The North Sea.
Li Hao flew across the North Sea. By now, the sea was completely frozen over.
The north was simply too cold.
Of the Four Seas, only the North Sea had frozen entirely. For an expanse spanning over a thousand li to be locked in ice showed just how severe the cold was this year.
Even so, people were still trudging across the ice, fleeing the north for the Central Region.
Silver Moon had begun accepting refugees, but it was a drop in the ocean. The north was gripped by turmoil, and the refugees numbered far more than a million. Even if Silver Moon took in one million, or several million, it was still nowhere near enough.
Li Hao looked down at the North Sea, thinking that if a million supernaturals could summon wind and rain to change the weather, it might defy natural order, but at least fewer people would freeze to death in the depths of winter.
His Five Elements divine characters merged into the void. He had initially intended to dispel some of the chill, but seeing the throngs of people on the ice, he abandoned the thought. If the ice melted, it would create an even worse disaster.
Changing all of this through one person’s strength alone was nearly impossible. He was not the Blood Sovereign who could cleave heaven and earth with a single blade.
Just then, Li Hao spotted an acquaintance on the ice.
It was somewhat surprising, yet made sense.
Lu Chuan.
He was the supernatural starlight master Li Hao had encountered ferrying refugees during his last trip back. His strength seemed to have improved recently; he felt almost ready to step into Moon Darkening.
At the moment, Lu Chuan was refreezing fractured sections of the sea’s surface.
The pirates of the North Sea were having a rough winter as well. Coupled with Silver Moon’s overwhelming might and the slaying of the North Sea King, many North Sea pirates had fled, and a portion had crawled into their shells to lie low. Even the White Shark Pirates, whom Li Hao had been wanting to wipe out, seemed to have vanished from the North Sea lately.
……
Lu Chuan was busy freezing the surface of the sea when a figure suddenly appeared before him.
He looked closely—wasn't this the very person he had met last time?
Information was still slow to travel across the Dynasty nowadays. Powerhouses like Li Hao were instantly recognizable to the upper echelons even if they had never seen him in person; official organizations like the Inspectorate and the Night Patrol had portraits of him. Among the common folk, however, while many might know the name Li Hao, very few knew what he looked like.
“My lord... Have you come to take in the scenery again?”
Meeting for the second time, Lu Chuan was slightly more at ease. Last time, he had worried about what Li Hao might do, but nothing untoward had happened.
Li Hao smiled and shook his head. “No, I’m just passing through. How have things been with you lately?”
“Me?”
Lu Chuan was a little surprised, but he smiled and answered, “Pretty good. Things are better than before. There used to be lots of pirates on the North Sea, but their numbers have dwindled recently. Everywhere was in chaos earlier, but with the cold weather, the disturbances have lessened. Over in Heavenly Star City, the Heavenly Star Governor-General’s Office was established to execute all rogue supernaturals across the realm, so even the supernaturals are keeping a much lower profile... As long as the Heavenly Star Governor-General’s Office stands, we should have peace for a while.”
The impact was definitely being felt.
Although Li Hao had not yet formally begun sweeping through the rogue supernaturals of the world, local branches of the Inspectorate and Night Patrol had intensified their patrols. After all, the realm had a new master. Though the leadership of the Inspectorate had not been replaced yet, it had issued many directives recently.
Along with that, garrisons everywhere had received orders from the Military Law Department to rein in their troops and avoid stirring up trouble. The Military Law Department did not want the army causing incidents that Li Hao could use as a pretext to make a move against them.
Because of this, people like Lu Chuan could clearly feel the difference.
Things were changing after all!
It was only because the turmoil in the Three Northern Provinces persisted and fighting had grown fierce that few paid attention to Li Hao; otherwise, people wouldn't have been fleeing their homes in weather like this.
“So the existence of the Heavenly Star Governor-General’s Office has been somewhat useful?”
Lu Chuan chuckled. “Of course! My lord might not know, but previously, no one reined in the supernaturals. The Night Patrol was around, but they lacked backing, so how could they dare provoke those supernaturals? Now, the Night Patrol has real backing. Even though the Heavenly Star Governor-General’s Office hasn't completed its formal restructuring, ordinary supernatural organizations don’t dare mess with the Night Patrol anymore, terrified of handing the Governor-General’s Office an excuse...”
With that, he glanced at Li Hao, unsure whether he was good or bad, or whether he belonged to the Heavenly Star Governor-General’s Office or some other faction. But since the man seemed to be from Silver Moon, he likely belonged to the Governor-General’s Office.
