Trust

Within the ruins of Heavenly Star Town. The group quickly reassembled, though the eight demon plants from the Wind and Cloud Pavilion did not join them. At that moment, each had stationed itself in one of the zones previously occupied by the four slain demon plants. They resumed siphoning energy. Cut off for only a brief instant, their absorption started up once more, setting energy ripples rolling through the city again. Before Li Hao lay the corpses of the four demon plants, accompanied by pools of flowing Spring of Life. Li Hao collected every drop of the Spring of Life, then looked over at the little tree. "Di Wei, you take the trunks of three demon plants and absorb a third of the origin power. Senior Jujube Tree will devour one trunk plus a third of the origin power. The remaining origin power goes to Senior Redwood." At those words, Di Wei grew somewhat embarrassed. "Well... I..." Li Hao spoke up. "Senior Di Wei's projection of the Imperial Palace serves a vital purpose. Besides... your cultivation level was comparatively low to begin with, Senior. Only by consuming these do you have hope of stepping into the Immortal Realm. Senior Redwood and the others are already Immortals, and consuming these would still leave them short of the Saint Realm. This puts the resources to their best possible use." The Redwood also chimed in hastily, "The Governor-General speaks the truth!" It was already quite satisfied. A third of the origin power was more than the total origin power of an entire demon plant—far better than what the eight surrendered demon plants were getting. Those poor fellows could only siphon some residual ambient energy right now. Moreover, strictly speaking, these surplus spoils were not of its own making. What it and the jujube tree received already exceeded the total haul from the single demon plant they had slain. Hearing that, Di Wei offered no further objections. It knew well enough that its strength was indeed somewhat lacking. Before long, a colossal trunk manifested. Branches shot out, engulfing the corpses of the three Immortals. Digesting what it had taken would still require a bit of time. The little jujube tree was secretly overjoyed, its heart leaping with excitement. It had not recovered much earlier, but it truly was an Immortal. Once it consumed the trunk of an Immortal demon plant alongside a massive quantity of origin power, it would recover substantially—perhaps even returning to its peak. Even if it fell short of the Redwood's might, it would not lag behind the earlier sunflower. Delight filled the jujube tree's thoughts. Following Li Hao really was the path to a bright future, unlike that unreasonable Sky Sword. Without lingering on words, Li Hao collected the demon plant fruits. All of them were treasures, but right now he had no time to use them. He distributed some of the gathered Spring of Life to Director Wang, then glanced toward Black Armor. Did Black Armor need any? Black Armor said nothing. His expenditure earlier had not been particularly heavy. At that moment, the group turned their eyes toward a specific district within the city. Over there, a massive sphere of light had emerged, formed by the city's grand array wrapping around the zone, through which turbulent ripples of energy spilled outward. A battle had likely already broken out, though it had yet to conclude. Saying nothing, Li Hao produced a mirror. He looked toward Black Armor. "If I use this to scout them right now, will they notice anything?" The perceptive capabilities of powerful experts were formidable. "An imitation of the Fengyun Treasure Mirror?" Black Armor glanced over and swiftly recognized the mirror. After a moment's consideration, he replied, "They won't. There's an active battle going on inside, and the energy turbulence is far too intense. Even if they sense something, they will assume it is their opponent probing them. Under normal circumstances, weaker beings wouldn't detect it, but once someone reaches the Immortal Realm, they would certainly sense a trace or two." Li Hao understood. As expected, the mirror still had its limitations. Just as the thought crossed his mind, Black Armor added, "The main issue is that you are too weak. If I were the one wielding it to probe a Heavenly King, even they might not detect it. The efficacy of this tool is directly linked to personal strength." Well, then. Having suffered yet another verbal blow, Li Hao took it in stride. He gazed toward the distant glow, still wanting to thoroughly ascertain the strength of those figures to avert unexpected trouble. Although his side possessed considerable might, Li Hao remained uncertain of Black Armor's true ceiling. Furthermore, Black Armor was essentially a single-use expendable force; lacking a physical body, once the energy he had drawn was exhausted, his combat capability would diminish drastically. Beyond that, Li Hao had no way of knowing whether the mine held other powerhouses besides these. With that in mind, Li Hao hesitated no longer. He suspended the mirror in midair and channeled vast quantities of divine energy stones into it. The mirror instantly erupted with brilliance that diffused into the void, vanishing an instant later. Moments later, ripples surfaced across the mirror's face. A dense constellation of light points materialized, reflecting the forms of various experts. At