Solar Radiance

Absorbing the power of the Red Shadow, Li Hao could genuinely feel himself improving. The progress was unmistakable. It was even more pronounced than when he absorbed mysterious energy. Excited, Li Hao sprinted back with Black Panther by his side, wondering if another Red Shadow might come his way. *** At the same moment. The supernatural had just conjured countless water arrows, preparing to shatter Chen Jian's defense in one blow and execute the annoying fat man once and for all. Suddenly, with a loud pop, the gathered water arrows disintegrated. The water-type supernatural abruptly spewed a mouthful of fresh blood, completely stunned. Yes, utterly stunned. A backlash of mysterious energy! What had he done? In this pouring rain, he had home-field advantage. He was nowhere near draining his mysterious energy to the limit. How could it suddenly rebound on him? A second later, the truth dawned on him. The Red Shadow... was gone! Unbelievable! He froze, momentarily unable to comprehend what was happening. Because... such a thing had never happened before. The Red Shadow was not his own creation; it had been issued by the organization. When the experts above had distributed them, they had explicitly said that Red Shadows could not die—they were immortal, indestructible entities! As long as a single trace remained, it would not perish and would eventually regenerate. Therefore, a backlash should have been impossible. Supernaturals like him shared a mutually beneficial relationship with the Red Shadows. They supplied mysterious energy to sustain the entities, and in return, the Red Shadows helped them accomplish many tasks beyond their own ability. Surveillance, tracking, assassination—the Red Shadows were the organization's most powerful, mysterious assets! Even those at the Solar Radiance realm found it difficult to destroy a Red Shadow. They might sense it faintly, but completely eradicating one was almost impossible. Once a Red Shadow was reduced to a mere remnant and thoroughly dispersed, not even Thousand-Battlers or Solar Radiance experts could detect such minute traces of power. That was why the Red Shadows had been invincible all these years! No one had ever imagined that a Red Shadow could die. Even if supernaturals like him were killed, the Red Shadows would not perish. The link would merely sever, and the organization would dispatch personnel to recover them. Several supernaturals had already fallen tonight, and their Red Shadows were currently resting in a dormant state. Without someone commanding them, outsiders could not detect them. So long as a Red Shadow remained motionless, neither a Thousand-Battler nor a Solar Radiance expert could discover it. The organization would simply choose a suitable time to retrieve them. "Impossible..." He could not wrap his head around it. Under normal circumstances, a supernatural's mental fortitude was inferior to that of a martial master. Most supernaturals achieved their power overnight and lacked the unyielding perseverance of martial masters. They fought well when holding the upper hand, but when confronted with something incomprehensible, their composure often fractured. At this moment, the water-type supernatural was adrift in confusion. First struck by backlash in the middle of battle, and now lost in thought... Every member of the Demon Hunting Squad was an experienced combat veteran. Liu Yan in particular—though she often seemed frivolous—possessed first-rate instincts when it came to seizing an opening. Almost the instant the enemy's water arrows collapsed, Liu Yan pounced on the opportunity. Spotting his exposed blind spot, she thrust her black dagger straight out! Silent and swift! Chen Jian advanced right behind her with his shield raised. In the rear, Wu Chao, who had been coughing up blood non-stop, brightened with renewed focus and began circling to divert the supernatural's attention. Yun Yao, the doctor, quietly produced several crystal spheres and casually tossed them toward the water-type supernatural. *Boom!* The crystal spheres detonated first, unleashing a surge of mysterious energy that rattled the supernatural. Before he could retaliate, Liu Yan's dagger slashed forward. Instinctively, he raised a hand to form a water shield, but there was no time! *Squelch!