Battle Heaven City.
This was the very first ruin Li Hao had ever entered, the one he had dealt with the most, and the place where he held the rank of division commander. Moreover, the revival of many people in this city was closely tied to him.
Today, Li Hao stepped inside once more.
The Battle Heaven soldiers guarding the gate were no longer from Li Daozong's Ninth Division. They had been replaced by other Battle Heaven troops—clearly, another batch of people within the city had awakened.
Seeing Li Hao, though unfamiliar with him personally, they recognized him as a division commander and gave the familiar salute.
Li Hao did not enter the inner city, nor did he go speak with General Locust. He merely offered a brief greeting, then turned and walked over to the city gate.
A new silver regiment commander was stationed at the gate as well. The commander watched with some curiosity as Li Hao simply stood before the entrance, lost in thought.
Indeed, Li Hao was gazing at the two characters inscribed above: "Battle Heaven."
This time, he did not draw blood to probe within. He simply stood in silence, feeling the lingering resonance of those two words.
Battle Heaven!
Rumor had it that the Blood Sovereign was the reincarnation of the Emperor of Battle Heaven, one of the four ancient Sovereigns. Yet the Blood Sovereign never considered himself that person, never acknowledging that he was the Emperor of Battle Heaven. The Blood Sovereign was simply the Blood Sovereign.
Thus, bestowal of the name "Battle Heaven" upon this city had been an expression of hope that it would carry on that figure's will. It showed that the Blood Sovereign placed great importance on the city, far from treating it with indifference.
And the Blood Sovereign was the supreme power who had severed the world into eight parts, only to reunite them again.
In the ruins of Star Suppressing City, Yu Hai had claimed to have found the dividing point where heaven and earth were cleaved in eight. Perhaps that was true. But... had that person left anything behind back then?
Li Hao fell into deep contemplation.
In the fleeting scene he had glimpsed that day, he had not seen much. Whether the Blood Sovereign had left anything behind remained unclear. But he knew that the two characters "Battle Heaven" had been written by the Blood Sovereign's own hand, infused with deep emotion.
To Li Hao, these two words might be the true treasure. If the Blood Sovereign had indeed left behind any contingency measures, could they be linked to these two words?
***
In the distance, Director Wang was in conversation with General Locust.
Before long, the two soared into the air and headed straight into the city. Soon, a small group gathered within the City Lord's Manor.
Old Turtle, General Locust, Commander Li Daozong of the Ninth Division, the recently awakened commander of the Eighth Division, and Zhang Liang from the Military Supplies Department, who had now been promoted to department chief and donned golden armor.
In Battle Heaven City, the garrison had left behind only the Reserve Garrison Army—a force of one hundred thousand.
It was said that the army commander of the Reserve Garrison was still alive and had even attained the Saint realm, yet he had never appeared to this day. Perhaps he had not yet fully revived. Battle Heaven City was what a normal ancient ruin looked like: lacking abundant stored energy reserves, relying solely on the natural resurgence of heaven and earth after a hundred thousand years, it was exceedingly difficult for a Saint to awaken.
Director Wang gave a concise summary of the situation, omitting any mention of the Star Suppressing City ruins and merely recounting the events within Boundless City.
When he finished, Old Turtle spoke with a heavy, pensive tone. "Boundless City... Three Saints fully awakened! Judging from that alone, regardless of whether there is direct evidence of rebellion, the Zheng family indeed has major issues! I am merely the spirit of a divine weapon, but even setting me aside, General Locust's revival was as difficult as ascending to heaven. Had Li Hao not provided aid, the general would likely have barely regained consciousness by now, devoid of any significant combat strength..."
The newly revived Eighth Division Commander was unfamiliar with Li Hao. Dressed in golden armor, he remarked gravely, "Could it be that Boundless City had accumulated vast energy reserves beforehand, so they didn't sink rapidly into dormancy during the celestial cataclysm? Based on Wang Ye's description, we have no direct proof that they are a rebel faction."
Wang Ye retorted bluntly, "That Zheng Gong insulted the Supreme! Regardless of whether they were rebels back then, the fact that he dares speak insolently of the Supreme means he is one now!"
The Eighth Division Commander replied coldly, "You have switched to a new Dao, taken a new body, and joined Li Hao's side. Your words cannot be trusted!"
Wang Ye's expression darkened. "Commander Yang, you'd better watch your mouth! Besides... I suspect there are their pawns within Battle Heaven City as well..."
"Are you referring to me?" The Eighth Division Commander showed no quarter. "If I'm their pawn, then you're Li Hao's pawn, deliberately sowing discord among the Eight Main Cities! I merely raised a reasonable doubt, and you splash dirty water on me?"
To the side, Zhang Liang gave a soft cough and whispered, "I think... Director Wang has no reason to deceive us. Furthermore, a person like Li Hao... I don't think he would deliberately oppose us from Neo-Martial without cause. He isn't that kind of person."
