The Power of the Red Moon

Choosing the Zheng family. No one had anticipated this. Everyone assumed that if the Zheng family had indeed turned traitor, their entire city had revived, making them perilous beyond measure—far more dangerous than the other seven ancient cities combined. Yet after hearing Qian Wuliang out, Li Hao had decisively chosen the Zheng family without the slightest hesitation. At this moment, Qian Wuliang was racked with uncertainty. Yuan Shuo's brows were knit tight as well. If the assessment proved wrong... according to prior clues, the Zheng family was the principal city of the betrayal. Should they lead their entire force into an assault, Li Hao's faction could be wiped out that very day. It was a lethal gamble of the highest order! Besides... was Qian Wuliang’s judgment even accurate? He had merely offered a conjecture. There was zero proof that the Zheng family was not the main stronghold. The patriarch of the Zheng family had likely been a Heavenly King back in the day. After seizing two-thirds of the Heavenly Star Great Mine and remaining active all these years without falling into stasis, he might have reached an even higher realm. A Sovereign? If he truly was a Sovereign, they might as well slit their own throats; confronting him would be utterly impossible. Even if their main force genuinely was elsewhere, Qian Wuliang still judged that the Zheng family was one of their strongholds. That meant revived powerhouses were entirely possible... Yuan Shuo caught up with Li Hao, a shadow of worry clouding his eyes. His diplomatic mission had not revealed much. Qian Wuliang had spun a grand, dazzling theory, but had his disciple really bought it so readily? It was far too dangerous! "Li Hao." Yuan Shuo pulled ahead of the others and came up beside Li Hao. Instead of speaking aloud, he sent a mental voice transmission: "What he said is possible, but... it rests entirely on his conjecture. The Zheng family is perilous in the extreme, and the Hong family is scarcely better... Perhaps the Liu family is the best first choice. "If all else fails... if we truly must seize a city, the Zhou family or even the Martial Arts Alliance are options... At worst, we simply fall out with them!" He knew what Li Hao feared: handling the Neo-Martial ancient cities poorly and falling out with Zhang An and the others. Li Hao harbored far too many reservations. No one had wished to be pushed to this point. But now, Yuan Shuo could hold back no longer. Gritting his teeth, he transmitted, "Between Neo-Martial, the traitors, the sealed entities, the four kingdoms, and Heavenly Star, we are weaker than every single one of the five factions... Yet if we stake our lives on a gamble, we might still have a chance. Li Hao, you cannot drive yourself into a dead end just because you fear alienating Zhang An and Battle Heaven City! "If it really comes to it, take a page from the ancient Human King's book: everyone outside of us is an enemy... At worst, we go mad for once and fight to the death!" Right now, Li Hao was constantly trying to win people over. Yet the difficulty was simply too high. He wanted the support and understanding of certain Neo-Martial figures while constantly worrying about provoking their displeasure. At the same time, he had to factor in the traitorous ancient cities and remain vigilant against the four-nation invasion... On top of that, there were the Three Great Organizations, with Ying Hongyue posing an enormous threat. When Li Hao declared he would attack the Zheng family... Yuan Shuo knew he was taking a gamble. Gambling for an opening! If they could prove the Zheng family was treacherous, and if they wagered correctly that the Zheng family lacked the traitors' main force, Li Hao would win the enduring support of Zhang An, Battle Heaven City, and their peers. Otherwise, striking any ancient city would inevitably spark a clash with them sooner or later. Zhang An and the others had held their tongues thus far only because Li Hao had not yet put his plans into action. Take Director Wang, for instance. The moment he heard the Zheng family might not be traitors, he had been beside himself with excitement. Of the eight ancient cities, only the Hong family... because their ancestor was weak and their foundation shallow, everyone could understand and accept it if they turned out to be the traitors. Yuan Shuo could not fully inhabit Li Hao's mind. At this moment, he could only say, "Whatever you choose, we will support you! But... you must remember one thing: martial artists of the jianghu should be free and unburdened. You overthink things. You fear too much. You want perfection, but there is no such thing as perfection in this world! "Little Hao..." He looked at Li Hao. Li Hao halted his steps and turned back toward his master. Yuan Shuo spoke with solemn gravity: "Even if... we never gain the support of Battle Heaven City or Zhang An, we will still fight with our lives! You can let them go, and you can prepare to turn against them... They are conflicted as well. On one hand, they support us; on the other, they still expect the privileges of the Neo-Martial era and even wish to remain autonomous from us! "This cannot go on... In everything we do, we have to consider their feelings... Sooner or later, disaster will strike!" Yuan Shuo was deadly serious. "Prepare yourself... to turn your back and fight! We cannot continue down this road. If you indulge their desires by picking one family over another—or picking none at all—even if they haven't openly intervened, you have already subconsciously let them dictate your choices!" Li Hao pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. He glanced at Yuan Shuo, speaking only after a brief pause: "Master, I understand. I am simply doing everything I can to keep my conscience clear! Not just toward our people, but also to give Neo-Martial a proper accounting. "This time, if I can obtain proof of the Zheng family's betrayal... from that point on, my conscience will be entirely clear. Every bit of assistance I received from Battle Heaven City and Yuanping Martial Arts University will have been repaid in full! "Master, sometimes, repaying a debt of sentiment is not merely a matter of balancing material ledgers." With a soft sigh, Li Hao said quietly, "Battle Heaven City helped me immensely when I was weak. The two words 'Battle Heaven' brought me profound enlightenment. Director Wang, Division Commander Nine, and the others—all of them helped me tremendously..." Yuan Shuo said heavily, "Then follow their wishes! Didn't Director Wang suggest hitting the Hong family? Then do as he said... If the choice is wrong, that will be his own cross to bear!" In that instant, he chose to side with Qian Wuliang! Attack the Hong family! If it proved to be a mistake, Battle Heaven City would bear the blame. He looked at Li Hao. "Since you want to handle it this way, then... gather them and ask them directly. Tell them we must pick one family, and ask which one they consider more likely to have betrayed Neo-Martial. Whichever they name, we attack... Since both are gambles, let's gamble big! The Zheng and Hong families are the most suspicious; if they make a choice, it will be between those two!" According to Qian Wuliang's deduction, the enemy's main force might be in the Liu family or even the Zhou family. Both the Zheng and Hong families were viable targets. No matter what the Neo-Martial ancients chose, it would align with Li Hao's expectations. If something went awry, Li Hao would be blameless. *You chose it yourselves!