Star Gate

“No excuses.” Golden Spear ignored Mu Lin and looked at Li Hao. “Li Hao, here is where you might learn what thinking for the greater good and responsibility are! The Guards will slowly teach you those concepts!

“As martial masters, we do not have to think of the greater good or keep responsibility in mind! But as the Silver Moon Guards that the province has heavily invested in, you must!”

Li Hao nodded, but didn’t feel one way or another about what the ranking officer was saying. Golden Spear understood his mentality quite well, most martial masters were of the same mind when they first entered the Guards. Sooner or later, they would all learn!

Of course, people might die in the process, but death was inevitable for a martial master. It was just the matter of a worthwhile death or not.

When Hou Xiaochen established the Silver Moon Guards, he’d recruited large sums of martial masters. Some of the martial masters from the martial world, used to their own style and rules, had eventually changed after becoming part of the army.

“Yu Luocha just sent me a message telling me to give you a dao comprehension weapon. I can give that to you, but you must remember that every treasure in the Guards costs human lives!

“Everything you take now will require equal payment in the future!”

Li Hao was reminded of Liu Long. The chief had said similar things when he first gave Li Hao mysterious power. Some things had come about through human lives. It would demonstrate a lack of conscience to use them matter-of-factly and complain that there was too little of them.

Talents were nurtured and supported in hopes that one day, they would contribute back to the organization that’d raised them. If paying it forward was not forthcoming, it was only a matter of time before the team collapsed.

“Understood!” Li Hao nodded.

“Good!” Golden Spear abruptly changed the topic. “You’ll understand this later. Your master seems to be in the three northern provinces. It’s been a long time since he’s left Silver Moon. Ying Hongyue has sealed off all possible avenues of travel for him. He built Red Moon over the years to prevent Yuan Shuo from leaving the province and left him no chance whatsoever. Do you know why?”

“He is afraid of my master?” Li Hao offered after some thought.

“Correct!” Golden Spear affirmed solemnly. “Don’t think of Yuan Shuo as impotent after you’ve met some powerhouses. Your master may have been locked away in Silver Moon for twenty years, but there have been eyes on him all this time. They haven’t let him out of Silver Moon out of concern that he’ll soar into the open skies and leap over the dragon’s gate!

“Ying Hongyue doesn’t care if people like us leave the province. The only one he’s wary of is your master!

“Therefore, Ying Hongyue is the one who wants Yuan Shuo's head the most now that he’s left Silver Moon. The leader of Red Moon knows all too well what will result if your master is granted sufficient time and opportunity!”

Li Hao looked at Golden Spear, not understanding what he meant.

“According to what I know, the Orange and Yellow Moons have recently disappeared among the Seven Moons. They’ve probably gone to kill your master!” Golden Spear said frankly. “The second and third strongest of Red Moon have gone for your master! They have stunning battle accomplishments in the central region and have killed Novas!

“Orange Moon was once a Silver Moon martial master. She was known far and wide, you might know her through the moniker Black Spider!”

“The Black Widow?” Li Hao raised a brow.

“Yes, but she prefers to call herself Black Spider.”

“I see!” Li Hao said after thinking for a bit.

What do you see? Golden Spear was puzzled.

Li Hao did indeed see. The third generation Violet Moon is Orange Moon’s daughter, so I need to capture Violet Moon and use her to threaten Orange Moon. How would I not understand this? If Orange Moon dares do anything, I’ll grab Violet Moon and cut off her arm one day, then her leg another...

Would Orange Moon dare do anything then?

If these powerhouses had the temerity to visit Silver Moon, Li Hao would ask the hidden powerhouses to take them out. As for whether or not they would take action, he had his ways. Therefore, he did see.

Capture Violet Moon to threaten Orange Moon. That was what Golden Spear meant, correct?

The ranking officer was rather skeptical—do you really understand? He meant to tell Li Hao the importance of constant vigilance, that slacking off was not permitted just because he was very strong now. Your master is caught in the middle of danger. Someone like him may die at any time and the same goes for you. Therefore, you need to cultivate even harder! If there comes a day in which your master is killed, you’ll need that bit of strength to take revenge.

Mmhmm, that was what he meant.

Li Hao didn’t say anything. So what if Black Widow was very strong and had killed Novas? She may be listed in the Record of Thirty-Six Heroes, but he didn’t fear these people. His teacher once mentioned Black Widow in passing, to say nothing of anything else. He’d told Li Hao not to mind these people who relied on their looks and seduction to trick victims. They were no kind of powerhouse.

Black Widow had earned her moniker due to her eight dead husbands. She was the only one who knew how they died and certainly cared about this daughter of hers. She was the Black Widow, not the Black Mother. Li Hao didn’t know how many children she had, but since Violet Moon had been arranged to be one of the Seven Moons, Orange Moon plainly cared a lot about her.