At these words, the Eighth Division Commander shot him a glance. Zhang Liang smiled and said no more.
The Ninth Division Commander, who had remained silent all along, paused before speaking. "So Li Hao came with you today—what are his intentions?"
Wang Ye quickly replied, "Li Hao's thoughts are simple. Since the Zheng family has turned traitor, but core figures like Zheng Hongyuan and Zheng Yu aren't in Boundless City, where did they go? This means at least one other ancient city harbors rebels... He hopes we will join hands with him to eradicate or weaken them!"
Wang Ye continued, "They never went dormant from the start. The Immortals of the past might have become Saints, and the Saints of the past might have reached the Heavenly King Realm... Zheng Hongyuan was already a Heavenly King in earlier years. Even if he hasn't become a Sovereign, he has likely advanced far along the path of Heavenly Kings! Dealing with them now is difficult, but once heaven and earth fully recover, it will be even more difficult!"
Looking around at everyone, Wang Ye said, "Collaborating with Li Hao now gives us access to a wealth of mineral resources. By absorbing them, we can restore much of our combat strength; General Locust might even return to his peak! Catching them off guard... we might still have a chance."
The room fell silent.
A Heavenly King...
Director Wang added, "Without the boost from the origin path, there is still a gap between a Heavenly King and a Saint, but not as vast as it was back then! Apart from Sovereigns, everyone else relied on the origin path to unleash great power!"
Old Turtle said softly, "Li Hao wants our true bodies to take action and seize another main city? Is it the Liu family's Hurricane City, or the Zhou family's Galaxy City?"
Wang Ye replied, "It depends on the circumstances... Nothing is certain yet!"
Silence fell over the group once more.
After a moment's reflection, the Ninth Division Commander asked, "And if we refuse?"
"If we refuse..." Director Wang glanced at everyone. "It's nothing catastrophic, but... a massive rift will form between us and the modern people of Silver Moon. Li Hao won't turn hostile—I know him well enough to know he wouldn't do that. However... moving forward, Battle Heaven City won't be treated any differently from the other main cities."
The Eighth Division Commander said coldly, "Do we, the people of Neo-Martial, still need to rely on them?"
Wang Ye snapped, "You just woke up and know nothing! If you don't understand, shut your mouth! Was Boundless City not strong? Three Saints at peak condition—and what became of them? Neo-Martial is Neo-Martial, you are you, and we are us. If you're still clinging to the notion that Neo-Martial is invincible, you might as well go back to sleep!"
The Eighth Division Commander was left speechless by the rebuke. He snorted and said nothing more.
Wang Ye snorted as well. "I'll have you investigated later!"
"Humph!" The Eighth Division Commander sneered. "You don't have the authority to investigate me!"
Director Wang fired back, "The Ninth Division Commander is acting commander of the Reserve Garrison Army—I'll have him investigate you!"
"..."
The Eighth Division Commander could not be bothered to reply and remained silent.
Meanwhile, the two Saints exchanged a glance, sinking into deep thought.
With an air of transcendent grace, General Locust stroked his beard and spoke slowly. "Times have changed. Li Hao can be considered a sovereign of the new era. He has maintained cooperation with our Battle Heaven City all along, and he currently holds the rank of commander of the Eleventh Division—a post I recommended him for! He is intimately connected with Neo-Martial. If the Zheng family has truly betrayed us, cooperating... is not out of the question."
He glanced over the group before continuing, "However, if it comes to moving against the other houses among the Eight Main Cities, we must have a condition... If it turns out they are not rebels, not only can we not help him, but we will also act to restrain him!"
Director Wang pondered for a moment. "In other words, as long as it's proven they are rebels, General Locust is willing to strike?"
General Locust chuckled softly. "If they are rebels, why wouldn't I?"
Director Wang frowned, however. "Evidence is hard to obtain, and the enemy will disguise themselves... In my view, it's not a matter of proving it or not. If we confirm that their strength is at its peak and they cannot explain why they maintained peak condition... then we strike! Regardless of whether it's a misunderstanding, taking them down first is definitely not wrong!"
He stated firmly, "Our Battle Heaven City isn't considered weak among the eight families, is it? Look at our situation! We even had Guardian Turtle, who could remain awake solely because he is a divine weapon spirit. How could anyone else? Even so, reviving Battle Heaven City was as hard as scaling the heavens. How could they possibly awaken faster than us? In my opinion... anyone stronger than us is suspect!"
This might sound arbitrary, but after thinking it through, no one objected.
Indeed!
Old Turtle had remained conscious all along as an undying divine weapon spirit, yet even he had gone through a period of weakness. What right did others have to endure better than them?
Seeing that everyone was silent, Director Wang pressed on, "So no matter what, we don't need concrete proof. How many years have passed? Are our enemies fools who would leave behind written evidence for you to find? If we remain this rigid, how are we any different from the origin era or even the Early Martial era back then?"