* As for whether they would choose... Things had already come to this; there was definitely a traitor among them. Could they afford to ignore the matter and allow the traitors to continue preparing their resurgence? At this moment, Yuan Shuo appeared exceptionally self-serving. Yet he felt no need to act noble and selfless. Li Hao was risking everything, and Silver Moon was taking immense gambles, all just to offer the Neo-Martial ancients peace of mind. Why bother? Li Hao said softly, "Master, if we believe the Zheng family is more suspicious, yet deliberately steer them toward attacking the Hong family... what if that choice is wrong? What if the Hong family remained loyal? Not only loyal to Neo-Martial, but—don't forget—perhaps even more loyal to the Li family!" "Even then, it would be loyalty to the Li family, not to you! If it were you, they would have reached out long ago!" Yuan Shuo disagreed. "You do not represent the Li family! The only one they acknowledge is the Sword Venerable of Neo-Martial!" "I know." Li Hao nodded. "Yet Master... the Neo-Martial Sword Venerable, my swordsmanship, everything that brought me here—much of it relied on the aid of the Starry Sky Sword, including its sword energy. I did not reach this height purely by my own strength. Given that, even if their loyalty is to the Sword Venerable, I cannot intentionally lead them astray..." "Bastard!" Yuan Shuo suddenly snapped in anger. "Why are you worrying about this now? Repaying favors? What favors do you owe them? If not for the shadow of the Li family, you wouldn't have been shoved into one desperate plight after another..." Li Hao shook his head. "Master, it isn't about repaying debts, nor is it about compromising with Neo-Martial... I only want to... act with upright integrity!" "Bullshit! All warfare is based on deception!" Yuan Shuo snarled again. "When our strength falls short, what right do we have to speak of upright integrity? And don't forget—this gamble isn't yours alone. It involves the entire Silver Moon martial arts world and everyone who placed their trust in you!" Li Hao fell silent. Sensing he had been too harsh, Yuan Shuo took a deep breath. "That wasn't what I meant. I'm only saying that even if you take risks, you should prioritize the will of our people..." Li Hao stared blankly for a moment, then nodded. "You're right! Once everyone arrives, I'll ask for their thoughts and put it to a vote!" Just as Yuan Shuo was nodding, Li Hao added, "To decide whether they wish to go!" "..." Yuan Shuo realized his meaning: the vote was not between the Hong family and the Zheng family. Li Hao had already settled on moving against the Zheng family; the vote was solely to decide who was willing to come along. He felt utterly helpless! This disciple of his was stubbornly obstinate at times! Having reached this point, he dropped the argument and spoke quickly: "Their guardian demon plant is a peach tree... or at least looks very similar to one. It should possess the might of a Saint, but from the looks of it, not much of its power has revived. Whether it was concealing its strength, I cannot say. "Within the city, I only saw two gold-armored warriors. Their exact prowess is hard to gauge; they kept an extremely low profile, appearing less formidable than Battle Heaven City... "There were soldiers as well, around three thousand, comparable to the forces currently revived in Battle Heaven City. Not overly terrifying. "Additionally, they have an aerial-prohibition array. Outsiders without authorization are forbidden from taking flight... Of course, the Starry Sky Sword might be able to bypass it." Pausing briefly, he continued, "They also have auxiliary demon plants. I don't know the exact count, but I spotted several throughout the city. Battle Heaven City has thirty-six; even if they have fewer, it won't be by much. "As for other details, we can inquire further... Ask Director Wang and the others. "We can handle the auxiliary demon plants... but the guardian demon plant and the gold-armored warrior we saw today might be beyond our reach. Furthermore, an army is garrisoned there. If a division commander appears... they could wield the combat power of a Saint! "It is very likely that two Saint-tier powerhouses exist within those walls." He looked at Li Hao. "If you truly run into them, you have no way to contend with them. "On top of that, there are the defensive formations in the city, unexpected contingencies, and the city lord seal... Last time, Battle Heaven City used their city lord seal to slay a battered Saint. All of these are exceptionally dangerous!" Yuan Shuo took a deep breath. "I'll say it once more: beneath the Saint realm, we can fight with our lives! Against a Saint... staking our lives is useless." Li Hao remained silent, his gaze drifting upward toward the sky. If they succeeded this time... Every deadlock would be shattered. The four nations would no longer pose an existential threat, the menace of the traitors would drastically diminish, and breaching an ancient city would grant them both offensive initiative and defensive security. Everything would undergo an earth-shaking transformation. It would buy him ample time to develop and grow strong. Thus, a victory would yield rewards beyond imagination. And a defeat would naturally mean everything turning to ash. Including their stance toward Neo-Martial! If this battle proved that the Zheng family was a traitor, and that the Liu family and others were implicated, then neither Zhang An nor Battle Heaven City would have the face to demand cooperation ever again. There would only be extermination! If they still refused to accept it then, the best outcome would be an amicable parting, and the worst, becoming bitter enemies. At this moment, Li Hao made up his mind. This had to be done! If they succeeded, enormous changes would follow, including a transformation in how he approached Neo-Martial. Yet a Saint... how was he to resolve that threat? He stared into the sky. After a long while, he murmured, "Master, do you remember that sword strike from