The Dali Invasion

Deep within Mount Cang, a fierce battle erupted. Supernatural locks shattered, supernatural power surged, and inner organs ruptured. Silver Moon would be the first battlefield of Dali's invasion. Right now, Golden Spear and the others had no thoughts of slaying the enemy. Their only desire was to flee swiftly and return to Silver Moon to deliver an early warning, allowing Silver Moon to prepare. For over a century, no war had broken out with Dali. Most of the Silver Moon martial masters who had resisted Dali in years past were no longer in the Silver Moon region. Furthermore, having been suppressed by the dynasty for two hundred years, Silver Moon was a shadow of its former self; today's Silver Moon would hardly be able to withstand Dali. Yet at this moment... they knew escape was nearly impossible. Divine powers had appeared. Or rather, powerhouses comparable to the Divine Power realm had appeared—and faintly, even stronger beings surpassing Two-Element Divine Power had shown themselves. The martial masters were not weak. If it were merely Two-Element Divine Power, the enemy would struggle to keep them here. Yet deep in Mount Cang, several even mightier entities were soaring through the air—perhaps comparable not just to Two-Element, but Four-Element or even Five-Element... For Golden Spear and his companions, shattering their supernatural locks allowed them to contend with Two-Element or Three-Element foes. But against Four-Element or Five-Element... how could they fight? *Boom!* With a thunderous crash, one of the Dali martial masters across from them—wielding a bone-club-like weapon—smashed a martial master's head to pieces. The remaining martial masters roared in fury! Killing intent soared to the heavens! *Boom!* Explosions rang out continuously as radiant light washed over heaven and earth. "Fight and retreat! I'll cover the rear!" Golden Spear roared, his long spear piercing through heaven and earth. Back then, in order to break Hou Xiaochen's spear intent, prove himself, and prevent the name "Golden Spear" from remaining synonymous with disgrace, he had ventured alone into Dali. His strength had grown considerably since then. From initially being unable to saturate his supernatural locks, he could now saturate them and even shatter them. He now possessed the strength that Earth-Overturning Sword and the others had held before their departure. He could shatter his supernatural locks to do battle. In Dali, he had killed enemies, clashed with powerhouses, and fought fierce battles against groups of monster beasts in Mount Cang. Yet... today, official Dali experts had appeared at the head of an army. These experts were far more formidable than Dali's civilian martial masters. "Wipe them out, leave none alive!" From afar, the booming voice of an expert echoed over. The Dali warriors charging forward grew all the more exhilarated, their vital energy and blood surging skyward! *Rumble!* Golden Spear and the others fell back step by step, already outmatched. ... At the foot of Mount Cang on the other side. A million-strong army stood packed together, their vital energy and blood piercing the heavens and dispersing the dark clouds. Terrifying figures stood suspended in the void. The leader was robed in black, resembling an ancient high priest, holding a scepter. He felt no unease over the escape of a few Silver Moon martial masters, paying no heed to the skirmish over there. His voice echoed out with a peculiar cadence: "Advance! Exterminate Silver Moon, exterminate Heavenly Star! The Dali Dynasty shall rule this world!" "Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!" The million-strong host roared like a raging sea. Few wore armor; most were bare-chested, resembling savages. They were organized into square formations of a thousand or ten thousand men. Before each formation, a powerhouse hovered in midair—some riding demonic beasts, others wielding unique divine weapons—radiating fierce, savage auras like ancient demons of the primeval wilderness. Beside the black-robed high priest, several figures hovered in the void. Among them was a stalwart warrior draped in animal skins, bathed in golden light, standing over three meters tall. That was the King of the Dali Dynasty. And the black-robed high priest was indeed the dynasty's priest. Divine right of kings! In Dali, there were gods. Different from the gods of the Western God Kingdom, Dali worshipped another kind of god: the Gods of Primordial Martial! Far more ancient and powerful than the gods of the Western God Kingdom. That was an era that had produced the Nine Emperors and Four Sovereigns in days of old. A lineage that had birthed supreme beings like the Yang God. However, many Gods of Primordial Martial had been slain during the Neo-Martial era, and many had also been killed in the era of the Nine Emperors and Four Sovereigns. Still, some gods had survived into the Neo-Martial era and chosen to submit to the Human King. And Dali was said to be a kingdom passed down from a God of Primordial Martial. What Dali worshipped was the God of Primordial Martial. As for which god it was originally, the current King of Dali had actually forgotten—or rather, a change had been made. Dali no longer worshipped its original Primordial Martial God, but rather the Yang God, reputed to be the mightiest god of the Primordial Martial era! A being who, even after the Human King unified heaven and earth, could still stand above the Human King. A being who walked the chaos, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Master of the World. In truth, the King of Dali did not care which god they worshipped. He only cared whether the worshipped god could fill the people of Dali with courage. And the Yang God... could give everyone that courage. He was the only existence in the Neo-Martial era who truly rivaled the Human King. Beside the King of Dali stood several other top experts, including a few who also wore black robes—though their robes differed somewhat from that of the high priest. Now, at the high priest's command, the million-strong army began to march across Mount Cang. Hovering in the air, his physique incomparably stout, the King of