Li Hao nodded.
Glancing at the refugees around them, he asked, “Hasn’t Silver Moon begun accepting refugees from the Three Northern Provinces? Why are they still heading south?”
Lu Chuan sighed. “Silver Moon has opened its doors to refugees, and many have headed there, but Silver Moon itself is a bitter, cold land—how many people can it sustain? Besides, Linjiang Prefecture is overrun with bandits and completely chaotic... It’s not even as safe as the North Sea.”
Linjiang Prefecture again!
Li Hao frowned slightly. What gave a tiny province like Linjiang the audacity to cause trouble time and time again?
A man like Fan Chang had merely been in the Metamorphosis realm back then. Even if he had stepped into Divine Ability by now, did he still dare create trouble for Silver Moon after it had revealed its strength?
As for the bandits running rampant in Linjiang, Li Hao was convinced it was intentional. Could Linjiang really not deal with a few bandits?
Li Hao already regarded the Heavenly Star realm as his own territory. Hearing of Linjiang’s misdeeds again hit him differently now.
Fan Chang deserved to die!
However, Linjiang was rotten in every direction; simply killing Fan Chang would not solve the problem and would only create chaos. Li Hao was no longer the shallow youth who thought killing one man was the answer to everything.
In his mind, every single one of them should be killed—slaughtering the entire leadership from top to bottom and replacing them with fresh blood, rather than merely killing Fan Chang alone.
Indeed, in the past, he might have considered killing Fan Chang and calling it a day. Now... they all had to die!
From the military to the Night Patrol, from the Inspectorate to the General Administration Bureau... not a single one was decent!
Li Hao nodded, concealing his murderous intent, and smiled. “Heading to the Central Region is fine as well. It has been fairly peaceful lately, and being close to Heavenly Star City, people shouldn't dare stir up trouble there for the time being.”
Lu Chuan was somewhat curious. These matters were not things an ordinary supernatural would concern themselves with, yet this man seemed to care a great deal.
“My lord speaks the truth...”
Just as he was about to say more, he suddenly looked into the distance and froze. Far off, a figure emerged, looking as though she had been standing there all along, yet also as if she had appeared out of nowhere.
It was a woman.
A very beautiful one.
She wore an elegant white brocade robe that made her look noble. Standing on the ice, she blended seamlessly with the white snow, resembling an immortal descended to the mortal realm.
Lu Chuan took one look and realized she was likely a powerhouse. And she was truly stunning.
Before he could dwell on the thought, the man beside him chuckled and said, “Once you’re done here, I suggest you go to the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy for further study. They need talent there, and I think you’re quite good!”
Lu Chuan was startled. “I’m not a martial master...”
“That doesn't matter. Seems our publicity hasn’t been thorough enough. The Martial Arts Academy accepts anyone; you don't necessarily have to be a martial master.”
Li Hao said a few more words, then glanced at the woman in the distance and smiled. His eyes were cold with killing intent, and in that instant, even the falling snow between heaven and earth seemed to freeze in place!
Not far away, Lin Hongyu watched in silence without speaking.
She was somewhat surprised that Li Hao was chatting so animatedly with a starlight master. Truly, extraordinary people did extraordinary things. In their eyes, a starlight master was practically an ant.
She had waited near the North Sea for three days. She hadn't dared enter Silver Moon, as it was far too dangerous. She simply hadn't expected Li Hao to show up only now. The man was confident indeed, showing no fear that someone might raid his home base and wipe out the Heavenly Star Governor-General’s Office in one stroke.
Lu Chuan looked at the woman in white, then back at Li Hao, guessing that the two might know each other, or were perhaps working together. Seeing Li Hao looking toward her, he did not linger. “Then I thank my lord for the recommendation. Once I finish up here, I will head to Heavenly Star City to try my fortune.”
“Good!”
Li Hao nodded with a warm smile. This gentle side of Li Hao was something Lin Hongyu had never seen. The only time she had encountered him, she had nearly died and had lost a demon plant clone.
In her eyes, Li Hao was a genuine demon. And now, this demon was actually capable of smiling.
Lu Chuan quickly departed. After walking for a bit, he looked back and saw the two figures drawing close. Lu Chuan glanced over, not daring to stare, wondering if she was a wife coming to meet her husband. It gave off that sort of impression... but also seemed different. They were definitely from noble families; their attire alone showed they were anything but ordinary.
……
“My apologies for disturbing Governor-General Li!”
