A Calculating Mind

He had returned. All told, Li Hao had spent nearly a month in the Great Dao universe this time. Though he had emerged in between, this was quite likely the longest seclusion he had ever undertaken. Today, Li Hao seemed even more ethereal, carrying an air of detachment from the mortal realm. "Marquis!" Lin Hongyu stepped forward and greeted him. Hong Yitang looked him up and down, smiled, and turned to Li Hao. "I'll go check on the situation at the Martial Arts Academy first. You and Governor-General Lin can discuss what comes next." Li Hao gave a slight nod. Black Panther wanted to keep following, but Hong Yitang seized the dog by its tail and dragged it away by force. Nothing was out of the ordinary at first, but Hong Yitang dragging the dog off left Li Hao feeling somewhat helpless. Seeing this, Lin Hongyu smiled as well and said, "You haven't visited the Governor-General's Manor in a long time, Marquis. Please come inside and sit." Li Hao nodded slightly. One after the other, they walked toward the grand hall of the Governor-General's Manor. In the distance, Hong Yitang dragged Black Panther along, glanced back, and chuckled. How amusing. *** Inside the grand hall. Seeing Lin Hongyu remain standing, Li Hao lifted his chin slightly. "Sit." Lin Hongyu sat upright and proper. Li Hao smiled and continued, "You did splendidly this time—utterly flawless! Everything went smoothly. Directing the entire populace to coordinate, with billions of cultivators participating, can truly be called unprecedented and unrivaled!" After offering a few words of praise, he continued, "You must have reached the Dao Integration Realm by now, right?" "Yes." Lin Hongyu nodded slightly. "It was somewhat forced. If I were to fight some of the weaker Saints, there might still be hope, but if I ran into veteran Saints..." "There aren't many veteran Saints around!" Li Hao chuckled. "Aside from Zheng Yu's side, the rest are just crooked melons and split dates. The truly powerful figures left the Silver Moon world long ago! Nowadays, the ones we fight are nothing more than a bunch of second-rate hacks!" "Marquis... factions like Battle Heaven City have Saints too." Curse them as you will, but don't say that aloud; hearing it would leave the Saints of Battle Heaven City quite frustrated. Li Hao smiled. "I wasn't talking about them. They're authentic Neo-Martial Saints to begin with. I'm talking about Zheng Yu's side—a bunch of impostors. In the old days, they were Immortals at best, had never seen real combat, and never truly stepped into the Saint realm to connect with the origin path. It's only their physical bodies and blood qi that have reached that level." Most of the Saints today were watered-down Saints. Without the blessing of the origin... they couldn't compare to Neo-Martial at all. Li Hao couldn't even be bothered to draw comparisons. Nowadays, he used Dao Integration to measure these Saints. At the third tier of Dao Integration, one could sweep aside a crowd of Saints, and even a peak Saint would fare no better. "Putting that aside, has anything major happened lately?" "A few things, though nothing too massive. Heaven and earth have returned to normal. Director Zhao, Qian Wuliang, and Heaven Sword have entered the eighth tier of Sun-Moon. Over at Yuanping Martial Arts University, almost everyone has crossed into Sun-Moon, and several at the seventh tier have emerged. "Director Wang has also entered the eighth tier of Sun-Moon, and over in the Demon Hunting Martial Guard Army, Liu Yan has reached the seventh tier of Sun-Moon..." She recounted the details one by one, clearly well-informed about the state of affairs. At this point, she added, "As for the Monster Plant Army, Di Wei and several other monster plants are comprehending the new Dao, but they haven't formally shifted paths yet. Their plan is to first leave behind Dao stars within the galaxy, and then naturally transplant their Daos through subtle, gradual influence to ensure they retain their full strength through the transition..." Li Hao nodded slightly. That was feasible. "Also, there was some unrest earlier in the Star Suppressing City ruins... Battle Heaven City sent people to investigate and found it completely deserted, but there were traces of combat. Furthermore, Guardian Turtle inspected the place and said someone may have tampered with the throne. We suspect it was Ying Hongyue! However, the recovery of heaven and earth happened too quickly. We were busy with other matters back then and had no time to deal with him, so Ying Hongyue must have fled immediately. His current whereabouts are unknown. "In addition..." She paused briefly. "Over in Silver City, the seal has fluctuated several times recently. Zheng Yu is probably quite nervous too! Lately, when night falls, the Silver Moon shows some abnormalities. We don't know whether something went awry within the seal. Director Zhang and the others have never appeared. Lastly, the Western Queen has vanished, and her life or death is unknown." There were no earth-shattering events, but minor occurrences were plentiful. Li Hao nodded repeatedly. The Silver Moon seal! Furthermore, now that heaven and earth had recovered and could sustain Saints again, shouldn't Li Daoheng be stepping out soon as well? A full month had passed; who knew what that man was planning? "Right, and finally, regarding the general populace: quite a few powerhouses have recently emerged among commoners, in both the Mountain-Sea and Sun-Moon realms! Marquis, do you think we should leave these people alone, or recruit them into the military..." "Leave them alone!" Li Hao said, "Why bother