Entering the Ruins

August 28th. Five o'clock in the morning. The camp was already stirring with noise. By agreement, they were to enter the ruins at six, yet Li Hao still had no idea where the ruins were located; he only knew that it was an ancient city. Hengduan Canyon was immense. Where exactly this ancient city lay buried was something Yuan Shuo had not had time to explain, nor had Li Hao asked anyone on the Night Watchers' side. Regardless, all he had to do was follow along. Dawn had not yet fully broken. As the Night Watchers bustled about, the supers outside—who had barely slept at all—began stirring as well. Soon, a crowd of supers converged in the center of the camp. It was quite a gathering, though many of them would not be going inside. Hou Xiaochen emerged, supported by Chief Steward Yu. The others saw nothing out of the ordinary, and Li Hao managed to keep his composure, but Wang Ming was itching to gossip: had those two slept together last night? Yet the moment he caught sight of Hou Xiaochen's smiling face, Wang Ming felt a twinge of fear and did not dare murmur a single word. "Let's go." Hou Xiaochen said nothing more. Beside him, Hu Dingfang strode up and positioned himself at the head of the crowd, somewhat usurping Hao Lianchuan’s place. Hao Lianchuan shot him a sidelong glance. People always said military men were straightforward, but Hao Lianchuan thought Hu Dingfang was thoroughly rotten. The man loved picking fights for no reason, and he despised the bastard. "Stand properly! Did you not eat your fill?" Hu Dingfang barked, glancing sideways at him. Hao Lianchuan felt an urge to hit someone! Who are you scolding? I’m the deputy director—the first deputy director, no less! Granted, strictly by official rank, the Night Watchers might be considered half a tier lower than the military. After all, the Night Watchers had originated as a subordinate agency under the Inspectorate. Strictly speaking, the Silver Moon provincial director of the Inspectorate was his direct superior and on equal footing with the military’s garrison commander. As for Hou Xiaochen, he could be regarded as an equal to Hu Dingfang, who was merely one of three branch army commanders, meaning Hao Lianchuan was indeed half a rank below him. Hu Dingfang’s reprimand gave the onlookers an odd impression. Hao Lianchuan was, after all, their superior. Some found it inappropriate; moreover, Hao Lianchuan was a Three Sols expert. Crucially, Hao Lianchuan was a decent man, so seeing their superior scolded left a few people feeling disgruntled—even if Hu Dingfang was here to hold down the fort today! Seeing this, Hou Xiaochen was about to interject when Hu Dingfang said flatly, "What are you looking at? This is a personal grudge between Hao Lianchuan and me. It has nothing to do with the rest of you. Does anyone want to step in and take this up on his behalf?" Silence followed. A personal grudge? The crowd was puzzled. What personal grudge could there be between the two of them? Hao Lianchuan was equally speechless. "Hu Dingfang, what personal grudge do I have with you? If you want to pick a fight, just spit it out!" Hu Dingfang ignored him. Beside them, Hou Xiaochen chuckled. "There is a little something... Just a tiny bit, nothing major. All right, let’s not sour the harmony." With that, he took the lead and stepped forward. Hao Lianchuan, however, racked his brains. Was there? He could not recall a thing! He truly had no memory of having any personal grudge with this man. A little something? No wonder that whenever they met in the past, this fellow always gave him cold looks and sour expressions. So there really was something? Then why didn't I know about it? Perplexed, he deliberately slowed his pace. Waiting until Director Hou and Hu Dingfang were chatting in low voices ahead, he whispered to Chief Steward Yu, "Secretary Yu, do you know what this is about?" He genuinely did not remember. Director Hou seemed to know, so Chief Steward Yu ought to know as well. Chief Steward Yu glanced at him, not bothering to answer. Hao Lianchuan felt annoyed. What was with this person? If you won’t say, then don’t say it, but why make that face? After a moment's thought, he caught up again and whispered, "Let me tell you a little secret: the director actually dislikes spicy food. Every time you make something spicy for him, he secretly dumps it out after you leave!" Chief Steward Yu stared at him for a moment. Ahead, the chatting Director Hou glanced back, said nothing to him, and merely lowered his voice to say, "Go easy on Hao Lianchuan. We’re all on the same side. If you really want to beat him, you can do it after we come out of the ruins..." Hu Dingfang nodded slightly. He understood. At that moment, Chief Steward Yu pondered for a second and said, "It has to do with his wife. Think about it yourself!" His wife? Hao Lianchuan thought it over carefully. His wife is Chen Yuhua. I know her; she's quite good-looking. We chatted for a while a few years ago. She's a martial master, and quite powerful