What Martial Masters Have in Common

The Law Enforcement Building. When Li Hao and Wang Ming returned to the Night Watchers' station, they promptly headed to Liu Long's office to report on their progress for the day. ... Inside the office. Liu Long sat leaning back in his chair with a furrowed brow, lost in thought. Hearing movement outside, he called out, "Enter!" The two pushed the door open and stepped inside. Liu Long seemed somewhat distracted. Glancing at them, he asked in a muffled voice, "Did you finish the rounds?" Wang Ming answered swiftly, "We covered half the martial arts dojos and visited the Silver City Ancient Academy, Galaxy Group, and Qiao's Mining. There are still several left that we plan to visit tomorrow. It got too late today." Liu Long nodded slightly. Then he asked, "Any unregistered supernaturals?" Supernaturals and martial masters were not entirely unrecorded. Liu Long actually held a roster provided by the Inspectorate. Their task this time was mainly to document any unrecorded supernaturals who weren't on that list. "Yes!" Li Hao spoke up. "Among the places we registered today, there were several additional martial masters and supernaturals, though their strength is quite ordinary—just Ten-Slayer realm and Starlight Masters." As for the Hundred-Breaker at Galaxy Group, that individual was already on record, so they didn't count as an unregistered supernatural. Meanwhile, Qiao's Mining had only registered three Starlight Masters and none beyond that. Those below the Hundred-Breaker or Lunar Nether levels weren't worth singling out; Liu Long would review the paperwork in due course anyway. "Hmph!" Liu Long snorted coldly. "With supernaturals multiplying and Lunar Nethers becoming more common, I refuse to believe none of these outfits have even a single Lunar Nether!" This wasn't ten years ago. Or rather, even three years ago, a Lunar Nether had been a rare sight. But in the three years since the war erupted, supernatural powers had developed rapidly, and Lunar Nether supernaturals were now far from uncommon. Silver City might be small, but the major corporations had no shortage of money. In times like these, even supernaturals would risk their lives for wealth. How could several massive conglomerates fail to recruit a single Lunar Nether Master? Who were they trying to fool? "Do they think times haven't changed?" Liu Long's face turned icy. He was naturally proud and haughty; otherwise, he wouldn't have been displeased the first time he met Li Hao, simply because Li Hao had bypassed the Law Enforcement Team to notify them through Yuan Shuo. In Liu Long's eyes, the authority of the Inspectorate had to be upheld. Yet these organizations clearly hadn't shown him any respect. With the branch newly established, they couldn't even be bothered to register properly, offering nothing but deceit! Wang Ming, however, was more lenient—or rather, he had seen far more of this in White Moon City. He consoled, "Director, this is quite normal. Even in White Moon City, such deception happens all the time. As long as they don't stir up trouble... I don't think it's entirely unacceptable." Liu Long replied coldly, "And that is precisely why the Night Watchers in White Moon City haven't established any real authority across the entire Silver Moon Province! If they had, which of those supernaturals would dare act so brazenly?" Wang Ming felt awkward. There were certain things he couldn't speak on. Besides, the Night Watchers truly had their own difficulties. Still, as a young man, he also found the situation frustrating, so when Liu Long put it that way, he had no choice but to fall silent. "Boss!" Li Hao chimed in. "There's really nothing we can do about it. Word is that things are tight for the Night Watchers in the Central Region, so out here in a peripheral province, it's normal for us to keep a low profile. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, there won't be anyone to back us up... I imagine higher-ups took that into consideration as well." "Li Hao!" Liu Long looked astonished. *Now that you've got a title, why are you adopting the higher-ups' exact tone?* *You weren't like this before!* Before, whenever the Night Watchers were mentioned, everyone had been dissatisfied, feeling the Night Watchers were useless and provided little help when Silver City was in trouble. *Damn, you get a promotion and suddenly defect to their side?* Beside him, Wang Ming felt a flash of contempt as well. *This guy is truly a master of trimming his sails to the wind.* *Utterly shameless!* Li Hao, however, chuckled. "Boss, have you forgotten? We are the Night Watchers now!" To curse the Night Watchers now was to curse themselves. "Boss, now that we've truly become Night Watchers, defending their dignity is defending our own. Cursing them day after day is just self-denial. If that's the case, why bother establishing a Night Watchers branch in the first place?" Liu Long was taken aback, his thoughts temporarily unable to keep pace. He was used to his old life and hadn't quite adapted to the current shift. Yet Li Hao was right: they were already Night Watchers. Blindly calling the Night Watchers incompetent was practically calling themselves incompetent. If they lacked even a sense of pride and couldn't integrate into the organization, how could the Night Watchers ever stand tall and command respect and fear from others? "Indeed... we are Night Watchers now!" Liu Long sighed wistfully, his spirits dampening somewhat. He waved his hand, preparing to dismiss them. Wang Ming didn't linger and turned on his heel to leave. Seeing Li Hao stay behind, he looked back in surprise. Li Hao gave a small smile and murmured, "I have a few other matters to report." With that, he winked. Wang Ming caught on immediately! *The tenth member!