In the darkness.
Beyond the outer perimeter of the ancient city lay an open expanse of ground.
A great number of supernaturals were currently gathered there.
Hu Dingfang scanned the surroundings several times, and his expression turned rather grim when he failed to spot Li Hao.
So when people from Yama came over to demand why he hadn't mentioned the black armor earlier, Hu Dingfang merely eyed the Wheel-Turning King coldly for a long while before responding in an icy voice, "Are you willing to tell me how many treasures and how many dangers lie in the ruins Yama discovered?"
"Is there something wrong with your head, or is there something wrong with mine?"
The Wheel-Turning King's face turned sullen. "Hu Dingfang, do you really think you're invincible here? Late Three Sols—do you believe you can already rival a Rising Light expert?"
In truth, Hu Dingfang's cultivation was slightly inferior to theirs.
Yet the man acted as if he were entirely untouchable!
Showing no deference to Ziyue, showing no deference to the Wheel-Turning King—did he think the Night Watchers were completely unassailable?
Feitian had always been mysterious and might not necessarily participate in an encirclement.
Ziyue's side, however, was another matter.
With him and Ziyue combined, dealing with Hu Dingfang and Hao Lianchuan would be laughably easy. Was this guy begging for death?
Hu Dingfang said placidly, "Fine by me. Try touching me if you dare! The Tiger Wing Army didn't prepare many city-destroying bombs—only ten. If I don't walk out of here, if I'm not the first one out... as long as you can endure ten city-destroying bombs, feel free! Lunzhuan, don't think so highly of yourself. Did you really think I came with zero preparations?"
His gaze turned fierce as he swept his eyes over them, sneering, "I wager you lack the guts! Or do you think the people arriving from the Central Region can shield you from city-destroying bombs?"
The Wheel-Turning King's face darkened!
Not just him—farther away, Ziyue's expression also turned grim as she glanced at Hu Dingfang.
City-destroying bombs!
This was one of the military's ultimate trumps. Such weapons of mass destruction were top secret, with perhaps only a small cache per province, tightly held in the hands of the military's highest echelon.
The Three Great Organizations possessed potent supernatural might, but not so potent that they could infiltrate the upper ranks of the military command.
Of course, in certain provinces where the military cooperated with supernatural factions, that was a different story.
In Silver City, the only ones capable of commanding city-destroying bombs were the commanders of the three regional armies. Hu Dingfang was one of them, with two other commanders sharing the authority, including the nominal supreme commander of the three armies who oversaw the Central Army.
The moment Hu Dingfang's voice fell, Ziyue said coldly from across the clearing, "So you're saying that if you, Hu Dingfang, die in the ruins, city-destroying bombs will be deployed regardless? Are we supposed to act as your personal bodyguards? What a joke!"
She followed with a sneer. "With you dead, I'd like to see who has the authority to launch those bombs."
"My wife!"
Hu Dingfang said nonchalantly, "My wife has plenty of virtues, but her sense of the bigger picture is rather lacking! If I die and fail to emerge, she won't give a damn about the so-called greater good... Don't believe me? Feel free to test it."
At these words, everyone's brows furrowed deeply.
None of them had anticipated that Hu Dingfang would have made such arrangements.
After considering the matter, however, neither of them said anything more.
Even if city-destroying bombs were truly fired, while everyone else would surely die, Ziyue and the Wheel-Turning King might still stand a chance. With Origin God Armaments in hand and peak Three Sols cultivation, if they fled at the critical juncture, they might survive. Naturally, escaping death would still mean suffering crippling injuries; that was inevitable.
Moreover, if everyone they had brought inside were wiped out... they would have no way to account for it if they returned alive.
After all, they were merely branch leaders, not the heads of their headquarters.
Hu Dingfang let out a cold snort and paid them no further heed. Sweeping his peripheral vision across the area once more, he still failed to spot Li Hao's group. Involuntarily, he looked toward the distant town-like cluster of structures—the outer city.
Could it be... Li Hao and the others had wandered into the outer city by mistake?
That would be terribly troublesome!
Had he come alone, he wouldn't mind venturing straight in to look for them. But having made a promise to Hou Xiaochen, he was currently accompanied by a contingent of Night Watchers. If he left and Red Moon and Yama chose that moment to strike... Hao Lianchuan wouldn't be able to hold them off.
He felt antsy, yet powerless to do anything.
Consequently, his irritation toward Ziyue and the Wheel-Turning King only mounted.
If not for the fact that his strength was indeed slightly below theirs... though not necessarily inferior. He was still quite confident. After all, he was a martial master who had ascended to supernatural power, and he was thoroughly versed in the Five Animals Art.
The Five Animals Art was no secret, but under normal circumstances, without the Five Animals Breathing Art to complement it, it was practically useless.
Yet he knew the Five Animals Breathing Art, which lent the Five Animals Art tremendous utility.
Thus, against either of them in a one-on-one fight, he wouldn't flinch in the slightest.
If both teamed up against him, however... he likely wouldn't stand a chance.
Right at that moment, a figure sprinted out from the city at blistering speed, like the wind, swiftly retreating from the plaza and out of the outer city. Only once outside the walls did that person begin flying without restraint.
Inside the city, even as a wind-element Three Sols expert, he had not dared to fly.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared beside the Wheel-Turning King.
Leaning close, he whispered a few words.
His lips merely moved; no sound escaped.
Everyone glanced toward Yaocheng. The Wheel-Turning King's expression remained unchanged, though he cursed inwardly, *Incompetent fool!*
It had merely been a scouting mission, and with the black armor's weakness already known, he had still managed to lose a Solar Radiance expert. What was he if not useless?
The Wheel-Turning King cast a sidelong glance toward Hong Yitang not far away, feeling somewhat perplexed.