back then?" "What strike?" "The day I comprehended my bloodline and saw that slash..." Yuan Shuo's expression changed instantly! Li Hao looked toward the heavens. "It has been a long time since I last sought enlightenment from the Sword Venerable's sword dao." "Li Hao!" "Master, with my current strength, if I go back to comprehend that strike once more... might I gain some unique insights?" "It's far too dangerous!" Yuan Shuo already knew of the seal's existence. Doing this was fraught with peril; if Li Hao became trapped within and could not withdraw, or if the sealed powerhouse seized upon Li Hao's bloodline to possess him... it would spell catastrophic disaster. Li Hao smiled. "Master, just tell me: can the Sword Venerable's sword slay a Saint?" "This..." "As for the sword dao... my physical body can hardly bear opening more Dao meridians right now. However, instead of unsealing full Dao meridians, I could open an acupoint on each of the 360 Dao meridians—opening a single acupoint per meridian to establish a rudimentary circulation. Opening 360 acupoints is not terribly difficult... It isn't as if I'm piercing through the Bright Star Realm. Master, do you think... this is feasible?" Yuan Shuo's expression shifted erratically. Was it feasible? Perhaps it was! However, Li Hao was far stronger now, the world was reviving, and the seal was growing unstable. If... if he delved too deep, he could very well be dragged in by the sealed powerhouse. This was vastly more hazardous than entering the Bright Star Realm; at least the Bright Star Realm harbored no mortal foes. "Before the others arrive... I want to go take a look... to witness our ancestor's sword strike once more. Master... if something goes wrong... just strike me down." Li Hao's brow twitched slightly. "The sealed powerhouse can likely seize minds. Ying Hongyue is very likely no longer entirely the Ying Hongyue of the past! From my recent assessments, though the old Ying Hongyue was insidious and cunning, he took pride in his sentimental nature. If he were still the man he once was, he would have sought vengeance against me long ago after I killed so many of his confidantes." At this point, he smiled faintly. "Master, let's head over to the stone gate. It's safer there. I will follow the Bagua diagram once more to enter its core and see for myself." "This..." Yuan Shuo felt a splitting headache. After a long silence, he nodded. "Fine!" Since Li Hao was set on it, he could only accompany him. Keeping pace with Li Hao, he said, "You want to stimulate the acupoints across 360 Dao meridians, but many of those meridians haven't even manifested yet... Even if you don't fully open the meridians, you've already opened over two hundred acupoints. There are still 324 meridians untouched, which means opening at least 324 more acupoints—bringing the total to over five hundred! Can your body withstand it?" "It can. I am only opening single acupoints, not entire meridians. Opening them won't have that large an impact." Li Hao said softly, "The crucial issue is that even if I open one acupoint per meridian and complete the 360-acupoint circulation, I worry... my strength won't see a significant leap, rendering the effort wasted." Yuan Shuo assessed the situation rapidly and said, "There will definitely be some transformation... Of course, without opening all the meridians, the increase won't be as dramatic as one might imagine. Even so, using 360 acupoints to form a sword of Dao meridians, paired with the Sword Venerable's Starry Sky Sword and his sword arts... the result may surpass all expectations." Pausing, he added, "Also... I need you to promise me something." "What?" "Lend me your five meridians!" "What?" Li Hao froze. Yuan Shuo gave a cold snort. "Lend me your five meridians. Didn't you hear me? I saw them—your five divine characters floating within the Bright Star Realm, overseeing five major sectors. I want you to lend those five meridians to me... Merge the divine characters into my body so that I govern the five meridians, while you focus exclusively on your 360 Dao meridians." Li Hao instantly frowned. "That won't do..." "Are you afraid I'll usurp your divine characters?" Yuan Shuo flew into a fury. "I am your master! I taught you your martial arts! Now that your wings have grown strong, you're unwilling to lend your master a few things? You'd rather trust that coward, Earth-Overturning Sword, than your own teacher?" "That's not it..." Li Hao knew his master was feigning anger, but still explained, "I didn't mean that. Master, the five meridians aren't fully perfected yet..." "Can't I bloody well perfect them myself?" "There isn't enough time..." "You know shit!" Yuan Shuo barked furiously, "Since you plan to rely on your sword dao and the sword of 360 Dao meridians to face the enemy, having or lacking five meridians won't make a big difference! If you lend them to me, master and disciple share the same source and roots; your five divine characters won't reject me. On the contrary, precisely because our origins are identical, the only person you *can* lend them to is me! "Does anyone else qualify? Not in the slightest! Not just those—you're lending me your 'Dao' divine character as well..." Li Hao's head ached intensely. "Master... I..." "Are you afraid I'll snatch away your authority over it?" "Master, why must you speak like this?" "Because I damn well want to!" Yuan Shuo's expression darkened. "If you won't lend them, you simply don't trust me! Fine... from now on, you're no longer a disciple of the Five Animals Sect. Go be your Governor, and I'll remain my Old Demon of the Five Animals. You're just like your senior brothers and sisters—an unfilial brat! What bloody use was there in raising you all!" Li Hao knew his master was deliberately provoking him. Just as he was about to speak, Yuan Shuo's anger abruptly vanished. "If you don't lend them to me... I'll truly sever ties with you! If you don't lend them, and we run into peril and you fall short, none of us will meet a good end unless I stay behind... Think about it. At a critical juncture, I might be able to save myself, perhaps even escape into the Bright Star Realm. But without them, I can barely enter; with no anchor point, I'll easily become lost." Li Hao was taken aback. He was right! In a dire crisis, if they were outmatched, having the divine characters might allow his master to seek refuge in the Bright Star Realm and survive. Without them, he could indeed become permanently lost within it. Li Hao fell silent at once. He understood his master's intentions, but still felt helpless. "Master, even if I lend them to you, you cannot act recklessly! Your physical body is far frailer than mine. Do not attempt to devour nearby Great Dao energy, or your flesh will certainly collapse!" Yuan Shuo grinned. "How could I? As long as you lend them, you're still my good disciple!" "..." Li Hao sighed internally. *The moment you say that, I know for certain you'll devour the nearby Great Dao energy!