managing that? The path of cultivation doesn't mean that every powerhouse is only right if they obey you... As long as they abide by the law, whether they actively enlist or choose to remain unattached wanderers is entirely up to them! The entire world is full of cultivators now, and a massive wave of Mountain-Sea and Sun-Moon experts will emerge sooner or later. It's impossible for every single one of them to join the official ranks." "Understood!" Lin Hongyu nodded slightly, glanced at Li Hao, and said softly, "Lately, a White Saint Cult has also become quite active among the populace. It's said they have gathered many powerhouses—a motley crew of people discontented with us, as well as figures from the Divine Kingdom, the Great Desolation, Dali, and Water Cloud. They are all individuals dissatisfied with the current state of affairs. "Word has it that their leader, Chao Baisheng, was already a Sun-Moon powerhouse some time ago, and now... he may have even entered the late Sun-Moon realm! "Additionally, the demon races of Mount Cang and Mount Kui have seen some unrest recently. The Snake King of Mount Kui seems to have gathered quite a few powerful demon beasts... However, word recently arrived that they clashed with the White Saint Cult. A small-scale skirmish broke out between the two sides along the Mount Cang and Mount Kui line. I sent people to check, and it's likely Sun-Moon experts were involved!" She stole a few glances at Li Hao from the corner of her eye. Li Hao smiled. "Mm, very good. All of that was arranged by me." As expected! Lin Hongyu felt a wave of relief. She had always thought that the Mount Kui Snake King was on Li Hao's side; he had helped Li Hao early on, after all. Furthermore, she even knew of several familiar great demons who had joined the Mount Kui faction. Of course, Chao Baisheng being arranged by Li Hao... She had considered the possibility before, but had never been certain. She had only been confident that the Mount Kui demon race shared deep ties with Li Hao. It truly was unexpected. That meant almost all the rebellious factions under heaven had been netted in one fell swoop, leaving only a small handful of people still stirring up trouble. Having reported all of this, she fell silent. Seeing that she had stopped talking, Li Hao looked at her for a few moments, noticing that she seemed somewhat dazed and lost in thought. He gave a light cough. "Nothing else?" "Nothing." Lin Hongyu answered somewhat stiffly. What else could there be? There was nothing left! Li Hao chuckled. Lin Hongyu glanced at him, and seeing him looking right back at her, she quickly lowered her head and looked away. Li Hao smiled. "There should be one more thing that you forgot." "What?" "You forgot to mention whether anyone opposed my announcement that I would marry you, or if there were any other reactions." "..." Lin Hongyu was at a loss for words. Why bring that up? You only gave me the title anyway, and it's not like you care, so what is there to say? Li Hao smiled again. "Truly no one opposed it?" "No!" Her answer was quite defiant. Li Hao pondered for a moment and said, "Then that's settled... Next, I need to deal with someone. Have the other Saints lock down Hurricane City!" "Ying Hongyue?" "Yes!" Li Hao nodded, dwelling no further on the previous subject. He said softly, "Right now, Hurricane City cannot be touched, and that figure in the sky cannot be touched. Only Ying Hongyue can be moved! I want to pry at him and test the reactions of all sides! In truth, there is another thing you forgot... Heaven's Will! Heaven's Will will not dissipate easily. Last time, only a fraction of it was destroyed. Heaven's Will... will certainly choose someone else to favor! What is more, this time its favor might run even deeper, birthing a true Child of Heaven! "And this person... you must find a way to locate them! They will surely bear a grudge against me, hate me, and possess considerable talent. Once they gain the favor of Heaven's Will, soaring through three realms in a single day would be completely normal, and stepping swiftly into Dao Integration wouldn't be surprising either..." Lin Hongyu's heart stirred, and she immediately nodded. "I understand. I truly came close to forgetting Heaven's Will. Mainly because Heaven's Will is formless, I didn't pay it enough heed. Thinking back now, that was truly an oversight!" How could she have forgotten Heaven's Will? Had Li Hao not reminded her, she might genuinely have let it slip her mind. "It isn't that you forgot. Heaven's Will represents this world; it immerses people within it, naturally eroding their hostility toward it. In truth, Heaven's Will is omnipresent—a terrifying entity! You have spent all your time within this world, so you naturally let down your guard against it..." Lin Hongyu's expression turned grave, and she nodded once more. Terrifying indeed! If Heaven's Will were constantly targeting them, people might not forget it. But at this moment, Heaven's Will seemed to have matured somewhat; instead of directly opposing them, it lurked in complete silence, smoothly causing everyone to drop their vigilance. "Alright, that will be all. One last thing: during your cultivation lately, spend more time comprehending the Five Animals Art left behind by my master! The key lies in the fusion within it. I helped you untangle your Great Dao; for now, it's still not entirely complete, but as time passes, you will discover... that the power of myriad Daos will form a cycle, assisting your cultivation in turn!" Lin Hongyu nodded once again. Having reached this point, Li Hao had finished everything he wanted to