Hong Yitang was from a martial master background, and many of his disciples were martial masters as well. Of course, their strength hovered around Ten-Slayer and Hundred-Breaker; it was impossible for them to have killed Hu Po.
Then who had killed Hu Po?
Had it truly been the black armor?
The Wheel-Turning King did not mention this. Instead, he spoke aloud, "Yaocheng has scouted the area thoroughly. The outer city has nine streets in total, and every street has black-armored guards patrolling it, ranging from squads of ten to solitary sentries."
"Across the entire outer city, there are roughly a hundred black-armored soldiers."
"Once fighting breaks out and supernatural power erupts, these black-armored soldiers will mobilize rapidly... However, that is only the outer city sector. Further inside, near the inner city gate, Yaocheng only caught a distant glimpse, but he spotted many armored soldiers! The ones we slaughtered earlier likely came from there."
He gave a brief overview of the situation to everyone, seeking to rally the other factions.
Since the Night Watchers refused to share, he would do so.
As for these secrets, anyone willing to expend manpower on scouting could naturally uncover them as well.
"My current thought is that we should first clear the black armor in the outer city, establish the outer city as a foothold, and then gradually weed out the black armor stationed between the outer and inner cities... Only when these guards are wiped out will we have any hope of storming the inner city!"
Having said that, he added, "Furthermore, I'd like to ask the Night Watchers: why can't the buildings in the outer city be entered? What on earth is inside them? Several of our supernaturals entered, only to vanish without a trace!"
Hao Lianchuan sneered. "You're asking us? How would we know? The buildings in the outer city simply cannot be entered; whoever goes in dies. If you people are so capable, investigate it yourselves!"
The Wheel-Turning King's face darkened.
Nearby, Hong Yitang spoke up to play the peacemaker, asking proactively, "Minister Hao, I have a doubt. Are those armored guards incapable of stepping outside the outer city?"
"Correct!"
Hao Lianchuan made no attempt to conceal it. "I assume you've all noticed that their power source lies beneath the ground. That special paving only extends up to the plaza at the edge of the outer city. Once they leave the plaza, those guards lose their power and are practically marching to their deaths!"
Hong Yitang said, "Then is it possible to lure them onto the plaza and bombard them from a distance, kiting them and eliminating them bit by bit?"
If that worked, it might be worth a try.
Supernaturals weren't martial masters;
they were all capable of long-range attacks.
The moment this method was proposed, many turned their eyes toward Hao Lianchuan. Perhaps the Night Watchers had already tested it. If it was viable, they could give it a shot.
Seeing them looking his way, Hao Lianchuan thought for a moment before speaking. "As long as we don't enter the outer city, they won't make a move. As for bombarding them from a distance... shatter their armor first, then we'll talk. Otherwise, it's largely useless!"
"Besides, they retreat!"
They didn't just stand there foolishly taking hits forever.
Everyone frowned once more.
"Does that mean if we enter the outer city, they'll deploy troops from near the inner city to encircle and annihilate us?"
Hao Lianchuan smiled. "Not necessarily. As long as we make no noise, don't take to the sky, and don't unleash supernatural power... those soldiers won't pay us any mind! According to the Night Watchers' judgment, they only attack those who disobey, or rather, those who break their rules! What counts as breaking the rules? Anyone who defies the martial ban is a rule-breaker. The martial ban likely applies to both the outer and inner cities!"
Everyone cursed inwardly again.
A martial ban?
So many supernaturals hadn't come here for sightseeing; they had clear objectives and even wanted to breach the inner city. If force was forbidden, how were they supposed to play?
Someone spoke up: "If we don't take action and merely approach the black armor, will they attack us? No supernatural outbursts either... just getting close to them. Would that provoke hostility?"
This question piqued many people's interest.
If getting close went unpunished, things would be much easier.
Whether launching an ambush, assassinating them, or laying traps, all were far more convenient than a frontal assault.
"If supernatural energy can't be concealed... what if a martial master approaches them?"
That person added another line.
Hao Lianchuan looked toward the speaker—it was actually someone from Feitian. That low-profile organization was finally speaking up.
Hao Lianchuan replied calmly, "Even if supernatural energy isn't unleashed, the fluctuations are glaringly obvious when you get close. The black armor will interpret that as a provocation and strike to kill! As for martial masters... generally, they won't provoke an unprompted attack! However, if a martial master takes the initiative to attack them, they will retaliate. Martial masters excel at close combat, but breaking through the black armor is exceedingly difficult, and the damage dealt is limited. Therefore, I wouldn't advise martial masters to approach them either."
Everyone reflected on this and found it reasonable.
A martial master couldn't seal them away, and even if an attack sent an armored guard flying, the commotion would inevitably draw attention.
Prominent supernatural fluctuations were indeed one of the drawbacks that proved hard to suppress.
"We need an agreed plan!"
At this juncture, the Wheel-Turning King spoke again. "The Night Watchers have explored this place multiple times; I doubt it was merely for a few sets of black armor. This time, you entered alongside us, presumably intending to reach the inner city as well. If we suffer crippling losses, what certainty do you have of reaching the inner city?"
"Hao Lianchuan, how to smoothly enter the outer city and dispose of those black-armored guards, or even the guards near the gate—did the Night Watchers truly come with zero preparation?"
This struck straight to the heart of the matter.
The Night Watchers had gone through so much trouble, even willing to explore alongside these rivals, precisely because they wanted to enter the inner city.
Suffering devastating losses here... who knew what perils awaited within the inner city?
For now, no one brought up the earlier mutual slaughter upon entering. After witnessing the sheer resilience of that black armor, everyone present wanted a share of the spoils. Worst comes to worst, taking a hundred sets of armor back would make the trip worthwhile!
Whether supernaturals or martial masters, all were pragmatists.
Fighting right now without any tangible gain would only play into the hands of those arriving from the Central Region. Better to secure the benefits first.