the very first glance, everyone's eyes locked onto a golden-armored warrior shown within the mirror. His radiance blazed like a scorching sun. Li Hao furrowed his brows. For those weaker than himself, he could deduce an approximate realm based on their life force, but this figure was evidently far stronger than him, leaving him unable to make a clear judgment. Fortunately, several people beside him fell within the scanning range as well. Director Wang's silhouette appeared; by comparison, he fell far short of the golden-armored warrior. As for Black Armor... almost no light point showed at all. Li Hao looked toward him, and Black Armor said placidly, "I am merely a lingering spirit. That contraption of yours only senses life force, and my life force is hardly dense, so the reading is inaccurate." Fair enough. Li Hao turned back to Director Wang. Staring at the mirror, Director Wang said, "That fellow... really has stepped into the Saint Realm! The early stage of the Saint Realm, that is..." With that, he looked toward another luminous sphere that revealed the form of a rose. Frowning, he remarked, "Judging by the level of life force, Thorny Rose is slightly weaker than him, but the gap isn't enormous... It has most likely stepped into the Saint Realm as well." At that point, his frown deepened. "Other demon plants have been languishing in weakness, yet this Thorny Rose has actually grown stronger. Most peculiar!" Over the countless millennia, having had no energy to absorb, demon plants had struggled merely to sustain their existence. Yet this one had grown stronger. That was puzzling indeed. The deputy commander's case made sense, as he was stationed directly within the mineral vein, making it natural for him to be stronger than in the past. But the ambient energy spilling outward should not have been enough to elevate Thorny Rose to the next level. Continuing, Director Wang looked toward several other clusters of light. "There are four more demon plants. Two of them are close to the peak of the Immortal Realm, while the other two are roughly comparable to the ones we just killed." He glanced over yet another cluster and raised an eyebrow slightly. "The mine's garrison army still has experts. These silver-armored regiment commanders—six in total—five are approaching the Immortal Realm, and one is an outright Immortal! It seems they are all still alive." His brows drew together. Six silver armors and one gold armor, all still alive. Yes, alive—meaning both their physical bodies and their spirits endured. Nourished by the mineral vein, they were actually stronger than back in their prime, boasting an Immortal-level silver armor alongside five approaching the Immortal Realm. Beyond them, the bronze armors and black armors only flickered past faintly, displaying virtually no life force at all, which meant their physical forms truly were gone. Those who had not attained the Peak Realm in ancient times, and had failed to cross that threshold over the millennia, could not sustain their golden bodies across tens of thousands of years, even with continuous energy nourishment. In the next instant, several more human figures appeared. Li Hao recognized one of them: Qi Pingjiang. From the level of his life force, Qi Pingjiang was surprisingly no weaker than Li Hao, and the others were roughly on par. Only the old directors of the Department of Personnel Evaluation and the Department of Foreign Affairs possessed far weaker vitality. "Qi Pingjiang, Zhao Tianyang, and Jiang Chen all command the power of the Seven Elements?" Li Hao looked closely, somewhat surprised. Yet he soon understood. It lined up well enough; Qi Pingjiang's casual strike earlier had already carried the peak strength of six elements. Only... Li Hao frowned slightly. "Now that they've crossed into seven elements, are they planning never to leave?" Black Armor said indifferently, "Modern humans of the seven elements can most likely survive outside now. The world has stabilized considerably of late, and they have probably sensed it. Having felt it, they should really be thanking you." Li Hao's heart stirred slightly. "You mean... this was caused by the divine characters?" "Most likely," Black Armor said calmly. "The heavenly will has also sensed that the Great Dao of the new world is forming. Though it is merely embryonic, some restrictions have already been eased. Coupled with its slight bias toward modern humans, there should be little trouble for modern humans stepping into the so-called seven elements at this point." Li Hao nodded. The mirror continued absorbing energy, presenting expert after expert. Two Saints, five Immortals, eight at the Peak Realm and seven elements, plus a vast number of black armors, bronze armors, two directors, and numerous experts of the Black Armor Army. Such strength, unleashed upon the outside world, would rank among the very pinnacle. Having gauged their power, Li Hao was about to put the mirror away. Suddenly, the mirror shuddered. A red shadow flickered faintly and vanished in an instant, causing the mirror to jerk violently as if struck by a concussive recoil, dimming immediately. Li Hao's expression shifted. Black Armor instantly turned his gaze into the distance and said in a low, heavy voice, "Put the mirror away. Something is wrong with the mineral vein. Deep within it, there might be an