Dali gazed into the distance, divine light gleaming in his eyes. "Does Heavenly Star truly have that massive mine?" "It does," a black-robed figure beside him said softly. "That mine contains hundreds of millions of energy stones. It was recently seized by Li Hao. As we told Your Majesty before, Li Hao is the successor of the Neo-Martial Sword Venerable. He possesses formidable strength, and he is currently promoting the new martial Dao within Heavenly Star. Once he succeeds, Dali may well become his primary target before long!" The mine was secondary. The key was that as the new martial Dao spread, Heavenly Star would soon produce countless martial masters, and Dali might become Heavenly Star's first external target of conquest. In truth, the King of Dali did not care. In his eyes, Heavenly Star had long ceased to be what it once was. Even though these black-robed powerhouses kept warning him not to underestimate Li Hao. Indeed, these people did not wish to deceive the King of Dali and cause him to be carelessly routed by Heavenly Star; they had repeatedly reminded him to remain cautious and vigilant. He had to take Li Hao seriously! Yet the King of Dali clearly looked as if he could not care less. This left the black-robed figures quite exasperated. People of Primordial Martial... even if they were not true Primordial Martial people and merely held remnants of its legacy, they remained so arrogant and conceited! Primordial Martial had lost to the Nine Emperors and Four Sovereigns, and lost to the Human King... Surviving to this day through defeat after defeat was indeed no small feat. However... if they underestimated Li Hao and suffered yet another defeat, that would be disastrous. Even if they failed, they had to at least whittle down Li Hao's strength! Just as the black-robed figures were feeling helpless, the soft, gentle voice of the black-robed high priest sounded in their ears: "Rest assured, my lords. The King is not underestimating the enemy; he is simply the heart and backbone of the million soldiers, so he cannot show any sign of apprehension... But I have everything in hand and will not act rashly." Hearing this, the experts felt much more at ease. The high priest added, "Near Dali, there are also beings similar to you venerable ones... and quite a few of them. We hope the venerable ones will lend a hand regarding this matter..." One of the black-robed figures from the ancient cities said in a heavy voice, "Set your mind at rest! Those original source clones were merely released earlier on, and their strength is mediocre. Recently, we have already eliminated some of them, and the remainder are of no concern! The only reason we haven't wiped them all out at once is the concern that Silver Moon might catch wind of it in advance... Eradicating a few can be chalked up to misfortune, but if all of them are slain, the ancient city experts in Silver Moon will know something has gone wrong." He continued, "Our people are already surrounding and hunting those fellows... We won't allow them to flee back to Silver Moon!" "Your side's strength is truly formidable," the high priest said warmly. "I saw that there were quite a few of them, yet you deployed only a handful of people to kill and corner them... May this cooperation fulfill the aspirations of both our sides." "It will. Not only Dali, but in other directions as well—the Western God Kingdom, the Eastern Great Desolation, and the northern Water Cloud Dynasty—we have arranged people to establish contact. It is only because communications are currently disrupted and the nine transmission base stations are offline that we cannot reach them swiftly... Nevertheless, we are making every effort to take down Heavenly Star in one fell swoop!" The high priest nodded slightly. "Heavenly Star is indeed mighty, with an immense population. Even combined, the four surrounding kingdoms cannot match a tenth of it... Sitting upon the Central Plains, the core of heaven and earth, it possesses countless powerhouses. Dali will not underestimate them." The top powerhouses conversed among themselves. Up ahead, the King of Dali let out a thunderous bellow: "Cross Mount Cang! Any who bar our path shall die!" The King of Dali exuded an unmatched savage aura. The void itself was cracking and cutting against his flesh, yet it could not tear his body apart. A black-robed ancient city expert marveled, "What formidable strength, what an astonishing physique! The King of Dali's might is likely no weaker than the middle stage of the Neo-Martial Peak Realm... rivaling some Immortals of today!" Yet the man faced little suppression from heaven and earth; the spatial lacerations were merely perfunctory. Seeing such immense power remain unpunished by spatial tears filled the others with both envy and bafflement. Their true bodies were not weaker than this King of Dali. Yet they could not step out. The high priest smiled and said softly, "The King is ordained by heaven's mandate! Bearing the aura of the royal way and blessed by the mandate of heaven, he naturally receives some favor." The others nodded. In truth, they had discerned it as well. Due to the existence of the Dali Dynasty, hundreds of millions of Dali's people revered this king, which likely drew the favor of heaven's will, granting him a degree of protection. Home-field advantage! This advantage belonged not just to Li Hao, but to these regional monarchs as well. It was precisely for this reason that the King of Dali felt fearless. And it was precisely for this reason that the black-robed figures from the ancient cities believed these people were not marching to their deaths against Li Hao. A powerhouse possessing true Immortal combat power in this era was perhaps far stronger than Li Hao's so-called Sun-Moon realm. In that case... Dali had a real chance of breaking into Heavenly Star. And severing Li Hao's dissemination of martial arts! The high priest glanced at the King of Dali and chuckled softly. "Gentlemen, let us proceed together. There are still some great demons within Mount Cang; we might have to trouble you to help subjugate them. Mount Cang comprises nine mountain ridges and eighteen ranges with numerous great