The King of Dali

The Dali military encampment. The King of Dali returned. One general after another quickly entered the command tent. The generals who had led troops in this engagement were drenched in blood and thoroughly dejected. They entered the tent with heads bowed and dropped directly to their knees, refusing to rise. Apprehension gripped everyone. In this first battle, Dali had not routed, but it was indeed a defeat. Naturally, that had much to do with the enemy deploying their Battle Heaven Army; otherwise, Li Hao's losses would have been far greater. Yet in their eyes, the soldiers of Dali should be able to win even when outnumbered ten to one. Even winning against equal numbers would be nothing to brag about. Dali simply had too few people! If they traded casualties one-to-one, how could they possibly rival the Central Plains, which hardly lacked a million troops? By their reckoning, they should have crushed everything before them like dry weeds. "Rise!" The King of Dali showed none of his usual irascibility and seemed remarkably calm. "In this battle, the enemy deployed both the Demon Hunt Army and the Battle Heaven Army—the absolute trump cards of all Heavenly Star, and even the elite of Neo-Martial. In truth, this reveals one thing: these are all the cards Li Hao has to play!" A smile appeared on the King of Dali's face. His usual domineering arrogance seemed to have faded, replaced by an air of ease. "In just one battle, Li Hao threw down all his hidden cards. It has allowed this king to see right through to his baseline." It could hardly be called a true defeat. Of course, this battle would give Li Hao's side a tremendous boost in morale, while dampening Dali's spirits. That was inevitable. However, Dali's true elite forces had barely taken the field today. The demonic beast cavalry units, who fought mounted upon demons, had not even been deployed. "Your Majesty… this general has brought shame upon Dali. I beg Your Majesty to execute me and sacrifice my head to the banner!" A general from the Tiger Guards knelt on the ground with a look of agony, begging for death. The Tiger Guards were supposed to be the elite among elites, yet in this engagement, they had failed to achieve any glory. Instead, they had been brutally suppressed by the Battle Heaven Army; a mere three thousand Battle Heaven soldiers had inflicted devastating casualties upon them. The King of Dali raised a hand and said impassively, "Stand up!" The general dared not say another word. He stood up immediately, clenching his teeth, a fierce ferocity lingering about him. Dali had lost its very first clash; he found it agonizing to accept. At that moment, the Chief Priest also said softly, "My King, why did you choose to contest generals and clash armies with Li Hao today? Dali's million soldiers have traveled a great distance, and our supplies are limited. We ought to sack cities and seize strongholds, breaking through swiftly." Entangling themselves with Li Hao here held little practical purpose. Heavenly Star was vast! He continued, "At this moment, we should be slaughtering in all directions, forcing him to scramble everywhere, putting out fires and exhausting himself trying to respond!" The Chief Priest looked at the King of Dali. "As long as we push forward and conquer along our march, Li Hao—whose footing is already unstable—will soon be overwhelmed by local unrest, severing his control over Heavenly Star. Today's clash, however, merely gave him a chance to assert his might." The King of Dali nodded. He knew this. If Li Hao could defeat Dali, no one within Heavenly Star would dare resist him again. At this juncture, if Dali were to strike out in all directions, popular sentiment would destabilize, regional warlords would rise, and Li Hao's true headaches would only multiply. He understood all of this. Yet… why had he chosen to do this instead? The King of Dali smiled faintly, glanced around, and said slowly, "In the daylight battle today, Li Hao won a minor victory. This king indulged his wishes and contested troops and generals with him! He wishes to temper his forces, to forge elite soldiers—otherwise, the first force he deployed would not have been the Demon Hunt Army, but the Battle Heaven Army. "In his view, this king is also willing to remain here and play along as a whetstone for a time. After all, the other three nations have made no moves yet. Thrusting rashly deep into Heavenly Star would risk becoming mired in a quagmire of war, unable to extricate ourselves!" The gathered officers nodded slightly. If that was the concern, waiting a while made sense. But since Dali had taken the initiative to mobilize first, why wait for the other three nations? What was the purpose of marching out first? Merely to serve as Li Hao's training partners? The King of Dali changed the subject, however. "The Battle Heaven Army exceeds ten thousand, the Demon Hunt Army is formidable, and they have hundreds of thousands of supernatural warriors and millions of ordinary soldiers. Heavenly Star's various high-end armaments have not even been activated—not even those supernatural cannons were seen today… If we truly committed our full