* As master and disciple walked toward the mine on the outskirts, they continued conversing. Li Hao reiterated, "Master, we share the same source. You focus on the Great Dao of the Five Elements. When the five elements merge, your combat strength will surely surge... but that is already your absolute limit. If you devour more Dao energy on top of that, you'll be courting death." "Nonsense. When death is certain, does it make a difference whether you die like that or get beaten to death?" "..." *He has a point!* Li Hao couldn't help but chuckle. Yuan Shuo chuckled as well. "Stop dallying like an old woman. Do you still remember this place?" Li Hao glanced over, paused, and nodded. "Qiao's Mining Group." "Back then, your master wasn't even at Three Suns; I had barely stepped into Thousand-Battler. That fellow was a Three Suns expert. Did the two of us cower and struggle like this back then?" Yuan Shuo pointed at the building, chuckling. "Back then, you brat even wrecked my car right here! What was your strength at the time? What was mine? That Qiao family fellow was a Three Suns! It's no different from now—except Three Suns has become Saints, and you and I have both grown countless times stronger! "Yet when master and disciple joined forces... didn't we slaughter him just the same?" Yuan Shuo let out a cold laugh. "Sometimes, the stronger you get, the smaller your courage becomes, and the more things you fret over! But... Little Hao, remember this: when you've reached a dead end with nowhere left to run, you stake everything on a single gamble! If we win, we feast; if we lose... why bother worrying about living or dying?" He looked at Li Hao. "You've grown increasingly anxious, increasingly uneasy—worrying that I might die, worrying about dragging others down... What is there to fear?" He continued coldly, "There is nothing to fear! Even if every last one of us dies, we brought it upon ourselves. I, Yuan Shuo, leave these words here: among today's powerhouses, not a single one doesn't deserve death! If they aren't guilty in their own right, they would have eventually been slaughtered by the ancients if not for you! In that case... why worry about their deaths? "The Silver Moon martial arts world was prepared to risk everything from the very beginning! Without you, when the second resurgence arrived, these fellows would have likely perished alongside Zhao Shuguang and the others! "They couldn't even handle the Nine Departments and the imperial family on their own! "You don't need to burden yourself with their survival... You overthink it, and so do I. How many people have I killed in my life? Were any of them innocent? Of course there were!" Yuan Shuo sneered. "Many of the martial artists I pummeled to death were innocent. I killed them simply to make a name for myself! I've lived for over seventy years; I have no regrets. Instead of wasting time worrying about me, you'd better consider... whether you yourself can make it out alive!" He pointed once more at the building. "Back then, when we took down the Qiao family, did we have any evidence proving they were villains? The only reason you asked me to kill that man was because he was powerful, monopolized the ruins, and held a grudge against Liu Yan! Act with bold vengeance and decisive passion—dwelling on life and death is completely meaningless! "Evidence... whether you strike the Zheng family, the Hong family, or anyone else... once the decision is made, stop obsessing over proof. If the Neo-Martial folks cannot understand... then they don't need to understand!" Li Hao fell into thought, then nodded. A broad grin spread across Yuan Shuo's face. "Come, let's travel using the Five Animals Art. It's been a while since we used the Deer Leaping Art, hasn't it? Do you still remember how exhilarating it felt the first time we rushed to the mine using it?" Li Hao stared blankly, then broke into a smile and nodded. The next instant, master and disciple sprang forward like young deer riding the wind! Bounding and leaping! Abandoning all restraint! At that moment, quite a few onlookers caught sight of them and were taken aback. High above the ground, master and disciple bounded like deer, not tearing through the void, but simply running freely across the open earth, kicking up plumes of dust. *** Silver City. Zhao Shuguang watched the pair depart with a trace of perplexity. Beside him, Director Zhou—who had returned after a long absence to reunite with him—wore a faint smile. "There's nothing quite like the bond between a true master and disciple. Lately... I've barely dared to mention certain things to him." "What things?" Director Zhao asked in puzzlement, glancing at Director Zhou. Director Zhou sighed softly. "The four kingdoms, the ancient cities, Neo-Martial, the traitors, the Three Great Organizations... they've almost backed him into a corner! In the past, he loved to smile. Even when it was a false smile, he looked genuinely joyful... It feels like ages since I've seen him truly laugh. From the moment the four kingdoms invaded until today, ever since he brought those Neo-Martial ancients out of the ruins... his strength has soared, yet his life seems to have grown harder and harder." He spoke with a tinge of helplessness: "Back then, the Four Guardians of Silver Moon plus Yuan Shuo could still shield him from the wind and rain. But now... gone! Every last one of them! Zhang An, Li Daozong—those people... they treat him decently, but they cannot give him their absolute devotion, nor can they favor him over their fellow Neo-Martial people." In the past, everyone had been willing to show partiality toward Li Hao and shelter him. Now, not a single one remained. The strongest figure in the Governor's Mansion was Zhang An. While Zhang An thought highly of Li Hao, when forced to make a hard choice, he would never choose Li Hao unconditionally—even though he, too, knew the immense ordeals Li Hao faced. As for the others, their strength fell short of Li Hao's own! Director Zhou sighed again. "He has been hesitating, longing for some measure of support, yet the Neo-Martial side is unwilling to give him much. Deep down, he wishes someone would shield him, but those people refuse... He has no choice but to brace himself and press forward, treading on thin ice with every step... Old Zhao, many years ago, we walked that same path, but our situation was never this dire. Looking around, aside from us... no one is truly willing to help him with everything they have. And even we haven't given our whole hearts." "What do you mean by that?" Director Zhao retorted irritably, "How have we not given our whole hearts?" Director