The Eastern Continent.
Now, all external threats to Heavenly Star were concentrated here.
The Great Desolation and the Xu family.
The Xu family was gone, yet behind them lay Star Suppressing City. This time, Li Hao had brought along another person—Director Wang. He knew far more about the Neo-Martial era. It was a pity Jiang Yingli and the others had fallen dormant; otherwise, as descendants of Star Suppressing City, they would have known even more.
Li Hao had actually asked them before, and they had all said Star Suppressing City was simply not here, nor had there ever been any branch.
Who among the true direct descendants of a Sovereign, aside from those troublemakers, would deliberately run off to a minor world? Since a Sovereign was already stationed here, Star Suppressing City would not have come.
Aboard the warship.
Director Wang explained to Li Hao once more, "The odds of Star Suppressing City coming here are extremely low. Some of the old-timers and Sovereigns of Star Suppressing City didn't have the best relationship with the Sword Venerable."
Li Hao was somewhat puzzled.
Director Wang whispered, "This involves an old matter. In the Neo-Martial era, Star Suppressing City had thirteen families. Among them was the Yang family. The Yang family's ancestor... died rather early. The second ancestor of the Yang family went with the Human King to search for the first ancestor's corpse... In short, things turned sour with the Yang family later on. Afterward, the Sword Venerable simply slaughtered the entire Yang family..."
Li Hao was slightly startled. There was such a history?
Director Wang continued, "So, although both Star Suppressing City and the Sword Venerable were capable right-hand men to the Human King, the Sword Venerable had closer ties with the Sovereigns outside Star Suppressing City, whereas Star Suppressing City formed its own faction. Consequently, their relationship was mediocre at best.
"As for the real Star Suppressing City, aside from those troublemakers from Yuanping Martial Arts University who followed Principal Fang here, no one else would have rashly come over. Even the three families among the eight main cities were merely marginalized branch lineages hoping to carve out a future here."
Li Hao said, "In other words, these ruins of Star Suppressing City must be fake?"
"Yes, most likely fake."
Director Wang frowned slightly. "Before heaven and earth collapsed, there was no Star Suppressing City here. These ruins might have only appeared later!"
"Didn't they say heaven and earth were sealed at that time, and no one could leave?"
"That's what they say, but in recent years, heaven and earth have revived a bit. If a mighty expert emerged, it would be entirely possible—or perhaps an avatar... Traitors aren't lacking in energy, remember?"
A thought stirred in Li Hao's mind, and he nodded.
If that was the case, these ruins were very likely constructed by traitors.
Yet... what was the point of stepping out of the ancient city to build a ruin and impersonate Star Suppressing City?
It didn't make much sense!
Furthermore, why strengthen several members of the Xu family this time and have them notify the three cities? For what purpose?
And if they could dispatch an avatar themselves, why hadn't their own avatar stepped out instead of relying on the Xu family to deliver the message?
As for the claim that they couldn't find the three ancient cities... it wasn't impossible. The ancient cities of the Zheng, Liu, and Zhou families were exceedingly well hidden. But if this entity hailed from the Zheng family, they ought to be able to find them. Why couldn't they?
Thoughts flickered across his mind. Li Hao suppressed his speculation; he would know once he arrived.
...
Dingbian Province.
With several members of the Xu family slain, the Dingguo Army under their control had submissively surrendered.
The generals in the military dared not resist in the slightest.
Eight hundred thousand soldiers of the Dingguo Army, surrounded by a hundred thousand troops from the Eastern Governor-General's Office, shivered in fear, possessing not a shred of will to fight.
The warship tore through the void and arrived.
Bright Sword and the others, who had been eagerly waiting, let out a sigh of relief when they saw Li Hao.
They were not the only ones present; several prominent figures of the Eastern Continent were also there.
Apart from the Xu family, the Eastern Continent had Yu Qiao of Huoming Province, the Marquis of Dongji of Dongji Province, and the Divine Sun Society. These three factions had always been the main force opposing the Xu family.
At this moment, Yu Qiao was present as well—an old acquaintance, so to speak.
When Li Hao had visited the Duke of Dingguo's estate back then, he had met him and even used him to create several opportunities for himself.
Now, catching sight of Li Hao, Yu Qiao's eyes were filled with complex emotions, and he hastily lowered his head.
Back then, they could look down upon Li Hao.
Li Hao had merely been a minor figure who had come here in search of fortune.
Now, he stood high above, completely out of reach.
Aboard the warship, Li Hao stepped down through the air.
"Marquis!"
The crowd spoke up one after another. Li Hao had bestowed upon himself the title of Marquis of Silver Moon; although it had not yet been formally declared to the public, everyone already addressed him as such.
Yu Qiao and the others hurried to follow suit.
Li Hao nodded. He glanced at Yu Qiao, then at another elderly man who was presumably the Marquis of Dongji. Earlier, Li Hao had met the man's eldest son, who was also here now, standing beside the Marquis of Dongji.
Li Hao was also aware that when the Xu family had pursued him back then, the Marquis of Dongji had deployed troops to pressure them. That was because Director Zhao had promised him that once they entered Silver Moon and the second resurgence began, he would grant the Marquis of Dongji certain conveniences.
However, the situation now was entirely different from back then.
Li Hao swept his gaze over the crowd, looked toward Yu Qiao, nodded slightly, and exchanged a polite remark: "I hear that Elder Yu made significant contributions to the stability of the east. I've been preoccupied and haven't had the chance to thank you for your merits!"