* The dagger plunged into his chest! The shock brought him fully back to his senses. The water-type supernatural could no longer afford to ponder why something had happened to the Red Shadow or why he had suffered a backlash! He was, after all, a Lunar Nether expert. A single stab was not enough to kill him. Supernaturals surpassed ordinary humans and were not so easily slain; the mysterious energy within his body blunted the blade. Though wounded, he was still very much alive! With a low roar, a fresh water shield formed around him, unleashing a burst of water arrows in all directions! Liu Yan and the others scrambled back, and Chen Jian stepped up to block once more. *Crack!* This time, his small shield could hold no longer. In an instant, the water arrows pierced right through it, shattering it to pieces! A flurry of wet thuds followed as countless water arrows drilled into Chen Jian's flesh. Chen Jian's face turned deathly pale. Blood poured from his body, and several bloody holes appeared on his face—one right beside his eye, nearly obliterating it. Falling back, Liu Yan and the others looked grim. Lunar Nether! An existence on par with a Hundred-Breaker—no, a step above a Hundred-Breaker. After killing a Hundred-Breaker martial master earlier, everyone had been thrilled, and she had even felt as though she were approaching the Hundred-Breaker level herself. But facing an enemy in an all-out clash without Liu Long leading the offense, she finally realized how terrifying Lunar Nether truly was. Even with the four of them joining forces against an opponent who had suffered a backlash, lost his focus, and clearly lacked combat experience, they still couldn't kill him. Instead, the four of them were now in grave peril! Wu Chao had lost all combat effectiveness. Pierced by several water arrows, he collapsed to the side, his fate unknown. Yun Yao had reacted quickly and managed to pull back, but her legs were stained crimson with blood. As the primary defender, Chen Jian was even more heavily wounded. Only Liu Yan remained relatively intact, with merely two or three punctures across her body, faring far better than the rest. "You're courting death!" The water-type supernatural was furious—and terrified. Where was the Red Shadow? He didn't care about these four, but why was the Red Shadow gone? Without it, even if he completed the mission tonight, he would face severe punishment upon returning. The loss of a Red Shadow was no small matter. If one truly died... While the organization had never stated what the penalty would be, he knew the higher-ups' ruthless nature all too well. He was finished! His life might not even be worth as much as that Red Shadow. Just as these thoughts ran through his head, Li Hao came running from the distance, looking thoroughly panic-stricken. "Sister, two super experts are fighting up ahead! I nearly got shaken to death by the shockwaves! Run, quick..." Liu Yan froze. Super experts? A battle? She hadn't felt any fluctuations! The water-type supernatural lost all composure and barked, "Li Hao! Where is my Shadow God?" "Shadow God?" Li Hao sprinted frantically toward them in absolute disarray, having even lost a shoe along the way. Seemingly too panicked to think, he cried out in terror as he ran, "What Shadow God... That thing chasing me? I don't know! All I saw was a shockwave blasting past, and red smoke erupted right beside me... It was terrifying! Good thing I survived..." The supernatural was stunned. Red smoke! Super experts... had the shockwaves of their battle destroyed the Red Shadow? He had ordered the Red Shadow not to kill Li Hao, but rather to ensure his safety. Could it be that the Red Shadow had died protecting Li Hao from the blast? Super experts? He had no idea how strong the figures Li Hao described were, but anyone capable of destroying a Red Shadow was definitely not weak! By now, Li Hao had arrived. Ignoring the supernatural, he panicked, "Quick, get inside! Hide! Those two are heading this way..." The supernatural was standing right next to Li Hao. He could have easily reached out and seized him, but he had no patience for that now. He demanded furiously, "What super experts?" Were they experts from his organization? Then who was fighting them? Solar Radiance? Or someone even stronger? He hadn't sensed anything at all, but the Red Shadow's death was real, and he didn't believe Li Hao had the ability to destroy it. That was impossible. "Get inside first!" Li Hao grabbed the fallen Wu Chao and dragged him toward the warehouse with great effort, babbling in fright, "They're