say. He rose, preparing to depart. Lin Hongyu stood as well, quietly following behind him. Unexpectedly, Li Hao came to an abrupt halt up ahead. Lin Hongyu stopped instantly. Li Hao turned around; the two of them were standing remarkably close. Li Hao looked puzzled. "Why didn't you bump into me?" "..." Lin Hongyu stared blankly at him, failing to grasp his meaning for a long moment. I am an existence at the Dao Integration level. Forget a short distance—even if there were only a single centimeter between us, stopping instantly wouldn't be an issue, would it? "My control over my power is fairly decent..." Lin Hongyu replied somewhat woodenly. Li Hao chuckled. "It seems you've never been in love..." "..." Lin Hongyu was stunned! "Aren't you coveting my body? I thought you would follow the novels and bump into me on purpose..." "..." "Never mind. It seems you're too busy to even find time to read novels. You should read more of them. I haven't been in love either, but I've read about it. My master used to enjoy reading them a lot. You could read a few too." "..." In the next instant, Li Hao gave a light laugh and vanished into thin air. Lin Hongyu stared blankly at the spot where he had disappeared. What in the world was that about? I've been so busy! From childhood to adulthood, I've been busy cultivating, busy scheming, busy dealing with rebels on all sides, busy governing the City of Supernaturals, busy with the great cause of Heavenly Star, busy to the point of almost never sleeping... Where would I find time to read miscellaneous books? Li Hao was utterly baffling! Besides, wasn't Li Hao busy? Wasn't Yuan Shuo busy? Those people actually had the leisure to read frivolous books—truly... losing their ambition to idle pursuits! *** Li Hao walked through the air, laughing softly to himself, finding the whole thing rather amusing. A thirty-one-year-old woman... It seemed that aside from scheming and cultivating, she didn't know how to do anything else. How tragic. Her childhood must have been thoroughly dull. My childhood was fairly interesting, at least. As he was musing, Hong Yitang floated over. "Smiling so happily—did the talk go well?" "Fairly well!" Li Hao smiled. "Right, I haven't seen Martial Aunt Sun Hongxiu in a long time. What has she been busy with lately?" "..." Hong Yitang remained silent. Li Hao frowned. Had something happened? Surely not. Hongxiu had barely participated in battles. Because she was Hong Yitang's wife and her strength was ordinary, Li Hao almost never summoned her to fight. "She went to the Divine Kingdom." "What?" "She went to the Divine Kingdom..." After a moment of silence, Hong Yitang finally spoke. "First she was in Water Cloud, and later she went to the Great Desolation... She went to take in some of the elderly, the weak, and the orphans left behind by the war. Heavenly Star is doing fine right now, but the Divine Kingdom is currently the most miserable. It's far too chaotic, with countless dead and wounded. She went there! I tried to persuade her to leave the Divine Kingdom alone, but she wouldn't listen to me..." Li Hao's heart stirred. "Love without boundaries... That's a good thing!" Even as he said it, he pondered the matter. A faint Great Dao radiance diffused from his body until a domain manifested. Only then did he say, "I have no objection to this; in fact, it's quite good. My only fear... is that Heaven's Will might set its sights on her!" Hong Yitang's heart jolted! "Her strength is ordinary and her talent is average. Would Heaven's Will target her?" "Hard to say!" Li Hao frowned slightly. "I don't want to see loved ones grieved while enemies rejoice, but this is uncertain. Right now, Heaven's Will has few candidates to choose from. In truth, I had considered that it might choose either the Queen or Ying Hongyue... But both of them have vanished without a trace. In that case, the most likely targets are people who haven't been to the Great Desolation—for instance... the Ninth Prince of the Heavenly Star imperial family. And now, you say Martial Aunt Hongxiu went to the Great Desolation and has been taking in orphans all along. It would be very easy for Heaven's Will to fixate on her. That could be considered a form of great love, couldn't it?" "The Ninth Prince... you mean that disciple Southern Fist left behind?" "Yes!" Li Hao nodded. "He is at the Heavenly Star Martial Arts Academy right now, keeping very quiet. But his entire family is dead, and Martial Uncle Southern Fist has left. His talent is excellent—did you forget? Well, I haven't forgotten; I'm someone with a good memory! I slaughtered the Heavenly Star imperial family down to the last person. Back then, Martial Uncle Southern Fist pleaded for him, so he was spared. Later, when Martial Uncle Southern Fist departed, no one looked after him anymore. It would be very easy for unexpected changes to occur." Hong Yitang couldn't help sighing with emotion. Everyone else had forgotten about that person, yet Li Hao still remembered him. Truly... quite petty. Still, that young man's talent was indeed remarkable. With that in mind, Hong Yitang said, "True enough. We can keep an eye on him. As for Hongxiu, I'll have her return..." "No need!" Li Hao shook his head and suddenly grinned. "If Heaven's Will truly chooses Martial Aunt Hongxiu, I'll turn around and deal it a vicious blow, while earning a massive windfall for her in the process! An immature Heaven's Will thinks it can fight all sides and nurture its own spokesperson... It's dreaming!" Having said that, he chuckled. "Never mind that. Gaining the favor of Heaven's Will is a good thing; we can set it aside for now. Let's