too. Back then, Yuan Shuo was continuously cooperating with the Night Watchers, and I went over to talk with her several times... Chatted a few times? It couldn't be because of that, could it? Surely not! Hu Dingfang wouldn't be that petty. Besides, it was just a few chats; nothing improper happened. Could it be because of Yuan Shuo? At that thought, Hao Lianchuan felt a flash of realization. Was it because of the time Yuan Shuo was injured three years ago? So his wife thought it was my fault and had Hu Dingfang target me? That was possible! However... I wasn't the one who sent Yuan Shuo to explore the ruins—that was Director Hou. Thinking of this, Hao Lianchuan felt a wave of disdain. What a bully, preying on the weak while fearing the strong! So you didn't dare trouble the director, and chose to target me instead? Now I get it! So that was why. The more he thought about it, the more repulsive Hu Dingfang seemed—a coward who bullied the weak and feared the strong! Still, his wife really was quite attractive... What a pity she ended up with such a cold-faced general. Then another thought struck him: she had whispered pillow talk into his ear to get him to target me, so she wasn't a good person either. Heh! No one from Yuan Shuo’s lineage was any good. With that, he cast a glance at Li Hao, who was keeping an exceptionally low profile in the crowd. The more Hao Lianchuan looked, the more annoyed he became. This kid put on such a pitiful, quiet, innocent act... In truth, he wasn't a good sort either. Just like his teacher: terrifyingly meek when weak, but insufferably arrogant the moment he had power! ... While Hao Lianchuan was busy indulging in his gossip, the crowd exited the camp. Outside, several distinct factions had formed. All was quiet. The four main groups were Red Moon, Feitian, Yama, and Sword Gate. In addition, there were thirty to forty supers belonging to minor organizations or acting as lone wanderers. While not overwhelmingly powerful, none were weak either; mostly Lunar Nether, with around ten in the Solar Radiance realm. Of the fourteen smaller organizations from before, some had fled outright, but most had stayed behind, leaving their weaker members out of the excursion. Under current circumstances, with multiple Three Sols experts entering—including figures like Ziyue—the supers from minor factions feared death as well. That thirty or forty had chosen to stay showed considerable courage. Including the Night Watchers, nearly two hundred people would be entering the ruins. Seeing Hou Xiaochen and the others emerge, the rest quickly followed, though they kept their distance and trailed behind. Under the dim morning light, the group advanced swiftly. After walking for about twenty minutes, Hou Xiaochen halted before a cliff face. The crowd looked around, somewhat bewildered. They saw nothing out of the ordinary. Hou Xiaochen spoke, pointing at the cliff ahead. "The entrance is right here!" Instantly, seven or eight waves of supernatural energy flared as people probed the cliff face, yet they detected nothing. Hou Xiaochen said calmly, "It is difficult to discover! If Yuan Shuo hadn't led us here back then, even we wouldn't have known an ancient ruin lay hidden in this spot." From the crowd, someone asked in confusion, "Then how did Yuan Shuo discover it?" "No idea. He never said." Hou Xiaochen's tone remained utterly placid. "My agreement with him back then was that he would help me locate and explore thirty ruins. As for the rest, I did not pry. How he found this place, I do not know. I only know that during the expedition three years ago, he nearly died here. Since you have all come this far, I presume you know a thing or two about it." "Did Yuan Shuo's breakthrough to Spirit Nourishing have anything to do with this ruin?" someone called out. A few people glanced toward Red Moon's faction with strange expressions. Clearly, they had received yesterday's news as well. Red Shadows, Blood God Seeds! This time, Red Moon had brought quite a few reinforcements. Did that mean these newcomers were also carrying Blood God Seeds? Those without Origin God Armaments had no particular cravings or expectations. Yet everyone knew that Yama's Wheel-Turning King definitely possessed an Origin God Armament, and Hao Lianchuan likely carried one as well. As for Feitian, Banshan had not arrived, so it was unclear whether they had one. Furthermore, there was Sword Gate's Hong Yitang; since he could found Sword Gate and nurture several supers, who knew whether Sword Gate possessed an Origin God Armament? If so, those people might well harbor ulterior motives. Ziyue had clearly received the news too, and her gaze was frigid. Last night, headquarters had sent a message warning her to be careful. Reinforcements would arrive soon to link up with her, but after this exploration, she was to keep a low profile. Several strongholds in the Central Region had suffered attacks and been eradicated by the roots. The losses were catastrophic! In just one night, several Three Sols