* It seemed Li Hao was going to report on the tenth member in private. That wasn't something he should get involved in. He decided not to pry, lest he put Li Hao in a difficult position. Wang Ming departed quickly without asking a single question, proving very cooperative. ... Once Wang Ming was gone, Liu Long frowned. "Something else?" "Boss, I've discovered some hidden powerhouses." Liu Long was taken aback. "You discovered them?" "No, Wang Ming and I found them together. He has some special abilities..." Liu Long eyed him skeptically. *Is that true? Why wouldn't Wang Ming say it himself instead of letting you report it?* "Wang Ming didn't want to bring it up. The guy has too much pride. He thinks that just because he's from White Moon City, he shouldn't bother dealing with a country bumpkin like you, Boss!" "..." Liu Long grew suspicious again and said in a low voice, "You didn't make this up, did you?" This kid Li Hao sometimes seemed full of wicked tricks—hardly a good person—yet other times he seemed utterly honest and dependable. Complex, almost perverse. Li Hao merely grinned without another word. Liu Long cursed inwardly. *The brat definitely made it up himself.* "Speak." "Boss, let me ask you first: if the Three Great Organizations like Yama or Red Moon have a stronghold here, do we root it out or not?" "Of course!" Liu Long said coldly, "I won't say everyone in the Three Great Organizations is evil... but anyone still in Silver City right now is guaranteed to be rotten to the core! To punish evil and eradicate wickedness—have you forgotten our Demon Hunting creed?" *To think Li Hao would question this!* "To defend justice!" Li Hao nodded, his face turning solemn. "Uphold justice, maintain peace, slay demons and eliminate devils—the spirit of the Demon Hunters shall never be extinguished!" Liu Long relaxed and said plainly, "Out with it, then. Have you found traces of the Three Great Organizations?" "Yes." Li Hao nodded. "A branch of Yama!" "Not Red Moon?" "No, a Yama branch. Just as Sister Liu said, it's the Qiaos!" Liu Long's eyes flickered, but he remained silent for a moment. When Li Hao mentioned the Qiaos, he had already guessed it was connected to Liu Yan. Knowing her circumstances, his brow furrowed slightly. "Are you certain? Liu Yan had that suspicion before, and even I considered it, but there has never been any evidence. You need to realize that although we stand for justice... that doesn't mean we can execute people without guilt!" He still possessed a sense of justice. Killing people required basic evidence and logic. Striking without proof was out of the question; otherwise, how would they differ from supernaturals who butchered the innocent? That was why, even though Liu Yan had suggested the Qiaos were dirty, he had quietly investigated and dropped the matter once he turned up nothing. He had even slipped into the Qiao estate under the cover of night, standing right by old man Qiao's bedside and watching him in silence for several days on end. Only after confirming nothing was amiss had he finally abandoned the pursuit. Back then, the death of Liu Yan's husband could only be chalked up to an accident. The actual killer, of course, had remained on the wanted list ever since. Li Hao smiled. "We don't need any evidence. Just one thing: Qiao Feilong is a powerhouse, and he's concealing several others. Is that enough?" "You're joking!" Liu Long chuckled. "A Ten-Slayer... no, if a Ten-Slayer who hasn't practiced martial arts in over a decade counts as a powerhouse, then I suppose I can't refute you. I know Qiao Feilong all too well!" "You know him well, Boss?" "Naturally!" Liu Long smirked. "Let's put it this way: I've seen every inch of his body!" "..." Li Hao stared in shock. *What... you two actually...* He felt thoroughly stunned. *Should I even be saying this?* "I once stood in the dark right by his bedside, staring at him for days on end..." "Boss!" At that moment, Li Hao understood, a look of pure amazement on his face. "It's truly a miracle you're still alive!" *Good heavens.* *You shadowed a Three Sols expert, watching him from his bedside for days, and you didn't die... That only proves Qiao Feilong swallowed his pride and endured being watched just to stay hidden. Otherwise, he would have swatted you dead with a single palm.* *A mere Hundred-Breaker watching a Three Sols expert day in and day out, watching him even when he takes a leak... You're quite the pervert yourself.