At the mine.
Yuan Shuo arrived, glanced at the corpse of the dead Solar Radiance, and nodded slightly.
Liu Long hadn't done poorly.
Having only just stepped into the Thousand-Battler realm, slaying two Solar Radiances was quite an achievement.
There was no comparing Liu Long to himself, nor was there any need to. Yuan Shuo was thirty to forty years older than him; in terms of experience and worldly wisdom, Liu Long could not match him, and they belonged to different generations, making such comparisons rather pointless.
At this moment, the others arrived one after another.
Among them, Liu Yan was the most severely injured, followed by Li Meng. Both women were more badly hurt than the men, prompting Yuan Shuo to shoot a glance at Wang Ming and the others.
"A disgrace to men!"
"..."
At those words, Wang Ming and the men flushed red.
What... why say that?
It wasn't as though they had wanted it to happen, but once the fighting started, how could they have looked out for everyone?
Of course, Yuan Shuo was only making a passing remark.
Right now, he had no mind to fuss over them. He stepped forward toward a pit ahead where the earth had partially collapsed. Yuan Shuo turned back to Liu Long. "Wait here. No one is permitted to step past!"
Liu Long nodded.
He knew what Yuan Shuo was going to inspect.
Soon, Yuan Shuo vanished from the spot.
Those left behind looked at one another, exchanging glances, completely at a loss for words.
Three Solar Radiances and one Three Sols!
Just what secret was the Qiao family hiding?
No, it was a massive secret!
Even Li Meng had come to her senses by now. None of what happened today had been an accident. Liu Long, Yuan Shuo, and the others had known the situation all along, known what kind of opponents they would face.
Neither Three Sols nor Solar Radiance combatants had ever appeared here before. At this moment, a single thought instinctively crossed their minds... ruins!
"Director Liu..."
Wang Ming glanced at Liu Long, who replied calmly, "What do you want to ask?"
"Well... are these... ruins?"
Wang Ming asked anyway.
People like him were relatively straightforward. If it had been a slick old hand like Mu Sen, he never would have asked.
Asking such a question could very well get someone silenced.
Whenever ruins could be entered to reap benefits, bloody tragedies almost always erupted.
Liu Long shook his head. "I don't know."
He didn't know?
That answer came as a surprise.
Liu Long explained further, "I truly don't know, and we already agreed beforehand that this has nothing to do with us! Wang Ming, according to what we agreed on prior to the operation, the mysterious energy and treasures from the three Solar Radiances we killed belong to us.
"Of course, I won't take any. The benefit I received for killing them was Professor Yuan helping me advance to Thousand-Battler... my reward has already been paid.
"Therefore, all the spoils from the deaths of these three Solar Radiances will be divided among the rest of you!
"From three Solar Radiances, we can extract at least five hundred cubes of mysterious energy, perhaps even as much as nine hundred... however, these fellows weren't exceedingly strong, so roughly five to six hundred."
A Solar Radiance could generally yield around two to three hundred cubes of mysterious energy.
Naturally, it depended on their strength.
Peak Solar Radiances would yield more, but none of them had ever slain one before, so they couldn't be certain.
This time, with three Solar Radiances dead, extracting five to six hundred cubes would not be an issue.
Since Liu Long and Li Hao were not taking a share, the remaining seven members of the squad would split it, meaning each person could receive nearly one hundred cubes of mysterious energy—several times more than last time.
Even Wang Ming had never received so much mysterious energy all at once.
Still, Wang Ming felt somewhat conflicted.
Liu Long frowned slightly. "You must realize that the Three Sols was far stronger than the Solar Radiances, and Professor Yuan killed him! And if I hadn't stepped into the Thousand-Battler realm beforehand... we couldn't possibly have killed them so easily today! What's more, Li Hao provided a wealth of intelligence, which allowed us to be fully prepared today..."
He assumed Wang Ming had his eyes set on the ruins and felt the distribution was unfair.
However, Wang Ming quickly shook his head. "I'm not talking about the distribution... It's... well... Director Liu, according to the Night Watchers' rules, ordinary spoils of war can be distributed internally. But once ruins are involved, it must be reported to the Night Watchers..."
Liu Long said calmly, "So that's what you mean. But as I recall, the Night Watchers also have a rule to avoid actively vying for ruins whenever possible! You need to realize that this isn't our spoils; it belongs to someone else. Are the Night Watchers going to copy the Three Great Organizations and snatch it?"
"That's not what I meant..."
Wang Ming felt awkward, but as a Night Watcher who had seen it with his own eyes, failing to report it... still left him feeling guilty.
He felt like he was being led astray!
It seemed as though Liu Long and the others were constantly breaking and trampling over rules.