entity similar to me!" Li Hao hastily stowed the mirror, his expression altering. Black Armor's voice grew grave. "We couldn't detect any intensity of life force. It could be... another case where the physical body has decayed while the spirit endures. Strange. There are still experts deep within the mine?" Li Hao, meanwhile, thought of that glimpse of crimson and suddenly frowned. "Ying Hongyue also seems to have the backing of an expert like that." At those words, Director Wang's expression changed slightly. "The experts who attacked Heavenly Star Town back then... Whose physical body was destroyed, leaving their spirit to be nourished within the mine?" His face drained of color. This implied one thing: that deputy commander... was suspect. Previously, he had thought the man might not have turned traitor, that perhaps he had merely derelicted his duty back then, and that approaching him this time would not necessarily provoke him to strike against them. But now... a sudden unease gripped him. Damn it! If that spirit truly belonged to the faction that had assaulted Heavenly Star Town back then, was the deputy commander aware of it? If he knew... that meant... the man had turned traitor back then! At that moment, countless doubts surged in their minds. If he had turned traitor, why had he left the colossal mine behind all these years? With the mine right here, why hadn't he taken it away? Why hadn't it been excavated? Furthermore, how had these demon plants survived back then? Did surviving mean they had defected to the other side? If they had defected, why had they turned against each other now? Thought after thought raced through their minds. Black Armor said in a deep voice, "The others might not have noticed the probe just now, but that spirit... very likely sensed it. We may have startled the snake in the grass." Li Hao's eyebrows knit into a tangled knot. The situation in the colossal mine was far more complicated than imagined. And there were so many experts. As for the Saint Realm... he was completely powerless against that. Li Hao took a deep breath. "Both sides are exceptionally formidable. Strictly speaking, we are only on par with one of them. If we rush over rashly and both sides join forces against us... we'll hardly be able to handle it. You probably can't take on two Saints at once, can you, Director?" Black Armor said indifferently, "It is not entirely out of the question. It's just that the divine energy stones and Spring of Life you provided earlier were far too meager. Double them, and two Saints would be nothing to speak of." "..." *Pretend I didn't say anything.* There was still plenty of Spring of Life, but the divine energy stones were virtually depleted. "Let's go. We'll draw closer first before deciding." Countless thoughts arose in Li Hao's mind. Those fellows were so powerful... If they chose not to fight each other and instead joined hands to target his side, things would become troublesome. Hadn't battle already erupted between them? Yet not a single powerhouse had fallen, which was utterly exasperating! His own side had already disposed of four demon plants, yet those people hadn't killed off more than a handful, and even the Black Armor Army remained intact... What on earth were they doing? ... At the same time. Deep within the mineral vein, a burst of crimson energy surged forth, condensing into a humanoid figure that looked outward, appearing to frown. After a brief silence, it paid the matter no further heed. Beside the red phantom, a massive lake emerged. Within the lake floated a physical body. Golden radiance shimmered as boundless energy poured into it. Not only that, but wisps of golden substance drifted through the air, swiftly drawn inside as well. Within the lake, numerous treasures floated, gradually shattering to allow unique energies to flood into the form. Inside the lake, the physical body grew ever more formidable. The red shadow watched in silence, waiting. As for the disturbance earlier, it resembled the Fengyun Treasure Mirror. Someone from the Hong family? It was hard to say. The red shadow did not concern itself further. In this era, whether it was the Hong family or even the Fang family, neither amounted to much within this isolated pocket world. ... Outside the mineral vein. Thunderous booms sounded incessantly. Thorny Rose and the golden armor traded blows relentlessly across the void. Thorny Rose, having manifested as an alluring woman, appeared enraged as she said in a low, fierce voice, "All I want is some energy from the mine! Give it to me, and I will withdraw!" She wielded a weapon resembling a military trench spike, formed from one of the thorns of her true body. Every strike tore the void asunder with terrifying power. The golden armor was having a rough time of it as well. The vicious rose thorns repeatedly punctured the void, even piercing his golden armor. Not far away, within a sphere of light, Jiang Chen and the others were condensing streaks of potent energy into various weapons, launching fierce assaults against the six silver armors. Working alongside several demon plants, they suppressed the six silver armors until the latter could barely maneuver. Even though the six silver armors coordinated seamlessly, even forming a military battle array of formidable might, they struggled to endure the combined siege of four demon