* "What do you mean?" Liu Long frowned. "Are you saying he's hiding his strength? Impossible!" He was no fool and caught the implication. "He has no supernatural energy fluctuations whatsoever. As for a martial master's realm, while it's hard to see through completely, one can still discern clues from skin toughness and sheen. Even if it's not exact, one can make a judgment." He was confident his eyes hadn't deceived him. Li Hao said heavily, "Three Sols!" "..." Liu Long froze, staring blankly at Li Hao. After a long pause, he asked in a daze, "What?" "Three Sols!" "Oh..." Liu Long remained in a stupor for a while before coming back to his senses. He stood up, looking dazed. After a long silence, he glanced back at Li Hao, hesitating to speak. "My teacher confirmed it!" Li Hao knew what answer he was looking for and gave it immediately. With Yuan Shuo backing the claim, Liu Long understood in an instant: it was real. He might doubt Li Hao, but there was no need to doubt Yuan Shuo. If Yuan Shuo said it was so, it was. *Three Sols!* His mind spun. Silver City had a Three Sols expert, and it was one of Silver City's very own. Indeed, if Qiao Feilong was a Three Sols powerhouse, he was the undisputed number one in Silver City. Liu Long had worried constantly about Silver City being relocated, fretting that the city had no powerhouses capable of holding the line. Yet now he learned that Silver City had actually possessed one all along. Unfortunately, that man had never stepped forward when Silver City was in danger. When Red Moon invaded, they weren't there. When other supernaturals committed crimes, he was nowhere to be seen. Qiao Feilong! A Three Sols powerhouse who had concealed his identity all this time. Liu Long had even kept him under surveillance, yet the man hadn't revealed the slightest hint. The death of Liu Yan's husband was unquestionably tied to the Qiaos. After a long pause, Liu Long took a deep breath and laughed at himself self-deprecatingly. "To think I always thought I was the number one powerhouse in Silver City. First came Yuan Shuo, and now him... It really is laughable." "My teacher is different!" Li Hao said solemnly, "I swear my teacher only broke through a few days ago, the very day I entered the Ten-Slayer realm. He wasn't deliberately hiding!" Liu Long's expression changed. *Really?* He had always assumed Yuan Shuo had broken through long ago and had merely been keeping it under wraps. "Before that, my teacher was probably no stronger than you, Boss!" Li Hao knew Liu Long held a lingering knot in his heart. Liu Long might even suspect that when Little Yuan died, his teacher had known all along and simply looked the other way, only intervening when Li Hao was targeted. That wasn't how it had happened! Li Hao stated with utter gravity, "I would never hide this from you! If my teacher had already been a Thousand-Battler when Little Yuan died and chose not to care... I never would have maintained this relationship with him. I would despise him, not revere him! And I revere him precisely because, had he been a Thousand-Battler then, he would have stepped out to slay that enemy long ago. Does that sound believable, Boss?" "It does!" Liu Long nodded. Taking a deep breath, he regained his composure. "Three Sols... fascinating. And tied to Yama, no less." He pondered for a moment before saying, "I'll report this up the chain to see if we can call Director Hao over. Director Hou probably can't leave White Moon City. Since he's concealing his identity, then whether for public duty or private reasons, we have to put him down!" Indeed, this man gave the exact same answer. Whether Liu Long or Yuan Shuo, these martial masters were sometimes ruthless and deadly. No further evidence was needed, nor any lengthy debate. The moment Li Hao stated the man was a Three Sols hiding in plain sight, they had only one thought: strike first and kill him. There was a zero percent chance of killing the wrong person! Even if they somehow got it wrong... it was the man's own fault. Who told him to hide his strength? A powerhouse who offered no help to Silver City and remained indifferent when danger struck could die without a second thought. Liu Long and his ilk wouldn't feel the slightest regret. Li Hao fell quiet for a moment before adding, "If we can kill him ourselves, a Three Sols yields over a thousand cubes of mysterious energy. My teacher won't take any of it; it will all go to the squad—to you, Boss, and the others, including the three Solar Radiances!" Liu Long's eyes went wide! At that moment, he understood what Li Hao meant. First, the other side had three Solar Radiances. Second, Li Hao and Yuan Shuo had conferred and intended to assassinate them! To swallow all the spoils themselves! Of course, it was definitely more complicated than that. Other matters were involved, and his mind raced as he tried to piece it together... Before he could figure it out, Li Hao whispered, "He controls a ruin... likely a ruin! And there's a strong chance it belongs to my Li family. That's why my teacher and I want this. It cannot be known to too many people." "And you're telling me?" Liu Long felt an immense toothache. The moment Li Hao mentioned taking them down on their own, he had known something was up. He hadn't expected Li Hao to be so direct and lay it out bare. A ruin! A ruin belonging to the Eight Great Families... Now he understood Li Hao's motive. Li Hao nodded. "You're trustworthy, Boss! In Silver City, the person I trust most is my teacher, and the second is you." "Heh!" Liu Long sneered coldly. "Forget it, no need. Play your own game, but don't get me killed. I still want to live a few more years. What's my strength? A Hundred-Breaker! Never mind a Three Sols, you said there are three Solar Radiances as well... Li Hao, have you lost your mind?" *He's truly getting ahead of himself!