Upheaval at Mount Cang

The emergence of the new martial Dao sent shockwaves throughout the world. Across the four outlying continents, people continually raised banners and cried out, demanding that the regional overlords submit to the Central Region and restore the empire's unity. Faced with this clamor, some hesitated, while others gritted their teeth, preparing to declare their allegiance. Yet formidable overlords still stood across the land. In the east stood the Duke of Dingguo's Estate; in the west, the Duke of Anguo's Estate; and in the south, the Duke of Wuguo's Estate. As long as these titans made no choice, the rest continued to watch from the sidelines. They observed the moves of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office in the Central Region, while keeping an eye on the decisions of ancient beings as well. ... While the world watched and waited, the Central Region bustled with boundless fervor. They built schools, laid roads, erected housing, and constructed everything imaginable... Infrastructure took priority! Drawing on lessons from Neo-Martial times, Li Hao turned supernaturals everywhere into frantic construction engines, sending them out to build in all directions. As more and more joined from the City of Supernaturals, they formed construction corps across the various provinces. While paving roads, everyone was also transitioning to the new martial Dao. Opening apertures! These supernaturals already had a foundation of severed meridians. Switching to aperture cultivation allowed them to instantly open certain apertures without the slightest effort. The only regret was that they could not link their divine ability meridians to the thirty-six Dao meridians. As a result, their divine ability power was greatly weakened. In Nandou. At a massive construction site, workers were raising the province's largest martial academy. Nearly a thousand supernaturals were currently putting in extra hours to construct the institution. Under the collective efforts of this supernatural workforce, a grand, sprawling academy had already taken shape. Just then, a Night Patroller soared over Nandou on the wind and called out loudly, "Good news! An order has arrived from the Governor-General's Office! Any supernatural currently building local academies who successfully transitions to the new Dao and reaches seventy-three apertures to enter the Thousand-Battler realm before school begins will have a chance to stay on as an academy instructor!" The thousand-odd working supernaturals froze in surprise. The Night Patroller shouted, "The Governor-General says that making you strain your sinews and bones and endure physical hunger was never meant to treat you like slaves! It was to let you experience the hardships of the common folk, so you would understand how difficult life is for ordinary mortals! If you render merit in building the academy and pass inspection, you may stay right here to teach and educate as revered instructors and professors! "Instructors will earn ten times their current wages! Not only that, formidable experts will personally oversee each regional martial academy to lecture on martial arts. When the time comes, experts at the Mountain-Sea or even Sun-Moon realm may personally impart the new martial Dao!" Below, the gathered supernaturals shuddered. Their hearts surged with excitement in an instant! Staying on as instructors, teaching and nurturing students, being honored as professors, earning ten times their pay, and having Mountain-Sea masters personally preach the Dao... Mountain-Sea! Even a first-tier Mountain-Sea master was comparable to a divine ability powerhouse under the old system. To many of them, divine abilities were already the pinnacle of the heavens. Someone could not help calling out, "Is this news true? Is it only for Nandou, or everywhere?" "Everywhere!" the Night Patroller answered with a laugh. "At least throughout the Central Region for now... But as you know, the number of martial academies is limited. In this initial stage, only twenty-three are being built—one per province, plus one in Heavenly Star City. And the number of instructor positions is naturally limited! We cannot rely entirely on you either, as the Governor-General's Office will assign personnel as well... So I hope you seize this opportunity!" Pausing, he added, "Another order has come from the Governor-General's Office. To turn these martial academies into sacred grounds of the martial Dao, monster plants will be dispatched to oversee each location where conditions permit, assisting in cultivation and gathering the energy of heaven and earth..." "What?" "Monster plants?" "Ancient monster plants?" Those