Hu Dingfang was not responsible for handling these negotiations.
His sole duty was to protect the Night Watchers; how the situation was managed remained up to the Night Watchers themselves.
Seeing Hao Lianchuan proactively divulging information, Hu Dingfang knew the Night Watchers still intended to push into the inner city.
Sure enough, Hao Lianchuan smiled and said, "The best approach is still to whittle them down slowly. Grinding down all those black-armored guards is the simplest way!"
"As for the number of black-armored guards..."
Hao Lianchuan paused to consider. "Combining the outer city and the vicinity of the inner city gate, there are roughly a thousand of them, likely a full thousand-man unit! Right now, however, there are probably around eight hundred left, given that you managed to capture about a hundred suits."
As for where the other hundred suits had gone... everyone knew without asking that the Night Watchers had likely taken them.
Still, hearing that eight hundred remained...
Everyone felt a headache coming on!
That was far too many—equivalent to eight hundred peak Lunar Nether combatants! Furthermore, with centurions among them, that meant at least eight Solar Radiance equivalents. And if there was a millurion commander... wouldn't that mean an unkillable Three Sols existence?
A Three Sols expert wasn't terrifying on their own; there were plenty of Three Sols experts present.
What was terrifying was a Three Sols expert backed by an inexhaustible energy supply and invincible defense.
Ziyue spoke up: "Is there anything above the bronze armor?"
"Never seen one!"
Hao Lianchuan shook his head. "To be frank, if such a being truly intervened... unless our director came in person, our Night Watchers' solitary scouting parties would have been entirely wiped out! We wouldn't dare provoke such an existence lightly either... Of course, our deduction suggests that one likely exists!"
He offered this forewarning regardless; nine times out of ten, such a figure existed.
"Eight hundred..."
Everyone frowned. Hong Yitang asked once more, "Then how intelligent are these black-armored guards? Will they deploy all at once, or will they only arrive squad by squad as before?"
"That requires judgment and observation!"
Hao Lianchuan pondered for a moment. "Every time we entered, the number of black armor that appeared roughly matched our headcount. In other words, if one or two hundred of us enter, perhaps only that many will come... In their directives, a matching headcount is likely deemed sufficient to handle intruders!"
"Of course, there is one exception!"
"If all the black armor and bronze armor are destroyed or crushed, yet we remain inside, more black armor will arrive..."
He explained, "Once, we crushed a squad of over ten black-armored soldiers. We didn't leave afterward, and a short while later, over thirty black-armored soldiers appeared alongside a bronze-armored commander. Many died that time!"
"What about hunting them individually?"
Hong Yitang asked again, "Will hunting black-armored soldiers individually provoke retaliation?"
"It depends. If you conceal yourself well and they can't find you, how can they hunt you down? Their tracking methods are limited. As long as you flee swiftly after killing a black-armored guard, they won't necessarily be able to find you!"
Hearing this, many felt tempted.
In that case, didn't it mean they could venture inside to hunt?
Clearing out the black armor piece by piece?
Lunar Nether experts certainly couldn't pull it off!
Solar Radiance and Three Sols experts, however, had a decent degree of confidence.
Someone suggested, "Why not send all the Three Sols and Solar Radiance experts inside to hunt down the hundred guards along the perimeter first... stripping away their forces bit by bit!"
Another chimed in, "Can the black armor be worn? If it can, we could put it on ourselves to vastly increase our defenses..."
Opening the black armor through normal means was still impossible.
It could only be breached with brute force, but once broken, its defensive capability plummeted. Even Yama, who had harvested the most, couldn't bear to destroy them; it was simply too extravagant!
Everyone offered suggestions one after another.
Naturally, only the Solar Radiance and Three Sols experts of the major factions dared to speak. The Lunar Nether cultivators could only listen in silence.
They had no voice here!
At this moment, a cloaked figure from Feitian spoke: "What specific plan do the Night Watchers have? We don't have much time—only three days. If we don't exit in three days, we'll have to wait until next month... Will we even be able to get out next month?"
Hao Lianchuan smiled faintly. "A plan? There isn't really a master plan. Having Three Sols and Solar Radiance experts enter to hunt down the outer city guards one by one is actually a solid approach."
"With nine streets in the outer city, if we launch simultaneous attacks, it will be hard for them to respond quickly. As long as we eliminate them swiftly and retreat promptly, taking care of these hundred-odd guards won't be difficult. As for the area near the inner city gate, we can attempt to lure them out bit by bit."
Nine Three Sols experts.
Presently, the Night Watchers had two, Red Moon had one, Yama had two, and Sword Gate had two... though they only acknowledged one publicly. Feitian was the same; they had two Three Sols experts, but only one had revealed his strength.
Factoring in Zhang Ting, there were actually a great many Three Sols experts present this time—a total of ten.
Had Yuan Shuo not killed two Three Sols earlier, plus Yuan Shuo himself, there would have been thirteen Three Sols in total.
While one couldn't claim this represented the entire peak strength of Silver Moon, it accounted for at least half of the province's high-end combat power.
Yet on the surface, only seven Three Sols were openly acknowledged.
The crowd sank into contemplation.
Could the Night Watchers' words be trusted?
When they said nothing, everyone worried.
When they laid out a plan, everyone worried just the same.
Right at that moment, another shriek rang out from within the outer city. On Yama's side, the Wheel-Turning King frowned slightly. Surely another of Yama's men hadn't died?
The black armor in the outer city was all out in the open.
As long as one avoided them carefully, there shouldn't be much trouble.
How had someone died again?
He looked toward Hao Lianchuan, frowning. "Aside from the buildings and the black armor, are there other dangers in the outer city?"
"Yes!"