too strong! I saw an entire knoll vanish into nothingness in an instant, without making a sound... Those two felt even hotter and more blistering than the sun!" The sun! Solar Radiance realm! The water-type supernatural was completely bewildered. Had a Solar Radiance expert from the organization arrived? Then what about the other... Had the Night Watchers also dispatched a Solar Radiance expert? He quickly looked into the distance, but saw nothing. He couldn't sense any supernatural energy fluctuations! Were they beyond his perception and rank? Right then, Li Hao seemed to recall something. He hastily set Wu Chao down, walked toward the supernatural, and stammered nervously, "I surrender! Take me prisoner, just get me out of here! They're moving too fast. If they fight their way over, neither side will care whether we live or die! You guys don't seem to want to kill me right now... but those people over there might not care, and even if they do, they might not be able to hold back..." Surrendering without a fight? The supernatural stared coldly at Li Hao. This fellow was actually seeking his protection! What an utter joke! The Red Shadow had died just to protect this guy... What terrible luck! Still, at least he had an excuse now. Once he returned and reported the truth, he might not be held liable. It wasn't his incompetence, but the shockwaves from clashing experts—the Red Shadow had simply died shielding Li Hao. Besides, Li Hao truly couldn't be allowed to die right now! He grabbed Li Hao's shoulder. A short distance away, Liu Yan's eyes flashed. She had assumed Li Hao was going to assassinate the man just like before. Instead... nothing! Li Hao obediently let himself be captured. Li Hao wasn't foolish. He had arrived earlier and witnessed Liu Yan's strike fail to kill the man. The enemy had mysterious energy shielding him! A surprise attack now had a ninety-nine percent chance of failing, which would only put the man on guard. That would be true disaster. Clutched so hard that his shoulder felt like it would snap, Li Hao cried out in pain, "Easy, easy! Let's pull back first, or hide inside... Those two are terrifying! There's an ice crystal chamber inside for defense; maybe it can protect us from being killed by the mysterious energy shockwaves!" "An ice crystal chamber?" The supernatural had a sudden realization. No wonder these people had insisted on running here! So that was why! Now that he knew, there was nothing to worry about, especially since these people were already half-dead. Without another word, he conjured water arrows again. Although these people posed little threat, killing them now was better than letting them cause trouble later. He would finish them off, then take Li Hao inside to take cover. Even against the shockwaves of a Solar Radiance battle, with the protection of an ice crystal chamber and his own Lunar Nether cultivation, he should be able to protect himself. Liu Yan glared bitterly at Li Hao, dragged Wu Chao, and bolted outward, shouting, "Fall back!" She was retreating! The supernatural moved to pursue, but Li Hao urged anxiously, "They're dead meat anyway! Let's go inside and hide first! It's better that they ran; otherwise, you'd have to watch your back in case they tried something once inside the ice crystal chamber..." That made sense. Besides, time was running out. Even if he couldn't see the two combatants, the Red Shadow had perished not far away. If he wasted time tangling with Liu Yan and got caught in the crossfire, he would be done for. As for suspicion... He harbored a shred of doubt, but... the Red Shadow was undeniably dead! Furthermore, with Liu Yan and the others fleeing, he would be taking Li Hao inside alone. Even if his supernatural powers were somewhat suppressed within the ice crystal chamber, he was still far beyond an ordinary Ten-Slayer. Li Hao... was utterly harmless! The organization knew his dossier inside and out. He had studied martial arts under Yuan Shuo for two years, learning only basic Five Animals Art forms devoid of offensive power. He had only come into contact with the supernatural realm within the past two days. Every move Li Hao made, every place he went, had been closely watched by the organization. His Five Animals Art had shown slight progress, possibly reaching the level of slaying two or three men at most... and that was it! Two or three men... The supernatural didn't even care to think about it. Even