demons. They would be a great asset. If we can subdue them, they can pair with Dali's warriors to form an exceptionally potent demon cavalry!" The black-robed experts knew he was using them as free labor. However... since they were cooperating—or rather, using each other—they had no grounds to object when the head priest of the Temple phrased it so politely. "Rest assured, we will assist Dali in subjugating the demons of Mount Cang," one of the ancient city figures replied. "On another note, if I may ask, does the true form of the deity enshrined in your temple still exist?" Even now, they did not know which ancient Primordial Martial God the Dali Temple actually enshrined. As for the Yang God... that was pure nonsense. None of them believed it for a second. How could that be possible? It was only because the Yang God did not care, or because the Star Gate was sealed so he couldn't perceive it; otherwise, if these fellows dared claim to be believers of the Yang God... he would have punched through the world and obliterated them all long ago. The high priest smiled. "Naturally, he exists. It is simply that heaven and earth cannot yet tolerate his presence. An opportune time is still required to invite the Divine Venerable down into this realm." The black-robed experts asked no further. The high priest clearly did not wish to elaborate, nor did they care whether it was true. Once such a being could descend, they themselves would be able to emerge, and by then... it was hard to say who would be stronger. During the Primordial Martial era, most ancient gods had been slain, and supreme beings like the Yang God and the Earth Sovereign had zero interest in proselytizing Primordial Martial. At most, this was a legacy left behind by surviving Primordial Martial experts on the Primordial Martial continent preserved by the Human King back then. At best, their peak combat power reached Heavenly King level. And for those people to step into the Sovereign realm... was virtually impossible. With these thoughts in mind, they said nothing more. The high priest kept his gentle smile, offering no further explanation. Whether such a god truly existed... only he knew. The army advanced. At this moment, Mount Cang was thrown into turmoil. Countless monster beasts felt immense pressure as an entity like a god swept forward aggressively, pushing through Mount Cang. Deep within the mountains, formidable monster beasts hovered in midair, gazing into the distance with utter terror. Could heaven and earth still accommodate such a powerhouse? A few days ago, nearly a hundred experts had traversed the sky, filling them with dread. Yet today, so many more had arrived—was that the King of Dali? Indeed, legends in Mount Cang spoke of the King of Dali being blessed by heaven's mandate, possessing unmatched supernatural prowess. Seeing him today, his reputation was well deserved! Powerful monster beasts retreated one after another, daring not cross swords with the King of Dali. His command boasted countless experts. While Mount Cang's demon tribe usually acted without restraint—even crossing the mountains on occasion to battle Dali's champions—today Dali's million-strong army was marching, their king leading the campaign in person accompanied by the Temple's high priest. None of the demons dared provoke them in the slightest. ... Meanwhile, Golden Spear and his comrades fought with increasing desperation as they retreated. Though outmatched, they held off the enemy's vanguard. The other martial masters fled frantically toward Silver Moon. Mount Cang was filled with treacherous bends and passes, exceedingly difficult to traverse. In normal times, crossing Mount Cang required the utmost caution, but today, no one had the luxury to care. Just as Dali's vanguard experts were about to capture Golden Spear and the others, the void trembled. A shrill eagle's cry pierced their ears and rattled their minds, followed instantly by a tiger roaring as it charged into the fray. In the blink of an eye, a giant ape wielding a club brought it crashing down! Seeing this, a powerful golden body expert bellowed in rage, "Insolence! It's you bastards?" Mount Cang harbored numerous demon beasts. Yet a few were notorious, including these newcomers who had entered Dali's borders several months ago. They had committed every sort of mischief, plundering a great deal of wealth from Dali's champions. These demons were not overwhelmingly powerful, but they possessed a unique quality, carrying a sense of their force blending with heaven and earth. Furthermore, the four demons always traveled together, making them difficult for ordinary experts to deal with. Yet today, Dali had mobilized a million-strong host with their king personally leading the vanguard. Did these great demons dare sabotage the dynasty's grand enterprise? "Roar!" The tiger pounced, swiping a paw at the golden body. It left several bloody gouges across the flesh, yet the beast groaned inwardly—what a tough physique! Its claws were usually indestructible, yet the impact had nearly snapped them! Terrifying! The tiger felt a pang of regret. Provoking these guys was truly perilous. Still, since they had already made their move... why fret? It wasn't as if they had to fight to the death; they were merely rescuing a few humans to serve as their toll into Silver Moon. Did you people know Mount Cang better than us? *Bang!