Star Gate

Chapter 511: Heading Out to Sea (II)

Li Hao looked at Hu Hao—Hu Hao’s ability was more singular, he could fly. All martial masters could fly upon reaching Dominator, so flight supernaturals were slightly redundant.

Supernaturals of unique abilities were very interesting. They hadn’t opened the locks of their five organs or four limbs, but somewhere else that Li Hao couldn’t pinpoint. The flight attribute was a mutation of the wind attribute, but the wind attribute was already a special category outside of the five elements.

These people had possibly opened locks that were yet to be discovered in the body. When Li Hao absorbed wind energy, it strengthened his overall body. As for Li Meng’s third eye... that was even more unique. Who the hell knew which lock she’d opened?

These people bore remarkable potential in Li Hao’s eyes. To him, all supernaturals of a special category possessed deep potential because they started off with special locks. If they could then see their regular locks, they would be one level ahead of others when the rest searched for other locks to break.

Of course, that was a matter far removed from the present. The locks of the four limbs and five organs were already known. These unique supernaturals would have to break eight or nine locks to amount to anything out of the ordinary. However, if the ones of the organs proved hard to break, then they would occupy an advantage again. While others attempted the second lock of their five organs, they would only be trying their first. There would be no conflict between the two energies.

“Are we going out on a mission tonight?” Wang Ming asked excitedly while Li Hao pondered over possibilities. “Where to?”

“Not telling you, you have a big mouth.”

Wang Ming drooped visibly. He didn’t have a big mouth! Why was this rumor still being circulated?

“You three should quickly train some right now,” Li Hao said. “I’m not looking for you to become Sunflare, Plenilune will do. You should at least be peak Darkmoon—Fullmoon is a bit too weak.”

He crushed some mysterious power stones with a wave of his hand and dissipated a surge of pure elemental power. Water energy flowed toward Yun Yao, wind energy toward Hu Hao. Since Li Hao didn’t know what element of energy to give to Li Meng, he sent her a bit of the five elements, wind, thunder, dark, and even unattributed energy.

“Absorb some of each and see which one is most useful for you. This isn’t ordinary mysterious power, so focus on whichever is most effective,” he said to Li Meng. He was very curious about what attribute the third eye fell under.

Li Hao had seen his fair share of supernatural abilities thus far, even those of the ice and dark attributes, as well as those used for support. But growing a third eye was one he hadn’t seen anywhere else. Was it a real eye, or was it a physical manifestation of something else?

Li Meng was long used to her ability and didn’t dwell on its particulars. She absorbed a bit of every element and couldn’t stop smiling in delight. It was harder for her to improve compared to others, so the fact that she’d made it to Fullmoon meant that her absorption efficacy rate might be a bit higher than Wang Ming. She wouldn’t have made it to Darkmoon otherwise. People like Wang Ming knew how to properly go through the steps—Li Meng stumbled through them and took in whatever energy she could.

The other two absorbed energy in a normal fashion while Li Meng tried some of every kind.

“This is amazing! Any one of these is stronger than the unattributed energy I absorbed before!” she exclaimed.

Li Hao, however, frowned. Was there no specific energy that was a good match? He could note visible increases in Yun Yao’s ball of light as she absorbed water energy. While Hu Hao’s progress was slower with wind energy, his ball of light was strengthening as well. Although Li Meng advanced, her efficacy rate was very low!

Perhaps this was fast enough for her, but for Li Hao and his special eyes, it was too slow. These people were supernaturals he’d met early on and were even Yuan Shuo’s honorary disciples. Granted, his teacher had just wanted to pave the way for him then as no one expected Li Hao to improve so quickly.

But since they were honorary disciples, there was no room for regret. Everyone else was improving very quickly, but Li Meng lagged behind. It gave Li Hao much food for thought. At this rate, she might only become a Sunflare when the rest were advancing to Solars, and her progress might be more difficult as time went on.

His ears twitched as he thought—a dog had appeared beside him. Panther ran over because it sensed energy wafting from this area and wanted a bite to eat. But it lost interest upon seeing that there wasn’t much energy to be had. The feast from earlier was the best! It was so full!

Panther had perfectly filled out its glossy pelt—a marked contrast to its previous skin and bones. It wagged its tail and twitched its nose. The black dog listened quietly to Li Hao after a noncommittal glance at Li Meng.

“I really can’t tell what attribute your third eye is,” Li Hao admitted with slight frustration. You absorb various types of energy at the same rate, there isn’t one that’s particularly suited for you. This is hard to manage.”

