Star Gate

Chapter 128: Teacher and Disciple Plot Again (III)

What if accessing the ruins required Li Hao’s blood, and not just a small bloodletting? Yuan Shuo could resist the urge to kill his student, but his old friends?

What was a dead Li Hao worth to them??

Some things didn’t require further explanation to the young man. His old friends might not commit such actions, but Yuan Shuo still had to be on his guard.

Teacher and disciple sighed again!

“If we have no other option, we can go to Hao Lianchuan!” Yuan Shuo suddenly said after a long while.

Li Hao blinked. Hadn’t they just said they wouldn’t go to the Night Watchers?

“This is the backup of backup plans. The Night Watchers are a legitimate organization of the government so they need to follow their own processes. They won’t seek to kill you straight off the bat. They’ll at least discuss the situation and see if they can offer some sort of payment. They’re a bit pedantic!” Yuan Shuo laughed at them for being fussy, then self-deprecated in the next breath. “It’s because of this obsession with detail that you can look to them if you really run into trouble. They’re the best out of a pool of mediocrity! The Night Watchers are more reliable than others when it really comes down to it.”

That was the key—they had no other options!

“As opposed to creating a full blown mess and attracting the attention of Yama and the other great organizations, we might as well pay a price and have the Night Watchers take action!” Yuan Shuo determined. “Even if they take the ruin in the end, they won’t kill you to open it. They’ll at least think of a way...”

“So my death is necessary?” Li Hao scratched his head.

“It’s hard to say,” Yuan Shuo laughed. “Of Course it’s best if you don’t have to die. The Night Watchers probably won’t do anything to you if they claim it. Think about it, kid. Do you want the Night Watchers to help, or shall we risk it ourselves?”

A dangerous look glinted in his eyes. “I can try ambushing Qiao Feilong. If I’m successful, I’ll have enough strength left to deal with those Sunflares at the mines and the rest of the superhumans...”

That was exceedingly risky! Li Hao didn’t need to think further before shaking his head. “Then we might as well ask the Night Watchers for help.... Right, teacher, can I... can I give some sword energy to Captain Liu? Maybe he’ll be able to break through to Dominator?”

What if Liu Long also became a Dominator? That would place him on par with some Sunflares, or even make him stronger. Martial masters were hard pressed to triumph over their supernatural counterparts when they were below Sunderer of Hundreds. But once they reached this level and commanded the consciousness, it was Sunflares who often fell short.

“He doesn’t know the aura yet!” Yuan Shuo frowned. “If he does and you share the sword energy with him, he might stand a chance of breaking through before it’s exhausted. The key thing is, the guy hasn’t grasped enough aura!”

Liu Long was more reliable than Hao Lianchuan, relatively speaking. Sadly, he was weaker.

A pensive expression crossed Li Hao’s face. “Aura... I wonder if the chief understood anything after I spoke to him. Things will be much easier if he can sense the aura, absorb sword energy, and rise to Dominator!” The young man heaved a sigh. “Teacher, I’ll probe the chief’s intentions. If the circumstances still aren’t guaranteed after the chief breaks through, we can grab Director Hao.

“Regardless, we can expose some of our aces if it means we can eliminate the Qiaos. We can give up the ruins if it comes to that!”

Li Hao held quite an open mind about treasure and loot. It wasn’t his style to pursue wealth at the cost of his own life. The Qiaos very likely had their eye on him. His identity as the heir to the eight families had been exposed after the rains. Perhaps only Red Moon had certain methods to lock onto him prior to that; the Qiaos hadn’t known anything.

Yuan Shuo nodded. “Little Hao, outsiders are outsiders in the end. Do not let anything impede your cultivation! I’m trading for mysterious power of the five elements. When I collect them all, you must focus on training and break through as fast as possible!”

Li Hao’s rate of improvement was speedy and he would soon set foot into Sunderer of Hundreds. But overall, his development lagged behind others by a few years. The earliest supernaturals had been training for twenty. It was very difficult for the young man to catch up. Yuan Shuo and Li Hao needed to employ all methods available to facilitate breakthroughs at the fastest possible rate. Only then would the young man find his footing in this increasingly turbulent world.

“Don’t worry, teacher.” Li Hao smiled. “I’ve been absorbing the scarlet shadow’s power over the past couple of days and have improved some. I can now project my internal force without having to rely on Twice Forged! I can do so through all four limbs, my hands, and I’m still improving!”

He’d neither slacked off nor delayed his cultivation despite recent events. Initial Sunderer was to project one’s internal force through the four limbs. He’d already extended that to his two hands, thanks to the scarlet shadow.

However, he’d pretty much consumed that energy. If Li Hao wished to continue improving rapidly, he needed more resources and treasures. Who knew how long it’d take for his teacher to trade for mysterious power?

“Both hands and arms?” Yuan Shuo clucked his tongue. That was fast! Although the lad looked to be initial Sunderer, and not even peak initial, he could already freely project his internal force. It’d only been a few days! The kid might be able to evenly project from all four limbs in half a month if there was sufficient scarlet shadow energy!