army, we could win! "Yet… of our million-strong army, how many would remain?" He looked at the officers. "We would lose at least half. The enemy will not collapse at the first touch. If we lose over half our forces, we would then have to face counteroffensives from across Heavenly Star and contend with the three great dynasties… Could Dali still claim the world?" The officers started, then nodded once more. Today, the enemy army had seemed endless, looming like dark clouds, and weapons like supernatural cannons had not even been fired. If Dali committed all its forces, the casualties would indeed be catastrophic, just as the King of Dali warned. Of course, they would win! In terms of peak combat power, they had no fear of Li Hao's side either. "Then what does Your Majesty propose?" The Chief Priest looked at the King of Dali. It appeared the king had other plans. The King of Dali replied with complete composure, "In today's battle, the enemy gained a minor victory. A proud army is bound to fall! Therefore, tonight, we will assemble our high-end combat power to launch a surprise raid against them and decapitate Li Hao!" With that, he turned his gaze to a black-robed figure from an ancient city sitting in the tent. "Tonight, I hope your people will lend a hand, joining forces with the Chief Priest to slay their generals, seize their banners, and conduct a night raid on Silver City!" The black-robed figure from the ancient city frowned slightly. "Your Majesty… you intend to raid Li Hao tonight?" Even if a proud army was bound to fall, would they really let down their guard over a single minor victory? For top-tier powerhouses, surprise attacks rarely yielded miraculous results. The King of Dali smiled. "Silver City is the primary target. In addition, my generals will raid those millions of ragtag troops tonight to sow chaos. Li Hao knows nothing of military affairs, stationing millions of irregulars in the rear. It looks impressive, but once chaos erupts, they will inevitably stampede into his main army! I observed carefully today: as long as those millions of ordinary soldiers are thrown into disarray and nighttime panic sets in, his frontline main forces will also be shaken… At that point, his own formations will collapse! "When that happens, this king will mobilize the entire million-strong host and shatter the enemy in a single night!" The black-robed figure pondered for a moment before speaking. "He has veteran generals in his army, and even the Battle Heaven Army… How could they be completely unprepared?" "That is precisely why we handed them a small victory today—to make Li Hao believe Dali is nothing special. Under such circumstances, how could he expect Dali to dare raid his camp by night?" The black-robed figure listened. It sounded plausible, yet also had its flaws. Naturally, he supported a nighttime raid. What they wanted to see was ceaseless slaughter between both sides. This suited them fine! "Very well. I shall contact the Grand Venerable… Tonight, we will strike from front and rear to ambush Li Hao!" The King of Dali nodded. "You must make the journey in person. The more experts, the better. Whether the irregulars collapse or the decapitation succeeds… once their army breaks, driving straight into their territory will present no further obstacle! Li Hao wishes to settle everything in a single stroke, and this king thinks the same!" Hearing him put it this way, the black-robed figure said no more. He quickly stepped out of the tent and vanished. Once he was gone, one of the generals said in a heavy voice, "Your Majesty, those figures cannot be trusted. Even if we crush Li Hao's forces, those people will remain a problem…" The King of Dali looked at him, frowning slightly. "We are already allies. Disrupting military morale at such a moment is punishable by death! Step outside!" "Your Majesty, I—" "Step outside!" The King of Dali barked coldly. The general felt a flash of indignation, but said no more, turning and leaving. Inside the tent, several others were also resentful. It was the plain truth! Did the King truly believe those people could be trusted? That would be laughable! The King of Dali said coolly, "With a great enemy before us, we must not throw ourselves into disorder. Anyone else who shares his thoughts may leave now, lest this king show you no face in a moment!" At these words, naturally no one dared speak out, but indignant looks still lingered in several pairs of eyes. The King of Dali possessed sharp eyes. He said indifferently, "You few… leave!" He pointed out several individuals. All of them gritted their teeth in silence, turned, and walked out. They felt their king had already been bewitched! They were utterly loyal, yet now they were reprimanded merely for offering a word of caution. Were those unidentified powerhouses from the ancient cities truly worthy of trust? Dali was no puppet of theirs. Soon, the tent emptied considerably. The King of Dali said no more on the matter, continuing, "Tonight, the Chief Priest will lead the temple priests and half of the Divine Guards, coordinating with the ancient city experts to ambush the experts in Silver City. Once chaos erupts