Lin Hongyu carried herself with poised grace, showing no trace of fear.
Li Hao smiled and walked toward her. “Could it be that you’ve brought an Immortal clone with you this time? City Lord Lin is quite bold. I’ve rarely seen anyone with such courage...”
In an instant, the world shifted. Around them, the sky seemed to collapse as the power of the Five Elements enveloped heaven and earth!
The ice beneath remained solid, not budging in the slightest.
Li Hao wore a brilliant smile, though his vigilance was heightened. She was bold indeed.
Lin Hongyu smiled as well. “Why must the Governor-General display killing intent the moment we meet? Did you not say before that within ten days, I was to lead Supernatural City to surrender? Six days have passed, and the deadline draws near. Here I am!”
“...”
Li Hao paused, narrowing his eyes.
What scheme was this?
Seeing his guard up, Lin Hongyu smiled again. “The Governor-General is a man of his word. If I am willing to lead Supernatural City to surrender now, is the Governor-General willing to accept?”
Li Hao looked at her coldly.
At this moment, he didn't care about schemes or traps. In the outside world, while he couldn't claim to be entirely invincible, ordinary seven-element experts or even Peak Realm powerhouses would not find it easy to kill him.
“Why wouldn't I be?” Li Hao said coldly. “However, do you have the final say?”
“I do not.” Lin Hongyu shook her head, then smiled again. “Which is why... I have come to ask for the Governor-General’s help.”
Li Hao stared at her, and Lin Hongyu said with a smile, “This is no place for a conversation. If the Governor-General is interested, why not find another spot to share some tea and chat? In the depths of winter, it is rather cold out on the sea.”
Li Hao smiled and nodded.
Before Lin Hongyu could say another word, she felt the world flip upside down.
A vast expanse of gray appeared before her eyes!
The power of the Five Elements surged instantly. Thinking Li Hao was attacking her, her heart skipped a beat, but the next moment, her expression shifted slightly. Looking ahead, she saw a colossal ship cutting through the ice.
Just as she was marveling at how Li Hao had moved them so far in an instant, countless shrieks erupted from the great vessel. Thousands of slender swords swept through the ship like death warrants.
In the blink of an eye, the ship fell dead silent.
Li Hao smiled. “Come, let’s chat on board. In the dead of winter, even the pirates can’t sit still. Why run around breaking ice at a time like this? It’s much warmer on the ship!”
Lin Hongyu’s gaze flickered.
She leaped into the air with Li Hao, landing in the cabin.
Corpses were strewn everywhere across the deck, all frozen in place. It wasn't gory in the least, as all the blood had been flash-frozen. A massive ship carrying hundreds, perhaps thousands of men, had been wiped out by Li Hao in an instant!
This man was gentle one moment and ruthless the next. One could never read him.
What a terrifying individual!
Li Hao reached out, and tables and chairs from the cabin flew out onto the deck along with jars of wine. Flames flickered across Li Hao’s hand, instantly warming the chilled wine.
“Sit!”
Li Hao pointed to a chair, and Lin Hongyu smiled and took a seat.
Li Hao sat down as well, producing two cups. The warm wine poured itself, and he filled his own cup before smiling. “This place isn’t bad. Don’t you think these supernaturals have too much time on their hands? With nothing to do in the dead of winter, they could go ashore to work, farm, or have fire-element users open heated greenhouses. Anything would be better than idling on a ship scheming to rob people, wouldn’t it?”
Without waiting for Lin Hongyu to answer, he asked curiously, “It is said that Supernatural City has a population of over a million, all of them supernaturals! I have a few questions, if City Lord Lin wouldn't mind answering?”
“Please speak, Governor-General.”
“With so many supernaturals staying in the city all day long, what do they do for a living?”
For a living?
Lin Hongyu was taken aback. After a moment of thought, she said, “Everyone has their own path. They don't stay inside the city constantly; they merely trade and spar within the city... Usually, they venture outside as well.”
“And what do they do when they venture outside?”
Lin Hongyu thought for a moment before replying, “Many things. For instance, running errands for major clans, serving as guards for merchant caravans, exploring ruins, or running businesses and managing assets outside.”
Li Hao looked thoughtful. “Do they also rob and plunder, heading out to loot whenever they run out of money?”
“...”
Lin Hongyu was rendered speechless.
Clearly, such things happened.
“Do they eat meals normally?”
“Naturally!”
Li Hao chuckled. “Then what do they eat, and where does the money come from?”
“...”