find Ying Hongyue! This time, I'm going to pluck some feathers off that bastard! He is a very important piece in my upcoming plans! Black Panther, find him!" "Woof!" Black Panther barked and sniffed around in every direction. Then it stood motionless—it couldn't pick up a scent. There wasn't any scent at all! Li Hao was speechless. Useless creature! Raised you for nothing! Still, it had to be said that Ying Hongyue was remarkably skilled at hiding. "Let's go. To Dali!" "Dali?" Hong Yitang pondered. Li Hao smiled. "The source of the Forbidden Sea! If he isn't inside some ruin, that's where he'll be! That bastard knows how to hide! He went to the Star Suppressing City ruins earlier and might have seen something, but he carries the power of the Red Moon on him, making it very easy for that saber to wound him. That saber is specifically targeted against the power of the Red Moon. If he wants to seize the saber, he will definitely have to purge a portion of that power. The Forbidden Sea is the ideal place for him to release the Red Moon power without a sound..." Li Hao's mind was exceptionally clear right now. By now, he understood Ying Hongyue quite well. With ninety-nine percent certainty, the man had slipped back into Dali. Hong Yitang said in a deep voice, "What about that God of Initial Martial Arts in Dali..." "No need to worry about him! Zheng Yu ignores him, Li Daoheng ignores him, and the people from the Crimson Moon Great World don't bother him either... That means he might genuinely be harmless, or at least, at the present stage, he doesn't infringe upon anyone's interests!" Li Hao laid out his reasoning with impeccable logic, leaving Hong Yitang with no choice but to nod. This fellow had been skilled at calculating before; now that he cultivated the Dao, his schemes were sharper still. A man who had kept a low profile in the Inspectorate for an entire year, quietly reading countless dossiers, and who hadn't even blinked in the face of a red shadow... It was only natural that his mind was packed with calculations. *** Dali. The source of the Forbidden Sea. In a place where towering waves surged and sea water corroded everything it touched, Ying Hongyue was indeed present. At this moment, he allowed the sea water to wash over him. Only these intensely corrosive waters could scrub the Red Moon power from his body, carrying away a wisp of it with each successive surge. Meanwhile, his mind was still occupied by that saber! A terrifying saber! With just a single glance from afar, he had known it was extraordinary. If he could obtain it... he might no longer need to scheme and calculate. Perhaps... he would be qualified to officially step onto the center stage and contend with every faction! The bloodlines of the Eight Great Families could draw near to it. And he... perhaps he had been born for that very ruin. The bloodlines of the Eight Great Families... someone had likely guided him intentionally to gather them. He had a vague guess as to who it was, but he chose not to think about it, nor speak of it. In the Star Suppressing City ruins, killing Zheng Yu's avatar had yielded no small harvest. Now, he had returned to the Dao Integration level once more. The degree of fusion among the eight bloodline powers had deepened. A wisp of Red Moon power continued to dissipate, yet soon another would appear. This meant that the Red Moon Sovereign was still infiltrating his power into this world, though the situation was much better than before—likely because Zhang An and the others had entered, forcing the Red Moon Sovereign to slow his pace. *Li Hao went into seclusion for a month, disappearing from sight, while the entire populace of Heavenly Star prayed for days on end... Li Hao might be preparing something as well.* He mused to himself. Furthermore, Li Hao must have seen that saber too. Yet Li Hao hadn't seemed to care much about it. Did he think Ying Hongyue couldn't take it, or was he waiting for Ying Hongyue to grow stronger and retrieve it, only for Li Hao to swoop in and reap the spoils? Just as he was pondering, his expression suddenly shifted. Something was wrong! The very instant he sensed the anomaly, the void split open, heaven and earth were sealed, and the Dao Character Domain manifested. In a flash, a jade-white palm thrust out from the void and slammed downward with a thunderous crash! Ying Hongyue's face contorted. The eight bloodlines fused instantly, his aura surging wildly as he threw a punch in response! *Boom!* A colossal explosion resonated in all directions, throwing up towering waves as countless gallons of Forbidden Sea water churned! *Bang, bang, bang!* Several palm strikes landed in rapid succession. Ying Hongyue's bloodlines suddenly became turbulent, and a longsword materialized, trembling violently. The eight bloodlines shuddered, and Ying Hongyue plunged into the sea water, intending to flee. Right at that moment, within the sea, the Earth-Overturning Sword materialized, slashing toward the firmament, alongside a giant golden hound capable of swallowing heaven and earth! *Boom!