A bitter taste filled Yu Qiao's mouth.
What significant contribution to stabilizing the east?
It was simply because they had wanted to be local hegemons. He had harbored ambitions of his own, hoping to keep the east stable so he could rival the various factions. Who would want to turn their own territory into a chaotic mess?
The so-called merit of stabilizing the region had merely been for his own foundation... and now, ownership had changed hands!
A wise man submits to circumstances!
Li Hao had repelled multiple nations, forced Shuiyun to surrender, made Dali withdraw its troops, and wiped out the Divine Kingdom. Yu Qiao was no Xu family; how would he dare resist?
Hearing Li Hao's words, he immediately produced a smile. "It was only my duty. The Marquis overpraises me!"
"Marquis of Dongji..."
Li Hao had barely uttered the words when the Marquis of Dongji hastily said, "The Marquis mocks me. That was a title granted by the illegitimate Jiang court, and it is now entirely in the past. My original name is Zhou Qi, and I am currently the Director of the Dongji Provincial Administration Bureau..."
The young man was a marquis, and so was he—wouldn't that make him equal in rank to Li Hao?
A crafty old fox like the Marquis of Dongji would never make such a blunder!
Li Hao, however, shook his head. "The Jiang family cannot truly be called an illegitimate court. Dominating Heavenly Star for two hundred years and unifying the realm, the Jiang family still possessed merit! It is only natural for any dynasty to decline in its later stages. There is no need to deny their contributions. If only for the achievement of unifying the ninety-nine provinces, the Jiang family deserves a place in history. No matter how many dynasties follow, they will never be able to bypass the Jiang dynasty."
At these words, the Marquis of Dongji said solemnly, "This old man was narrow-minded. I failed to appreciate the Marquis's breadth of mind..."
Li Hao waved a hand, having no interest in listening to his flattery.
He glanced over the few individuals, then toward some people not far away, and finally asked, "Where are the people from the Divine Sun Society?"
At that question, several faces shifted slightly. Bright Sword stepped forward briskly and said, "Marquis, the Divine Sun Society worships gods—specifically, the Sun God. But a few days ago, the Sun God was slain by the Marquis. Their sect was founded on faith, and now... the believers have fallen into despair. The Divine Sun Society has already disbanded, and several experts within the sect fled early on."
Li Hao paused, unaware of this development.
The Divine Sun Society worshipped the Sun God?
What a pity!
For those cultists, the death of the deity they worshipped was spiritual destruction. It was only natural for the sect to dissolve directly.
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, the hegemons of the eastern provinces let out sighs of relief upon seeing that Li Hao seemed fairly easy to talk to.
Lately, Bright Sword had shown no mercy whatsoever in the east.
Any who dissented or resisted had been executed without exception.
There was no room for bargaining!
Though they appeared to be gathered harmoniously now, in truth, several people from the eastern provinces had not come—and would never be able to come again!
As for Zhao Shuguang's presence here... it was to clean up the mess and promptly arrange personnel to take over several provinces.
Otherwise, with Heavenly Star being so vast, Zhao Shuguang would not have lingered here indefinitely.
Just as everyone was thinking Li Hao was fairly reasonable, Li Hao maintained his faint smile and murmured, "Governor-General Hu, since the Divine Sun Society has dispersed, disregard the ordinary believers; simply keep watch over them. But the leaders of the Divine Sun Society are all higher-ups, and they might flee to join the Western Divine Kingdom. Dispatch people to hunt them down. Eradicate them completely. Do not let a single one leave the Eastern Continent!"
"Understood!" Bright Sword responded immediately.
At these words, cold sweat broke out across the foreheads of the others. Those leading figures of the Divine Sun Society were likely in immense trouble.
Li Hao was exceptionally severe toward religious sects at the moment.
He understood all too well the harm such cults could cause.
After mentioning that briefly, he turned to Director Zhao. "Director Zhao, has the location been confirmed?"
"Yes." Director Zhao nodded swiftly and pointed into the distance. "Just ahead. The entrance is somewhat peculiar; it's actually beneath a massive tree, and that tree seems almost on the verge of developing a spirit..."
This might be the only demon plant of this era that felt as though it was about to develop a spirit.
There were many demon plants,
but all of them were ancient relics.
He had seen plenty of modern demon beasts, but Li Hao had truly never encountered a modern demon plant.
Li Hao's interest was piqued. "A demon plant developing a spirit? That's quite fascinating. For a demon plant to attain spirit consciousness requires an immense amount of energy and a vast expanse of time. Unless... this demon plant has been continuously steeped in energy, it would be utterly impossible for it to develop a spirit in such a short period."
The resurgence had only been underway for a little over twenty years. For demon beasts, twenty-odd years was feasible, but for a demon plant, it was exceedingly rare.
Director Zhao also nodded. "I was rather surprised as well. This also indicates one thing: perhaps this ruin... just like the traitors, has never lacked energy from the very beginning!"
Li Hao frowned slightly and nodded.
Not lacking energy was hardly good news.
"Let's go take a look!"
Without saying more, he led the group forward. Soon, the warship took flight toward a distant mountain where the tree stood.
As Li Hao drew closer, he immediately felt something unusual.
The energy here was remarkably dense.
Under normal circumstances, energy around ruins was extremely faint because the entities within absorbed it. For it to be dense indicated that the presence inside the ruins did not absorb external energy.
