Star Gate

Chapter 544: Entering the North Sea (I)

Inside the ruins, Li Hao took out a large sum of mysterious power stones and offered them to the little tree. This would give it sufficient energy for it to exude power to help others train. Meanwhile, the young man thought back over everything he’d just experienced—becoming a tree and growing with the little tree.

His Weeping Willow Sword gradually took shape, but he still lacked inspiration when it came to the wood sword aura. His fifth aura was too hard to manifest. The young man was beginning to understand why his teacher sought out people to fight. Perhaps only through sparring his way through the land could he improve his own aura. Otherwise, pure cultivation alone might make it difficult to comprehend the fifth aura.

A ripple suddenly traveled from Li Hao’s armor after an indeterminate period of time. Soldier Kong Jie requested to communicate.

Kong Jie!

Li Hao had given him a set of armor before and they were less than five hundred kilometers away from White Moon City. They could indeed communicate at this distance. Li Hao could reach Kong Jie directly, but the man needed Li Hao’s permission to do the same.

A momentary pause later, Li Hao accepted the call.

“What is it, Inspector General Kong?” He’d only just left White Moon City. Had the White Shark Raiders already come? Surely not!

“There’s been news from the east that Light Sword erupted at the Steadfast Duke’s holdings five hours ago. She killed five of his generals and seized their heritage treasure. She seems to still be alive and is escaping to the north...”

Li Hao paused from shock. “Isn’t she part of the duke’s faction?”

“Would a Silver Moon martial master really be willing to call someone else their uncle? Only Silver Moon denizens can suppress another person from Silver Moon, such as someone like your master. The Steadfast Duke plainly doesn’t count among their number.”

“Okay!” Li Hao had nothing else to say. He was simply confused why the inspector general was telling him this. Escaping to the north? Could it be...

The young man thought of what Light Sword had once said to him and broke out in a grin. She’s not coming for me, is she?

That was very possible.

The swordswoman had threatened him into helping her suppress her inner turmoil once. It looked like she’d unsealed herself to kill her enemies last night...

But that’d been five hours ago. She was dead now, right? Even if she wasn’t, she would be a supernatural. That was just as good, Li Hao wouldn’t be able to do anything for her then. She was beyond saving as a martial master after so long. Not to mention, the eastern expanses were very far away.

A premier powerhouse would have to travel approximately five thousand kilometers if they flew in a straight line from east to north. Although Light Sword might be erupting with full power, it would take her at least a day and a half at a speed of one hundred and fifty kilometers per hour.

“Light Sword killed five premier powerhouses last night,” Kong Jie continued. “Four of them were late Novas and one close to metamorphosis. She killed them all with one stroke! She’s a terrifying character who looks to have snapped five locks at once.”

Damn! Li Hao clucked his tongue. That was intense! No wonder she could kill five generals with one move. Hong Yitang couldn’t instantly kill an existence in metamorphosis even if he snapped two locks. If he could, the four monster spirits of Ash Mountain would’ve been in a great deal of trouble.

No wonder she could face such overwhelming odds and make it back out alive. He Yong had mentioned that Light Sword should be stronger than him after unsealing herself.

“We’re not sure what treasure Light Sword’s seized, but according to some records, the Xus were known for their speed when they helped the royal family conquer the world. Therefore, we speculate that they might have the ‘feet of the Lius’ as mentioned in the eight families...”

Li Hao’s eyes widened. Was that so? However, he still didn’t understand what Kong Jie wanted with him. “Does the inspector general mean to say that Silver Moon is interested in this treasure?”

“Naturally, of course, and there are many who are also interested. There’s probably numerous parties who wish to stop her along the way. Light Sword may still be alive since there’s no news of her death. If that is the case, she’ll be gravely wounded and possibly near death. Many people will head to her once they receive the news as well.”

“Then you should go take a look, inspector general.”

“We cannot leave rashly...” Kong Jie finally broached his main point. “Even if we do, we might not have a great effect. I recall the instance when He Yong and Hong Yitang unsealed themselves... but were fine for it. You also received a drop of the Water of Life in the ruins...”

“Soldier Kong Jie, your superior officer has ended communication!” A voice suddenly echoed in Kong Jie’s ears as he spoke on. The man blinked, freezing. He cursed, “The fuck!”

I wasn’t done yet! Li Hao hung up on me! This kid... these guts... Damned if he didn’t want to punch someone!

......

The clearing in front of the castle.

Li Hao was speechless. The heck? He understood Kong Jie’s meaning—the man wanted him to rescue Light Sword and help suppress her five supernatural locks. If not, then use the Water of Life to save her.

