Joyful Cultivation

Where Black Armor would go, Li Hao did not know. He only knew that heaven and earth had gained consciousness and completely severed ties with the main world. A series of upheavals would likely follow, but along with them would come a series of opportunities. As to whether he could seize those opportunities, Li Hao had no idea. He had not paid much heed to the supposed revival of the gods. With so many Neo-Martial powerhouses around, he barely had time to deal with them, let alone spare attention for some gods. As if discerning Li Hao’s thoughts—or having peeked into his mind once more—Black Armor abruptly snapped out of his daze and spoke: "Do not underestimate the gods of this world. In the past, perhaps they were beneath notice. But now that the world is sealed and reborn, old gods will be renewed. Should fortune favor them, they will become gods of the new world, each representing one of the world's Great Daos!" He continued slowly, "When that time comes, mountains and rivers will have spirits, grass and trees will have spirits, all things will have spirits!" "Aren't those just demons?" Li Hao asked, puzzled. Was there any difference? Black Armor shook his head. "It is not the same. Demons are demons, and spirits are spirits! A spirit might seize a Dao of the world and take charge of it. For example, in a newborn world where ten thousand Daos intertwine, a spirit might become the lord of one of those paths—such as a Fire God? A Water God? Such classifications, such elemental spirits..." Li Hao frowned. "Did such spirits exist in the Neo-Martial era?" Or rather, had Primary Martial ever birthed such gods? Black Armor answered placidly, "Neo-Martial never saw spirits that took complete charge of a Dao, because... even back in the Primary Martial era, our world consciousness—the seed—already possessed conscious awareness. Before that, no one knew whether another civilization had been wiped out. It wasn't like now, where a world consciousness has only just emerged." In the Neo-Martial era, the world consciousness had existed for a very, very long time, even prior to Primary Martial. Perhaps Primary Martial had not even been the first era; in an even more distant age, a civilization might have arisen only to be destroyed. Yet a newborn world with a brand-new consciousness—this place was the first. Under normal circumstances, an ordinary world had long since possessed consciousness. A truly nascent world was something virtually no one had ever experienced. Li Hao understood. "Senior means that demons still need to cultivate, but spirits... do not? They are born in command of a Dao, in command of mountains, rivers, the earth... things like that?" "Perhaps!" Black Armor shook his head. "I never experienced it personally, so naturally I cannot say for certain. However, I once visited another universe and lived in another world for a time, where I fought in battles. There, similar spirits existed—indigenous gods..." Li Hao was taken aback. He glanced at him. "Beyond the Neo-Martial world, Senior has traveled to other worlds?" "Mm." Li Hao was utterly astonished, finding it hard to believe. "Wasn't it said that the universe is vast..." "During the Neo-Martial era, in order to seek survival and preserve hope, a group of youths led by Sword Venerable ventured into the vast universe, wandering through chaos, and inadvertently entered a new world..." "Then... what happened to that world?" Li Hao was deeply surprised. He had assumed the Neo-Martial world was the first known great world—though rumors spoke of invading enemies, which might have made it the second. He had never expected the person standing before him had set foot in other worlds. "It vanished." "Vanished?" Li Hao was perplexed. What did that mean? Black Armor smiled faintly. "That world was facing a crisis back then. Later, we resolved it. Sometime after, the Human King tracked us down and held a dialogue with the other party's world consciousness. They permitted us to leave, but as lords of worlds may devour one another, the other party chose to yield and vanished into the boundless universe." Li Hao scratched his head. "Is that so? A new world must have been immensely tempting to the Human King. Did he simply let them leave?" "You truly are a gossip," Black Armor chuckled. "Back then, the Human King was not necessarily a match for the other party. Besides... for the Human King, less trouble was always better than more. There was no conflict between the two sides. Do not harbor so much hostility toward Neo-Martial. In Neo-Martial, everything operated on the principle of leaving others alone unless provoked. If the other party harbored no malice, the Human King would not actively invade." *Not necessarily a match*—that was likely the crux of the matter. Li Hao felt both envy and anticipation. "So you're saying that in the vast universe, many other worlds still exist?" "Mm." "How fascinating!" Li Hao murmured longingly. "I hope that one day, I too can venture out." Black Armor smiled. "If you can become the lord of a world, you will naturally have the chance to leave. But... if you cannot, it will be exceedingly difficult! Because a world consciousness harbors a subconscious imperative: you may not carry away the world's energy..." "What do you mean?" "It means that everything you cultivate right now is energy bestowed upon you by the world. If you take that energy away, the stronger you are, the more you carry off—which means the world suffers an energy drain!" Black Armor continued, "Therefore, the stronger a world consciousness is, the less willing it is to