A Single Spark

On January 11, Li Hao made the cultivation technique public. The *Aperture Opening Art* was divided into five realms: Ten-Slayer, Hundred-Breaker, Thousand-Battler, Mountain-Sea, and Sun-Moon. In truth, the thirty-six non-elemental Dao meridians were merely a foundation to Li Hao and his inner circle. Yet even as a foundation, it was enough for countless people to pursue for the rest of their lives. On that day, countless people across the world began to cultivate. Some possessed fine talent, opening an aperture on the very first day to step onto the path of cultivation, astounding everyone around them. Others had been martial masters before, opening thirty-six apertures in a single day—a feat that shook people to the core. Moreover, whether it was the new Ten-Slayer realm or Hundred-Breaker realm, cultivators were stronger than traditional martial masters of the same rank had ever been, making them far more powerful than the supernaturals of that era as well. A formidable technique, with fool-proof cultivation. Out of a population of ten billion, even if not everyone understood or heard the news, billions received word that day. From octogenarians down to young children who had just begun to understand the world, people everywhere began trying their hand at cultivation. For Li Hao had said something profoundly true: In times of great upheaval, only oneself could be relied upon; only oneself could protect one's family. Defending the country was something many did not yet care about, but defending one's home was a truth everyone understood. No matter how dark the era, family was something most people could never bear to abandon. Even if not for themselves, for the sake of their families, they had to cultivate with all their might. Yet if one wished to cultivate and grow strong, there was another prerequisite: they had to read and become literate. Otherwise, they could neither comprehend what was said nor read what was written. No matter how simple the secret manual was, if their minds could not grasp it, cultivation remained out of reach. Thus, on this day, thousands of institutions opened across the empire. They were not martial academies, but literacy classes. Setting up such classes was simple. A single teacher needed only to be literate. A class held anywhere from a hundred to several hundred people. At this moment, the people's thirst for knowledge was beyond imagination. They wished to read words and learn where the apertures were located, for many did not even recognize basic numbers like 1, 2, and 3. Not just a few—there were great multitudes. Even though Li Hao had numbered every single aperture, countless people couldn't even read the digits. It felt unbelievable, but that was the harsh reality. If they didn't even recognize numbers, how could they cultivate? On the first day, not a few people made mistakes in their cultivation. Fortunately, they weren't even qualified to suffer qi deviation: if you cultivated haphazardly, you couldn't absorb any energy at all, which gave you no chance to fall into qi deviation in the first place. It was merely a waste of effort, producing no effect whatsoever. *** Similarly, on this day. Li Hao, Governor-General of the Heavenly Star Office. This name resounded thoroughly across the Heavenly Star Continent. In the past, people might have heard of him without caring, but on this day, countless people discussed him, debated his deeds, and buzzed with excitement. Li Hao, Governor-General Li! A remarkable man who sought to spread martial arts across the whole world! A remarkable man who opened literacy classes and subsidized grain—grain rumored to even assist cultivation—while his demand was simple: everyone must learn to read. As for who was truly looking out for the common folk, the people knew full well in their hearts. What was Li Hao after? He spent money and expended effort, even capturing countless supernaturals and putting them to work building academies—wasn't all of that just so everyone could live a better life? In the Central Region, all of this was already underway. Yet in the four outlying continents, there was none of it! *** On this day. In Silver Moon. The public clamor boiled over. "Welcome the Governor-General back to Silver Moon!" "Step down, Zhao Shuguang!" "Governor-General Li is a man of Silver Moon! Why doesn't he govern Silver Moon? To this day, Silver Moon still flies the Golden Dragon banner of the Heavenly Star imperial family instead of the Fierce Tiger banner of the Governor-General's Office!" "Governor-General Li is a man of Silver Moon, so why hasn't he prioritized Silver Moon for opening literacy classes and subsidizing sacred rice? It's all Zhao Shuguang's fault!" "We people of Silver Moon have never feared death since ancient times! For the sake of future generations, for world peace, and to resist Dali in the north... elders and kin, our generation has endured endless suffering, must our children suffer the same?" "Down with Zhao Shuguang!" "We want to cultivate! We want literacy! We want to learn to read! We want to defend our homes and our land!" "..." On this day, beginning from Silver City, the unrest spread all the way to White Moon City, where people roared and shouted in fury! Why could the Central Region cultivate? Why did they get literacy classes? Why did they get subsidies of sacred rice? While we have nothing? In the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, Heavenly Star Governor-General Li Hao was a man of Silver City. Northern Commander Hou Xiaochen was a man of White Moon City. Southern Commander He Yong was a man of Yaoguang City. Eastern Commander Bright Sword was from Silver Moon—nobody knew which specific city, but he was Silver Moon through and through. They had all walked out of Silver Moon, all men of Silver Moon! Why was our Silver Moon lagging behind others? All of this had to be Zhao Shuguang's doing. That old bastard pushed out Governor-General Li, pushed out Commander Hou, and drove everyone away, and even now he still flies the imperial Golden Dragon banner... Even knowing how powerful these officials were... Yet for the sake of future generations, so that their children would not suffer, people still stepped forward, instantly inspiring countless others to follow suit. As