plants and the military array, finding themselves battered and disheveled. Further in the distance, two forces of the Black Armor Army clashed repeatedly. The imperial family's Black Armor Army was by no means weak, composed entirely of elites. Yet the thousand-strong Black Armor Army opposite them was equally fearsome, far surpassing the black armors of Battle Heaven City. Battle Heaven City was starved of energy, whereas this place suffered no such lack. The battle had been raging for some time. Yet the two sides were nearly evenly matched. The golden armor was slightly stronger than Thorny Rose, but the four demon plants, coordinating with the military array Jiang Chen had activated, held the six silver armors suppressed. Had the demon plants' recovery not been so underwhelming, these six silver armors would never have been able to hold them back. Within the sphere of light. Jiang Chen relentlessly manipulated the formation, manifesting weapon after weapon to strike toward the silver armors, his expression cold. "I am a descendant of the Jiang family and the current commander of the Heavenly Star Army's Eighth Division! For you to defy your superiors and disregard military regulations means you have undeniably chosen betrayal!" The strongest among the silver armors responded coldly, "A descendant of the Commander-in-Chief would never collude with demon plants to seize the mine! The traitor is you! We do not recognize your title as division commander!" With that, he let out a low roar and swept his spear outward, forcing one of the demon plants back step after step. He roared in fury, "You traitors! Neo-Martial shall never perish! When Neo-Martial returns, you and the entities behind you will be ground to dust!" *Boom!* The battle instantly turned savage. Jiang Chen's body swayed slightly, and he looked back at Qi Pingjiang and the others, his voice low. "Unseal me completely! At a time like this, are you still going to restrain me?" Qi Pingjiang glanced at Zhao Tianyang, who gave a faint nod. With that, two phantoms emerged from Jiang Chen's body and vanished an instant later. Jiang Chen's aura surged dramatically, and in a flash, the power of the formation grew stronger by thirty percent! *Boom!* The military array condensed a colossal humanoid figure that charged straight toward the silver armors to slaughter them! Nearby, the golden armor roared, "Form ranks!" *Boom!* The thousand black armors instantly shifted formations, unleashing waves of potent energy that cut down a large number of the imperial Black Armor Army in a breath. Jiang Chen's expression shifted slightly as he glanced toward the golden armor. This battle array differed from before; the materials the Jiang family possessed contained no record of such a formation. Had this deputy commander altered the array? At that moment, Thorny Rose barked once more, "I told you, all I want is some energy! Must you insist on this?" The golden armor said impassively, "As a traitor, you have no right to the support of this energy!" "A traitor?" Thorny Rose let out a cold, mocking sneer. "I return those words to you! You are the greatest traitor of all!" The golden armor remained unmoved. "Say what you will, you cannot shake us! Guarding this mine is our duty. Give up on that thought, Rose. As long as we stand, seizing the mine is impossible!" "Bastard!" Thorny Rose flew into a rage, her frenzy mounting as raw power swept in all directions. She roared, "You foolish idiots! Sun Xin is the greatest traitor of all! You sell your lives for him, but if your legion commander were still alive, you would have angered him to death long ago! How did Neo-Martial ever produce such brainless regiment commanders as you?" Thorny Rose cursed viciously, directing her fury straight at those silver armors, who were indeed formidable. All of them were military men versed in battle arrays, their physical bodies intact. Though slightly weaker than the demon plants individually, humans were inherently stronger than demon plants of equivalent rank. Joining forces now, they not only held off the four demon plants, but even Jiang Chen's military array failed to crush them, merely keeping them pinned down. The golden-armored deputy commander, Sun Xin, let out a soft sigh. "Rose, cease your deceitful words. These men are brothers who have walked through life and death with me for years. We are soldiers, and guarding the mineral vein is our duty—a duty we must defend even at the cost of our lives... Say what you will, we trust one another!" "You disgust me!" Thorny Rose vanished in an instant as countless sharp thorns lashed out toward the golden armor, the impacts detonating like thunder. Grinding her teeth, she roared, "Still so hypocritical to this very day! Let me tell you, as long as I live... not one of those people shall enter this place! They came over the years, but I killed them all! In the Neo-Martial era, I was a servant to humanity, but in this new era... I refuse! I have attained the Saint Realm! In this era, as long as the world remains stable, who can do anything to me?" *Boom!