Star Gate

Li Hao understood that his tiger was the fire of his heart. His teacher’s ape was the fire heart ape, whereas his was the fire heart tiger. It was two entirely different styles, a similar case to Liu Long and his father with the Nine Forged Force. One honed the water aura, the other trained the fire aura.

The ferocious tiger entered his heart!

His heart seemed to be on fire; massive chains snaked around the tiger, wanting to keep it in place. That only served to incense the tiger even more and intensify its violence. So you want to lock me down as well??

A refusal to be confined was the core nature of the caged tiger. It refused to submit to the chains that sought to restrain it! It snarled with fury, howled with madness, and tore in a frenzied rush.

Li Hao’s expression remained calm. Keep it in, hold on a little longer. I’m chaining you today so you can be released with even more power in the future. The fire tiger sword aura was his next goal. The earth sword aura was as weighty as a mountain. It was grand and magnificent, but lacked killing power.

Li Hao began chaining the fire tiger with the supernatural lock of the heart. The chains were incredibly thick—much stronger than when he’d locked the earth mountain into place. A Nova blood pearl had greatly increased his potential and fortified his supernatural locks.

ROAR!!

A vicious tiger snarl echoed in Wang Ming’s ears. Turning pale, he tilted his head at Li Hao. What was that? Was that an aura? Had Li Hao comprehended the tiger aura?

......

Li Hao ignored his compatriot. He’d wrapped the tiger in chains, but it continued to struggle wildly. It shook his heart so much that the organ thumped painfully.

Very good!

This was the vigor that he wanted. If the tiger settled down without a fight after being locked in place like the earth mountain had, that would mean it was no longer a tiger in a cage. This aura might not match his earth sword aura—in fact, it might even be a bit less—but it was a complete reflection of Li Hao’s mentality. This drive, the burning spirit that refused to be doused, the madness that disdained to be quiet... It was a realization that only resulted from wholly placing oneself in that way of thinking.

If Yuan Shuo was here, he’d be shaken by the sight. He would tell his student that only today did the young man truly set foot into Dominator of Thousands. This was Li Hao’s enlightenment on the path of martial dao, his own accomplishment!

Intent within the heart!

This was his third aura, or in actuality, the second. He’d turned the sword aura into a general outline. He wasn’t going to treat it separately and turn it into the metal aura. It was going to lead all of his auras.

The starting point of his sword aura was too high. It came from illustrious origins—the sword intent of an unparalleled powerhouse. His sword aura would be weakened if he forced it to become a metal aura.

Lingering scarlet shadow energy inside Li Hao’s body repaired the damage from earlier. His wounds swiftly healed and he fully incorporated this second aura into the heart. Now his heart and spleen both nurtured an aura. Once his tiger became a fire tiger sword and melded into the sword aura, it would grow even stronger.

He urgently needed to attack someone to vent the fire within his heart!

Although his eyes were closed to his surroundings, he could vaguely sense attention from the gazes of others. Someone was following him—he’d left headquarters too abruptly and hadn’t gone home. His watchers couldn’t react in time to do anything.

This was also the outcome that he wanted.

......

A hotel in the eastern quadrant.

Hu Qingfeng quickly received a report.

“Li Hao just went out to... go look at a tiger?” he read a report with surprise. “What’s he doing?”

Standing beside him, Yu Xiao cursed inwardly. What are you running around for? Why haven’t you gone back to complete the drawing? Going to check out a tiger? You’ve got too much time on your hands!

“That Wang Ming probably put him up to it...” Yu Xiao waved it off and quickly changed the topic. He didn’t want Hu Qingfeng to pay too much attention to the young man. “Li Hao told me today that Hou Xiaochen will exit seclusion in three days!”

“Hmph!” Hu Qingfeng snorted. “It seems to me that this so-called seclusion is just a front. He might’ve emerged a long time ago.”

Yu Xiao kept quiet—I don’t think so! Hou Xiaochen might really be injured. He would’ve already eaten Li Hao otherwise. He’s probably recovering from his wounds so he can better devour the young man.

Hu Qingfeng contemplated the group’s next steps instead of chatting further. “Is Li Hao willing to hand over his blood?”

“Yes!” Yu Xiao chuckled. “How would he dare refuse? Plus, that kid doesn’t understand anything. He looked at me with more enthusiasm than he’d show his own father when I said I’m from central headquarters. He probably doesn’t know any part of what Hou Xiaochen’s thinking.”

Hu Qingfeng nodded. That made sense. In the eyes of the Night Watchers, any powerhouse from central headquarters was a figure to revere. There were only a few senior executives among the Silver Moon Night Watchers who were somewhat aware of Hou Xiaochen’s intentions.