words stirred up a commotion all around. In the eyes of many, monster plants were ancient, invincible beings. Major factions had only ever managed to establish themselves by attaching themselves to these plants or beasts, clinging to such ancient entities for survival. And yet... Now, far from relying on them, the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office was stationing monster plants in martial academies to draw worldly energy and assist students in cultivating! This was simply inconceivable! Beings they considered gods would soon become members of an academy. The Night Patroller said with visible excitement, "That is the word that came down. As for how it will be carried out in practice, even I do not know! The Governor-General's intent is that masters of both the present and antiquity should join hands to forge a peaceful realm! We respect Neo-Martial civilization, but Neo-Martial civilization must also respect us to create a harmonious society... Mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, just like back in the Neo-Martial era when monster plants watched over major cities... "For now, since monster plants are limited in number, they will focus on the academies to help students accelerate their cultivation!" At this point, the supernaturals below were so thrilled they could practically fly. "Sir, must one reach seventy-three apertures?" The Night Patroller nodded. "Indeed! As an instructor, one cannot be too weak. Opening seventy-three apertures brings you into the Thousand-Battler realm, which rivals the previous Three Suns and Rising Light levels... Without that strength, how could you teach? Naturally, younger candidates might have a shot at becoming students... The exact enrollment criteria and process remain to be announced. Furthermore, the Governor-General's Office will recruit instructors with special gifts, so supernaturals with unique affinities have a very high chance!" With that, he added, "Oh, right. The Governor-General's Office also has a special provision: any martial master who has grasped force—regardless of whether they have crossed into the new Dao—may directly join the academy with preferential treatment!" Martial masters who had grasped force! That remark did not draw much excitement. In the past, only martial masters who reached the peak Hundred-Breaker realm had a chance of grasping force. While peak Hundred-Breakers were not overwhelmingly mighty, such martial masters were exceedingly rare in reality. Most of them had been in Silver Moon. Outside of Silver Moon, martial masters who grasped force were few and far between across the realm. Just then, the Night Patroller glanced toward two figures standing nearby—a man and a woman, quite young, their eyes filled with pride and cold indifference. "Sun Hongxiu, would you and your junior brother be interested in joining the martial academy?" These two were local martial masters from Nandou. Neither was weak; both had grasped force. This academy project had also hired several local experts to participate. With cultivation resources so scarce nowadays, quite a few local supernaturals and martial masters had applied for the work to earn provisions, especially since the labor carried no danger. Below, the woman looked skyward with a cold gaze, fixing her eyes on the Night Patroller. She replied in a low voice, "Thank you for your kind offer, my lord, but my brother and I are accustomed to our freedom. We will pass." The Night Patroller felt a touch of regret. These two martial masters were genuinely formidable. Sun Hongxiu in particular seemed on the verge of stepping into what would have been the Thousand-Battler realm. Had they joined the academy, it would have counted toward his own merit for recommending them. Currently, the world lacked many things, but not supernaturals. Yet martial masters—especially those who had grasped force—were truly precious. "Think it over!" The Night Patroller said nothing more. Having delivered the message, he quickly departed. Once he was gone, the pair resumed their labor. It was nothing extraordinary—simply hauling massive boulders down from the mountains, as most current martial academies were constructed beside slopes to source materials easily. "Senior Sister..." The haughty young man beside her whispered, "That villain's power blots out the sky right now. Why not join the academy and bide our time? If we can win over some students and instructors, and then sway these thousands of supernaturals... even if we cannot match him directly, we could still stir up trouble for him!" Sun Hongxiu kept her head down in silence. They had joined this workforce not merely to earn