* *Take them down ourselves?* *Are you counting on me and your teacher teaming up?* *Bah!* *If I step into that fight, I'll be beaten to death on the spot.* Li Hao thought it over and said, "Artillery! An artillery bombardment at the mine outside the city won't cause much fallout. I've already considered the three Solar Radiances. If we dare to do it, we can simply bring out weapons of mass destruction!" Li Hao grinned. "Our pretext is simple: colluding with Red Moon... We won't even mention Yama! Don't bring them up at all. We've already offended Red Moon anyway, so offending them a bit more won't make a difference. And Yama won't openly admit they planted operatives in Silver City, so they'll have to swallow the bitter pill in silence." "Boss, can firearms and artillery kill a Solar Radiance?" Liu Long fell into contemplation, speaking only after a long pause. "Catching them off guard gives a slight chance, but those in the Solar Radiance realm actually possess a kind of momentum. This thing called momentum is hard to explain, but danger perception is one aspect of it." "They're simply too fast. If they specialize in other supernatural abilities, like earth escape, they can vanish in an instant. Artillery has limited effectiveness." "Of course, if a shell lands a direct hit, a Solar Radiance might not necessarily die, but they won't escape severe injuries..." A Solar Radiance's perceptive faculties were remarkably sharp. Artillery shells were fast, but not so fast that a Solar Radiance couldn't dodge them. That was one of the limitations of conventional firearms. Naturally, if they used massive-yield weapons capable of carpeting dozens of li, even a Solar Radiance would struggle to escape in that instant. Yet weapons of that scale were only ever deployed on battlefields where both sides fought to mutual destruction. Otherwise, no one stood to gain. For example, during a battle in the Central Region, the Night Watchers had fired a city-level annihilation weapon, leveling an entire mountain range. The premise was having a suitable location; using it inside a city would mean dragging countless innocents down into the grave. Li Hao mused for a moment, then asked, "Boss, if you broke through to Thousand-Battler, would you be confident in dealing with three Solar Radiances?" "That depends on their strength—whether they're mid-stage or something else... If all martial masters were as formidable as your teacher, there'd be no question. But the crux is, not everyone is like your teacher." Even if he reached Thousand-Battler, he didn't believe he would be stronger than Yuan Shuo. Besides, he couldn't break through anyway. "Boss, have you comprehended momentum?" Liu Long frowned slightly. "No... but I have some inkling! However, my exertion during that last burst was too severe, and both my arms suffered serious injuries. I haven't had the chance to test it, and my vital energy and blood have taken a hit... I probably need a period of quiet recuperation." Earlier, in order to fight the Red Shadow, he had constantly boiled and evaporated his vital energy and blood. He had only managed to drag himself along by relying on his Hundred-Breaker foundation; otherwise, he would have been crippled long ago. Li Hao hadn't realized his injuries were that severe, as Liu Long had never shown it. Now, seeing that Li Hao intended for him to take action, Liu Long laid out his condition to prevent any miscalculations that could cause massive trouble. In his current state, handling an ordinary Hundred-Breaker was fine, but against someone at the Full Moon or Moon Overflow stage, he would almost certainly fall short. "You have an inkling?" Li Hao didn't dwell on the injuries, quickly pressing the matter. Liu Long nodded slightly. "The Nine Refinements Force. I looked through the records—it's all about each surge being stronger than the last! Its origin is actually quite clear: waves!" Since Liu Long had passed the Nine Refinements Force to Li Hao, he held nothing back. "Have you ever seen the sea?" Li Hao shook his head. Silver City had no sea! "Then you ought to see it. There's an ocean near White Moon City. I've seen it." Liu Long reminisced, "At the shore, when the waves roll in, it starts with small swells. Then the rear waves push the front waves. Each individual wave fluctuation is roughly the same, but when two waves combine, they unleash far greater destructive force! When multiple waves stack together, they can even produce a tsunami... That is the power of nature!" Liu Long felt a lingering dread. "I saw it once years ago—a colossal wave over a hundred meters high! It started as an ordinary surge, but propelled by the wind, much