* With a thunderous crash, a formidable figure was batted away by the giant ape's club. The golden eagle streaked across the sky, its sharp talons darting out to snatch Golden Spear and the others as its mental energy flared: "Wind's fierce!" "Scram!" Like bandit marauders, the four great demons snatched their targets with a single strike and bolted frantically. In the blink of an eye, they cleared a high mountain peak. A formidable demon beast hovered in midair, mental ripples surging as it bellowed, "Who dares trespass on this seat's territory—" The golden eagle transmitted a panicked mental wave: "Dali is invading to exterminate our Mount Cang demon tribe! Crazy Bull King, they said they're going to stew you into beef broth... Hurry, go kill them!" Within the mountain, the colossal ox demon seemed rather prone to frenzy. Hearing this, it let out a furious bellow and lowered its massive crimson horns, charging straight toward the pursuing Dali experts while mental waves roared, "Northern barbarians dare act insolent?! This seat will devour you all!" The Dali experts were infuriated! What a stupid ox! "You lot deal with it, I'll keep chasing them..." "Yes!" The experts answered in unison. One golden body expert soared into the sky in pursuit, leaving the others to clash with the giant ox of Mount Cang. In the distance, the golden eagle streaked through the void, while down below, the trio of tiger, ape, and python moved with astonishing speed, deliberately running through territories occupied by other great demons. Soon enough, another great demon was roused. Before it could get its bearings, the giant ape roared, "Dali has invaded to eradicate the demons of Mount Cang! Brothers, join forces to slay the enemy while we notify the demon kings across the nine ridges and eighteen ranges! To the death!" The newly emerged great demon was still bewildered when it saw a powerful golden body figure flying straight toward it. Startled, its mental energy erupted: "Minions, follow this king into battle! Audacious ruffians, how dare you invade my Mount Cang..." *Boom!* A punch slammed forward. The golden body expert was livid with rage—stupid beast! Sure enough, these four great demons were quite cunning. Perhaps influenced by the sly people of Heavenly Star, they likely hailed from the other side of Mount Cang—the southern slopes—since only the demons there had extensive contact with Heavenly Star's crafty mortals. Yet at this moment, reasoning was impossible. Reason with these stupid beasts? What a joke! The only way was to beat them into submission! Dali had intended to subjugate the demons of Mount Cang anyway, so taking down these troublemakers now was fine... However, if those Silver Moon martial masters escaped, news of Dali's mobilization would leak. The pursuing golden body expert seethed with fury. He had to slaughter these wretched beasts! ... Up in the air, the golden eagle gripped the humans with talons that made their blood flow freely, not caring about their comfort in the slightest. A mental wave radiated out: "Which one is Golden Spear?" Held in the talons, Golden Spear panted heavily, bleeding profusely. Weak and with ruptured organs, he croaked, "I am!" "You're one of the thirty-five useless bums?" Golden Spear was speechless. He now had an inkling of who these demons were. Years ago, when Yuan Shuo fused five forces in Mount Cang, he had observed five demon beasts. Yet only the bird, ape, and tiger were present here. Where were the bear and deer? Instead, there was an added giant serpent. Had Yuan Shuo actually comprehended six forces and kept one hidden? Regardless, the eagle had saved them, and he was desperate to deliver the message. Knowing better than to offend them, he could only answer, "I suppose so!" "Do you know that Earth-Overturning Sword?" "I do." "Good!" The golden eagle continued, "Do you know the local powerhouses of Silver Moon?" *What kind of question is that?!* "I do!" "Then it's settled... We want to cross Silver Moon and head into the Four Seas. If we take you to Silver Moon... the Silver Moon martial masters won't cause trouble for us, will they?" Golden Spear said hurriedly, "They won't! As long as you experts bring us back to meet the powerhouses guarding Silver Moon and deliver news of Dali's invasion, not only will they not stop you, they will grant you immense rewards..." At this moment, he could only pin his hopes on this. The golden eagle was formidable and, crucially, capable of flight. Such a flying demon was exceedingly fast and could bypass many troubles. Being native to Mount Cang, it knew how to avoid the mightiest territorial demons. Only if they returned safely would they have a chance to warn Silver Moon in advance. "Immense rewards?" The golden eagle scoffed, sending a mental wave: "You look half-dead, without even a few drops of the Spring of Life to save yourselves... Where are you going to get rewards for us?" *Paupers!* A pauper like this dared promise immense rewards? Golden Spear had no time to worry about propriety and blurted, "We do! The Silver Moon martial masters marched on Heavenly Star City—the imperial capital of the Heavenly Star Dynasty—and have firmly established themselves there! Demon Sword Li Hao wields immense authority and collaborates with ancient monster plants; he can provide plenty of benefits for you..." *Li Hao?* The name sounded faintly familiar. As the golden eagle pondered this, the tiger below—its tongue hanging out from running—suddenly rode misty clouds into the air and asked inquisitively, "Do you know a certain man... the one..." "I do! Yuan Shuo, the Five Animals King!" Before the tiger could finish, Golden Spear cut in, "I know who you're talking about! He's Demon Sword Li Hao's master, and he's risen to prominence now as well..." *Fine!* The tiger asked curiously, "What level of strength does he have right now?" Golden Spear blinked, then said quickly, "Probably... Divine Power?" Who knew? Having been gone for months, he had no idea what realm Yuan Shuo had attained, but Yuan Shuo had already been approaching Divine Power before. "Divine Power?" "That is to say... comparable to you esteemed ones..." "Comparable to us?" The tiger's eyes lit up instantly. "He only has Divine Power strength?" *In that case...* The next moment, all the great demons grew eager. That bastard who had bullied them back then was only at the Divine Power realm? *Does that mean... we can have our revenge?* *Beat that scoundrel to death!