* A tremendous roar rang out once more as the golden armor sighed. "Obstinate to the end! You... deserve death!" With those words, a saber materialized and cleaved downward! The void fractured, and the grand array trembled. Two Saint Realm powerhouses clashed with earth-shattering fury, the Great Dao manifesting and their origins violently shuddering. ... A short while later. Li Hao and his group arrived. A sphere of light enveloped heaven and earth, sealing off the entire area; this was the demon plant array of the city. Divine light flickered in Li Hao's eyes, yet he could not see through the formation. Black Armor said indifferently, "This is the Four Symbols Sky-Locking Array, designed specifically for defense in the past. Its primary purpose was to prevent powerful foes from breaching the city and threatening the safety of the populace. It was constructed and activated primarily by demon plants, which is why demon plants were also known as guardian demon plants." "Can it be broken?" Li Hao asked. Black Armor nodded. "It can! But breaking it... might not be wise. The moment it shatters, both sides will detect our intrusion. It is best to infiltrate it..." He studied the formation, then added, "This array can be slipped into." Li Hao glanced at him. "Infiltrated? This array appears completely airtight. I checked, and there are virtually no gaps left..." "Just because you cannot do it doesn't mean I cannot." Director Wang hastily chimed in, "Indeed, Martial Uncle can certainly manage it! The Four Symbols Sky-Locking Array is Martial Uncle's family heirloom formation! While others don't know how to slip inside, Martial Uncle certainly does!" Li Hao paused. A family heirloom formation? Black Armor paid no heed to the flattery, saying calmly, "You are mistaken. My grandfather would never teach me such things. These were developed through the Headmaster's research. How could my grandfather intentionally leave loopholes for people to exploit? Not even his own family would be permitted! By saying that, you insult him!" Director Wang felt extraordinarily awkward. He had merely attempted some flattery, only to kick an iron plate. Developed by the Headmaster... Fine, then, there was really nothing more to say to that. Black Armor investigated carefully, studying the array before speaking again. "This is the primary combat zone. Tampering with it here would cause too great a disturbance. Let us head to the flank. Furthermore... I suggest we make for the depths of the mineral vein first rather than clashing with these fellows here. What lies deep within the vein... might be even more troublesome!" As he spoke, he moved forward along a specific direction, continuing, "The core of a mineral vein typically houses companion treasures, some of which are exceedingly precious!" "The shadow we sensed earlier is likely situated inside. I do not know how many years it has remained there, but... its strength is certainly not weak!" "The core of this mine should possess treasures as well. That entity has lingered here, perhaps for those treasures, perhaps for something else... In short, we had best enter quickly. Also, all mineral veins possess a self-destruct mechanism, which is likewise located in the core area." Li Hao nodded repeatedly, his expression solemn. "Then do you think... that fellow is hiding inside to detonate the mine at a critical juncture and trigger the second resurgence?" "Hard to say." Black Armor could not be certain either, but he seemed to let out a chuckle. "No matter. A colossal mine is not something just anyone can detonate on a whim! Back then, the Human King built his rise on detonating mines, and precisely to prevent enemies from using the same tactics against humanity and human cities, countermeasures were instituted. As long as the other party doesn't detonate it the very moment they lay eyes on us, they won't have another chance!" Countermeasures? Li Hao was somewhat puzzled, but asked no further questions, quickly saying, "Then can I do something shortly?" "Of course!" Black Armor did not mince words. "You are the instigator of this operation; of course you must do something! Wang Ye mentioned that you once entered the secondary space. The person we intend to deal with might not be simple; even I cannot guarantee I can kill them!" "As for you... hide inside the secondary space. At the crucial moment, emerge abruptly to deliver a thunderous blow. Use your force—fusing the seven elements alongside the Starry Sky Sword will produce miraculous effects at a critical juncture!" Li Hao paused, frowning slightly. "I can enter, but it is very difficult for me to come out." "I know." Black Armor nodded. "Word has it that your master was the one who pulled you out previously... Therefore... send word for your master to rush here immediately so that he can pull you out at the critical moment." Li Hao's expression changed slightly. He did not mind taking risks himself, but the enemies this time were simply too powerful, which was why he had not allowed Yuan Shuo and the others to enter. Now, Black Armor was telling him to summon Yuan Shuo inside. Black Armor said indifferently, "Are people of your era unwilling to fight for yourselves? Do you expect Neo-Martial people to kill Neo-Martial people on your behalf, only to hand the spoils over to you?" Li Hao said in a deep voice, "I paid a price..." "Yes, but it isn't enough. As I said, had there only been those two, I wouldn't have asked you to summon anyone. But now... an unexpected entity has appeared outside our original target, which complicates matters significantly." Black Armor continued calmly, "You cannot emerge