White Moon City.
Night had descended, but the heart of the metropolis remained ablaze with lights.
With a population of thirty million, the sprawling city was prosperous beyond imagination, far surpassing Silver City. Even late into the night, the streets bustled with noise and vitality, a splendid picture of a flourishing age.
"Night Watchers" was not an official designation.
The organization's full formal title was the Inspectorate Night Patrol Committee.
Its provincial headquarters in White Moon City was known publicly as the Silver Moon Provincial Inspectorate Night Patrol General Committee.
Nominally, it remained subordinate to the Inspectorate.
Of course, as supernaturals grew ever more formidable, the Night Watchers' standing within the Inspectorate had gradually shifted from an auxiliary branch into a dominant power. In practical authority, they had already begun to eclipse ordinary inspectors.
The Silver Moon headquarters of the Night Watchers stood in the southern sector of White Moon City, facing away from the Inspectorate headquarters, which occupied the northern district.
White Moon City's apparatus of state power possessed a distinct geographic distribution:
South City: Night Watchers headquarters.
North City: Inspectorate headquarters.
West City: Garrison headquarters.
East City: Provincial Administration headquarters.
Viewing the Night Watchers and the Inspectorate as separate entities, these four pillars of authority were stationed at the cardinal points—south, north, west, and east—encircling and guarding the whole of White Moon City. The central core was entirely commercial, housing only a few administrative branch offices.
At that moment, in the southern district, an unassuming six-story building served as the renowned headquarters of the Silver Moon Province Night Watchers.
As darkness fell, operations seemed only just to be getting underway.
People constantly streamed through the main entrance, creating a lively atmosphere.
True to the name "Night Watchers," their activities were concentrated during the nighttime hours, which also aligned with the habits of many supernaturals.
On the sixth floor, in the Director's Office.
Hou Xiaochen, a slender man with hair draping loosely toward his shoulders, was seated at his desk, working through a stack of thorny cases.
Beside him, a massive display screen lit up, faint ripples of mysterious energy pulsing across its surface.
Hou Xiaochen lifted his gaze. That screen was the core communications channel for the Night Watchers, bypassing ordinary signal interference by pairing ancient civilization technology with mysterious energy to allow instant contact at any time. It formed the very bedrock of the authorities' governance across the provinces.
"Urgent dispatch: At roughly 8:50 PM, Yuan Shuo of Silver City was suspected of engaging a Three Sols expert in combat. The battle concluded after ten minutes. The Three Sols' whereabouts are unknown, and Yuan Shuo has returned safely... Liu Long, Director of the Silver City Night Watchers, mobilized all personnel from the Silver City Branch to join the battle; exact outcomes undetermined... Mu Sen, Director of the Silver City Inspectorate, slew a Moon Overflow cultivator at the Inspectorate..."
Though lacking granular descriptions, the lengthy message transmitted the broad strokes of every major development in Silver City.
Hou Xiaochen's brow knitted slightly.
Another Three Sols!
And their whereabouts were unknown—had the person fled, or perished?
After a moment of silence, Hou Xiaochen gestured toward the screen. Words carved themselves across the display in response:
"Continue observing and handle at your discretion. If no laws have been violated, simply ignore it. Yuan Shuo has achieved a breakthrough and possesses immense pride; unless he faces certain death, there is no need to intervene!"
Even if the affair was shrouded in secrets—such as where that Three Sols had come from, why Yuan Shuo had intervened, and what role Li Hao, the descendant of the Eight Great Families, had played...
None of that was paramount.
So long as they did not break the law or indiscriminately slaughter innocents, Yuan Shuo's self-assurance in handling supernatural clashes meant Hou Xiaochen had no desire to micromanage.
Hao Lianchuan worried about whether upcoming cooperation would encounter problems, but Hou Xiaochen did not concern himself with such trivialities.
As the supreme commander of the Silver Moon Province Night Watchers, his vantage point was far broader.
Be it Red Moon or Yama, since they had already agreed to collaborate, they would not renege over an incidental clash. And if they did break their word... what of it?
Refuse to participate in exploring the ruins?
Suit themselves!