Hao Lianchuan didn't hide it. "There's the danger in the sky... you already know about that. Additionally, there are sudden hazards in the outer city. We don't know exactly where they come from, but blade-like phenomena frequently materialize in a flash, claiming lives instantly before vanishing just as quickly... It's impossible to guard against!"
"Sudden blades?"
The crowd grew increasingly vigilant. It was merely the outer city; was it truly this perilous?
Just then, the expert from Feitian spoke: "Dragging this out achieves nothing. The longer we prolong our exploration, the more people will die. We only brought about two hundred people, and at least forty have perished already... a one-fifth casualty rate!"
Of course, most were Lunar Nether cultivators with a handful of Solar Radiance experts; the true core elites remained intact.
"I've observed the nine streets. They don't form a conventional grid, but rather nine parallel horizontal lines intercepting our path forward. The most dangerous one is naturally the street adjacent to the inner gate; we can skip that one."
"Across the other eight streets, we can clear out the guards stationed within them..."
The speaker from Feitian added, "No one is expected to work for nothing. Whoever takes down the guards gets to keep the armor as spoils! These are genuine treasures. Even if we gain nothing else from this excursion, securing these suits of armor will make the trip worthwhile!"
Hao Lianchuan nodded in agreement. "I think that's fair. However, the Wheel-Turning King and Ziyue are the strongest here. I suggest the two of them take charge of the two innermost streets. What do you think?"
"..."
The Wheel-Turning King laughed coldly. "Doesn't Hu Dingfang consider himself the strongest? Send him! If the Night Watchers want to enter the inner city, they should naturally pay a price!"
Hao Lianchuan chuckled. "You can't put it that way... How about this: we'll field two Three Sols to cover two streets. If a faction takes only one street, they take a more dangerous one!"
"The Night Watchers, Feitian, Yama, Red Moon, Sword Gate... we won't count the others. Five factions will handle clearing the eight streets. The Night Watchers and Yama will each cover two, chosen freely. Among the other three factions, is anyone willing to take two? Even without Three Sols, having more Solar Radiance experts can resolve the battles just as swiftly!"
Hearing this, the Wheel-Turning King had no further objections.
That was how it should be!
Contributing more manpower only to be assigned the most hazardous zones... did they take him for a fool?
Besides, Feitian had always acted so shrouded in mystery; who was to say they only possessed a single Three Sols?
Sure enough, the cloaked figure from Feitian said slowly, "We are also willing to take two streets. We lack Three Sols, but we still have several Solar Radiance experts. With enough caution, they can handle it!"
Three factions were willing to handle two streets each.
As for the remaining Red Moon, Ziyue had no grounds to offer taking two... Red Moon had suffered heavily this time; aside from Ziyue, there was a glaring gap in their ranks.
And Sword Gate's Hong Yitang had maintained an astonishingly low profile. Appearing somewhat hesitant, he nevertheless nodded. "Very well. My strength falls short of Leader Ziyue's, and Sword Gate is merely a modest sect. I can take the third street!"
As for the first street, being the one closest to the inner city, it was abandoned outright.
Evidently, he hoped Ziyue would proactively volunteer for the second street.
At this moment, everyone turned their eyes toward Ziyue. This signaled that all other factions had agreed, leaving Red Moon as the sole outlier.
Ziyue frowned slightly.
She was a peak Three Sols lightning-element expert wielding an Origin God Armament, so she didn't particularly fear being unable to handle those guards. What she worried about was that being too close to the inner city might swiftly draw a massive swarm of armored guards.
She didn't care about black armor.
What if an entity above bronze armor appeared?
At that moment, the Wheel-Turning King said, "If an adversary truly beyond our ability to match appears... whether for our own preservation or to facilitate our subsequent exploration, we certainly won't stand idly by and let you be overwhelmed, Ziyue!"
That was assuming the enemy remained within the realm of Three Sols.
If it surpassed that and killed Ziyue instantly, all promises were meaningless.
After weighing her options, Ziyue said coldly, "Fine! But I have a proposal as well. Hu Dingfang takes the fourth street, Lunzhuan takes the fifth. As for Feitian, who is calling the shots right now? Dingchen?"
A cloaked figure from Feitian spoke: "It is indeed this humble one. I am flattered that Leader Ziyue still remembers me."
"You take the sixth street, Hao Lianchuan the seventh, Yaocheng the eighth, and Feitian's Solar Radiance experts the ninth..."
Such an arrangement ensured the Night Watchers weren't on the outermost perimeter, making it impossible for them to be the first to flee.
Otherwise, she too worried about being set up.
To this, no one raised any objections.
The division was fair enough.
With the decision made, the group began discussing when to strike. They had to act in unison; otherwise, an outburst from one person could easily trigger an uprising among black armor elsewhere, creating needless chaos.
After settling the details, these experts said no more and began advancing toward the outer city, preparing to cull a batch of black armor first.
...
Li Hao and his companions were still entirely unaware of the situation, nor did they know that the position they occupied happened to be the narrow alley between the first and second streets.
By this time, Li Hao had absorbed a substantial amount of mysterious energy.
He could feel his spleen and heart nearing saturation, but the equilibrium of the five elements had been disrupted, leaving him feeling slightly uncomfortable.
Seeing that he had halted his absorption, Liu Long said swiftly, "Some time has passed. The major organizations and the Night Watchers will likely enter this place soon. When that happens, it will be hard for us to conceal ourselves. With too many people around, we'll easily be exposed."
Li Hao nodded. This was his concern as well.
If a massive crowd arrived and Three Sols experts entered as well, the black armor wouldn't pose a threat to them. At that point, wearing black armor... would only make them prime targets.
Just as he was about to speak, they heard footsteps again and chose to keep silent.
After a while, once the footsteps faded, Li Hao finally said, "There aren't many black-armored guards in the outer city; they definitely won't be able to halt their advance... We don't necessarily have to stop them from entering the outer city, nor do we possess the strength to do so. The top priority is boosting our strength and pruning a few enemies!"
