Blinded by the Light

Yuan Shuo's feat spurred a multitude of powerful figures into motion toward Silver Moon. Originally, there would have been even more. Yet as word spread, Red Moon found itself in no small trouble of its own, with several experts plotting ways to hunt down their members. The actual arrivals were slightly fewer than anticipated. Still, countless martial masters across the realm set out, converging upon Silver Moon. Beyond Thousand-Battler! Those who had not yet attained Thousand-Battler might have set off purely out of reverence, but among those who had already reached it, many were now marching toward Silver Moon. To a Thousand-Battler martial master, the path ahead had long been severed. There was nowhere left to go! Unable to awaken as supers, with no onward road, the martial path had met a dead end. Now they saw a chance. Even if it was merely a sliver, even if terribly faint, they still wanted to come see for themselves. Yuan Shuo had vanished, and whether he had gone to the central region remained unknown. But everyone knew his personal disciple, Li Hao, was in Silver Moon, his whereabouts public. A martial master like Yuan Shuo would almost certainly leave his legacy behind. Such was the nature of martial masters! Haunted by the dread of dying violently at any moment, they would routinely pass down their entire art to a single successor. Rarely did one hoard their knowledge like a broom deemed a treasure—after all, the martial path had fallen into decline. ... Hengduan Canyon. The Night Watchers' encampment. Many looked tense. As the battle concluded, they had recognized the gravity of the problem: Yuan Shuo had broken through the martial limits. Setting aside Red Moon's vengeance, the mere secret of that advancement was enough to drive countless people mad. Hao Lianchuan's brow was furrowed like a mountain ravine. When he had contacted the director, the man had merely acknowledged it and claimed there was no problem, projecting an air of supreme calm. But was he truly unruffled? Could they still explore the ruins? If they refrained, would this ruin still belong to them as more and more experts turned their gazes toward Silver Moon? The more he thought about it, the worse his headache grew. He had told Yuan Shuo not to accept the challenge, but the old man had insisted, and now look where it had led them! That old monster was born to stir up trouble. He glanced at the obedient-looking Li Hao... and wondered whether this young fellow might be a second Yuan Shuo, a little monster in the making. Obedient... he naturally refused to buy it. When this kid fought Sun Moxian, he had shown the distinct style of Yuan Shuo in his prime—striking fast, precise, ruthless, and vicious. Sun Moxian was an outstanding figure among martial masters, yet he had still been beaten to death. Did he think playing the good boy now would fool anyone? Silence lingered for a while. Hao Lianchuan finally spoke. "The director should be coming. Originally, our numbers would have been enough, but now it seems that might not do!" "Should we enter the ruins early?" A handsome, middle-aged man spoke up. Carrying a longsword on his back, he was also a deputy director of the Night Watchers, surnamed Zhou, and shared Wang Ming's metal affinity. "That won't work!" Hao Lianchuan shook his head. "You weren't here for the previous expeditions. We chose the twenty-eighth not because it's an auspicious day, but because the danger inside the ruins is at its lowest then. Entering early means vastly greater danger! We failed to pick the right time on earlier attempts, and the losses were catastrophic." Deputy Director Zhou looked slightly surprised. "Is there something special about the twenty-eighth?" "The moonlight!" Hao Lianchuan had never planned to keep it secret indefinitely; he had simply withheld it to prevent the knowledge from spreading too widely. Now he explained, "On the twenty-eighth, Silver Moon's moonlight is at its weakest. Some of the mechanisms within the ruins appear to be powered by the light of the moon! The weaker the moonlight, the safer the mechanisms. Entering at the middle of the month would be courting death!" "Who knows how many eras that ancient ruined city has been buried, yet it still preserves its current state. The energy cannot be internally stored, so we all deduced that its power source comes from the moonlight shining down." "Why couldn't it be the sun?" Wang Ming asked out of curiosity. "The moon isn't necessarily visible every day, but the sun can be seen daily. When the ancients designed