Exploring ruins was never a favor the Night Watchers begged of them. Those factions were merely exploiting their muscle to seize a share of the spoils. Once inside, blood would be spilled and battles fought regardless. Cooperation would only ever exist in the opening stages.
Having dispatched his response, Hou Xiaochen pressed a call button.
A moment later, there was a knock at the door, and someone entered.
Without looking up from his documents, Hou Xiaochen continued working as his voice rang out: "Investigate everyone in the Qiao family of Qiao's Mining in Silver City down to the finest detail. In addition, cross-check records on all Three Sols experts across Silver Moon to see if anyone showed abnormal activity tonight, focusing primarily on fire-type Three Sols."
"Understood!"
The person who entered took notes swiftly.
Just as she turned to leave, Hou Xiaochen paused in thought, then said, "By the way, how many Blood God Seeds remain in the vault?"
"Nine."
"Only nine left?"
Hou Xiaochen pondered briefly, then instructed, "Take one Three Sols Blood God Seed, one Solar Radiance Blood God Seed, and three Lunar Nether Blood God Seeds. Have Huang Yun deliver them overnight to Silver City and hand them to Hao Lianchuan. Tell him they are for Yuan Shuo and his people as a reward for their merits in slaying the enemy!"
"Director!"
The woman across the desk gasped softly. "There is only a single Three Sols Blood God Seed and two Solar Radiance Blood God Seeds in the entire vault!"
The Night Watchers had paid a steep price to acquire them.
Yet now, they were being sent to Silver City!
"Those things offer immense benefits to martial masters, but their effect on supernaturals is mediocre. Best not to let them go to waste. Since Yuan Shuo has become the foremost martial master in Silver Moon, giving them to him ensures they are put to proper use."
"But... Yuan Shuo isn't one of our Night Watchers..."
Hou Xiaochen raised his head and gave a faint smile. "So what if he isn't? As long as his blood feud with Red Moon, one of the Three Great Organizations, remains unresolved, he will never harbor thoughts of turning against us. The only power capable of shielding and supporting him is the Night Watchers."
Did a person truly have to be a Night Watcher?
Those below him might think so, but he was indifferent.
A man like Yuan Shuo did not necessarily need to be recruited into the organization; it was enough that he leaned toward them and shared their broader goals.
Figures like him existed everywhere.
Not everyone was willing to serve the government, but in critical moments, when called upon, such people were usually willing to lend a hand.
Chief Steward Yu still hesitated, loath to part with the treasures.
She was no ordinary secretary, but the head steward who oversaw the entire Night Watchers headquarters. She understood better than anyone how difficult those Blood God Seeds were to obtain. They were the hard-won spoils of countless clashes with Red Moon—one had even required Director Hou to step in personally to slay a Three Sols powerhouse.
Originally formless and ethereal, they had only been refined into consumable pills through the Director's profound strength.
Now, they were to be bestowed upon Yuan Shuo...
Yet the Director's mind was made up, leaving her no choice but to obey. Across Silver Moon Province, even Hao Lianchuan, who also stood at the Three Sols level, would not dare defy Hou Xiaochen's judgment at a time like this.
"Understood. However, would having Huang Yun deliver them pose any danger?"
Huang Yun was only an early-stage Solar Radiance. Of course, he had been chosen because of his wind affinity and swift speed.
"It will be fine."
Hou Xiaochen offered no further elaboration. By his estimation, no one would dare intercept a Solar Radiance under the current circumstances.
...
Before long.
Huang Yun, still on leave, received the directive from headquarters.
He was to deliver a treasure consignment to Silver City as a commendation for the Silver City Night Watchers' battlefield merits.
Holding the sealed metal case, Huang Yun scratched his head. He had not yet heard the news from Silver City, so he could not help but turn to the chief steward. "Chief Steward Yu, what happened in Silver City this time?"
He emphasized "this time" because the previous battle had only just taken place. How had they racked up another achievement so quickly?
"The Silver City Night Watchers officially inaugurated their branch today and executed several disruptive supernaturals."
"Oh!"
Huang Yun nodded, thought for a second, and asked, "What realm were they?"
"I don't know."