if he stood still and let Li Hao hack at him, the kid wouldn't be able to kill him. Casting his doubts aside, he ignored Liu Yan and the others, stepped into the warehouse, slammed the heavy door shut, and hurried deeper inside with Li Hao. He hadn't noticed the ice crystal chamber before, but once Li Hao mentioned it, he could sense it. Probing with mysterious energy, any area that blocked his senses was naturally where the ice crystal chamber lay. Soon, the two reached the back of the warehouse. A partitioned cargo container stood there; this had to be it! The supernatural scanned the surroundings cautiously, sensing nothing out of the ordinary. As for any explosives buried underground... he didn't care about that right now. Detonating explosives right under a supernatural's nose was beyond those people's abilities. Even if they did detonate them, those people would die too, and so would Li Hao. Taking cover was the priority! Entering the container, he said coldly, "Are you certain you saw two people? You have quite the luck to be alive, and it's a good thing you are, or I'd have a hard time answering for it! Li Hao, don't dream of anyone saving you. Even if there's a Night Watcher Solar Radiance expert out there, this time... the Night Watchers will learn that in the supernatural realm, they are nothing more than ordinary players. The Night Watchers cannot stand against a true superpower!" With that, both stepped into the container. Around the container was indeed a thin layer of crystals—ice crystals, specifically meant to resist supernatural power. Their physical defense was practically nil, but their supernatural defense was formidable. The supernatural felt an instinctive aversion to such things, but entered nonetheless. They truly offered substantial protection against mysterious energy. Moreover, standing right beside the ice crystals, he could shatter them at any moment. Even if Liu Yan and the others returned, he could break out instantly. There would be no problem. It was just that if top experts clashed and the shockwaves struck, he might not be able to withstand it on his own. *** "Captain Liu!" Outside the warehouse grounds, Chen Jian couldn't help calling out to Liu Yan. Were they really just leaving? What about Li Hao?! Liu Yan halted, looking back toward the distant warehouse. Worry flickered in her eyes, but she gritted her teeth. "It doesn't matter. He chose this himself... A Lunar Nether is indeed far harder to deal with than expected! Without the boss here, taking him down head-on is nearly impossible! That kid Li Hao... must be trying to lure him into the ice crystal chamber to ambush him while his powers are suppressed!" Yes, the moment Li Hao let himself be grabbed without resisting, she had understood his intent. He wanted to lure the man inside and ambush him! As for how dangerous that was... Liu Yan didn't dare contemplate it. A supernatural at the Lunar Nether level was not someone Li Hao could handle, even with his powers restrained. Yet their brief clash earlier had proven one thing to all of them: working together, they couldn't kill that man. *** Inside the container. The water-type supernatural remained on guard, straining his ears for any sound outside. Yet... it was dead silent! There was no commotion whatsoever. He looked suspiciously at Li Hao. Had this kid really witnessed a battle between super experts? Seeing him look over, Li Hao jumped in fright and hastily threw away the pistol at his waist. "Don't misunderstand! I wasn't trying to draw a gun!" With that, he raised both hands high. "Really, search me if you don't believe me! And the Li family sword—I don't know what it is. I only have a small knife on me, and I don't know if that's it... If you want it, take it!" The Li family sword? The supernatural, who hadn't even considered it, froze. The Li family sword the organization coveted so deeply! Right, wasn't it on this person? A flicker of interest crossed his face as he walked toward Li Hao. Li Hao kept his hands raised high! He didn't dare twitch, looking thoroughly submissive. As if terrified the man might kill him, Li Hao nodded toward his stomach. "The knife is tucked here against my belly. I don't know if it's what you're looking for, but if you take it, please don't kill me!" "I'm just an ordinary person. Killing me won't do you any good. I can work for you... My teacher is Yuan Shuo, a Hundred-Breaker martial master, very