Nearby, Liu Yan let out a cold snort. "Wang Ming, just spit it out. Are you throwing in your lot with us, or are you going to be completely selfless, report it up, and have a falling out with Professor Yuan and the rest?"
Throwing in his lot?
That sounded wrong. They were the righteous faction, the Night Watchers, the sole official supernatural organization.
Good grief, she made it sound like joining a gang of bandits.
Were the people of Silver City all outlaws?
Wang Ming gave a helpless, bitter smile.
During his years in the Night Watchers, his education and training had not taught him this.
According to the Night Watchers' training system, his immediate response should be to report to his superior... well, his superior was Liu Long.
The Night Watchers did not encourage jumping rank to file reports unless the superior had compromised their duties, committed treason, or the like; otherwise, going over someone's head was discouraged.
Wang Ming weighed his thoughts before saying helplessly, "My professional ethics tell me I cannot ignore this! So... I've decided..."
Everyone looked at him, even Li Meng and the others.
"I've decided to report it to the organization!"
Ignoring the angry glares from several people, he muttered, "My current superior is Director Liu. Regardless, I will submit a report to you. As for whether you report it further, that has nothing to do with me!"
"..."
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.
The corner of Liu Long's mouth twitched slightly.
Good grief, none of them had tried to make him take the blame, yet this kid was clever enough. He would file a report to Liu Long, and any follow-up issues wouldn't fall on him.
If trouble truly arose, it would be Liu Long suppressing the report, with nothing to do with Wang Ming.
Of course, by choosing not to go over his head, Wang Ming had made his stance clear, but the rascal certainly knew how to look out for himself!
Having said that, Wang Ming suddenly grinned roguishly. "Um... Director, how... how much do we get?"
Liu Long raised an eyebrow. Impatient already?
He looked toward Yun Yao, who was responsible for extracting mysterious energy. At that moment, Yun Yao was crouched on the ground inspecting the bodies. Feeling his gaze, she looked up and said, "Three people: two fire-element and one earth-element!"
At this, Yun Yao smiled. "The earth-element one was quite unlucky, cut down by the captain the moment he emerged. Otherwise, once he burrowed into the ground, he would have been truly difficult to deal with.
"I checked: the earth-element cultivator should yield around two hundred and twenty cubes with very little depletion. The two fire-element ones should yield about four hundred cubes of fire energy. In total, around six hundred and twenty cubes, with very little variance."
She was experienced, and her assessments were rarely off.
Liu Long didn't wait to return before distributing it. Right now, everyone's spirits were running high, and they needed a greater incentive.
"Wang Ming, you took first merit this time. Your supernatural technique erupted and blasted the opponent's head off; I saw it.
"So this time, you get one hundred and twenty cubes."
Wang Ming's eyes instantly lit up. One hundred and twenty cubes... This wasn't embezzled; unlike Li Hao's share, this was allocated by his Night Watchers superior according to merit, so there was no reason to refuse.
One hundred and twenty cubes... At his current salary of one cube a month, it would take him ten years to earn that much.
Of course, that was only for now; he was young and bound to be promoted.
Even so, suddenly earning ten years' worth of salary left him ecstatic.
"From the remaining five hundred cubes, Li Meng used her third eye to bewilder the enemy for a moment, and paid a considerable price in the fight to create an opening. Li Meng gets one hundred cubes!"
Li Meng's eyes sparkled like stars.
She lacked Wang Ming's composure. Where he was excited, she was practically swooning with joy.
Good heavens!
One hundred cubes!
"Liu Yan took the brunt of drawing the enemy and served as our vanguard. One hundred cubes."
Liu Yan nodded slightly without saying a word.
Yet she showed none of the excitement one might expect. Right now, her hands were charred like deadwood. If her hands could not recover, what good were one hundred cubes of mysterious energy?
Of course, suffering injuries during battle was normal.
At worst, she would retire to the second line. Thinking of how the Qiao family had been wiped out, half of her enemies were gone, leaving only the culprit from Yama... As for Yama, she didn't dwell on it. She might never bring down Yama in this lifetime, so why torment herself?
Half her enemies were dead. Even if she took no share this time, it was already worth it.
"Hu Hao, Yun Yao, Chen Jian, Wu Chao—the four of you assisted in the kill. Although your strengths vary, your contributions in my eyes were comparable. Each did their duty without mistake, but none stood out particularly. The four of you will split the remaining three hundred cubes equally, seventy-five cubes each. Any objections?"
The four hastily shook their heads.
Chen Jian couldn't help saying, "Boss, we only killed one, while you killed two. You..."
"As I said, I've already received my share in advance!"
Liu Long smiled. "Does reaching the Thousand-Battler realm compare to a mere hundred or two cubes of mysterious energy?"