in the enemy ranks… you all will lead the army to assault their main camp directly! "The temple must maintain its defenses and afford them no opportunity to spy on our troop movements. In this supernatural era, their methods are manifold!" The Chief Priest nodded without further remark. "All of you may withdraw. Reassure the troops and prevent their morale from wavering…" The remaining officers exited the tent one by one. Just as the Chief Priest was about to leave, the King of Dali raised a hand, and the Chief Priest halted. In the Dali Dynasty, divine authority superseded royal power; in principle, the Chief Priest held a status higher than the King of Dali. However, this generation's King of Dali was exceptionally powerful and even enjoyed the blessing of Heaven's will. Even though the Chief Priest was tremendously formidable, he knew he might not be a match for this king. Consequently, this King of Dali commanded greater authority than any before him. The Chief Priest was somewhat puzzled, but remained silent. After a quiet moment of waiting, the several generals who had been driven out earlier slipped back inside, looking equally bewildered. Why had the King summoned them back? The King of Dali was entirely calm. "It was merely an act! Because those ancient city powerhouses are Neo-Martial people, the lingering prestige of Neo-Martial weighs heavily upon our men, and discordant voices have arisen in the army. Several tribal chieftains have grown far too close to them! Even this king's majesty can scarcely deter them… Just now in the tent, when this king expelled you, those people showed not the slightest reaction. They likely believed that speaking ill of the ancient city experts was indeed wrong!" The officers felt a jolt in their hearts. The King of Dali continued, "Dali has striven diligently for two hundred years. Can a mere few ancient city powerhouses shake us? Li Hao claims I act as a dog for the ancient city experts, but he underestimates this king! "It is simply that the ancient city experts are indeed numerous, and the lingering prestige of Neo-Martial is immense. Whether it is this king or Li Hao, no matter how fiercely we fight, we will ultimately have to face those figures in the end!" A sneer touched the King of Dali's lips. "Of course, since they appeared and urged us to mobilize… refusing would have brought great trouble. Yet mobilizing only satisfies their personal desires! "They want this king to commit the entire army, caring nothing for how many casualties we suffer!" The King of Dali saw right through it. Beside him, the Chief Priest looked as if he wanted to speak, but hesitated. The King of Dali said coolly, "The Chief Priest need not say much. You likely wish to say that cooperating with them and having their aid is beneficial to us right now, correct?" The Chief Priest nodded slightly. He also knew the ancient city experts harbored impure motives, but… their assistance still offered Dali tremendous advantages. "The Chief Priest only sees the present, not the future… Those fellows urged the four kingdoms to invade Heavenly Star. In today's battle, they repeatedly urged this king to commit the entire army, indifferent to the loss of life… This king roughly understands their designs." He looked up toward the sky. "Heaven's will has been born; the Heavens possess eyes! The cycle of life and death perfects the Heavenly Dao! If vast numbers of elites and supernatural warriors die in battle, their essence returns to heaven and earth… perfecting the heavenly cycle, stabilizing Heaven's will and the world itself. That, perhaps… is what they seek!" A shiver ran through the Chief Priest's heart. This King of Dali… this generation's King of Dali was truly someone he could not see through. "Then what does Your Majesty intend…?" "Tonight, the Chief Priest will cooperate with the ancient city experts to raid Li Hao's camp, taking only half the Divine Guards and half the temple priests!" The Chief Priest looked at the King of Dali, who turned to the generals below. "You will return and draw out the elite from the army. Earth-drilling shuttles—this king possesses them as well! Proceed cautiously, mobilize half our elites, and let the temple mask your movements. Tonight, this king will personally lead these elite troops… to cut off their retreat and capture or kill every single ancient city expert!" The Chief Priest's expression changed slightly. "Your Majesty, this…" "Chief Priest, this king knows you possess certain methods… Do not use them. Tonight, feign defeat! The raid must fail, not succeed! However, you must not incur excessive casualties. When the raid fails and the ancient city experts retreat… you will guard their rear, holding off Li Hao's group… while this king personally slaughters them to harvest their origin power!" The King of Dali said placidly, "Li Hao and his people walk the Neo-Martial path, so origin power is of little use to them; thus, they show little interest in actively hunting down ancient city powerhouses… But my Dali inherits the Primordial Martial path, and origin power is of immense value to us! We shall slaughter every expert who comes forth! We will seize