* Ying Hongyue burst out of the water, his expression turning grim. Surrounded from front and back! The Earth-Overturning Sword, Black Panther, and Li Hao. "Li Hao!" Ying Hongyue said in a deep voice, "You dare not kill me! If you kill me, someone will step in to deal with you!" Li Hao's figure manifested, bearing a gentle smile. "I know. That's why... I'm in no hurry to kill you. I will merely wound you severely and keep you alive like a human swine, reared inside a jar. How does that sound?" Ying Hongyue's expression shifted continuously as his senses scanned his surroundings. Li Hao chuckled. "Stop looking. You can't escape! The world is only so large. Unless you flee to Hurricane City and subject yourself to Zheng Yu's control once more, where else could you possibly go?" Li Hao smiled. "I don't ask for much. You can't digest that Red Moon power anyway, so provide me with some. I'll digest it for you, which will relieve your burden and help your eight bloodlines fuse even more tightly!" Ying Hongyue's face tightened slightly. Li Hao smiled. "It's fine. I've always been someone who favors mutual benefit. Lately, I've progressed a bit too quickly, and without Great Dao lightning striking me a few times, I feel somewhat uncomfortable. If you can rustle up some Great Dao lightning for me, I'll be quite satisfied!" Ying Hongyue's eyes flickered, and he smiled as well. "Only the power of the Red Moon? That's no problem at all. I have far too much of it, and was just finding it troublesome. However much you want, I can give it to you... Once I give it to you, will you let me go?" Li Hao shook his head. "Once you've given me the Red Moon power, I imagine you won't mind giving me a little something else, will you?" Ying Hongyue's expression shifted. "What do you want?" "Where is Purple Moon?" "What?" Ying Hongyue froze, looking at Li Hao. He suddenly laughed. "Are you... still harboring designs on my daughter? She died in Dali long ago. Back when Qian Wuliang came to Dali, the King of Dali led his army in an encirclement and killed her... Finding her... will be impossible!" In the distance, Hong Yitang was taken aback as well. Instead of discussing serious business, why was he asking about Purple Moon? The Seven Moons were almost entirely wiped out, and Purple Moon wasn't even the first generation—she was the third, a daughter born to Ying Hongyue and Black Widow. Back in Silver Moon, many people from the Three Great Organizations had died, but she, despite being captured, had managed to survive all along. According to Ying Hongyue, she had died in Dali. Li Hao smiled faintly. "Where is Purple Moon?" Ying Hongyue frowned. "Dead... If you don't believe me, go ask Qian Wuliang or the King of Dali. Li Hao, as the overlord of a domain, if you want to deal with me, just come at me directly. Why resort to this?" Li Hao smiled again. "You protected even Flying Sword Immortal and the Haotian Mountain Master—would you simply stand by and let Purple Moon die?" "That's different. Those two were useful to me!" Li Hao chuckled. "Fine, since you're so stubborn, do you really insist on making me expose you?" "What do you mean?" Ying Hongyue looked at him, his brow furrowing slightly. "Li Hao... I admit I am no match for you right now. Why play these mystifying tricks?" Li Hao sighed. "You seem to have fathered many children, both sons and daughters, and quite a few grandchildren as well. Yet you placed exceptional importance on Purple Moon..." "I am sentimental, not heartless!" Ying Hongyue said with a casual air, "My women and my descendants—I value all of them!" "Don't sicken me." Li Hao laughed. "You're a heartless scoundrel through and through. Why pretend to be a romantic? In the past, I couldn't understand or see through it, but I have a good memory and a narrow mind. I still remember Purple Moon! Though she was only a minor figure, looking back, minor figures can play major roles! You possess the power of the Red Moon and the bloodline powers of the Eight Great Families... Could someone like you even sire children? Whose intelligence are you insulting? "If you could actually sire children... that truly would be a miracle. Are you so eager to be cuckolded? Those children of yours... in my eyes, they were all test subjects! Some were failures, while some might have succeeded. Purple Moon was likely a success..." Ying Hongyue's expression remained steady. "What do you mean?" "Who knows." Li Hao shook his head. "Purple Moon is either composed of pure Red Moon power, or made of the bloodline powers of the Eight Great Families. There is no third possibility! Of course, there is one other chance: that she is the product of complete, successful fusion... But the likelihood is slim. If that were truly the case, you wouldn't be in your current state!" At this point, Li Hao chuckled. "You have no descendants, so don't play that routine with me. Someone like you is destined to die without heirs—where would you get descendants from? A large number of your other descendants died, but Purple Moon followed you all the way to the very end. She wouldn't die so easily... Just tell me straight: did she secretly enter the seal, or did you leave her behind in the Star Suppressing City ruins?" Having said that, he added, "Or perhaps... is the Flying Sword Immortal who is currently alive actually Purple Moon in disguise? Left behind in Hurricane City by you... Could it be that you're hoping to backstab Zheng Yu for once?" "..." Ying Hongyue didn't say a word. He merely stared at Li Hao, his heart... jolting slightly. After a long while, he spoke slowly. "Li Hao, you're overthinking things!" "No, no, no, I never overthink!" Li Hao shook his head. "Purple Moon is skilled in the Dao of Thunder, correct? And as far as I know, the Hong family's city was actually called the City of Thunder! The main city of the Hong family has never appeared; it has remained vanished to this day! Furthermore, you definitely possess the bloodline of one of the Eight Great Families... In addition, the first god weapon you threw to me was none other than the Hong family's Thunder Hammer! I smashed it to pieces on the spot... and after that, all news of the Hong family vanished completely. Without