Over there stood a pine tree.
It was still winter, yet the massive tree stood lush and green, unaffected in the slightest by the weather.
As if sensing danger, the great tree trembled slightly.
Director Zhao said quickly, "The entrance is inside the trunk. We only learned the location of the ruins through several people the Xu family was in contact with."
Li Hao nodded.
Sensing carefully, he found that a strand of spatial force indeed lingered there, proving the existence of a ruin. However... it was difficult to gauge the strength of the expert inside, and he could not rashly barge in.
Just as he was contemplating how to probe the truth,
the great tree trembled once more. Its trunk gradually turned somewhat translucent, and soon, a vague countenance emerged.
Li Hao's eyes shifted slightly.
He felt an external psychic power—not belonging to the tree itself, which meant someone had attached their psychic force to the tree.
The entity within the ruins?
At that moment, a face materialized on the trunk, transmitting psychic ripples: "Is this young friend the descendant of the Sword Venerable, the heir to the Li family?"
Li Hao's eyes flickered. "I am Li Hao. Is Senior an expert from the ancient sacred ground of Star Suppressing City?"
"You could say that."
A voice emanated from the illusory face: "What happened before was a misunderstanding. I made contact with the Xu family long ago. Knowing that many of their experts had been killed outside, I elevated their strength slightly. As it turned out, that seemed to cause some trouble. It seems I have stayed in seclusion for too long and made an error in judgment."
The entity seemed aware that Li Hao had come looking for trouble and spoke very politely: "Fortunately, no grave mistake was made. Since you are a descendant of the Sword Venerable, we are essentially family..."
Li Hao smiled and cut him off: "Those are minor matters. I now oversee Heavenly Star and have always held immense respect for Neo-Martial seniors. Beside me is Director Wang Ye of Battle Heaven City's Security Bureau. If it was a misunderstanding, clearing it up is enough. Nowadays, many Neo-Martial seniors are willing to lend me a hand to build a peaceful world together!
"The place Senior occupies is called Star Suppressing City, an ancient sacred ground. I originally did not wish to disturb Senior this time... but Director Wang was incredulous, insisting that no Star Suppressing City exists in Silver Moon. I too have some doubts. If Senior is willing, could you enlighten me?"
Li Hao put on a puzzled expression. "Star Suppressing City... I am acquainted with several descendants of Sovereigns, such as Jiang Yingli and Li Shengzhang, yet I have never heard of Star Suppressing City having a presence in Silver Moon. Hence, I am somewhat curious."
The face on the tree sighed with emotion. "Natural. It is completely natural that they wouldn't know. Star Suppressing City... this place should properly be called a branch city of Star Suppressing City. It has actually existed for a very long time. Young friend, you must have some understanding of Neo-Martial; the Human King and the Supreme were omnipotent, and they made arrangements for many matters.
"Back then, the Sword Venerable transferred away a large number of powerhouses to follow the Human King and the others on an expedition to foreign universes... The Human King, worried that the minor world would be unstable after the Sword Venerable left, had already sensed potential trouble: beings from the Red Moon Universe might infiltrate the minor world in an attempt to target the primary world through it...
"Thus, he secretly notified Sovereign Zhen, having Star Suppressing City assign some personnel to garrison this place and establish a branch city to handle contingencies... Who would have thought that back then, the enemy pulled the rug from under us, directly sealing the Star Gate, shattering the grand formations of the eight main cities, and destroying countless mineral veins, causing the entire land of Silver Moon to instantly plunge into silence. As a result, the Star Suppressing City branch also lost its intended purpose..."
Li Hao raised his brow. A contingency plan?
Left behind by the Human King and the others?
True or false?
Ninety percent fake, ten percent true, of course.
Even if the Human King and his peers had truly left behind contingencies, would it be this group of people?
Regardless of truth, Li Hao asked again, "Then if I may boldly ask... Senior... what is your identity?"
"Formerly of Star Suppressing City, Yu Hai, deputy captain of the Shen family's guard unit!"
Li Hao raised an eyebrow once more. A full name with a specific title...
He glanced at Director Wang. Director Wang looked somewhat awkward and quickly sent a voice transmission: "Hard to say. We know little about the sacred ground of Star Suppressing City. This is merely a minor world, not the primary world. The Shen family of Star Suppressing City wasn't the strongest among the twelve families, but it was one of the most respected. Along with the ancestor of the Chen family, they ushered in the Neo-Martial era!
"Each family indeed possessed their own guard unit. The deputy captain of a guard unit was definitely not weak—at least at the Saint level! As for Yu Hai... I don't know him. After all... I was merely the Security Bureau director of Battle Heaven City."
Li Hao nodded slightly. Before he could speak again, the phantom continued, "The reason I elevated the Xu family's strength this time was to deliver an urgent message to the three Star Suppressing families! Regrettably, a misunderstanding occurred. Since you are an heir of the Li family, I shall simply inform you and let you pass it along."
Before Li Hao could even bring it up, the other party volunteered the information, sounding pressing and helpless: "Young friend, please take this matter to heart and be sure to inform the three Star Suppressing families! The people of Red Moon have already invaded this world. Near the Star Gate, a top powerhouse of the Red Moon Universe is sealed—most likely a Sovereign!
"That is the first point. Second, the power of Red Moon has seeped into the eight main cities. People within the eight main cities have betrayed Neo-Martial, so please exercise extreme caution!