let the powerhouses of its own world depart; otherwise, the world will weaken! When the main world birthed Silver Moon back then, it consumed an astronomical amount of energy. Under normal circumstances, it would have been reclaimed. Given the Human King's temperament, it was already a blessing that he refrained from plundering others, let alone having something taken from him..." Though it wasn't truly plundering, Silver Moon had indeed caused a massive drain on the main world's energy. Reclaiming it would have been entirely justified. Yet the Human King had let it be, choosing to look the other way because he wished to gift it to Sword Venerable. Li Hao knew this. He had seen it in Battle Heaven City and had witnessed the exchange between Blood Sovereign and his own ancestor. "So that's how it is!" Li Hao nodded, then asked suddenly, "Then during the Neo-Martial era, when you all departed... didn't you also take away energy from the main world?" "Yes." Black Armor nodded. "However, we were not particularly powerful. The Human King did not care about the little we took. The world itself constantly draws energy from the universe. Since we weren't supreme powerhouses, the energy we took was modest and could naturally recover. But the birth of a minor world consumed an immense amount of energy—something extraordinarily difficult to restore, perhaps requiring countless ages." *So that was why!* Li Hao understood. He could not help but cast a few extra glances at Black Armor. This man had once wandered other worlds alongside his ancestor, which meant he must have shared a good relationship with him. Yet he was surprisingly cool toward Li Hao... truly... "A descendant of Sword Venerable separated by countless ages... how warm do you expect me to be?" Black Armor murmured coolly, as though sensing his thoughts once again. "Besides... strictly speaking, Sword Venerable had no descendants." Li Hao froze. Staring at Black Armor, it took him a long while to ask, "What do you mean?" Black Armor replied impassively, "Sword Venerable never married throughout his life. Even up until the disappearance of Neo-Martial, he never took a wife or fathered children. Where would descendants come from?" "..." Li Hao was dumbstruck! At that moment, not only he, but everyone else present was stunned. What did that mean? If Sword Venerable had no descendants, then... where did the Li family come from? Even Director Wang looked on with curiosity, seemingly unaware of this detail. Black Armor remained calm. "Sword Venerable dedicated his entire life to Neo-Martial. In his youth, he brimmed with vigor; in middle age, he suffered ruin and was reduced to working as a warehouse keeper at Mowu. Gravely wounded during the most dazzling era of his life, he was crippled for ten years—ten years spent solely to grind a single sword. His heart belonged solely to the sword, and his entire life was devoted solely to cultivating the sword. The Human King saved Sword Venerable, and Sword Venerable saved the Human King. Supporting one another, they weathered a grueling passage of time..." All of this made one thing clear: Sword Venerable had never taken a wife, nor had he possessed any interest in marrying or having children. Li Hao swallowed hard. He felt somewhat shattered. It wasn't that the bloodline mattered so critically, but he had genuinely believed that great figure was his direct ancestor. Now it turned out he wasn't... what was going on? Black Armor continued, "Of course, Sword Venerable did not simply drop from the sky. He had a brother. His direct brother once had a granddaughter—Sword Venerable's grandniece. She was the sole direct descendant of the Li family's third generation. Sword Venerable's nephew died young, leaving behind no sons or daughters, save for that single grandniece, whom Sword Venerable raised as his own granddaughter. And she... was the true ancestor of your Li family." Li Hao's mouth fell open, rendering him speechless for a long time. Black Armor suddenly smiled. "I forgot to mention: myself, my younger sister, that ancestor of yours, and our principal—we were all students in the same class at Mowu." Li Hao's jaw dropped even wider! There was a connection like that? Black Armor chuckled again. "And her husband was also a student in our class. We were all classmates. So you can still be considered Sword Venerable's direct lineage... even if slightly removed, it's roughly the same, with no major difference." Li Hao kept his mouth agape for quite a while before managing to say, "So that means our Li family's ancestor was Sword Venerable's grandniece, not truly a Li..." "How can you say that?" Black Armor chuckled. "She certainly counts. Sword Venerable truly treated her as his own direct descendant." Fine then! Li Hao was helpless. It turned out... they weren't his direct lineage after all. He had spent all this time believing Sword Venerable was his direct ancestor, when in truth, he ought to address him as Second Ancestor, right? "Then why is our surname Li?" Li Hao asked. Black Armor looked resigned. "Sword Venerable's grandniece, raised as his own granddaughter... isn't having the surname Li completely normal? Young man, gender equality—ever heard of it?" "..." Li Hao understood and nodded slightly. "Fair enough. With an old ancestor like that backing her, my female ancestor's husband—that male ancestor of mine—probably didn't dare contest naming rights." "..." Black Armor was thoroughly at a loss for words. Li Hao, meanwhile, sighed with endless emotion. "After all that, we don't even count as Sword Venerable's direct descendants. No wonder." "No