At these words, realization dawned on them. Even Wang Ming couldn't conceal his envy. "Director, you broke through without a sound! Aren't martial master breakthroughs supposed to be ten times harder than supernatural ones? How did you suddenly break through?"
It was simply incredible!
"Old Yuan is simply capable, that's all!"
Liu Long chuckled, while Liu Yan arched an eyebrow. "Does Li Hao get nothing?"
"Him?"
Liu Long said with a smile, "Old Yuan killed a Three Sols, and Li Hao's contribution was on that side... We have no part in the harvest over there, so he won't be taking a share from this. Of course..."
He looked toward the collapsed pit ahead and said softly, "No matter what lies here, I hope no one tries to probe further. Everyone has received what they ought to receive. This harvest exceeds everything we've ever earned before!"
Even the least rewarded among them had received seventy-five cubes of mysterious energy this time.
Combined with the twenty cubes Chen Jian and the others had received previously, across these two operations, they had earned an amount of mysterious energy once beyond their wildest dreams.
Wang Ming shrugged. Since he had already decided to report the matter to Liu Long, he washed his hands of it.
Ruins?
What did that have to do with him?
In truth, ruins weren't exceedingly rare; the real question was whether one could excavate them.
Ancient ruins were actually scattered throughout the wilderness, but developing them was fraught with traps and danger. Otherwise, the Night Watchers wouldn't have partnered with the Three Great Organizations to excavate those other ruins.
Wang Ming knew all this.
So while he felt a stir of longing toward the ruins here, he knew how weak he was; it wasn't something he could covet.
Li Meng and Hu Hao also shook their heads, saying nothing.
Just then, Yuan Shuo leaped up from underground, frowning slightly before quickly smoothing his brow.
Without a word, he threw a punch. With a loud rumble, the ground that had not fully collapsed caved in completely in an instant.
Liu Long showed a look of doubt.
Yuan Shuo shook his head. "It's difficult to handle. Never mind that for now; clean up the battlefield first. Also... arrange for two people to keep watch here, just to prevent ordinary people from wandering in. Don't worry about anything else."
Chen Jian looked at Liu Long and said honestly, "Boss, let me stay behind and keep watch."
Liu Long looked at Chen Jian, thought for a moment, and said, "Hu Hao, you aren't injured and can fly, so if you encounter danger, you can escape immediately. How about you stay behind with Chen Jian to guard the place?"
Hu Hao was somewhat surprised.
He was a man of few words, taciturn by nature.
Reason dictated that this place held a great secret. As a Lunar Nether cultivator, he was stronger than Chen Jian. Leaving just him and Chen Jian to guard the area carried the risk of unforeseen turns—such as him harboring greed, killing Chen Jian, and secretly seizing some treasures...
Yet Liu Long was having him keep watch?
This genuinely caught him off guard!
"Director... is it... appropriate for me?" Hu Hao said in a low voice.
Before Liu Long could speak, Yuan Shuo said indifferently, "What's appropriate or not? The three of you are my nominal disciples. These ruins were left behind by your young senior brother's family; without him, you couldn't open them anyway! If there truly are benefits, given your young senior brother's generosity, he won't fail to give you a share! If you really want to swallow it all yourselves... be my guest. Even a Three Sols couldn't completely open it and take the treasures; if you can, that's your own capability!"
At these words, everyone froze.
True enough.
If it were easy to take, someone would have taken it long ago. Clearly, there probably weren't many treasures left in the ruins right now, or if there were, they had already been claimed. Gaining further benefits would require a proper excavation.
Hu Hao felt relieved and nodded. "I understand. Yuan... Teacher, rest assured."
Yuan Shuo didn't mind the slight stammer when Hu Hao called him teacher. They were merely nominal disciples; whether they were sincere or not didn't matter much to him.
Meanwhile, Liu Long and the others were slightly taken aback.
Young senior brother?
Nominal disciples?
Where had this come from?
"Liu Long, let's head back first. If we don't return, Hao Lianchuan will probably fly into a rage," Yuan Shuo said with a smile. Suddenly, blood welled from the corner of his mouth.
Liu Long's expression changed, and the others turned pale as well.
He was... injured?
"I'm fine!"
Yuan Shuo waved a hand, casually wiping away the blood until not a trace remained. He glanced around and said softly, "Just a minor wound! No need to say anything to outsiders."
He was currently Silver City's pillar of stability. Once word got out that he was gravely injured, complications might arise.
Though everyone was worried, they said nothing more.
Yun Yao quickly gathered the corpses; the remains of Solar Radiances had the property of preserving mysterious energy.
The group swiftly cleared the battlefield. Of course, after a fight of this scale, a thorough cleanup was impossible, so they focused on erasing anything that might reveal the identity and strength of the three Solar Radiances.