like our blood coursing and our inner force stacking, a succession of waves built upon one another... That time, it threw up a wave over a hundred meters tall, shattering a giant boulder to pieces and sweeping across the entire beach." "Back then, I was still in the Ten-Slayer realm, and I felt I had no chance of surviving in such an environment." Liu Long sighed with emotion. "When your teacher spoke of momentum, I thought back to the momentum of that day! Yes, towering waves that destroy everything in their wake! I intended to emulate the stacking of waves, a momentum like splitting bamboo... unfortunately, my body wouldn't allow it!" He shook his head. "I've never deployed the ninefold stack because my body can't take it. But now I'm considering: if I use the ninefold stack, could I comprehend the momentum of the Nine Refinements Force? Alas, my realization came too late." He expressed some regret. "Still, I'd like to try. If I rest and heal for a while, perhaps I can recover with the help of mysterious energy. Li Hao, remember this: when you can execute the ninefold stack, you'd best go see the real sea and witness real ocean waves!" At that, he asked, "Can you manage a double stack now?" He hadn't asked before, thinking there was little hope given how recently Li Hao had come into contact with the technique. Li Hao grinned. "I can!" Liu Long froze. "You can?" Without a word, Li Hao threw a punch. Inner force stacked within him, and in an instant, a double stack erupted. He didn't release the inner force outwards, keeping it to a simple, physical strike. *Bang!* With a light thud, Liu Long intercepted it, gripping Li Hao's fist in his palm, only for his own frame to shudder slightly. He was thoroughly shocked. "You learned it?" *He really learned the double stack?* *That's too fast!* As for that dog mastering a triple stack so quickly, Liu Long hadn't paid it much mind; a beast on the verge of turning into a spirit was a monstrous existence to begin with. *But Li Hao is a living, breathing human!* *How did he learn it so quickly?* Li Hao smiled. *Should I show you a triple stack?* *Forget it, I might scare the captain to death.* Right now, having one more Hundred-Breaker or one more triple stack wouldn't change the battlefield much; otherwise, Li Hao would have mentioned it. But since it wouldn't alter the bigger picture, whether he said it or not mattered little. "A genius!" This time, Liu Long praised him from the bottom of his heart. "To think you can already execute a double stack... That means you've reached the middle or late stages of the Ten-Slayer realm... This... is too fast!" In the Ten-Slayer realm, one could execute a triple stack at most. For Li Hao to manage a double stack without visible strain clearly meant he had entered the middle or late stages. "Boss, that's not important." "It is very important!" "It really isn't." Li Hao said solemnly, "Boss, my teacher has a treasure with special healing properties. If all your injuries were completely cured, would you have hope of advancing to Thousand-Battler?" Liu Long frowned. "My injuries are anything but ordinary..." "Are they worse than my teacher's? His heart was practically pierced through." "..." Liu Long was left speechless. At that moment, he remembered. Indeed, Yuan Shuo's heart had been shattered back then, yet he had made a full recovery and even advanced. Everyone had assumed he possessed some secret art or had gradually nurtured himself back to health. Hearing this now, it had been the work of a treasure? "If your teacher's heart injury could heal, then naturally mine can too. It's just..." "No 'just'!" Li Hao said with utter conviction, "As long as you tell me you're confident in advancing and becoming a Thousand-Battler, I can ask my teacher to guard your breakthrough and help treat your injuries. With two Thousand-Battlers taking action, it's about time people learned the might of our Silver City Night Watchers! We will awe the surrounding region and make an example of them!" *This kid acts more like the director than I do.* Liu Long muttered to himself, looking at the deadpan Li Hao with a hint of hesitation. Li Hao pressed in a deep voice, "Boss, a martial master stepping into Thousand-Battler must press forward without hesitation! Wavering and looking over your shoulder will never lead to success. Those are my teacher's words, and I treat them as gospel. I offer them to you as well, Boss!" "Press forward without hesitation..." Liu Long's eyes gleamed. The next moment, he raised his brows slightly. "If my injuries can be cured, I am confident! My physical constitution already meets the requirements, seeing as I've absorbed plenty of mysterious energy. All I lack is the comprehension of momentum and an uninjured body that can unleash full power." "If my injuries can heal... and your teacher is willing to guide me slightly at the critical juncture, I can definitely step into Thousand-Battler!" At that moment, his confidence suddenly surged! Li Hao wasn't talking nonsense. For a martial master, stepping into Thousand-Battler required pressing forward relentlessly. If you doubted your own chances, there truly was no hope, because your momentum could never be forged. He thought back to the ocean waves of that day. Invincible and all-destroying! In itself, it was merely water, extraordinarily gentle. Yet at that moment, it slammed forward like artillery fire, charging ahead without a single thought of retreat. The instant it shrank back, the momentum of the wave would dissipate, falling back into the sea and turning to gentle water once more. Right then, Li Hao suddenly smiled. "Boss, if you can enter Thousand-Battler... that day, when my teacher broke through, his momentum guided me into the Ten-Slayer realm. You and I both cultivate the Nine Refinements Force, so perhaps your breakthrough could aid me as well. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement." "If I make progress, I doubt my teacher would mind expending a bit more effort. After all, I am his final disciple!" He practiced the Five Animals Art with Yuan Shuo and the Nine Refinements Force with Liu Long. Therefore, Li Hao could sense and be guided by both kinds of momentum. As for other martial masters from different lineages, they might catch a faint glimpse, but it wouldn't offer much help. So these words weren't a lie. If Liu Long truly succeeded, Li Hao felt it would provide immense aid for his own eventual leap into Thousand-Battler. Attuning to two different forms of Thousand-Battler momentum in advance was an opportunity that came once in a blue moon. Liu Long's expression grew solemn. "I have taken no successors, and the Nine Refinements Force has nearly died out with my generation! You have already mastered the double stack... While it's not proper for me to formally accept you as an apprentice, you are indeed the successor of my Liu family! If I can advance to Thousand-Battler, I will certainly not hide the momentum of the Nine Refinements Force from you." He had no heirs! Now, Li Hao was the martial successor to his Liu family. As a successor, he naturally deserved to experience the true might of the Nine Refinements Force. He added, "Furthermore, if my injuries heal and I break through to Thousand-Battler... when I said earlier that I was no match for your teacher, that was only because of my lingering wounds! Also, I'm not as well-rounded as him, but the explosive power of my Nine Refinements Force is something he cannot match!" He suddenly brimmed with confidence. "Nine Refinements Force, a ninefold stack in a single blow! When your teacher slew that Three Sols, he likely relied on powerful supernatural artifacts, but I... might not even need them! I am confident I can pierce a Three Sols' defenses, though I fall short of your teacher in other areas." He didn't mind acknowledging his shortcomings, but he refused to let his family's art be looked down upon—especially by Li Hao. Li Hao carried the arts of both lineages. Liu Long wanted him to know that while his teacher was formidable, his strength lay in being well-rounded. Whereas he, Liu Long, excelled in raw attack! Li Hao's eyes flickered. *Pierce a Three Sols' defenses? Really?* Thinking it over, it might well be true. After all, a single ninefold stack of the Nine Refinements Force might not lose out to saber energy. It was true that his teacher was versatile—the Five Animals Art was all about comprehensive mastery—yet his teacher had also mentioned wanting to learn the Nine Refinements Force for its extreme explosive power! Of course, Yuan Shuo had never brought up learning it to Li Hao. Martial masters valued their legacies immensely. Even knowing that combining them would make them stronger, they would never rashly seek to study another's heritage. "Boss, then should we give it a try?" Li Hao grew intrigued and excited. "If we succeed, setting aside your own progress, once we kill them, even just extracting the mysterious energy could allow Sister Liu, Chen Jian, or Wu Chao to step into the supernatural realm! Over a thousand cubes, plus three Solar Radiances... we might even extract two thousand cubes of mysterious energy." Killing people to harvest mysterious energy was an inefficient method. Yet for paupers like them, it was also the most direct and straightforward path. Two thousand cubes of mysterious energy was an astronomical sum to their squad. Li Hao quickly calculated in his head. His teacher would handle Qiao Feilong, while the captain took on the three Solar Radiances... Not alone, of course. Li Hao envisioned mobilizing everyone together, first suppressing the targets with heavy firearms to wound them if possible. Enemies were easiest to kill when they were fleeing in panic. Once they succeeded, the overall strength of the Silver City Night Watchers would skyrocket. As for deploying heavy weapons, that wouldn't be an issue. As long as they resolved the targets before other powerhouses sensed what was happening, no one would care how much munitions they expended. Besides, ordinary folk wouldn't dwell on supernaturals dying to heavy artillery. True powerhouses weren't supposed to be killed by conventional arms anyway, unless caught in very specific circumstances. At that moment, Liu Long's blood began to boil as well. *Slay a Three Sols, slay Solar Radiances!* *Step into Thousand-Battler!