experts had vanished, along with a fair number of Solar Radiance members. Noticing the stares directed at her group, Ziyue snapped coldly, "Are you all looking for death? That rumor was either spread by Yuan Shuo himself, or someone is trying to fish in troubled waters! If that were truly the case, someone from my Red Moon would have broken through to Spirit Nourishing long ago!" No one answered. Whether to believe her was up to them. Hou Xiaochen smiled faintly. "Ziyue, arguing about this now is pointless. Before we set off, I have one more thing to remind you all: once inside, cooperate if you can. It's not that I worry about you acting against the Night Watchers... but we have come with high hopes to explore the ruins this time. If we miss this chance, whether this ruin ends up belonging to the Central Region or Silver Moon will be hard to say." The crowd grew thoughtful, and none disputed him. Hou Xiaochen's words made sense. Once people from the Central Region arrived, would this place still belong to them? "I shall say no more!" Hou Xiaochen fell silent, and in the next instant, a beam of mysterious energy struck the cliff. Immediately after, Hao Lianchuan blasted a surge of fire energy against it. A moment later, several other supers successively sent their respective energies into the rock face. Li Hao paid it no mind at first. Yet... once everyone had infused their energy, he was slightly taken aback, his mind drifting for a moment. "Metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, darkness..." Eight types of energy were channeled in, each seemingly occupying a specific position. Li Hao observed closely, and in that instant, connected it to something familiar: the Eight Trigrams! Opening the ruin seemed to require channeling eight types of energy. Crucially, the positions struck closely resembled the Eight Trigrams. *An Eight Trigrams chart?* At that moment, Li Hao suddenly thought of the Eight Trigrams diagram hovering above Silver City. Could this place... truly be related to Silver City? His teacher had mentioned that at the main gate of the ancient city, there was a small turtle emblem. Ever since learning about the Eight Great Families, Li Hao had suspected a connection to them, and one of the families, the Wangs, had a folk rhyme: *The Wang family kept a great turtle.* Of course, apart from that, Yuan Shuo had offered no further evidence connecting it to the Eight Great Families. Yet why did this opening method resemble the Eight Trigrams so closely? His teacher had never brought it up. Li Hao felt a pang of regret; had his teacher been here, he would have loved to ask how Yuan Shuo had discovered this place back then, and how he had figured out the way to open it. *Perhaps there really is a connection...* Thinking this, Li Hao tightened his grip on the little jade sword at his waist. If there was a connection, the sword might prove exceedingly useful. As the eight energies soaked into the stone, the entire cliff face seemed to undergo a transformation. Moments later, the cliff began to resemble a mirror, turning translucent! At this sight, several supers marvelled in awe, expressions of astonishment spreading across their faces. "The ancient civilization... truly incredible!" someone gasped. The technology of the ancient civilization was almost too advanced. In the current era, many things had been derived from exploring ancient ruins. Even the martial path was deeply intertwined with the ancient civilization. As for the supernatural abilities that had arisen only in recent years, they too were connected to it. Beyond that, the ancient civilization possessed a vast array of high technology—such as modern automobiles, the helicopters seen last night, and countless other aspects of daily life. All were linked to it. The Heavenly Star Dynasty's rapid transition from an agrarian society into its current semi-technological, semi-supernatural state was entirely thanks to the ancient civilization. Silver City Ancient Academy had been founded specifically for research into it. Yuan Shuo had originally taught there. It was said that the Heavenly Star Dynasty’s ability to unite the realm had also stemmed from the ancient civilization. The royal family might have excavated a massive ancient ruin in those days, obtaining numerous high-tech artifacts, including several city-destroying weapons. Only because of this could such a vast dynasty be unified. Otherwise, given the technological state of society back then, a conquered province might be lost within days—and you might not even realize it had fallen. While the supers stood in awe, Li Hao was equally amazed. Behind this cliff face lay an entirely different world. If that was the case... did it mean Hengduan Canyon had existed since ancient times? Otherwise, the entrance would not be located on the canyon cliff. And if Hengduan Canyon had existed since antiquity... was this city truly buried, or had it originally been built underground? An enormous city built beneath the earth! The mere thought made