“This is fast enough.” Li Meng didn’t mind. “You’re the best, leader!”

Panther shook its tail and glanced at Li Meng a few more times. Some images seemed to form in a mind filled with thoughts of eating, but they vanished a second later. Puzzled, the dog looked at Li Meng up and down a few times.

“Arf arf!” It suddenly barked at the girl.

Li Hao lowered his head to look at the dog and was surprised to find it addressing Li Meng. “What is it?”

“Arf!” Panther made a circle around Li Meng, confused as well. It seemed to think of something in the next moment and barked energetically at Li Hao!

The young man was finding it quite troublesome that such a strong dog didn’t know how to speak. How am I supposed to know what your barks mean? I can get your meaning sometimes, but other times... I really can’t! For example, how am I supposed to know what you’re talking about when you bark at Li Meng?

Panther was likewise dejected! It thought of something in the next second and widened its eyes at Li Hao. “Aooouuuu!”

It sounded like an extremely furious dog; a vicious golden dog appeared in Li Hao’s mind. The young man blinked, rather surprised.

“So... you really have become a martial master dog?”

This was mind intent, wasn’t it? This dog was very strange. Its physical body was formidably strong—who’d trained it inside the city? Panther was crazy strong! And this mind intent... was the dog showing off to him?

Li Hao shifted tracks in the next moment and thought of something. He looked at Li Meng, then at Panther. “Do you mean to say... that she is... a mutation of this mental strength system?”

“Arf arf arf!” Panther rapidly bobbed its head up and down, quite excited that the young man finally understood. It didn’t understand what it saw either, just that the thought had suddenly occurred to it. The third eye was rather familiar, like some sort of mental strength ability.

Li Hao sorted through new thoughts—a heavenly eye cultivator?

Indeed, that was what he was thinking about. Hou Xiaochen had once given him an overview of such cultivators and Li Hao later asked He Yong a few questions to clear up confusion. According to the young man’s judgment, the ones who were able to see the scarlet shadows were all heavenly eye cultivators. It was hard for them to grow stronger, but once they broke through certain obstacles on the path of cultivation, they became exceedingly terrifying.

Red Moon had one such Heaven's Eye before, what a pity they’d died extremely swiftly to one stroke from Director General Wang.

As for himself... Li Hao realized his was different after asking around. He didn’t inquire about further details.

Was Li Meng a Heaven’s Eye? But he never heard of someone so gifted being bestowed with a physical third eye. It was also said that Heaven’s Eyes found it difficult to control themselves during cultivation. It was easy to self detonate, a trait that Li Meng showed no signs of.

Li Hao set the matter aside after momentary confusion. It would be hard for her to improve if she was part of the mental attribute. Even he himself was yet to successfully experiment what kind of power would give rise to mental improvements.

He had the Mind Fruits, but wouldn’t carelessly spend them. Part of his attention now centered on Li Meng’s third eye, but he had no way to improve it. “Just keep training for now. Improving at a faster rate than before is still good.”

He had no other ideas in mind at the moment.

......

Li Hao entered the warehouse and collected the remaining mysterious power stones. His thoughts then turned to Hao Lianchuan. They might run into pirates tonight, should he bring that guy along? Being a Solar, he was wrong enough. More importantly, he was eager and champed at the bit to follow the group.

After some thought, the young man shook his head and dismissed the notion. They were just going out for a look, not to pick a fight. If both the young man and the Night Watcher acting director ran off, who should the Night Watchers look for guidance if anything happened?

Therefore, Li Hao set aside the notion of bringing the fatty with him.

Next time.

......

Night soon descended. It was the middle of the night. Fifty-five people, excluding Li Hao, put on black armor. There were fifty-one to begin with, they were reinforced by four supernaturals. Li Hao commanded them to wear the armor so that it would mask their supernatural ripples. He’d activated all of the suits of armor.

With that, there was an immediate benefit—smoother communication between his people. “Everyone can receive my messages now and I have granted you authorization to communicate with me. But don’t chat unless there is a need to. Try to keep as quiet and silent as you can for the mission. Contact me through the armor if there’s need.”

Martial masters did not emanate presences to begin with. With the armor giving them internal communications, the Demon Hunters were nearly in complete stealth mode.

“We’re just familiarizing ourselves with the seas tonight, but can also practice with smaller bands of pirates if we come across them.” Li Hao fell silent after giving a string of instructions.