He looked toward Liu Yan. "Sister Liu, do you think you can quickly comprehend momentum?"
Liu Yan remained silent for a moment, then shook her head.
Li Hao felt a twinge of disappointment. As expected, momentum was indeed the greatest obstacle standing in a martial master's path.
"Boss, do you still have room for improvement?"
"Yes... but the difficulty is immense. Your teacher suggested I nourish the kidneys first... that requires a large amount of water energy, ideally paired with a Blood God Seed. We haven't seen a single person from Red Moon so far, and water energy... there doesn't seem to be any water-attribute experts we can hunt!"
"There is!"
Li Hao chuckled. "There is one, but... she won't be easy to kill! It also depends on whether you have the nerve to do it, Boss!"
"Who?"
"Zhang Ting among the Night Watchers..."
Liu Long's brow furrowed immediately. Even through the armor, Li Hao could sense his displeasure.
Evidently, Liu Long thought he had lost his mind—hunting one of their own just to level up.
No matter what, the Night Watchers were on their side. "Li Hao!"
"Boss, don't be hasty! It's not that I want to kill her; Director Hou specifically said she could be killed or spared, it didn't matter... And she's no simple figure. She's a mid Three Sols expert carrying an Origin God Armament!"
At these words, Liu Long drew a sharp breath.
Mid Three Sols?
And carrying an Origin God Armament at that!
Are you kidding me? How are we supposed to kill that?
Even if she was an enemy... he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could slay a mid Three Sols expert. His Nine Refinements Force pushed to the limit might not even breach a Three Sols expert's defense. He had once been brimming with self-assurance, but after failing to kill Li Dahu with a single punch, he had sobered up considerably.
Li Hao said, "I need water energy right now, and you need it too, Boss. If we kill her, both our needs will be satisfied, with plenty left over! I have a feeling that once my five elements reach balance, I might stand a chance of stepping into the Thousand-Battler realm..."
He genuinely felt that once the five elements were balanced, his earth momentum and sword momentum might see improvement, or even fuse.
Unfortunately, the five elements were currently unbalanced, causing his sword momentum to be weaker while his earth momentum was overly strong, heavily influenced by the earth energy.
He required a vast quantity of water energy to balance this power first.
Liu Long's brows knit tightly. "Even if she's a traitor, since Director Hou said so, no matter who she is... she's fair game! But do you really think you and I can pull it off?"
Impossible!
"A sneak attack might not be entirely hopeless... Boss, it's hard for you to break her defenses, but if you wield my sword combined with the Nine Refinements Force, there's still a chance!"
Naturally, Li Hao added, "We need an opportunity! And if there are other Three Sols beside her, it'll be impossible."
"Right now, I'd rather see everyone enter in droves. That way, we can blend in seamlessly. If everyone waits outside while we fail to appear for a long time, or if we rashly walk out... it will only draw unwanted attention."
At this moment, Li Hao also found himself in a dilemma.
Staying holed up here wasn't a long-term solution.
If Three Sols experts entered en masse, it would become perilous.
Running into Hao Lianchuan or Hu Dingfang was fine, but if they encountered anyone else... Li Hao had a feeling anyone might try to kill him.
Even Hong Yitang, who seemed amiable enough.
Don't forget, his teacher had challenged him twice in the past, frightening him into locking his gates and refusing to fight. It had been a humiliating spectacle mocked throughout the pugilistic world. To a martial master, face was paramount; could he truly harbor no resentment whatsoever?
How could that be possible!
It was merely that his teacher was too formidable now, so Hong Yitang didn't dare display it in his presence.
As they were speaking, Liu Long's expression suddenly shifted slightly. In an instant, he yanked Li Hao and Liu Yan back, and the three fell completely silent.
None of them moved an inch, holding their breath.
Only after a long while did Liu Long gently exhale, whispering, "Don't make a move. It feels like an expert has arrived..."
There was no need for him to say it!
In fact, Li Hao had noticed even earlier than him, though Liu Long's sharp senses had prompted him to react first.
At this moment, Li Hao peered out of the alley.
His teeth ached slightly!
A Three Sols expert had truly come!
Crucially, that ball of light was outrageously massive, and somewhat familiar... Ziyue?
Damn it!
And not just one; there seemed to be others on the adjacent streets as well.
Trouble had arrived—Three Sols experts were truly entering en masse.
Right now, his eyes served as the ultimate detector. These Three Sols experts were so close to him that he could see their radiant light clusters blazing like mini suns; it would be a miracle if he missed them.
He watched the light cluster belonging to Ziyue remain stationary not far away, completely unmoving.
Li Hao deduced... she was likely preparing to hunt down that ten-man squad of black-armored soldiers.
And on the nearby street, the presence seemed to be Hong Yitang, perhaps also waiting to hunt...
So these Three Sols experts intended to cull the black armor in the outer city first?
The one closest to the inner city was actually Ziyue.
That woman had agreed to take this spot?
One had to realize that this location was remarkably close to the inner city. Directly across the alley was the inner city gate, where Li Hao and the others had frequently poked their heads out to see massive swarms of black armor patrolling—a scale incomparably greater than what was found out here.
Li Hao kept silent and swiftly crept toward the inner city, with Liu Long immediately following suit.
The three advanced with utmost caution, no longer daring to draw near the second street.
In their eyes, the black armor was far friendlier than Ziyue; as long as you didn't provoke them, they wouldn't actively seek you out.
Stepping out of the alley, Li Hao and his companions carefully avoided several black-armored patrols. The patrolling intensity here was far denser, with squads passing by almost constantly.
Liu Long kept his voice down: "We've run all the way here... this is far too dangerous!"
"Still friendlier than Ziyue next door!"