those mechanisms, shouldn't they have prioritized solar energy?" Why moonlight? It was an ordinary question, but coming from his mouth, it carried an unmistakably contrarian tone. Hao Lianchuan cast a sidelong glance at him but still explained, "Because the sun doesn't come out at night. When the ancients garrisoned cities, they had soldiers by day, and night was when normal people rested. Triggering certain mechanisms at that time served to guard against nighttime uprisings!" Hence, they needed an energy source for the night. Wang Ming remained puzzled. "Then if we go in during the day right now, wouldn't we avoid any interference from moonlight energy?" Hao Lianchuan shook his head. "Energy accumulates." "Then wouldn't the sun be even better? Gather energy by day, use it by night!" He was definitely being argumentative, but his logic held water, rendering Hao Lianchuan's claim about needing a nighttime energy source somewhat contradictory. Hao Lianchuan was left momentarily speechless. This brat had certainly grown bolder after breaking into Solar Radiance! "Regardless, that's how it is. On the twenty-eighth, when the moonlight is weakest, the mechanisms in the ruins are at their lowest power!" Wang Ming seemed inclined to argue further, but catching Hao Lianchuan's unfriendly glare, he snapped his mouth shut. Fine, you're the boss, you're always right. The others understood now: the twenty-eighth was the optimal window. Otherwise, they might have to wait until the twenty-eighth of next month. If delayed by an entire month, whether this ruin would still remain under the Night Watchers' control was anybody's guess. A collective gloom descended upon the gathering. Liu Long knew little about these matters and had stayed silent throughout. Now he remarked in a low, somber voice, "The people from Red Moon's branch are virtually wiped out, and Bright Island has been obliterated. As for Yama, Feitian, and Sword Gate, taken individually, none of them surpass us. Our circumstances ought to be better than before. Even if they have reinforcements, don't we have ours?" "The Night Watchers fight them in the central region without yielding ground, which proves our combat power is formidable! If the other side draws experts from the center, could it be that Night Watcher headquarters cannot spare even a bit of strength?" Since balance had been maintained until now, there was no reason why killing off a batch of enemies should make things more dangerous instead. It defied logic, did it not? Before Hao Lianchuan could answer, the metal-element Deputy Director Zhou said coldly, "The central command wants nothing more than for the major organizations to pull their strength out of the central region. As for turmoil along the borderlands, that belongs to the borderlands! The more people die out here, the better!" Liu Long froze for a moment. Hao Lianchuan snapped, "Watch your tongue!" Deputy Director Zhou replied in a chilly voice, "We are all men of Silver Moon, what is there to hide? The dynasty has already lost control over the borderlands. Unable to spare attention for the periphery and worried the border provinces might declare independence, they prefer the borders to be as chaotic as possible! Only in chaos will they gain enough time to quell the turmoil in the central region, after which they can slowly clean up the border provinces and bring an end to the disorder." "Therefore, the central leadership's intent and stance are abundantly clear. No matter how much chaos erupts here, it doesn't matter to them. As long as you pin down the enemy's hands and feet, that counts as success. How much you lose, how many die—none of that enters their calculations." Liu Long stood dazed for a while. He had never heard such things before. Now, hearing it so abruptly, his thoughts drifted. The central region... would not support the borderlands? He looked toward the others, especially Hao Lianchuan, his emotions tangled and heavy. He said in a deep voice, "Director Hao, Silver Moon is part of the Heavenly Star Dynasty. In the face of crisis, the central region simply washes its hands of us? Silver Moon has not reached the point of collapse, and we have always recognized the dynasty's rule. The common folk here consider themselves subjects of the dynasty, with none seeking independence or rebellion. Why must it be like this?" Seeing his inquiry, Hao Lianchuan fell silent for a long moment before speaking slowly. "Perhaps it isn't that they don't care... but that they genuinely lack the power to help. The warfare in the central region has