the god weapon, finding it was exceptionally difficult. Among the eight bloodlines corresponding to the seal, it's almost impossible to find the counterpart for that family now... Should I call you Hong Hongyue? Or Hong Yingyue? Or Hong something else?" Li Hao smiled. "Purple Moon must possess the bloodline of one of the Eight Great Families—the Hong family... Thus, she might be an amalgamation of the eight families' bloodlines! The Dao of Thunder exists among supernaturals as well, but... after I took control of the Great Dao, I explored nearly all the powerful thunder stars, yet I never discovered that peculiar purple thunder! "Speaking of which, you and my martial uncle share the same surname!" Li Hao laughed. "Tell me, where is the Hong family's City of Thunder? What is it scheming? Did the Hong family, which rose in the post-Neo-Martial era, also want a piece of the pie?" Ying Hongyue's expression remained composed. "Just because Purple Moon wields the Dao of Thunder, you conclude I come from the Hong family? Perhaps I come from the Li family?" He smiled. "Guess what my title was back in Silver Moon? I... was actually skilled with the sword!" Li Hao nodded. "I know. Ying Hongyue the Sentimental Swordsman... But... who cares?" He chuckled. "Ying Hongyue, we should understand each other quite well. You understand me, and I understand you. Zheng Yu and the others don't understand you, but I do. You and I complement each other. Look, even though our hatred is deep as the sea—I killed your wife, you slaughtered my family... haven't we supported each other all the way to this day? "I won't expose you anyway... If you can resolve Zheng Yu or that figure in the sky, I'll even applaud you! I enjoy fighting with Silver Moon natives; I don't like outsiders becoming the protagonists of this era! Where Purple Moon went, I won't ask... Nor will I expose you. But aside from the Red Moon power, you must give me one more thing." "Name it!" Ying Hongyue glanced at him, his tone heavy. "A portion of control over the seal!" Li Hao said with a faint smile, "Simply put, the method and means by which you siphon power from the seal... That should also be connected to the Hong family. Back then, only the eight main cities possessed such capabilities... Otherwise, how could you have merged yourself into the seal? The stone gate of the Hong family was in Silver City. If I'm not mistaken... the Hong family's main city is likely beneath Silver City as well, though buried exceptionally deep..." Ying Hongyue let out a laugh. "How could that be possible?" Li Hao shook his head. "Stop talking. The more you talk, the more I want to go investigate. The very first stone gate I ever saw belonged to the Hong family! Back then, I was still too green and didn't think much of it. Moreover, you've been stirring up trouble in Silver City all along; you had your sights on the Eight Great Families from early on, even willingly presenting yourself as a chess piece—a piece for the Red Moon Sovereign, a piece for Zheng Yu, a piece for Li Daoheng... You truly are something! In terms of talent, my master might have surpassed you, but in other respects... he truly fell short. Among the Thirty-Six Heroes, you are the most cunning! "When many clues are linked together, certain truths inevitably emerge. It's not as if I never studied you. Others might underestimate you, but would I, Li Hao? Would I fail to study the man who slaughtered my family?" Li Hao smiled. "Furthermore... could Purple Moon actually be your true body? Creating an 'Ying Hongyue' just to divert attention? If that's the case... then you truly are extraordinary! Of course, that hardly matters! First carry out what I want you to do, and we can discuss the rest later. Otherwise, today, whether this is your true body or a fake, you won't be leaving!" Ying Hongyue raised an eyebrow. After a long silence, he finally said, "I can give you the Red Moon power. As for the authority over the seal you mentioned... how can I give that? My body is linked to the seal; do you wish to do the same? If you truly want that... I don't mind in the slightest, but I fear you will sink into it, unable to extricate yourself!" "Spare me!" Li Hao laughed. "I'll give you ten seconds to think it over. Either give me the authority, or... I'll go excavate the Hong family's Thunder City! Who knows, maybe it isn't in Silver City, but has slipped into the seal itself... That would be even more interesting!" Ying Hongyue stared at him for a while, cursing inwardly! This monster of a man! How could he have made the connection to Purple Moon? How could he have thought of an ordinary thunder ability? How could he have realized that the Hong family's city was named Thunder City... The Hong family had kept such a low profile! Among the eight main cities, everyone believed the Hong family had been completely wiped out! When chaos engulfed the realm, the Hong family never appeared. The Old Turtle and the others assumed the Hong family was thoroughly destroyed, their ancient city entirely buried... Otherwise, why would they have never shown themselves? Indeed... this man was the nemesis of his entire life! Ying Hongyue's eyes flickered. Just as he was about to speak, Li Hao said, "Alright, don't say another word. Just tell me plainly: how do you use the eight god weapons to open parts of the seal? That's all I need!" "..." Ying Hongyue took a deep breath. "It has nothing to do with the eight god weapons..." Li Hao paid no heed, muttering to himself, "No, that's not right either. Just tell me directly: how can I send my true body inside via the eight blood threads... Do I need a god