formidable!" "Heh!" The supernatural sneered, his expression a mix of mockery and disdain. He stepped forward and reached toward Li Hao's abdomen, where there was indeed a bulge. He patted it—a weapon! The Li family sword? He drew the small knife Li Hao had looted from the martial master earlier. Li Hao looked terrified—genuinely terrified that this man might recognize the blade. Fortunately, the supernatural merely examined it without showing any suspicion. "The Li family sword?" He held the small knife, eyeing it with doubt. Was this ordinary thing what the organization wanted? It was completely unremarkable, carrying not a trace of mysterious energy. Of course, that made sense. Precisely because it was ordinary, it had gone unnoticed; otherwise, someone would have found it long ago. Studying it closely, he suddenly asked, "Are you sure this is the Li family sword?" "I don't know!" Li Hao blurted out. "I really don't! I only learned that phrase a few days ago! It's the only weapon my family has that might have anything to do with a Li family sword..." Li Hao added hastily, "Bring it here, let me show you. There's a tiny character engraved on it. I don't know if that's what you're looking for..." A tiny character? Where? The supernatural inspected it thoroughly and found nothing. He frowned. Was this kid lying to him? Or had he truly missed it? Holding the knife, he stepped close to Li Hao. Li Hao still held both hands high. The supernatural smirked. How obedient. A pity he still had to die! The organization wanted more than just the sword; they wanted his life! "Turn the hilt toward me, and I'll point it out... Actually, never mind, I won't move. Don't get the wrong idea..." The supernatural grew impatient. Who cared whether you moved? Even if Li Hao didn't raise his hands, he wasn't afraid of anything the boy might try. He stepped right up to Li Hao. After a brief hesitation, Li Hao lowered one hand and pointed at the hilt. "Right here. Look closely, there's a small character..." The supernatural reflexively looked toward the hilt... In the next instant, he felt something odd. In the periphery of his vision, he seemed to catch sight of a third hand... An illusion? No! There really was a third hand! Miraculous Hands Bring Spring! Li Hao had used this exact trick against the Hundred-Breaker earlier, and he was doing it again now. The technique Yuan Shuo had taught him was devastatingly effective. It might be slightly less decisive against women, but against men... whether supernatural or martial master, that spot was the absolute weakest. More importantly, when crushed, the pain was excruciating! Agonizing beyond words! Anyone who wasn't a man might never understand how a simple accidental bump there could bring someone to their knees in tears. Inside the ice crystal chamber, the enemy's mysterious energy was compressed to its lowest ebb. And that spot, quite clearly, had no mysterious energy protecting it. *Pop!* Like a balloon bursting, an egg shattering, or a fish bladder punctured... The sound echoed crisply within the container. The water-type supernatural reflexively looked down. Then, just like any ordinary man, tears poured uncontrollably from his eyes as he slammed to his knees with a thud! Agony! His mysterious energy nearly fractured on the spot. Li Hao moved with blinding speed. Snatching the knife from the man's grasp, he drove it down in a vicious stab! Not at the throat, not at the head, but at the shoulder! "Aaargh!" The supernatural shrieked again, his mind consumed by a single thought: pain! Li Hao's blade sank into his flesh with zero resistance! Because... Li Hao could see. Yes, this was Li Hao's true trump card: he could see the flow of mysterious energy. He could tell exactly where the enemy's protection was weakest, sparsest, and easiest to pierce. Mysterious energy remained densely concentrated around the man's heart, throat, and eyes, refusing to disperse even now. Stabbing those spots would have risked Li Hao getting injured by the energy's rebound. Any ordinary person, even a martial master, would instinctively aim for vital spots in this situation. Not Li Hao! He drove the knife straight into the shoulder where there was no mysterious energy, his eyes cold and ruthless. Ripping downward with brutal force, he severed the man's arm entirely! The unbearable agony caused the supernatural's mysterious energy to fracture further. Li Hao yanked the knife free and