long as someone dared step forward, the people had found a rallying point! "Down with Zhao Shuguang!" "The age of revolution has arrived! Tear down the Golden Dragon banner and raise the Fierce Tiger banner! We want food! We want to cultivate! We want to fight against injustice!" On this day, when even Silver Moon was like this, one could imagine how the other regions were faring. Information across the four outlying continents was not particularly fast. Yet on this day, far too many people had learned the truth. Wayfarers who traveled far and wide were everywhere, and the news spread with astonishing speed. Some local factions, eager to pledge allegiance to Li Hao, had even covertly contacted the Central Region to set up Sky Screens. Everything was witnessed by the people's own eyes, spreading like wildfire. Stand up! Revolution! Governor-General Li said that darkness cannot rule the world, and only light can usher in the future. Self-strengthening without cease—self-reliance was the only way forward. If so... one of me cannot fight a supernatural, but what about ten thousand of us? Do supernaturals not fear death? If supernaturals slaughter us, aren't they afraid Governor-General Li will come slaughter them? The guilty shall be executed! These words came from the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office: whether powerful experts, supernaturals, regional overlords, or government officials—the guilty shall be executed! Are you not afraid of the ten thousand Mountain-Sea realm experts from the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office? Are you not afraid of the void-shattering powerhouses tearing through the void to take your lives? On this day, the whole world boiled over with noise and fury. Governor offices, administrative bureaus, Night Patrol yamens, garrison headquarters, inspectorates... Everywhere, crowds of common folk gathered. "We want literacy classes! We want to practice martial arts! We want sacred rice... If you provide them, we won't rebel, no matter who sits on the imperial throne! But if you cannot provide them... for ourselves, for our families, and for our descendants... then we rebel!" The Fierce Tiger "Li" banners fluttered everywhere on this day, across the Central Region and throughout the four outlying continents. Countless people surged toward the Central Region! If they could not overthrow their rulers, they fled! Even if it meant leaving their ancestral homes behind... since they could no longer survive in the four outlying continents, they would flee! To the Central Region! To seek a way out! With just a single announcement, regional overlords and administrative governors everywhere were brought to the verge of tears. Where on earth were they supposed to find sacred rice? Where were they supposed to find so many schools and teachers to teach literacy? Li Hao had mobilized hundreds of thousands of supernaturals to build schools all over the place. Who else possessed the capability to deploy so many supernaturals for such work? Without using supernaturals, if they dared conscript the populace, a rebellion would erupt immediately. In ordinary times, when had they ever cared about these mud-legged peasants? Yet at this moment? Could they kill them? Could they suppress them? The overwhelming momentum of Li Hao uniting the world was sweeping across the realm. At this juncture, unless one was utterly suicidal and refused to leave oneself any way out, the moment you started killing... it was over! Once Li Hao conquered the four continents, everyone involved could wait for death! Even if the rulers dared, the armies didn't. The supernaturals didn't dare either! Li Hao was notoriously ruthless! In the Central Region, purges had already begun, reducing supernaturals to slaves. The powerhouses of the four continents knew this full well. Who would dare help suppress the populace at such a time? Did they not fear losing their heads? Setting aside whether the ten thousand Mountain-Sea experts were real or fabricated, the footage showing a group easily slaughtering more than a dozen seven-element powerhouses had chilled them to the bone. What was more, few of those fighters were even famous. None of the top martial masters of Silver Moon had even stepped onto that battlefield. Who knew how terrifying their true strength had become? *** The Silver Moon General Administrative Bureau. Outside, the roar of voices was deafening. Shouts of "Down with Zhao Shuguang!" rang incessantly. Outside the gates, the personal guards felt conflicted and deeply aggrieved. Silver Moon had always supported Li Hao. Even the deputy director had gone over, the marshal had gone, the inspectorate chief had gone, the night patrol minister had gone... Now, in all of Silver Moon, only Director Zhao was left holding the fort. These bastards... without knowing right from wrong, they were demanding rebellion! The guards were furious enough to kill! The injustice of it was infuriating! Yet Director Zhao remained calm, gazing outside, his thoughts drifting. Before the man had even arrived, the world had descended into chaos. Everyone chanted for Governor-General Li; none cared for the chill of the twelfth lunar month. The people of Heavenly Star were the most timid and meek. So long as they had a mouthful of food to avoid starvation, they never asked for much. Yet today... even in Silver Moon, where they could still eat their fill and stay warm, it had come to this. Then what about elsewhere? They couldn't survive anyway. Better to... rebel! "A single spark can start a prairie fire... Li Hao, the prairie fire has begun!" He murmured softly, still unable to believe it. The ninety-nine provinces of the world were impossibly vast. An ordinary person could spend a lifetime without traversing the entire country. Yet Li Hao had taken half a year to walk out of Silver City, spent three months establishing a foundation in Heavenly Star City... ...and spent a single day letting the world know that a new era had arrived! A single cultivation technique! Yes, just a single technique, coupled with a few words. No grandiose speeches, no urging the people to rebel, yet... when news echoed from every direction that all could cultivate, that the Central Region was eradicating illiteracy, that people