* "Do you know where he is?" "I don't... but he can be found!" Golden Spear realized what they were thinking, but... that was a concern for later. Getting back in one piece took priority. As for Yuan Shuo... he should be fine, right? Never mind that for now! "I can lead you to him!" "Deal!" The great demons quickly gathered, clambering onto the golden eagle's back. The eagle didn't mind; bursting with formidable power, it tore through the air at staggering speed. As for Golden Spear and the others hovering near death... weren't they still breathing? As long as they were brought to Silver Moon alive, whatever happened afterward was none of the beasts' concern. And wasting precious treasures to heal them? Out of the question. Those penniless Silver Moon martial masters might not even pay them back; why waste good medicine? As for Yuan Shuo, they could track him down on their own just the same. The demons hurtled across the sky. With the eagle's void-piercing speed, they soon shook off their pursuers. Weaving through the terrain, the other side of Mount Cang soon came into view. The golden eagle let out a sharp cry. They were back! They could already see their old stomping grounds. A mental ripple swept out: "Children, leave the mountains! To the heart of the Central Plains! Mount Cang is no longer safe; follow us to Heavenly Star and rule like kings!" In an instant, countless beasts along the fringes of Mount Cang began to roar. Soon, nearly a thousand beasts came surging out from all directions. Airborne beasts joined them in flight to follow their kings, buzzing with excitement. *Are we leaving Mount Cang?* *To go live in luxury among mortals!* The beasts gathered swiftly, caring nothing for whatever territory they left behind. A miserable place like Mount Cang had nothing good left anyway; running was what mattered. ... At the foot of Mount Cang. Outposts were stationed here. Director Zhao had prepared defenses against Dali, but he had never anticipated that many original source clones of the ancient powerhouses would be ambushed and slain, while the few survivors were pinned down by clones from the ancient cities, rendering them unable to serve their warning function. The first batch of source clones had been relatively weak because the world was not as stable then as it was today. Some had only cleaved off a fraction of their origin, possessing no Peak Realm power whatsoever and barely managing Six-Element strength. Faced with genuine Peak Realm clones, how could they contend? Seeing great demons emerge from the mountains, the outpost sentinels immediately transmitted an urgent message: the demon tribe of Mount Cang had come down from the mountains! ... In White Moon City. Director Zhao was nursing a headache over Silver Moon's affairs when a jade pendant suddenly vibrated. He picked it up, took a look, and frowned deeply. The demons of Mount Cang were coming down? How could that be? Quite a few source clones of ancient civilization powerhouses should have been in Mount Cang. Why had none sent an alert? Frowning, he stood up, feeling a wave of helplessness. In the past, he could have summoned others to handle such matters, but now... those bastards had all run off and were thriving in the Central Region. He knew there was no calling them back. He would have to handle it himself! "Silver Moon Guards, mobilize immediately toward Silver City! Mount Cang demons are descending!" At his command, a squad of experts quickly assembled to follow Director Zhao toward Silver City. Spurring his mount forward, Director Zhao frowned. He didn't consider it an insurmountable crisis just yet; formidable as the Mount Cang demons were, this likely wasn't their entire host. As long as nothing went wrong with Dali, all was well! Besides, he had laid arrangements long ago, so there shouldn't be any complications. Silver City was quite a distance from White Moon City. However, Director Zhao's strength was exceptional. Watching his transmission jade buzz incessantly, he could wait no longer. "Follow behind me! I will head over first..." In the blink of an eye, the void tore open. Director Zhao moved at terrifying speed, crossing a hundred li in a breath. Shuttle after shuttle tore hairline fractures across his flesh, but they healed almost instantaneously—a display of daunting power. ... In the Central Region. Li Hao was still leading his forces in clearing out ancient ruin powerhouses—subjugating, driving away, or executing them. This was his fourth day in the field. He had slain three monster plants, subjugated five, and two had even agreed to serve Battle Heaven City. Li Hao could only attribute this to the weight of a legendary reputation: it wasn't that Battle Heaven City was particularly thriving right now, but rather that it represented the orthodox legacy of Neo-Martial. These monster plants still feared Neo-Martial and believed Neo-Martial still endured. Ten ruins cleared in four days. Li Hao was not entirely satisfied with this pace, but it was acceptable. Coupled with the six known monster plants among the Twelve Great Families that remained to be dealt with, once he handled those on his return, the tally would be decent. At the very least, combined with those from Heavenly Star Town, it would roughly suffice to assign one monster plant to oversee each martial academy. Just as Li Hao was preparing to march to the next ruin, Huang Yu, who had been marching alongside with the army, frowned and spoke up: "Urgent dispatch from Silver Moon. The demons of Mount Cang have descended. A golden eagle was spotted, apparently clutching several captives..." "A golden eagle?" Li Hao paused, looking toward Southern Fist nearby. Southern Fist's eyes lit up. "Could there also be a tiger, a giant ape, and a giant snake?" He bared his teeth in a grin. "I was just looking for them, and here they come out on their own! I sent people to search for them earlier, but they said the beasts had vanished... Those bastards nearly killed me back then!" Back then, their group had almost perished in Mount Cang. Later, word had it that the beasts had fled, perhaps sensing danger ahead of time. Now they had actually shown themselves! What guts! Beside them, Ninth Division Commander looked somewhat pensive. "Mount Cang demons? Mount Cang demons dare enter Silver Moon? With the recovery of the main cities, Silver Moon is filled with crisscrossing auras. Weaklings may not detect them, but experts can sense a trace, and beasts are especially perceptive. Would demons rashly leave Mount Cang for Silver Moon?" He felt something was amiss. Unless the demons were exceedingly weak—but weak demons wouldn't have left such an impression on Southern Fist. Li Hao asked in