resources, but to see whether these supernaturals—rumored abroad to be slaves—could be rallied. Yet upon actually working alongside them, both felt utter disappointment. These supernaturals possessed neither the nerve nor the courage to rebel. On the contrary, they seemed thoroughly content with their current lot. It left them feeling thoroughly demoralized. Ever since their master and senior brother fell in Silver Moon, they had carried the weight of a blood feud back to Nandou, initially hoping to seek vengeance against Li Hao. Yet who could have guessed that within just a few months, Li Hao would claim Heavenly Star City without shedding a single drop of blood? He had shattered the Nine Departments and the imperial household, taking their place, while so many regional warlords watched helplessly from afar, even allowing Li Hao to preach his Dao to the entire realm... Now, virtually no hope of vengeance remained. Sun Hongxiu felt lost. Her junior brother urged them to join the academy, become instructors, and rally students and staff for future plans. Yet was there truly any hope left? These supernaturals lacked the slightest will to resist. Beside her, the haughty youth whispered again, "Senior Sister, joining the academy grants ten times the cultivation resources. Only by doing that can we grow stronger and hope to avenge them..." Sun Hongxiu stared at him until his eyes shifted evasively. She laughed bitterly to herself. If they truly joined this martial academy, their martial spirit would be extinguished. Yielding to Li Hao like that, could they ever hope for vengeance? Though no hope was in sight even now, refusing to bend to Li Hao was her final line of defense. Her junior brother, however, was still young. Just yesterday, he had claimed that cultivating the new martial Dao first would allow them to know the enemy and defeat him with his own methods... He framed it that way, but Sun Hongxiu knew the truth: her brother wanted to compromise. She did not blame him. The enemy was simply too powerful, too terrifying. The Three Great Organizations had been driven out of the Central Region, the Seven Sacred Mountains remained astonishingly low-key, the Nine Departments and the imperial household had been extinguished, the Wind and Cloud Pavilion was crushed, and all twenty-two provinces of the Central Region had bowed their heads. The City of Supernaturals, with its million supernaturals, had yielded without a ripple, its vast numbers turned into captives, while Lin Hongyu—the peerless prodigy among women of their generation—ran errands faithfully for Li Hao. Against such a foe, what could one feel aside from despair and utter helplessness? There was nothing they could do. Her persistence now was merely a final struggle—a battle against herself. *Master... Senior Brother... I'm afraid I cannot avenge your deaths after all!* Though she acknowledged this inwardly, grief still weighed heavy on her heart. Even though Li Hao and his master had slain them in a formal duel... She still could not bear to let everything go. Beside her, the junior brother lowered his head and resumed working. Back then, he had only been at the peak Ten-Slayer realm, but he had already reached peak Hundred-Breaker, progressing by leaps and bounds. Yet compared to Li Hao, his progress was beneath mention. His senior sister was dead set on revenge... but was there truly any hope? The young man sighed inwardly. His senior sister refused to learn the new martial Dao and refused to join the academy. Without resources or powerful heritages, could relying solely on the brow-high staff passed down from their master ever allow them to slay Li Hao? *Senior Sister, the era is changing swiftly.* *If we do not adapt, we may never have another chance in this lifetime. Martial masters have already become relics of the old martial arts.* *Master was a Silver Moon martial master. Countless Silver Moon martial masters were slain by Yuan Shuo, yet do not many of their descendants serve under Li Hao today?