the ancients seem unfathomably wondrous! Gradually, the cliff face settled from rippling like water into stillness. Hou Xiaochen glanced at it and spoke again: "You may enter now. The entrance will remain open for half an hour. You may go in together or one after another... Additionally, once it closes after thirty minutes, it cannot be reopened until midnight tonight at the earliest. Furthermore, during the first three days, it can be opened at midnight each night. But if you miss the three-day window, you will have to wait until next month... And by next month... you likely won't be coming out alive!" The crowd was startled. The Wheel-Turning King frowned slightly. "Has anyone from the Night Watchers ever survived inside for a month?" "No." Hou Xiaochen shook his head. "It is exceedingly perilous inside. Never mind a month; surviving until the third day is already an achievement. Put it this way: our past explorations only ever touched the outer city. This underground city is divided into an inner city and an outer city. There is nothing particularly good in the outer city; only by entering the inner city is there a chance of securing immense benefits. That is why we are letting everyone enter together this time—we hope you will join forces to break into the inner city!" Having said that, he chuckled. "All right, enough talk. Whether you know the details or not, you know what you're doing. It’s not as if you haven’t planted people inside before, so why pretend to ask so many questions?" Would the major organizations plunge in completely unprepared? What a joke! The Night Watchers had a large roster, and not everyone was utterly loyal. There were moles among them who had leaked the exploration details long ago. Hearing this, while the others kept silent, Hong Yitang offered an explanation: "I truly don't know much about it. Please don't misunderstand, Director Hou." Hou Xiaochen merely smiled without replying. *Is that so?* *If you say so, then so be it.* With the water-like ripples settled, the major organizations fixed their eyes upon the entrance. Should they enter together, or one by one? Moreover, was there danger lurking on the other side? With this thought, their gazes drifted toward the eager members of the smaller organizations. Suddenly, Ziyue said coldly, "You people go in first!" At her words, some members of the smaller groups hesitated, while others grew excited. They knew this was an order to scout the way. Yet, having come this far, what was there to fear? Anyone who dared show up was either unafraid of death or hoping to strike it rich. Entering first carried danger, but it also meant a chance at greater rewards. Even if the Night Watchers had already explored it several times, what of it? Without waiting for Ziyue to press them, four or five figures suddenly shot forward, hurtling toward the watery cliff face. In an instant, like drops of water merging into a pool, they vanished from sight. Among the crowd, an expert used a special ability, eyes glowing as he peered into the cliff, only to frown shortly after. He could see nothing. As the intelligence stated, once inside, all connection with the outside world was severed. Even separated by a single wall, it was impossible to discern what was happening within. With someone taking the lead, the experts of the smaller organizations cast caution to the wind. One of them barked, "Move! We came here to take a gamble; there's nothing to hesitate over!" With that, another batch charged inside. Rushing in early might actually be safer. Those who lagged behind would have to worry about the major organizations ambushing them from behind, which posed a far greater threat. In the blink of an eye, all thirty-odd members of the smaller factions had slipped through. Seeing them enter, the Night Watchers remained unhurried. At this point, Hou Xiaochen said, "Let's make haste!" Noticing that the others still seemed uneasy, he smiled. "How about this: Sword Gate goes first, then Feitian, the Night Watchers, Red Moon, and Yama..." Over at Yama's side, the Wheel-Turning King frowned and looked at him. Why were they last? Hou Xiaochen chuckled. "Arrange it however you please. We just want to be in the middle, lest you enter first and quickly team up to ambush us. This is for the sake of peace." The Wheel-Turning King considered it. "Feitian goes last. Banshan didn't come, so they have no right to complain!" As for Sword Gate, letting them enter first was fine. If there was danger, they would bear the brunt of it. If there was none, those people couldn't accomplish much anyway. Hong Yitang did not mind at all. Hearing the arrangement, he complied amiably, smiling. "Then we won't be polite. Everyone, see you inside!" With that, he was the first to step through. Soon, the others followed in succession, including his daughter. As for the danger... if Hong Yitang were truly to die inside, his daughter would meet no better fate anyway. These veteran martial masters saw things with utter clarity. It was better to keep