Lin Hongyu felt that Li Hao’s questions were truly difficult to answer. She had expected him to ask about Supernatural City’s strength, the twelve families, the rogue overlords...
Instead, there was none of that.
He was asking about mundane things that almost no one cared about.
“Supernatural City is also said to host many academies. The Supernatural Academy, the Three Great Organizations, and the Nine Departments have all established academies there to recruit supernaturals and absorb them upon graduation, correct?”
“Yes.” Lin Hongyu nodded slightly. “That was an agreement reached by everyone back then; otherwise, strong as the twelve families were, they could hardly have established themselves in the Central Region without drawing a single blade.”
Li Hao smiled, took a sip of wine, and continued, “I’ve heard that when the city was first built, the original residents who refused to leave were slaughtered, and many more died while fleeing. Is that true?”
“...”
Lin Hongyu’s expression shifted slightly. After a pause, she said, “That did happen... However, the Governor-General should know that the city was not built by all twelve families together. A few families took the lead, and only later invited the rest of us to join. We were latecomers, taking over what others had built.”
Li Hao recalled hearing something similar before.
Of course, that was unimportant.
What mattered was that many people had indeed died back then.
“Drink!”
Li Hao raised his cup, smiling faintly. “To be honest, I was surprised to see you appear before me a second time. I waited for a while and scanned the surroundings, but I didn't see anyone else, nor did I sense any powerhouses approaching. I had thought there might be several seven-element experts or peak six-element cultivators... yet there was no one.”
“The Governor-General misunderstands!” Lin Hongyu sighed. “I have come in earnest surrender, not to play tricks.”
Li Hao laughed out loud. “How could that be? Do you take me for a fool?”
In this era of rival factions, with each backed by powerful forces, who surrendered so easily?
Besides, Supernatural City had suffered negligible losses—only a few Divine Ability experts had died, and they might not have even been from the Lin family. Would an overlord like Lin Hongyu truly choose to submit after a single setback?
Li Hao didn't believe it.
Had their positions been reversed, he wouldn't have done so either.
Lin Hongyu knew he wouldn't believe her, so she didn't offer extensive explanations. She merely asked, “Does the Governor-General wish to take Supernatural City?”
“I do.”
“In three days, I will convene the experts of the twelve families and the rogue overlords in Supernatural City to discuss forming a Council of Elders. If the Governor-General wishes to take Supernatural City, that will be your opportunity! Capture or kill the experts of the families, subdue the rogue overlords, seal the city so that not one of the million supernaturals can enter or leave... and swiftly deploy the Demon Hunting Army to occupy the city. I will have the City Guard cooperate... and step forward to calm the supernaturals within. Only then can Supernatural City be taken smoothly without triggering massive unrest.”
Lin Hongyu continued quickly, “The difficulty will be immense, and the Governor-General may wonder if this is a trap. After all, for the twelve families to stand firm all these years, they possess quite a few experts. There may be no supreme beings among them, but each family has no fewer than five Divine Ability cultivators... Across twelve families, you can imagine how many that is.”
“Moreover, they may bring demon plant clones, demon beast essence blood, and world-suppressing weapons... Along with the rogue cultivators who have encountered great fortune, there could be well over a hundred Divine Ability experts present that day!”
She looked at Li Hao and smiled. “Does the Governor-General... dare to go?”
She wanted to see how Li Hao would react.
Did he dare?
She already knew Li Hao’s strength, but if a trap were laid in secret, how would he counter it?
“Furthermore, there may also be experts from the Nine Departments, the Three Great Organizations, and the Seven Sacred Mountains stationed in the city...”
Li Hao stroked his chin. Lin Hongyu assumed he was hesitating, but to her surprise, he asked with great curiosity, “Will they really all gather in one place?”
“They will...”
“That wonderful?”
Li Hao looked thoroughly delighted. “Don’t trick me now!”
This opportunity was simply too good!
Normally, these experts would be scattered everywhere. Gathering them all in one spot was the perfect chance to wipe them out in a single sweep.
As for traps and danger... it didn't matter. He loved taking risks, and having everyone assembled was precisely what he wanted.
His Demon Hunting Army could play a major role this time. Coincidentally, his Twelfth Division had just been formed, and the treasures he had obtained hadn't been put to use yet. Perhaps he could test their effectiveness.
“Is the Governor-General not worried?” Lin Hongyu asked with a soft smile. “You are strong, Governor-General, but you haven't reached the point where you can disregard demon plant clones, have you?”