Once finished, they packed everything into cases. Leaving Chen Jian and Hu Hao to stand guard, the rest boarded the vehicles and prepared to return to the city.
***
Inside the car.
All was quiet.
The uninjured Wang Ming drove, while the others carried wounds to varying degrees.
Even Liu Long was injured, with severe burns across his body and numerous burst blood vessels along both arms.
After driving for a while, Liu Long spoke up. "Old Yuan, did things go smoothly in the city?"
"Fairly well."
Yuan Shuo nodded slightly. "However, it taught us a lesson: never underestimate anyone. No matter how incompetent a supernatural is, their reserve of supernatural power remains substantial. While most supernaturals are incompetent, once they bring their true strength to bear, the advantages of a martial master gradually diminish."
At these words, Wang Ming and the others felt rather awkward.
Wang Ming especially!
Claiming that most supernaturals were incompetent... if that spread, he would become public enemy number one.
How arrogant!
Of course, this cheap teacher had the right to be arrogant. He was an existence who had slain two Three Sols! In the entire Silver Moon Province, the Night Watchers currently had only two Three Sols: Director Hou and Hao Lianchuan.
This was equivalent to Yuan Shuo taking down two supreme commanders of the Night Watchers in the region single-handedly.
Naturally, Director Hou was exceedingly formidable, not comparable to those two.
As if sensing Wang Ming's thoughts, Yuan Shuo said calmly, "Wang Ming, though I only took you three as nominal disciples on a whim, now that I have, I will offer a few words of caution. Whether you listen is your business, but speaking them is my duty."
"Please instruct us, Teacher!" Wang Ming replied respectfully, while Li Meng opened her eyes with curiosity.
Yuan Shuo said in a heavy voice, "Just remember a few things. Not only you three, but the rest of you as well!
"First, supernaturals overdraw their potential far too severely. I don't know whether those experts above Three Sols have found a solution... but below Three Sols, none have likely encountered this aspect, making problems very easy to arise. When cultivating your supernatural power, try not to abandon the martial path.
"Although dual cultivation will slow your progress... you must understand that draining the pond to catch all the fish brings no lasting benefit! Taking steady, solid steps is the key. It doesn't matter if you move slowly now, so long as you can go far in the future!"
With grave expressions, they nodded, taking the words to heart.
"Second, when inner force is generated, it is generally devoured by supernatural power and converted into mysterious energy... Young lady Yun Yao, that is your situation, is it not?"
Yun Yao nodded. "Yes. After advancing to supernatural, my inner force was converted into mysterious energy."
Yuan Shuo nodded. "Therefore, after becoming supernaturals, even if you cultivate the martial path, it is difficult to generate inner force... No matter. According to my research, when you cultivate martial arts and inner force is born, it isn't swallowed immediately... You should nurture that inner force within your five viscera! Supernatural power does not initially erode the five viscera, as each possesses a supernatural lock, and none of you have unlocked all of them yet."
Yun Yao frowned slightly. "Old Yuan, inner force will strengthen the supernatural locks and make advancing even harder..."
"I know!"
Yuan Shuo said indifferently, "If you believe me, listen! If not, don't! The choice is yours. Nurturing inner force in the five viscera will indeed strengthen the supernatural locks and increase the difficulty of your advancement, but you must realize that things obtained too easily are rarely precious."
The group fell into contemplation.
Wang Ming and the others felt somewhat ill at ease. Wang Ming couldn't resist asking, "Teacher, well... I'm currently at the Full Moon level. If I cultivate inner force to strengthen the supernatural locks, my chances of breaking them to advance to Solar Radiance will drop drastically..."
Supernatural locks were not unlocked all at once; each breakthrough opened a few, allowing the body to contain more mysterious energy. Yet now, Yuan Shuo was telling them to reinforce those locks.
Why?
Yuan Shuo remained calm. "So it's up to you. As I said, it may delay your progress! That can't be helped. Furthermore, stronger supernatural power isn't necessarily better. Perhaps experts among supernaturals who reach a certain realm can remedy these issues, but I currently have no answer to that. I am merely offering my advice; take it or leave it as you please."
Liu Yan, who had been cradling her charred hands, suddenly smiled. "Old Yuan, I'm not a supernatural anyway, so it doesn't matter to me. I just want to ask, is there a way to restore my hands? You are widely experienced, Old Yuan; do you think there's any hope?"
Yuan Shuo glanced at her hands and said casually, "They're almost completely necrotic. Under normal circumstances, they'd be beyond saving... but I'll think of a way for you later. It shouldn't be a big problem."
Liu Yan's eyes lit with delight. She suddenly thought of Li Hao—could that energy of his truly be a special inner force?