Zhou looked at him for a long time before replying, "You and I served together in Silver Moon for forty years. Is that ten-thousand-strong Silver Moon Guard truly the entirety of your preparations against the second resurgence?" He smiled—a bright, brilliant smile. "We spent all those years waiting for the second resurgence, waiting for the ancients to emerge. Are you telling me your entire trump card was merely those ten thousand Silver Moon Guards? Just the few of us? A handful of weaklings who might not even stand against a Peak Realm expert? Old Zhao... is that truly all?" Director Zhao frowned and stared at him. Director Zhou said softly, "As long as we succeed this time and shatter the barrier before us, light will return to the sky—even if only partially! Old Zhao... whatever hidden cards you have, bring them out. Let's stake it all... and believe in him just this once!" Director Zhao said heavily, "Old Zhou, you spent some time in Heavenly Star City, and you've changed..." "I haven't changed!" Director Zhou shook his head. "I've simply seen a few things. I just feel... there's no need for us to keep secrets and hide our hands anymore. His burden is crushing right now, and he knows it. He's probably even wondering whether Silver Moon truly has no cards left. Yet he never brings it up... At heart, he is still a Silver Moon martial artist who values his pride. If no one offers help, he'll rely on himself! "Think about it. From the beginning until today, aside from Yuan Shuo, has he ever proactively reached out to anyone for rescue? Even when he did seek aid, he always paid a sufficient price in return... He has his pride, cast from the very same mold as the Silver Moon martial artists! "He can't wait to draw a clean line between himself and everyone else: you help me, I help you; you give me an inch, I return a foot... We spent all that time trying to change him, hoping he wouldn't be consumed by slaughter and hatred. Now, he has laid down his hatred and slaughter... yet we can no longer offer him greater support. If that's the case, why didn't we just let him continue living for vengeance back then?" He looked directly at Director Zhao. "If his sole objective had remained Ying Hongyue from the start, his path would never have been this arduous! We thrust the responsibility onto him. The four-nation invasion, the Neo-Martial traitors—did any of that have anything to do with him? If he simply devoted himself to hunting down Ying Hongyue right now... and gave up the Starry Sky Sword, who would necessarily make things difficult for him? "You wanted to emulate Supreme Zhang of Neo-Martial. You wanted to raise a Human King just as Supreme Zhang did... But did you give him the protection a Human King deserves? Did you accomplish what Supreme Zhang accomplished?" Director Zhao's brow furrowed deeper and deeper. "So... you are not Supreme Zhang, and he is not the Human King. Why must we force all of this upon his shoulders?" Director Zhao said heavily, "I never forced anything on him. Besides... this is the responsibility of every single one of us!" "No, you are wrong!" Director Zhou countered, "It is not everyone's responsibility! You must understand one thing: he never wanted to be a king, nor did he ever desire an empire. None of this was his duty! He survived not because you provided much help, but because Yuan Shuo, Hong Yitang, and others supported him... He reached this height without much aid from you either. Therefore, Old Zhao, your premise was flawed from the start!" Director Zhao remained silent. Director Zhou said calmly, "If you keep holding back your trump cards and refuse to bet everything now... who will be willing to fight for you next time? If this endeavor fails, you will never have another chance. Even if you survive, biding your time in hiding... you will never have an opportunity again!" He was certain that Old Zhao still held hidden cards. There was no other explanation. Silver Moon had awaited the second resurgence for far too many years! It was impossible that he had made no preparations. Long ago, Director Zhao had claimed that once the second resurgence truly began, Silver Moon would be able to contest the realm and battle those ancient figures. Why, then, was their present situation so fraught with hardship? His gaze burned into Director Zhao. After a prolonged silence, Director Zhao spoke: "Do you... do you remember that during the first resurgence, I was present at the scene?" Director Zhou's eyes flickered, and he nodded. During the first resurgence, the leaders of the Three Great Organizations, the Haotian Mountain Master, and Director Zhao had all been on site. Someone had mentioned this in the past. Afterward, however, Director Zhao had never spoken of it, so the others refrained from asking. For a time, Li Hao had even harbored suspicions about Director Zhao, deliberately concealing certain matters from him. In particular, after learning of Director Zhao's ties to the ancient cities, Li Hao had kept his distance, reviving General Locust without giving him advance notice. Director Zhao took a deep breath. "The site of the first resurgence was called the Yushan Town Ruins! Within it lay an energy mine, home to a powerhouse named Di Yao. "Di Yao was similar to the figure you mentioned deep within the Heavenly Star Town mine... His mission was to initiate the first resurgence! And he succeeded, whereas the one in Heavenly Star Town failed." Director Zhou frowned slightly, nodding. Director Zhao continued, "Back then, when the first resurgence began, several of us had brief contact with Di Yao." Director Zhou's thoughts stirred. After weighing his words, he asked, "Was this Di Yao aligned with the traitors, or the other faction?" "The other faction—he hailed from the Red Moon Great World! That was why... Ying Hongyue's Red Moon organization emerged from that encounter!" Director Zhou's expression shifted again. "You certainly know how to keep a secret. You never breathed a word of this." Director Zhao said slowly, "Back then, Ying Hongyue, several others, and I reached a pact with Di Yao... Before the second resurgence, we would not target one another, and we would join hands to initiate the second resurgence. Otherwise... none of us would have made it out." "Were there restrictions?" Director Zhou asked gravely, "You kept quiet all this time because of those restrictions?" "Some, but nothing overly severe." Director Zhao murmured, "After that, the Three Great Organizations arose, Haotian Divine Mountain emerged, and I... took charge of Silver Moon. Each of us governed our own territory, staying out of each other's way! We all waited silently for the second resurgence to begin..." "And you were pushing it forward as well, weren't you?" Director Zhao nodded. "In a sense. Following the pact, we