wonder what?" "No wonder Senior wasn't very polite to me..." Black Armor sorely wanted to curse. Was he not polite enough? If not for his ties to Sword Venerable, he would have swatted him dead long ago. Besides, even putting Sword Venerable aside, Li Hao's ancestor had been his classmate, sharing a very close bond. At that point, a thought struck Li Hao. "Then what about Ninth Division Commander, and that traitor Li Daoheng? How are they different from us? Collateral branches? If there's a collateral branch, that implies a main line. Do we count as the main line?" "Yes," Black Armor nodded. "Back then, Sword Venerable didn't concern himself much with Sword City. It was primarily managed by your ancestor, my classmate. Later, she bore several children, and the eldest son inherited the title of Sword City Lord... That was the so-called main line! The others sought their own fortunes, which gave rise to the collateral branches. Li Daozong's branch descended from my classmate's second son, which is what everyone refers to as a collateral line." At this, Black Armor added, "Every family was much the same. But the so-called distinction between main and collateral branches was merely a joke. During the Neo-Martial era, opportunities were endless. Staying behind to oversee a main city didn't mean better prospects—it was just a minor world, after all. Some collateral branches moved to the main world, where they lived far better and enjoyed much greater futures..." *So that was how it was!* Yet Li Hao paused again, puzzled. "Then why weren't the main lines of the Eight Great Families inside the main cities, but rather out in Silver City?" Black Armor shot him a look and, after a long silence, replied, "You're asking me?" *How am I supposed to know!* Li Hao swiftly turned to Director Wang, who was also a collateral descendant of the Wang family. "Director Wang, you were in a main city, so why weren't we?" Director Wang chuckled helplessly. "How could it be anything else?" "What?" Director Wang said, exasperated, "I said it's completely normal! Back then, everyone knew the main cities were doomed sooner or later. Lacking energy, they were bound to seal up eventually. The main families took their kin and left, hoping to secure a sliver of survival and pass down the keys... The main cities back then were death traps; staying behind was simply waiting to die! The mission of the Battle Heaven Army was to hold the fort... there was no choice!" Those who stayed behind truly had no other option. To ensure the bloodline endured and the keys to the Star Gate were preserved down the generations, the Eight Great Families outside came to be. Yet Li Hao harbored another doubt. "Then... why wasn't the Wang family's key taken outside?" He meant that Old Turtle, didn't he? If the goal was to preserve the keys and the main cities were deemed unsafe, all of them should have been taken out. "It wasn't the same!" Director Wang explained. "Senior Black Tortoise possessed exceptionally concentrated spirituality. Going outside back then would have obliterated its spirit! There was zero energy out there. Once outside, the divine weapon would fall dormant and the guardian would perish completely. Reviving it... would have been nearly impossible! The divine weapons of the other families didn't possess such heavy spirituality, so taking them out posed little problem." Li Hao frowned. "Just because of that, it wasn't taken out? What if it had been lost to time?" Since the Eight Great Families shared an understanding, would the Wang family leave their divine weapon behind solely for such a reason? Director Wang fell silent for a moment. He glanced at Li Hao. Suddenly, Li Hao asked, "Guarding against whom?" Director Wang was taken aback. After a long pause, he gave a slight nod. "Gathering the eight divine weapons opens the Star Gate. Therefore... as a precaution, the Black Tortoise Shield, which possessed the richest spirituality, was chosen to remain in the main city just in case! Battle Heaven City was the safest. Even if the other seven cities were destroyed, the likelihood of Battle Heaven City falling was minuscule, because it bore the two characters 'Battle Heaven' written personally by Blood Sovereign. In that respect, even Sword Venerable could barely match Blood Sovereign's feat." "If the other seven weapons were assembled and needed to open the Star Gate, they could come to Battle Heaven City to seek Senior Black Tortoise," Director Wang stated. Li Hao asked, "There was a trial, wasn't there?" Director Wang said nothing. Indeed. Since it served as a precaution, they couldn't simply allow whoever brought seven weapons to take the eighth and open the Star Gate directly. Otherwise, what was the point of guarding against them? Old Turtle served as the final line of defense. Only now... Director Wang let out a bitter laugh. "Nowadays, it's meaningless anyway. You smashed all the other weapons to pieces. The eight divine weapons will never gather again!" *What is there left to talk about!* Li Hao had yet another question: "Back then, people from the Zheng family must have left as well. The Zheng family rebelled—how could they have been permitted to bring out their divine weapon? Back then, the eight families lived in relative peace. Why didn't they seize the weapons of the other families earlier?" Director Wang rolled his eyes. "I'm already dead—how would I know? We didn't go outside; only those who left would know. Back then, each of the eight families made their own decisions as a precaution, rather than coordinating with one another. Perhaps the Zheng family wanted to bait a trap, perhaps for other reasons, perhaps those who went outside lost their power, or perhaps heaven and earth couldn't support the revival of divine weapons, making them useless even if seized... There are too many possibilities. You ask me, but how could I know?" *Does this kid think I'm omniscient?