Chief Steward Yu genuinely did not know, as the Director had not explained. But since he had awarded a Three Sols Blood God Seed, one could only wonder just who Yuan Shuo had killed this time.
"All right then, I'll make it a quick trip!"
Huang Yun moved fast and had no desire to linger there. Yuan Shuo was notoriously difficult to deal with, but Director Hao was present, so Huang Yun wouldn't have to interact with the old man much.
Clutching the case, he darted out of the building, briefly taking flight before dropping neatly beside a compact car. He pulled open the door, hopped in, and sped off!
Yes, he drove.
He would only fly once he cleared the city and entered the uninhabited wilderness.
Only an idiot would fly the whole way—did they think mysterious energy came without a cost?
Only when traversing the hundreds of li of rugged mountain roads where vehicles could not pass would he take to the skies.
...
Silver City.
The banquet had concluded.
The various supernatural experts took their leave one after another, their steps ginger and cautious as though terrified of disturbing anyone.
Once clear of the Inspectorate grounds, countless guests let out prolonged sighs of relief, feeling as if they had narrowly cheated death. Rather than driving, they chose to walk home on foot, afraid that revving an engine might provoke someone's ire and earn them a swift saber to the neck.
"That yielded great results!"
Liu Long let out a sudden chuckle. Killing the chicken to frighten the monkeys—even if the guests hadn't realized that the 'chicken' in question was an actual monkey, turning it into slaughtering a monkey to terrify the chickens—the outcome was identical. Silver City's supernaturals would undoubtedly behave themselves for the foreseeable future.
Hao Lianchuan could not be bothered to indulge him. Seeing Li Hao preparing to escort Yuan Shuo out, he called out, "Come back tomorrow morning. Word just came from headquarters that they are dispatching several treasures to reward your service..."
Yuan Shuo looked back in surprise. Seeing that Hao Lianchuan was not joking, he could not resist a laugh. "Hou Xiaochen certainly has far more mettle than you. Still... I won't have any use for ordinary trinkets."
Hao Lianchuan frowned. "Yuan Shuo, being insolent with me is one thing! But show some respect to Director Hou. Have you forgotten who shielded you when you were at your lowest? Have you forgotten who stepped forward to force Red Moon back when they demanded your head? Even the Central Headquarters treads lightly around someone like Ying Hongyue, yet Director Hou braved immense pressure to keep you alive!"
"Granted, you've explored numerous ruins for the Night Watchers over the years and secured plenty of benefits for them. But as a Thousand-Battler martial master with clear debts and grudges, if you had truly been coerced, would you have ever resigned yourself to working for nothing?"
Naturally, there was history behind this.
The figure Yuan Shuo had offended was no ordinary individual, but the supreme leader of Red Moon, a being of terrifying might.
In the past, ordinary people had little exposure to the supernatural domain and lacked a proper sense of scale. Now, however, everyone understood that Ying Hongyue had long surpassed the Three Sols realm—and even years ago, he was certainly no weakling.
Back then, to wipe away his humiliation, Ying Hongyue had personally come to Silver Moon Province, only to be forced to withdraw by Hou Xiaochen. The two sides had not clashed directly; instead, Hou Xiaochen had slain a high-ranking member of Red Moon and summoned reinforcements from the central region, averting an all-out war.
Yuan Shuo looked uncharacteristically subdued. After a long silence, he said, "I'm hardly an ungrateful wretch. I've always remembered Hou Xiaochen's aid from back then. Otherwise... do you think the Night Watchers would have continuously reaped benefits from me? But look how young Hou Xiaochen is—am I supposed to call him daddy?"
"..."
Speechless, Hao Lianchuan waved a dismissive hand. "Forget it, there's no talking sense into an old codger like you. You only talk nonsense because of your age!"
Yuan Shuo ignored him and stepped straight into a car parked out front.
Seeing Li Hao take the driver's seat, Liu Long opened his mouth, then held his tongue.
Wang Ming glanced sideways at Mu Sen. Seeing that the director seemed unbothered, Wang Ming kept his mouth firmly shut as well.
That car belonged to the Inspectorate.
In fact, it appeared to be Mu Sen's personal ride!
Whether it would still be drivable after tonight, however, was anyone's guess.