in time on your own. Only by having your master come and yank you out instantly at the critical moment can you deliver that thunderous blow. To a powerful expert, an unforeseen variable appearing at the decisive instant might well be enough to claim their life! Otherwise, I cannot guarantee success this time." He turned to Li Hao and said seriously, "There is still a bit of time, but not much. Once the battle outside concludes without heavy casualties, we won't be able to play the fisherman. The demon plants we killed will be exposed... When that happens, they will only join forces against us, because we are the variable. Slaying the third-party variable first is a Neo-Martial consensus!" He looked at Li Hao and stated firmly, "Do not dream of allying with one side to wipe out the other. It is impossible! As beings from the Neo-Martial era, every person and every demon understands one principle: kill the third party first! Because they are the variable! Only after eliminating the third party will they fight each other to the death. You must trust the Human King's influence on that era; if you don't believe me, feel free to try!" Director Wang nodded as well. "Li Hao, it really works that way. If you hope to pick up easy pickings by allying with one side to kill the other... you will not succeed." At that moment, even the Redwood and the little jujube tree voiced their agreement. Indeed. It would never succeed. The Neo-Martial era had seen far too many such instances. The Human King specialized in slaughtering third parties. No matter how strong, terrifying, or loathsome the enemy before him was, the moment a third party appeared looking to reap easy benefits, even if it meant letting the enemy off temporarily, the Human King would kill the third party first... Over time, all of humanity and all of Neo-Martial came to understand one truth: when two sides clashed, clear the field first. If a third party appeared midway through, join hands to eliminate them first, and never entertain delusions of cooperating with them. Both factions here had once belonged to the Neo-Martial system, and they still shared that unspoken understanding. Thus, the moment Li Hao and his group showed themselves, Thorny Rose and that deputy commander would certainly join forces to eliminate them first—assuming both had betrayed Neo-Martial. Otherwise, with Black Armor and Director Wang present, the deputy commander would not act that way. Li Hao frowned instantly. He spoke up. "If I leave a treasure behind, I might be able to find my way back on my own..." "There are too many unpredictable factors in that. Since there is already a proven method, why take another risk now and chase further uncertainties?" Black Armor said indifferently, "Is your teacher unwilling to sacrifice even a little for you?" Li Hao cursed inwardly! That wasn't the point at all. There was simply no reasoning with this fellow. Experts abounded here, including several Saints. Although his master's strength had improved again, Li Hao estimated that at most, it reached the divine ability power of six elements—nowhere near seven elements. In this place, that was cannon fodder! Li Hao truly did not want anyone coming to take risks right now. As for these powerhouses, they were merely hired hands engaged in mutual benefit, bought with money... Thoughts flashed through his mind, and Li Hao gritted his teeth. "If I strike at the critical moment, will it truly be decisive?" "Judge for yourself," Black Armor said indifferently. "An enemy appearing suddenly from the unknown depths, wielding the formidable Starry Sky Sword and possessing the power of the Peak Realm... At least in this era, without the amplification of origins, the gap between the Peak Realm, an Immortal, or a Saint is not as vast as you imagine! The greatest disparity lies in the toughness of the physical body. Yet the opponent is merely a spiritual entity, meaning your threat against such a presence is extraordinarily high!" "Furthermore, your force can directly injure and shatter origins. That is another distinction of this era. In the past, an expert's origin could only be damaged by another origin, but your force disregards all of that..." Li Hao took a deep breath and said no more. The battered golden armor surfaced, and he swiftly began transmitting a message. ... Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office ruins. Chief Steward Yu was standing guard inside when he suddenly received a transmission. He promptly turned and exited the ruins, relaying the message without delay. "By order of the Governor-General, Yuan Shuo is to return immediately to assist the Governor-General in slaying formidable foes! Chen Yao and Kong Jie of the Inspectorate are to proceed swiftly to the Military Law Department to suppress all disturbances!" ... The Inspectorate. Chen Yao was watching the spectacle unfold when he suddenly received the order relayed by Kong Jie. At the same time, a suit of bronze armor was thrust toward him. Kong Jie said in a deep voice, "Orders from above: the two of us are to replace Yuan Shuo in suppressing Qi Dinghai. Any objections?" Chen Yao was taken aback. "W-We're going?" "Move!" Kong Jie adopted an unyielding attitude, then suddenly grinned. "How wonderful!" Finally, they didn't have to just stand around watching the show. Chen Yao hesitated for a moment, then