Li Hao glanced in that direction; Ziyue's light cluster was still there.
Pondering for a moment, he asked, "Boss, do you still have any of Sister Yun Yao's crystal orbs?"
The crystal orbs were supernatural bombs crafted by Yun Yao.
They weren't large, about the size of glass marbles, imbued with mysterious energy. Throwing them against the ground triggered an explosion. Back when facing the Red Moon operatives, Yun Yao had used quite a few. Their effect had been mediocre, unable to even kill a Lunar Nether cultivator.
"Didn't bring any!"
Liu Long shook his head. After reaching Thousand-Battler, he had no need for such things, so why would he carry them?
The yield was far too small!
Li Hao felt a twinge of regret, but Liu Yan spoke up: "I have some!"
Li Hao was surprised!
Your relationship with Yun Yao is so terrible, why would you have them?
Liu Yan couldn't see his gaze or his confusion, whispering, "Back when we sparred, she always threw these at me, so I later took a few for myself. They're more powerful than before; after she awakened her supernatural ability, the ones she made became stronger. They can even threaten the life of a Lunar Nether cultivator..."
Then they were indeed not weak, far better than before.
As for how Liu Yan had acquired them—whether stolen or seized—he didn't bother to ask.
Liu Long whispered, "What are you planning to do?"
"How about chucking them at Ziyue?"
Seeing Liu Long's frame under the armor tremble slightly—unsure if from fright or anger, though anger seemed more probable—Li Hao smiled.
He whispered, "Don't get the wrong idea... I want to bury them along the patrol route of the black armor. When they march past and step on them, they'll explode... The supernatural eruption will draw swarms of black armor together... As long as the placement is right, we won't need to show our faces; the black armor will naturally converge on Ziyue's position. I'm not stupid—if I actually threw them at her, she'd kill me before I could even run!"
Having said that, he glanced toward the distant structure that likely served as the city gate... there were swarms of black armor, and even a few bronze-armored figures faintly visible.
If crystal orbs detonated here, it would quickly draw their attention.
The closer one was to supernatural power, the clearer the fluctuations could be felt. As long as those guards approached Ziyue, they would undoubtedly sense her presence. When that happened... ten or eight black-armored soldiers might be useless, but what about a hundred?
What about several hundred?
If they could draw out an existence above bronze armor, that would be even better!
Even if it couldn't kill Ziyue and she managed to flee, it would still make her suffer a massive loss!
Without a second word, Liu Yan reached into her bosom... after fumbling for a while and realizing she was encased in armor, she pulled her hand back and fished through a cracked seam, quickly tossing out several small glass marbles.
Li Hao reached out to take them. There weren't many, only seven or eight.
He studied the patrol route of the black armor, glanced at Ziyue's position, and broke into a grin.
Ziyue hadn't moved at all; she seemed to be waiting.
*Here's a little surprise for you!*
Crouching low, he dashed over and buried several crystal marbles directly opposite Ziyue across the alleyway.
Based on his experience, in about a minute or two, a squad of armored soldiers would patrol past and step on these trinkets.
He quickly turned around, gesturing for Liu Yan and Liu Long to run with him.
A massive brawl was likely to erupt here shortly.
Better to slip away early!
The farther, the better!
With Li Hao's special eyes, combined with the audible clatter of the black armor's footsteps, they could easily avoid both supernatural auras and armored patrols. The trio fled along desolate paths, deliberately choosing deserted corners.
At this moment, although there were other supernatural experts inside the city, none crossed paths with this trio.
With them intentionally giving everyone a wide berth, the others had little chance of discovering them either.
...
Second Street.
Ziyue waited silently for everyone to get into position and strike simultaneously.
Almost time!
She could already see the ten armored soldiers ahead. Though formidable, for an expert of her caliber, disposing of them would be child's play.
The hardest part, rather, was preserving the integrity of their armor.
Once captured, these spoils would belong to Red Moon.
Right at that moment, she saw it—a faint twinkle of starlight flashing outside the city walls. That was the signal to strike. It wasn't overly bright, yet clear enough for all of them to see.
In an instant, Ziyue erupted, charging toward the nearby black-armored soldiers.
Lightning power burst forth!
With a booming crash, a suit of black armor was blasted into the air by her lightning. Not just one—a second, a third... in her hands, these black-armored soldiers were far too weak.
In the blink of an eye, all ten black-armored soldiers were sent flying by her lightning.
Suspending them midair, she continually maintained her lightning power, keeping them from touching the ground.
As long as she sustained this for a minute, these fellows would be finished!
Simultaneously, she began compressing the range of her supernatural energy to prevent black armor further away from sensing it.
Right at that moment... *Boom!*
A deafening explosion rang out!
Across the way on the first street, a patrolling squad of black armor was blown completely off its feet. Though none were damaged, the commotion was immense, accompanied by a blast of supernatural energy!
That spot was remarkably close to the city gate.
In the blink of an eye, a bronze-armored figure leading several black-armored soldiers rushed over. The black armor hadn't sensed anything yet, but that bronze-armored warrior snapped his head toward the street across from them...
Opposite them, Ziyue's face turned completely purple with rage!
A supernatural presence across the street?
Damn it!
And striking right when she made her move... who was it?
At this moment, she wanted nothing more than to murder someone!
Before her rage could boil over, and before she could decide whether to retreat or wait out the minute to neutralize the soldiers before her, a bronze-armored warrior appeared the very next instant!
*Boom!*
The bronze-armored expert slashed downward with a greatsword. With a loud crash, it collided against her lightning, triggering a massive eruption of supernatural force.
Ziyue cursed inwardly. Damn it, she couldn't linger any longer.
Otherwise, catastrophe awaited.
Because this area was far too close to the city gate, black armor congregated in staggering numbers. In the blink of an eye, seventy to eighty black-armored warriors poured out from all directions.