were indeed actively driving the second resurgence. Both the Three Great Organizations and Silver Moon targeted the Nine Departments and the imperial family, aiming to force them into opening the mines." Director Zhou said heavily, "Get to the point. What about now? And is this Di Yao your trump card?" Director Zhao smiled. "What's the rush? The current situation is that the second resurgence has been repeatedly delayed, and the original agreement has long expired. Everyone is seeking their own way out, finding their own path to survival. But Di Yao is indeed a trump card..." He paused before continuing, "Di Yao does not represent the traitors; he represents the Red Moon Great World! When the second resurgence began, Di Yao once claimed that upon his revival, he would strike against certain figures in the eight ancient cities. Of course, he didn't say it outright; that was my own deduction. "Therefore, although numerous ruins lie within Silver Moon, I know that Di Yao has revived considerably. Once the second resurgence truly begins, Di Yao will be the predator hunting them down!" Director Zhou frowned. "You're courting disaster with a tiger!" "Yes!" Director Zhao nodded. "It is courting disaster! I considered many things back then. I thought of utilizing the Martial Arts Alliance to hunt Di Yao and strike a balance. I planned to wait for the second resurgence, let Di Yao slaughter a vast number of ancient city powerhouses first, and then plot against Di Yao so the Martial Arts Alliance could finish him off... letting them destroy each other. "The Red Moon Great World and Neo-Martial are natural enemies! "Of course, that is walking a tightrope... but it hardly matters anymore. Once the second resurgence begins, how can anyone survive without walking a tightrope?" Director Zhou sighed. "Then this trump card... is probably useless now." Old Zhao was actually relying on a powerhouse from the Red Moon Great World? What kind of trump card was that? He felt utterly helpless! Director Zhao, however, shook his head. "I governed Silver Moon for forty years, expelling the Three Great Organizations, barring Ying Hongyue and the others from entering, and monopolizing the Yushan Town Ruins. This resulted in one crucial fact: all these years, Di Yao could only maintain contact with me alone! Do you understand? "From the first resurgence until now, across twenty-one years, Di Yao hasn't set eyes on Ying Hongyue once... His only method of contact was seeping mental energy outward to craft a red robe figure that shadowed Ying Hongyue to maintain communications... In truth, I tacitly permitted all of that. And that very red robe was slain by Ying Hongyue and his companions not long ago..." Director Zhou looked at him, his gaze flickering. Twenty-one years! Over such an immense span of time, had Old Zhao established an even deeper connection with that Di Yao? Director Zhao murmured, "For twenty-one years, I was constantly thinking and planning. Regrettably, Di Yao was no easy fool to deal with. Even though we forged numerous ties over the years, I still couldn't fully deceive or persuade him..." With that, he broke into a laugh. "Until Ying Hongyue slaughtered the red robe, severing contact with him. With no other prospects left, his sole reliance fell upon me. In truth, I should be thanking Ying Hongyue! "During those days, Ying Hongyue even attempted to meddle in Yushan Town, but I blocked him... And I did only one thing." Director Zhou sighed. "Speak plainly." Director Zhao smiled faintly. "I said I could become his eyes, his arms, his limbs... becoming a second red robe, a second Ying Hongyue! You want me to play my trump card, and it's not entirely out of the question... I could go meet him now, letting his Saint-tier power forcefully open my acupoints and Dao meridians, reshaping my body into a vessel suitable for him to possess in preparation for his emergence from the ruins... The greatest drawback, however, is that... I might lose myself. "The powerhouses of the Red Moon Great World possess one terrifying trait: they slowly amplify the desires in your heart. They do not directly seize your body or devour your soul... instead, they steadily magnify your desires, transforming you until you gradually become one of them. Every single traitor must have had deep contact with them!" Director Zhao sighed. "If I go accept his modification, his indoctrination, his concepts, and open a few Dao meridians, he will certainly be delighted. The red robe is dead, and Ying Hongyue has effectively turned traitor; since Di Yao cannot emerge right now, he would gladly take me as his mouthpiece..." Director Zhou's expression shifted slightly. He murmured, "Forget it. We don't need a second Ying Hongyue running around! All these years, I thought you had some brilliant scheme prepared, and yet... this is it?" He was thoroughly disappointed. This was hardly a trump card. *Twenty-one years, and this is what you plotted?* *A grand waste of time!* He wanted to mock him: if you had told me earlier, perhaps I could have devised another way. Yet Director Zhao laughed. "Naturally, there is more. If this were all... wouldn't my twenty-one years have been in vain? Am I really foolish enough to turn myself into a second Ying Hongyue?" Director Zhao appeared rather smug. "For twenty-one years, I racked my brains day and night on how to prevent becoming a second Ying Hongyue, how to avoid his influence, and how to avoid becoming his puppet. A few years ago, I finally found a way!" He chuckled. "I actually learned it from Ying Hongyue. I must admit, that fellow has real skill. His ability to cast off their influence and even turn the tables was largely due to usurping the bloodlines of the eight great families. The influence of the Red Moon Great World is formidable, but when anchored by an even stronger foundation, one can ward off their taint. Do you understand? Ying Hongyue relied on the eight families' bloodlines to resist that influence; otherwise, he could never have betrayed Di Yao." Director Zhou's thoughts stirred. "And you?" "Me?" Director Zhao spoke with modest restraint: "A few years ago, I studied the split-spirit techniques of Neo-Martial. Later, using Li Hao's divine character methods, I replicated another version of myself—a divine character avatar! Combining the two, I split myself in half. One of me can go accept his transformation. The other requires an anchor; once the transformation is complete, the two will merge back into one, stripping away his influence. That way, I can take the benefits and renege on the deal..." "You... can create an avatar?" Director Zhou was stunned. Director Zhao smiled. "In a sense. But the other me... is identical to this one. It's just that you never noticed." Director Zhou found it unbelievable. "Did you... swap places