At this point, the Ninth Division Commander said in a deep voice, "Call Li Hao in. We have our own plans!"
Hearing this, Director Wang said no more. He had merely voiced his opinions and observations; the specifics still needed to be discussed with Li Hao.
***
A moment later, Li Hao walked into the hall.
He looked around at everyone, nodding with a slight smile. They were all familiar faces, save for one newly revived golden-armored commander.
"Commander Li," Li Hao addressed the Ninth Division Commander with a smile. "I apologize for the loss of your clone earlier..."
"It does not matter," the Ninth Division Commander replied in his usual flat tone. "It was merely a clone, not worth mentioning. I hear you can now slay Saints—congratulations are in order."
He remained as cold as ever, having never displayed warmth toward Li Hao.
"It was merely good fortune," Li Hao demurred politely. Before they could speak further, he added, "Besides, they are only Saints of the current era, not Saints empowered by the origin path. Slaying a Saint under these conditions is nothing to boast of."
"..."
*Give you an inch, and you take a mile?* Li Daozong muttered inwardly, choosing to remain silent.
Old Turtle smiled and gestured to a seat, indicating that Li Hao should sit down to talk.
Li Hao did not stand on ceremony. Taking a chair, he went straight to the point. "I have come today with two objectives. First, to identify any traitors that might exist among us. Second, to reach an agreement with Battle Heaven City."
At these words, the Eighth Division Commander bristled. "How could there possibly be traitors in Battle Heaven City?"
Li Hao smiled. "And this gentleman is...?"
"Yang Wei, Commander of the Eighth Division of the Reserve Garrison Army!" the Eighth Division Commander declared coldly. "Our Battle Heaven City carries the heritage of the Blood Sovereign and stands as the staunchest supporter of Neo-Martial! No one here would ever betray us!"
"Nothing is absolute," Li Hao said softly. "Commander Yang, all Eight Main Cities were loyal followers of Neo-Martial, but... human hearts change. This is merely a precaution, not an arbitrary accusation. An upright person fears no shadows! I am only helping Battle Heaven City verify the situation. If there are none, that would be ideal. If there are, we can take preventative measures early and eliminate hidden dangers. Since when has Neo-Martial become so obstinate and rigid?"
Li Hao frowned slightly. "From what I read in books and heard from others, Neo-Martial was always daring—daring to take responsibility, daring to fight and kill, daring to struggle and strive! But today, many of the Neo-Martial people I meet are different from what the books describe. Excessive confidence becomes arrogance!"
The Eighth Division Commander was about to argue, but General Locust cut him off. "Perhaps it is because he slept for too long and hasn't fully awakened yet; his mental faculties are worse than in the past. You know how it is—when someone sleeps too long, their mind isn't as sharp. That's only natural."
The general smiled faintly. "What about your second point? Could you elaborate?"
Li Hao smiled. "General Locust is truly wise, living up to the name of Guardian!"
He continued, "Cooperation with Battle Heaven City is quite straightforward: you help me deal with certain powerhouses, plain and simple. In return, I will do my utmost to help you all revive fully, back to your peak combat strength! If any wish to transition to the new Dao, I will fully support that as well. In truth, this is mutually beneficial; it's not a matter of one side taking advantage of the other. That has been my philosophy from the start."
After a moment of thought, the Ninth Division Commander said directly, "We face restrictions outside. You seem able to bring our true bodies out. While our movements will be somewhat constrained by you, we desire relative freedom..."
Li Hao laughed softly. "Does Commander Li have old friends outside you need to visit?"
The Ninth Division Commander stared at him coldly. The way this fellow pronounced "old friends" sounded rather ambiguous.
Seeing this, Li Hao shook his head helplessly. This man was impossible to joke with, cold as ice from morning to night.
"Naturally," Li Hao nodded.
The Ninth Division Commander added, "When the situation is unclear, we only kill; we do not sever Daos."
"Agreed."
"The Starry Sky Sword is broken. If one day you are able to open the Star Gate, you must send us away and help us find the main world..."
"No problem." Li Hao agreed readily. These conditions raised by the Ninth Division Commander were minor matters.
The Ninth Division Commander paused, then said, "One final point: if... the Star Gate cannot be opened, we require a piece of territory that belongs to Neo-Martial!"
Li Hao raised an eyebrow. "Territory..."
After pondering for a moment, he said, "That's fine! Not a big issue, provided you abide by the laws of Heavenly Star!"
"Naturally," the Ninth Division Commander nodded.
Neither Old Turtle nor General Locust objected, tacitly agreeing.
Li Hao then asked, "I heard that the army commander of the Reserve Garrison is still alive, sleeping within the city. Is that true?"
The Ninth Division Commander nodded. "It is true. However... back then, the commander forcibly attempted to march out and suffered severe injuries, falling back into slumber afterward. To this day, there has been no sign of his revival. That is why I have been acting in his stead all these years."
"Is he a Saint?"
"Yes, early-stage Saint..."