her by his side rather than let her become a bargaining chip for others to threaten him with. Once Sword Gate had entered, the Wheel-Turning King wasted no time, leading Yama's personnel swiftly behind them. Feitian's group raised no objections either. These cloaked figures were astonishingly low-key. Once Yama's people were inside, it was the Night Watchers' turn. Liu Long took hold of Li Hao with one hand and Liu Yan with the other, saying in a low voice, "Stay with me. Don't get separated!" As for Wang Ming, he needed no looking after; he had plenty of acquaintances here. Li Hao said nothing, merely glancing around. It was strange: Black Panther hadn't shown up today. Had it been killed and stewed for meat? Surely not! That dog was quite shrewd. Now that he was about to enter, did its absence mean it didn't want to go in? If it didn't, so be it. It was bound to be dangerous inside, but remaining outside wasn't necessarily safe either. Once they entered, who knew how many experts would arrive? If they encountered a dog on the verge of turning into a spirit, wouldn't they slaughter it for meat? There was no time to dwell on it; Li Hao cast the thought aside. At that moment, Hu Dingfang stepped through first, with Hao Lianchuan bringing up the rear. A few people were ahead of them in line, and once they had all entered, Li Hao and his two companions charged into the cliff together. Next, the members of Red Moon and Feitian entered one after another. Before long, only a few Night Watchers and a handful of members from the other organizations remained outside. Red Moon had not sent everyone in; they left behind several Lunar Nether operatives. If they were killed, it would be no great loss; if not, they could wait for reinforcements. This time, because of Yuan Shuo, every major organization would have experts rushing over, though it would take a bit of time for them to arrive. Those left behind quickly dispersed, each trembling with fear, dreading that Hou Xiaochen might slaughter them. Hou Xiaochen, however, did not spare them a single glance. Killing them served no purpose. He merely watched in silence as the watery ripples began reverting into solid stone... Just then, a black dog suddenly bounded from the distance, throwing itself toward the wall in a blur. Chief Steward Yu was about to intercept it, but Hou Xiaochen gave a gentle shake of his head and chuckled softly. "Let it in... I seem to recall that's the dog Yuan Shuo keeps." "Yuan Shuo..." Chief Steward Yu glanced around, brow furrowing slightly. "Is Yuan Shuo still nearby?" As a martial master, Yuan Shuo could conceal himself with ease if he wished. "Hard to say. Whatever Yuan Shuo does is within reason. Who knows where he's hiding to nurse his injuries—or if he's even hiding at all." Having said that, Hou Xiaochen smiled again. "Let's go. The entrance is sealed. We'll check back tonight. Let's head up and wait. I wonder if anyone will arrive today. Moving quickly, those from the Central Region might not make it in time, but our neighbors might arrive first." The Central Region was far away, so they would need more time. Yet Silver Moon was not devoid of neighboring provinces. The various organizations might temporarily reassign experts, or the neighboring Night Watchers might send people over. Who could say? Supporting him as they walked away, Chief Steward Yu asked softly, "Will fighting break out the moment they enter?" "Unlikely. They'll assess the situation first. Even though supers can be hot-headed, they aren't all fools. Starting a slaughter right off the bat would make it questionable whether anyone could come out alive." ... Meanwhile, atop the cliffs of Hengduan Canyon. A figure emerged, coughing softly, his face slightly pale. He cast a distant glance at the departing Hou Xiaochen, then looked toward the sealed cliff, a faint smile touching his lips. "You're on your own now!" He gazed into the distance; soon, other experts would be arriving. After walking for a short distance, a person suddenly stepped out from behind a massive boulder. Yuan Shuo coughed and looked at the newcomer, somewhat surprised. "What are you doing here?" "Master!" The newcomer looked young and delicate, but was dressed in crisp, capable attire. Her long hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, and she spoke with a hint of reproach: "I arrived with Dingfang last night. I got off the plane first. I knew you hadn't left!" "Hmm?" Yuan Shuo frowned. "Little Junior Brother is here. Would you leave beforehand without watching him enter the ruins, especially when Hou Xiaochen hadn't handed him over?" Chen Yuhua grumbled, "Everyone says you're heavily wounded, yet you're still lingering around here. I knew you'd want to see Little Junior Brother safely into the ruins with your own eyes today, and sure enough, I caught you!" Yuan Shuo scowled. "Why are you cornering me?" With that, he turned to walk away. Chen Yuhua hurried after him. "Master, how severe are your injuries? Everyone is looking for you right now. Come