their origin power to strengthen our Divine Guards! "On your side, pin down several ancient city experts… force them to continuously send reinforcements. This king intends to grind down Li Hao here, consuming the ancient cities' strength. Li Hao uses me to temper his army, so I shall use his hands to draw out more ancient city experts and butcher them one by one. He tempers his soldiers; this king tempers his experts!" The Chief Priest's expression shifted again. "Your Majesty, if news of this leaks…" "Then ensure no news leaks!" The King of Dali was utterly calm. "As long as every last one is slaughtered, how could news leak? In their eyes, how could humans of this era dare scheme against them? Li Hao was an anomaly; could there be a second? This king has always treated these ancient city experts with the utmost courtesy, hoping to rely on them to claim Heavenly Star. How could I turn on them and sever my own limbs? "Perhaps Li Hao killed them, perhaps other ancient city experts did, or perhaps it was due to any number of reasons—only… it will never be this king's doing!" The King of Dali gazed into the distance. "Chief Priest, this king understands clearly: even if we conquer Heavenly Star, what meaning would it hold? Only by continually increasing the number and strength of our own experts, continually surpassing our limits until we can match Neo-Martial… is there a future for Dali! Sacking Heavenly Star was never the true objective of this campaign!" He suddenly smiled. "This king was also gauging Li Hao's strength. If he were too weak… I would have used the ancient cities' hands to annihilate him directly! If his strength proves adequate… then I shall use his hands to slaughter the ancient city experts, allowing my Divine Guards and temple priests to break through to the Neo-Martial Peak Realm!" The Chief Priest struggled to suppress the tremor in his heart. He said slowly, "Then tonight's raid…" "Proceed entirely according to this king's words. Apply pressure to Li Hao's forces, and apply pressure to the ancient cities as well. In addition… when the army deploys, let those disobedient tribes lead the charge. It matters not how many casualties they suffer…" At this moment, the generals grew wildly excited, growling in low voices, "Your Majesty is brilliant!" Seizing origin power from ancient city experts to strengthen the Divine Guards and priests… They had never dared dream of such a thing. The ancient city experts were simply too terrifying. The King of Dali remained composed. "Neo-Martial has passed. What is more, these are merely traitors who betrayed Neo-Martial, scurrying like rats and snakes—what is there to fear? Even if we fail to take Heavenly Star in this war, it will not affect the overall situation. Slaying one and taking his origin power strengthens one of our own. Even if they do not reach the Peak Realm, they can still attain what Heavenly Star calls the sixth layer of the Mountain-Sea realm! Remember: in the end, experts decide wars. As for troops, Dali possesses over a million hardened soldiers, more than enough. Li Hao needs elite troops; what we need are powerhouses!" Everything clicked for them! "Your Majesty… wishes to put on a show with Li Hao here?" The King of Dali laughed and shook his head. "No, it is no show, but true slaughter! His men are perfect for tempering our generals. He tempers his troops, while we temper our commanders. After tonight's raid fails… this king will duel generals with him!" Contesting generals! The officers felt their hearts shake once more. A smile crossed the King of Dali's face. "Absorbing the origin power of the ancients leaves one's strength ungrounded. Using his generals to temper our own will be ideal! He aids my generals, and this king aids his soldiers!" Would Li Hao agree? He would. Li Hao wished for nothing more than to stall for time and forge an elite force. And Dali did not lack elite soldiers; what it sorely lacked were supreme experts. He was powerful, and the Chief Priest was powerful, but the rest were not particularly strong. Although outsiders believed Dali's Divine Guards and temple priests had reached the supernatural realm and were peerlessly fierce… was the King of Dali satisfied? Not in the slightest! They were too weak! With such strength, how could they conquer Silver Moon, or conquer those ancient experts? And now, the opportunity had arrived. The stronger Li Hao was, the happier the king would be. Only then would the ancient cities become deeply wary and dispatch reinforcements ceaselessly. At this point, he added, "Furthermore, do not intentionally send large numbers of soldiers to their deaths. Excessive deaths bring no benefit! Even with the troops of those disobedient tribes, save them whenever possible! Let it demonstrate that Dali's military will is unified, and that we stand together in camaraderie!" "We obey your command!" The generals beamed with delight. The King of Dali waved his hand. "Go. Be careful. Select the elites who will move with this king tonight!" "We obey your command!" The generals turned to leave in excitement, but the King of Dali frowned, saying coolly, "Calm yourselves. You were just reprimanded