Li Hao nodded. "May I see him?"
The others exchanged glances. Seeing an unawakened army commander?
After a long pause, Old Turtle said, "That is fine... However, since he has not awakened, he may not be able to communicate with you."
Li Hao nodded. "So that means Battle Heaven City currently has three Saints, or four if we count Commander Li, correct?"
"Correct."
"Guardian Turtle and General Locust have their true bodies present. Commander Li has no physical form—do you plan to connect to the new Dao, or reforge a Neo-Martial body?"
"A Neo-Martial body!" the Ninth Division Commander answered without hesitation.
Li Hao nodded. "That works too. I happen to have a somewhat damaged Heavenly King body. Chief Zhang said he has no further use for it... Combined with Director Wang's former physical body, we can reforge a powerful vessel for Commander Li!"
Hearing this, the group fell silent.
They knew about Zhang An's quasi-Heavenly King body. Now... Zhang An didn't want it anymore? Had he truly given it up, or had Li Hao decided he didn't need to return it?
Seeing their silence, Li Hao chuckled. "It wasn't that I insisted on taking it. Chief Zhang himself said he didn't need it anymore, claiming he wants to return to Yuanping Martial Arts University and has no use for it."
The Ninth Division Commander did not refuse and nodded. "Very well!"
Neither side indulged in empty pleasantries; there was no need for it.
Seeing this, Li Hao smiled as well. Then, he suddenly said, "I have one rather delicate request. I wonder if everyone would be willing to agree?"
The atmosphere grew tense.
Old Turtle, worldly and astute, seemed to guess what it was and said gravely, "This... might be improper!"
Li Hao had not even stated it yet.
The Eighth Division Commander, unfamiliar with Li Hao, had no idea what was going on. He was bewildered—the conversation had been proceeding smoothly, so why had things suddenly become improper?
Li Hao said softly, "May I borrow them?"
General Locust said solemnly, "Those are the root of Battle Heaven City! Its soul!"
Li Hao nodded. "I know. But everything is for the sake of eliminating our enemies, isn't it?"
Both Guardians fell silent.
The Ninth Division Commander asked gravely, "Can you even take them?"
"Not necessarily, but I can try."
Director Wang also seemed to understand, looking somewhat nervous. "This... this is the foundation of our Battle Heaven City, the root of our strength..."
Li Hao rolled his eyes helplessly. "Can Battle Heaven City use them? Can you derive any comprehension from them?"
Those words left everyone speechless.
The Eighth Division Commander could not help but ask, "What on earth are you talking about?"
Old Turtle said softly, "Governor Li wishes to borrow the two characters 'Battle Heaven.'"
"How could that be allowed!" The Eighth Division Commander flared up. "That was inscribed by the Sovereign himself, the very anchor of Battle Heaven's fortune..."
Li Hao said gently, "Just a temporary loan. It was left by the Blood Sovereign and might be connected to certain matters. Once we resolve these troubles, I will naturally return them!"
"Still unacceptable!"
Li Hao smiled. "Why be so absolute, Commander Yang? It's merely a loan... Of course, minority obeys the majority; that too is a tradition of Battle Heaven City! Among those present, aside from Commander Yang, does anyone else object? If more than half refuse... I will drop the matter. The two Guardians, Department Chief Zhang Liang, Director Wang, the two division commanders, and myself—seven in total. If four refuse, I will give up."
"You..."
"I am the Eleventh Division Commander. Am I not entitled to participate?"
The Eighth Division Commander was rendered speechless!
Four objections needed!
Everyone fell into contemplation. Li Hao said with a smile, "Let's keep it straightforward. If you object, raise your hand now. Show of hands for those who disagree!"
"..."
The Eighth Division Commander ground his teeth. *How can something like that even be borrowed?*
He quickly raised his hand!
Looking around, however... he was the only one.
He glared at Zhang Liang. *Even you agreed?*
Zhang Liang sat serenely, averting his gaze. After all, Li Hao was the one who had helped him secure this department chief position. Borrowing the two characters "Battle Heaven" was indeed a momentous matter, but... it was merely a loan, not a theft, so there was room for discussion.
The Eighth Division Commander said in frustration, "We need to summon the other division commanders, the revived department directors, and the army commander to deliberate together!"
*Had these people all been bewitched by Li Hao?*
Those characters were the most vital artifact of Battle Heaven City. Regardless of whether they could be used, they were the symbol and core of Battle Heaven City—the sole physical proof left behind by the Blood Sovereign.
Li Hao said, "Since they cannot be revived right now, only we can vote!"
"You..."
Li Hao frowned slightly. "Commander Yang does not know me well, but that's fine—you will understand me in time! When I say I will borrow it, I will return it! If I were the type to borrow and never return, would everyone present be foolish enough to agree so readily? Commander Yang, as a soldier, I believe you should focus on fighting and eliminating the enemy rather than acting obstinate. No one is asking you to betray Neo-Martial, so there's no need to behave like this. If you don't understand, listen more and observe more. What do you say?"