* As the two of them were lost in thought, the Night Patroller who had just left suddenly returned. Not only had he returned, but a companion accompanied him. The newcomer wore an indifferent expression, standing rigid as a statue. The Night Patroller beside him behaved with utter deference and undisguised adoration, not daring to utter a single misplaced word. The middle-aged man beside the Night Patroller glanced down. Without needing any direction, he vanished in a flash and reappeared directly before Sun Hongxiu and her junior brother. Sun Hongxiu braced as if facing a mortal enemy! Around them, other supernaturals looked on in confusion, while those who recognized the arrival turned pale with horror. Sky Sword! Indeed, it was none other than the renowned Sky Sword, master of the Sky Sword Manor and one of the formidable generals serving under Li Hao. Though Sun Hongxiu did not know him by sight, she could already feel an overwhelming, suffocating pressure. A flicker of despair passed through her eyes. At that moment, Sky Sword spoke slowly. "I assumed you had changed your names and hidden yourselves away. I never expected you to come here to build an academy." Not one to mince words, he said calmly, "The death of the King of the Brow-High Staff was a loss to the Silver Moon martial arts world. However, he aligned himself with Ying Hongyue and fell in a fair duel against Yuan Shuo... There is nothing more to be said. "Governor-General Li searched for you for some time, but found no trace..." "Have you come to kill us?" Sun Hongxiu said coldly. "I have no need to change my name! I walk upright and act with honor. If Li Hao wants to kill me, let him try!" Sky Sword let out a soft laugh. After a pause, he said, "To kill you... would he need to lift a finger himself?" Sun Hongxiu frowned in silence. Sky Sword said no more on the matter, speaking flatly, "The Governor-General merely had unfinished business. When the King of the Brow-High Staff fell that day, he left behind half a staff forged from his mental willpower. It is no ordinary item. The Governor-General instructed me to hand it over to you!" It was purely a chance encounter. Li Hao was currently clearing out ancient ruins nearby when Nandou submitted its labor registry. The mention of two martial masters caught attention. A closer look revealed them to be disciples of the King of the Brow-High Staff. Before this, the pair had possessed no fixed abode, making them difficult to track down. Without another word, Sky Sword retrieved the broken half of a brow-high staff and looked at the two of them. He studied Sun Hongxiu, then glanced at the young martial master. The young man had great talent, whereas Sun Hongxiu was noticeably less gifted. Even so, Sky Sword placed the object in Sun Hongxiu's hands. "Take it and comprehend it well. Your master's lifelong will is contained within this half-staff! You may study the new martial Dao; we hope the King of the Brow-High Staff's legacy can endure..." Sun Hongxiu stared at him, teeth clenched, silent. Sky Sword sighed with emotion. "Such are martial masters, and such is the martial forest. That is why the Governor-General hopes to forge a different kind of martial world—one where such strife, bloodshed, and death are kept far from Heavenly Star! When powerful martial masters fall, they should not perish in internal strife, but in vanquishing foreign enemies! "In the past, Silver Moon was a sacred land of martial arts and a vanity fair where ambitious figures sought fame. The Silver Moon Roster of Heroes ruined many people... yet it also brought greatness to many. "The Governor-General intends to compile a new Roster of Heroes, but it will no longer feature the figures of yesterday, nor those whose only talent was internal infighting. Yuan Shuo is currently compiling teaching materials for the new martial Dao. Governor-General Li hopes to see the rise of true, righteous chivalric heroes!" With those words, he stepped into the air and departed, his voice echoing in their ears: "No matter how skilled you are at internal strife, it does not make you a hero! When the Governor-General fought your master's eldest disciple, he said that combat is a spirit, while taking a life is merely a regret... Yet such was the martial forest of that era. If you two ever wish to seek revenge against him, he will await you at any time. We only hope... you do not lose yourselves in an abyss of hatred!" With the final word, his figure vanished. Holding the half-staff, Sun Hongxiu gritted her teeth, not uttering a sound. Li Hao knew they were here. He had sent Sky Sword to deliver their master's relic and said he would await their revenge at any time, yet it was only a regret to him; he felt no remorse. Had he been wrong? Sun Hongxiu closed her eyes in silence. Perhaps... neither side was wrong, was that not so? Had their master not traveled to Silver Moon that day precisely to dispose of Yuan Shuo? *Still... who is he to act like a saint!