Taught by Yuan Shuo?
Many thoughts crossed her mind, though she refrained from asking.
Li Meng couldn't hold back either. "Tea... Teacher, my... my eye is injured frequently and its defenses are very weak. Do you have a solution?"
The defense of her third eye was too frail; the slightest carelessness left her vulnerable to counterattacks.
Of course, its unique nature was extremely useful.
For instance, this time it had created illusions, pierced through the opponent's trajectory, and seen through the mist... Her three-eyed ability was formidable, but its defense was abysmal, often leaving all three eyes weeping tears of blood.
The Night Watchers also had a solution: strengthen mysterious energy. According to their experts, as mysterious energy grew stronger, the third eye's defenses would naturally follow, making special compensation unnecessary.
"That eye of yours is extraordinary!"
Yuan Shuo said suddenly, "Your supernatural ability is an extremely rare kind! There are two possibilities. First, ancient texts record that during the ancient civilization, certain special bloodlines existed; yours may be the awakening of a special bloodline!
"Second, it could be the embryonic form of a divine ability!"
Yuan Shuo said solemnly, "If it's the first, the best approach is to strengthen the bloodline—to purify it by making yourself stronger. I recommend using the martial path to augment your bloodline's power, rather than supernatural energy!
"If it's the second, a divine ability... in the era of the ancient civilization, divine abilities were special capabilities naturally born from the bodies of powerful martial masters once they reached a certain level. If yours is an embryonic divine ability... once again, I advise you to practice martial arts!"
"..."
Li Meng was at a loss for words. She glanced at Yuan Shuo; both solutions were to practice martial arts... Was this... was this reliable?
Of course, she didn't dare press further.
Yuan Shuo smiled. "Believe it or not, it's up to you. You're only nominal disciples anyway; learn as much as you can, and if you don't, it doesn't matter."
His bluntness left Wang Ming and Li Meng somewhat embarrassed.
He had spoken far too plainly!
By now, the vehicle had entered the city.
A curfew was in effect, and personnel from the Inspectorate were patrolling the city under orders. Liu Long's car came to a stop, but upon seeing that it was Liu Long and his group, the inspectors outside snapped to attention with deep respect and quickly cleared the way.
"Chief Mu works with good efficiency," Liu Long remarked.
To lock down the entire city so quickly, with sentries at every checkpoint, showed that Mu Sen's control and execution were first-rate.
With that in mind, he suddenly asked, "Old Yuan, does Mu Sen have any hope of entering the Thousand-Battler realm?"
At these words, everyone turned toward Yuan Shuo.
Even Wang Ming, at the wheel, nearly pulled a Li Hao and almost drove straight into a wall.
Yuan Shuo glared at him. Wang Ming hastily forced a smile and continued driving, though his heart was shaken. Did Yuan Shuo truly possess the ability to mass-produce Thousand-Battlers?
That had to be impossible!
"Mu Sen..."
Yuan Shuo pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "Unclear, hard to say. That man is shrewder than you, and keeps a lower profile. He should be at the peak of the Hundred-Breaker realm, but as to whether he has reached perfection or grasped momentum, I can't judge. Unless he goes all out against me or openly reveals his momentum, you know as well as I do that without comprehending momentum, how could he advance? Do you think Thousand-Battler can be attained at a whim?"
If someone grasped momentum, had their internal injuries healed, and received stimulation and guidance from a Thousand-Battler's momentum, they might step into the realm.
Without momentum, talk of anything else was futile.
If Yuan Shuo truly possessed the skill to let anyone grasp momentum at will, he would have pushed Li Hao to Thousand-Battler long ago, rather than letting him progress at his own pace.
Liu Long said no more.
The car soon pulled up in front of the Inspectorate.
The group climbed out.
As soon as they stepped out, someone emerged from inside.
Hao Lianchuan's expression was grim. He looked at the group, then at Yuan Shuo, sensing slightly before his eyebrows twitched. Soon, a smile surfaced on his face. "Many thanks to Professor Yuan for lending a hand to help our Night Watchers eliminate evil supernatural experts!
"On the occasion of establishing the Silver City branch of the Night Watchers, certain scoundrels did not wish to see our smooth inception, deliberately causing trouble and ambushing our guests. Director Liu Long deployed his forces properly, slaying these ill-intentioned evil supernaturals. For this meritorious deed, I will surely report to Director Hou and see that rewards are granted!"
He delivered a few grandiloquent remarks at the top of his voice, then added, "Now that Director Liu and the others have returned, today's inaugural ceremony shall officially begin! Enough talk—using the heads of several supernaturals to celebrate our opening is a fine way to mark the occasion! Everyone, eat and drink your fill tonight!"
With that, he turned and walked back inside.