The Eighth Division Commander paused, then snorted and said nothing further.
He truly did not know Li Hao well; he merely felt that those who had awakened earlier seemed to trust this fellow implicitly. Usually, when someone asked to borrow something like that, the chances of it being returned were slim to none.
It would simply be taken away!
Yet listening to Li Hao's tone... could he really intend to return it?
Li Hao did not dwell on the matter, quickly shifting the topic. "Without further ado, now that we've reached an agreement, the most urgent task is to help everyone fully revive! The Heavenly Star Great Mine still holds plenty of usable energy stones... Before that, however, I need to conduct a brief inspection of everyone to ensure no enemies are among us."
"How will you inspect us?" the Ninth Division Commander asked.
Li Hao answered, "Simple. Most of the traitors back then were invaded by the power of the Red Moon. Over all these years, that Red Moon power within their bodies would only grow denser, not fade. Whether someone possesses it will be clear at a single glance!"
The group exchanged glances. Soon, the Ninth Division Commander nodded. "Very well! I would also like to see whether anyone in my Battle Heaven City has been corrupted... Though I believe there are none! At least not within the army. Even if Commander Yang opposes you constantly, that is normal behavior. Do not conduct this inspection with personal bias, or we will not stand for it!"
"Does Commander Li still doubt my character?"
The Ninth Division Commander nodded.
"..."
Li Hao laughed helplessly. "Well..."
*You don't even trust my character, yet you agreed to cooperate?*
This man's tongue was truly infuriatingly stubborn.
"Then let's test those present first. One by one, please; if you all come at once, I'm afraid I won't be able to pull everyone in."
"Fine!" The Ninth Division Commander was decisive. "I'll go first!"
Seeing him so direct, Li Hao did not hesitate. Without the Starry Sky Sword, tearing open the Dao universe within a ruin was slightly harder, but Li Hao was far stronger than before, so it posed little problem.
Soon, he tore open the void, took hold of the Ninth Division Commander, and both vanished in an instant.
Seeing them disappear, the Eighth Division Commander hesitated. "Could he harbor ill intentions?"
Director Wang chuckled. "Rest assured. As long as you have no issues, he won't frame you deliberately!"
"Do you truly trust him so much?"
"It's not about trust..." Director Wang said. "It's that we have no other choice! Right now, I am certain there are traitors, and powerful ones at that. We have no way out; cooperating with him is our only path! Should we just wait for the second resurgence, for a Heavenly King to storm the city and wipe us out in one stroke?"
The Eighth Division Commander fell silent.
***
Inside the Bright Star Realm.
The Ninth Division Commander looked around. No Red Moon power manifested on his body. He gazed into the Dao universe, scanning the various sectors before finally looking toward the Sword Dao region, sensing the aura there.
After a moment, he remarked, "So this is the new Dao universe? Rather desolate... Back in the origin universe, Dao stars twinkled one after another in boundless numbers. This new Dao universe is still very weak, though it is indeed a great opportunity!"
"It is very weak," Li Hao agreed, feeling somewhat curious. "The new Dao shows little rejection toward the origin path, yet it fiercely rejects the Red Moon. Does Commander Li know why?"
"The new Dao may have been born alongside the new world. Perhaps each world possesses its own Dao. Since Silver Moon originated from Neo-Martial, having little rejection is only natural."
The Ninth Division Commander added, "If that is the case, at the end of the new Dao... one might find traces of the origin universe."
Li Hao shook his head. "That is beyond my knowledge; it's far too distant! I cannot explore it all right now... Commander Li, if someone in Battle Heaven City has been invaded by Red Moon power, but expelling it might restore their true self, how should we handle it?"
"Kill them!"
"Hm?"
Li Hao looked at him. The Ninth Division Commander said calmly, "Whether it was passive or voluntary, betrayal is betrayal. Does it require such distinctions? 'Laying down the butcher's knife to become a Buddha' belongs to the martial world... As soldiers, we only know that traitors must die. It cannot be resolved simply by turning over a new leaf! So do not overthink it. Whether they recover their self or not, there is only one outcome... death!"
Li Hao regarded him deeply for a moment, then smiled. "Understood."
With that, the two returned.
Li Hao turned to Old Turtle. "Guardian Turtle... I need to bring your true body in... A clone... is hard to evaluate."
Old Turtle chuckled without objection.
Near the City Lord's Manor, the Tortoise Tower began to tremble. Moments later, it shrunk into a small Black Tortoise Seal. It swiftly assumed human form and merged with the clone.
Li Hao tore open the void once more, bringing Guardian Turtle inside.
Likewise, there was no Red Moon power.
This put Li Hao somewhat at ease. At least the Guardian was clean. Old Turtle had remained conscious throughout; if he was fine, then even if issues arose in Battle Heaven City, they would not be catastrophic. Even if someone had been corrupted by the Red Moon, they wouldn't dare act under Old Turtle's watchful gaze. If Old Turtle had been corrupted, having controlled Battle Heaven City for all these years... that would have been a disaster of unimaginable proportions!