* Fury flared in Sun Hongxiu's heart. She wanted to hurl the staff away, yet it was her master's heirloom and the crystallization of his martial Dao. How could she cast it aside? In the end, she let out a sigh, her eyes brimming with bitterness. ... A desolate hill in the outskirts of Nandou. Sky Sword descended. Many figures were gathered here, including several high-ranking officials of Nandou. Landing on the ground, Sky Sword reported, "The item has been delivered to the disciples of the King of the Brow-High Staff." Li Hao nodded slightly, offering no further comment. That was business from the past. When he put away that half-staff back then, he had promised to deliver it to the man's disciples. Having failed to find them until now, handing it over today fulfilled his pledge. That half-staff was extraordinary. It even contained remnants of staff Dao intent. If someone could truly absorb it, perhaps... another top-tier staff master would emerge in this world. At present, the path of the staff truly lacked powerful practitioners. Beside them, Southern Fist muttered, "They might not feel the least bit grateful to you." "Why would I need their gratitude?" Li Hao replied with a faint smile. "I simply do not wish to see this world lose a martial master's heritage! Every secret technique and every manual was created through boundless effort, talent, and wisdom by our predecessors. Losing even one erases the toil and dedication of many. As for his disciples, if they come to seek revenge and cannot match me, only to fall by my hand, I will simply preserve their heritage for them once again..." "Ruthless!" Southern Fist muttered under his breath. *Are you planning to wipe out their children and grandchildren, slaughtering every single generation?* *This fellow Li Hao has a truly venomous way of getting even.* *Could the King of the Brow-High Staff's disciples ever hope to match him?* Naturally, Li Hao had no idea what the man was thinking. Had he known, he would have simply concluded that Southern Fist remained as narrow-minded as ever. With that minor matter resolved, Li Hao looked toward the barren hill before him and stomped his foot. The earth split open! A stone gate was revealed. A faint ripple of mental energy circulated all around. Stepping forward, Li Hao introduced himself. "Li Hao, Governor-General of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, invites Senior to join the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office. At present, several seniors—from Battle Heaven City, Heavenly Star Town, the Communication Tower, and the Imperial Palace guards—have already chosen to join us. You have only two choices before you: first, join the Governor-General's Office; second, join Battle Heaven City!" A wisp of mental energy drifted around Li Hao, carrying a chill. "You mind your business and I will mind mine. I know who you are! But this place is my territory..." "No, this place is the territory of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office! It is called Nandou!" Li Hao stated, "Senior, courtesy precedes the use of force. Previously, I would have chosen to destroy you outright. Now, because the Ninth Division Commander of the Battle Heaven City Reserve Guard pleaded on your behalf, I have chosen to take a step back... Senior, I offer courtesy first. If you refuse, then we shall speak through steel!" Behind him, the aura of the gathered experts surged like a rainbow. Further back, nearly ten thousand troops radiated blood-qi like a dragon. True soldiers of the Battle Heaven Army were mingled among them, their momentum rolling like thunder! "I am an Immortal! Undying and imperishable! Until heaven and earth fully awaken, you may reign supreme outside, but dare to cross this stone gate and I will teach you the vastness of heaven and earth..." Li Hao could not be bothered to waste more breath. His divine avatar manifested. In an instant, a sword slashed out, annihilating the perimeter's mental energy as Li Hao barked, "Charge inside!" With that, the group swiftly followed him. In the blink of an eye, more than ten experts stormed into the ruins. Outside, the high officials of Nandou trembled in terror. What boldness! What sheer audacity! They had actually charged right into the ruins! Could mortals of the new era truly contend with the ancient beings dwelling within these ruins? This was no mere avatar—they were confronting the entity's true form. While the officials waited in anxious dread, moments later, a golden fruit tree appeared, pinned down by the divine avatar. Looking like a child shrouded in radiance, it was thoroughly trapped within the Five Elements Domain. Stripped of its earlier arrogance, only shock and despair remained: "This humble monster yields!" Li Hao smiled faintly, looking at the small tree. "Had you been so polite earlier, Senior, why would we need such trouble? The Immortal Realm is mighty, but you are no longer what you were in the past. An Immortal of today possesses only the strength of the Peak Realm back