"Third, back then, the branch of Star Suppressing City did not fall entirely dormant. Over these years, we have been working tirelessly, striving to find something to counter the powerhouse of the Red Moon Universe..."
The phantom sighed. "And just recently, we found it..."
"Found it?"
Li Hao was somewhat surprised. This matched the information obtained from the Xu family. What had they found?
Where had they found it?
They couldn't even leave; had they been searching in the same spot for a hundred thousand years?
"Yes!" the phantom said promptly. "We found the secret to countering the Red Moon Sovereign!"
Li Hao's eyes shifted slightly. "Senior... could you elaborate?"
"This... it is not that I distrust you, young friend, but that... I cannot say much. Of course, if you are willing to convey this to the three families, or better yet, have people come from the other main cities as well, once everyone gathers, I will reveal it to all of you."
Li Hao nodded, then voiced some doubt: "Senior isn't afraid that traitors might show up?"
"No matter. If they have been invaded by the power of Red Moon, I will be able to tell."
The phantom added, "The Xu family was inefficient. Now that you have arrived, young friend, I believe you care far more about the safety of Silver Moon than they ever did. That Red Moon Sovereign is a blade dangling over all our heads. If we cannot suppress him, we are doomed! Once the seal breaks completely and he slaughters this realm, a Sovereign's power is beyond imagination!"
Li Hao's thoughts raced.
After a long while, he spoke slowly: "Senior, it is said... the Zheng family might have betrayed Neo-Martial..."
"What?"
The phantom seemed shaken, then hastily said, "Impossible! They are descendants of Star Suppressing City. Even if merely a branch lineage, they are the family of a Sovereign. How could Sovereign descendants commit betrayal... unless... they were influenced by the Red Moon Sovereign? How could that be?"
He sounded utterly incredulous: "No, the bloodlines of the eight families possess the ability to resist the power of Red Moon; they wouldn't be corrupted so easily... If that is true, then we are in grave trouble!"
He seemed almost unable to stomach such news. After a long pause, he said in a heavy voice, "If that is so, trouble is brewing. To deal with that Sovereign, all eight families must unite their efforts!"
Li Hao nodded. "I didn't want to believe it either, but... that appears to be the reality."
The phantom appeared conflicted. "This... this makes things difficult!"
After a momentary hesitation, the phantom continued, "If that's the case, we must be cautious. However, even if they truly betrayed us... right now, heaven and earth cannot accommodate the emergence of overly powerful experts. If you have a way, summon them to meet me; I might be able to determine who has been corrupted."
Li Hao nodded. "I will do my best. By the way, Senior, are you the only one left in the ruins of Star Suppressing City?"
"More than just me, there are others. However... they all have assignments at the moment."
More than one person?
Li Hao remarked, "Senior, now that heaven and earth have loosened and energy is reviving, it is possible to dispatch an avatar. If you are truly anxious, and I fear the eight families won't believe my words, why not send an avatar to accompany me in searching for the eight families? With Senior present, they might place more trust in the message! We might not recognize Senior's identity, but certain experts in the eight main cities should know it.
"That way, a lot of unnecessary trouble could be avoided!"
The phantom let out a sigh. "It cannot be done. If it were possible, we would have stepped out ourselves; why would we need to elevate the Xu family?"
"It cannot be done?"
Why?
Li Hao was puzzled.
The phantom explained, "Presently, heaven and earth have been almost entirely tainted by the Red Moon Sovereign, including the recently born Heavenly Will. Though it isn't obvious, it has in fact been influenced by the Red Moon Sovereign. We found the method to counter the Red Moon Sovereign, and Heavenly Will is aware of this. Once we leave the ruins, we will inevitably suffer the suppression of heaven and earth, or even attacks from Heavenly Will. It would actively seek to kill us, even our avatars... We are targeted by heaven and earth..."
Li Hao raised an eyebrow. Targeted by heaven and earth.
He knew heaven and earth currently targeted the Great Desolation.
But targeting someone who discovered a way to counter the Red Moon Sovereign... should he believe that?
Keeping his expression unchanged, he said, "Senior says the Red Moon Sovereign has tainted Heavenly Will?"
"Correct!"
"That seems impossible..." Li Hao frowned. "He is under a seal; how could he taint Heavenly Will...?"
"You do not understand, young friend. That entity is a Sovereign. To heaven and earth, he is the strongest existence in this current world. When Heavenly Will is born, it possesses a subconscious tendency to imitate the strongest, so it naturally falls under his influence."
Is that so?
Li Hao rubbed his chin and said, "Senior, if I may boldly ask, what level of strength do you possess?"
"Merely at the Saint level."
"Peak?"
"Barely, you could say."
Li Hao drew in a breath. "So powerful... Then do you know Senior Zhang An?"
"Of course!" the phantom replied immediately. "He is the grandson of the Supreme; how could I not know him? I just don't know whether Dean Zhang recognizes a nobody like me. The Zhang family stood high above; even the Shen family I served was far inferior to the Zhang family..."
With a self-deprecating chuckle, he added, "I was merely a deputy guard captain, a Saint-level existence. In those days, those who interacted with Dean Zhang were either descendants of Sovereigns or Sovereigns themselves. A minor figure like me wouldn't have caught his eye. Is he still at Yuanping Martial Arts University and hasn't left?"
"Yes."