right in front of me?" "I did. I couldn't possibly handle administrative affairs every single day; I needed to cultivate as well... Every few days, I would swap out to train." Director Zhao chuckled. "Besides, between managing government affairs and visiting the ruins, where would I find the time? The other me has been cultivating continuously..." Director Zhou frowned. "Then what is your anchor to resist the Red Moon's influence? Don't tell me... the bloodlines of the eight families?" He looked at Director Zhao, his expression hardening. Could it be... back then, Ying Hongyue wasn't the only one hunting the eight bloodlines? Was his old friend doing the same? If Li Hao learned of this, the heavens would collapse! Wouldn't that make him a second Ying Hongyue? "Of course not. I only learned about Ying Hongyue's actions much later. My ideas were different from his; I didn't find out about his methods until recently..." Director Zhao shook his head. "I didn't use the eight families' bloodlines, but another treasure—though its efficacy is comparable." "What treasure?" Still uneasy, Director Zhou pressed the question. Director Zhao bared his teeth in a brilliant grin. "Do you know of Silver Moon Martial Arts University?" "Of course. Supposedly, it was a martial arts university founded jointly by the eight families. Li Hao tried looking for it previously, but found no clues and couldn't locate it..." "Do you know where Silver Moon Martial Arts University is?" "Cut the crap!" Director Zhou was exasperated. *If I knew, wouldn't I have gone there already?* Director Zhao smiled again. "Directly beneath the General Administration Bureau." "..." Director Zhou froze. Director Zhao continued, "As a martial arts university jointly established by the eight families, countless scions of the eight families came there to study back then. In order to manage those scions and prevent insubordination, the eight families once bestowed an Eight Directions Seal upon the university! By chance, a few years ago... after chipping away at it for decades, I finally obtained it. My avatar was forged using that very item. While it isn't the physical fusion of eight bloodlines, its function is in no way inferior to Ying Hongyue's converged bloodlines!" Director Zhou's eyes flickered. "Then... you mean you can take this body, open more Dao meridians, and then merge with your avatar to neutralize the corruption of Di Yao's encroachment?" "Precisely!" Director Zhao nodded. "That was my plan all along. It's just that the second resurgence was delayed, and I worried about losing control, so I held back! Now, the only problem is... once I undergo the transformation and emerge, I cannot merge immediately... If I merge right away, my power might exceed the world's threshold!" "There's Li Hao!" Director Zhou urged hastily, "He can bypass the world's limitations." Director Zhao cleared his throat. "He won't do. If I undergo the transformation and become tainted with the aura of the Red Moon Great World, that fellow... might look at me the same way he looks at Ying Hongyue." Director Zhou quickly said, "It wouldn't come to that..." Director Zhao shook his head. Seeing Old Zhou's furrowed brow, he could only sigh. "Fine, it's not just that. Once I accept the modification, my primary objective upon emerging will likely be the eradication of the eight families... At that point, a conflict with Li Hao is inevitable!" Director Zhou frowned again. "Then what should we do?" "There is only one way!" Director Zhao said, "I must first fuse with my avatar to purge the corruption before I can accept Li Hao's canopy of Heavenly Will... Yet my altered body will certainly resist merging. Therefore... I need your help." "How?" "Beat my two bodies until they are forced to fuse together." Director Zhou pondered. "What strength will your two bodies possess at that time?" "Right now, I am nearing the third level of Sun Moon. After the modification, I will be at least at the fourth level! The second avatar might also run wild, reaching roughly the third level of Sun Moon..." Director Zhou was speechless. "Then I certainly won't be able to help." "Indeed, and Li Hao cannot approach me then... Thus, the only remaining option is to have Director Wang suppress me. But the Red Moon aura on me won't escape his notice; he might choose to execute me instead. "Of course, he might not be my match by then..." At this point, Director Zhao looked helpless as well. "So... if Li Hao cannot approach me, we must gather several people—Empress Dowager Shuiyun, the King of Dali, the Moon God, and others to suppress me. "If Li Hao forcibly attacks me, the sheer malice toward the eight families might force me to detonate myself... and that would be a catastrophic loss." Director Zhou finally understood the full picture, though he felt a headache coming on. "This... I'll consult Li Hao shortly. Also, you made it sound so simple—make sure there isn't a pitfall waiting for us, or we'll be in deep trouble." "Yes, I worry about that as well..." Director Zhao made no move to stop him, sighing with a hint of resignation: "This is the only way left. Once I fuse, I might wield combat power at the fifth or even sixth level of Sun Moon. That was my original ambition! With that power, I wouldn't have feared much even if the second resurgence began back then." He sighed softly. "Back then, I thought that if things truly reached that stage... who would care about corruption? We'd just fight to the death. But now that won't do; I must exercise restraint." "Old Zhao, you aren't hiding anything else from me, are you?" Director Zhou couldn't resist pressing again: "You hide things far too deeply. I'm worried you're deliberately setting me up, and once your fusion succeeds, you'll end up unleashing that Di Yao..." "How could I!" "Anything is possible!" Director Zhou suddenly laughed. "I've already made up my mind—no, I've already acted. I transmitted all of this to Li Hao. Didn't you say Li Hao cannot approach you? Then I told him that once you emerge, he doesn't need to concern himself with you... He can lead his people to kill Di Yao! Zhang An can go along as well... Neo-Martial people bear zero burden when it comes to slaying creatures of the Red Moon Great World!" His gaze pierced into Director Zhao. "So... even if you wanted to trap me, it won't work." Director Zhao's brow knit tightly. "Kill Di Yao..." "Yes, treat it as practice. He's a Saint, isn't he? It's our chance to truly witness the might of a Saint one last time! As for what Li Hao decides, that is his prerogative." Director Zhao was exasperated. "You traitor!" *I shared my secrets with you, and you sold me out the moment you turned your back!