You’re joking!

One drop of that water was worth ten thousand mysterious power stones to Li Hao. Suppressing five locks? He Yong had snapped only four last time and not all the way. He’d received treatment on the spot, but still consumed three thousand stones. That instance had put He Yong into massive debt!

Li Hao would be an utter fool to save the woman, not to mention there was a grudge between them. He rather liked Silver Moon martial masters, but those did not include his enemies such as Ying Hongyue or the dead Green Moon. Light Sword hadn’t taken action against him only because she hadn’t had the chance to. Both He Yong and Hong Yitang had been present and they had been inside Battle Heaven. Reinforced by two more Gold Armors, Li Hao wasn’t afraid of her at all.

Therefore, he wasn’t the least bit interested in saving someone who’d once threatened him.

But if she came to him, he would honor his word. The precursor to that was that she paid for her own treatment. He’d agreed to help keep her energy in check, but not pay the price for it.

The key thing was, she couldn’t reach him. The young man laughed. Even if she ran to him with everything she had, it would take her a day and a night to reach Silver Moon. She’d be long dead by then.

A weapon of the eight families? This was what Li Hao was interested in. Director General Wang of Battle Heaven security had told him to collect those, that they were important tokens and keys. So the weapon of the Lius was with the Xus?

The young man sank into deep thought and looked at Liu Long cultivating not too far away. Chief’s surname was also Liu and his family was one of the more well known Lius of Silver City. They didn’t seem to have much to do with the Lius of the eight families, however.

Another communicator alert traveled into Li Hao’s ear. Kong Jie was still looking for him. Only the armor’s communication system could reach Li Hao. The others couldn’t find him even if they wished to.

The young man frowned. What was with Kong Jie? He knew that there was a feud between Light Sword and Li Hao. Despite the internal grumbling, the young man still picked up.

“Silver Moon needs Light Moon alive, and preferably in perfect condition. Bring her back to us. We’re not at liberty to make a move ourselves and neither will we be of much use. We still have to ask you for help. We’re willing to pay a price!”

“Not interested!” Li Hao flat-out rejected. “She threatened me once before. I don’t have many friends, nor do I need them. I’m not interested in turning enemies into friends.”

“One sword stele!”

“What?”

“I’ll trade you a sword stele for you taking action! It’s left behind from a premier swordsman and there’s an inscription on it. There was sword qi remaining on it when we dug it out from the ancient ruins. It was so strong that it almost killed a Nova powerhouse. It will be a very useful treasure to you.”

A sword stele.

“Is there a signature on it?” Li Hao thought over the idea. He wanted to know if it used to belong to one of the premier swordsmen that he knew. If not, he wasn’t interested.

“Yes! Just one character... Li!” Kong Jie chuckled. “It might have belonged to one of your ancestors.”

Really? Li Hao didn’t believe him. Li was a popular surname, there were too many with it.

“Light Sword will certainly repay you if you rescue her. With her strength, she’ll be able to do many things for you that you can’t do. She’s one of the more gentle martial masters among us. She trains in the light sword discipline and is a very decisive person.”

“Inspector general, it’s better that you guys do the deed,” Li Hao declined politely. “If you really can bring her back and supply sufficient mysterious power stones, I’ll help her get her energy under control again.”

He was rather curious that if they wanted to save people, who could stand against their combined might? Just head out already! Why waste time with me? I’m just a martial master barely on par with mid Nova. If you send me, I’ll die if there’s any kind of powerhouse there. Light Sword is finding it tough to shake off her enemies even with her eruption of power. I’m sure she’s very strong right now, so I’d just be going to my death.

If the person being chased was Yuan Shuo, then Li Hao would go without even needing to be urged. But it wasn’t, and it was Light Sword who was the target. He wasn’t interested in taking the risk.

“We can’t, we pose too big of a target,” Kong Jie sighed. “Let’s put it this way. A lot of people have their eyes on us and we’ll be easily exposed if we disappear for too long, particularly at a sensitive time like this. Silver Moon might appear to be peaceful after Ole Hou’s departure, but there are a lot of people watching us.

“You, though, don’t have any official duties and don’t need to appear at official events. You can do whatever you like... So name your terms! We want to save Light Sword as there might be drastic changes in Silver Moon coming up. We need someone with her strength! You won’t be in much trouble if you go. If you can save her, suppress her internal disorder and repair her organs, she’ll have the strength to face some dangers too...”

Name my terms?

Didn’t Li Hao risk his life, undertake excavations, and attack pirates because he wanted to increase his strength? Here was a perfect chance to, but he needed a tremendous amount of resources.