Li Hao was confident, but in Lin Hongyu’s eyes, excessive arrogance was not necessarily a good thing. In this era, when choosing a faction to follow, if Li Hao was merely reckless, she would have to reconsider. Such people easily marched into an early grave because of overconfidence.
Li Hao chuckled, baring his snow-white teeth. “Perhaps you all can turn the tables and kill me instead? I’ve always enjoyed excitement! I don't care whether your surrender is genuine or feigned. In three days, once everyone is assembled... just remember to let me know!”
If he dared to go, could he possibly go unprepared?
He didn't care what she was thinking, whether there was a trap, or even if Supernatural City had ruins capable of swallowing them whole; he would naturally make thorough preparations. As long as everyone gathered, that was enough.
If he succeeded, Supernatural City would be his, and the million supernaturals would be his. Hong Yitang had been constantly brooding over recruiting people to farm, which had been giving Li Hao headaches as well; now, wouldn't he have his chance?
As for Fengyun Pavilion... who cared? Once he found them, he would deal with them one by one. If he found Fengyun Pavilion first, he would strike them first; if they only surfaced after three days, he would deal with Supernatural City first.
As for their strength, Li Hao didn't bother asking Lin Hongyu. Who knew if she was telling the truth? He would judge for himself!
Lin Hongyu raised her cup, took a sip, and toasted Li Hao. “In that case... I shall await the Governor-General’s grand arrival in three days! Additionally, should the Governor-General take Supernatural City... how will you treat the city, my Lin family, and the demon plant powerhouse backing me?”
“If your surrender is genuine... and you haven't committed heinous crimes, you can be forgiven.”
Li Hao smiled. “The matter of you trying to kill me can be set aside; I’m a magnanimous man! However, if your hands are stained with the blood of innocents... I don't care about supernaturals, but if you’ve slaughtered commoners... I’ll execute you first, so you can't say I didn't warn you.”
Lin Hongyu laughed softly. “I am, after all, the head of the Lin family and the City Lord of Supernatural City. I have no need to stoop to such lows.”
“That is for the best.”
Li Hao sipped his wine, thought for a moment, and said, “As for the people of Supernatural City, I have my own plans. Having so many supernaturals gathered together, indulging in debauchery and doing nothing productive—what bloody use is that? The so-called Supernatural City is nothing more than a paradise for criminals; there’s hardly any need for its continued existence!”
Lin Hongyu’s face paled slightly.
Li Hao added, “As for you... you can either retire in peace or join the Heavenly Star Governor-General’s Office; I wouldn't mind having more experts to assist me. As for the demon plant behind you...”
Li Hao chuckled. “If the demon plant is willing to cooperate, we cooperate. If not, it can slumber obediently. If it dares to cause trouble, I’ll simply kill it and be done with it!”
“What does the Governor-General mean by cooperation...?”
“It can help nurture grain, or provide the Spring of Life—say, exchanging one drop for five thousand divine energy stones. That is acceptable; it shouldn't be overly greedy!”
“The profit margin is already generous. The demon plants cooperating with me usually don’t charge handling fees and condense it for me free of charge...”
“Five thousand stones?”
Lin Hongyu felt her chest tighten. If she said this to the redwood tree, wouldn't it flip out on the spot? At this stage, every faction started at fifty thousand.
Li Hao smiled. “If it agrees, then good; if not, it can lie dormant and wait for the so-called secondary recovery! But if it remains restless... out of respect for you, City Lord Lin, I’ll seal it if possible. If not, I’ll have no choice but to kill it!”
“...”
How overbearing!
This was truly the first time she had encountered a modern powerhouse who acted so domineering toward ancient powerhouses.
Lin Hongyu could not help but ask, “Could it be that the Governor-General treated General Huai of Battle Heaven City the same way?”
“That one?”
Li Hao laughed. “I provided it with thirty million divine energy stones, and within three days, it condensed ten thousand drops of the Spring of Life for me. If not for the time required, I could have had as much as I wanted. So, I’m not hurting for the cooperation or assistance of a single demon plant!”
Lin Hongyu was incredulous!
“How is that possible? The other party also needs energy to recover. Doing that, wouldn't it gain nothing at all?”
“How could that be!”
Li Hao chuckled. “Does helping it recover not cost me anything?”
That counted too?
Lin Hongyu was speechless. She felt that reaching an agreement between Li Hao and the redwood tree would be exceedingly difficult, simply because he was offering far too little. Besides, the redwood hadn't been revived by Li Hao.