"Then that makes things easier. If Dean Zhang is willing to send an avatar, with him present, having the eight families participate together means we won't need to fear the occasional traitor. With him leading the eight families, we can devise a way together to eliminate that Red Moon Sovereign..."
The entity wasn't afraid of meeting Zhang An; in fact, he seemed quite expectant.
Li Hao felt a slight twinge of regret. He hadn't brought Qian Wuliang along this time; the man was still over in Dali.
Consequently, it was difficult to gauge the other party's emotions or discern truth from falsehood.
These words could also be interpreted in reverse: if Zhang An didn't recognize him, that was completely normal. Zhang An was a grand figure, whereas he was merely a security officer for the Shen family... A grandson of the Supreme, even if he had visited the Shen family, would naturally not know their deputy head of security.
Peak Saint!
Li Hao marveled inwardly. Truly powerful.
And that was by his own admission.
Pondering for a moment, he said, "Senior, back then, Star Suppressing City arranged a branch here to safeguard Silver Moon against an invasion from Red Moon... If so, did you seniors not sense anything in advance?"
"No... the enemy's methods were too covert."
"Then... you didn't inform the Sword Venerable either?"
"The Sword Venerable stood lofty and proud, and... he was somewhat at odds with our Star Suppressing faction. How would we dare say we came as a precaution? Had the Sword Venerable misunderstood and slain us with a single sword strike, we would have had nowhere to plead our case."
He sounded quite helpless as well.
Li Hao nodded. "I see... Then I have another question. Could it be that the method to counter the Red Moon Sovereign lies within the Star Suppressing City branch?"
"This..." The phantom fell silent for a moment before speaking: "The Star Suppressing City branch was not established haphazardly. Since you ask, young friend, I shall briefly explain. This place is the dividing point of the eight cities..."
"Dividing point?"
Puzzlement and suspicion showed in Li Hao's eyes.
The phantom continued, "Yes. Heaven and earth were once divided into eight. A top-secret location was left between heaven and earth, known to no one. But when we came, we received guidance from the esteemed masters: should an upheaval occur in Silver Moon, controlling the dividing point of heaven and earth might yield a turning point!"
Li Hao was shocked. "Heaven and earth divided into eight?"
"Yes."
"Could it be... beneath that eightfold division lies something capable of countering the Red Moon Sovereign?"
"Yes! Of course, a Sovereign is too mighty, and nothing is certain right now. That is why the eight families must gather here to consult together."
Li Hao nodded solemnly. "Senior, bold question: if the eight families come and retrieve the item, will it truly allow us to deal with the Sovereign?"
"There is hope."
"Then..."
Li Hao furrowed his brows. "What if we cannot gather all eight families?"
"We will find another way then. If all eight cannot be assembled, as long as bloodline legacies of the eight families remain, there is still hope..."
"Senior, could you tell me what it actually is?"
"This... cannot be spoken!"
The phantom said regretfully, "I have already revealed too much at great risk. To say more... would not only be irresponsible toward us, but also toward you, young friend. Knowing too much risks triggering Heavenly Will, which could unleash immense danger!"
"I see. Senior has worked hard indeed."
Li Hao's expression turned grave, and he asked, "Senior, may I... enter Star Suppressing City?"
"Of course you may!"
The phantom said gently, "You are a descendant of the Li family. During the upheaval back then, Sword City was likely sealed near the Star Gate. How many descendants of the Li family remain in this world is unknown. If you are willing, that would naturally be best. Even if you hadn't brought it up, I would have invited you to participate in this matter."
At this, he added regretfully, "Had I known earlier that you were a descendant of the Li family, I wouldn't have elevated the Xu family and caused you trouble."
"Senior... did the Xu family never tell you that I am an heir of the Li family?"
"They did not."
"Then how did Senior... recognize me as the Li family's successor?"
The Starry Sky Sword was gone, yet you recognized me?
The phantom chuckled. "Simple. The sword intent on your person cannot be concealed; it carries the intent of the Sword Venerable. In this world, no one save a descendant of the Li family could learn it..."
"I see!"
Li Hao nodded once more, yet seemed unable to hold back his curiosity: "Senior, heaven and earth divided into eight—is the dividing point right here? Who possessed such magnificent power to divide heaven and earth into eight?"
Sounding somewhat excited, he added, "Could it be... my ancestor, the Sword Venerable? No wonder he was called a Sovereign. A Sovereign is actually powerful enough to divide heaven and earth into eight! Here we thought ourselves invincible under heaven, yet we couldn't even sever a single province, let alone divide heaven and earth..."
"As for who it was specifically, I am not entirely clear. Perhaps the Sword Venerable, perhaps someone else. Such matters... are too distant from us; we have no way of knowing the insider details."
Li Hao smiled inwardly. *I know.*
*I'm just not telling you!*
Was this truly the dividing point of heaven and earth split into eight?
He recalled seeing the Blood Sovereign divide heaven and earth back then. But what the man had divided heaven and earth for, Li Hao truly did not know. Afterward, the Blood Sovereign had spoken a few words, seemingly addressed to heaven and earth,
or perhaps addressed to Li Hao himself.
Dividing heaven and earth into eight might have been done to prevent heaven and earth from birthing a consciousness.
Then what was at the dividing point of that eightfold division?
Doubt after doubt flooded his mind.
As for what the being before him claimed, Li Hao believed ten percent and doubted ninety percent.