***
Li Hao inspected them one by one.
General Locust passed without issue.
Zhang Liang passed as well.
Finally, it was the Eighth Division Commander's turn.
Li Hao had harbored suspicions, thinking to himself that this fellow might very well be corrupted, even if he didn't say so aloud.
Yet when he brought him into the Dao universe, there was no reaction whatsoever.
Li Hao almost wondered if the Dao universe had glitched. He looked the Eighth Division Commander up and down, while the golden-armored commander glared back angrily. Even without a flesh-and-blood body, his mental fluctuations made it plain that he deeply resented Li Hao staring at him like that!
***
Back in the hall of the City Lord's Manor.
Li Hao emerged with the Eighth Division Commander, smiling. "Battle Heaven City has no issues. At least everyone present is clean, so the problem isn't severe! Of course, we cannot rule out someone betraying us purely out of personal choice without Red Moon interference... In that case, there's no way to detect it!"
The Eighth Division Commander said crossly, "Why don't you just come out and say it's me? Wouldn't that save you the trouble?"
Li Hao chuckled. "Don't misunderstand, Commander Yang!"
He then continued, "Since that's settled, let me ask: what do you know about the Zheng family father and sons? Leaving aside Zheng Gong and the departed Zheng Ke, do you know more about the third son, Zheng Yu, or Zheng Hongyuan?"
Old Turtle thought for a moment. "We don't know much about Zheng Yu; he was only the third son, after all. As for Zheng Hongyuan, I met him a few times. A remarkably shrewd individual. Back then, he possessed peak Saint combat strength, and rumor had it he later attained the Heavenly King Realm... truly a formidable figure of his era! He left the Zheng family of Star Suppressing City to come to this minor world, allegedly because the main branch there gave him little support. Despite his outstanding talent, the Zheng family provided him no extra resources. He was an early figure of the Neo-Martial era and had performed considerable service in Star Suppressing City..."
Old Turtle gave a brief overview.
Li Hao pondered before nodding. "Is the gap in combat strength between a Heavenly King and a Saint very large?"
"Not excessively so," Old Turtle explained. "Put it this way: back then, origin path cultivators all relied on the origin to amplify their power! Without the origin, the difference lies in mental energy, vitality, and physical constitution—differences that can be bridged by sheer numbers! When the origin was intact, a Heavenly King could easily handle seven or eight Saints without difficulty... But without the origin, three or four Saints might be enough to contend with a Heavenly King."
"What about between an early-stage Saint and a peak Saint?"
"The same principle applies," Old Turtle sighed. "Nowadays, the gap between a peak Saint and an early-stage Saint isn't that vast either. The decisive factor was always the power of the Dao. Thus, we have all been weakened severely. Otherwise, when Saints could draw upon the origin path, their combat strength was immense! Wiping away a city with a wave of the hand was no difficult feat."
Li Hao nodded again. "One more question: if Senior encounters a member of the Zheng family today, could you identify them?"
"Their true body?"
"A clone."
"Then no!" Old Turtle shook his head. "Clones are far too difficult to discern. Unless it's the true body, whose origin aura never changes, one cannot tell!"
*Fair enough!* Li Hao had originally hoped Old Turtle could determine whether that Yu Hai was a member of the Zheng family.
"Does Senior know Yu Hai, deputy captain of the Shen family guards from Star Suppressing City?"
"Yu Hai..." Old Turtle searched his memory, then shook his head. He did not know him.
Li Hao felt a twinge of disappointment, but General Locust chimed in, "I happen to know a little. Yu Hai possessed peak Saint combat strength and fought in battles during the early Neo-Martial era..."
Pausing, he looked at Li Hao. "Why do you ask about him so suddenly? Did you encounter him? Are you unable to verify his identity, or do you suspect he is one of the Zheng family?"
From mere fragments of conversation, the general had deduced the core of the matter. Indeed, sleeping for countless years had not turned his mind to mush; he remained remarkably sharp.
Li Hao nodded with a smile.
General Locust shook his head. "Then there is no need to verify—he is definitely an impostor!"
"Why?" Li Hao asked, puzzled. "Did he die long ago?"
"Not necessarily," General Locust explained. "Yu Hai interacted with my ancestral generation and fought in numerous campaigns. He was originally eligible for an external posting as an official, but the Shen family refused to let him go, keeping him as deputy captain of their guards. An external posting offered hope of reaching the Heavenly King Realm, whereas remaining with the Shen family made that very difficult! It wasn't that the Shen family sought to mistreat him; Yu Hai had suffered Dao injuries in earlier years and was constantly recuperating. Even by the time of the celestial cataclysm, his injuries might not have healed. The Shen family would never have sent him to Silver Moon. If the Shen family spoke up, both the Human King and the Supreme would have shown them deference and never forced their hand."