She could only say, “The rest is negotiable, and I am easy to talk to, but demon plants are powerhouses from the ancient civilization. Nowadays, people rely on demon plants to produce the Spring of Life so they can cultivate with peace of mind. Perhaps the Governor-General doesn't lack it, but far too many people across the realm do...”
Li Hao frowned. “Ancient humans are hard to find, and ancient demon beasts are scarce, but ancient demon plants are everywhere! Battle Heaven City alone has thirty-seven of them. If it doesn't want to cooperate, it can stay put; if it causes trouble, I’ll kill it! Why pander endlessly to these ancient demon plants?”
“...”
Lin Hongyu’s head ached. “Still...”
“Are you afraid it won't agree?” Li Hao chuckled. “No matter. If you’re afraid, leave it to me. I will persuade it!”
That persuasion... probably wouldn't be ordinary, would it?
Lin Hongyu was silent for a moment, then sighed softly. “I will do my best...”
She said nothing more on the subject. After pondering for a bit, she added, “There is one more matter I must inform the Governor-General of. You may not know, but the ancient clans are truly descended from the ancient civilization—either having obtained ruins early on or maintaining unbroken lineages... Some families possess world-suppressing divine weapons.”
“Stronger than those of the Nine Departments?”
“That... is hard to say!” Lin Hongyu explained. “Those of the Nine Departments are likely Saint weapons; ours... might be comparable.”
“In the outside world, they are all scrap metal!”
Li Hao didn't care much about this. Saint weapons held little power in the outside world, as none had awakened. The Chen family’s weapon had been shattered by his single sword strike and long since devoured by the little sword.
Of course, precautions were still necessary.
The twelve clans... ancient lineages.
Li Hao suddenly thought of someone—no, a serpent—and asked, “Do you represent all the ancient clans in the Dynasty?”
“Roughly... yes!”
“Then did someone from among you offer guidance to that serpent at Mount Kui?”
Lin Hongyu was taken aback. Realizing what he meant, she shook her head. “No. I know of that serpent of Mount Kui, but it existed there a century ago. Back then, people already claimed there was a dragon in Mount Kui! The Lin family has records of this. In that era, the serpent was already exceedingly powerful, and ordinary martial masters wouldn't provoke it lightly, let alone guide it... There was no way to communicate or guide it anyway.”
Li Hao paused. Yet he remembered the Kui Serpent mentioning that someone had guided it.
Could it have been someone from another clan that the Lin family didn't know about?
Furthermore, it hadn't emerged in just the past twenty years, but had established itself at Mount Kui a century ago. It truly was an old snake.
Reflecting on this, he didn't pursue it further.
“Then let us conclude our talk for today!”
Li Hao was disinclined to say much more to her. Whether her surrender was genuine or a feigned trap remained to be seen. In three days, the truth would reveal itself.
“Then in three days... I shall await your arrival, Governor-General!”
Lin Hongyu didn't linger either, vanishing from the spot in an instant. Li Hao glanced in her direction; her strength was indeed formidable. Like Chen Zhongtian, she was likely a martial master with a divine weapon protecting her meridians. Possessing the true power of a peak six-element combatant, she was very strong.
“Interesting!”
Finishing his wine, Li Hao reached out and broke through the ice layer, hauling a large fish into his grasp. He chuckled. “Why are you spying on me?”
The large fish thrashed wildly!
Powerful energy fluctuations even erupted from its body, but Li Hao squeezed until its flesh began to crack. It shrieked in agony, and the next moment, mental fluctuations burst forth: “Spare me, my lord! This humble demon was only following orders...”
“Whose orders?”
“The... the orders of the Sea Suppressing Emissary...”
Li Hao scoffed. “What immense gall, what bold audacity! The Sea Suppressing Emissary... If I recall correctly, during the ancient civilization, the Human King conferred titles upon two demon kings: the Demon Suppressing Emissary and the Sea Suppressing Emissary. The Demon Suppressing Emissary oversaw all demon beasts under heaven, while the Sea Suppressing Emissary governed the demons of the seas, essentially an imperial overlord. Who dares to make such a bold claim?”
“My lord... this humble demon... this humble demon truly came on the orders of the Sea Suppressing Emissary...”
Just as Li Hao frowned, about to crush the little demon to death, his expression suddenly shifted.
In that instant, the sea seemed to fall into complete stillness.
A faint wisp of origin power descended upon the large fish. The fish remained a fish, but its aura underwent a subtle transformation.