Wang Ming congratulated himself on never having bought a car. A vehicle cost real money, after all; if he owned one and Li Hao asked to borrow it, would he be able to refuse?
Watching the car depart the Inspectorate in a serpentine, eccentric path, Mu Sen finally seemed to notice something was amiss. He murmured to Liu Long, "Is Li Hao deliberately driving like that to shake off tails?"
After a long pause, Liu Long forced a nod. "Yes!"
Mu Sen looked at him skeptically before remarking, "Never mind, it's just a car. Gifting it to Old Yuan is fine anyway... it was bought with public funds!"
"..."
Rendered speechless, Liu Long turned and headed inside without another word.
Mu Sen moved to follow and strike up further conversation, but Liu Long looked back. "This is an internal Night Watchers meeting. You may take your leave, Director Mu. Why keep tailing me?"
*Damn it!*
*Kicking down the bridge after crossing the river!*
Mu Sen cursed inwardly. Truth be told, he had wanted to ask Liu Long why... why the man gave him an entirely different impression tonight.
Though Hao Lianchuan was powerful, he was no martial master.
Mu Sen was!
As a martial master, he was far more sensitive to changes in his peers. Tonight, both Liu Long and Li Hao had felt slightly off. Li Hao aside, if Liu Long felt unusual, something momentous had truly shifted.
"Liu Long, got time to chat?"
"No!"
Liu Long didn't even look back.
Mu Sen stood there, thoroughly disgruntled and reluctant. *Damn it all, just talk to me for a minute.*
*Did you achieve a breakthrough?*
*That shouldn't be possible. A thick-headed fellow like Liu Long hasn't even comprehended force—what could have changed in him?*
Granted, Yuan Shuo might have offered him some guidance, but force was not something one could grasp simply through a few pointers. Besides, even if Liu Long managed it, it would be useless; the chronic internal injuries from his Nine Refinements Force ran too deep. Attempting to force an epiphany would only aggravate his wounds, which was hardly a good thing.
That was why Mu Sen had never brought it up. Knowing Liu Long's stubborn nature, the moment he tried to comprehend force, he would inevitably push too hard to apply it, utterly crippling himself.
...
Inside the car.
Li Hao gripped the steering wheel, his mouth moving as he drove. "Teacher, is Director Hou very powerful?"
"Hard to say."
Yuan Shuo sounded languid, as though he had just woken from a nap. "He was one of the earliest Three Sols in Silver Moon Province, but he reportedly suffered an injury later on and has been confined to Silver Moon all these years, so his renown gradually waned. Back in his prime, he was exceptionally aggressive. When the Three Great Organizations ran rampant across Silver Moon, Hou Xiaochen slaughtered many of them, beating them into submission. If not for him, Silver Moon would have collapsed into chaos long ago."
"So he was the one who protected you, Teacher?"
Li Hao spoke freely; their master-disciple bond was close enough to ask anything.
A complex look crossed Yuan Shuo's face. After a pause, he nodded. "Yes! But as for Hou Xiaochen as a person... I don't care much for him!"
"Why?"
"Back when he stepped in to save me, a man of my temperament would naturally repay such kindness. Putting in work for the Night Watchers, exploring ruins—none of that would have been an issue, nor would I have harbored any resentment, seeing as he had preserved my life."
Yuan Shuo sighed. "Yet that fellow insists on slapping a price tag on everything. He decreed that I had to explore thirty ruins to clear the debt, and that he would pay me wages for anything beyond that... What started as a life-saving grace, he turned into a cold transaction! Since he insisted on framing it that way, I saw no need to be polite. Strictly business, no sentiment or gratitude allowed."
Hou Xiaochen...
Li Hao pressed no further. He could tell his teacher held complicated feelings toward the man. Naturally, Hou Xiaochen was male, which Li Hao already knew.
Judging by his teacher's account, the man's personality was quite intriguing.
Leaving sentiment aside and dealing purely in reality.
*I saved you, you work for me, and we leave everything else unsaid. That actually sounds pretty reasonable.*
"Teacher, are we going to that ruin the Night Watchers found?"
"We are!"