were ascending to heaven in a single day and entering the Mountain-Sea realm... ...people everywhere erupted! We can do it too! If they had never touched martial arts or supernal power in their entire lives, they would never have had such courage or boldness... Yet today, many had opened their first aperture. For the first time in their lives, they felt: I am no longer a weak, bullied ordinary person. I can step into the supernal too. Everyone is supernal; everyone is equal! The social hierarchy had been shattered! Yes, when ordinary people and children alike opened their first aperture and stepped into the Ten-Slayer realm, everyone's awe and reverence toward the supernal vanished in an instant. It turned out... everyone was the same! Do you have an extra eye or mouth compared to us? No! One may not defeat you, but what about ten, a hundred, a thousand... can you kill everyone in the world? *** At this moment, the world was in upheaval. At this moment, within an ancient city, in an ancient residence, an ancient being who seemed to have slumbered for countless eons walked out into the courtyard and looked up into the void. "A new Dao has emerged... the Bright Star Martial Dao, Li Hao!" The powerhouse, resembling a deity, murmured with a sigh. "The world's energy was emptied in an instant. The energy generated by the world was originally on the verge of supporting the second resurgence... What a pity, it's gone." Gone in a flash. Now, whatever was produced was instantly consumed. Even if you detonated the Heavenly Star Great Mine again right now, it would be of little use. Before long, in the blink of an eye, it would be drained dry by those billions of living souls. At this point, there was nothing to do but wait. Wait for what? Wait until everyone's cultivation stabilized; wait until the energy generated by heaven and earth was enough to cover their consumption; wait until those people's breathing and cycling strengthened the world enough to support the appearance of powerhouses—only then would the second resurgence arrive. Otherwise, even detonating a great mine would accomplish nothing. Truly... ridiculous, and yet terrifying. No one had anticipated that the progression of the second resurgence would be interrupted by a multitude of ordinary people. Was it not laughable? Originally, even if the Heavenly Star Great Mine hadn't exploded, achieving a second resurgence wasn't impossible. Back then, this faction had seized two-thirds of the Heavenly Star Great Mine. So long as they were willing to part with it... they could have brought about the second resurgence themselves. Yet before they could consider it, before they could initiate it, before they could even debate whether to trigger their own resurgence... Li Hao had snuffed out their hopes. Save your breath! Don't waste your efforts! Right now, even if you detonated three great mines, they would be sucked dry. If one person couldn't absorb it all, a hundred million, a billion people would... Whatever you had, they would absorb it all. The godlike man asked softly, "Have Ying Hongyue and the others arrived?" "In response to Milord..." Someone bowed cautiously and answered, "No. Ying Hongyue sent a message stating that he is currently evading pursuit by the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office. To prevent them from discovering our location, he will not be coming." The man said indifferently, "He sent the message himself, not Red Robe?" "Yes... Ying Hongyue sent it!" "Where is Red Robe?" "This... Red Robe seems to have disappeared..." "Disappeared?" "Yes." "How did he disappear?" "Unknown." The man was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly. "Could he have been... devoured by Ying Hongyue?" The attendant's expression shifted. "How could that be..." Nervously, he said, "Red Robe's mental power is immense. Though ranked only at the peak of seven elements by current standards, he moves without a trace... Ying Hongyue has yet to merge his seven meridians... How could he kill Red Robe?" The man said calmly, "If one sets their mind to it, it can be done! Back in the day, when the Human King was weak, did he not execute a decisive slaughter against the Catacombs against everyone's expectations?" "But... that was the Human King!" What a joke! Comparing these people to the Human King? Even with Li Hao today, they felt he was unworthy of comparison to the Human King. Let alone Ying Hongyue! Even having betrayed, even having renounced being people of Neo-Martial... the strength, terror, and ruthlessness of the Neo-Martial Human King were things that made them all shudder. That was a truly invincible powerhouse, an undefeated existence throughout his life. Every enemy was ultimately cut down under his blade. With a single Calamity-Quelling Saber, he truly quelled the chaos of the realm. Whether ancient Origin Martial, Nine Emperors and Four Sovereigns, or whoever else, he slashed the Heavenly Emperor in two, executed the world consciousness, and accomplished the unification of the universe. The man smiled. "I merely said that if anyone sets their mind to it, it is possible. I never said he could rival the Human King." With that, his expression turned calm once more. "Send someone to Yushan Town to warn Di Yao to be careful!" Yushan Town was where the first resurgence had begun. A mighty powerhouse was stationed there who had initiated the first resurgence. A vein of ore had originally been detonated there, sweeping across heaven and earth and triggering the first energy revival. Yet due to the restrictions of the world, that powerhouse stationed there remained trapped there to this day. Hearing this, the attendant looked shaken. "Milord..." "Go notify him!" The man said softly, "If Red Robe is dead, that place is no longer safe either. Heavenly Star Town... has likely fallen! The Heavenly Star Great Mine has probably fallen into Li Hao's hands. Regardless of whether his ten thousand Mountain-Sea experts are real or fake, Li Hao's camp will not lack powerhouses. If joined by certain entities residing in the ruins... working together, slaying a Saint might be difficult, but it is not entirely hopeless!" Heavenly Star Town had a Saint holding the fort. Yet after so many years, it was hard to say whether their physical body