Mental ripples emanated from it, sounding ancient and weathered. “I have made a fool of myself before the successor of the Sword Venerable. However... this old one is indeed a demon of the Sea Suppressing Mansion!”
Li Hao’s expression changed slightly. “What daring, to manifest your presence in the outside world!”
“No, it is merely a wisp of origin!”
The fish sent mental ripples. “Speaking of which, back when I was slumbering, it was your use of demon plant origin that awakened me. Back then, I even wondered who was so bold as to use origin power in the outside world.”
When was that?
Li Hao was taken aback. When had he used origin power outside? Thinking back, after a long moment, Li Hao recalled that when the little tree had first given him an origin clone—it hadn't even counted as a full clone back then, just a wisp of origin—he had used it to comprehend wood momentum.
Could it have been then?
An ancient demon?
Li Hao pondered this, frowning slightly. He knew that Heavenly Star Island supposedly had an auxiliary residence of the Sea Suppressing Emissary, but that was said to be on Heavenly Star Island, not in the North Sea. Moreover, so what if it was from the Sea Suppressing Mansion? He had seen the Imperial Palace guards before.
The status of the Sea Suppressing Emissary was lower than that of the Demon Suppressing Emissary. A descendant of the Demon Suppressing Emissary was working for him right now, and the same went for the Imperial Palace guards. Even if this great demon from the Sea Suppressing Mansion was powerful, Li Hao did not fear it. In the outside world, he was not afraid of these beings.
However, spying on him was unacceptable!
He had been discussing critical matters with Lin Hongyu, yet this demon had dared to spy on him—what outrageous nerve!
Li Hao showed no deference. “Regardless, if you want to meet or have business, show yourself directly. Spying on me is hardly a wise idea!”
“You misunderstand... I simply cannot sustain my origin outside continuously, so I borrowed this little demon’s body. I had no intention of spying; I merely wished to make your acquaintance...”
“What use is making my acquaintance?” Li Hao scoffed. “I’m merely a weakling of the modern era. Senior, shouldn't you remain hidden in your ruins? Recklessly displaying your origin like this, be careful that this bit of origin isn't shattered!”
The powerhouse possessing the fish felt rather helpless.
This youth... was truly lawless, showing no respect for authority.
“Very well, I shall speak plainly. A few days ago, I seemed to sense the aura of Lord Demon Suppressing Emissary. Although it faded quickly, I still detected it. My intelligence suggests that Governor-General Li is accompanied by a dog of formidable ancient demon lineage...”
“And then?”
“...”
The powerhouse possessing the fish choked on its words, then continued, “A few days ago, I also sensed that General Huai may have awakened...”
“Yeah, and then?”
“...”
The fish nearly cursed out loud!
And your mother!
“What I mean is, now that Neo Martial rule in Silver Moon has ended, we may all be able to meet after the secondary recovery. At present, communication is inconvenient for us. Could the Governor-General pass a message so we may establish contact... and discuss how to handle the situation ahead...?”
Li Hao understood, but was puzzled. “Is that necessary?”
“...”
Why wouldn't it be necessary!
Deep within the North Sea, inside an ancient ruin, a colossal demon beast nearly threw its head back in exasperation. Why wouldn't it be necessary?
A descendant of the Demon Suppressing Emissary had appeared, and the locust tree had revived—both hailed from the lineage of Neo Martial powerhouses of the past. They were colleagues!
They had matters to discuss, and since it was inconvenient right now, passing a message was all that was needed. Why was he babbling endlessly?
Furthermore, the origin fluctuation it had sensed the first time, while uncertain in detail, had clearly belonged to the orthodox lineage. Li Hao had the means to contact all sides... That was the only reason it had sought him out; otherwise, did he think it enjoyed dealing with him?
“I have matters I wish to discuss with them, matters of great importance...”
“What matters?”
“You...”
The fish opened its mouth, on the verge of losing its temper.
Li Hao smiled. “Fine, I’ll pass the message. By the way, what is Senior’s name? Lest I mention it and they don't know who you are.”
“Li Fuhai.”
Li Hao committed it to memory. What a strange name; demon names always sounded bizarre.
On this return journey, he had certainly run into some odd characters. First Lin Hongyu, and now an expert from the Sea Suppressing Mansion.
Since when had he become so popular?
Still, Li Hao kept it in mind: there was a great demon in the sea, a genuine ancient powerhouse capable of projecting its origin across great distances. That was formidable. After all, those demon plants could only wander within a hundred meters of their ruins.