bewilderment, "Mount Cang demons descending... a golden eagle... Could they be coming to take revenge on my teacher?" "..." Everyone fell silent. Li Hao chuckled. "Those beasts might be the ones my teacher observed when developing the Five Animals Secret Art. They were quite strong, already possessing metamorphosis-tier strength back then, and may have stepped into Divine Power by now... Though of course, by current standards, that's fairly ordinary." Several Divine Power experts were still nothing to scoff at. However, Silver Moon had plenty of powerhouses, and with Director Zhao stationed there, Li Hao felt it wouldn't be much of an issue. As he spoke, the transmission jade in Huang Yu's hand flashed repeatedly. Huang Yu glanced at it, his expression shifting. "Old Zhao sent a message..." Director Zhao almost never messaged them unless serious trouble was afoot. Yet here a message was. Taking a deep breath, Huang Yu did not announce it aloud, instead transmitting his voice to Li Hao: "Return at once! Dali has raised an army and is crossing Mount Cang to invade Silver Moon! A hundred original source clones of ancient civilization powerhouses have vanished—either dead or in hiding... Dali's depths are unfathomable!" Li Hao's expression changed slightly as well. A hundred source clones... regardless of their individual strength, every source clone possessed at least Divine Power capabilities, right? A hundred... gone? Dali was mobilizing and crossing Mount Cang! How could this be? Li Hao's thoughts raced. The dynasty had informants in the four outlying kingdoms—the Inspectorate had stationed personnel there—yet no news had reached them. That meant the enemy had moved with astonishing speed! Before this, there had been no signs of troop movements; this sudden mobilization had caught everyone off guard. Li Hao frowned. The turmoil within Heavenly Star was not yet settled, the four outlying continents were not yet secured, the new martial Dao had not fully spread, and the next generation of powerhouses had not yet emerged... He had planned to stabilize the interior first, granting Heavenly Star a period of rest and recovery before turning his blades against the four outlying kingdoms. Who could have foreseen that the enemy would strike first? Li Hao muttered in a low voice, "Why now?" Bizarre! Even if the four outlying kingdoms intended to mobilize, their timing was impeccably chosen. Right when everything was just beginning to rebuild! If Li Hao were given a little more time to conquer the four outlying continents, clear out every ruin outside Silver Moon, and cultivate a multitude of powerful followers, he would fear none of the four outlying kingdoms. Yet right now... he had barely begun. Li Hao recalled the fourteen source clones that had been slain earlier. He had a faint suspicion: could this be connected to them? Looking around, Li Hao sighed softly. He had intended to clear out all the ruins in the Central Region, but now... it seemed he had to go to Silver Moon first. Returning to Silver Moon right now was not what Li Hao wanted. However, Silver City lay right at the foot of Mount Cang. Dali was marching in force, likely accompanied by many experts, and if there was backing behind them... Silver Moon might not be able to hold them off. Taking a deep breath, Li Hao declared, "Demon Hunting Army, full combat readiness! From this moment on, march toward Silver Moon! Summon ten thousand Night Patroller supernaturals and conscript thirty thousand supernaturals from the infrastructure corps to head for Silver Moon together!" "Conscript twenty thousand troops from the supernatural forces left behind by the Nine Departments and the imperial family, led personally by Mu Qingsong and Chen Zhongtian... Rush to Silver Moon immediately!" The faces of those present turned utterly solemn. Had something happened to Silver Moon? "Dali... has invaded!" Li Hao's voice was loud and clear, stunning everyone present. His tone turned frigid and fierce. "Broadcast to the entire realm: Dali has invaded, mobilizing ten million troops and a million supernaturals in an attempt to flatten Heavenly Star in one stroke! I want to see whether the overlords of the various continents will take this chance to cause chaos or what they will do! I want to see how these people choose when our homeland is invaded!" "Transmit orders to the nineteen northern provinces: cease all internal fighting! Every province is to mobilize one hundred thousand soldiers, ten thousand supernaturals, and every single supernatural cannon they possess! March on Silver Moon and halt the enemy at Mount Cang!" "Any who disobey shall be utterly wiped out!" Li Hao's words were chillingly resolute as a somber aura of slaughter rose into the air. He had not wanted to use excessively violent measures to conquer the four outlying continents; he had hoped to bring about change like gentle rain moistening the earth, causing the overlords to surrender voluntarily once they lost the hearts of the people. He had hoped to win the four outlying continents without bloodshed... but circumstances always changed faster than plans. "Furthermore, send dispatches to the Duke of Wuguo's Estate, the Duke of Anguo's Estate, and the Marquess of Dingguo's Estate to be on high alert against the three foreign kingdoms bordering their lands! Across the four outlying continents, internal conflicts are temporarily suspended to present a united front against foreign aggression! If they fail to do so... and allow foreign enemies to invade their continents... I will personally take their heads to consecrate our battle flags!" "Understood!" The assembly responded in unison, their expressions grave. Dali was invading... but what about the other three borders? Against Dali alone, Heavenly Star was not weak today and had no reason to fear. But if the other three foreign kingdoms also launched invasions against Heavenly Star... that would spell tremendous trouble. The four outlying continents were not yet firmly in Li Hao's grasp. At this moment, someone said in a low voice, "Governor-General, why not... wait until the other three kingdoms invade those three continents? Let their strength be depleted, their