had recovered. Still, it was ninety-nine percent certain Heavenly Star Town had fallen, and the plan for the second resurgence was an utter failure. The man was not overly surprised. Plans were made to be broken. As veterans of the Neo-Martial era, they knew better than anyone that plans were the least reliable things. At every moment, the Human King had countless plans, only to shatter them himself, leaving his enemies clueless as to what he was thinking. Even the Human King himself often didn't know what he was thinking. Though Li Hao was full of surprises, he had not yet reached the Human King's level of inspiring sheer dread and despair. In his mind, that figure surfaced once more. A terrifying existence! Sometimes, he found himself wondering: if one day the Human King truly returned... what would happen to them? Nothing much could happen... they would simply go to their deaths. What else could they do? Thinking of this, he let out a chuckle. "Ying Hongyue has his own designs as well. But whether he avoids cooperating with me to ally with others, or works with that fellow near the Star Gate, it is all dancing with tigers! In this world, there is no such thing as a free lunch!" "In the end... one can only rely on oneself!" At this point, he continued, "Right now, Li Hao might be bluffing, or he might genuinely have numerous powerhouses waiting for us to make a move, or even planning to strike first... but in any case, we must avoid conflict with him at this stage." He understood the danger of nurturing a tiger only to court disaster. He knew it all too well! The Human King had been a tiger nurtured by many, and in the end, that tiger had devoured everyone. The cautionary tale was right before him, yet he felt helpless. Perhaps this was Heaven's will. This was also Heaven fighting back! "Currently, he can advance to attack or retreat to defend... Even if we dispatch origin avatars, how many would be suitable? Each time, they might just be handing over spoils of war while weakening our own strength... Right now, the most critical priority is to stabilize and consolidate the power of heaven and earth!" Bringing about the second resurgence as swiftly as possible was the only true solution. Otherwise, they would merely be throwing away lives. "Milord, the second resurgence is now... extremely difficult..." "No, it is not difficult!" The man spoke, glancing around. At this moment, silhouettes flickered all around as many waited for his command. The man declared, "This realm is reviving and repairing itself! In the west, there are deities; in the north, there is Origin Martial; underground, there is the Forbidden Sea... The revival of deities consolidates the realm! An eruption of the Forbidden Sea and the accumulated subterranean energy will also consolidate the realm!" "An invasion of Origin Martial that slaughters countless people will also trigger the return of energy... The eruption of war and the fall of powerhouses will likewise return energy to heaven and earth..." "There are many, many ways!" The man said softly, "There is yet another way: restore contact between the eight main cities, reunite the grand array, and draw in heaven and earth energy to stabilize the realm, which will also raise the world to the strength required for the second resurgence!" There was not just one method. There were many! Clashing directly with Li Hao right now was not worth it. Therefore, only by utilizing these methods could they swiftly break the blockade, emerge from the ancient city, and slay Li Hao before he truly rose to power. The man looked toward the sky and fell silent for a moment. "Do not clash head-on with Li Hao and his followers! Whether through subversion or threats, incite war! A war within Heavenly Star! Incite war across the four surrounding kingdoms! Let people die! The more who perish, the more life force the world will absorb, and the stronger its emergent consciousness will become, proactively stabilizing heaven and earth to accommodate powerhouses!" "Milord... this..." The man turned his head to look at the hesitant subordinate, speaking softly, "You must understand that we... have no retreat! Do not harbor any sympathy; none is needed. If you wanted to show sympathy, you should have done so back then! Back then, we caused the deaths of hundreds of millions of Silver Moon Continent's people... We have no path left! You know the Human King's ruthlessness and might better than I do." "Is the Human King dead?" He smiled and shook his head. "I do not know, but... quite possibly not! Back then, the factions secretly backing us were also cast aside. After so many years, Silver Moon is still Silver Moon... What does that signify? It signifies that the Human King and his peers may merely have drifted off course. The plan to shatter the void succeeded in disorienting them and making them lose their way... But will the Human King return?" He looked at everyone. "I do not know, but perhaps he will! Once he returns, if we still have not taken control of Silver Moon, seized its mastery, and piloted the Silver Moon world to evade pursuit, who among us can claim to be a match for the Human King?" His voice was not loud, yet it was bone-chilling. "No one can! Even if one becomes the master of this realm, it is impossible! Faced with the Human King, we would die without a doubt! Therefore, we too are fighting for our survival. Do you understand? If we do not start wars and cause countless casualties, we are the ones who will die! Not only must we initiate wars, but we must also hunt down certain individuals... turn heaven and earth upside down! Of course, slaughtering people ourselves might not be as fast as war, and the danger is substantial... but no matter what, we must trigger the second resurgence as soon as possible. Understand?" "Understood!" Everyone shuddered in solemn resolve! These were beings who had betrayed Neo-Martial in ancient times. Whether coerced, jealous, unwilling to submit, or resentful... in short, during that era, they had betrayed Neo-Martial and turned their backs on the Human King. After so many years, the world was still not under their control, their original plans had been shattered, a new Dao had emerged, and a new Dao Master had arisen. All of this pointed to one thing: if