Li Hao became even more intrigued. "The Shen family carried that much prestige?"
"Among the thirteen families of Star Suppressing City, excluding the eradicated Yang family, the Li family was the strongest, while the Shen family wasn't particularly powerful. However, the Shen and Chen families held exceptionally high status! The forebears of those two families founded the Neo-Martial era! Supreme Zhang expanded and glorified Neo-Martial, and the Human King inherited it... It was a direct lineage, so to speak!"
After explaining the background, General Locust added, "Thus, the Shen family's prestige was immense. With Yu Hai injured, even if the head of the Shen family came to Silver Moon on official business, he would never have brought him along."
Li Hao nodded once more. So that was it!
That meant this Yu Hai was indeed an impostor.
This saved a great deal of trouble. Since he was fake... there was no need to dwell on his true identity. The critical question was: how strong was he?
Pondering further, Li Hao asked, "He is unwilling to leave the ruins—not even his clone will step out. Why?"
"Unwilling to step outside?"
Hearing this, though the others did not know all the details, Old Turtle suddenly remarked, "You sought us out to deal with this fake Yu Hai? If so... we are in big trouble."
"What do you mean?" Li Hao asked. They had not even seen the person yet.
"Unwilling to step out... Combined with the information gathered earlier about the Red Moon Sovereign being sealed... there is only one possibility. He is too powerful. Once he steps outside, even as a clone, it could trigger tremendous upheaval! Especially now, he dares not emerge lightly, for fear of unsettling heaven and earth and shattering the seal. Following the destruction of your Starry Sky Sword, the current seal must be extremely fragile..."
"His refusal to dispatch a clone is likely a precaution against releasing that Sovereign... If so, this person possesses at least the combat strength of a Heavenly King! A Saint would never have such reservations! Moreover, he has likely had dealings with that Sovereign; otherwise, none of us would know of these matters. We only learned of it through you, and among the Eight Main Cities, unless they were traitors, nobody would know."
A Heavenly King!
Li Hao exhaled slowly. "Can we take him on?"
The others exchanged glances, and the Ninth Division Commander shook his head. "Even if you have the combat power of a Saint, with the two Guardians and myself... he may have walked far along the path of Heavenly Kings. It's not enough! While three or four Saints have a chance... to actually slay him, it falls short! To be safe, we need at least six Saints!"
*That many?*
Li Hao frowned. "Then... what if we revive the garrison army commander, plus several mid-to-late Sun-Moon fighters...?"
"Still not enough!" The Ninth Division Commander shook his head again. "Guardian Turtle specializes in defense, and General Locust isn't particularly adept at offense. As for me, my combat method prevents me from sustaining prolonged battles. The same goes for the army commander—he commands the Reserve Garrison Army... As you understand, his role is primarily defensive as well."
"Even if you excel at offense, it won't suffice. We need at least one more top-tier offensive powerhouse!"
Li Hao felt a headache coming on.
Another top-tier Saint specializing in offense?
Where was he supposed to find one?
Everyone looked at one another, caught in a dilemma.
After a long silence, Old Turtle spoke up. "Zhang... Never mind, let's not mention Chief Zhang. Among the Eight Main Cities, I heard you allied with the Martial Forest Alliance? They excel at offense! Battle Heaven City did as well... but our true frontline offensive experts have all departed, leaving behind no top-tier offensive powerhouses! Isn't the Second Elder of the Martial Forest Alliance still around? He specializes in offense and is also a Saint. Among their nine great elders, the first six were almost all Saints, while only the last three were Immortals..."
Their nine great elders were comparable to nine army commanders, holding higher status than the Ninth Division Commander.
Last time, Li Hao had met the Seventh Elder, who was merely at the peak of the Immortal Realm. Recalling him, Li Hao smiled wryly—that Seventh Elder fell right among the bottom three, so he hadn't managed to reach the Saint level.
*The Second Elder?*
The Zhao family excelled at offense. Their ancestor, Alliance Leader Zhao, was a master of the saber; the City Lord of the Zhao family main city was his son, who specialized in fist techniques. Meanwhile, the nine elders hailed from various sects and factions.
Yet... would they agree?
Li Hao was willing to cooperate with Battle Heaven City, but he held no great fondness for the other ancient cities.
For a moment, he felt troubled.
"We absolutely must have one more?"
"If you want to take him down safely, I believe you must find at least one more, or even several. We don't know his exact strength—he is a Heavenly King at minimum, and if he turns out to be a half-step Sovereign... then forget five or six Saints, even ten wouldn't suffice!"
Li Hao sank into deep contemplation.
After a while, he said, "I'll try... If they don't agree, we have no choice; even if they refuse, we must still attempt it."
Li Hao explained, "It's not that I want to drag you seniors into danger recklessly. Rather, he may have found something. If he connects with the other faction, disaster will ensue. Furthermore, the Great Desolation is right next door. If the Great Desolation falls, it could cause immense trouble as well. I must take him down to ensure no unexpected shifts occur!"