That was the end of the conversation for Hu Qingfeng. Yu Xiao had returned saying that Li Hao needed a day or two before supplying heart blood, that the man didn’t want regular blood. Hu Qingfeng didn’t find anything amiss about this declaration. It would be for the best if they could obtain heart blood.

......

White Moon City.

A small residence in the southern quadrant.

“Gone off to look at a tiger?” He Yong stroked his bushy beard as he frowned at the person in front of him. “And a captured tiger at that? Does he want to comprehend the tiger aura? That doesn’t seem likely to happen... This Li Hao possesses neither the domineering traits nor the irreplaceable madness as his teacher. It’ll be hard for him to grasp the tiger style!”

His thoughts immediately jumped to the young man wanting to understand the aura, but that was almost impossible. It very much depended on the person whether or not an aura could be grasped.

He Yong wasn’t unfamiliar with Li Hao. Even though the young man had some small plots and schemes up his sleeves, he was different from Yuan Shuo. The kid was too young and had grown up under careful protection. Being as sheltered as he was, it was almost impossible for him to comprehend the tyrannical nature of a fearsome tiger.

It was a waste of time to go look at one, not to mention an imprisoned specimen!

“Kids are so naive.” He Yong shook his head with a chuckle. “Do they think they can command an aura by looking at tigers and bears? The auras of the Five Styles are not an easy matter to grasp.”

He dismissed the rest of the topic. “Be on your way. Remember, just watch and don’t brashly intervene. Hou Xiaochen is still present within Silver Moon, he’s not dead. Don’t be dumb like the others. Doing anything now—even if you succeed—will only result in guaranteed doom when the man exits closed door cultivation.”

He Yong more or less understood Li Hao’s affairs. Whether it was the Breathing Method of the Five Styles or the Nova level blood pearl, none of it held interest for him. It’d be nice to have them, it didn’t matter if he didn’t. Whoever had designs on Li Hao at this moment was betting their lives. He Yong wasn’t interested in gambling his away for the sake of some trinkets. He didn’t lack these treasures, not as a royal instructor.

What he needed more was enlightenment and pointers for the proper steps to take on his path.

......

Everyone was discussing Li Hao’s latest move. The young man’s sudden interest in a tiger raised a great deal of speculation, but most thought that he wanted to comprehend a tiger aura. Almost no one looked favorably upon his chances to succeed.

Those who knew Yuan Shuo understood what his tiger style was like. That was a true king of the mountain forests!

Yuan Shuo came into possession of his tiger aura only after he swept through the province. He truly understood the aura’s nature and its domination after fighting a dozen famous martial masters.

Li Hao was far from that level, he wasn’t even a cub!

......

The Night Watchers.

Li Hao set foot through the front doors with a smile on his face. Almost all of his temper was fully retracted and melded into the tiger aura. He seemed more gentle than before, like his emotions had been fed to the tiger.

Hao Lianchuan was surprised by what he read from Li Hao upon seeing the young man again. The boy seemed incredibly pure, like he truly was just a student. He’d previously given off the tiniest hint of pretense. But when he smiled now, it seemed to really come from the depths of his heart.

The deputy director could no longer see through Li Hao. He frowned slightly, but quickly relaxed his brows.

“Hu Dingfang called my communicator today,” he said. “He wants me to protect you well. He heard what you said at the meeting and wants you to be careful. Also, he wants you to stay away from Wang Ming. That kid will be nothing but trouble for you!”

“Please thank him for me, director.” Li Hao smiled. “But he doesn’t need to be concerned about my matters. There’s no need to exert himself on my behalf. If teacher thinks it’s fine, then it’s fine. It’s not a good idea to try to win teacher over through me. No matter how much he helps me, it stops with me. I don’t want to affect my teacher through my influence.”

“Why not?” Hao Lianchuan chuckled. “Wouldn’t that be good?”

“It’s not that it’s bad, but that there’s no need.” Li Hao changed the topic. “Director, I’d like to go see the sea in two days. Would you like to come with me?”

The sea? Hao Lianchuan blinked.

“I can.” He nodded. “But White Moon’s sea is just an inner sea, it’s not a truly unbounded mass of water in the true sense of the word. You should head south if you wish to see the real sea. The sea there is vaster than the one in the north.

“Maybe if there’s a chance to someday.” Li Hao looked around him. “Director, can you give me an office or something? I like clocking in to work and it’s not convenient to always camp out in your office.”

“......” Are you freaking addicted to work or what? Or do you think you’re going to be a deputy director in White Moon? Only deputy directors have their own offices here, as well as those in charge of finances and similar. Kid, you’re a weird one.