they did not seize Silver Moon soon, they might never have another chance. Their goal was simple: take control of this realm and flee with Silver Moon. Silver Moon was critical—it was a subsidiary world of the main realm. Once Silver Moon was brought under control, there was hope of tracing the source back to conquer the main realm! Only then, with the Human King dead and the Cang Emperor dead, would they have hope of surviving. At this moment, in the distance, a powerhouse cloaked in golden light asked in a low voice, "General, can the lands of the Red Moon provide us with any aid?" The man turned his head and murmured, "Useless fools like Red Robe, what aid could they possibly offer? The beings of the Red Moon are strong, but none have any brains. Their leader is sealed near the Star Gate, and they are entirely consumed with scheming to unseal him—where would they find the time and energy to help us? Relying on others is inferior to relying on ourselves... Betrayal was our own choice! When the time comes, we can slaughter the Red Moon's people as well! Silver Moon is our bargaining chip... The Red Moon faction wants Silver Moon to counterattack the main world, while we need Silver Moon to preserve our lives, rule supreme, and forge a new world!" The golden-armored powerhouse fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Understood! Then what of the newly disseminated technique of the new Dao...?" "That is an art of Dao meridians. We have no Dao meridians." The man shook his head slightly. "Nor do we know where the Great Dao Universe lies. Without Dao meridians and without coordinates, learning it is utterly useless! Li Hao has no fear of us from the Neo-Martial era learning this technique; even if we study it, it will be in vain!" The crowd felt a twinge of regret. The man added, "Moreover, at this stage, even if they cultivate to the pinnacle, they will merely touch the threshold of the Immortal Realm. That so-called ninth tier of the Sun-Moon realm only opens thirty-six Dao meridians, roughly equivalent to the peak of the Peak Realm back then. In the present era, it is comparable only to someone newly stepped into the Immortal Realm..." Everyone nodded. Hearing this brought considerable relief. They had seen the thirty-six Dao meridians as well, but fully cultivating them would likely be exceedingly difficult. It might be manageable at first, but it would grow exponentially harder as one progressed. Even without cultivating it themselves, they could discern that much, having all traversed comparable stages before. The man said no more. After reassuring the group, he declared, "Attend to your duties. Having survived to this day, we will not be intimidated by a minor crisis. Cause some trouble for Li Hao... Let him realize that not even the Sword Venerable could bring us down, let alone a wet-behind-the-ears stripling like him!" The others nodded without further words. They might say that, but back in the day, the Human King had slain the Heavenly Emperor in his early twenties... Some had witnessed it in person. Youth was never an excuse or a reason to underestimate an opponent. In the Neo-Martial era, with the Human King present, enemies lived in terror while they enjoyed peace of mind. Yet in this era, when Li Hao appeared and swiftly promoted a new martial path... some could not help but think of the Human King. The man knew this too. Yet he could do nothing to stop them from thinking so. Even he himself... how was he any different? In his heart, there was a faint sense of desolation. Was this truly fate? Back then, the Star Gate had been sealed, origin energy had dissipated, and the realm had become too frail to sustain them. They had thought the world might recover quickly and allow them to emerge, but this wait... had lasted a hundred thousand years! Although arrangements had been made in advance with abundant energy, allowing almost everyone to make progress over the past hundred thousand years while he himself had stepped into an unimaginable realm... ...the Human King had slain the Heavenly Emperor in his twenties! No matter how strong he became, he knew he was still some distance away from the Sovereign realm. The second resurgence was clearly right before his eyes... Just as he was on the verge of walking out and achieving all he desired, who would have thought that disaster would strike at the final moment? "Truly... laughable!" Sighing inwardly, he vanished from where he stood. There was still a chance! Even if Li Hao and his peers reached the Sun-Moon realm or even higher, even if they attained the Saint or Heavenly King realms, he did not fear them. Time was still on his side. The entity in this world most worthy of dread was not Li Hao, but the leader of the Red Moon. Not Ying Hongyue, of course. Rather, it was the being suppressed near the Star Gate, having been blasted there by the parting strike of the Sword Venerable and his comrades. Back then, that entity... was a genuine Sovereign. Yet over all these years, with the Star Gate sealing off inside from outside, energy dissipating, and space severed... who knew how much strength that being still possessed? Still, a Sovereign was a Sovereign! Even if he had only thirty percent of his power left, one might not be able to prevail. "Li Hao... Human King..." Returning to the grand hall, he thought of Li Hao, then of the Human King again. After a long while, he shook his head to dispel these thoughts. Don't frighten yourself! Across eternity, there was only one Human King. Not everyone is the Human King. *** At the same time. In Heavenly Star City. Spreading martial arts across the realm would not yield results overnight. At this moment, facing the group before him, Li Hao had no inclination to dwell on that, saying swiftly, "Continue expanding the academies, open more literacy classes, and have all monster plants from Heavenly Star Town cultivate crops!" "Formally begin mining the Heavenly Star Great Mine. The excavated divine energy stones will be supplied to the army for cultivation, prioritizing strengthening the military and the students of the martial academies!" "In addition, the rest of you have critical duties!" Li Hao said in a grave voice, "I intend to sweep through all the ruins in the Central Region of Heavenly