Yuan Shuo replied, then added, "No rush, though. Let things settle for a couple of days, and I'll take you out to the mine to look around..."
His voice dropped to a murmur, tinged with curiosity. "There might be something peculiar there. I seemed to sense the aura of sword energy, but it was stranger than that—there also appeared to be saber energy... a hybrid of the two. I didn't probe too deep."
Li Hao's eyes lit up!
*Really?*
If so, did that mean he could replenish his sword energy? Right now, he was in desperate need of it.
He needed it to neutralize mysterious energy, extract the five elements energy, and heal wounds. In short, his rapid progress was inextricably tied to sword energy. Without it, he would be forced to cultivate step by painstaking step through ordinary means.
A surge of heat welled in Li Hao's chest.
In his excitement—*bang!*—the car shuddered with another violent scrape.
Yuan Shuo's brows twitched. It took him a moment to remember this wasn't his car, but Mu Sen's. Never mind—a crash was a crash. Mu Sen drove a government vehicle anyway. As for his own little car, this rascal had crashed it straight into the building; by now, it was probably totaled.
"You haven't finished absorbing the mysterious energy from last time. Killing that fellow tonight netted a massive haul of fire energy. Mysterious energy is only useful when converted into actual strength. I don't need it for now, so let me know if you want some."
Yuan Shuo mentioned it in passing, and Li Hao nodded.
Another Three Sols meant at least a thousand cubes of mysterious energy.
They would assess the situation later. Everyone had their share right now except Liu Long, who hadn't taken any. If Liu Long needed it, they could discuss it then.
"Also, take this!"
As he spoke, Yuan Shuo passed a small disc-shaped object to Li Hao...
*Bang!*
The car had barely started moving again before it collided once more.
Yuan Shuo cursed under his breath, wondering if he had lost his mind handing it over right then.
Li Hao brought the car to a stop this time and accepted the disc, examining it curiously. "Teacher, what is this?"
"Found it on Qiao Feilong's body. It's a treasure. He used it to mask his supernatural aura."
Yuan Shuo added, "You've only just made contact with force, and your comprehension is shallow, making it easy for your aura to leak. Unlike me—I've comprehended it for decades, so no one can detect a trace. Your progress has been too swift and slightly ungrounded. Take this; with it, even martial masters will struggle to read your condition."
Li Hao's rapid advancement and embryonic force made him too easy to spot.
Hao Lianchuan might not have noticed anything tonight, but Yuan Shuo had seen that the look in Mu Sen's eyes was off; Mu Sen had likely deduced something, which was not a good sign.
Rising too fast invited unwanted scrutiny.
Delighted, Li Hao turned the object over in his hands. Channelling a wisp of inner force into it, he watched the disc emit a faint radiance that vanished an instant later. Yet in that moment, Li Hao distinctly felt a difference.
A light, translucent membrane of light seemed to radiate from the disc, wrapping around him.
It was remarkably intuitive to use!
It didn't require mysterious energy; inner force activated it just as easily.
"He likely obtained it from a ruin. It masked him so thoroughly that even a Three Sols couldn't detect him, and it might even hide you from stronger foes. It's a fine treasure! Don't let anyone notice it. For supernaturals, leaking mysterious energy is difficult to control, making it hard for them to conceal themselves from one another. This object is small, yet it covers the entire body—far superior to ice crystals!"
Using ice crystals to conceal one's aura required covering the entire body without leaving a single gap. Under normal circumstances, moving even slightly would shatter the crystals, making them utterly impractical.
This disc, however, struck Yuan Shuo as exceptionally useful, viable anywhere.
Overjoyed, Li Hao nodded repeatedly and tucked the small disc into his pocket. He planned to string it together with the little sword later so he could wear them securely and avoid losing them.
Qiao Feilong was truly a generous man; this treasure aligned perfectly with Li Hao's habits.
One had to stay low-key in life!
No point in being flashy. Look at Captain Liu—the moment he stepped into the Thousand-Battler realm, the whole squad found out, and soon enough, the rest of the world probably would too. By contrast, hardly anyone knew Li Hao had reached the Hundred-Breaker realm.
...
That night, Silver City was eerily quiet.