* Li Hao nodded. "So those who went outside should all be dead, because there was no energy to sustain them, right?" "Mm," Director Wang agreed. "The ruins still retained a trace of energy, but out in the world, with zero energy, they surely died of old age long ago. Not to mention, heaven and earth were in turmoil back then, the origin vanished, and the Great Dao could snap at any moment. Staying inside the cities was actually safer; the main branches chose to leave purely to seek life amidst death." Li Hao pressed further, "Earlier, I heard that Sword Venerable took all the powerhouses away. Why didn't the Zheng family patriarch leave?" "..." Director Wang rolled his eyes again. Asking him once more—he wasn't part of the high command. Black Armor, however, gave a soft chuckle. "It's normal. I didn't leave either. It wasn't that we refused to go; rather, certain people were scheduled for the second batch. Sword Venerable and his cohort were the first batch, while we were the second to depart. It's just that... we were a step too late. He was likely on the roster for the second expedition just like me, but before we could depart, the Star Gate sealed." "The premier powerhouses left in the first batch. The second batch included some weaker individuals, which took a bit more time..." Seeing Li Hao look over, Black Armor said coolly, "I don't mean myself, but the students! I had to take the students with me. The head of the Zheng family might have had a similar pretext—for instance, escorting descendants or slightly weaker powerhouses to set out later... That made it easy to remain behind. Sword Venerable was not an unreasonable man; if you had pressing matters and were slightly delayed, he would not refuse a legitimate request." Li Hao breathed a sigh of relief. "I see! Earlier they claimed all the powerhouses had departed, only for a whole bunch to pop up later. I thought Director Wang and Ninth Division Commander had gotten cold feet." "..." Director Wang wanted to swear! Black Armor remarked calmly, "Wang Ye was genuinely weak—merely early Immortal Realm. Staying behind was entirely standard! The requirement for the expedition was at least the Immortal Realm, and for those in the early stage, it was advised not to venture forth—excluding the military, of course! Wang Ye was also the Security Bureau Director, responsible for internal affairs rather than military service. His remaining behind was only appropriate!" "..." Director Wang felt rather helpless hearing this. Ninth Division Commander had stayed behind to garrison the city. Wang Ye had stayed behind to oversee internal security. These people had been specifically assigned to remain. Li Hao grasped the picture and asked, "Then where is the roster for the second batch of departing powerhouses? It's impossible they departed without a roster, right? If we can find it and check who stayed behind... we'll know who the traitors are! Aside from those who had to garrison, anyone who stalled their departure is suspect!" "The roster is with Sword Venerable. Go find him," Black Armor retorted lazily. He couldn't be bothered to entertain such nonsense. Aside from the supreme commander, Sword Venerable, such a roster wouldn't be freely circulated, even if it wasn't strictly confidential. "..." Li Hao grinned awkwardly. "Forget I said anything." No longer dwelling on the matter, Li Hao briskly changed the subject: "Alright, let's leave that aside. I'll continue organizing the new system. Director Zhang, you offered to build the model for me..." At this point, he paused and shook his head. "Director Zhang isn't familiar with the new generation of humans..." He looked toward Yuan Shuo. "Master, why don't you coordinate with Director Zhang to construct the new model?" When it came to understanding modern humans, Li Hao felt his master was second to none—especially regarding concepts like force. Though Black Armor was formidable, who knew if he grasped such nuances? Black Armor said nothing, while Yuan Shuo smiled, casting Li Hao a gratified glance. *My disciple understands me best—I am all-capable!* With that in mind, Li Hao added, "Right, earlier I conducted some preliminary research using supernaturals and discovered something..." He pondered for a moment before explaining, "It concerns Heaven-Blessed Godly Masters. Born with their supernatural locks unlocked, releasing energy, I deduce that they are innately connected to the Bright Star Realm. Such people truly deserve to be called heaven-blessed!" "Previously, I wondered whether being heaven-blessed was truly a good thing. But later I determined that being heaven-blessed likely just means an innate affinity with the Bright Star Realm. Thus, while the Bright Star Realm was discovered by me, it had existed within the Great Dao of the world all along!" Black Armor nodded. "You are correct. The universe of Dao has always existed; discovery is the key! Those so-called Heaven-Blessed Godly Masters had a greater chance of discovering it, yet failed. It can only be said that this Dao, this Great Dao universe, was destined to belong to you!" He looked at Li Hao. "This also indicates one thing: you are not someone favored by heaven, nor are you chosen by heaven! Man can conquer heaven! It likely relates to one fact: descendants of