* His throat felt dry. He looked at Li Hao, feeling an odd sense of disbelief. Not long ago, he had found even a Lunar Nether immensely difficult to eliminate. Now, this kid was inviting him to hunt Solar Radiances and a Three Sols. *Have I gone mad, or has he?* Indeed, just as Liu Yan and the others said, Li Hao was an utterly perverse lunatic down to his marrow. "Here's the plan: give me three days!" Liu Long said in a low voice, "If I can successfully break through within three days... we'll find a way to take them down ourselves! If I can't, we mustn't delay. Qiao Feilong clearly has an objective, and we cannot let a tiger grow stronger or run rampant. If I haven't broken through after three days, we call Director Hao! I believe he'll step in as well... Of course, I understand your reservations, but remember this, Li Hao: whatever you're alive to claim belongs to you. If you lose your life... nothing belongs to you." These words were cast from the exact same mold as Yuan Shuo's. At that moment, Li Hao suddenly realized that martial masters shared a very similar mindset. If a man like Liu Long weren't in the Inspectorate, he might very well have become a terror in the outside world. It was simply that martial masters possessed formidable restraint. Their power was earned step by step, so they hadn't lost themselves to raw might. They knew precisely what they wanted and what they sought to achieve. Li Hao compared martial masters to supernaturals, and the greatest distinction between the two seemed to boil down to one thing—conviction! He realized martial masters possessed a clearer, far more resolute sense of purpose. Though he hadn't interacted with many supernaturals, people like Wang Ming clearly lacked any strong conviction. Three days! Liu Long believed he could break through within three days. If he couldn't, the odds were slim, and it would be best to let the Night Watchers handle it. Li Hao nodded. "Alright! Boss, there's no time to lose... How about we go see my teacher right now?" "No rush!" Liu Long gave a small laugh. "It would draw too much attention! You've already visited him several times today; going again wouldn't look right." "Besides, I need to make some preparations. Tomorrow, then!" "Tomorrow, I'll pay a formal, open visit to Yuan Shuo and hand him an invitation to attend the founding ceremony three days from now!" Liu Long smiled. "Inviting everyone to the ceremony in three days will divert their attention and lower Qiao Feilong's guard. He isn't a registered supernatural and won't be on our guest list, so that day will be the perfect time to strike!" He had already set the date! Liu Long added, "The founding ceremony will be held in the evening! We are the Night Watchers, after all; evening is when we open for business. That will neatly exclude any unexpected variables in the city!" Night was also the perfect time for killing. Li Hao nodded. Saying no more, he turned to walk out. Suddenly, he glanced back and asked, "Boss, aren't you worried that I'm lying to you—that the enemy is even stronger, or that my teacher might turn on you after we kill Qiao Feilong?" *Was Liu Long truly not worried about that?* *Was he not afraid of being silenced to protect the secret?* Liu Long sneered. "Me, afraid of that? If I feared this and that, I would have died long ago! The reason I, Liu Long, could make a name for myself in this little acre of Silver City is because I dare to place my trust in people!" Either he didn't trust someone, or once he did, he harbored no doubts. It was precisely because of this that when trouble arose within the Law Enforcement Team last time, he hadn't executed his subordinates himself; Mu Sen had been the one to clean house for him. Liu Long was a man of glaring virtues and glaring flaws. At that moment, Li Hao realized that Liu Long was different from his teacher. His teacher was more cautious—or rather, more cunning and colder. Yes, colder. Li Hao was acutely aware of this. His teacher treating him well did not mean he treated others well. The only reason he treated Li Hao so warmly was because three years ago, when the old man's heart was turned to ash, he had taken Li Hao as his true successor to inherit his life's learning. In the old days, a true disciple was no different from a flesh-and-blood son, perhaps even more cherished. That was why Li Hao never doubted his teacher, and Yuan Shuo treated him like his own child. That was the meaning of a true successor, the meaning of a final disciple. Liu Long, on the other hand, was a man of loyalty and sentiment. Yet on the surface, Yuan Shuo seemed more genial, while Liu Long appeared stern and grim. Nine out of ten people looking at them from the outside would assume Liu Long was the harder one to approach and the more unfeeling. Li Hao suddenly smiled. Sometimes, seeing through appearances to the core of a person was truly fascinating. Liu Yan wasn't as warm as she seemed; Liu Long wasn't as cold as he looked; his teacher wasn't as kindly as he appeared; and Li Hao himself was far from as innocent and simple-minded as others believed. *People...