Star! Whether by capturing, killing, cooperating, or annihilating... we must clear out all monster plants that do not belong to the Governor-General's faction!" "Locate the nine communication towers and restore base-station communications..." Li Hao declared, "Right now, the upheaval in Heavenly Star is massive, and the enemy will certainly not sit idly by! I want to complete all sweeping operations as quickly as possible, secure our logistics, and strengthen ourselves. Only a peaceful realm can continuously give rise to powerhouses... War is by no means the only path to producing the strong!" The devastation of living souls might catalyze the growth of powerhouses, but it was not the only way. To say that only war produced the strong... Li Hao believed that to be false. In an age of peace and prosperity, a peaceful and powerful nation had more time, energy, and resources to cultivate powerhouses and hone them in battle, rather than relying on war to force them into existence. Li Hao said no more and began calling upon his commanders: "Sky Sword, Northern Fist, Tyrant Saber, Southern Fist, Chen Zhongtian, Bright Sword, Jade Rakshasa, Thunderbolt Leg, Mu Hai, Yao Si, Hou Xiaochen, Huang Yu, Kong Jie... you will march with me to sweep the ruins! Yuanping Martial Arts University will dispatch twenty students to assist! Wang Ye of Battle Heaven City and the Ninth Division Commander of the Reserve City Guard will march with me!" Outside the hall, a figure in golden armor turned his head, saying indifferently, "You have no right to order me to do anything!" Li Hao's voice remained calm. "Ninth Commander, this is not an order, but a partnership! Battle Heaven City requires substantial energy to revive, and I... have plenty! Slaying these monster plants, demonic beasts, and ancient traitors who bring disaster upon the realm is also your duty! Do you not wish to point your sword at the heavens, march out of the Star Gate, and return to Neo-Martial? Then cooperating with me is essential!" "I am the commander of the Eleventh Division—we are colleagues. Why must you be so reluctant and petty, Ninth Commander..." The Ninth Division Commander felt a strong urge to scoff! Who are you calling petty? Look at yourself! He simply couldn't stand how arrogant the fellow had grown lately. Li Hao had become insufferably smug, and the commander felt it necessary to remind him that if they truly entered the ruins, he could cleave Li Hao's divine avatar in two with a single sword strike! What was there to be smug about? "Li Hao, you should understand that ruins vary in danger! Near Heavenly Star Island, there may well be formidable entities, and your divine avatar might not be able to suppress every powerhouse!" "In my view, at this stage, your divine avatar can at most exert strength comparable to the peak of the Immortal Realm—and that is the peak of the Immortal Realm by current standards. As for Immortals... among those who have survived to this day, are there few of them?" Li Hao, you are far too arrogant! He believed Li Hao still lacked a proper lesson. Daring to boast about sweeping through the ruins right now... truly arrogant and overbearing! Did he think leading a bunch of six- and seven-element martial masters would be enough to sweep away all ancient powerhouses? Far too confident, far too conceited! Moreover, the conditions inside the ruins were unknown. If Li Hao barged in rashly, he would likely encounter immense peril; if any ruin harbored a Saint... Li Hao would be finished. Were there Saints? The Ninth Commander believed there certainly were. What if a ruin was built over a small mineral vein? If the vein was intact and the monster plants, demonic beasts, or even humans inside remained alive, was it so difficult to reach the Saint realm over a hundred thousand years? Back then, the main metropolitan cities were drained of energy in an instant because they were targeted. Yet some small veins might well have gone unnoticed. Li Hao nodded, suddenly breaking into a smile. Stepping down from the raised platform, he cupped his hands and said, "It is precisely because of this that I hope to secure the Ninth Commander's aid! Win-win cooperation! You are merely an origin avatar... Well, if you truly fall, I will seize enough origin energy to help you recover!" "..." So the fellow had been scheming after him all along. The Ninth Commander was rendered speechless! Li Hao continued, "Furthermore, a traitor has emerged from the Li family. I believe whether it is me or the Ninth Commander, both of us would like to slay him with our own hands! Of course, he is your elder brother, so you might be reluctant... In any case, win-win cooperation is sound, and strengthening oneself is right. Could it be that the Ninth Commander does not wish to grow stronger and restore himself?" The Ninth Commander was blunt, saying directly, "I never said I was unwilling! But there are three things I must make clear in advance. Slaying these powerhouses is fine, but I make the decisions! That is first. Second, if we encounter Neo-Martial powerhouses who remained loyal to their duties, should they refuse to cooperate or surrender, you must not harm them! Third, the spoils of war are split fifty-fifty!" At these words, everyone in the hall glared in outrage! Director Wang felt rather awkward, not knowing what to say. At this moment, one of the puppet students chimed in, "If that's how it is, our Yuanping Martial Arts University also wants one-third of the resources, and you two can split the rest!" This sparked even greater fury among the assembly! Tyrant Saber's temper flared instantly, and he snapped coldly, "Then we'll go do the killing ourselves! Whether it's Battle Heaven City or Yuanping Martial Arts University, the Governor-General expended no small amount of effort for you to revive so quickly and walk freely outside! We were helping each other; it wasn't solely by relying on you that we reached this day!" "Remember, we are merely cooperating with each other; we are not like the Nine Departments or the imperial family, clinging to monster plants for support!" Tyrant Saber snorted coldly, his eyes glaring with fury! Southern Fist also sneered, "I knew these ancients couldn't be trusted! Before anything is even accomplished, they're already