Neo-Martial powerhouses rarely become Heaven-Blessed Godly Masters, whereas the ancestors of modern Heaven-Blessed Godly Masters, traced back countless generations, were either mortals or weaklings, making them far more attuned to this heaven and earth." Li Hao was slightly startled, then nodded. So that was why. No wonder Hong Tu had sought to defy heaven and chose direct reincarnation. As a Neo-Martial person whose Great Dao imprint remained intact, without reincarnating and completely purging those ties, he could hardly become a heaven-blessed individual capable of replacing the world consciousness. Yuan Shuo spoke up: "The universe of Dao has likely always existed, and force wasn't discovered only today—it was found long ago! It's just that this era makes it easier for us to draw close to it." Li Hao nodded in agreement. Perhaps it was tied to the initial resurgence. At this moment, Black Armor added, "The extinction of heaven and earth's energy was, in fact, an opportunity. That desolate era completely severed the influence of the origin path. The Neo-Martial populace was sealed away, completely losing their grip over heaven and earth. That window of time provided heaven and earth the chance to birth its own ego. Thus, whether the extinction back then was deliberate or forced is hard to say. Perhaps... someone orchestrated it for this very opportunity! A minor world might not be important; what truly matters is what you refer to as the Bright Star Realm!" "Someone wished to follow in the footsteps of the Heavenly Emperor of the Neo-Martial era, becoming the first to discover a Great Dao universe." Li Hao was stunned, falling into deep contemplation. Only after a long while did he ask, "Is that possible?" "It is possible," Black Armor nodded. "In your eyes, it might seem inconceivable. But to certain powerhouses who cannot transcend or become figures like the Human King, using a nascent world to discover a second Great Dao might grant them the opportunity for transcendence. If it was for that, betraying Neo-Martial would make sense. Otherwise, there would be no reason to do so—Neo-Martial was too mighty, and the price of treason far too steep!" "Then who could it be?" A thought suddenly struck Li Hao. "Could it be Sword Venerable?" "..." *Good grief!* At that moment, Director Wang and the others nearly rolled their eyes. Just because he wasn't your direct ancestor, you immediately start slandering him? Li Hao argued earnestly, "Sword Venerable was so powerful, and this world was bestowed upon him..." Black Armor said dryly, "Since you know it was given to Sword Venerable, why would he resort to such convoluted schemes? It would take nothing more than a single sentence. If he told the Human King he wanted to use this world to evolve a second Dao, do you think the Human King would refuse?" "..." Li Hao froze. That was true. Black Armor added, "If Sword Venerable truly wished to evolve a second Great Dao universe, everyone would only support him. Convoluting it like this would be taking off one's pants just to fart! Only you would dare imagine such a thing!" Li Hao scratched his head, feeling sheepish. "Then... could sealing a minor world truly cause a second Great Dao universe to manifest?" "Not necessarily. There is no precedent. Someone likely just wanted to attempt it... It wasn't their property anyway." Black Armor said coldly, "In my view, whoever harbored such designs was most likely just trying their luck, rather than having any certainty. No one could be sure; otherwise, someone would have tried it long ago." *Even so, one would still need a minor world to begin with!* Li Hao thought to himself. Sword Venerable... was indeed impossible. According to them, if Sword Venerable wanted to do it, it would require only a word. He gave up trying to guess. He was too weak; even if he deduced the truth, it would only lead to his demise. As for why he had suspected Sword Venerable, it was merely because that man possessed the power and the opportunity. But thinking it through, who would invite such trouble? It was already his; why bother with such theatrics unless his faux-ancestor had lost his mind? Li Hao dropped the topic and swiftly said, "Then for now, I'll strengthen my own supernatural locks, manifesting as many as possible, and gather a group of special-attribute supernaturals. That way, we should be able to uncover more..." Black Armor nodded. "We can try. But be quick, lest complications arise. Now that we have confirmed the world consciousness has begun to coalesce and the world has completely slipped from the main world's control, every second counts!" Li Hao nodded. Turning toward Sky Sword and the others, he said, "Seniors, I'll have to trouble you with this matter. Assemble a group of special-attribute supernaturals. Martial masters will serve just as well; each kind of force might represent a distinct supernatural lock, even if people hadn't noticed before." The martial masters nodded, all quite intrigued. They relished such tasks. "Woof, woof, woof!" Right then, a dog that had been utterly ignored suddenly began barking. Li Hao blinked. What was it on about? Black Armor, however, seemed surprised and nodded slightly. "Fair enough. Since new humans possess Dao meridians, new demons might as well! New demon plants might follow suit... but while new-generation demons exist, demon plants probably haven't appeared so soon?" "Woof, woof, woof!" Black Armor looked at Black Panther, hesitating. "You want to unlock Dao meridians too? I don't know how; what's the use of telling me?" "Woof woof woof woof!" "Have Li Hao unlock them