Star Gate

Chapter 483: Commencing (II)

He Yong chuckled on the city walls and transmitted to Li Hao, “Kid, do you lie at the drop of a hat without even breathing hard?”

“I did that for my martial uncles.” Li Hao grinned. “Not to mention, I want to see how strong Director Hou and the others are. They aren’t weak. Even if Light Sword joins the skirmish, I think they have a chance of holding the battle in the outer city. Martial Uncle Hong simply needs to suffer some consequences when he unseals himself some, can’t Director Hou and Inspector General Kong do the same?”

He Yong didn’t respond. The group of them stood silently on the city walls and waited for the Silver Moon authorities to make their move. They did indeed need to be careful—Hou Xiaochen was too cunning.

......

Outside the city.

Hou Xiaochen looked into the distance, then glanced back at Kong Jie. “Then let us begin. I’ll leave the three Yama Novas to you while I take care of Green Peacock on Red Moon’s side. She still has some strength left to her. Little Yu and Golden Spear can take care of Celestial. Qi Gang will face the guy from Near River, and Hu Qingfeng... can play with the kid from the Lius.”

All of the Novas had their targets, but Kong Jie transmitted, “What about Light Sword?”

“We can ignore her!”

“How are you that confident?” Kong Jie was worried. Hou Xiaochen plainly felt that the swordswoman wouldn’t intervene. However, wasn’t she concerned about the possibility that they’d all turn on her once they eliminated the others?

“Trust me, Light Sword hasn’t completely lost her mind!”

“Then what about Yuan Xingwu and those from the Skystar Troops?”

Hou Xiaochen frowned at this possibility, but abruptly grinned. “Don’t care! We can leave that to Li Hao!”

Indeed, he had a plan for that as well. Yuan Xingwu was hard to manage, so he could be left to Li Hao! Hu Dingfang was also here, he should be familiar with Yuan Xingwu. Perhaps the two had worked together before. It was indeed a difficult proposition to neutralize the man. Therefore, he could be Li Hao’s problem. It would be an opportunity to assess Li Hao’s methods and his thoughts as well.

“Then the wandering cultivators and Solars...”

“We’ll just disperse them, they can’t get away. What do you think they’ll do once Novas start fighting?”

Attack en masse?

Absolutely not! If a bunch of terrified fellows could mob supreme powerhouses at a moment like this, that would make them elite troops instead of wandering cultivators. Even the Silver Moon Guards might find it difficult to keep their footing in similar circumstances.

Meanwhile, the army inside the city still possessed their morale and mettle. They could probably strike back if faced with such a development. When it came to the wandering cultivators... Hou Xiaochen thought nothing of them.

Their numbers weren’t the strength that the three great organizations thought of so fondly. When so many wandering cultivators were gathered, they could probably beat several dozen Solars to death. However, strength wasn’t a simple mathematical equation. Five hundred wandering cultivators might not bring the strength of fifty supernaturals to bear. They could fight when they were on the winning side, but when the odds were against them?

Kong Jie smiled. All there was left to do was to wait for Yu Luocha’s return.

......

On the outskirts of the other city.

Light Sword kept looking into the city, permitting Green Moon to chatter on. She ignored the Red Moon member. When she saw a shadow flash past out of the corner of her eye, Light Sword focused to see that Yu Luocha had appeared close by. These people were plainly about to make a move.

Green Peacock was too unfamiliar with them! She was still trying to sway her counterpart when Light Sword coughed gently.

“Ying Hongyue is as confident as ever,” she sighed softly. Green Moon blinked, why were they talking about the leader?

“I’m going into the city for a look, you guys have fun!” Light Sword coughed again and darted into the outer city, her movements catching people by surprise.

How did anyone dare enter the city now? Wasn’t she afraid of the Gold Armor and Earthturner Sword? She’d been sent flying by one blow from Southern Fist earlier, wasn’t she just going to her death now?

Green Moon blinked, unable to comprehend Light Sword’s actions. Even if revenge was on her mind, she should wait until they resolved certain problems together or reached another accord. Waiting for that moment would be much safer than now.

Light Sword said nothing; she strode straight toward the inner city gates.

Hou Xiaochen was poised for action not too far away, but abruptly paused when he saw the development. Confusion swam in his eyes as he looked at Light Sword.

......

The inner city gates.

Li Hao and the others were likewise surprised by Light Sword’s decisive momentum. What was she doing inside the city, not having taken the second passageway? Of course, martial masters could fly so long as they didn’t let their power leak. Li Hao had tried that before. The key thing was, this was Li Hao’s territory.