Ziyue was forced to abandon the few black-armored soldiers on the verge of incapacitation and fled on foot.
She didn't dare fly; flying here was pure suicide.
Yet behind her, those armored soldiers gave chase in relentless pursuit. Rumbles and resounding battle cries echoed in waves.
Near the inner city, even more armored soldiers mobilized to join the hunt.
Over on the third street, Hong Yitang was just about to resolve his own targets... when he suddenly bolted, cursing wildly in his heart.
That useless Ziyue!
A peak Three Sols expert making such a racket against a handful of black-armored soldiers, drawing an entire army of guards! Damn her!
Run!
Even without flying, a Three Sols expert's speed remained astonishingly swift. But inside the city, once the black armor locked onto an enemy, their movements weren't sluggish either. In the blink of an eye, black-armored warriors materialized from every quarter, beginning an encirclement toward Ziyue.
As for Ziyue, she was currently intercepted from both front and rear. Her strength was undeniably formidable; with a deafening crash, her lightning flared, blasting even the bronze-armored commander flying. Yet in the next instant, seventy to eighty swords converged on her from all sides, making her scalp tingle.
It wasn't fear, but the fact that these things were indestructible, and she had no time to juggle them midair for a full minute.
If this dragged on and more arrived, even she wouldn't be able to hold out.
The next instant, she could take it no longer and roared, "Get over here and help me!"
If they didn't come, she wouldn't hold back either; she would drag these black-armored soldiers straight toward their positions.
Yet who dared come over at a time like this?
In the distance, the Wheel-Turning King dispatched his black armor and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Retreat from the outer city! Run!"
This wasn't meant only for Ziyue, but also for Yama's supernaturals scattered throughout the city.
Run, damn it!
That idiot Ziyue had created such an enormous disturbance over a few black-armored soldiers. At this moment, they even witnessed an extraordinary sight: from the direction of the inner city, perhaps sensing Ziyue's immense power...
A flash of white light streaked across the sky!
It was flying outright!
This was the first time they had ever witnessed a flying warrior in this place—a silver-armored warrior leaping straight off the towering city wall and gliding through the air. Gripping a massive silver greatsword, it radiated zero aura.
Yet everyone knew... trouble had arrived!
She had truly provoked an even greater terror.
A silver warrior!
Ziyue's expression twisted as well. At this point, she threw all caution to the wind. *Rumble!*
A torrential surge of lightning erupted in an instant, blasting the surrounding warriors off their feet. She fled frantically, but the more full power she unleashed, the farther the supernatural waves rippled, drawing an ever-growing swarm of black-armored warriors toward her.
...
At this moment, Li Hao and his companions had long since stripped off their armor in the distance.
Li Hao drew a sharp breath. What a spectacle.
He had merely intended to make Ziyue suffer a small loss... yet now, even he could sense the dense, suffocating masses of black armor flooding the outer city.
Time to bolt!
Liu Long panicked as well. "Do we leave the city or what?"
Li Hao swept his gaze across the surroundings and suddenly spotted a light cluster, his face lighting up with joy. "Quick, follow the person ahead... Minister Hao is up front!"
He saw the light cluster belonging to Hao Lianchuan!
Perfect—blending in to escape right now was ideal.
Had he not spotted Hao Lianchuan, he wouldn't have dared slip out rashly... but since he had, getting out sooner was the best move. He was currently setting his sights on a certain someone, and perhaps Hao Lianchuan could even lend a hand.
Liu Long and the others didn't question it. Some things required no explanation.
If Li Hao said he saw him... he was likely right there.
...
At that moment, Hao Lianchuan was also fleeing for his life.
Curse that wretched Ziyue, what a complete waste! You were just killing a few black-armored soldiers, did you go and ransack their ancestral hall or something?
You even managed to provoke a silver millurion commander!
He was utterly speechless!
The black armor within the city was multiplying rapidly. Not far away, screams began to echo—supernaturals who hadn't evacuated in time were being rooted out by the black armor.
Just as Hao Lianchuan was about to sprint away... his steps suddenly hitched, his eyes going wide the next second.
"You..."
"Minister, we came to cover your retreat! Let's get out!"
*Fuck me!*
Lying through your teeth without batting an eye! Cover my retreat my ass! I thought you'd been teleported somewhere far away, and I suspected it might be here, but to think you three were completely unharmed and even had the leisure to track me down... impressive!
The outer city was exceedingly perilous for them, yet looking at the three of them, they were unhurt, unscratched, and seemed to have been doing quite well for themselves.
Truly remarkable.
He didn't have time to chatter, immediately grabbing the trio and dashing outward, cursing as he ran, "Ziyue is utterly useless! Are all Red Moon people this brainless? We explicitly told her that area was close to the inner city, yet she still managed to draw out the black armor... no, she even drew out a silver warrior!"
Liu Long kept entirely silent. Hao Lianchuan likely had no idea that the one responsible for this catastrophe wasn't Ziyue, but rather the few crystal marbles Li Hao had casually planted.
*Rumble!*
In the distance, explosions roared incessantly, the flashing arcs of lightning illuminating the entirety of the outer city.
And in that moment, the silver-armored warrior raised its massive sword and cleaved downward, directly shattering the lightning. Just a single glance made Hao Lianchuan gasp: "Late to peak Three Sols strength... and indestructible to boot! Ziyue... is in deep trouble!"
An enemy dying was fine, but the problem was that facing such a terrifying adversary meant having to cross this hurdle to enter the inner city later. That would be a nightmare to handle.
Over there, Ziyue let out an enraged roar: "You bastards!"
The next instant, throwing caution to the wind regarding any airborne perils, she launched directly into the air, flying straight toward the nearest person, Hong Yitang... Hong Yitang's face turned livid!
