous demon plants and beasts mobilize across the land, Silver Moon will be unable to hold them back...”
Li Hao’s expression shifted slightly. “Would that happen? But I currently have an adversary who also holds divine weapons of the Eight Great Families. If he unlocks an inheritance ground, wouldn't that bring about the secondary recovery ahead of schedule?”
Ying Hongyue!
“Indeed!” General Huai replied, then added, “Of course, that assumes he can actually wield those divine weapons. If he can, and if he finds an inheritance ground, he could certainly accomplish that.”
Ying Hongyue could indeed utilize the divine weapons, but whether he had located the inheritance grounds remained unknown.
Presently, Li Hao only knew the location of the Hong family’s inheritance, and the Hong family hammer was in his own hands. Had Ying Hongyue failed to discover that stone door previously?
Or had he found it, yet judged that triggering the secondary recovery at the time offered him no benefit?
After all, bringing about the secondary recovery prematurely held zero advantage for contemporary cultivators. Their strength was simply too feeble; a secondary recovery would not grant them rapid breakthroughs. But right now, everyone was nearing a bottleneck, making the timing far more ripe.
Li Hao’s thoughts raced, and a sense of urgency seized him. He definitely did not want the secondary recovery to happen right now; he had to stop Ying Hongyue.
Having asked everything he needed to, Li Hao wasted no more time. “Then please take your time, General. I will return in two days.”
Bidding farewell to the scholar tree, Li Hao departed swiftly.
Watching him leave, General Huai finally breathed a sigh of relief. That young fellow was quite a handful.
At that moment, the phantom of the old turtle manifested, wearing a faint smile. “How is he?”
“What do you mean?”
“What do you think of this person?”
“Hard to say,” General Huai said softly. “Do you wish to open the Star Gate and leave this place as well?”
“Everyone harbors such thoughts. I am actually indifferent.” The old turtle smiled gently. “You probably wish to leave too, don’t you?”
“The vicinity of the Star Gate may not be safe!” General Huai murmured. “It is a perilous venture. We shall see how things unfold.”
The old turtle nodded slightly, pressing the matter no further.
Whether the Star Gate could be opened might truly depend on Li Hao.
After a moment’s thought, the old turtle added, “If the secondary recovery commences, those wretched abominations will likely want to devour the two of us. You haven't recovered much; can you withstand them?”
“Devour us?”
General Huai sneered coldly. “If they push us too far, we’ll detonate Battle Heaven City and drag them all to the grave! When the eight cities detonate, they will sink the entire land of Silver Moon. We can all perish together!”
The old turtle, however, sighed softly. “The eight cities... are they truly still willing?”
General Huai looked toward him.
“Communication between the eight cities was severed, and Heavenly Star Town was suddenly attacked, with countless experts perishing in an instant. Did the eight cities truly suffer no betrayal? You must remember that the eight main cities form a grand formation: the Heaven and Earth Eight Trigrams Sky-Suppressing Formation! How could contact have been severed so easily? How could control over heaven and earth have been lost so effortlessly? If one city turned traitor and severed the formation from within, however, everything would make sense.
“Heavenly Star Town had a garrison of a hundred thousand. Other than a main city, who could have suppressed and annihilated them so easily?
“Old Huai, what do you think?”
General Huai fell silent. After a long while, he shook his head. “I do not wish to doubt any city, or any family. The Eight Great Families were personally designated by the Human King to garrison this realm! The Sword Venerable himself, as a Sovereign, oversaw Silver Moon in person. I cannot fathom who would betray us. Li, Zhang, Zhao, Liu, Wang, Hong, Zhou, Zheng... other than the Wang and Li families, which family do you think could possibly turn traitor?”
The great turtle shook its head as well. “Hard to say, unfit to speak, dare not utter.”
The Eight Great Families were the true direct lineages of the Human King stationed here, intimately tied to various Sovereigns. Voicing suspicion against them was tantamount to doubting the Sovereigns behind them.
Yet certain questions lingered in everyone's minds.
Who could instantly siphon the energy of the entire world?
Who could sever the origin connection?
Who could shatter the Heaven and Earth Eight Trigrams Sky-Suppressing Formation in a heartbeat?
Who other than the eight main cities possessed such capability?
The formation anchoring the eight main cities had been laid down by supreme powerhouses. Only an internal breach, severing a city’s link, could have broken it.
The scholar tree refused to dwell on it, and the turtle was equally reluctant.
Yet... some things had to be contemplated.
Previously, they had not known the details regarding Heavenly Star Town. Now that they knew even chaotic origin energy had manifested, it proved that vast numbers of experts had been slaughtered in an instant. Heavenly Star Town’s defenses could never have been so lax—unless forces from the eight main cities had marched there under the guise of reinforcement, entered the city directly, and struck from within!
Still, could an entire Neo-Martial army truly have chosen to rebel?
In that era, the Human King and the others were still present, and contact had not been broken. Who could have been that insane?
Even if the leaders had lost their minds, the subordinates could never have followed along in madness.