back to White Moon City with me! The military camp is the safest place; no matter how bold they are, they wouldn't dare trespass on the garrison!" "The Tiger Wing Army base is the best place for you to heal right now..." "Get lost!" Yuan Shuo sounded thoroughly impatient, leaving Chen Yuhua looking aggrieved. "Master!" As he walked, Yuan Shuo said coldly, "Who is your master? When I took you in, I intended for you to inherit my mantle. You were supposed to be my final disciple on the martial path, while Li Hao was merely meant to inherit my academic knowledge! The Five Animals Art, the Five Animals Breathing Art—which of them did I withhold from you? I thought that if you stepped into the Thousand-Battler realm, you would expand our Five Animals path... But look at you! You went to White Moon City, and whether you joined the military or the Night Watchers, I didn't care..." At this point, his anger flared into genuine rage: "Yet you dared to teach my Five Animals Breathing Art to Hu Dingfang!" His fury boiled over. "Twenty years ago, I would have killed you with a single palm strike! You betrayed your master's sect! Otherwise, with Hu Dingfang's meager talent, would he even be worthy of today's achievements? You wretched fool!" He was livid! The woman before him was the final disciple he had truly chosen to pass his martial arts to; Li Hao had been an unexpected accident, with no original intention of learning martial arts. Yet this female disciple—his youngest disciple back then—had committed the sin of secretly passing on the art. That was why whenever Li Hao asked about his senior sister, Yuan Shuo rarely mentioned her. Even when he did, it was like last time, dismissing her as a "faded, yellow-faced woman" with nothing worth missing. Evidently, the rage in Yuan Shuo’s heart had never subsided. Given his temperament, had it been years earlier, he would have cleaned house without hesitation! Chen Yuhua looked sorrowful. "Master, I know I was wrong. But back then, you had so many enemies. Dingfang was already a military general and possessed great talent; if he grew stronger, he could protect you..." She had only wanted to protect her master better, but privately passing on a sect's martial art was indeed a cardinal taboo in the martial world. It was just that by then... the martial world had all but vanished. Yuan Shuo kept a stony face, ignoring her as he strode forward. Chen Yuhua kept pace with him. "Master, look, Dingfang is strong now, and he can protect Little Junior Brother too. Hou Xiaochen is shrewd and scheming; Junior Brother might not be safe around him. With Dingfang there, even if Hou Xiaochen doesn't care about you, he still has to consider Dingfang's feelings..." "Get lost!" Yuan Shuo snapped furiously, not caring to listen. Chen Yuhua pressed on, "Master, it doesn't matter if you refuse to acknowledge me, but you are in great danger right now. Besides, once Junior Brother emerges, he will be in great danger too. I want to bring him into the Tiger Wing Army; it would be much safer than the Night Watchers." Yuan Shuo stopped, looked back at her, and scowled. "If you dare interfere or make reckless arrangements... I won't just strike you down, I'll execute Hu Dingfang as well! Does he think being a late-stage Three Sols makes him formidable? And you—look at you after reaching Thousand-Battler! What state are you in? Do you even deserve to call me master? A Thousand-Battler like you is inferior even to Liu Long! Don't call me master; you don't have the right!" His fury was uncontrollable: "A perfectly good Five Animals Art, the five animal momentums—I knew it would be difficult for you to fuse all five before breaking through, but I told you to fuse at least two or three before advancing, yet you broke through with only a single momentum!" He was practically beside himself: "Once you reach Thousand-Battler, comprehending momentum becomes vastly more difficult! Why were people like us so reluctant to step into Thousand-Battler? Did you think you were so capable? You're nothing but a worthless Thousand-Battler! You secretly taught the martial art to Hu Dingfang—fine, I won't dwell on that. But for that dog's sake, you actually broke through to Thousand-Battler prematurely! Did you have any regard for me as your master?" Chen Yuhua fell silent. Back then, to save Hu Dingfang, she had indeed broken through ahead of time, having comprehended only one momentum—the relatively weak deer momentum. As a result, though she was a Thousand-Battler martial master today, strictly speaking... she was not particularly strong, roughly on par with an ordinary super. Even after years in the Thousand-Battler realm, she could only contend with mid-to-late Solar Radiance supers; she likely could not match a peak Solar Radiance. This fell far short of Yuan Shuo's expectations. Yuan Shuo was utterly exasperated. "You were exceptionally gifted and comprehended momentum early on, which was why you were the greatest hope of our Five Animals lineage! And what happened? If