Otherwise, if something happened to the Great Desolation, and Hong Chen over there made contact with this person and entered the ruins, then once the second resurgence began and they found a method to deal with the Sovereign... Li Hao and his allies would be in catastrophic danger.
Before they could join forces, killing them off one by one was the best course.
A Heavenly King... was indeed exceedingly difficult to deal with.
Li Hao calculated rapidly in his mind. Perhaps a concrete plan was needed. These figures dared not emerge lightly, as heaven and earth were far more fragile than before, making it easy to rupture the seal.
However... would approaching the Zhao family work?
Yet aside from the Zhao family, who else could he turn to?
As he was pondering, Director Wang spoke up. "The Zhao family might harbor their spies. I believe it's best not to alert the enemy. Battle Heaven City is reliable, but the Zhao family's situation remains unclear. If you truly wish to seek help, I recommend approaching someone else."
"Who?"
"The descendant of the Sea Suppressing Emissary!"
Li Hao was taken aback.
Director Wang smiled. "Seeking him out is far more appropriate! He controls the Four Seas and was the Silver Moon Sea Suppressing Emissary back then. He had good relations with the Li family and the Sword Venerable. Not only that, the lineage of the Sea Suppressing Emissary is different from other factions—there are no side branches, only direct descendants. His background is immense! The Sea Suppressing Emissary... was actually stronger than the Demon Suppressing Emissary!"
Li Hao paused in confusion. Wasn't the Demon Suppressing Emissary higher in status than the Sea Suppressing Emissary?
"The Sea Suppressing Emissary was also of the demon race. The only reason his status seemed lower was that the Human King met the Demon Suppressing Emissary earlier, whereas he met the Sea Suppressing Emissary later... This Li Fuhai is the direct descendant of the Sea Suppressing Emissary... and his combat strength is formidable! His true form is a bull demon, possessing boundless strength and exceptional offensive prowess... Last time, I noticed he was quite amicable toward you, likely harboring the intention to draw closer."
Li Hao felt a bit embarrassed. "I wasn't particularly friendly toward him before..."
He had largely given that figure the cold shoulder.
Director Wang chuckled. "What does that matter? He won't hold it against you... Besides, if you can bring him out to run wild... ahem, to enjoy the outside world... or rather, to fight, he will certainly be delighted!"
Li Hao rolled his eyes. *You might as well just say 'run wild.'*
He fell into thought, then nodded before long. "That works too! What do you seniors think of his combat strength?"
"Formidable!" Old Turtle stated. "As a direct descendant of the Sea Suppressing Emissary, his combat prowess is definitely formidable. Even in my peak state, I was no match for him! Furthermore, he is a pure demon, so his physical body is almost certainly intact. Demonic bodies are exceptionally resilient; even Old Locust is likely no match for him."
General Locust nodded, not disputing the point.
After thinking for a moment, Li Hao said, "Very well, I will go try. Along the way, I'll visit Heavenly Star Town to fetch some divine energy stones and the Spring of Life. I'll also retrieve that damaged Heavenly King body... We must act swiftly. The Great Desolation may face trouble soon; that traitor Hong Chen won't accept defeat easily and is clearly eyeing the Great Desolation.
"However, the Great Desolation also has Saint-tier desolate beasts, so they will need some time to prepare..."
Having said this, Li Hao wasted no more time. "Once I return, we will see our army commander! As for the two characters 'Battle Heaven,' I will take them upon my return as well... Please keep this quiet from everyone else for now, lest traitors catch wind of it."
The others nodded; even the Eighth Division Commander raised no objections this time.
Without delay, Li Hao departed swiftly.
This time, he did not even bring Director Wang along.
The Silver Moon Sea Suppressing Emissary... Li Hao had seen him twice but had never engaged in deep conversation. This time, he could assess the situation. He had repeatedly overlooked this mighty figure who held dominion over the Four Seas.
Moreover, returning to Heavenly Star Town would allow him to check on Black Panther. That fellow had been in seclusion searching for Dao meridians for who knew how long.
Ever since leaving Silver City, his teacher and the others had fallen; only this dog remained for him to confide in. Fortunately, it had entered seclusion last time; otherwise, had he brought it along, it might have perished as well.
Battle Heaven City had agreed quite readily. While Li Hao was pleased, he also found it natural. Having dealt with one another repeatedly, these figures understood his circumstances well; cooperating with him brought them no harm.
Furthermore, Li Hao had noticed that although the Ninth Division Commander had not spoken directly, he had chimed in to support him several times. This cold-faced commander proved reliable at crucial moments.
Emerging from Battle Heaven City, Li Hao soon arrived at the North Sea.
This time, without waiting for the other party to seek him out, Li Hao proactively headed deep into the North Sea. The branch manor of the Sea Suppressing Emissary lay within the depths of the ocean.
Chapter 348