Li Hao enjoyed a thorough night of rest. After the battle, both he and Yuan Shuo were exhausted, so they skipped their nightly studies. Rather than heading home, Li Hao slept at his teacher's residence.
As for the dog sneaking back in the dead of night, neither Li Hao nor Yuan Shuo paid it any mind.
Black Panther had likely feared being held accountable for failing to pounce on the black shadow earlier. After raking a supernatural to death, it had pretended to scout the perimeter and slipped away. Knowing it was capable of looking after itself, Li Hao and his teacher hadn't worried.
Sure enough, the creature slunk back in the middle of the night.
...
August 2.
Dawn broke.
Li Hao rose early, and Yuan Shuo, who had awakened just as early, wore an ashen, slightly pale complexion.
Li Hao realized then that his teacher's injuries were genuinely severe. The Blood Saber Art was a technique meant for mutual destruction. Though his teacher had drawn upon some sword energy, it hadn't been enough to replenish what had been expended.
This could not go on; he needed to visit the ruin at the mine as soon as possible.
Strictly speaking, he hadn't dragged his teacher down this time, as the black shadow would have ambushed Yuan Shuo regardless. Yet at the final moment, his teacher had unleashed the Blood Saber Art precisely because Li Hao's life hung in the balance.
Practicing his fist forms, Li Hao spoke up: "Teacher, you should absorb the sword energy first. Once it's depleted, we can find a way to replenish it at the ruin."
He felt the energy within the jade sword was almost exhausted, though a trace remained.
Yuan Shuo hadn't absorbed it all, likely fearing that once it was gone, there would be no way to restore it.
"No rush!"
Yuan Shuo threw punches of his own, his tone casual. "I won't die so easily. Looking like this is actually better. Keeping it up for a few days will let Hao Lianchuan see that I'm hurt. If I made a full recovery right now, it would only arouse his suspicions."
Since his teacher put it that way, Li Hao dropped the subject.
After finishing their forms, they ate breakfast delivered by the Ancient Academy. Shortly after, Li Hao received a call from Liu Yan: someone from the Night Watchers headquarters had arrived.
Huang Yun!
That old man who had visited previously, only to be scared off by his teacher.
To think the Night Watchers had actually delivered rewards—that was certainly a novelty.
Hanging up, Li Hao turned to Yuan Shuo, who was basking in the sun. "Teacher, are you coming along?"
"Might as well. Since Hou Xiaochen sent someone with gifts, we should give him the face."
Yuan Shuo let out a chuckle. "Not that he has anything truly exceptional. I have a clear ledger of the treasures at the Night Watchers headquarters—many were unearthed by my own hands, and few are of any real use to me."
Neither master nor disciple harbored grand expectations, but since the items had been sent, they would take them.
Free goods were never to be refused!
...
At the same time.
Inside the law enforcement building.
Hao Lianchuan looked both surprised and baffled. Glancing at Huang Yun, he let out a low curse: "Those fellows defied orders and acted on their own initiative, yet Director Hou still handed down such a hefty reward... Is he encouraging them to do it again next time?"
Blood God Seeds!
Five of them, no less—and he had even included the Three Sols seed.
Hao Lianchuan was familiar with their origins.
Certain high-ranking members of Red Moon carried these seeds, but locating and extracting them was exceedingly difficult.
When Duan Tian of Red Moon died last time, Hao Lianchuan had suspected one might be present, but he had no way of extracting it. Only the Director, wielding an Origin God Armament, could have managed it. Yet the Director could not leave White Moon City, so even knowing one might exist, Hao Lianchuan hadn't pursued the thought.
Headquarters kept only a meager stockpile, and that Three Sols seed was the sole one in existence.
In truth, the Night Watchers used these seeds to nurture promising newcomers. Previously, several Lunar Nether seeds had been awarded to recruits, allowing them to advance to the martial master Ten-Slayer realm before crossing over into the supernatural, which enabled most to step directly into the Lunar Nether realm and saved immense time.
Wang Ming, for instance, had received a Lunar Nether Blood God Seed in the past, though he hadn't known what it was.
This time, so many had been granted at once!
Beside him, Huang Yun said innocently, "Don't look at me, Chief Steward Yu told me to bring them. I'm just the delivery boy."