He paid no attention to Liu Long and the others, but Hao Lianchuan's roaring voice transmitted straight into Yuan Shuo's ears: "Yuan Shuo! I gave you face by not arguing with you in public, but for you to recklessly strike and kill supernaturals at a time like this—do you have any idea how long we prepared for those ruins? If your actions ruin our cooperation..."
Yuan Shuo's lips moved slightly. "Look at how timid you are, scared out of your wits. You want to cooperate, but do you think those fellows don't? Besides, nothing major happened; we only killed a few fringe personnel. Give the Three Great Organizations a perfunctory excuse, and I guarantee they won't make a peep!"
"What about that Three Sols?"
"What Three Sols?"
Yuan Shuo said with a strange tone, "Where would a Three Sols come from? Have you gone senile? It was just a Lunar Nether..."
"Bullshit!"
Hao Lianchuan raged internally. Did the man take him for an idiot?
That wasn't a Three Sols?
Granted, the distance had been great, but even so, an aura capable of traveling ten thousand meters and reaching his senses—if that wasn't a Three Sols, was it a ghost?
"There really wasn't a Three Sols!"
Yuan Shuo's lips twitched again. "Believe it or not. If you don't, ask the other organizations whether they sent a Three Sols here. They aren't stupid; knowing full well that I've killed a Three Sols before, would one come alone to ambush me? It was just an audacious Lunar Nether who thought he could make a name for himself by killing me... out of his mind! I dispatched him directly."
"Nonsense!"
Hao Lianchuan refused to believe it was merely a Lunar Nether.
Yet Yuan Shuo spoke with absolute conviction. After a moment of thought, Hao Lianchuan transmitted, "An unknown Three Sols? Or did the person escape?"
If they had escaped, naturally none of the major organizations would admit to sending someone to kill Yuan Shuo.
If it was an unknown Three Sols, dead was dead; if unknown, clearly no one else would know either.
In the whole of Silver City, Hao Lianchuan was probably the only one who could confirm the opponent had been at the Three Sols level.
Of course, if other experts inspected the battlefield, they might deduce the truth. But the site was now destroyed and the Inspectorate had sealed it off; after tonight, not even a ghost could tell how fierce the battle had been.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Yuan Shuo couldn't be bothered with him and walked straight toward Li Hao.
Hao Lianchuan wanted to curse, but with numerous misgivings, he didn't dare.
The old bastard went too far.
He truly wanted to beat him to death!
It was definitely a Three Sols expert, and very likely dead—an unknown Three Sols expert at that...
The more he thought about it, the deeper the underlying issues seemed.
Unable to vent his anger, Hao Lianchuan suddenly walked toward Liu Long, his voice hushed and tinged with fury. "This is what you called paying respects to fallen comrades?"
Liu Long nodded and said softly, "Slaying enemies to consecrate the banner and pay respects—all for justice, all for the light! Rest assured, Director Hao, this action was undertaken of our own accord; we won't apply to headquarters for rewards."
Apply for rewards... I want to slap you to death.
"Liu Long, tell me the truth: how many did you kill?"
"Three! Counting Old Yuan's, perhaps four."
Hao Lianchuan frowned slightly. "You killed three... what level of strength?"
"Two Starlight Masters and one Lunar Nether Master."
"Hm?"
Hao Lianchuan fell into thought. Truly?
The battle outside the city had been far away. From here, he hadn't sensed it, only faintly hearing explosions that could have been caused by firearms.
Looking at Wang Ming and the others, Wang Ming was uninjured, while Liu Yan had her hands in her pockets, making it hard to inspect closely, though she seemed somewhat hurt.
As for Li Meng... injuries were routine for her; she could easily get hurt fighting even a Starlight Master, so he didn't bother pressing.
Under those conditions, it wasn't impossible for Liu Long's group to kill one Lunar Nether and two Starlight Masters.
As for a Solar Radiance... working together, they might take down one.
But certainly not with such ease!
With these thoughts, he nodded slightly. "Let this be the end of it! Don't stir up trouble for me anytime soon. I will smooth this over. Since they were merely some wicked supernaturals, dead is dead... As long as the Three Great Organizations don't press the matter, there's no need to worry overmuch."
"Director Hao, are you saying that if the Three Great Organizations press the matter, we simply yield?"
Liu Long stopped in his tracks, looking at him with a spark in his eyes, faintly harboring anger and discontent.
Hao Lianchuan frowned slightly and shook his head. "It's not what you think, but the reality is that we cannot afford to fall out with the Three Great Organizations right now! In the central region, headquarters cannot provide us with reinforcements and keeps demanding support from us. Director Hou has been bearing immense pressure and has refused to send anyone over. In the Silver Moon Province, the Three Great Organizations are stronger than us... We've already fallen out with Red Moon; if Yama or Feitian get involved as well, Liu Long, you know the consequences. Sometimes, one must endure!"