stabbed again! This time, into the waist. "Aaargh!" The supernatural wailed in torment, unable to believe that every one of Li Hao's strikes landed squarely where his defenses were thinnest. Forgetting to protect his groin, he gathered what mysterious energy he could into his remaining intact hand, shaping a water blade to chop at Li Hao's head! Even with his groin crushed, an arm severed, and a kidney punctured, the man could still fight! A Lunar Nether supernatural possessed far more vitality than a Hundred-Breaker martial master. The Hundred-Breaker earlier would have died long ago under such an assault. Yet this man could still retaliate. Li Hao didn't dodge. He had his own calculations: he couldn't afford to evade. If he stepped aside and the man shattered the ice crystal chamber, the supernatural energy would reactivate. The enemy might not die then, and if he escaped, it would bring unimaginable trouble. Li Hao had starlight energy. So long as he didn't lose limbs, even severe injuries could be healed. And so, he let the water blade plunge into his abdomen. The searing pain nearly made him lose his grip, but he mustered every ounce of strength, clamping both hands around the man's neck. One hand wrenched upward, grabbing a fistful of hair, while the other drove the knife straight into the back of the man's neck! *Squirt!* A harsh grating sound followed as Li Hao dragged the blade sideways, forcibly carving through the nape! "Aaargh!" Another bloodcurdling scream erupted. The supernatural's mysterious energy collapsed almost entirely. Gripping the man's hair with relentless fury, Li Hao tore at the wound with the blade once more, putting the full weight of his body into a savage downward pull! *Snap!* The blade chipped, and the man's cervical vertebrae were nearly severed through. Blood sprayed in every direction! The entire head drooped instantly, hanging by a mere thread of flesh! The horrific sight made even Li Hao feel slightly sick. Yet he did not stop. Channeling his inner force into the blade, he stabbed again and again, hacking and plunging without pause! After what felt like an eternity, someone outside called out in a low voice, "Li Hao?" The murderous intent in Li Hao's eyes faded. Looking down at the decapitated supernatural, he frowned slightly, tossed aside what he was holding, wiped the blood from his hands onto the corpse, and stepped out of the container. *** "Dead?" Outside, Liu Yan and the others had approached with extreme caution. Seeing Li Hao emerge, Liu Yan let out a sigh of relief. Immediately after, they rushed into the container while Li Hao remained outside. A moment later, Liu Yan and Yun Yao emerged, their faces pale. Chen Jian stared at Li Hao with a deeply unsettled expression. That was... utterly ruthless! Was this kid really a rookie? How many times had he stabbed him? He had literally hacked the man to pieces! Not to mention Liu Yan and Yun Yao, even Chen Jian felt his hairs stand on end. He could hardly fathom what Li Hao had just done—holding the man by the head and stabbing him over and over again? Brutal! Liu Yan's complexion took a moment to settle. Exhaling softly, she asked, "Are you alright?" A Lunar Nether! Killed by Li Hao! Earlier, Li Hao had ambushed a Hundred-Breaker, and tonight, he had taken down both a Hundred-Breaker and a Lunar Nether. Was this truly something a Ten-Slayer could achieve? Even though both enemies had underestimated and dismissed him, pulling this off required exceptional nerve, meticulous focus, and an ironclad psyche. Otherwise, lying to such powerful experts with a straight face and acting every part so convincingly... was far beyond ordinary capability. Liu Yan doubted she could have managed it herself. "I'm fine!" Li Hao's face was somewhat pale as well, but he quickly recovered, baring his teeth in a grin. "They were bad people! Evil can never triumph over righteousness!" "We are the side of justice!" Li Hao gave himself a dose of self-hypnosis. His fighting spirit surged back, and he chuckled. "Justice always prevails! Upholding righteousness and slaying evil!" In that moment, he realized he loved that phrase. As long as he stood on the side of justice, killing them was completely justified, entirely natural! Seeing him bounce back, Liu Yan was relieved on one hand, but grew increasingly uneasy on the other. She worried this kid was turning into an actual psychopath. Recovering so quickly after witnessing