The dividing point of heaven and earth might be real, the unique location of the Star Suppressing City ruins might be real, and the fact that they were searching for something here might be real... but as for his identity, Li Hao did not believe it for a second.
What nonsense about the Human King worrying about trouble and specifically ordering Star Suppressing City to dispatch personnel... sheer rubbish!
Did he take Li Hao for someone entirely ignorant of the ancient Human King?
Would that domineering, peerlessly slaughterous figure ever bother with such underhanded precautions?
Facing the Red Moon Great World, he launched proactive assaults. Would he leave contingencies in a minor world?
He didn't even leave contingencies in the primary world, much less a minor one.
He was the kind of person who thought: *After I'm gone, who cares if the floods rise to the heavens!*
If the expedition failed, all was void.
If the expedition succeeded, Red Moon would be eradicated. Who would care about petty tricks in the rear?
Would the Human King leave contingencies?
Li Hao believed he would not.
Such a figure... on an expedition, had only a single objective: kill the enemy, slaughter them all. Who would bother setting up schemes in their own backyard? Even if his home base was raided, he wouldn't care—he would destroy the enemy's home base first, then strike back!
Therefore, the moment the entity claimed it was arranged by the Human King, Li Hao treated it as pure hot air.
Yet the fact that they were searching for something here was genuine.
Li Hao recalled that when the Blood Sovereign cleaved heaven and earth, it had occurred not long after the world was born. Very few people should have witnessed it. How did this person know?
Where had he learned it from?
Li Hao had witnessed it through the two characters *Battle Heaven*. Had this person seen it through similar means?
Moreover, regarding heaven and earth being divided into eight, Li Hao had asked around in a roundabout manner before. No one knew—not Director Wang, not the Wang family, not even the Old Turtle of Battle Heaven City.
If so... how did this person know?
*Could anyone besides me see the scene within the characters 'Battle Heaven'? Not necessarily. If that's the case... aside from me, and aside from the Sword Venerable who ought to know, then... perhaps only one other entity knows...*
Who? Li Hao thought to himself.
Heavenly Will!
Yes, Heavenly Will might know.
Because even if Heavenly Will had not been born at the time, the world's imprint remained. Thus, when Heavenly Will emerged later, it should have been aware of all this.
Yet Heavenly Will was merely an immature consciousness.
Even if it knew, how did the person before him learn of it?
Was he connected to Heavenly Will?
Li Hao pondered. The situation was rather convoluted. At this moment, he could not ascertain the exact truth. Analyzing it himself: if this person was in league with Heavenly Will, was he also in league with the Zheng family?
If so, were this person, the Zheng family, and Heavenly Will all on the same side?
Their goal might truly be to deal with the Red Moon Sovereign. After all, that Sovereign posed the greatest threat to them—and to Heavenly Will as well.
*The Red Moon Sovereign needs to destroy the minor world to counterattack the primary world... whereas the Zheng family needs to control the minor world, become the master of the world, and profit from the war between the two universes. Heavenly Will's objective is to avoid destruction. The Sovereign is a tumor on its body, capable of wiping Heavenly Will out...*
*Therefore, if the Zheng family and Heavenly Will have colluded, it is entirely plausible! For now, their objectives align... And the Zheng family has another goal: revive the minor world, initiate the second resurgence, and allow their powerhouses to walk out. Heavenly Will also desires the second resurgence...*
Li Hao reasoned rapidly, deducing the process from the conclusion.
He directly categorized this person as tied to the Zheng family and worked backward.
Framed that way, many things suddenly made sense.
Otherwise... too many loose ends remained.
Star Suppressing City... the name was too conspicuous. If they wanted to search in secret, why name it Star Suppressing City?
Weren't they afraid that if others revived early, they would sense something amiss here?
Had it been an unnamed ruin, Li Hao might not have paid it much mind.
This was something Li Hao found slightly difficult to comprehend. Or did this person believe no one would revive before them, disregarded the risk entirely, and chose the name Star Suppressing City because the Zheng family indeed originated from Star Suppressing City—and he wished to usurp the status Star Suppressing City once held?
To turn from a branch lineage into the primary lineage?
If the person before him was from the Zheng family...
Zheng Hongyuan, head of the Zheng family, had three sons. The eldest, Zheng Ke, had departed with the Sword Venerable; the second son, Zheng Gong, had been slain by Li Hao; and the third son, Zheng Yu, was missing, as was Zheng Hongyuan.
Hong Chen was likely Zheng Hongyuan, wasn't he?
Then this person... a peak Saint?
Could it be Zheng Yu?
Countless thoughts surged in his mind.
Li Hao rubbed his temples, finding the situation intensely complicated.
Even if he was merely a peak Saint, he would be exceedingly difficult to deal with.
Li Hao exhaled, then spoke slowly after a long pause: "Senior can only inhabit this tree for now?"
"Alas... I have no choice!"
Li Hao understood. So that was it.
No wonder an avatar hadn't emerged.
As for being targeted by Heavenly Will, that might not even be true. Then why was he unwilling to come out?
Strange!
Even crafting an avatar with merely Thousand-Battler combat strength would suffice. It wasn't meant for killing, just for contacting the three ancient cities.
The mounting pile of information made Li Hao's head ache, but he quickly cleared away the distractions. He settled on a single thought—no need for excessive pondering; better to learn from the ancient Human King... and simply kill the bastard!
Once dead, all problems solved!