The old turtle racked his brains, but could find no answer!
After a long silence, he suddenly said, “Perhaps... someone suspects us as well.”
General Huai was taken aback. “How could that be? Battle Heaven City was personally named by that venerable existence.”
The Blood Sovereign himself had bestowed the name Battle Heaven. Even if the Li family rebelled, the Wang family never would... Of course, such words could not be spoken aloud, or the Sword Venerable would sever his trunk with a single strike.
The old turtle chuckled. “It is only natural. The one your ancestor served as a companion... has always invited suspicion.”
Dammit!
The old tree cursed inwardly. That had happened countless eons ago; why bring it up now?
Yet... it was true.
His ancestor had been the companion demon plant to that figure, and during the Neo-Martial era, that figure had been notoriously fickle—leaning wherever the wind blew strongest, utterly shameless. Though he had survived to the end with terrifying strength that no one dared question openly, his reputation had indeed been wretched.
“This is the Wang family’s city, not his! What does it have to do with me?”
General Huai did not wish to dwell on it. A clean conscience needed no defense.
The old turtle chuckled as well. “I only fear misunderstandings. Never mind, let them think what they will! As long as we keep it in mind, there is no need to harp on it.”
“Should we give that young fellow a warning?” General Huai asked, worried the kid might stumble blindly into another main city and court disaster.
The turtle considered this and said, “No need. They might not do anything to him. Even if survivors remain, would they want to stay trapped here for eternity? Without opening the Star Gate, everything is an illusion! Li Hao is the prime candidate to open it... As for that Ying Hongyue he mentioned, that person... might well be backed by the traitor of old. But Ying Hongyue is not of the Li family after all. The Li family is the foremost choice to unlock the Star Gate; that man is at best a backup.”
“How do you know he isn't of the Li family?” General Huai remarked coolly. “Is it forbidden for the Li family to have two descendants?”
The old turtle smiled. “The Starry Sky Sword is in Li Hao’s hands. Even if the other truly is of the bloodline, it matters not; the Starry Sky Sword is the crux. Still... what you suggest is not impossible.”
The tree and the turtle chatted idly.
Having endured silence for far too long, dormant across the ages, they had a great deal to say.
As for Director Wang, the old turtle could not be bothered to chat with him much; that fellow’s talk was always frivolous and lacking in solemnity.
...
At the same time.
Li Hao walked out of the ruins, pausing in surprise as he spotted a figure in the distance. Ahead, Director Zhao was equally astonished—it really was Li Hao!
In an instant, Li Hao appeared before him.
Looking at Director Zhao in surprise, he asked, “Why are you here, Director Zhao?”
“General Huai has awakened?”
Li Hao frowned slightly.
Director Zhao sighed. “The commotion was immense. Other powerhouses of the ancient civilization may have sensed it as well.”
“Yes, he’s awake. They can sense it?”
“They can.” Director Zhao nodded, looking puzzled. “How... did you manage it?”
“Money!”
Nonsense!
I know it was money; the question is, where did you get so much money?
He hesitated, then said, “Did General Huai... truly just awaken, or... or had he already awakened long ago?”
“What?”
Director Zhao coughed lightly. “Nothing. He probably truly just awakened, given how massive the disturbance was.”
Li Hao’s brow furrowed. That was an interesting remark.
Was he implying that General Huai might have awakened long ago?
What did that mean?
He had an odd feeling about Director Zhao today. Yet Director Zhao dared not speak carelessly; some things were mere suspicions rather than established facts, and reckless words could easily invite catastrophic trouble.
Seeing him waiting around, Li Hao said with a touch of frustration, “Director, what is it you actually want to say? What do you know?”
Director Zhao cleared his throat. “Nothing, really... Just... don't put all your eggs in one basket. Next time you have sufficient resources, you might consider reviving other experts. Do you understand what I mean?”
Li Hao raised an eyebrow. “A main city, a minor town, or an isolated expert in some ruin?”
“A main city!”
“Of which family?”
“...”
Director Zhao was silent for a moment before answering, “The Zhao family.”
The sword of the Li family, the saber of the Zhang family, the fist of the Zhao family...
By rank, the Zhao family stood third.
Li Hao stared at him. Did that mean this man had located the Zhao family’s ancient city?
Was he a Zhao family descendant?
A descendant of the Eight Great Families?
Li Hao studied Director Zhao with a furrowed brow, pausing a long while before speaking: “Haven’t all the descendants of the eight families died, aside from me?”
Director Zhao sighed. “Over tens of thousands of years, it was impossible for everyone to remain stagnant in Silver City. Some branches inevitably migrated away. By this era, distinguishing between a branch and the main lineage is impossible anyway.”
Too much time had passed!
In truth, whether one was of a cadet branch or the primary bloodline had long ceased to matter. He was clearly implying that his ancestors had been a cadet branch of the Zhao family.
Li Hao frowned. “Does Ying Hongyue know you belong to the Zhao family?”
“He does not. His targets were strictly the eight families in Silver City. He couldn’t possibly slaughter across the entire dynasty; had he attempted that, he would have had to butcher everyone...”