by this king, yet now you walk out beaming with joy—are you afraid others will not notice? People say Dali's warriors possess only muscle and no brains… Li Hao's promotion of education in the Central Plains does seem to have its merits!" The generals dared not smile any longer. Looking as though their parents had died, they slipped away cautiously. Once they were gone, the King of Dali looked at the Chief Priest. Only after a long silence did he speak: "Jiang Li, rather than seizing the world right now for an empty title, this king desires to truly cow all quarters and bring the realm to heel! Li Hao enjoys the blessing of Heaven's will, and so do I… Right now is not the time for a decisive battle between Li Hao and me. Both of us are favored by the Heaven's will of this era. Since that is so… this king would rather take advantage of this moment to resolve some of the lingering trouble left behind by the ancients!" The Chief Priest bowed slightly. "Your Majesty speaks reason." The King of Dali simply looked at him, saying slowly after a long pause, "Therefore… this king has no desire to become the spokesperson for any God of Primordial Martial. The temple… is no exception!" The Chief Priest's expression changed slightly. The King of Dali said placidly, "Go back and think it over carefully. Faith is a fine thing! But when the object of faith is an unknown entity from thousands or tens of thousands of years ago, why cling to it? What did he bring us? What did he change? What did he grant us? Primordial Martial suffered defeat after defeat; why always harbor unrealistic delusions? Even if Dali truly wins the world, will it not be through the merit of Dali's own people? Must that too… be credited to the God of Primordial Martial?" The Chief Priest's face changed completely. The King of Dali simply watched him in silence, saying nothing more. This generation's Chief Priest was formidable; the king knew this. The priest had even received certain blessings from the God of Primordial Martial… The king had never probed into the specifics, but he could sense certain peculiarities. Yet… he did not care. What he cared about was that Dali was his domain. No second voice was permitted, nor would it ever be tolerated. The Chief Priest took a deep breath and said slowly, "Your Majesty, I shall take my leave. I will consider it carefully!" "Go!" Watching the Chief Priest depart, the King of Dali looked into the distance, where the great momentum of heaven and earth churned. That was where Li Hao and his forces were stationed. Li Hao was not weak. Naturally, the king held no fear. Li Hao wanted to use him, and he wanted to do the same. In the end, it would come down to who was the cleverer player. …… Toward Silver City. The troops were exhilarated. Winning their first battle—even if victory had come only after the Battle Heaven Army intervened, and despite suffering non-trivial casualties—was far better than they had anticipated. At this moment, however, the Ninth Division Commander spoke up: "It was merely an opening clash, a small-scale battle. Compared to the million-strong army across from us, only tens of thousands engaged today. Moreover, we committed both the Demon Hunt Army and the Battle Heaven Army to secure this minor victory. I hope no one becomes overly self-satisfied!" Being pleased was fine, but losing their heads was out of the question. The disparity between both sides remained immense. Even their strongest unit, the Demon Hunt Army, had only fought the enemy's ten-thousand-man legion to a draw. Their other forces were clearly a step behind. Huang Yu also wore a grave expression. "Indeed! Looking across our army, the Demon Hunt Army performed well, but the Nine Departments' legions have not undergone rigorous drill. Their individual prowess is solid, but once formed into battle lines, they fall into disarray. On the battlefield earlier, the ten thousand deployed made several blunders… which resulted in heavy casualties." Li Hao nodded as well. "That is true! Of course, celebrating is still necessary; a small victory is a victory after all…" At this, he paused, then continued, "Only… the King of Dali's reaction exceeded my expectations. He did not commit his full army. I thought he would, and I had prepared to deal him a vicious blow… yet… he conceded so readily." Li Hao frowned. In truth, had the Dali army charged forward at that time, he was prepared. He had even readied divine clones for self-detonation, which, paired with Hong Yitang's Earth-Overturning Formation, would have given the enemy plenty to choke on. Yet the King of Dali had simply conceded like that. It took Li Hao completely by surprise! In his imagination, the King of Dali should have been peerlessly overbearing, incapable of accepting defeat. Dali was even more wild than Silver Moon—how could he back down so easily? Yet that was precisely what had happened. The King of Dali had not even personally taken the field, though Li Hao had prepared for a clash of powerhouses. How bizarre! The King of Dali's reaction had disrupted his plans. As Li Hao spoke, Qian Wuliang entered from outside, accompanied by an old man—none other than Shunfeng'er. At