then. Moreover, Senior has not fully recovered, holding only the mid-to-late Peak Realm at best... Why boast so recklessly?" "..." The small tree felt like weeping without tears. Just moments ago, these people had stormed inside, and the divine avatar had instantly transformed into a towering mountain, pinning it so hard that its body nearly cracked apart. It had believed its Immortal physique was virtually indestructible, thinking these intruders were coming to their deaths... That was why it had dared to act so insolent! Yet who could have known the other party would be even more formidable? Feeling their terrifying strength, it was utterly helpless. It had been merely twenty-one years since the world's initial resurgence began, and this Li Hao was so incredibly young, so how could he possibly be this powerful? Not only was his divine avatar terrifying, but when Li Hao slashed with his sword, he had nearly severed its origin path. It was simply horrifying! Outside, the Nandou officials turned deathly pale from fright. An ancient being—a top-tier expert who had survived into the present day—had been subdued in the blink of an eye? At this moment, they vaguely understood why Li Hao had summoned local officials to accompany him. Having witnessed this scene, they would not dare rebel even if given ten times the courage. "The Governor-General's might knows no bounds!" The officials hurried forward with lowered heads, bowing deeply in absolute submission. How terrifying the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office was! What a fearsome band of powerhouses! Even more terrifying: how had they captured this Immortal and brought it out into the world without it being crushed by the world's suppression? As high-ranking officials, they knew a thing or two. Most ancient experts could not step in and out of ruins freely. While invincible inside, they could only project avatars when emerging into the outside world. This tree, however, did not look like an avatar. Its true body had likely been dragged out! Li Hao smiled faintly. Using the divine avatar for the first time had yielded remarkable results. When the avatar transformed into a giant mountain to suppress the foe, even an ancient Immortal-tier powerhouse could not withstand it and was crushed immediately! Seeing the Nandou officials bowing in submission, Li Hao said with a smile, "No need for this. If Senior monster plant of the ancient civilization is willing to cooperate with the Governor-General's Office, it may oversee the Nandou Martial Academy in the future! Once heaven and earth recover further, its true body can stand guard; until then, its avatar will suffice... You are the pillars of Nandou, and I hope you will work alongside Senior to manage Nandou Province well!" The officials trembled, nodding repeatedly. The small tree, on the other hand, was astonished. "If I submit to the Governor-General's Office, I can... go outside?" This was simply unbelievable! Li Hao smiled. "Why not? I never said I would restrict your freedom. However... there are tasks to fulfill: gathering energy, guarding the martial academy, and cultivating crops... Much like your responsibilities back in the Neo-Martial era." He continued, "Monster plants prefer stillness to movement, making you the ideal candidates to guard a region! We seek mutual cooperation and shared benefit. Compared to Neo-Martial, I am willing to grant you even greater freedom... So long as your tasks are fulfilled, you may do as you please, provided you do not break the law!" The small tree was stunned. Could it really... be that simple? "Then... the Spring of Life..." Li Hao said, "One drop per ten thousand divine energy stones. Senior must provide one thousand drops of the Spring of Life each year to the Governor-General's Office, in return for which the office will supply you with ten million divine energy stones!" The small tree was deeply shaken. Although this was not as lucrative as trading with certain desperate powerhouses, it knew that since Li Hao had subdued numerous monster plants, he understood their consumption rate thoroughly. Under such circumstances... offering ten thousand per drop was already an extremely generous arrangement. Li Hao continued, "Those one thousand drops are mandatory! If Senior produces any surplus, the Governor-General's Office can purchase them at five thousand stones per drop... The first thousand drops are a preferential rate; anything beyond that is entirely voluntary. If you refuse, that is fine as well! Once the martial academy is established, you can also liaise directly with them!" The small tree wavered, then asked after a pause, "And if I were to join Battle Heaven City..." Li Hao looked toward the Ninth Division Commander beside him. The Ninth Division Commander remained silent for a moment before saying deeply, "There are no benefits! Only... the duty to revive Battle Heaven City!" "..." The small tree cursed inwardly! *Do you take me for an idiot?