Light Sword reached the inner city gates moments later and looked up at those on the city walls. Her gaze ultimately settled on Li Hao; she smiled at the young man. “Li Hao, Yuan Shuo’s disciple, is that right? Perhaps Earthturner Sword and Southern Fist has told you about my strength. Do you think I can kill you if I snap all of my supernatural locks? Or do you think those two can stop me before I get to you?

“They can recover their locks and they dare not snap them all to release all of their potential. I, however, dare.”

Li Hao frowned.

“You shattered some of my hopes, which is no different from taking my life,” she murmured to herself. “You should not have killed Xu Feng. Or rather, I wouldn’t mind if you’d waited a bit longer to exterminate all of the Xus. You should not have killed Xu Feng in this moment.”

“So what if I did?” Li Hao raised a brow. “Does the senior wish to kill me? Or fight to the death right here and now? You are very confident and I believe that senior is formidable, but you think too little of Battle Heaven if you think you can kill me here!”

“It’s not that I think too little of the ancient city—but aren’t there people waiting for you outside the city?” Light Sword coughed, her presence began growing. “Promise me one thing, Li Hao, and I will drop the matter of Xu Feng’s death.”

“A condition?” Li Hao looked at the androgynous elder. “Please go ahead, senior.”

Light Sword was quiet for a moment before beginning, “It must have something to do with you that both Southern Fist and Earthturner Sword are willing to erupt with full strength. There’s no need to deny anything. Southern Fist has kept to himself all these years in the central region, but he finds his courage as soon as he comes here. You or the city must be the key, but overall, it must have something to do with you.”

Li Hao thought for a bit and nodded. That was true.

“I know that you might not be willing to do anything else, but I only have one request. If there comes a day in which I have to break my supernatural locks, I’ll do my utmost to prevent them from snapping all the way through and come to you. You must help me suppress them that one time!”

Li Hao blinked. What... was this? What did she mean?

“Not now, but perhaps... sometime in the future!”

“And if I don’t agree?” Li Hao frowned.

“That’s not a big problem,” Light Sword laughed. “Your enemies will just increase by another martial master who can break her locks at any time and unleash power that is double or triple what He Yong brought to bear earlier. This is both a threat and not a threat! You have severed my path and if you continue to refuse me, you will force me down another path!”

Li Hao remained silent. Was it a difficult condition?

Not really, it was just expending resources. The crux of the issue was, he was being threatened into helping the other. Light Sword’s meaning was clear—him dispatching Xu Feng disrupted some of her plans or solutions to her problems.

Off to the side, He Yong curled his lip. What are you carrying on about? Double or triple my strength? Bullshit!

Granted, the woman would be very strong if she broke all of her supernatural locks. He Yong and Hong Yitang decided to hold their peace and see how Li Hao would respond.

“Senior’s condition is not a simple one!” Li Hao breathed out gently. “I fought Xu Feng in open combat, he deserves his death! But an older one comes along after I killed the younger one... Fine, I bow to the situation! But since the senior is acting this way, we shall follow the rules of the martial world. You bully the weak and I cannot measure up to the senior. Let us wait for my teacher’s return! If my teacher desires a match after he returns, I hope the senior will accept the challenge!”

A light glittered in Light Sword’s eyes. Li Hao was being very clear—he acquiesced to the situation he was in, but she was bullying the weak. If Yuan Shuo came back, he was certain to exact revenge from her. Whether it was a fight to the death or not would be determined then.

Yuan Shuo was very weak at the moment, initial Nova at most. But he wouldn’t be weak forever—everyone believed that!

Light Sword didn’t anticipate that Li Hao would send out his teacher instead of declaring that he would seek revenge himself. In fact, both He Yong and Hong Yitang were rather surprised. Li Hao had just killed a mid Nova, after all!

Though all of them looked askance at Li Hao, the young man didn’t say a word. There was nothing to it! He wanted to give his teacher some motivation and pressure. Your disciple’s being bullied by others who’ve come calling. Are you done melding the five auras together yet? If not, I’m going to take revenge myself!

Li Hao had already thought things through—he was going to release the news when he left the ruins so that his teacher knew that Light Sword was bullying him. Yuan Shuo wasn’t willing to come back to Silver Moon yet. If he did, Li Hao had a lot of sword energy to share with him. The old man could meld five auras anytime he wanted to. In contrast, how many Red Moon members would he have to kill to obtain sufficient blood energy to complete the five auras?