people flee, and their overlords' authority crumble... before we step in..." He didn't finish the thought, but his implication was obvious: trying to manage the other three continents right now risked fighting enemies on both fronts. Moreover, attempting to manage everything might exceed their capabilities. It was better to leave them be! Silver Moon could not be abandoned, but as for the other three... why bother with them? Once the commoners suffered and the regional overlords were crushed, stepping in to clean up the aftermath might well be the superior course. That way, after tasting bitter hardship, the people of the three continents would hail them as saviors, while the overlords would no longer possess the strength to cause trouble. Though the losses would be immense and many would die... to an ambitious ruler aiming for total dominion, this was practically a godsend! Furthermore, the reality was that Li Hao truly lacked the capacity to hold off all four directions at once. Though only Dali had invaded for now, could the other three kingdoms remain idle? Their actions were likely coordinated! The situation in Silver Moon was already intricate; everyone might soon be bogged down in a quagmire. It was better to abandon aid to the other three continents and let their powerhouses fight the invaders themselves! Would those overlords willingly yield their own territories? Li Hao looked at the speaker. He was surprised, yet not entirely so. The speaker was none other than Qian Wuliang, the scholar who had chosen to submit in Supernatural City. He possessed the ability to perceive emotions. Because of his unique ability, he and the Ear of the Wind had been traveling with Li Hao's forces all along. During the previous elimination of the fourteen experts, both had played a role. Here was a leader-tier figure capable of rallying a thousand supernaturals overnight—not because of supreme martial prowess, but because he possessed talents few others had. Was his suggestion wrong? Not necessarily. Though no one openly praised it, neither did anyone speak out in objection, which showed that the proposal found favor with quite a few. Right now, Li Hao faced a shortage of manpower. A shortage of soldiers! Furthermore, many of their supernaturals had only surrendered recently, making them risky to deploy. Conscripting them to march to Silver Moon was feasible only because Li Hao would be personally overseeing them. Could they dare send such troops to the other three continents? Who was to say they wouldn't collude with local powerhouses and turn against Li Hao? In that light, letting those three continents be reduced to ruins seemed pragmatic... Though the losses would be colossal, once Li Hao repelled Dali, he could turn his attention back to resolve the crises in those three continents, making the realm's unification effortless and natural. Smooth and simple! No one spoke. Even Neo-Martial powerhouses like Ninth Division Commander remained silent, because... what Qian Wuliang said was not unreasonable, and Li Hao truly stood alone against overwhelming odds. Beset by troubles within and without, with ancient entities lurking in Silver Moon, traitors who had betrayed Neo-Martial scheming from the shadows, and the Three Great Organizations entrenched in the north... How could he divide himself to resolve four simultaneous crises? Li Hao took a deep breath. "My aspiration... is not merely the unification of the realm!" He looked around at the assembly. "Gentlemen, perhaps I am arrogant and overestimating myself. Perhaps I am young and acting on reckless impulse. I understand the logic! And our current strength is plain to see." "However... my goal is not simply to crush those overlords. I merely want Heavenly Star and Silver Moon to experience a fate different from other eras... Must the end of a dynasty always mean total misery for the people? Scholarly idealism? I hardly qualify as a scholar... A chivalric martial artist of the jianghu? Perhaps half of one, at best..." Li Hao let out a brief laugh. "Yet I believe that even if I cannot be a saint, when I see injustice, I must draw my sword and draw blood! Never forget who we are! Most people in this Governor-General's Office are proud souls of the jianghu! Then let us act on impulse just this once! Do jianghu people ever shrink back because the path is fraught with peril?" Li Hao's voice carried far and wide: "The strong must lead from the front. As a fine Neo-Martial saying goes, only when the strong protect the weak can a continuous lineage of powerhouses be forged! Are the four outlying kingdoms so invincible? Born in this era, internal strife has already caused enough despair. If we now ignore foreign invasion, even if we conquer the world, how many survivors will truly respect us?" "The other three directions have made no move as of yet. As long as we move fast enough to snap Dali's foul paws... we will naturally have the time and strength to deal with the other three!" With that, Li Hao gave a low shout: "Light is something we must forge ourselves! Darkness shall never rule this land! Unworthy as I am, I, Li Hao, am willing to serve as a spark for this era, illuminating the path for the common people! Even if that flame is extinguished, it will let those who follow see the road ahead clearly! Armies unfit to be armies, officials unfit to be officials—that dark age shall become nothing more than the past!" "To battle!" A thunderous roar surged like crashing waves! At this moment, the Demon Hunting Army roared in unison! At this moment, the silent Battle Heaven Army slammed their fists against their breastplates with a dull boom. The Battle Heaven Army... was also willing to lend its strength to this light in this era. Ninth Division Commander looked at Li Hao, fell silent for a moment, and said slowly, "For this battle, Battle Heaven City can deploy ten thousand troops! The Battle Heaven Army... shall serve as the vanguard!" "My gratitude!" Li Hao wasted no words, issuing a sharp command: "Mobilize! To Silver Moon!" "Understood!" The cry shook heaven and earth! Earth-burrowing shuttles and airships appeared one after another. Setting aside everything else, Li