consumed too much of their energy. Right now, the central command longs for breathing room, and the departure of any enemies is a blessing. If they dispatch personnel to Silver Moon now, wouldn't that merely extend the central war into Silver Moon? As for Silver Moon itself... it is simply too far from the center!" Among the ninety-nine provinces, Silver Moon sat on the outer frontier. The twenty-plus provinces of the central region alone formed an immense territory. Beyond that, Silver Moon's turn did not come until the very edge of the map, stretching all the way to the border. The Heavenly Star Dynasty's current hope was simply to drive the major super organizations out of the central region, solidify its authority there, and slowly expand outward—a strategy aligned with broad policy. Otherwise, dispersing troops endlessly might cause the central region itself to fall. The direction was sound, the strategy justifiable. Yet to border provinces—especially those harboring no thoughts of rebellion or secession—this was nothing short of abandonment. In Silver Moon, the plan to migrate from small cities to large cities already felt like abandonment to many. To have the central government forgo even migration and cast them aside entirely struck an incomparably heavy blow. After finishing, Hao Lianchuan added, "There's no need to dwell on it. In fact, it isn't all bad. As long as we deal with the invading foes, Silver Moon will enjoy peace! It's not as though the dynasty neglects us completely; every now and then they still allocate super resources our way..." He spoke a few soothing words to prevent disappointment from curdling into resentment. That would do no good. Besides, this was no time to debate such matters. He continued, "Calm yourselves, everyone. Once the director arrives, all our troubles will pass." Hou Xiaochen. Hearing that the director was coming, everyone suppressed their momentary panic. Even though he had not taken the field in years, the man remained their bedrock. With him present, no problem would prove insurmountable. Li Hao watched silently. Seeing their expressions, he understood that Hou Xiaochen possessed immense prestige among the Night Watchers. Whether that was because he had long harbored ambitions of independence and cultivated popular support, or because he had genuinely refused higher summons time and again to protect Silver Moon, Li Hao did not know. He knew little of Hou Xiaochen. Consequently, he believed half of what Hou Xiaochen said and doubted the rest. That Silver Moon found itself ignored by higher authorities was partly due to Hou Xiaochen repeatedly defying orders. In Li Hao's view, no superior would tolerate such a subordinate. A general in the field may disregard a sovereign's decree. It sounded reasonable enough, yet with a great war raging in the central region, a frontier commander refusing to march back to the capital's defense was, in the eyes of the high command, practically indistinguishable from mutiny. Of course, each side had its own perspective. Lacking knowledge of the inner workings, Li Hao chose to remain an onlooker. The group discussed options for a while without finding any solid solutions, leaving them no choice but to wait for Hou Xiaochen's arrival. ... The wait did not last long. Hou Xiaochen had yet to arrive. A towering presence suddenly surged into the heavens. Inside the command tent, Hao Lianchuan frowned slightly and hurried outside. In the distance, a streak of violet light flashed past, materializing before the crowd in an instant. Hao Lianchuan's expression turned grim. "Ziyue!" The supreme leader of Red Moon stationed in Silver Moon, Ziyue! She wore no ghost-faced mask. She looked like a woman in her prime, perhaps thirty years old at most, her eyes shimmering with violet light while faint arcs of lightning flickered around her body. A thunder-element expert! Without a word of greeting, she swept her gaze over the crowd, spotting Li Hao behind them, and spoke in a voice devoid of ripples: "Hand over Li Hao, Hao Lianchuan. You know why!" Li Hao's master had slaughtered their people. Now that Yuan Shuo had fled, Ziyue had to offer some account to the central experts soon to arrive, no matter what. Though her tone was calm, it seemed fraught with thunderous fury. "I am unwilling to tear off all pretenses with your Night Watchers right now, but that does not mean you may harbor someone of the Five Animals lineage!" Hao Lianchuan cursed under his breath! Where was the director? Why hadn't he arrived? Ziyue was formidable, perhaps even surpassing