this moment, Shunfeng'er reported nervously, "Governor, Dali suddenly erected a special barrier over their camp, shutting out everything… We can no longer listen in or scout their camp. We only know an expert appears to have departed from the Dali forces…" Li Hao frowned slightly. After a moment's thought, a mirror materialized in his hand. Without a word, he channeled a surge of energy into it. The mirror rippled, sending waves rippling out into the world. Ripples vibrated softly! Though slightly chaotic, they still conveyed perceptions. Li Hao looked intently, raising an eyebrow. "An expert departed… indeed, one person seems missing…" With that, he channeled more energy, and the mirror's ripples intensified. Gradually, they spread in all directions. However, in the Silver Moon territory, the mirror appeared somewhat constrained; around certain ancient cities, heaven and earth seemed completely walled off, preventing any detection. Soon, a dark shadow flashed past and swiftly vanished. When he tried to track it again, it was gone. Li Hao raised an eyebrow, pausing before saying, "An ancient powerhouse is missing from the King of Dali's side. That person appears to have left…" Nowadays, the experts under his command possessed many methods. Li Hao had been constantly monitoring the enemy's every move. Still, the departure of a single ancient expert seemed insignificant. Had he gone to seek reinforcements? Yet it had only been a minor defeat—hardly even a true defeat for the Dali Dynasty. A casualty ratio of five thousand to three thousand, and the Battle Heaven Army alone had killed several thousand—under such circumstances, would the King of Dali really turn to an ancient city for aid? Wouldn't that make him look utterly incompetent? Thoughts flickered through his mind when Director Zhao suddenly spoke up beside him: "Could the King of Dali be planning a nighttime raid to execute a decapitation strike? He surely doesn't want massive casualties either, given Dali's limited troop numbers…" He added, "Furthermore, he is allied with the treacherous faction. He has experts at his disposal—why wouldn't he use them?" He felt this was a real possibility. The others weighed his words: a decapitation strike. Could the enemy pull it off? With the assistance of numerous ancient city experts, perhaps they could. Of course, that would mean severely underestimating Li Hao's camp. If they tried… they would certainly suffer for it. Li Hao stroked his chin and chuckled. "If that is truly the case… we can hand them a bitter lesson. I am in no hurry; the other three factions have made no major moves yet, so I am more than happy to grind down the King of Dali here! "If we can slay a portion of Dali's powerhouses, it will further compel him to temper our troops rather than seek a decisive clash of experts… That brings us nothing but advantages!" At this, he added, "Make preparations… Also… regardless of the energy consumption, hang this Wind and Cloud Auxiliary Mirror here from today onward, observing day and night to guard against sudden raids through special means! If they hope to catch us off guard, they are being far too naive!" The Wind and Cloud Auxiliary Mirror detected lifeforce. Keeping it active consumed a great deal, but it would prevent the enemy from launching a surprise attack without their knowledge. The Ninth Division Commander said, "Not only that, but this Wind and Cloud Auxiliary Mirror may not detect everything. We still need to remain vigilant." Li Hao nodded and smiled. "We will!" With that, he fell into deep thought, looking toward the enemy camp ten thousand meters away. Conducting a decapitation strike against experts was no easy feat. Of course, the enemy might simply believe his side was weak. For someone like the King of Dali, seeking revenge the very night after suffering a loss was entirely in character. "Be cautious tonight… no, stay vigilant at all times. Try not to scatter. If anything happens, await my command and strike back swiftly. In addition, keep the troops calm so no mutiny or nighttime panic occurs!" "Understood!" The officers accepted their orders one after another. Once they dispersed, Li Hao looked into the distance, his brow furrowing slightly. The King of Dali's heavenly momentum was formidable, sweeping forward with the weight of Heaven's will. If a decapitation strike truly unfolded… his plan to temper his troops would be shattered. Of course, if they could slaughter a large number of the enemy's experts and force them back into troop skirmishes, that would be fine as well, extinguishing their hopes of deciding the war through elite powerhouses. …… While both sides harbored their own schemes, Inside an ancient city. The black-robed expert's clone merged instantly into a man's true body. Clad in golden armor, the man strode quickly into the main hall and said in a deep voice, "My Lord, the King of Dali wishes to raid Li Hao tonight to carry out a decapitation strike. He hopes we will lend our strength to strike from front and rear, wiping out Li Hao in a single stroke!" Inside the great hall, The ancient entity remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly: "I