"Endure?"
Liu Long frowned, but after a moment regained his composure and nodded slightly. "I understand! If the Three Great Organizations truly pursue this, Director Hao can push the blame onto us. Just say it was to avenge Li Hao by killing Red Moon peripherals. Having offended them once, we don't fear doing it twice!"
Hao Lianchuan let out a sigh and said no more.
After a few paces, something occurred to him, and he asked, "Do you want to participate in the ruins exploration at the end of the month? If you do, I can apply for a spot on your behalf. It might give you a chance to reach Thousand-Battler or advance to supernatural. It's a rare opportunity—though the risk is substantial!"
Previously, Liu Long hadn't been under consideration.
However, Hao Lianchuan worried that if this man continued killing indiscriminately without advancing, he wouldn't be able to hold out. Taking him along to see if he could break through might be safer once he achieved greater strength.
Liu Long's heart stirred. "I will consider it."
Pausing, he asked with hesitation, "Director Hao, if we went to war with the Three Great Organizations in Silver Moon right now, what would our chances of victory be?"
"Zero!"
Hao Lianchuan spoke bluntly. "Unless we cast all caution aside, abandon everything, and concentrate solely on holding White Moon City, deploying weapons of mass destruction the moment powerful enemies attack to deter them! But that would mean remaining holed up inside, forcing us to abandon the smaller cities... Do you think you would accept that?"
"Are we inferior across the board, or do we simply have fewer top experts?"
Liu Long asked again, and Hao Lianchuan sighed once more. "Both! Against any single one of the Three Great Organizations, we have nothing to fear. Against two, we would be at a disadvantage. If all three join forces... we'll be thoroughly crushed!"
Very well. Liu Long roughly understood the situation.
He said nothing more, walking calmly forward to take a seat, picking up his chopsticks and digging in. As he ate, he said, "The food is getting cold. Let's eat, everyone."
The hall fell silent for an instant, followed by the clatter of bowls and chopsticks.
Liu Long, still stained with blood, had cast enough of an intimidating shadow tonight. At this moment, the supernaturals of Silver City were all keeping a low profile.
***
At another table.
Yuan Shuo was also eating ravenously; he was starving.
Li Hao poured wine for him, whispering, "Teacher, Hu Hao and Chen Jian..."
"Left behind there."
Yuan Shuo spoke around a mouthful of food, keeping his voice down. "Don't go over for now; wait two days. There might be unexpected gains this time. Don't be stingy with the sword energy; heal your injuries first."
"Right. What about you, Teacher..."
"I'm in no rush."
Yuan Shuo devoured an entire pig's trotter at astonishing speed, his teeth formidable enough to crush the bones.
After eating for a bit, Yuan Shuo whispered again, "This time, Hao Lianchuan and Mu Sen might have noticed something. The others probably sensed nothing, so it's not a major issue."
Li Hao nodded without pressing further.
Accomplishing this without causing any stir whatsoever was impossible.
Still, after some thought, he asked, "Teacher, is there any hope of drawing Director Hao and Chief Mu into our camp?"
Yuan Shuo paused. "What camp?"
He looked at Li Hao in surprise. Good grief, the boy was already trying to build a faction...
What faction was there to speak of?
Li Hao looked sheepish. "No, I mean... like the captain and the others—taking on private tasks that aren't reported up, that sort of thing."
Yuan Shuo was speechless!
He gave Li Hao a sidelong glance before finally saying, "Stop dreaming about all this nonsense. Your urgent priority is reaching Thousand-Battler! As long as you can enter the Thousand-Battler realm, together with me and tying that idiot Liu Long to us, three Thousand-Battler martial masters... can make a name for themselves anywhere!"
"There's strength in numbers..."
"That applies to numbers with quality!"
Yuan Shuo cut him off directly. "An ordinary person with a gun will still be instantly obliterated by a Three Sols. Let alone a Three Sols, even a Solar Radiance would obliterate them in an instant. So if you want strength, you need experts!"
Wiping the grease from his mouth, he suddenly chuckled. "Take right now: looks like a lot of people, doesn't it? All supernaturals, but aside from Hao Lianchuan and a few others, the rest are just cannon fodder I could slap to death with a single strike! What good are numbers?"
Just as he spoke, someone nearby said coldly, "Professor Yuan, who are you looking to slap to death now?"
Yuan Shuo glanced sideways at him and chuckled. "Director Hao, an old man was merely joking, and you take it seriously? Sit down and eat with us. Fortunately, Director Hao was here tonight, otherwise who knows how much chaos would have erupted... Of course, as a victim, I won't thank you. Let Liu Long thank you, and Li Hao, you're Director Hao's subordinate too, show some gratitude!"