* *Under Li Hao, I can move freely, come and go as I please, and exchange one thousand drops of the Spring of Life for ten million divine energy stones, netting seven million as my wages and bonus.* *If I go to Battle Heaven City, there are zero benefits and only obligations?* *What a joke!* *Besides, there's no freedom there either. And Battle Heaven City already has plenty of monster plants—why go there?* Ignoring the commander entirely, the tree said hurriedly, "This humble monster is willing to submit to the Governor-General's Office! I am willing to oversee a region, guard the martial academy, provide the Spring of Life, protect the territory of the Governor-General's Office, and help forge a sacred land of martial arts!" Li Hao glanced at the Ninth Division Commander. *Now that... was blunt!* Li Hao wondered whether the Ninth Division Commander had deliberately played along to help him subdue these monster plants. Going to Battle Heaven City meant no perks at all, on top of having to expend energy reviving the city... How many monster plants would ever accept that? By comparison... it would be bizarre if they chose anything other than the Governor-General's Office. Li Hao said, "Then follow us for now. Once we have enough—more than five—I will escort your true bodies to Heavenly Star Town first... Senior, do you know of any other ruins nearby?" "I do, I do! Some five hundred li to the east, there is a training hall where a fellow Daoist resides... Its strength matches mine, and we previously fought over the local energy absorption, so I know of its presence..." "Very well. Please lead the way, Senior, so we may discuss cooperation with this fellow senior!" "Naturally!" The small tree instantly turned into a guide. As monster plants, they could not leave their ruins, yet because they all drew energy to revive themselves, they knew about any neighboring plants within range. After all, the others were siphoning energy as well. Finding one meant finding two; pull up a radish and the mud comes with it. Soon, more and more monster plants would be unearthed. The Central Region was vast. In those ancient days, Heavenly Star Island had contained far more than just Heavenly Star Town. As an energy vein region, countless experts had chosen to cultivate here, establish clans, found sects, or even build martial universities. ... From that day on, Li Hao personally led the team in clearing out ruins across the Central Region. Some monster plants yielded, while stubborn, arrogant ancient monsters who refused to submit and uttered insolent threats met an untimely demise, leaving even the Ninth Division Commander with nothing to say. The commander had personally attempted to persuade an Immortal monster plant, only for the creature to reject him and curse Battle Heaven City in the same breath. As a result, Li Hao's divine avatar pinned it to the spot, while Li Hao personally severed its origin path, drawing out its origin and extracting the immortal wood—a display that thoroughly cowed the surviving monsters that had surrendered. ... While Li Hao was busy clearing ruins across the Central Region. In Silver Moon. North of Silver City. At Mount Cang. Four great demon beasts tore through the air within the mountains: a fierce tiger, a giant serpent, a massive ape, and a golden eagle. All four moved at breakneck speed. The golden eagle cleaved through the sky at an astonishing velocity, transmitting urgent mental ripples: "Hurry! If those barbarians from Dali catch up, we're all dead!" Having spent time roaming northern Dali and clashing repeatedly with Dali powerhouses within Mount Cang, the four great demons had grown a size larger than when Li Hao last saw them. Yet right now, they were in a desperate rush. Down on the ground, the giant ape leaped continuously, frantic and agitated, its mental energy rippling erratically: "Damn it all, why did those Dali barbarians suddenly deploy so many masters?" The tiger roared, sending mental vibrations outward: "Can't you tell? Dali is probably preparing to cross Mount Cang and invade Silver Moon..." "No way!" "What do you mean, 'no way'? It's obvious! I saw their army further back—stretching endlessly to the horizon... They're definitely invading Silver Moon!" "Silver Moon martial masters aren't pushovers either." "That was in the past... How many experts do Silver Moon martial masters have