weapon to envelop my physical body? In the past, my spiritual power entered through the eight blood threads of the Bagua... and those eight blood threads required god weapons or bloodlines to extend outward... But back then, only spiritual power could enter, not the physical body! And I don't want to cause too much of a commotion and draw attention." Ying Hongyue was completely speechless. Only after a long while did he say, "Concealing a god weapon within your body will suffice!" "That simple?" Ying Hongyue nodded. "It's best to enter through a main city. The seal is actually connected to the main cities. Zhang An was able to enter smoothly not because he was powerful, but because he was piloting Galaxy City! If you don't want to enter with a main city directly, then use a main city's City Lord seal, merge it with one of the eight god weapons, and pass through the blood threads. Then you can enter smoothly!" Having said this, he added, "Furthermore... although that Sovereign is sealed, if he seizes the eight god weapons, he might use an avatar to fuse with them and walk out! Don't act recklessly..." He wasn't afraid of Li Hao dying; he was afraid of Li Hao dragging everyone to their deaths! At this moment, Ying Hongyue felt that this man was far more troublesome than Zheng Yu and the others. He understood me far too well! Could even a minor figure draw this much scrutiny? The eight god weapons were nearly all shattered now, devoured by Li Hao's Starry Sky Sword. Although the Starry Sky Sword had snapped, it had mostly healed by now, making it the only remaining god weapon among the eight. No, there was also the turtle from the Wang family. Just as Ying Hongyue was thinking this, he heard Li Hao suddenly say, "Is the Hong family's hammer currently with Purple Moon?" "..." Ying Hongyue frowned. "Wasn't it shattered by you back then?" Li Hao laughed. "Nonsense! Aside from the Wang family's weapon, none of the eight god weapons possessed any consciousness. The Wang family's weapon had consciousness only because it was born very early on. The Hong family's hammer was born much later; it was utterly impossible for it to have been forged with a demon soul. Yet when my sword devoured the Hong family's hammer, there was a faint trace of consciousness inside... Where did you get that imitation? I must say, it was remarkably convincing; it looked genuine enough! Even the blood thread was somewhat dimmed. Could it be that you forged it using your own bloodline power?" "..." At this moment, Ying Hongyue felt a splitting headache! After a long while, he exhaled. "Why don't you just try killing me?" "You're full of lies. It truly... makes one uncomfortable!" In an instant, Li Hao appeared, thrusting his sword straight through heaven and earth! Ninety-nine Dao meridians fused in a flash. As the sword struck, heaven collapsed and earth shattered, yet the strike wasn't aimed at Ying Hongyue—it was aimed at the Forbidden Sea! *Boom!* A colossal roar shook the heavens and earth. The Forbidden Sea was severed mid-flow! In that moment, Ying Hongyue coughed up a mouthful of blood. Staring at Li Hao without a word, he instantly tossed out an immense amount of Red Moon power. Next, he threw out a City Lord seal, coughing blood continuously. "Take it... This is the Hong family's City Lord seal... The key to the main city is actually this. Without it..." "Fake!" Li Hao slashed it to pieces with a single sword strike! *Rumble!* A deafening blast erupted with terrifying power. Li Hao said indifferently, "You wouldn't carry genuine treasures on your person; in all probability, they are with Purple Moon! Tricking others is fine, but don't bother trying it on me. I don't believe a single word you say; I only believe my own deductions. So... don't think you can pull any little tricks before my eyes. I only trust myself! I want the City Lord seal and the Hong family's hammer. Three days from now, I want to see both treasures in Silver City. If I don't... I will launch a full-scale assault on Hurricane City... and make Zheng Yu hand over Flying Sword Immortal! In all likelihood, Flying Sword Immortal is Purple Moon in disguise. Otherwise, why would you leave her behind? You... have far too many thoughts." Ying Hongyue seemed to wear a bitter expression. "Not as many as you!" Li Hao chuckled. "Don't say that. I'm merely following your train of thought. If I were in your shoes... I would resist as well! Of course, I acted passively, whereas you actively served as bait, actively lured every faction, and actively resisted... You are still the more formidable one. Therefore... I will kill your entire family sooner or later, you and Purple Moon together. Whichever is real and whichever is fake, it's all the same!" As Li Hao spoke, he absorbed a massive amount of Red Moon power, a crimson light flickering in his eyes. Soon, he obliterated the Red Moon power directly within his body. Watching this, Ying Hongyue's eyelids twitched. Li Hao added, "Also... don't attempt to refine the Forbidden Sea into your avatar or true body! Quite a scheme, and quite an ambition—deliberately making people think you were only using the Forbidden Sea to siphon away the Red Moon power?" Ying Hongyue's expression changed completely. He looked at Li Hao, frowning deeply. "Li Hao! You are thoroughly detestable, do you understand?" No wonder Li Hao had only struck the Forbidden Sea just now! Li Hao smiled. "Am I detestable? No, no, no, I am very kind. Everyone likes me; only you dislike me. It doesn't matter! If you dare try to refine the Forbidden Sea again, I will have Dali's God of Initial Martial Arts deal with you! I might