Sun Yifei. Red Moon had seven leadership figures—Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue, and Violet. Red was Ying Hongyue himself, while Violet ranked seventh. Rank did not necessarily reflect raw strength, especially since she was not the first-generation Ziyue. Her status, however, was exceptionally high. This indicated how much importance Red Moon attached to Silver Moon. Not just Red Moon, but the other organizations were the same. The crux lay in the fact that many powerful figures had emerged from Silver Moon's martial circles... though that had been the old explanation. In hindsight, it likely had something to do with the Eight Great Families as well. In any case, Hao Lianchuan knew he was no match for her, even with the Fire Phoenix Spear in hand, for Ziyue surely possessed an Origin God Armament of her own! Origin God Armaments were scarce, yet almost every province had a few. They varied in power and significance. Some possessed extraordinary special effects—such as the one currently contested in the central region—while offensive armaments were of somewhat lesser value. A prominent figure like Ziyue was bound to have one! "Ziyue!" Hao Lianchuan said deeply. "Whether Li Hao is handed over will be decided when the director arrives! I don't have the authority, and you shouldn't think of seizing him by force. Otherwise, the moment the director arrives, war between Red Moon and the Night Watchers will be inevitable!" Ziyue looked at him coldly. "And what of war? You dare threaten me? Hao Kong is dead, Duan Tian is dead, Sun Yifei is dead... If I cannot bring Li Hao back, how am I to answer for this? Since trouble awaits me either way... we might as well make it messier!" With that, she reached out toward Li Hao! Her palm brought down a prison of thunder! Like a hand blotting out the sky, the pressure she exerted in that instant weighed down upon everyone present. This woman had actually attacked. Enraged, Hao Lianchuan let out a roaring shout and threw a punch, unleashing a blast of heavenly fire. With a deafening boom, he was thrown backward step after step, his hand coated in crackling thunder that detonated repeatedly, shattering the flesh of his arm. Yet Ziyue remained as unmovable as a mountain. Thrusting her palm forward once more, she reached toward Li Hao again. Capturing Li Hao was partly because of Yuan Shuo. And partly... because of his identity as a descendant of the Eight Great Families. Ziyue knew that taking Li Hao captive might allow her to atone for her failure and avoid punishment upon her return. But failing to seize him would spell disaster. Under her leadership, the Silver Moon branch had lost far too many experts. Several Three Sols figures had fallen, including Sun Yifei, who had only just arrived. It was worth remembering that many provinces did not even have a single Three Sols presiding over them. Less critical provinces had only Solar Radiance figures in charge. Silver Moon had drawn multiple Three Sols experts on account of the Eight Great Families and Hou Xiaochen, yet now she alone remained. The higher-ups were bound to be driven mad with rage. ... In the crowd, Li Hao remained expressionless. He simply watched the woman strike again and again, parried each time by Hao Lianchuan. Seize me? He did not fear death—or rather, he did not fear dying right now, because Ziyue could not possibly kill him at this moment. The matters in Silver City were not yet concluded; the Eight Trigrams remained, the stone door remained... Red Moon likely knew all of this. They still needed him, perhaps even needing to wait for the next rainy season to extract his bloodline. She would not kill him now. He merely committed this woman's face to memory. Furthermore, if Ziyue had arrived, where was Hou Xiaochen? By this point, the other Solar Radiance supers stepped in one after another. A single Solar Radiance was naturally no match for a Three Sols expert, but several attacking in unison instantly threw the scene into turmoil. Ziyue snorted coldly, and something within her body seemed on the verge of surging forth. Li Hao observed quietly. He saw that an unrecognizable fierce beast seemed ready to emerge from within her—likely an Origin God Armament. In this short span of time, he had already laid eyes on several Origin God Armaments. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Zhang Ting, who was hiding among the crowd just as he was... This middle Three Sols figure, presumably from the central region, held an Origin God Armament yet chose to duck away at a moment like this. Beside Li Hao, Liu Long had not made a move. He simply kept Li Hao shielded behind him. Yuan Shuo was gone, and Li Hao had been brought here by him. At this moment, he was Li Hao's final layer of protection, even though he was merely an ordinary Thousand-Battler, far from a martial powerhouse of Yuan Shuo's caliber. A faint warmth rose in Li Hao's heart; in critical moments, not everyone behaved like Zhang Ting. Hao Lianchuan and the others continued their resistance. Though surrendering him would have ended the conflict, none compromised. The Night Watchers, after all, retained some shred of their final dignity and backbone. Just as the thunderous beast seemed about to manifest, Ziyue abruptly halted her assault and retreated several paces. Momentarily, two figures approached slowly from the distance. A man and a woman. The man Li Hao recognized: Hou Xiaochen. The woman was unfamiliar, possessing an icy, aloof face. She was currently supporting Hou Xiaochen as they walked toward the encampment. Hao Lianchuan was overjoyed! "Director Hou!" The director had arrived! As for Chief Steward Yu beside him, no one greeted her. For years, this chief steward had looked after Hou Xiaochen. As to whether there was any other relationship between them... no one cared to gossip. Hou Xiaochen had no family, an unmarried man beside an unmarried woman; the onlookers paid little mind to their private affairs. Ziyue turned her gaze toward Hou Xiaochen as well. Even though he currently looked sickly, in need of someone's arm to lean on, no one would dare underestimate him. This was the super expert who had slain a Three Sols figure right in front of Ying Hongyue years ago. At that time, Ying Hongyue had likely already stepped into the Rising Light realm. Yet someone had still executed a Three Sols right before his eyes—a testament to Hou Xiaochen's sheer might. "Hou Xiaochen!" Ziyue spoke, her tone laced with a chill. "The Night Watchers meddle too much. Do you truly intend to protect Yuan Shuo's disciple?" Hou Xiaochen smiled, effortless and unhurried. "Li Hao is a Night Watcher, isn't he?" From a distance, Hao Lianchuan hurriedly answered, "Yes!" "Then that settles it." He looked toward Ziyue, chuckling. "There, don't be angry. Third-generation Ziyue, wait until your Red Moon sends real experts before talking like that. You alone... why ask for trouble?" Ziyue's eyes grew sharp and cold! Hou Xiaochen laughed. "Why stare at me? I'm not afraid of you. Even if I'm not what I was back then, I wouldn't fear a little girl like you. The second-generation Ziyue was killed by me, right in front of Ying Hongyue. You wouldn't want me to force Red Moon into another succession, would you?" At these words, Ziyue's expression shifted slightly. Indeed, the one slain back then had been the second-generation Ziyue! Having it brought up now left her looking thoroughly grim. Yet her wariness of Hou Xiaochen was undeniable. In the distance, a figure flickered faintly. Hou Xiaochen glanced in that direction with a light chuckle. "Lunzhuan, does Yama want a piece of this too? Yama suffered no losses this time, while Red Moon took a devastating hit. Do you want to end up like them?" A hollow laugh drifted from afar. "We harbor no such intention; Director Hou misunderstands! We merely felt the super fluctuations here and came to take a look. Since Director Hou has arrived, we shall take our leave!" With those words, the distant figures vanished. Hou Xiaochen walked forward unhurriedly, step by step, saying softly, "Ziyue, Banshan of Feitian hasn't shown himself to this day. Have you had contact with him? Where did he go? Is he in hiding, or in seclusion preparing for a breakthrough?" Ziyue glared at him coldly. The next instant, she flashed like lightning and vanished from the spot. She had no desire to exchange words with Hou Xiaochen. Hou Xiaochen paid it no mind, shaking his head. "The young have such fine talent, yet... quite lacking in manners. After all, I am her benefactor. Shouldn't she thank me for opening up the spot that got her promoted to third-generation Ziyue?" Silence answered him. Hao Lianchuan waited a moment before asking, "Director, why did you only arrive now?" He had arrived later than everyone else! Hou Xiaochen glanced at him and smiled. "I'm ill and walk slowly. Didn't you know?" "..." Fine, an unassailable excuse. Yet... total nonsense! Even with unhealed wounds, it shouldn't be to this extent. Injuries were common among the powerful; even if one hadn't fully recovered, it shouldn't produce such a sickly appearance—at most, combat