*Boom!*
A streak of white light flashed across the sky, slamming squarely into Ziyue. However, a suit of armor enveloped in crackling lightning surfaced around her body.
A thunderous detonation echoed!
Ziyue stumbled midair, yet was not killed, crashing down directly beside the sprinting Hong Yitang.
Hong Yitang didn't waste a single breath; without a second word, the two Three Sols bolted toward Hu Dingfang in the distance.
Hu Dingfang was also running like mad. Seeing them approaching, he cursed inwardly.
These people—how had they managed to turn a simple hunt into this disaster?
They had even forced out an Origin God Armament!
By now, black-armored soldiers were swarming like locusts, and quite a few bronze-armored centurions had appeared as well, their longswords slashing out in relentless succession!
Not only that... shrill whistles pierced the air.
Within the city, the dormant mechanisms that had previously remained untouched seemed to have been triggered as well. In an instant, invisible blades whistled through the air, impaling and slaying on the spot any supernaturals who had failed to flee in time!
Even when struck, Three Sols experts felt sharp stabs of pain.
The invisible blades Hao Lianchuan had mentioned had manifested!
Hao Lianchuan sprinted madly with the three in tow, roaring as he ran, "Fall back, quickly! The city's mechanisms have been triggered..."
He was utterly exasperated, though fortunately, they weren't far from the city outskirts.
As they ran, the vast plaza came into view. Safety awaited once they retreated past it.
Looking back, Li Hao and his companions saw torrential lightning illuminating the entire city... Multiple Three Sols experts were fleeing for their lives. If it were merely the silver warrior alone, they might have put up a fight, but right now, all eight hundred black-armored soldiers seemed to have mobilized.
Under such circumstances, these Three Sols experts didn't dare fight head-on; that would be pure suicide.
Ziyue had it the worst. Having been struck by the aerial restriction, even with her Origin God Armament absorbing the brunt of the impact, her hair was currently disheveled and blood leaked from the corners of her mouth, leaving her practically mad with fury.
Just who had struck across from her earlier?
Of course, there was no point investigating now; in this chaos, that person was surely dead!
Yet the suffocating fury in her chest simply found no release.
With a tremendous crash, the silver greatsword slashed down once more from behind. For all that Hong Yitang's cultivation fell short of Ziyue's, he ran like the wind. With a sudden push off his heels, he shot past Ziyue, leaving the descending greatsword for her to face.
Ziyue nearly struck him with a bolt of lightning, but had she attacked him now, engaging in a clash with Hong Yitang would only plunge both of them into doom.
Left with no choice, Ziyue erupted with lightning, forcibly tanking the strike once more and using the concussive force to accelerate her flight.
Further ahead, Hu Dingfang unleashed a tiger's roar, stomping the earth to blast back the surrounding black armor, before fleeing headlong toward the Wheel-Turning King. If they were going to suffer, everyone might as well suffer together.
...
The entire outer city descended into total pandemonium!
Outside the plaza, supernaturals from the various organizations rushed forward. While they didn't dare approach the plaza, worry was written across their faces.
How had things devolved to this point?
The next instant, a blur of light flashed past as Hao Lianchuan bolted back, tossing Li Hao and the others into the crowd. With people constantly scrambling out of the city, no one had the mind to pay them any attention.
Hao Lianchuan shouted urgently, "Step onto the plaza and unleash your supernatural energy! Draw the black armor toward us to give the Three Sols a chance to escape, or we're all finished!"
They could flee outside, but if the Three Sols experts of their respective organizations died, none of their subordinates would meet a good end either!
The next moment, the crowd surged onto the plaza, unleashing waves of supernatural energy. Instantly, countless black-armored soldiers were drawn by the fluctuations, thundering toward the perimeter. The pressure on the several Three Sols experts finally eased substantially.
Blending into the crowd, Li Hao and his companions watched the grand spectacle... Liu Long gave Li Hao a speechless sidelong look.
Good grief!
You certainly act well—wearing that innocent, completely detached expression.
No one would ever guess that this monumental chaos was entirely this kid's doing. And to top it off, he even wore a look of deep concern... What on earth are you worried about?!
Li Hao, however, was genuinely worried.
Worried that Ziyue wouldn't die!
How great would it be if she perished here!
Still, even if she didn't die, she was in dire straits. He could clearly see the silver greatsword hacking furiously at Ziyue... what a gruesome sight!
Poor, pitiful Ziyue!
Li Hao offered her a silent moment of sympathy. Fortunately, he was no longer inside the city; otherwise, he'd be finished too.
"Ah!"
Ziyue's enraged screams rang out repeatedly. The next instant, she took to the air once more at blistering speed. In a flash, streaks of white light struck out against her. The lightning armor enveloping her flared violently, flickering under the relentless barrage.
A moment later, Ziyue forcibly withstood the pressure and flew back across the boundary. Yet as Li Hao looked over... that lightning behemoth—the Origin God Armament—seemed thoroughly drained, practically motionless within her body. It hadn't been battered to death, had it?
And Ziyue's light cluster had shrunk by an entire ring. Clearly, her consumption had been immense and her injuries severe.
Ragged gasps for breath echoed continuously.
With her hair disheveled, Ziyue's eyes burned with venomous hatred.
Damn it all!
Her Origin God Armament had suffered severe damage, but had she not flown back just now, she feared she never would have made it out.
In the next instant, a flash of sword light caught everyone's eye. Hong Yitang roared, unleashing a sword strike that shook the earth. The prowess of the Earth-Overturning Sword was revealed in full, sending the surrounding armored warriors tumbling through the air. With a massive bound, he crossed a hundred meters, fleeing toward the safety of the perimeter.
One after another, the Three Sols experts emerged looking battered and disheveled, cursing furiously in their hearts!
The city within had long since descended into an utter quagmire.
Chapter 91