you had managed to fuse all five momentums, I might have forgiven you even if you secretly passed on the art. But for his sake, you ruined your own martial path... Sooner or later, I will strike him dead!" This was the true final disciple he had taken in. Without exceptional talent and keen comprehension, would Yuan Shuo have accepted her? And what a fine mess: one trip to White Moon City, and the person was gone, the secret art was gone, and half her martial future was severed. Deer momentum? You might as well not have broken through at all! No one would have guessed that this disciple of Yuan Shuo had reached Thousand-Battler so long ago; people assumed the Silver Moon martial world had long lost all its Thousand-Battlers. Yet Yuan Shuo had never broadcast it, praised her, or even boasted about it. Because to him, it was not an honor—it was a disgrace. A Thousand-Battler who had only comprehended the deer momentum? What was it good for? Running away? The strongest successor of my Five Animals Art amounted to this? Chen Yuhua had no reply. She kept her head bowed in silence, then said after a moment, "Master, come to the military camp. It's safer there. Oh, right, I prepared plenty of wine and meat for you. I've also instructed people to hunt Red Moon experts to see if we can extract Blood God Seeds to heal your injuries... Dingfang also said before going in that he would bring some Blood God Seeds out when he returns..." "Get lost!" Yuan Shuo cursed again. Chen Yuhua continued to follow him. "Master, stop being angry. It's been so many years. Besides, hasn't Junior Brother reached the culmination of Hundred-Breaker now? You've entered Spirit Nourishing yourself, and the Five Animals sect's prestige has soared. I'm just a woman, after all; claiming to be your final disciple would only bring you shame... I think Junior Brother is wonderful. Look, since it's inconvenient for you to show your face right now, I can have his brother-in-law look after him... Otherwise, relying on me, a mere Thousand-Battler, how could I look after him? Isn't that right?" "Bullshit!" Yuan Shuo snapped once more. Chen Yuhua tried to soothe him: "Master, we can't stay here too long, or enemies might arrive! Come with me first. Oh, and the year before last, I got in touch with Eldest Senior Brother... He's doing fairly well now. One of these days, we can find him to drink and catch up..." Yuan Shuo paused in his tracks, his brow furrowing slightly. "He's not dead yet?" Chen Yuhua said coaxingly, "Master, don't hold such grudges. Eldest Senior Brother did what he did back then to protect you..." "Nonsense!" Yuan Shuo snorted. "He isn't my disciple either; Li Hao is my only disciple! Damn it, what right does a fellow who advanced to super from the Ten-Slayer realm have to call himself my disciple? I told him to advance after reaching Hundred-Breaker, but he insisted on advancing from the Ten-Slayer realm... Tell him to stay far away!" He did not forbid his disciples from becoming supers, but in the case of his eldest disciple, he had hoped the boy would reach Hundred-Breaker first. In the end, the eldest disciple could not wait and crossed over to become a super at peak Ten-Slayer, which had enraged Yuan Shuo for a long time. Chen Yuhua whispered, "Master, don't be like that. For Little Junior Brother's sake, you should acknowledge him! Eldest Senior Brother is doing very well right now. In the Central Region, he joined the Heavenly Star Army formed by the Bureau of Military Law. He's one of their main supernatural forces and has already advanced to Three Sols..." "Heh!" Yuan Shuo sneered once more. "What of Three Sols? I've killed a pile of Three Sols! If he had listened to me and advanced after Hundred-Breaker, back when supers were just emerging, he might have surpassed Three Sols by now! Still stuck at Three Sols... What an embarrassment!" Chen Yuhua was thoroughly helpless. "Master, not everyone can fuse five momentums like you. Otherwise, the martial world wouldn't have had only one Old... Old Grandmaster Yuan." Yuan Shuo’s face darkened as he glared at her. What was she about to say? Old Demon Yuan? Was that a name she had the right to utter? "Hu Dingfang, right?" He glared at her icily. "Does Hu Dingfang call me that every day, so you picked it up?" "...No!" Chen Yuhua shook her head vigorously. Oh no! If she admitted it, Dingfang would be doomed. "That scoundrel—I'll settle the score with him sooner or later!" At that, Yuan Shuo snorted coldly. "I happen to be in a good mood, so I won't hold this against you. Don't go telling the outside world that you're my disciple either..." He gave another scoff, then added, "You integrated the deer momentum. The deer governs the liver, and the liver belongs to wood. You can try nourishing the internal organs: fuse the deer momentum into the liver to nurture the spirit of the Wood Deer!" He gave a brief explanation before concluding, "Don't attempt it rashly... If there is anything you don't understand, you may ask Li Hao." "Master!" A look of