strength would be impaired. Around them, the others cheered in excitement. "The director is here!" "Let's see if that Ziyue dares to act arrogant now! With the director here, she has no room to be brazen!" ... Beside Li Hao, Liu Long glanced toward Hou Xiaochen and lowered his voice. "Speak less! That man... is no ordinary figure, and far less easygoing than Director Hao." Toward Hao Lianchuan, Liu Long dared make jokes or even play a bit of deception, but toward Hou Xiaochen, a man's reputation preceded him like the shadow of a great tree. The battle against Ying Hongyue years ago had earned him renown; even an enemy like Ziyue had fled the moment he appeared, not daring to linger. Li Hao remained silent. He merely observed the man: slightly long hair that appeared unkempt for some time, a frail and sickly posture, and a stature not especially tall—perhaps even slightly shorter than Li Hao. He wore a Night Watcher uniform of a deep navy hue, slightly brighter than the black worn by Li Hao and the others. He looked to be in his thirties. Yet Li Hao knew he had to be over forty. Whether he had reached fifty remained unclear, but he was certainly older than he appeared. A faint smile touched his face, matching his sickly complexion to give him a refined, scholarly air. Yet this was the very man who, only last night, had uttered words about declaring independence if pushed to the brink! As Li Hao observed him, Hou Xiaochen also looked toward Li Hao. Walking over step by step, a smile played on his lips. "Yuan Shuo's disciple? The descendant of the Li family of the Eight Great Families?" The Eight Great Families were rarely mentioned. Yet today, Hou Xiaochen had spoken it outright. Li Hao lowered his head. "I am a disciple of the Five Animals lineage. As for the Eight Great Families... I am not entirely sure. I have only heard of them; Red Moon seems to think I am, but whether that is true, I cannot say." Hou Xiaochen nodded slightly, smiling. "Mmh, not bad!" Turning to Hao Lianchuan, he ordered, "Send people to Yama, Feitian, and Sword Gate to invite their leaders over for a chat. If they refuse to come now, then tomorrow we will open the ruins and enter on our own!" "Right now?" "Right now!" "Understood!" Hao Lianchuan immediately dispatched personnel to invite the leaders of each faction for discussion. Hou Xiaochen said nothing more on the matter, looking back at Li Hao. "Do you have time to accompany me to the previous battlefield?" "By the bridge?" Li Hao asked. Hou Xiaochen nodded. Li Hao said promptly, "After you, Director!" Since Hou Xiaochen wished to look, Li Hao had no reason to refuse. When others moved to follow, Hou Xiaochen waved them off, allowing only Chief Steward Yu to support him as they walked with Li Hao toward the old battlefield. Along the way, little was said. ... Li Hao was exceedingly curious about Hou Xiaochen, but he kept it suppressed. Things that should not be said went unsaid; questions that should not be asked went unasked. Presently, he was merely a Hundred-Breaker, while the other man was the supreme leader of Silver Moon's Night Watchers. The gap in status between them was vast. After walking for a time, they arrived at the battlefield. Hou Xiaochen glanced toward the distant grave, then looked up at the sky. A moment later, he coughed softly and drifted into the air, rising into midair. He strolled through the air as though wandering an idle garden, reaching out occasionally to grasp at the breeze, as if feeling for the traces of the past struggle. Before long, he descended to the ground. He let out a sigh of bittersweet admiration. "Old Monster Yuan never did fade away after all. In a single bound he reached Thousand-Battler, and within days he stepped into Spirit Nourishing. The momentum fusion of the Five Animals is truly remarkable!" He smiled and continued, "Heart fire nourishes the ape, kidney water nourishes the tiger... In other words, Spirit Nourishing nourishes the Five Viscera Gods? Using the five momentums as spirits, nourishing the spirits of the five momentums?" He then frowned slightly. "Yet this... is ill-suited for anyone else!" His perception was sharp, but on closer thought, while this fit Yuan Shuo's path, it did not necessarily fit other martial masters. "If this is so, the rise of martial masters... remains a dream. The strength of one man does not equal the strength of all martial masters!" Hou Xiaochen shook his head. "Among martial masters, not everyone is Yuan Shuo, and not everyone can nurture five momentums! Back then, how many people did he kill