“So long as you haven’t stepped off the gas pedal!” Yuan Shuo nodded. “You can practice the Nine Forged Force more before you make further significant improvements. You’re only Thrice Forged currently, aren’t you?”

“Yep.”

“Trash!” the professor cursed. “That dog of yours can manage Thrice Forged! Sunderers need to start at four times!”

Li Hao had nothing to say. Teacher, you sound like you’re insulting me and calling me the dog.

Panther suddenly raised its paw at Li Hao when it heard the old human mention its name. Whether it was to brag or to demonstrate its abilities, it clawed three layers of force in the air! Not only that, but even a fourth shimmered on the edge of existence.

The young man started. The hell?! Almost four times??

“Teacher, is Panther peak Slayer?”

Slayer of Tens could at most support three layers, it would take a Sunderer of Hundreds to employ more. Was the dog... growing stronger?

“Pretty much!” Yuan Shuo nodded happily. “I think this dog is almost a Sunderer! But its rate of improvement will slow down after it enters that level. You idiot, you gave it the first brew! The sword’s first instance of energy must be the best after being sealed for so many years. It might even have had some special properties, but you gave it all to the dog!”

The professor couldn’t help cursing as the jade sword’s energy must have been highly potent when it was first released. Sadly, Panther claimed all of it and Li Hao only downed the second brewing.

“It’s different, teacher!” The young man was in good spirits. “I wouldn’t have realized any of this if it wasn’t for Panth’s discovery! Perhaps I still wouldn’t understand the uniqueness of the sword. Teacher would still be a Sunderer, I would still be mundane. We might both already be dead to Red Moon’s attack.”

Li Hao would never plumb the sword’s secrets without Panther. Yuan Shuo also wouldn’t teach him the Breathing Method of the Five Styles as it would be a complete waste on someone not a Slayer. If that was the case, the professor wouldn’t make it to Dominator either...

Every bite and every sip was preordained. Seen through this lens, who was the one who’d benefitted handsomely?

Panther proudly raised its head, as if showing off that it was the one that’d discovered the unique properties of Stellaris. Hurry up and praise this dog!

Li Hao grinned and aped a kick. “Hurry up and become a Sunderer! A Slayer isn’t good for anything. I was looking forward to you helping me, but you’re of no use whatsoever.”

“Aouuu!” The little black dog’s head drooped. It was very strong, but Li Hao’s enemies were becoming stronger and stronger. There was nothing it could do.

Li Hao left quickly after exchanging a few more words with his teacher and confirming that they would make the first move. Time to chat with the chief! Hopefully he could use the excuse of the Qiaos colluding with Yama to quietly uproot the family without anyone catching on. As for whether or not the Qiaos had plans against him... who cares!

The young man didn’t think too much. Concealed supernaturals hidden from the public record... Qiao Feilong wasn’t a good guy at all. He could die!

......

Yuan Shuo’s smile faded away after his student left, replaced by a heavy sigh.

Oh my word! I’m a Dominator and can fight Solars, but the kid’s attracting bigger and bigger fish. I can’t improve much in Silver City anymore, it looks like I have to go to the central region.

Martial masters would eventually disappear into the crowd if they didn’t evolve through battle. He’d been able to rise to Dominator because he’d swept the four lands as a Sunderer and battled countless opponents.

But now, his foundations were empty.

“Silver City is not a place to stay for long... Even in the battle to come, the strongest there will only be a Solar...”

Those above Solar!

Yuan Shuo craved to witness this level. Not only that, he wished to visit the central region and visit other martial masters. He was first in the Silver Moon martial dao domain, but that didn’t mean there weren’t formidable martial masters elsewhere.

He’d reigned supreme only in Silver Moon when he was a Sunderer. There had already been Dominators outside the province in his time. Were they still alive and did they yet roam the world?

It was highly likely they were still alive! Dominators rivaled Sunflare. When the supernatural domain rose, it threatened Sunderers, but not Dominators. In fact, the latter group might have walked further down the path of martial dao since they could absorb mysterious power.

“I should leave after taking care of this matter!” Yuan Shuo sighed, worrying about Li Hao. If he holed up here, he would only grow steadily weaker. The supernatural was developing too quickly.

Yuan Shuo’s battle intent abruptly flared! Let’s start with the Qiaos!

“I’ve underestimated you, Qiao Feeling!” The image of that smiling tiger rose in his mind. The inwardly cruel man’s strength really hadn’t been detectable before.

......

The Law Enforcement building.

Li Hao and Wang Ming swiftly made their way to Liu Long’s office when they returned to headquarters. It was time to report in.

......

Inside the office.

Liu Long leaned back on the chair with a frown, his thoughts inscrutable. He called out when he heard a disturbance, “Come in!”

The two pushed open the door.

“Are you done?” A distracted Liu Long asked in a muffled voice.

“We visited half of the dojos,” Wang Ming swiftly responded. “The Veteris Institute, Galaxy Group, and Qiao Mining Industries. There’s a few we’ll visit tomorrow because it’s too late tonight.”