for you?" Black Armor chuckled. "Then tell him directly." "Woof!" Black Armor was speechless. "You're a demonic beast—can't you use mental energy wave communication? Are you genuinely unable, or just pretending? Communicate yourself!" "..." Beside them, Li Hao looked utterly blank, glancing at Black Panther. "You want to unlock Dao meridians too? Do you even have them? And Senior is right—everyone knows mental wave communication, so why don't you? All you do is bark!" Black Panther looked thoroughly innocent. "Woof woof!" Black Armor felt the urge to roll his eyes. He translated flatly, "It says it doesn't know mental energy, only force! It cannot convert vibrations of force into speech. The new generation of demons is different too." Li Hao said crossly, "Nonsense! The mountain master of Heavenly Roc Mountain is a modern demon too, and he can use mental waves! This damn dog is duping people again!" Black Panther looked aggrieved beyond measure. "Woof woof woof!" Black Armor had no choice but to translate once more: "It says those demons can only be considered modern demons, not modern martial demons. It practices martial arts, while those fellows practice ancient martial arts. It cultivates force, whereas they cultivate the physical body and qi-blood. They are entirely different." Li Hao eyed Black Armor suspiciously. Could a single bark truly convey that much information? Black Armor felt exhausted and couldn't be bothered to explain further. It really did contain that much information; otherwise, did Li Hao think he was so bored he'd fabricate a conversation? Li Hao pressed no further, merely stroking his chin as he looked at Black Panther. It made sense! This was likely the only demon currently cultivating force. Whether it was the Heavenly Roc Mountain Master or the Snake of Mount Kui, neither cultivated force; they practiced the ancient demon path, strengthening physical body, qi-blood, and at most their mental energy. But force... they truly had none! That meant the dog might genuinely possess supernatural locks—Dao meridians. If humans had them, demons had them too? That was reasonable; the world wasn't composed solely of humanity, but all living things. If dogs had them, what about pigs? If pigs had them, what about cats? What about sheep? If all things possessed them... did they have to seek them all out? Li Hao swallowed hard. That would be an unfathomably colossal undertaking, one that might not be completed in an entire lifetime. Furthermore, if humans had them, demons had them, and all living things had them... did the living possess them, while the inanimate did not? For instance, a sword, a saber, a spear... could such weapons cultivate on their own? Did they possess Dao meridians? The more he thought, the more terrifying it became! Cultivation was truly a boundless universe, growing more wondrous the deeper one contemplated. …… From that day forth, Li Hao, Black Armor, Director Wang, Yuan Shuo, and a dog began constructing a model of the human body within the energy lode. It was no ordinary anatomical model, but an exceptionally peculiar one—an anatomical universe model, as Black Armor described it. They even had Li Hao describe the general appearance of the Bright Star Realm to compress it within... Li Hao almost suspected Black Armor was deliberately fishing for information. Yet to build it to perfection, he disclosed it nonetheless. As for routine cultivation, Li Hao cast it aside. This in itself was a form of cultivation, granting him a more direct and profound comprehension of the human form. …… Inside the mine cave, it was like another world. A giant resembling Li Hao materialized in midair—translucent, with even his little brother modeled. Li Hao felt thoroughly depressed. "Can we leave that part unmodeled?" Black Armor said impassively, "The human body cannot lack even a hair—unless you don't possess one in reality!" "..." Li Hao rolled his eyes. Yuan Shuo chuckled. "This is a male model. Later we must construct a female model to compare gender differences; there may be distinctions. The elderly and children must be compared as well!" Li Hao shot his master a sidelong glance. Was his master truly doing research, or was his inner old pervert showing? Black Armor couldn't be bothered with them. He was exceedingly meticulous and strict about these matters. At that moment, he said gravely, "The human body is the most intricate of all. I know little of modern humanity. Next, we must employ the method of storing Mount Sumeru in a mustard seed to compress the Bright Star Realm within... but the Dao meridians are difficult to replicate..." He racked his brains. What could substitute for Dao meridians? Li Hao suggested, "Does it have to be identical?" "Only then will it be accurate!" After a moment's thought, Li Hao said, "We can substitute them with divine characters. But that will require many hands, with each person condensing distinct divine characters to simulate genuine Dao meridians!" "That will work!" Black Armor nodded. "Then we will fix a designated space where divine characters can be integrated at any time..." The group threw themselves into work once more. An anatomical model materialized—aside from being transparent, its outward appearance and internal organs were virtually identical to Li Hao's. During this period... Black Armor, Yuan Shuo, and Director Wang examined and probed Li Hao time and again. Li Hao felt utterly exasperated; a pack of grown men spent all day scrutinizing him, stopping just short of counting the hairs on his body. In fact, they had practically done that too. Throughout this