before he managed to fuse five momentums, nearly severing his own path to Thousand-Battler in the process?" That path seemed impassable to others! If that was the case... as powerful as Yuan Shuo was, it would not truly shake the world. Hou Xiaochen seemed faintly disappointed. A powerful Yuan Shuo, possessing strength limited to himself alone... did not hold much significance for him. He far preferred that Yuan Shuo had genuinely opened a grand highway for all martial masters, one where every martial master had hope. Even if Thousand-Battler remained a barrier that weeded out countless candidates, the realm was vast, and with the advent of mysterious energy, martial masters progressed faster. There would certainly be people who comprehended momentum, and many of them. If all such individuals could attain Spirit Nourishing, martial arts would truly flourish! Li Hao kept his head lowered. "My teacher has only just stepped into this realm; he is currently attempting to generalize it." Hou Xiaochen nodded, then asked with a smile, "And you?" "Me?" "Yes. You must have reached Thousand-Battler as well. Though your foundation is not quite your teacher's, I imagine you won't be content staying at Thousand-Battler for life. What plans do you have for your future?" "I am still young..." "Twenty years old is no longer young." Hou Xiaochen chuckled. "You must understand, in the central region, there are twenty-year-olds who have already stepped into Three Sols! With the rise of supers and the emergence of mysterious energy, super advancement has become simple, and Heaven-Blessed Divine Masters advance with the aid of heaven itself. Even for martial masters, cultivating alongside mysterious energy is ten times easier than in the past! At twenty, you ought to have some plans." "Furthermore, you are Yuan Shuo's student and a descendant of the Eight Great Families. If you do not grow stronger, endless trouble will find you." He paused, then added, "One more thing: everyone exists with their own value! You are not my student, nor are you my child. Because you are a Night Watcher, I am willing to offer you some aid. But if the trouble you bring outweighs the value you offer, do you truly believe a stranger will help you without limit?" A painfully realistic truth. Li Hao fell silent for a time, then spoke: "My teacher has vanished. Right now, only I possess the core legacy of the Five Animals Art, including his process of Spirit Nourishing and his theoretical concepts." "Is that all?" Hou Xiaochen said with disappointment, "If that's all there is, it would only be worth minding if it were a path for the masses; if it applies to one person alone, there is no need to place much weight upon it." Li Hao lapsed into silence again. After an unknown stretch of time, just as Hou Xiaochen turned to leave, Li Hao suddenly spoke up: "I am a descendant of the Eight Great Families!" "..." Hou Xiaochen smiled, turning back to him. "Weren't you unsure?" "I am sure!" Li Hao lowered his head, sounding embarrassed. "My teacher told me not to say so outside, but in truth, I am! During the ancient civilization, the Eight Great Families were extraordinary, intertwined with top secrets and certain ruins!" Hou Xiaochen considered this for a moment and nodded. "Barely sufficient. Let it be, then!" With that, he walked back toward the camp. Chief Steward Yu had remained like an invisible ghost throughout, never speaking a word. Li Hao followed quietly, uttering not a sound. Hou Xiaochen was someone he could not see through—or rather, someone he dared not scrutinize. Yet as for Chief Steward Yu... he could discern a thing or two. The colossal sun she embodied had nearly dazzled his eyes blind. Hao Lianchuan... was truly pathetic! To think he was the first deputy director, yet fell short of a woman. This Chief Steward Yu was no minor figure. Yet she willingly kept a low profile as a mere housekeeper, which only highlighted how truly terrifying Hou Xiaochen was. Thus, from beginning to end, Li Hao kept his head lowered. He feared that before Hou Xiaochen could blind him, Chief Steward Yu would dazzle his eyes blind first. Many thoughts swirled through Li Hao's mind, but toward Hou Xiaochen, what remained most was doubt. Why... had he sensed so little super energy from him? Could it be that the man had completely reined it in? Or was he, in truth, a martial master as well? Surely not? Numerous questions surfaced within him, but Li Hao chose silence. Walking beside these calculating, experienced titans, it was best to act as though he knew nothing at all.