* Director Zhou shook his head. "I didn't betray you. It's that something is off about your state. Perhaps... you have already fallen under Di Yao's influence! You think you manipulated him, but you are wrong—perhaps he has been subtly controlling you all along! Otherwise, you would have told me long ago instead of waiting until I pressed you again and again. All these years, you concealed your avatar and the university from me—two massive secrets!" Director Zhou said calmly, "There is something wrong with your condition. Otherwise, the moment the King of Dali invaded, you would have taken the initiative to attempt this, instead of waiting until now while still being evasive." Director Zhao's mind wandered slightly. "Old Zhao, you had best... rein in the desires in your heart!" Director Zhou said softly, "Perhaps... I should have Qian Wuliang keep an eye on you!" Director Zhao's brow furrowed, but before he could speak, Qian Wuliang materialized in an instant. Director Zhao glared in irritation, while Qian Wuliang glanced at him as if seeing him for the first time, clicking his tongue in wonder: "Such thick desire and greed! Director Zhao, you appear exceedingly furious, wrathful, and greedy right now... It seems Director Zhou was right; you have indeed been influenced!" The next moment, Director Wang appeared, frowning slightly. "Li Hao told me to keep watch over you." Director Zhao was utterly speechless as he looked at Director Zhou. He felt miserable. How had it come to this? *A forty-year friendship, and he sold me out just like that!* Director Zhou sighed softly. "It's for your own good; don't be angry. The Old Zhao of the past never lost his temper! Sure enough, the Governor was right to tell me to watch you carefully..." "What do you mean?" "The Governor said you've seemed like a different person lately, likely affected by Silver City. When he returned to Silver City this time, he sensed something unusual. Rest easy; nothing will go wrong. Everything will proceed according to your plan... Your problem will be simple to resolve!" Director Zhao frowned faintly and glanced up at the sky. *Have I been influenced?* *Why... don't I feel anything at all?* *** Meanwhile, Li Hao had also received the transmission. Having reached the vicinity of the stone gate, he shook his head. "That entity is not one to provoke lightly!" "Who?" "The one near the Star Gate... Anyone bearing the bloodlines of the eight families can easily be influenced in reverse through the seal... I only had Director Zhou test the waters, and sure enough, something seems slightly amiss with Director Zhao... It seems before we assault the Zheng family, we might use another target for practice." At this, Li Hao smiled. "No matter. I will go see just how powerful this entity's influence truly is... Master, if I succumb to the influence, be careful. I'll lend you the five divine characters first!" With that, five divine characters materialized. "If something goes wrong with me, stop me immediately!" "Don't worry!" Yuan Shuo said nothing more, merely nodding. Li Hao took a deep breath. The next moment, the bloodline within his body began to boil. Divine radiance surfaced in his eyes, revealing the Bagua diagram. A surge of force extended upward, racing along the blood-colored threads straight toward the Bagua diagram. *** At the same moment. Within the Bagua diagram, amid the starry expanse, a crimson portal stood erect in the void. A figure seemed to stand beside it, encircled by a miniature Bagua diagram that appeared to suppress the four quarters! Silhouettes materialized in all directions. Most prominent among them was an elderly man wielding a longsword, brandishing it continuously, while the other figures appeared exceptionally dim. At that exact instant, the phantom seemed to sense something. Its eyes snapped open, locking onto the direction of the Sword Venerable's silhouette. The Sword Venerable's silhouette suddenly came alive as well, snapping its eyes open in an instant! Four eyes met! The next moment, the phantom near the Star Gate suddenly spoke: "Descendant of the Li family... shatter the seal, and the world shall be yours. What the Red Moon World seeks is not a mere minor world! "This seat, possessing the might of what Neo-Martial calls a Sovereign, has no need for a petty minor world either..." The moment Li Hao manifested, a colossal voice reverberated within his mind, booming like thunder! In that instant, only a single thought occupied his consciousness: Cleave through the seal, and release this Sovereign. The world would be his! The entity did not care about a small heaven and earth. Li Hao felt as though this figure would not deceive him—for as a Sovereign, why would he care about a minor world? What he truly desired was to use this minor world as a springboard to counterattack the main Neo-Martial world. Thoughts surfaced one after another. Crimson light enveloped him layer upon layer. Right at that juncture, a flash of sword light flickered. With a thunderous roar, the void tore apart, and the booming voice encasing Li Hao was obliterated in an instant! A muffled grunt echoed throughout the heavens and earth. Only then did Li Hao snap awake. Opening his eyes, he sensed something different from before—this time, his consciousness seemed to have directly inhabited the phantom of his ancestor! Just now, it was his ancestor's silhouette that had unleashed that strike, severing everything with a single blow. In the distance, the colossal phantom sighed softly: "The Sword Venerable's blade possesses peerless offensive might; the Longevity Swordsman truly lives up to his renown!" Even a mere lingering phantom, drawing upon the power of the grand formation, could shatter his bewitchment. Li Hao understood those words, and a chill gripped his heart. The might of a Sovereign was beyond comprehension! Just a moment ago, he had nearly been ensnared. If not for his ancestor's sword strike, perhaps... he would have truly believed the entity's words to be righteous and true. What a terrifying capability! The next instant, the world spun. Li Hao tumbled out of the phantom as if his ancestor's silhouette had cast him aside. In the very next second, Li Hao witnessed the silhouette charging forward, sword in hand! The blade struck out silently. Far off near the Star Gate, the other phantom let out a sigh. This grand formation... had assaulted him for countless years without breaking; Neo-Martial was formidable indeed. *Boom!* A titanic clash erupted! This was the first time Li Hao witnessed a battle of Sovereigns with his own eyes. Perhaps neither was at the absolute zenith of their power, yet it was his first time watching two Sovereigns clash at such close range. His ancestor's sword was inconceivably fierce! At this moment, only that blade remained in Li Hao's vision. Every single stroke was a lethal strike aimed at mutual destruction, without a single superfluous movement.