“Then did you know Ying Hongyue was slaughtering the Eight Great Families?”
“I did not.” Director Zhao shook his head. “There is no need for deceit. Truth be told, I didn't even know the Eight Great Families still existed... I only caught wind of it later, and even then, I never imagined all eight families would be gathered in Silver City.”
That tiny place called Silver City had long been forgotten by the world.
Had Li Hao and Ying Hongyue not stirred up such turmoil there, who would have paid it any mind?
Li Hao, however, frowned. “The children's rhyme of Silver City was passed down for countless generations. Did no one know of it?”
“Who would know it aside from the people of Silver City?” Director Zhao said with a wry smile. “Therefore... Ying Hongyue is almost certainly a native of Silver City! Born and bred there, in fact. Otherwise, who could possibly know such lore?”
Hearing this, Li Hao reflected on it and found it made sense.
So Ying Hongyue truly was a native of Silver City?
As for Director Zhao’s advice about not putting all his eggs in one basket, Li Hao didn't take it too seriously... Though the principle was sound. Next time, he would simply funnel more benefits to Little Tree. As for the Zhao family’s city, he wasn't familiar with it at all.
If you want to revive them, find a way yourself!
The old turtle and General Huai feared Li Hao might be deceived by some other main city, but they were overthinking things. Li Hao only had ties to Battle Heaven City, and if not for careful weighing and deliberation, he wouldn't even have revived them so readily.
Li Hao had never forgotten that the turmoil of the present world had been set in motion by these ancient civilization figures.
“Director Zhao, I understand. If an opportunity arises, I will go to the Zhao family’s main city to revive them. But right now, there is nothing I can do; I’m completely out of resources. I’m so poor I could pawn my pants!”
Li Hao sighed. “That venerable existence is far too voracious. He consumed every last scrap of my cultivation resources for the foreseeable future. My head is throbbing just thinking about it!”
Director Zhao said no more on the matter. Seeing that Li Hao seemed poised to leave, he added, “Regarding Ying Hongyue, you had best not provoke him for the time being. Seven elements... that is an entirely different realm, unimaginably powerful! You might not fully grasp...”
“I grasp it!”
Li Hao nodded. “Terrifyingly strong, comparable to the Peak Realm. Rest assured, I know what I’m doing; there’s no need to worry, Director.”
Director Zhao felt a headache coming on at his casual dismissal.
Do you really grasp it?
Yet seeing Li Hao’s attitude, it was difficult to press further.
Noticing his expression, Li Hao said, “I truly understand. Even if you don't trust me, don't you trust Director Zhou and the others? If I try to pick a fight, they’ll stop me.”
Fair enough!
With that thought, Director Zhao felt slightly reassured.
“Then... you won't be clashing with the Nine Departments or other factions in the near future, will you?”
Li Hao was speechless. Was he being treated like a child?
Why so much fretting!
He was thoroughly dependable!
“Rest assured, Director. Unless I am completely confident, I will not take reckless risks.”
“Good, that’s good.”
Director Zhao nodded. Li Hao said, “Then I’ll be on my way. Director, I’m heading back to Silver City for a look, and after that, I’ll proceed straight to Heavenly Star City.”
“Mm, be careful out there...”
Director Zhao still felt uneasy. As Li Hao turned to leave, he sent a mental transmission: “Do not place absolute trust in the beings of the ancient civilization—not a single one of them! The situation back then was exceedingly complex... You may borrow their strength, but you must never rely entirely upon them!”
Li Hao’s heart stirred. He nodded. “Understood!”
With that, he vanished on the spot.
Seeing him sprint off so swiftly, Director Zhao shook his head. Young people—always so impetuous.
He glanced toward the canyon, pondering inwardly: was Battle Heaven City truly trustworthy?
He did not venture inside recklessly. After watching for a while, he chose to depart.
When dealing with these ancient entities, cooperation was fine, but maintaining a healthy dose of caution was absolutely necessary.
...
Meanwhile, Li Hao had long since slipped away.
As for the concerns Director Zhao had voiced, he was well aware of them. From the looks of it, Director Zhao remained quite clearheaded—more so, it seemed, than the Nine Departments or the imperial family. No wonder he had been able to hold Silver Moon steady as an unshakeable mountain.
The Nine Departments and the imperial family still leaned entirely upon demon plants. Here in Silver Moon, the Spring of Life was scarce; perhaps Director Zhao had possessed divine energy stones all along, yet chose not to revive those ancient demon plants.
Otherwise, Silver Moon certainly did not lack ancient ruins.
Aside from the eight main cities, who knew how many ruins lay buried here? Li Hao had dug at random and unearthed a Sovereign’s temporary palace.
After all these years, Director Zhao and his peers couldn't possibly have discovered only the Zhao family’s main city, could they?
Yet one rarely heard the people of Silver Moon mention the demon plants of this realm; whenever they did, it was only regarding the dormant demon plants of the eight main cities.
Chapter 269