broke into a grin as well. "Not bad at all!" Watching the Silver Moon martial masters dominating everywhere today, basking in glory, he had felt a twinge of envy. It was just that... he had considered his own strength somewhat lacking. Yet on second thought, was Qi Dinghai really that much stronger than him? He, too, was a second-generation director—why should he fear Qi Dinghai? His old man had always said he fell short of Qi Dinghai and Zhao Huamin... Bah! That old man of his only ever talked up other people's prowess. In the next instant, two figures flashed outward. Over at the Military Law Department, Yuan Shuo frowned slightly, glancing at the Jade Light Sword beside him. "I need to head back. Chen Yao and Kong Jie will oversee this place. Be careful!" The Jade Light Sword nodded slightly. Yuan Shuo said no more, swiftly striding out from near the ruins. Ahead, Qi Dinghai looked at him calmly. Yuan Shuo ignored him, turning instead to look at Yuan Xingwu nearby, and said suddenly, "As your teacher, I am giving you a chance at a way out. Leave this place right now, take command of the eight hundred thousand Heavenly Star Army troops outside the city, and suppress them. Ensure that no riots or unrest occur... Do that, and you will have a chance to live. Otherwise... once the Nine Departments and the imperial family are destroyed and the Heavenly Star Army falls into chaos, blood will flow like rivers!" With that, he turned to leave. Qi Dinghai frowned slightly, his voice low. "Yuan Shuo, you overestimate the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, and you overestimate Silver Moon!" Yuan Shuo sneered, abruptly turning around and throwing a punch! A fierce tiger roared across heaven and earth! *Boom!* With a thunderous crash, Qi Dinghai was sent flying backward, spitting a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with shock. Yuan Shuo glared at him coldly. "Have your father come say those words to me; you aren't qualified! Over thirty years ago, when I came to Heavenly Star City, your father tried to snipe me from the shadows, only to be crushed by my master. Your mother clashed with me and was severely injured by a single punch of mine. Back then, what the hell were you?" Qi Dinghai's expression changed. After a long silence, he said heavily, "Over thirty years ago, it was you... who attacked my mother?" Yuan Shuo was overwhelmingly arrogant, sneering, "No, your Qi family attacked me, only to be crushed! I couldn't be bothered to deal with military folk. I came to Heavenly Star purely in search of the Dao, with no interest in your petty squabbles. If Zhao Tianyang hadn't shown his face later, I would have exacted vengeance on your Qi family that very day!" With that, he let out another cold laugh. "Back then, had your parents' generation not relied on their power and prestige to intimidate me, the Heavenly Star martial arts world would have been swept clean by my hands long ago! When would it ever have been your turn to act so arrogant and domineering?" Saying no more, he ignored them. Kong Jie and Chen Yao had already arrived. Yuan Shuo showed no courtesy. "If this man makes any move, execute him on the spot. I've been sick of these fellows for ages!" With that, he vaulted into the air and departed swiftly. Chen Yao rubbed his nose somewhat awkwardly. Those words... made it sound like he was included in that group as well. He smiled. Diminutive in stature, he looked at Qi Dinghai, who had just climbed back to his feet, flashing a radiant grin. "Brother Dinghai, don't take it to heart. That man is far too overbearing; I'm not nearly as wild as him. I merely came to visit you, Brother Dinghai, with no ill intentions. Just register properly and we'll call it a day. My old man always said I was inferior to you, so please don't provoke me, Brother Dinghai. Otherwise... I might just want to test how exactly I fall short." Qi Dinghai regarded him coldly. As second-generation directors of the Nine Departments, the nine of them had been close playmates in childhood, carousing, swaggering, and running wild together, sharing fine relations back then. However, ever since assuming their roles as second-generation directors, their relationships had deteriorated completely. Now, seeing Chen Yao's smug display, Qi Dinghai said coldly, "Uncle Chen has always loved speculating. This time... I hope he won't be disappointed!" Chen Yao chuckled heartily. "How could he be? Brother Dinghai, we're old friends—brothers who've visited brothels together! Show some courtesy!" Chen Yao burst into laughter that echoed through the Military Law Department. "Don't keep provoking me! We got up to plenty of mischief together back in the day. If you force me to spill the beans, you'll lose plenty of face too!" Qi Dinghai's expression shifted, and he paid him no further heed. Chen Yao was just like his father—utterly shameless. In their youthful, reckless days, they hadn't taken anything seriously. Now that they were older, others cared about saving face and kept quiet, but this shameless scoundrel truly would broadcast it everywhere. Right now, he was merely puzzled: where was Yuan Shuo going? What was he returning to the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office for? Where was Li Hao? Question after question arose, suspicion mounting. Moreover, Yuan Shuo was terrifyingly strong. His