find it difficult to obliterate it right now, but he might be able to..." "Laughable! Can you make him act?" Ying Hongyue suddenly took a firm stance, staring coldly at Li Hao. Li Hao said with deep meaning, "There are always things he cares about! For example... Dali? After all, everyone has weaknesses. I have them, you have them, and everyone else has them too!" Ying Hongyue remained silent. Only after a long while did he say, "Three days from now, I will leave the items at the Silver City Inspectorate... if the Inspectorate is still standing! If it isn't, I will leave them nearby; find them yourself! Furthermore... I won't attempt to refine the Forbidden Sea again. Li Hao, how does that sound?" "Sure, that works!" Li Hao nodded and chuckled. In the next instant, he struck with his sword again—strike after strike! The Forbidden Sea surged violently! Ying Hongyue was enraged. In this moment, genuine fury seemed to seize him. The Forbidden Sea churned frantically as the eight bloodlines fused instantly, erupting with power pushed to the absolute extreme. He threw a punch, unleashing a burst of lightning! *Boom!* Heaven collapsed and earth split! At this moment, he seemed to reveal his true self—incredibly formidable. Nearby, Hong Yitang and Black Panther looked on, dumbfounded. Meanwhile, Li Hao unleashed dozens of frenzied sword strikes, churning the Forbidden Sea until it trembled violently, causing vast amounts of Red Moon power to spill out along with immense energy. In the blink of an eye, Li Hao devoured it all! After clashing for a time, Li Hao abruptly withdrew his domain. Ying Hongyue halted his attacks at once, saying nothing, merely staring at Li Hao in silence. Li Hao smiled. "I will come looking for you again!" With those words, he vanished from the spot. Hong Yitang and Black Panther vanished instantly as well. At this moment, the Forbidden Sea trembled continuously, as if wounded, thrashing in torment. Ying Hongyue's expression shifted unpredictably, yet he still said nothing. After a long while, he muttered in a low voice, "Li Hao!" From mere wisps of clues that he had forgotten himself, that fellow Li Hao had remembered everything with crystal clarity! He remembered every single detail, even from when he had been utterly weak, keeping it all in his eyes and continually connecting the dots. Didn't this fellow feel exhausted living like this? *** At that moment, Li Hao gave a light cough and smiled. "Impressive indeed!" Hong Yitang was shaken. He sent a voice transmission: "Did that fellow... truly hide this deeply?" "A man who willingly stepped out to serve as bait for the Sovereign, the Half-Emperor, and the hidden mastermind of the Li family—how could he be simple? I wouldn't have had that kind of courage. It just so happened that when I sorted through the Great Dao, I noticed Purple Moon's Dao was abnormal. Once I connected the pieces, many things came to mind... Besides, I could merge my Dao into the galaxy, so someone merging their Dao into the Forbidden Sea... is only natural. Putting myself in his shoes, coupled with how audacious he is—daring to wield even the Dao of Thunder... thinking a bit further was only natural." Natural? Hong Yitang thought about it—it wasn't natural at all, alright?! Furthermore, this fellow had demanded the Hong family's hammer and the City Lord seal. Did he... truly intend to enter the seal? "Then just now... why didn't you find a way to kill him?" "Can't kill him—not right now! Carve a piece of meat off him, keep him alive for now, and come back to carve more later. Of course, keeping him alive risks rearing a tiger to court disaster... But I'm not afraid of him!" Hong Yitang sighed with emotion. "The Thirty-Six Heroes... In the end, he was the one who hid the deepest!" Li Hao nodded slightly, saying nothing more. At this moment, he was flying rapidly toward the royal palace of Dali. Seeing that he was heading toward the Dali royal palace again... Hong Yitang felt that the King of Dali probably loathed this fellow to death. He had taken action time and again without gaining the slightest benefit, and now had even lost the favor of Heaven's Will. Yet Li Hao dared go there again—was he truly not afraid of the God of Initial Martial Arts stepping out to fight him? *** At the same time. The King of Dali was cultivating when he suddenly opened his eyes, a thoroughly complex look in his gaze. He couldn't help cursing under his breath, "He's coming again!" How many times had it been? Every time, he suffered no small loss while gaining nothing. Cooperating with Li Hao was the stupidest decision he had ever made! Yet... there was nothing he could say. He gritted his teeth, anger burning within him. "Jiang Li! Go to the divine temple and invite that venerable one out... If Li Hao dares fool this king again today... gather all our strength and strike him down!" Detestable bastard! Do you truly take this king for such a fool, thinking I'll let you use me again? I gained nothing from the Divine Kingdom and lost Heaven's Will in the process—what more do you want this time? In the distance, Jiang Li felt equally conflicted. He vanished, heading toward the divine temple—not to strike down Li Hao, but to notify the God of Initial Martial Arts... to see if he could drive this fellow away! If this fellow came to Dali a few more times... even if Dali didn't merge into Heavenly Star, it would be practically ruined by Li Hao's torment! Far away, within that divine temple, an illusory figure also cast a glance in the direction Li Hao was approaching from... feeling somewhat annoyed. Here again! Should I beat him up and tell him to get lost?