Yet with combat strength at the peak Saint level—and the fellow might even be downplaying it; what if he was a Heavenly King?—how was he supposed to fight?
He glanced at the surroundings again. This was the heart of the east.
And the Great Desolation lay at the edge of the east.
Among the desolate beasts, there were also several Saint-level beings.
Not only that, Hong Chen's faction likely wanted to eliminate the desolate beasts and deal with the Great Desolation this time to revive heaven and earth...
If Hong Chen's faction was in league with this person...
While he was still deep in thought, the phantom spoke softly: "Would you like to come in and sit, young friend? It is discourteous to keep you outside, but I am helpless, unable to step forward..."
Li Hao thought it over and shook his head. "Not for now. Senior's secrets here are too profound; I worry about disturbing you. How about this... I will help Senior locate people from the eight ancient cities. If we can counter the Red Moon Sovereign, that would be ideal!"
Pausing, he added, "Senior, do you know of the Great Desolation? A kingdom formed by desolate beasts that invades heaven and earth. They are currently nearby and could invade at any moment. That is also what has been giving me a headache lately! The ruins of Star Suppressing City are located here; if they invade and envelop the ruins, would Senior be able to step into the Chaos to deal with those desolate beasts?"
At this, the phantom pondered briefly and replied, "Enveloped by Chaos? That... would actually be an opportunity! Chaos can conceal heavenly secrets. Still... has Chaos spread this far? I truly underestimated those desolate beasts. Back then, hardly a few survived, yet they have managed to reach this stage today."
"That's good to hear. I was worried we wouldn't be able to resist the invasion of the desolate beasts!"
Li Hao sighed with emotion, though he cursed inwardly.
Didn't you say Heavenly Will targets you?
If that's the case, Chaos invading would eliminate Heavenly Will—wouldn't you know that?
Even I know it!
Yet instead of sitting back and watching Heavenly Will be snuffed out by Chaos, you readily agreed to help?
Does this fellow think I have no worldly experience?
Does he think I, Li Hao, am some country bumpkin who knows nothing of the relationship between Heavenly Will and Chaos?
"In that case, I won't disturb Senior any longer!"
Li Hao turned to face the crowd. "Do not surround this place. It was all a misunderstanding; do not disturb Senior's peace!"
With that, he said apologetically, "I am truly sorry about the Xu family. Had I known earlier that Senior was a guardian of Silver Moon, this misunderstanding would never have occurred."
"Think nothing of it. The Xu family was insatiably greedy and dishonorable. I only used them out of helplessness. No one else discovered this place, and I could not leave, so I had to rely on the Xu family to contact various regions..."
*Go to hell!*
Merely delivering a message required elevating people to the fourth layer of the Sun-Moon realm?
What a joke!
Evidently, he knew that Silver Moon Province had been taken over by Li Hao's group, feared the Xu family wouldn't be a match, and deliberately elevated them to that level—he just hadn't expected Li Hao's group to advance even faster.
Otherwise, if you gave the Xu family a bit of benefit, they would have gladly run errands for you even at the first layer of Sun-Moon, let alone the fourth.
Who are you trying to fool!
Does this fellow think I'm an idiot?
Even so, Li Hao had gathered valuable intelligence here.
The Red Moon Sovereign, the Zheng family, the dividing point of heaven and earth left by the Blood Sovereign... Now, everything involved was either a Sovereign or a Heavenly King, placing immense pressure on him.
There was no other way!
Right now... the best course of action was to visit Battle Heaven City. Hopefully, he could obtain a satisfactory result there. Between himself and two Saints, perhaps... they could take this person down!
Even if the opponent was a peak Saint, they would still have a strong chance.
Of course, if he was a Heavenly King... that would be massive trouble.
Over so many years, even if he had originally been a Saint, could he have reached the Heavenly King realm?
This time, Li Hao didn't suggest letting the people of Silver Moon handle it alone.
The hopes of that were too slim!
Even with himself included, three Saints might not suffice... then... what about the desolate beasts?
He looked into the distance.
The Great Desolation!
The Great Desolation possessed several Saint-level desolate beasts as well.
Hong Chen's faction couldn't revive heaven and earth by slaughtering mortals right now, so resolving the Great Desolation's threat was likely what they sought. In that case, what if he ruined their plan, let the Great Desolation invade up to this point, and drew the desolate beasts into this battle?
As for the desolate beasts invading—once the desolate beasts died afterward... the threat would naturally recede.
These thoughts flashed through his mind.
In the past, Li Hao had disliked using such vicious methods to plot against others. But now, so long as it meant killing formidable enemies, he no longer cared about such scruples.
Leaving only a small detachment to keep watch from afar, Li Hao departed with the rest of the group.
...
A considerable distance away from the ruins.
Director Wang said hesitantly, "Whether this person... is truly Yu Hai, I cannot say! However, judging from his words, having the eight families gather there wouldn't cause much harm. Should we give it a try?
"If only avatars come, so long as you don't enter, even if there's a conspiracy, it won't be a big deal..."
Li Hao shook his head. "Not necessarily! This man is far from simple. He appeared completely frank, but that's most likely because he knew we had extracted information from Xu Huan, so he quickly provided an explanation for everything. A peak Saint—every Neo-Martial expert I've met has been arrogant and overbearing. When did such a nice person ever exist among them?"
The moment they met, he laid everything bare!
Whether Zhang An or the Old Turtle, each Saint was prouder than the last. When Li Hao first met them, who among them had been willing to give him the time of day?