* "Boss... here's to our success!" Li Hao turned and left, a smile gracing his face. Perhaps everyone was different. Yet they shared at least one thing in common: they were all decisive, with not a shred of hesitation. If they decided to kill you, they killed you! Liu Long didn't even bother conducting an investigation; it was pointless. As long as it was confirmed those powerhouses were there, that was proof enough. Kill them first and ask questions later. That was their common ground. Walking out of the office, Li Hao pondered another matter: *What should I do during this raid?* His strength was insufficient; against a Three Sols or a Solar Radiance, he wasn't qualified to stand in the ring. Getting involved would only create a mess! Taking potshots from the perimeter was one thing, but killing them with his own hands was beyond him. Yet Li Hao wished—or rather, yearned—to do something. *What can I do?* Li Hao mused. A moment later, an idea struck him. He lightly squeezed the jade sword tucked into his robe. This was his greatest reliance going forward. If his teacher or Liu Long were injured, he could heal them in time. And if a critical juncture arose, now that he was a Hundred-Breaker, would stabbing the sword into his heart unleash an even greater might? Could it unlock more of its sealed power? It was entirely unknown. Perhaps he could give it a try! Testing the jade sword's seal in advance might grant him greater assistance and power. Landing a surprise blow with that sword at the crucial moment might produce miraculous results. At that thought, a pure, innocent smile spread across Li Hao's face again. Along the hallway, he ran into Li Meng and several others. He greeted them with a beaming face. His smile was so genuine! Li Meng and Hu Hao felt embarrassed not to return the greeting. Remembering that this young man was technically their young senior fellow disciple and was smiling so sincerely, smiles appeared on their faces as well. They had originally felt Li Hao wasn't qualified to serve as their deputy director. Yet faced with this heartfelt smile, the two softened. Perhaps this was for the best; it was certainly better than having that shrew Liu Yan as deputy director. At least Li Hao counted as one of their own. ... At this moment, Silver City remained peaceful. No one could have anticipated that Li Hao and the others had reached such a resolute, decisive verdict to carry out a raid. And Qiao Feilong would never have imagined that the young man who had smiled warmly and accepted gifts from him that afternoon had spent the entire day scheming how to end his life. ... Farther away. White Moon City. Hao Lianchuan was secretly meeting with several figures, issuing a stern warning: "Before the ruins are explored, no one is to stir up trouble in Silver City! I believe everyone understands how important these ruins are. The Night Watchers are willing to share them with you in hopes of resolving the issue peacefully... But if anyone dares cause trouble right now in Silver City, or anywhere in Silver Moon Province, do not blame the Night Watchers for being ruthless!" Around the room, various powerhouses voiced their compliance. Even Red Moon, which had stirred up trouble recently, had sent a representative. The figure sneered coldly with palpable arrogance, "Rest easy! Everything can wait until the ruins have been explored!" Red Moon would not act rashly right now, lest they miss out on the ruins. As for the Night Watchers... no one believed they would actively provoke an incident. Silver City lacked the strength, and the local Night Watchers were both undermanned and bound by the law. More often than not, the pedantic Night Watchers merely reacted to incoming blows. Hao Lianchuan frowned slightly. "That would be for the best! Whether the Central Region remains engulfed in warfare or reaches a negotiated settlement, it will not affect this joint operation. Silver Moon Province is by no means among the top provinces in strength and holds no advantages... We still hope this cooperation can bolster the overall power of the entire Silver Moon!" "Naturally!" Someone echoed agreement. A powerhouse whose laugh sounded like King Yama chuckled coldly, "Rest assured, Director Hao. We won't cause trouble without cause. Besides, what happened in Silver City was Red Moon's doing; it has nothing to do with Yama... So you needn't worry about Yama's stance!" "Heh!" The representative from Red Moon responded with a sneer. Hao Lianchuan couldn't be bothered to argue further. "I care not what your stances are; consider this a warning. The Night Watchers may not be able to wipe you all out, but if we truly get serious, none of you will have an easy time!" With that, Hao Lianchuan vanished from the spot. He felt slightly relieved. Having delivered this warning, Silver City shouldn't see any major issues for the time being. Everyone was still banking on Yuan Shuo to help explore the ruins. Therefore, Li Hao should be safe during this period. *I've done what I can... Once the ruins are explored, it's best to bring Li Hao to White Moon City. His safety will be guaranteed once he's back here.* With that thought, Hao Lianchuan offered a slight smile. As for Li Hao and his group stirring up trouble on their own... that was something that had never once crossed his mind.