Where was its residence? It had to be at least ten thousand meters away, perhaps even farther! This meant this great demon was exceptionally powerful, perhaps even at the Saint level.
Discussing matters of great importance with General Huai and the others?
Li Hao had probed earlier, and since the other party had nearly lost its temper, he dropped that line of questioning and asked instead, “Senior, are there many demon beasts in the sea? Ancient demons, I mean.”
“Quite a few.”
Seeing that he had stopped prying into the previous matter, Li Fuhai was less guarded. Through the fish, it warned, “Do not venture into the sea rashly. Something seems to have gone wrong with the Four Seas. Some tributaries of the Forbidden Sea channeled here long ago seem to have erupted in turmoil... carving through the land of Silver Moon and becoming subterranean rivers. I do not know why this change occurred, but it bodes ill... What I wish to discuss with them is also related to this...”
Li Hao’s gaze flickered.
The Forbidden Sea!
He knew about this; there were military missions regarding the backflow of the Forbidden Sea. Back then, he had encountered several great demons at Mount Cang, and Hong Yitang had seized half a Heavenly Gold Lotus, which was said to be a specialty of the Forbidden Sea.
That small lake in the mountain was likely an outlet of the Forbidden Sea.
Carved into subterranean rivers? Flowing through the land of Silver Moon?
Did it mean Silver Moon Province, or the entire world? Most likely the world; when these ancient powerhouses said Silver Moon, they usually referred to the whole realm.
Was there a problem with that?
Li Hao didn't understand the specifics, but he could keep it in mind. He spoke up, “Understood, I will pass the message to all sides! Does Senior have anything else?”
“Additionally, I require some energy to recover...”
“Ahem, Senior, you’d better look elsewhere. I’m completely penniless lately; it all went into reviving General Huai!”
The fish was left speechless.
It had thought that given its status, offering some benefits to a junior would have the other party scrambling to cooperate. Yet before it could even finish speaking, he had flatly refused.
Li Hao couldn't be bothered to entertain it. Where would he find so much energy to help them all recover? They weren't even close!
Even if he had the energy, how many others were waiting in line? There was a whole bunch in Battle Heaven City, Director Zhao supposedly had a main city, there was the hidden Li family ancient city, the little tree, and all sorts of other figures that might crop up later.
Go wait in line!
Ancient demon beasts were rather useless anyway. They couldn't produce the Spring of Life, and even if it gave some essence blood, what good was it? Feed it to Black Panther? Besides, who knew if this demon was good or bad?
He couldn't be bothered to say more. Li Fuhai, feeling embarrassed, said nothing further and quickly added, “Remember to pass the message, especially to Battle Heaven City!”
With that, the origin receded.
The large fish looked around in bewilderment, seemingly unaware of what had just transpired. Li Hao casually tossed it back into the sea; having been possessed by an expert, it earned enough respect not to end up as fish soup.
“Bizarre!”
Li Hao vanished in an instant. Regarding this encounter, he said nothing more, preferring to leave promptly. An expert capable of projecting its origin outward was truly formidable!
……
At the same time.
Deep beneath the sea, inside a grand mansion, a colossal demon beast withdrew its origin. It felt somewhat weakened and utterly speechless. After a long silence, it muttered in a voice like rolling thunder, “To be refused like that... truly... unprecedented!”
It was thoroughly exasperated!
Yet that was not the crucial point. The crucial point was that tributaries of the Forbidden Sea had broken free from the control of the Four Seas, cutting through the land of Silver Moon, which made it deeply uneasy.
Of course, this had happened many years ago. But had it not just awakened?
“Once the secondary recovery begins, tremendous upheavals may follow!”
The great demon murmured, filled with dark premonitions. The Four Seas had already slipped from the grasp of the Sea Suppressing Mansion.
……
Meanwhile, as Li Hao sped through the air, his primary thought was that he had to excavate the Heavenly Star great mine!
Powerhouses needed energy to recover, the secondary recovery required it, producing the Spring of Life required it, and nurturing experts required it...
Without a massive supply of energy stones, he could barely keep going. He couldn't let the mine detonate and trigger the secondary recovery, or the ancient powerhouses would absorb it all—what would become of him then?
“The matter of Heavenly Star Town must be resolved quickly. Why are there so many complications?”
Li Hao felt a headache coming on!
He had to pick up the pace! He needed to pacify the various factions outside as quickly as possible, settle external matters, and swiftly storm Heavenly Star Town to seize the great mine.
Chapter 271