such a gruesome scene... What kind of heart did he have? Even as a seasoned veteran of the battlefield, she had felt sickened by what she saw inside. Yun Yao, normally so gentle, couldn't help but say softly, "If we make it out of this alive... let me give you some psychological counseling." Liu Yan was always calling her abnormal, but now Yun Yao felt Liu Yan was mistaken—she just hadn't met someone truly abnormal yet. Li Hao was the real deal! A rookie! Was there something wrong with his head? Li Hao nodded. "Sure, sounds good!" He didn't mind accepting help from his teammates. Counseling was fine. In truth, he didn't feel anything was wrong with him; he had just felt a bit uncomfortable in the moment, but now that it was out of sight, it was no longer an issue. "Li Hao, if you survive this... I believe there will eventually be a place for you, whether in the supernatural realm or among martial masters!" Yun Yao added. The way she looked at him had completely changed. If this guy didn't die, a lot of people were going to lose sleep. Li Hao looked slightly abashed and said with an awkward smile, "Sister Yun, don't say that. I'm just a lowly Ten-Slayer, not even a supernatural. It's embarrassing..." No one spoke. Taking a deep breath, Liu Yan said gravely, "Enough of that. We don't know what's happening on the boss's side. Let's set things up immediately. If the boss isn't dead, he'll definitely head here! Drag the container outside. If the boss can make it inside... and those supernaturals follow him in... a Hundred-Breaker martial master in there could slaughter a Lunar Nether as easily as drinking water!" With their powers suppressed, any supernatural facing a martial master in there was practically dead meat! If not for the container, Li Hao would never have killed that water-type supernatural so easily. The man's defensive energy had been tough enough to stymie even Liu Yan, let alone Li Hao. Energized, Li Hao chuckled. "Right! I've noticed that supernaturals tend to be arrogant and easily fooled. Having gained power so suddenly, they have no real foundation. There's a very good chance they'll charge right in!" Against a martial master—especially an old fox as cunning... ahem, as experienced as his teacher—Liu Long would have had a hard time pulling off such a deception. But supernaturals? Li Hao genuinely felt they were gullible. Looking down on martial masters as they did, falling into a trap was practically guaranteed. No one mentioned Li Hao's kill again. Chen Jian looked pitifully at Li Hao, then cast a longing glance toward Wu Chao lying on the ground nearby. He hoped Li Hao wouldn't forget Wu Chao. If Li Hao could channel some of that mysterious healing power, he might save him; otherwise, Wu Chao was done for, beyond even Yun Yao's ability to treat. Li Hao didn't say anything, but he hadn't forgotten. He channeled a small stream of energy into Wu Chao's body, only to find that his injuries were far too severe to heal quickly. Li Hao held back from pouring in too much, opting to stabilize his life first and deal with the rest once this crisis was over. *** While they were setting up the warehouse, Liu Long and his group were closing in on the location. Of the ten supernaturals, Liu Long's ambush had claimed three, Yuan Shuo had killed one, the Inspectorate's concentrated gunfire had brought down another, and now Li Hao had slain one more. In the blink of an eye, a whole swath of them had fallen. Only four supernaturals remained in hot pursuit of Liu Long... and Yuan Shuo. By now, Yuan Shuo had linked up with Liu Long, his old face an ashen gray. Liu Long dragged him along, terrified the old man might drop dead on the run. "Old Man Yuan, hang in there!" Liu Long was anxious. He didn't know how Li Hao and the others were faring, but Old Man Yuan looked ready to become the first casualty of the night. "Don't worry... I can hold on a bit longer..." Yuan Shuo panted, glancing back at the four supernaturals relentlessly chasing them. He didn't pay much attention to the four behind him. Instead, he quietly probed for another presence—a radiance like the sun itself! *Just one Solar Radiance?* Yuan Shuo thought. If there was only one, tonight's operation was doomed to fail for them. Because as far as he knew, the Night Watchers had a Solar Radiance expert present as well. Even without him going all out, the enemy might not succeed. *One Solar Radiance, ten Lunar Nethers... along with a sizable number of martial masters... They certainly think highly of Li Hao!