"None of your business!"
Hao Lianchuan grumbled, pondering how to distribute them.
Although the Director hadn't specified the allocation, he knew the Three Sols seed was unquestionably meant for Yuan Shuo.
The Solar Radiance seed was for Liu Long.
As for the three Lunar Nether seeds, they held little value for supernaturals... They were likely meant for Li Hao, Liu Yan, Wu Chao, and Chen Jian. But giving only three—what did that mean?
Why not just grant four?
He suspected the Director might not know Li Hao had become a martial master—or perhaps he did know, but hoped Li Hao would transition into a supernatural, withholding the seed out of concern that advancing further in martial arts would hinder his crossover into the supernatural realm.
*So the Director wants Li Hao to become a supernatural rather than pursue the martial path?*
Hao Lianchuan weighed the possibilities. Though the Director hadn't said as much, he could deduce the general intent.
Did this mean he saw promise in Li Hao, or the opposite?
While he pondered, Liu Long and the others arrived one by one.
Catching sight of Huang Yun, Wang Ming beamed broadly. He was well-acquainted with this Solar Radiance expert, having carried out missions with him before; it was Huang Yun who had dispatched him to Silver City in the first place.
What a benefactor!
Silver City might be chaotic and rife with bloodshed, but killing enemies yielded a staggering hundred and twenty cubes of mysterious energy at a stroke. He had Huang Yun to thank for sending him here.
By now, Wang Ming had little desire to return.
Back at headquarters, pulling off minor assignments might earn him an unexpected windfall of one or two cubes of mysterious energy, amounting to a fair bit over a year. But how could that compare to this place, where slaying a single Solar Radiance yielded a cut of one hundred and twenty cubes?
Huang Yun actually felt a twinge of guilt. He hadn't expected Silver City to erupt into violence so quickly after sending Wang Ming's group over.
Yet seeing Wang Ming's radiant grin, Huang Yun grew uncertain—was this kid pleased or displeased?
It made no sense!
As he puzzled over it, the door swung open.
Li Hao walked in, supporting Yuan Shuo.
Huang Yun scrambled to his feet. Truth be told, he felt intimidated by Yuan Shuo; the old demon was growing more overbearing by the day. Hearing from Director Hao that he might have clashed with a Three Sols again made him utterly terrifying.
Hao Lianchuan dispensed with pleasantries and cut straight to the point: "Director Hou had Huang Yun deliver your rewards: five Blood God Seeds! These are precious medicines capable of strengthening a martial master's inner force and physical constitution! The recipients are Yuan Shuo, Liu Long, Liu Yan, Wu Chao, and Chen Jian—one for each of you!"
"As for the rest, because this treasure offers immense benefit to martial masters but negligible effect on supernaturals, there are no rewards for you this time!"
Wang Ming and the others didn't mind in the slightest. Li Hao said nothing either; if there wasn't one for him, so be it, as he wasn't particularly invested anyway.
Yet when Hao Lianchuan produced the medicine bottles from the case, Li Hao's eyes flickered.
Catching the scent, Yuan Shuo's gaze trembled.
He knew little about Blood God Seeds, having never acquired one before.
Now, he was thoroughly astonished.
Blood God Seeds?
From the aura they gave off, the energy fluctuations were remarkably similar to those of the red shadows.
Moreover, he sensed that one of the seeds contained an overwhelming abundance of energy—even richer than the red shadow Li Hao had obtained previously.
"What is this?" Yuan Shuo could not help asking. "Where did it come from?"
Hao Lianchuan snapped irritably, "The Director expended immense effort to obtain them! Ordinary people couldn't possibly extract them; he even had to deploy an Origin God Armament! Professor Yuan, put it to good use—this is the sole Three Sols Blood God Seed in the Night Watchers' possession."
Three Sols!
A Blood God Seed?
Yuan Shuo fell into contemplation, glancing at Hao Lianchuan, then at Li Hao. An inkling formed in his mind... could it have come from Red Moon as well?
Hou Xiaochen had reportedly slain a senior member of Red Moon outside White Moon City years ago. Had he seized a red shadow back then?