Much less explain things to him?
Those people couldn't be bothered to explain anything to you!
This entity didn't know Li Hao well either; why would he explain himself?
It was already good enough that he didn't order Li Hao around!
Back then, Sun Xin, deputy commander of the Heavenly Star Army, had also been a Saint, and he had treated Li Hao with cold disdain from start to finish, not even deigning to pay attention to him—even when Li Hao still held the Starry Sky Sword.
*That* was a Neo-Martial Saint!
That was Li Hao's established impression.
After he grew familiar with the Old Turtle, General Locust, and Zhang An, even though they interacted with him, they still wouldn't touch upon deep secrets—even up to this day.
Yet this fellow had pulled out all the stops right from the start, openly revealing the secret to countering the Red Moon Sovereign. He certainly thought highly of Li Hao.
Director Wang was taken aback. He was actually used to it.
He felt that Li Hao deserved to be treated that way.
Yet thinking carefully, it was true. Without knowing Li Hao well, why would a Saint—a guard captain of a Sovereign's family, no less—be so polite to him?
"You mean... there's something wrong with him?"
Li Hao nodded. "Naturally. One look and you can tell; he's riddled with problems! Only you wouldn't pay much attention. In my eyes, this man is full of issues, full of flaws..."
Smiling, he continued, "Forget it, never mind that. Director Wang, do you think I can gain the support of the two Saints if I go to Battle Heaven City this time?"
Director Wang's expression shifted slightly.
Pondering, he said, "The chances are very good. I'll go ahead and make the pitch first. I'm certain the Zheng family is problematic, so eliminating them benefits us! But they don't know the situation, so I'll explain things first! Now that the Starry Sky Sword is shattered, the hopes of opening the Star Gate are growing slimmer. Perhaps... only you can open the Star Gate through the Great Dao Universe and step out of Silver Moon... I don't see any reason for Battle Heaven City not to support you."
Director Wang chuckled. "Before this, the two Saints might not have stepped in... but now that the Zheng family issue has surfaced, stepping in is nothing out of the ordinary! Furthermore, the Ninth Division Commander is there too; he's family, after all. Although he lost his physical body, if... we lend him that battered physical body for temporary use, he can also field Saint-level combat strength!"
Li Hao laughed. "Then I don't have any evidence or grounds to deal with this person right now."
Director Wang chuckled. "No evidence needed, just one thing: Star Suppressing City! Daring to use that name here is a problem in itself! Even if it was truly arranged by Star Suppressing City, it won't do! There is only one Star Suppressing City. Impersonating Star Suppressing City here... even if things are truly as he claims, we must take him down first before talking!"
Li Hao paused, startled. After a long moment, he said, "Director Wang, do you think naming this place Star Suppressing City had another intention? Everyone assumes it's fake upon hearing it. To Neo-Martial people, a fake Star Suppressing City naturally needs to be dealt with. If someone came to deal with him... they'd be killed by him instead..."
Director Wang was also stunned. "Fishing?"
"Yes!"
Li Hao nodded thoughtfully. "Fishing!"
Director Wang's expression shifted. "You mean... this person might be even stronger than a Saint? Otherwise, if someone truly came to deal with him, it would likely be a Saint..."
"Exactly!"
Li Hao nodded again. "Moreover, he made a huge, ostentatious display. Even the Nine Departments knew of this place; everyone knew the Eastern Xu family's ruins were called Star Suppressing City, and Star Suppressing ultimate techniques were even leaked from there! What the Nine Departments knew was all obtained from the Xu family. This man truly knows Star Suppressing ultimate techniques, and everyone knows of Star Suppressing City's existence. Tell me, could he possibly be simple?"
Director Wang nodded repeatedly.
"Understood. I will explain it to them..."
Li Hao smiled. "Alright, let's head to Battle Heaven City together! If we can persuade several experts this time, Battle Heaven and Heavenly Star will have forged a profound friendship. May this friendship... endure forever!"
Director Wang mulled over the meaning of those words and smiled as well.
As for whether they would agree... he felt the probability was very high.
Setting aside the Ninth Division Commander, General Locust... that fellow was exceptionally skilled at judging circumstances, inheriting the temperament of the Sovereign his ancestor accompanied. It was a direct continuation of character: the Sovereign his ancestor served was a textbook fence-sitter, leaning toward whoever was stronger. Right now, Li Hao was clearly the stronger party, at least in the outside world.
As for Guardian Turtle, with both himself and the Ninth Division Commander agreeing, it would have no reason to refuse. It was a divine weapon after all, fundamentally existing to serve the human race of Battle Heaven City.
As for whether something was truly amiss with Star Suppressing City... who cared? Subdue him first, then talk.
As the first Neo-Martial expert to embrace the new era, Director Wang was remarkably open-minded.
The two quickly tore through the void and vanished from the spot.
At that very moment, atop the mountain peak, an illusory figure materialized once more on the pine tree. As if sensing something, he gazed silently into the distance.
Then, he seemed to look up at the sky, his mood heavy.
Heaven and earth were growing increasingly complicated.
Stepping out at this juncture carried the risk of forcibly rupturing the seal. What exactly had happened earlier?
Zheng Gong... was likely dead!
Who killed him?
Li Hao and his group?
Could they actually slay a Saint?
Countless thoughts surfaced in his mind as well.
What choice... would Li Hao make?
Chapter 347