Li Hao promptly stood up. "Thank you for your assistance, Director Hao!"
Hao Lianchuan cursed inwardly. He wasn't falling for this act anymore.
Neither of them was any good!
Earlier he had thought Li Hao was obedient and well-behaved, but now... hah!
Just like Yuan Shuo, bad news all around.
He hadn't come to pick a fight; rehashing what had happened served no purpose. In a low voice, he said, "Keep a low profile lately! You've offended too many people. Do you still want to enter the ruins or not?"
"Doesn't matter to me whether I go or not."
Yuan Shuo chuckled. Truly, it didn't matter.
Hao Lianchuan's composure cracked, leaving him feeling utterly helpless and exasperated. "It doesn't matter to you, but what about Li Hao?"
"What about him?"
Yuan Shuo smiled. "It doesn't matter if he goes either. Will he die if he doesn't?"
Hao Lianchuan took a deep breath, and after a long silence, revealed a piece of information: "Do you know why we insist on exploring those ruins? There are plenty of ruins around; they're not the only ones with treasures. Yet the Night Watchers insist on going again and again, even partnering with the major organizations and suffering heavy casualties... Professor Yuan, do you know why?"
Yuan Shuo said indifferently, "I know. Don't forget who discovered those ruins in the first place."
With a touch of mockery, he continued, "If nothing else, those ruins definitely contain Origin God Armaments! More than one, in fact! That's the first point. Second, those ruins are likely a defensive type, possibly holding a specialized defensive Origin God Armament... sufficient to shroud an entire city!"
At these words, Hao Lianchuan was thoroughly startled, his gaze snapping to Yuan Shuo.
How could that be?!
This was intelligence they had gathered at great cost, after losing many lives, whereas Yuan Shuo hadn't set foot near that place since his injury three years ago.
Yuan Shuo sneered, his demeanor tinged with wild arrogance. "Director Hao, don't try to play coy with me; what's the point? I, Yuan Shuo, have seen plenty of things and explored countless ruins. For you, the most crucial item is that defensive Origin God Armament. Once acquired, it can shroud a whole city, giving you the confidence to hold White Moon City with both offense and defense, securing the initiative in the upheavals to come... Am I right?"
Hao Lianchuan's expression shifted repeatedly, a deep sense of defeat settling over him.
After a long pause, he nodded helplessly. "You're right. That is indeed the primary treasure we wish to obtain."
Yuan Shuo chuckled. "So... what does that have to do with whether Li Hao goes or not?"
Hao Lianchuan couldn't help saying, "Those ruins may have ties to the Eight Great Families... Even if it's only a possibility, if it proves true, we might be able to hand control of the retrieved Origin God Armament to Li Hao! At that point, he will become someone the Night Watchers must protect, which would be the safest outcome for him."
"Heh!"
Yuan Shuo couldn't even be bothered to argue. He said offhandedly, "Suit yourselves. We'll talk about it later; it's still early anyway. Let's eat first, Director Hao. Don't starve yourself."
"No, Professor Yuan, listen to me..."
Yuan Shuo waved a hand and resumed eating, mumbling vaguely, "I know, I know. I promise not to kill anyone, not to pick fights, and to keep a low profile until the ruins open. Happy now?"
"..."
He sounded as though he were pacifying a child.
Hao Lianchuan was at his wit's end. When dealing with someone like Yuan Shuo, there was truly nothing one could do.
In the past, the old man had been easier to suppress. Now... forget it; Hao Lianchuan wasn't even sure he was a match for this freak.
Beside them, Li Hao wore an innocent, honest look. "Director Hao, I'll advise Teacher not to do anything rash lately. As Night Watchers, it's our duty to safeguard the peace of Silver City. Please rest assured, Director!"
Go to hell!
Hao Lianchuan didn't believe a word. Keep acting, go ahead and act.
Feeling disheartened, he stood up and said, "Think it over yourselves. That's all. One last thing: even if you don't care about yourselves, spare a thought for the people of Silver City... Fine, that's all!"
He turned and walked away.
Once he was gone, Yuan Shuo smiled. "Pay him no mind. Even if Hao Lianchuan hadn't said anything, we wouldn't have made any moves."
Li Hao nodded, and master and disciple buried their heads back in their food.
Meanwhile, the other tables remained dead silent.
Hardly a sound could be heard.
Though it was supposed to be a banquet, the atmosphere resembled a graveyard.
Even as people ate, many found their food tasteless, having no idea what they were chewing. Some supernaturals couldn't even hide the panic in their eyes as they ate.
Silver City was truly growing more dangerous by the day.
Chapter 64