excitement appeared on Chen Yuhua's face. Master seemed... to no longer be angry? Yuan Shuo sneered. "Don't go telling others you're my disciple; you aren't anymore! I'm only telling you this to show you that a martial master has far more of a future than that Hu Dingfang of yours!" With that, he kicked off the ground and took to the air, vanishing in an instant. Chen Yuhua gave chase at once, but how could she hope to keep up? Yuan Shuo had already vanished into the wilderness. Earlier, the old man had acted angry, walking as though he wanted to shake her off... but he had only been walking. Had he truly wanted to leave her behind, with his Bird Art and his current strength, he would have vanished from her sight long ago. He had lingered and dragged his feet for half an hour, only to impart the Spirit Nourishing method in the end. Was it not simply because he wanted to spend more time looking at this disciple upon whom he had once pinned such high hopes? Chen Yuhua had stayed by his side for ten whole years. Far longer than Li Hao had. It was just that she had truly broken his heart back then. Only now, after stepping into the Spirit Nourishing realm, had he found some peace. Chasing after him, Chen Yuhua could no longer see Yuan Shuo anywhere, and a wave of sorrow washed over her. Her master's temper was too stubborn. Over the years, whenever she went to Silver City, she had been driven away every time. Objects were smashed, and Yuan Shuo would fly into a rage, refusing to let her return. Things were somewhat better now, perhaps because he had taken on a new disciple. Little Junior Brother's impressive showing on the martial path had reignited the spark in her master's long-frozen heart. Unable to catch up with Yuan Shuo, Chen Yuhua sighed, but her spirits quickly lifted again. This time, Master had even passed down the Spirit Nourishing method, which proved he still cared. The old man was just too stubborn to admit it. This was a good thing! The prerequisite was that nothing must happen to Little Junior Brother. Otherwise, with her master's temperament, if Little Junior Brother were lost while she herself had achieved little on the martial path, today's warm expression would surely freeze over again. "Dingfang, you must protect Little Junior Brother... If he really dies in the ruins... Master might genuinely strike you dead!" Chen Yuhua began to feel anxious again. This time, Hu Dingfang was leading the team inside. If Little Junior Brother suffered the slightest harm, it would spell catastrophic trouble, and Hu Dingfang would never be forgiven by her master for the rest of his life. ... At the same time, inside the ruins. Beside the colossal outer city wall, Hu Dingfang felt a splitting headache, as though his skull were about to burst! "Where is Li Hao?" His head truly felt ready to explode! Where was the Li Hao his wife had repeatedly begged him to protect? Yuan Shuo, that stubborn old fossil, had always wanted to do him in... He was counting on protecting Li Hao this time to ease the tension. And yet... where had Li Hao gone? Hu Dingfang panicked! I'm finished, completely finished! They had clearly entered together, yet when he took roll call—damn it, Li Hao was gone! And not just Li Hao; Liu Long and Liu Yan were missing as well. It wouldn't matter if those two vanished, but nothing could happen to Li Hao! He nearly burst into tears. A dignified commander of the Tiger Wing Army felt like finding a corner to weep his heart out. "My life... is so damn miserable!" He looked around. Those who had entered earlier were already gone, and those arriving after them were swiftly disappearing from the entrance area, leaving only the Night Watchers staring at him. The other Three Sols expert, Hao Lianchuan, showed little reaction, merely looking puzzled. "Li Hao and the others are missing? Were they teleported to a different location?" With that, he dismissed it casually: "It's fine. It's happened before, though it's rare. Having three vanish at once is even rarer, but they were probably just teleported elsewhere." "Really?" Hu Dingfang looked as if he had seen a glimmer of hope. Grabbing Hao Lianchuan's arm, he asked urgently, "They aren't dead?" "Are you crazy?" Hao Lianchuan cursed. What was his deal? Instead of properly exploring the ruins, why was a commander acting like this? They simply hadn't been teleported together; though rare, it wasn't unprecedented. At that moment, instead of getting angry, Hu Dingfang was overjoyed. As long as he's fine, that's all that matters! It wouldn't even matter if you, Hao Lianchuan, died, but Li Hao cannot die! If he really dies, my life will be a living hell once I get back. "Move, let's head out and explore the ruins!" Hu Dingfang waved his hand and set off quickly. He had to find Li Hao as soon as possible. Even if getting separated didn't mean death, losing him was still trouble. If Li Hao encountered danger early on while Hu Dingfang wasn't around and ended up getting beaten to death... he might as well despair right now.