time, Li Hao incessantly absorbed vast quantities of energy and Spring of Life. Within the entire ruins, eleven monster plants were supplying Spring of Life to him alone, consuming an astronomical quantity each day. With such a vast energy lode at hand, Li Hao couldn't care less about the expenditure. Moreover, he continuously siphoned energy from the Bright Star Realm to fortify his physical frame, preventing his body from collapsing under the strain of manifesting too many supernatural locks. Without realizing it, Li Hao grew steadily stronger. He himself wasn't overly astonished, remaining engrossed in constructing and refining the human model. In addition, he spent this time structuring his divine character system—combining, reconstructing, assembling, shattering... Whatever was dangerous, he tested it. He wouldn't die anyway! …… While Li Hao engaged in continuous experimentation, subtle shifts were occurring in the outside world. Between heaven and earth, various forms of energy seemed to grow far more active. Previously, energy was merely energy. Now, that energy seemed exceptionally vibrant. …… Silver Moon. Silver City. Director Zhao arrived in Silver City in person. Rain was still falling over the city. Rain in the far north ought to have been bitterly cold, perhaps even freezing upon hitting the ground, but in Silver City, it did not. The rain here remained liquid as it touched the earth. It lacked a chill, yet carried a faint tang of blood. Director Zhao looked up at the sky, his brow furrowing slightly. The rain over Silver City was peculiar, blanketing only the city itself. Its coverage was small. He knew the rain here was unique, for in the past, the Red Moon organization had always chosen the rainy season to target members of the Eight Great Families. "Only in the rainy season can they act against the Eight Great Families, stripping away their bloodline power..." Director Zhao gazed skyward and vaulted into the air, soaring upward. Yet the rain did not originate from simple cloud collisions or water vapor. He ascended continuously until reaching the edge of the sky... A tremendous pressure weighed down upon him, preventing him from ascending further, yet he still could not see the rain's origin. This was unlike ordinary rain! Suspended in the void, he looked up, allowing the rain to wash over him. Within his body, he felt his bloodline power quiver faintly. As a member of the Zhao family, he too possessed the bloodline of the Eight Great Families. "What on earth is this rain?" Director Zhao frowned. Did Ying Hongyue have something to do with it? Rain was falling over Silver City once more. What did that signify? He could sense that the energy in Silver City was exceptionally active, fluctuating wildly. Bizarre! Silver City... aside from being the site of the Star Gate, did something else exist here? "Where is Sword City? Further up in the void?" Thoughts flitted through his mind. Abruptly, he turned his head. Not far away, a figure materialized. Director Zhao raised an eyebrow, saying coolly, "Ying Hongyue, you have quite the nerve!" With hands clasped behind his back, Ying Hongyue looked toward the sky, paying him no mind. After watching for a while, he suddenly remarked, "Stop coming here. In fact, none of the Eight Great Families should come here at all!" "..." Director Zhao smiled faintly. "Why?" "There is a seal here, binding something—whether person or object, it is profoundly sinister. This rain strips the bloodline power of the Eight Great Families, gradually infusing it into the rainfall, which carries it back into the seal to unravel it! The Li family bloodline is especially potent. Tell Li Hao not to wander back to Silver City for no reason, especially when it rains. Otherwise... once the seal is breached, he won't be the only one to die!" Director Zhao's expression shifted slightly. He stared at him for a long moment before asking, "Are you certain?" Ying Hongyue gave a soft chuckle. "Why wouldn't I be?" Director Zhao grew thoughtful, then said abruptly, "This rain has another effect, doesn't it?" Ying Hongyue looked at him. Director Zhao smiled. "It dissolves the barriers between the bloodlines of the Eight Great Families, facilitating their fusion... Hongyue... I think you'd better clear off. This place isn't for you!" "You intend to stop me?" "What do you think?" Director Zhao vanished instantly. Without a word, Ying Hongyue lashed out with his whip, tearing the void asunder. He had no desire to fight this man, but the other had arrived first. And he truly needed the power of this rain to help achieve greater fusion, even knowing it would weaken the seal further. Just as the whip pierced the void, a burst of laughter resonated across heaven and earth. "Hahaha, Ying Hongyue, I'm over here!" Ying Hongyue frowned, pivoting with a punch. With a deafening boom, Director Zhao appeared for a split second before vanishing again. "Hahaha, over here!" Ying Hongyue frowned once more, divine light gleaming in his eyes as he swept his gaze across the surrounding void, only to suffer successive strikes one after another. He struck back repeatedly, tearing the nearby void to shreds. He was terrifyingly formidable! Yet the laughter continued echoing in his ears, grating on his nerves. After a long while, he unleashed another thunderous punch, shattering the void. Director Zhao's smiling figure appeared: "Alright, playtime is over. Fighting me won't do you much good. Why not do as you did before and cause trouble elsewhere? I still have to protect Silver Moon!" Ying Hongyue's brow knitted tightly as he replied coldly, "I