An Origin God Armament...
Ordinary people could not capture them, but someone wielding an Origin God Armament might succeed.
Of course, Red Moon likely possessed their own unique methods.
This truly was an extraordinary treasure!
During his previous severe injuries, he had relied partly on sword energy and partly on the red shadow's energy to heal. Neutralizing it with sword energy produced far superior results.
He had regretted running out of that energy, never imagining Hou Xiaochen would send over a Three Sols treasure at this exact juncture.
Not only that, but another seed belonged to the Solar Radiance realm.
He glanced at Liu Long and abruptly said, "Liu Long, you have no use for yours. I'll trade you three hundred cubes of mysterious energy for it."
Liu Long had already reached the Thousand-Battler realm. A Solar Radiance red shadow would merely be icing on the cake for him, offering little practical benefit.
Yuan Shuo wanted to give it to Li Hao.
If Li Hao absorbed a Solar Radiance seed, he might swiftly advance to the mid or even late stages of the Hundred-Breaker realm!
Paired with the concept of force, it would accelerate his path toward the Thousand-Battler realm.
Hao Lianchuan frowned. "Professor Yuan, don't force a trade..."
Three hundred cubes was a massive sum!
Yet this was a reward from the Director, clearly intended to help Liu Long break through to the Thousand-Battler realm or mend his chronic injuries—yes, the seed had miraculous healing properties.
A veteran Hundred-Breaker like Liu Long naturally carried accumulated injuries. This might heal him completely, smoothing his path to the Thousand-Battler realm.
Liu Long knew nothing of the Blood God Seed's virtues, but even if he did, it wouldn't matter. His injuries were already healed. He nodded. "That's fine. If Old Yuan likes it, take it. The mysterious energy doesn't matter..."
Yuan Shuo chuckled. "Wouldn't that make me a robber? Three hundred cubes of mysterious energy it is. It's well worth that price. Of course, value varies from person to person; as long as you know it won't do you much good, that's enough."
"I naturally trust Old Yuan."
Hao Lianchuan had to interject: "Liu Long, don't agree so casually! With me here, he wouldn't dare coerce you! This treasure can heal your injuries and even advance your martial cultivation. To you, it is vastly more valuable than mysterious energy!"
Had he not known, Liu Long might have wondered, but hearing its effects made him even more indifferent.
*I've already broken through!*
*No wonder Old Yuan said it wouldn't do me much good.*
"Thank you, Director Hao, but I don't need it. I will find my own path to advance..."
*Idiot!*
Hao Lianchuan cursed inwardly. Every single one of these Silver City fools was disobedient, incapable of discerning good intentions from bad. Serves you right if Yuan Shuo swindles you.
*I'm done caring!*
He handed the three Lunar Nether Blood God Seeds to Wu Chao and his companions, tossing the remaining two straight to Yuan Shuo.
With that settled, he walked straight toward the stairs. "I'm heading back. Do as you please!"
Silver City was infuriating every single time he visited.
Huang Yun hurried after him, having no desire to remain alone with Yuan Shuo.
Once they were gone, laughter erupted in the office.
Even Liu Long couldn't help smiling. "Looks like Director Hao was thoroughly riled up."
Yuan Shuo chuckled, then issued a warning: "Don't take these Blood God Seeds rashly. And you two, the fat one and the skinny one—think carefully. Given your conditions, consuming this will easily push you into the Hundred-Breaker realm! Once you reach Hundred-Breaker, breaking through to the supernatural realm becomes far harder. Consider it thoroughly."
With that, he patted Li Hao. "Come back with me!"
Blood God Seeds!
He was in high spirits. If he consumed this Three Sols seed, his injuries might fully heal. Of course, if there was enough sword energy, he would simply use that to recover instead.
Li Hao couldn't digest a Three Sols seed, but if Yuan Shuo neutralized it with sword energy and absorbed it, it might propel him further along the Thousand-Battler path.
This time, Hou Xiaochen had truly delivered an exceptional treasure!
Hurrying downstairs with Li Hao, the youth felt a small surge of excitement as well. He knew that Solar Radiance seed was meant for him.
*Does this mean I get to grow stronger again?*
Chapter 66