physical body was immensely powerful! Yes, he had sensed it—that single punch had overwhelmed him completely. That physical body was vastly superior to that of ordinary martial masters. How had he achieved that? ... At the same time. Yuan Shuo returned swiftly, stepping into the ruins in the blink of an eye with a grin spreading across his face. Exhilarating! At the critical moment, didn't that rascal Li Hao still have to turn to him for help? As expected, he was the one Li Hao trusted most, and the strongest. Look at Zhou Chuan, Hong Yitang, and the rest—weren't they all holding down the fort outside? The outside was merely child's play; only the inside held the decisive moves that would determine victory or defeat. And Li Hao hadn't called upon any of them, choosing him instead... Yuan Shuo sighed with emotion. In the past, fighting the City of Supernaturals or battling the Fengyun Pavilion had all been minor skirmishes. Only now did they face the grand event that would determine the future of the Nine Departments and the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office. And he... had arrived! Moving with extreme speed, he soon flew toward the distant sphere of light. Moments later, he landed swiftly. Seeing Yuan Shuo, Li Hao wasted no time and said briskly, "Master has only one task: when Senior Black Armor instructs you to guide me back, pull me out immediately. At all other times, stay as far away as possible!" Yuan Shuo opened his mouth to speak. Li Hao said bluntly, "Our target is a Great Saint-level entity. You are too weak, Master—a single breath could snuff you out. Don't try to be brave! Just pull me out at the critical moment, and your mission will be a complete success!" "..." *Damn it!* Yuan Shuo cursed inwardly. He had gotten all fired up for half a day, only for this to be his role? *You little bastard!* After cursing silently for a moment, Yuan Shuo kept a stiff face and said coldly, "Fine!" His response was crisp, swallowing down all his earlier words. A Great Saint-level entity... Forget it, pretend he had never even considered it. Having waited for Yuan Shuo's arrival, Black Armor smiled. He had never met Yuan Shuo before, but seeing him now, he remarked with deep meaning, "Heavenly will cannot favor only one person. Fusing five kinds of force and grasping the grand momentum of heaven and earth—judging by appearances, you achieved this long ago, earlier than Li Hao. The Lord of the World need not necessarily be Li Hao..." Yuan Shuo shot him a glance, baring his teeth in a grin. "Senior flatters me. Naturally, I am stronger than my disciple. But... what does the Lord of the World count for? I prefer punching to death anyone who refuses to submit, whether they are on my side or the enemy's. Some say I, Yuan Shuo, am a lone wolf whom not even the heavens can tame!" Black Armor paused, saying nothing more. A lone wolf? Perhaps! Such a person carried a touch of demonic nature. He was reminded of someone: solitary, selfish, audacious, arrogant, and merciless in his strikes... In the past, Sovereign Qin of the Neo-Martial era had been just like that. In that moment, he felt a brief trance. Offering no further words, he waved his hand, causing the solid ground to melt away swiftly, soon revealing a circle of light. He executed hand seals in rapid succession, causing the edge of the formation to gradually dissolve as well. "Get in. For an expert, burrowing is an essential skill... An expert who cannot dig holes is no true expert!" These words from Black Armor clashed wildly with his usual persona. Li Hao stared blankly, while Director Wang enthusiastically nodded along in fervent agreement. Spot on! An expert who couldn't dig holes wasn't a good expert. Back then, the Paragon of Jingwu had specially gone to Mowu to learn hole-digging from the Human King, studying it for years before promoting hole-digging techniques across Jingwu, specializing in burrowing into mineral veins. It was a skill lauded by multiple Sovereigns. Li Hao was utterly bewildered. What sort of nonsense was this? Who ever said an expert had to know how to dig holes? To his surprise, his master beside him was also nodding frantically, appearing completely in agreement. Seeing Li Hao look over, Yuan Shuo transmitted his voice: "Spot on! That fellow got it right this time—only those who can dig holes are true experts!" Oh! Li Hao remembered: his master was the greatest grave-robber chieftain of this era—how could he not know how to dig? Caught between laughter and tears, Li Hao said nothing. Fine, they were right. The instant he slipped underground, Li Hao took a deep breath. A ferocious tiger manifested, and he swiftly merged into it. He looked toward his teacher, and Yuan Shuo nodded, transmitting his voice: "Take the Starry Sky Sword. I have the stone saber. Later, I will pave the path with the stone saber and use the five forces as a guide to bring you back!" Only absolute trust could allow one to step into that unknown space once more with so little preparation. Yuan Shuo took a deep breath as well, spitting out a mouthful of blood that shimmered with golden light, imprinting itself onto Li Hao. "Go!" Li Hao said no more, vanishing from the spot in an instant. Black Armor looked on, his eyes flickering with light. *The secondary space?* *The Great Dao Universe of this era?* *Truly... incredible!*