* In terms of sheer strength, such a force was more than enough to handle Yuan Shuo, Liu Long, the Night Watchers, and the Inspectorate. Li Hao himself wasn't even a factor. Yet after scheming for so many years, knowing full well that their plan to kill Li Hao had been exposed, had they truly sent only one Solar Radiance expert to oversee the operation? If the three major organizations were truly behind this, it wouldn't be so simple! *If I don't strike, so be it. But if I do, I must kill someone formidable and make them bleed heavily!* Only severe losses among their top-tier assets would force them to back off. Otherwise, losing a single Solar Radiance wouldn't necessarily deter them; they might simply launch another strike. A Solar Radiance was powerful, but Silver Moon Province alone had several dozen of them. To a powerhouse of the three major organizations' caliber, losing one wouldn't make them flinch. Yuan Shuo chose to keep waiting! Even if the enemy had brought other experts, they wouldn't necessarily show themselves right away. Powerful figures were cautious; they would only reveal themselves once they were certain there was no ambush, wary of walking into a trap set by the Night Watchers. *Let the Night Watchers deal with the one behind us! Once the Night Watchers' Solar Radiance expert shows himself, any other enemy experts will only emerge after confirming they won't be ambushed!* Yuan Shuo made his judgment. As for Li Hao... Li Hao wouldn't die anytime soon. These people wouldn't kill him carelessly; they needed to wait for the right moment. That was why he wasn't particularly worried—Li Hao was in no immediate danger. As for the others, Yuan Shuo wasn't soft-hearted. If a few died in exchange for bringing down a top-tier existence, it would be well worth the price. *** While the chase continued, further back in the distance... Wang Ming was being carried through the air by an old man. Wang Ming said anxiously, "Elder Huang, are you still not going to step in?" Yuan Shuo and Liu Long looked as though they were on the verge of collapsing! The old man carrying him said nothing, merely scanning the surroundings in silence. Only after a moment did he speak slowly: "We haven't reached the spot yet!" Not reached the spot? Before Wang Ming could make sense of it, he was abruptly tossed aside as the old man's voice reached his ears: "Find Hu Hao and Li Meng. Join forces with Liu Long and the others to execute those bastards!" Before Wang Ming could regain his footing, a clap of thunder suddenly split the air! "Huang Yun! The Night Watchers actually deployed a Solar Radiance expert! It seems you've forgotten the scars of the past!" Thunder boomed in all directions, and in the next moment, a figure resembling a god of thunder materialized in the sky. On the Night Watchers' side, the old man called Huang Yun took on a grim expression. "The Eight Great Families of Silver City... It seems there are still secrets we have yet to uncover, for you to deploy a lightning-type Solar Radiance!" The most battle-hardened class of supernatural! The thunderous Solar Radiance expert chuckled. "Why not take a step back? We only want Li Hao. You can take everyone else, including Yuan Shuo and Liu Long... Otherwise, the Night Watchers might find themselves short of a Solar Radiance expert after today!" Huang Yun said nothing. He remained silent. The Night Watchers had done everything possible to rush him to Silver City. A Solar Radiance expert was supposed to exceed the enemy's expectations, yet... he was still at a disadvantage. Which of the three major organizations did this man belong to? He knew he was likely no match for this opponent. Though both were at the Solar Radiance realm, his mysterious energy was not as vast as the other's, and the enemy wielded lightning. A sense of powerlessness crept into Huang Yun's heart. He said in a low voice, "Why must you bring chaos to this world? With the rise of the supernatural, have you forgotten that you were once mortals too?" "You wouldn't understand!" The thunderous expert dismissed his words with a laugh, and in the next instant, a bolt of lightning erupted! A battle of Solar Radiance broke out across the desolate wilderness. A clash of thunder and gale! In the quiet expanse of Silver City, an extraordinarily rare battle between Solar Radiance titans had begun.