As for whether or not Manager Yu would be involved... Li Hao didn’t care. If you kill my master, I kill your daughter. And if Manager Yu interferes, I’ll tolerate her for a bit and kill her as well after some time passes...

He quickly shoved this thought down. He couldn’t think that way. The secretary was quite nice at the moment.

The conversation was over; a confused Golden Spear watched them go. This fellow had demonstrated such intense killing intent for a second. What had he understood?

......

Li Hao returned to his accommodations. He had no duties at hand since his team was yet to come together. According to the thoughts of Golden Spear and the others, it would be quite a feat if Li Hao could gather his team by the end of the year.

Therefore, the young man had a lot of time. It was only mid September, leaving him more than three months until the end of the year.

......

Inside the new lodgings.

After Li Hao’s fight with the Flaming Phoenix Spear, the few pieces of furniture that were damaged were already switched out. The building itself was fine. Structures made by supernaturals were very sturdy.

Li Hao walked up to the balcony on the third floor. He sat down cross-legged, finally having a moment to think over his reflections of the day. The extremity of speed!

He brought out the Flaming Phoenix Spear again—it no longer threw off fiery light. It was back to its dim self. Perhaps the phoenix soul was also digesting what it’d gained from the mysterious power stone.

Li Hao knew what he knew and understood what he grasped, but he had not grasped a new aura. Hong Yitang had said that once he knew the feeling, he should practice. If a hundred times didn’t do it, then a thousand times. If not, then ten thousand times until Li Hao could deploy the aura. He already knew it, had the target and the direction. All he needed was the process.

The extremity aura could be found in speed and eruption.

After some thought, Li Hao rose to his feet. Practical application was best for martial masters. Sitting cross-legged took place only when absorbing energy. In other instances, it was best for the weapon to be close at hand.

He began practicing the sword!

In order to minimize the disturbance, Li Hao practiced the Ghost Shadow Sword. He waved Stellaris around again and again, seeking only the ultimate peak of speed.

......

Off in the distance.

Golden Spear could barely make out the figure on the balcony of the small building. Other than Wang Qing, there was also a young woman next to him. She appeared to be the same age as Li Hao.

Wang Qing was watching the figure as well. He broke the silence after a while, “Milord, why doesn’t Old Demon Yuan’s disciple walk the path of the Five Styles and instead pursue sword dao?”

“The Five Styles...” Golden Spear suddenly recalled what Li Hao had said before. “There is only the question of appropriateness in martial dao, there is no fixed path to pursue. Perhaps he is more suited for sword dao. Additionally, the Five Styles aren’t limited to fist or palm either...”

Wang Qing was not satisfied by this answer. The young woman on the other side of their superior said softly, “The Five Styles is just a foundation. They can be called the Five Styles Sword or Five Styles Spear. The blade, spear, sword, halberd, fist, palm, leg, and foot are all external forms. Whether martial dao or auras, the core is the same. whether or not a weapon is involved does not matter.”

“Well said!” Golden Spear nodded in approval, a small smile crossing his face. “In the path of martial dao, some are suited to teach, some are not suited. I’m actually not that suited. Youyun is right, Yuan Shuo is more adept at teaching than I am and can adapt his tutelage to the need. Since Li Hao is willing to walk the path of the sword, then so he does...”

Wang Qing said no more and asked no further questions. Golden Spear was very strong, but sometimes he felt that his superior... wasn’t very talented at explanations or descriptions of certain inspiration. He had incredible potential, but perhaps he was more suited for individual cultivation.

He cast a look at the young woman with them. Golden Spear’s disciple must have marvelous potential and powers of comprehension. Otherwise, she might be crippled throughout the course of learning from Golden Spear.

“Master, what cultivation level is he?” asked the young woman.

Golden Spear searched for the proper words. “Based on strength, he should be mid Defier of Ten Thousand.”

Defier of Ten Thousand!

Prior to Yuan Shuo introducing the concept of Summoner of Spirit, certain martial masters had reached beyond Dominator of Thousands with their strength. Unbeknownst to Yuan Shuo, the martial world of the central region had coined a term for the next cultivation level—Defier of Ten Thousands.

This cultivation level greater than Dominator had many possibilities to it. There were many paths and choices available to martial masters, so it was difficult to describe each level of strength. Hence, they could only tie the partitions to corresponding level of supernatural ability.

Defier of Ten Thousand mapped to the Solar level. Dominators could fight Sunflares, whereas Defiers could battle Solars. One against ten thousand.

Among the Guards, Mu Lin belonged to this level. Strictly speaking, Golden Spear also belonged to this level. The peak of this level could match Novas. As Berserk Blade’s disciple, Wang Qing was slightly below them, but beginning to grasp this level as well.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is fre(e)novelkiss