now? They're just a bunch of weaklings! We've already surpassed the Rising Light realm, and if that Earth-Overturning Sword showed up right now, we'd beat him to death... and he was supposed to be one of Silver Moon's top experts!" "Even we don't dare provoke those barbarians... It looks like Silver Moon is finished!" "True enough!" The four great demons fled frantically as silhouettes began appearing behind them. Faint sounds of combat broke out in the distance. Far off, a long spear shone brightly, illuminating heaven and earth. An enraged roar thundered: "Fall back! Return to Silver Moon and spread the word—Dali is invading!" "Golden Spear, you go first!" Shouts rang out one after another, mingled with unintelligible foreign tongues amid continuous booming explosions. Ahead, the great demons did not look back, sprinting away as fast as they could. Some martial masters from Heavenly Star had traveled to Dali to temper themselves. When Dali launched its invasion, these martial masters took the brunt of the assault, becoming the primary targets for extermination. A few had proven remarkably powerful, managing to break out and flee. The giant ape sent a mental transmission: "Golden Spear... isn't he one of the thirty-five useless ones? He's in the same lot as that Earth-Overturning Sword... Should we save them?" "Save them my ass... Why should we?" "Wait, if we save them, we can claim we came to Silver Moon to deliver an urgent message! Otherwise... what if the Silver Moon martial masters refuse to let us pass? Silver Moon is dangerous too. We'd best get out of Mount Cang, leave Silver Moon behind, and head for the Four Seas to rule as kings..." "That makes sense!" "The ones pursuing from behind don't seem overwhelmingly strong either... Big Eagle, what do you think? Save them or not?" "Let's watch first!" Though fleeing at top speed, the demons possessed some wits, realizing that saving a few people might serve as their toll into Silver Moon, which still felt somewhat perilous to them. Behind them, the battle grew increasingly fierce, murder-intent soaring into the sky. Several martial masters swept across the landscape. A long spear pierced the air. Golden Spear, who had vanished for a long time, was among them, joining forces with other martial masters to fend off formidable enemies while steadily falling back. His face was grim. This was massive trouble! Dali was invading! If Dali breached Mount Cang, Silver Moon would become the first battleground. Whatever happened, they had to send this message back. Mount Cang lacked communication base stations, rendering transmission jades useless. Only by fleeing back and notifying the powers of Silver Moon could they marshal their forces to hold the enemy at Mount Cang. Otherwise, once the invaders swept into Silver Moon, another bloodbath would surely follow. "Kill!" "Fall back!" "I'll cover you—flee, quickly! Now is no time to show off... We must get word back immediately... Silver Moon is in grave danger!" Dali, which had remained silent for over a century, had chosen this moment to invade Heavenly Star—a development none of these martial masters had anticipated. Of course, having roamed Dali for some time, they knew its strength. Though not heavily populated, it boasted an abundance of powerhouses and an exceptionally formidable army. A legion of fierce martial artists, blessed with the robust physiques of ancient civilization, even harbored experts with indestructible golden bodies... Golden Spear's expression was grim. He had run into several old friends while in Dali, but today... would any of them make it back alive? Further away, powerful figures were already streaking through the sky. Their mere aura was suffocating! These were top-tier experts who had surpassed Rising Light—perhaps even stronger than that, arguably surpassing divine abilities. At the very least, Golden Spear possessed some understanding of the divine ability realm. The martial masters who had arrived earlier had already succumbed to despair. Against such overwhelming might, could Silver Moon ever hope to stop these monstrous beings? Even shattering all the supernatural locks within their bodies would likely fail to turn the tide! "I'll shatter my supernatural locks to hold them off... The rest of you, run!" Someone roared, sweeping a colossal battleaxe forward as if cleaving heaven and earth to meet the pursuing masters, shattering one supernatural lock after another across his body to unleash unmatched might. Golden Spear let out a furious roar as well, thrusting his spear forward as his supernatural locks snapped! Then let them fight! The Golden Spear of Silver Moon had never feared death!