witnessed today's battle. Dali did not fight to the death. Tell me the details. Is the King of Dali not said to be impulsive, hot-tempered, and incapable of stomaching a loss?" The golden-armored warrior replied swiftly, "The King of Dali has his own schemes. He wished to feign a defeat to lower Li Hao's guard, then launch a nighttime raid to decapitate him, emulating the Human King! In addition, he plans to throw Li Hao's army into chaos tonight, launching an all-out assault under cover of darkness to annihilate his forces in one blow!" "How could it be so simple…?" The man chuckled. "If it were that easy, Li Hao's faction would have been destroyed by us long ago. The King of Dali… thinks far too simply!" Thinking a single minor victory would cause Li Hao to drop his guard? Was the King of Dali underestimating Li Hao too much? Of course, who won or lost was unimportant; what mattered was that enough people died. He pondered for a moment, then spoke: "Severing origin power to send clones into battle is not out of the question… It is just that… with too many people, the commotion would be immense, easily drawing the attention of the other cities." After another moment's thought, he added, "Mobilize fifty people to sever their origin power and aid Dali! However, remember: if the situation shifts, prioritize slaughtering living beings. If Li Hao cannot be killed… do not force the matter. Retreat immediately!" "Understood!" The golden-armored warrior nodded, then asked, "My Lord, what if we find an opportunity to slay Li Hao along the way?" "Then… kill him!" The man smiled. "If he can be killed, by all means, kill him! If not, retreat in time. Do not allow Li Hao's side to reap benefits. The destruction of an origin clone is a grievous loss for us; and for Li Hao, though his Neo-Martial path does not require origin power, it would allow him to seize it and revive Neo-Martial experts." "Your subordinate understands!" The golden-armored warrior said no more, quickly departing. Once outside the city, he began gathering personnel to sever clones in preparation to assist Dali. In the golden-armored warrior's mind, eradicating Li Hao's faction outright would be the best outcome, saving further trouble. …… Inside the great hall, The man gazed toward the sky, his brow furrowed slightly. This King of Dali was also favored by Heaven's will. His thinking… was not entirely flawed. However, launching a raid after just one day of minor defeat was reckless and rushed. Had he feigned defeat for three to five days, he might actually have lowered Li Hao's guard. "Does he merely wish to test our strength?" He thought to himself. Perhaps the King of Dali wished to use this chance to gauge their power. The man looked outside. Across the city, powerhouses sat entrenched in various manors. They were numerous, and the city's energy was rich. He pondered again: if he mobilized all clones right now, dispatching hundreds of origin clones… would there be hope of wiping out Li Hao's faction? Annihilating them completely? "Yet doing so would inevitably alert the other main cities… By then, perhaps not a single one would return." A sigh escaped his heart. Too large a disturbance would bring complications, only serving to grant Li Hao allies. In contrast, those main cities would likely watch from the sidelines for a time as Dali and Li Hao clashed. The second resurgence… why was it so difficult? Was even this heaven and earth unwilling to grant them the chance to emerge? Furthermore, the Three Great Organizations they had nurtured, including Haotian Mountain Villa, had all vanished. Those ungrateful wretches could never be tamed. He let out a self-deprecating chuckle. None of the people of this era could be tamed. There was always a group who believed themselves to be the protagonists of heaven and earth. And then there was the King of Dali… Dali's Primordial Martial… did the Primordial Martial Temple truly possess experts left over from the Primordial Martial era? Moreover, the Red Moon faction had shown little movement lately… The Silver Moon world was truly fraught with complications. Thoughts surfaced one after another, and the man closed his eyes. Was a betrayal of Neo-Martial destined to lead nowhere? …… A short while later, blurred silhouettes stepped out from the ancient city, all clad in black robes concealing their features, their origin power indistinct. A full fifty expert clones were deployed merely to aid Dali. Even if they failed to kill Li Hao's group, they would inflict grievous losses, giving Dali the courage to press the attack. The black-robed clone of the golden-armored warrior led the team. He felt the King of Dali was simply too timid; had he committed his full army today, things might not have been so troublesome. They had to instill confidence in the King of Dali! The sky gradually darkened. Night began to fall. …… At this moment, inside the Dali encampment, The Chief Priest stood at the head of the detachment, flanked by over a hundred supernatural experts—temple priests, the King of Dali's Divine Guards, and black-robed figures from the ancient city who masked their auras. Over a hundred individuals stood