Hao led a host of experts straight toward Silver Moon, continuously issuing military orders demanding logistical and troop support from Heavenly Star City. News of Dali's invasion spread like wildfire. Heavenly Star was thrown into turmoil once more. Li Hao made no effort to conceal it. He wanted to see whether this realm—after years of tribulations and several baptisms of blood—still lingered in the wretched state of a dying dynasty. ... At this very moment, in Silver City. Director Zhao's expression was exceedingly grim. Damn it all! Before internal troubles were resolved, external perils had arrived. Looking at Golden Spear and the others before him, he quickly brought out a generous amount of the Spring of Life to mend their internal organs. Then, turning toward the imposing demon beasts, he took a deep breath, bowed, and said, "My thanks to our demon friends for your assistance! Silver Moon remembers this favor. If you have any requests, please speak freely; Silver Moon will do its utmost to satisfy them!" The great demons exchanged glances... *A destitute backwater like this talking about satisfying any requests... Satisfy my foot!* The tiger transmitted a mental wave: "You seem quite strong... so you must have some treasures. First, see us safely out of Silver Moon. Second, give us a few hundred thousand divine energy stones... and eight or ten drops of the Spring of Life... Do you have that?" Director Zhao froze. *Just this?* These great demons were not weak, each possessing Divine Power strength. To be frank... asking for so little was practically nothing. He pondered a moment and nodded. "Very well, a minor matter... However, regarding leaving Silver Moon... are you sure you want to depart? Beyond Silver Moon... it is not safe. Furthermore, once you leave, you might cross paths with the incoming reinforcement armies..." "You'll really give it to us?" The white tiger didn't care about his warnings of reinforcement armies; its only thought was: *have these Silver Moon bumpkins gotten rich?* *Hundreds of thousands of divine energy stones!* "Of course!" Director Zhao nodded and added, "If you truly insist on leaving Silver Moon... I will dispatch guards to escort you. However, it would be best not to leave. Even if you insist on going... should you encounter the reinforcement armies, be sure to declare your origins and identities immediately, just in case." The great demons didn't care much at all. Afraid of what? The four of them could run rampant across Heavenly Star if they wished. You people had better worry about Dali overrunning this place and pouring into Heavenly Star! Seeing how persistent the beasts were, Director Zhao was helpless. On second thought, it shouldn't be too big an issue. If they left Silver Moon now, they would likely bump into the arriving Heavenly Star powerhouses... When that happened, these beasts would learn just how dangerous the outside world truly was. Knowing that these demons had escorted people back to deliver warnings, the reinforcements probably wouldn't slay them on sight either. A mere handful of Divine Power demons with the strength of about Two or Three Elements could be easily felled by any well-known Silver Moon martial master these days. Delighted with their loot, the great demons took the old man for a fool. Ignoring his cautions, they promptly followed a Silver Moon Guard out. They had no desire to linger here; once Dali's powerhouses arrived, not a single one of these mortals would escape. Even after they left, Director Zhao remained somewhat exasperated. Still coughing up blood, Golden Spear wheezed, "Let them go. Those great demons saved us, after all, allowing us to bring the warning back early... Staying here is far too dangerous..." Director Zhao was at a loss for words. "That wasn't what I meant. I had no intention of keeping them here to die... Never mind, you wouldn't understand even if I explained." Director Zhao shook his head. This fellow probably thought he had wanted the demons to stay and help defend. What significance could a few mere Divine Power beasts make, whether they stayed or not? Golden Spear truly... overestimated them. Exhaling a long breath, he said, "Do not worry. The Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office has already sent word that reinforcements will arrive shortly. If Dali dares invade... this time, we will utterly wipe them out right here!" Golden Spear and his companions wore looks of deep worry. Anyone could speak big words. Yet... Dali was truly terrifying. An elderly martial master said in a low voice, "Dali has mobilized a million troops, every single one of them supernatural, with countless powerhouses. According to Golden Spear, there are no fewer than hundreds or thousands in the Divine Power realm... Truly terrifying! Moreover, the King of Dali is said to rival the powerhouses of ancient ruins... Silver Moon should evacuate its people as soon as possible!" "We are not weak either!" Director Zhao replied. "On the Heavenly Star side, our Silver Moon forces number a million soldiers, a million supernaturals, and Mountain-Sea... over ten thousand Divine Power! There is no need to fear!" The martial masters cursed inwardly. *Damn it, foolish Zhao Shuguang!* *What time do you think it is to be boasting like this?* *Even at a time like this, officials still blow hot air. Are you truly not afraid of Silver Moon being wiped out?* Seeing their reactions, Director Zhao was helpless. He wasn't the one boasting; this was what Li Hao had told him. As for whether there really were over ten thousand Mountain-Sea... he was merely relaying the words. Even if there weren't ten thousand Mountain-Sea, the force over there was exceptionally potent and would hardly fear Dali. What worried him far more was that if the ancient city powerhouses within Silver Moon began releasing their source clones en masse... that would be the true disaster, catching them between two fires! Of course, he didn't bother explaining every detail. He immediately began coordinating arrangements to evacuate the citizens of Silver City. Other regions might not need evacuation, but Silver City would likely become one of the primary battlegrounds.