need this rain to fuse bloodlines!" Director Zhao chuckled. "There are other ways. Ying Hongyue, a clever man like you wouldn't lack alternatives, would you? Here, while you might fuse bloodlines, a portion will also be stripped away by the rain and merged into the void, loosening that seal of yours... That won't do. Be good, run along somewhere else!" Cold light flashed in Ying Hongyue's eyes. "Zhao Shuguang, do you think you have me cornered?" Director Zhao smiled genially. "Hardly! But... would you believe that with a single command, a hundred powerhouses near the Peak Realm would appear to slaughter you?" Ying Hongyue scoffed. "Still trying to bluff me with that trick?" Director Zhao smiled. "It seems you don't believe me... Very well... Come forth and slaughter him!" In that instant, figures materialized in all directions, radiating overwhelming auras. Ying Hongyue's expression changed drastically, and he vanished from the spot in the blink of an eye. After a long while, a voice drifted back: "Zhao Shuguang, you are playing with fire!" "Not as well as you play!" Director Zhao chuckled warmly. Waiting until the voice had faded completely, he glanced at the figures that had appeared in all directions and said with a smile, "Seniors, that was merely to frighten him. You may all return to your business; don't linger here. Refrain from reckless fighting at this stage, lest you get yourselves killed." A figure spoke in an ancient, weathered voice: "Director Zhao, we are merely origin avatars; dying matters not to us. We are simply curious—by bringing us out at this juncture, what is your purpose and demand?" Director Zhao smiled. "No grand purpose... Don't misunderstand, Seniors. While your true bodies cannot manifest, letting your origin avatars get some fresh air is pleasant enough. According to our agreement, Seniors need only do me a small favor!" "Speak." "Beyond this mountain lies a realm inhabited by a host of barbarians. How about you Seniors take a stroll over there and return after a while?" "...Barbarians? You mean those descendants of Primary Martial?" "Descendants of Primary Martial?" Director Zhao was taken aback. The aged voice spoke again: "Yes. In ancient times, some Primary Martial descendants arrived on this continent. Their numbers were few. The Human King embraced all and paid them no heed, nor did Sword Venerable expel them. Have those people established a kingdom?" "Probably... yes?" Director Zhao couldn't say for certain. He chuckled, "Lately, there has been movement along Mount Cang, with fellows constantly attempting to cross the range and scout our situation... So I must trouble you, Seniors." The phantom figures stared at Director Zhao. After a long silence, one said, "Very well. But give us a timeframe!" "When the second resurgence begins, you Seniors may return!" Director Zhao smiled. "A mutually beneficial arrangement. Moving forward, I will also render whatever assistance I can toward your revival." The figures offered no immediate reply. After a pause, one said coldly, "Neo-Martial bows to no threats. Zhao Shuguang, you had best not push your luck repeatedly. Mutual cooperation is fine; there is no need to be so extreme. Your ancestor was an extremist back then, and to think that generations later, the Zhao family remains unchanged..." Director Zhao laughed softly. "What are you saying? How am I being extreme? I am merely protecting myself... With Seniors being so formidable, I cannot simply allow you to wander wherever you please, can I? As long as you fulfill what I asked, I hardly count as threatening you, do I? Besides, this was agreed upon long ago. Had we not reached terms, you were entirely free not to come out. Now that you have, you complain that I am being extreme... is that fair?" With that, he sighed. "Let us simply coexist peacefully; we share no major conflict of interest. A new era, a new beginning. If you Seniors are unwilling... then you may return right now, await the second resurgence, and emerge on your own. I won't stop you, nor could I!" "Zhao Shuguang, perhaps... you will pay the price for all that you have done!" A deep voice echoed, and in an instant, all the figures vanished from the spot. Once they were gone, Director Zhao chuckled. Pay the price? What price? It was a win-win partnership; why couldn't they understand? Besides, if he didn't impose some restraints, what if they emerged and beat him to death? To whom would he plead his case? Simply unreasonable! If they didn't agree, they shouldn't have come out; having come out, they complained it was unfair... Truly difficult to please! Director Zhao smiled and made no move to leave, opting to wait right there. He would depart once the rain ceased. Had Ying Hongyue shown up out of nowhere truly to fuse bloodlines, or did he harbor another agenda? Director Zhao pondered, letting out another soft sigh. Those bastards from Silver Moon had gone wild out there, refusing to return. Word had it that the Nine Departments and the City of Supernaturals had both fallen into their hands. So what? A mere island, that was all! Silver Moon was the true center of heaven and earth. What did they know? Just look: a few randomly summoned origin avatars here could easily thrash them! *Heaven and earth are growing increasingly stable. Who is behind this? At this rate, it won't be long before the second resurgence arrives—far too fast!* A sigh echoed in his heart. At that moment, a certain individual crossed his mind. That brat, Li Hao... was that little bastard the one pulling the strings? Otherwise, why would heaven and earth stabilize so quickly?