trying to seize power! Do you truly take us for spineless cowards like the Nine Departments and the imperial family? At worst, we part ways! If you want to fight, let's fight... Those fellows in the Heavenly Star Town ruins can't come out right now anyway—who's afraid of whom?" Li Hao raised a hand to cut everyone off, looking at the Ninth Commander with a serious gaze. "Is the Ninth Commander being serious, or making a joke?" "Serious!" The Ninth Commander showed no fear, looking back at Li Hao. "I know you have always been wary of Neo-Martial people, but I am a Neo-Martial man! You seized the Heavenly Star Great Mine, but that mine belongs to the people of Neo-Martial! You have provided no energy to Battle Heaven City, nor have you aided its recovery. If this continues... Li Hao, we will sooner or later fall under your control!" He said calmly, "The people of Neo-Martial... do not wish to be checked or restrained by others! You worry about falling under our sway, and we refuse to fall under yours! Wang Ye's choice is his own affair, but as a soldier of Neo-Martial, I cannot entrust Neo-Martial's future entirely into your hands!" He was deeply solemn: "Cooperation means fair treatment. Yet the cooperation you speak of is merely us working for you while you hand out meager wages. We are not mercenaries. You can treat Yuanping Martial Arts University that way because they are not soldiers, only students... But with Battle Heaven City, you cannot! We are a principal city, and the Battle Heaven Army is a legion, not mercenaries! We have our own civilization, our own faith, our own martial soul, and our own principles... Li Hao, your title of Eleventh Division Commander is merely a joke; you are only the commander of the Demon Hunt Army, not of the Battle Heaven Army!" Li Hao frowned slightly. "Yet at this stage, cooperating with me offers the greatest benefits to Battle Heaven City!" The Ninth Commander was silent for a moment, then nodded. "That is true... but in doing so, the military soul and faith of the Battle Heaven Army will vanish! We would become vagrant mercenaries. You must understand that they have died... they are already dead! Before dying, their conviction was to fight for Neo-Martial, to fight for the Human King—not... to fight for Li Hao!" Li Hao paused in silence. "Are you saying that once their faith and principles are altered, they will completely dissipate?" "Very likely." The Ninth Commander said calmly, "Our spiritual faith does not lie in the new era; it lies in Neo-Martial! Therefore, being treated purely as mercenaries... is an insult!" Li Hao frowned. Looking at him, Li Hao could not tell if this was a bargaining tactic or genuinely the case. After a long pause, Li Hao spoke: "If you put it that way... having you make the calls is unacceptable. The spoils can be split fifty-fifty, but with one condition: you must provide sufficient strength, at least not weaker than our side. If you are weaker, distribution will be based on contribution! As for what you said about freedom of choice and no coercion..." Li Hao was silent for a moment before saying slowly, "How about this: if there are Neo-Martial powerhouses who refuse to serve me or cooperate, but have not participated in the empire's current unrest, I can relocate them to Battle Heaven City... You will be responsible for supporting them! However, they may not remain where they are!" At this point, some in the room were beside themselves with anger, feeling that Li Hao was capitulating to Neo-Martial. "Governor-General, this..." Li Hao raised his hand. "It doesn't matter. I hold great respect for the seniors of Neo-Martial, and when it comes to faith and military soul, I am willing to understand. However, the era has changed after all. If the Ninth Commander is agreeable, we can reach an understanding on these terms. If not... I ask the Battle Heaven Army to return to Battle Heaven City!" Li Hao pointed outside. "Ninth Commander, the heavens... are no longer the heavens of Neo-Martial!" He too spoke calmly: "You have your faith and your reasoning, and as for me... I believe the ten billion human beings of Heavenly Star all wish for peace and support from the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office right now. If we still cannot reach an accord... then conflict may inevitably follow." This was the first time friction had arisen between him and Battle Heaven City. And perhaps this was inevitable. The Ninth Commander was silent for a moment, then said, "Agreed!" Li Hao smiled. "That is good. I also hope the cooperation between myself and Battle Heaven City can continue indefinitely." The Ninth Commander said no more. Behind him, Director Wang breathed a slight sigh of relief. The others were still somewhat dissatisfied, but since the Ninth Commander had conceded, they said nothing further. At this moment, another puppet student spoke up, "Governor-General Li, what about us..." Li Hao was not courteous in the least: "Shut your mouths! None of this concerns you, so what are you meddling for? Idle chatter! If you want benefits, tell your Dean of Academic Affairs to return the Heavenly King's corpse to me!" "..." The puppets zipped their mouths at once. That was true! They had already received quite a few benefits. Besides, they were only students... Conflicts between major factions and civilizations had nothing to do with them. Having said that, Li Hao chuckled, "Don't follow Battle Heaven City's example... Battle Heaven City considers itself the spokesperson of Neo-Martial right now. Once I take control of the Li family's Sword City, Battle Heaven City's status as spokesperson... will vanish! Among the eight main cities, Sword City is first after all! When that time comes... the Ninth Commander won't be able to act so tough, will he?" Li Hao looked at the Ninth Commander, who replied calmly, "If you truly take control of Sword City, as the head of the eight cities, we will naturally follow your lead!" Li Hao smiled and nodded. "Mm! I believe... it won't be much of a problem. I hope this won't harm our bond, Brother Nine, right?" "..." The Ninth Commander couldn't be bothered to respond and turned on his heel to leave. Behind him, Director Wang smiled sheepishly and hurried after him. Li Hao transmitted his voice: "Director Wang, persuade the Ninth Commander. We are all family, why act like this?" Director Wang gave a dry laugh and quickly departed. *** Outside the Governor-General's Office, Director Wang caught up to the Ninth Commander and transmitted his voice: "Li Daozong, what are you doing? If Li Hao truly wins, Battle Heaven City won't be shortchanged. Why bring all this up and make things ugly for everyone?" "Fool!" The Ninth Commander ignored him and continued walking. Director Wang hurried to keep up, somewhat irritated: "How am I foolish? Tell me!" The Ninth Commander paused, stopping in his tracks. After a brief silence, he transmitted, "Tell me, if he wins in the end, where will we, the people of Neo-Martial, go? If the Star Gate does not open... are we to surrender to him?" Director Wang froze. The Ninth Commander sighed in his heart, transmitting, "Rather than creating difficulties later, it is better to state things clearly now. Win or lose, if he can send us through the Star Gate, we will depart this place. If he cannot... I still hope the people of Neo-Martial can preserve some legacy, a cultural heritage... I do not want us to be assimilated by him in the end! Haven't you noticed... that you have already been partially assimilated?" He said with a hint of sorrow, "Wang Ye, I'm not saying your choice was wrong. I only want to say... time flows mercilessly, and a hundred thousand years have passed. Neo-Martial is no more, yet I... still hope that Neo-Martial can leave some trace in this place! You do your part, and I'll do mine—there is no conflict between us! If in the end he wins and unites Silver Moon, but the Star Gate still cannot be opened... then let the Battle Heaven Army remain the very last legion of the Neo-Martial era!" Wang Ye was stunned and did not speak again. The Ninth Commander walked away, transmitting his parting words: "Stating things clearly today is far better than facing an awkward impasse tomorrow! While some goodwill remains, and while Battle Heaven City still retains some power, we must secure opportunities for Neo-Martial... Otherwise, once he becomes so powerful that he no longer needs Battle Heaven City at all... we won't have any leverage to bargain!" Having spoken, he vanished into the distance. Wang Ye stood in place, silent for a long time. After who knew how long, he sighed softly. That fellow Li Daozong was stubborn to the extreme at times, yet shrewd to the extreme at others. Clearly, the scene just now had been deliberate on his part. Yet... would Li Hao truly sever the heritage and civilization of Neo-Martial? He pondered this, uncertain. Glancing back at the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office... his mood grew complicated. Li Hao was neither as overbearing as the Human King nor as ruthless. Yet having followed Li Hao for some time, he understood that Li Hao seemed to possess something the Human King lacked. He couldn't put it into words. Perhaps... he possessed that all-embracing breadth of mind that the Human King lacked, which only Supreme Zhang had possessed? Was that it? He didn't know, but he knew that following Li Hao for long enough might make one forget Neo-Martial. Li Hao was actually terrifying; he was quietly assimilating everyone. Just like that moment earlier: had it been the Human King, he would have instantly turned hostile, tolerating no threats whatsoever. Yet Li Hao had not. He chose to agree. Although the terms were altered slightly, he still agreed. No doubt the Ninth Commander was deeply conflicted as well. Because Li Hao agreed, the commander had no way to refuse. In doing so... he might gradually be assimilated by Li Hao as well, silently erasing the traces of Neo-Martial bit by bit. Director Wang shivered, feeling a chill run down his spine. No, it wouldn't happen. The people of Neo-Martial would never forget Neo-Martial. *** Meanwhile, inside the hall, Li Hao gazed in the direction they had left, a smile gracing his face. "Everyone, don't be angry. It is merely a minor matter. Neo-Martial believes in striving and contending on the martial path; striving is right, and not striving would be unnatural! We respect their faith... and naturally, we must also learn from their strengths. Commander Yu, take the Demon Hunt Army and operate alongside the Battle Heaven Army. Study their every move, their conduct, their discipline, and their conviction! An army ought to have a military soul. Accompany the Ninth Commander closely to protect him and learn from Neo-Martial's experience!" Huang Yu's eyes flickered slightly, and he answered in a deep voice, "Understood!" Li Hao wore a faint smile. The Ninth Commander was quite endearing! A man of the Li family playing politics... how amusing. This worked out fine too, but... I don't believe you'll have the heart to let those soldiers remain wandering ghosts forever. As long as they wish to restore their flesh, I'll recommend the physical vessels of the new era... Sooner or later, they will still become my troops. Seeing this, Lin Hongyu spoke up from within the hall: "Governor-General, to give the Battle Heaven Army fighting power and motivation, I suggest sending ten million divine energy stones to Battle Heaven City right away as a greeting gift of friendly cooperation... and a token of goodwill from you as the Eleventh Division Commander. What does the Governor-General think?" "Ten million is too little. Make it thirty million!" Li Hao chuckled and nodded. "Have someone arrange it, and convey my deepest admiration to the two guardians." "Understood!" Lin Hongyu said no more, having conveyed her point. A soldier like the Ninth Commander trying to play politics? Sooner or later, every other person in Battle Heaven City will be assimilated into our fold. Yet some in the hall were still indignant: they were actually sending gifts voluntarily? It was truly... infuriating! Only at this moment did Yuan Shuo recall something, calling out, "Li Hao, what about me? You haven't assigned anything to your master yet..." "Teacher, compile the textbooks! The foundation of a thousand generations rests upon your pen!" Li Hao had already drifted away, leaving Yuan Shuo thoroughly speechless. I only said that offhand back then, yet this little bastard actually assigned me to write textbooks!