motionless in place. The King of Dali said placidly, "Tonight, we shall sweep away the rebellious forces of Heavenly Star in one stroke! Everyone, unite your efforts! If unexpected variables arise, the temple priests and Divine Guards must prioritize the safe withdrawal of the ancient city experts, serving as the rearguard! We cannot allow the enemy to seize proof that we have ancient city experts aiding us… Otherwise, once their identities are exposed, it may provoke the other ancient cities of Silver Moon to mobilize…" Hearing this, the black-robed figures from the ancient city felt considerably relieved. One black-robed figure chuckled deeply. "Rest assured, Your Majesty. All of us possess Peak Realm power, and with the Chief Priest joining the fray… we will certainly slay Li Hao and his followers in one blow!" The King of Dali smiled as well. "Then this king shall await the good news from you seniors!" A black-robed figure asked in a low voice, "Will Your Majesty… not participate in this battle?" The King of Dali chuckled. "This king must remain here to stir the momentum of heaven and earth, lest Li Hao sense something beforehand. Our heavenly wills stand in confrontation; only when I remain here will he lower his guard. Otherwise… he will detect it in advance!" The group considered this and found it reasonable. The King of Dali said no more, turning his gaze to the Chief Priest. "This time… I must trouble the Chief Priest!" A complex look flickered in the Chief Priest's eyes, and he said promptly, "I dare not claim credit; I shall do my utmost!" "Then… depart. Bypass the main armies and move with caution to avoid detection. Seniors, please lend your assistance!" The Chief Priest said no more, quickly leading the hundred-plus figures into the night. After they had been gone for a while, the King of Dali waited a moment before several figures materialized—a detachment of Divine Guards and several generals, all brimming with excitement. The King of Dali glanced toward the opposite encampment, sensed the surroundings, and let out a chuckle. Something had been constantly probing him. Li Hao certainly possessed no shortage of treasures. Yet… even if you know this king has departed, what can you do? He casually tossed down an imperial seal. The seal radiated a faint sovereign aura, filling the tent with a presence that felt as though a king were seated within. The King of Dali looked at the men before him. With a wave of his hand, an earth-drilling shuttle appeared. His voice was low and resonant: "This king hopes… that every one of you will become powerful, serving as my right hand rather than remaining meat on someone else's chopping block!" The men's eyes blazed with fervor. Dropping to one knee, they declared passionately, "We shall clear the path for the King!" The King of Dali nodded slightly. "Then let us depart… to slay ancient experts! Li Hao and his people can kill them, and so… can we! We must not allow a single sliver of origin power to escape before our eyes. If one escapes… Dali will be in peril!" Everyone understood the danger. If they succeeded, the harvest would be astronomical; but if they failed… and someone escaped back to an ancient city, Dali would face disaster. Without a word, they boarded the earth-drilling shuttle one after another. The King of Dali was the last to enter, and the shuttle vanished on the spot. Only a few Divine Guards remained in the command tent, where the sovereign seal continued to radiate a formidable aura, rippling through heaven and earth. …… At that very moment, Li Hao snapped his eyes open, staring at the treasure mirror before him. His expression shifted slightly. On the King of Dali's side… the man seemed to have vanished? The aura was still there, but it did not seem to belong to the man himself. Bizarre. Was he truly launching a raid tonight? Did he underestimate them, or did he believe that with the traitors' backing, he could act without fear? Li Hao's gaze turned frosty. If that was the case, he would not hold back. Did the King of Dali truly believe his departure could go unnoticed? Though the aura over there remained powerful, carrying the weight of a sovereign, as someone who had also received the blessing of Heaven's will, Li Hao could discern clearly that the two were not the same. "Come! Prepare for battle!" Li Hao relayed his command. Since the enemy had decided to strike, he would not hesitate; harvesting a few of them when they delivered themselves to his doorstep would dispel their reckless notions. Yet… he still felt a vague sense of unease. The King of Dali had also received Heaven's will. If he had any sense at all, he should have known that while others might not detect his departure, Li Hao certainly would. Even if he was unaware of the Wind and Cloud Auxiliary Mirror, he should not have left personally. He should have remained in place and joined the fray only after the battle erupted—the distance was not great, and doing so would have kept Li Hao in the dark. "Bizarre!" No matter how Li Hao racked his brains, he could not fathom the King of Dali's intentions. Had the fellow… taken him for a fool? Damn it, I'll teach you a lesson tonight!