Star Gate

Chapter 748: Li Hao’s Childishness (III)

At the moment, Li Hao was hardly concerned about potential schemes from anyone. All he was focused on was tracing the second character.

Waves reared in his kidneys as a supernatural lock shattered. Answering waves roiled on the surface of the East Sea with loud rumbles, inciting tidal waves and shaking distant pirate ships to the point where they steered their vessels elsewhere. Turbulence was frequent in the East Sea waters these days after Yuan Shuo bombed the East Sea bridge out of existence. The repercussions were felt even now, so no one thought much of huge waves rearing in the sea again on this day.

“Gather!” Blood qi rushed out and mind intent erupted. A character gradually formed, yet Li Hao felt that his life force was about to be sucked dry. He found it difficult to continue for a second.

A steady stream of Water of Life entered his organs, nourishing his body and internals. Sword energy also rushed into his body to help him repair his body. Breaking another supernatural lock placed great strain on his body and the young man could sense that his mind intent wasn’t strong enough!

He might be able to continue breaking other supernatural locks and refining characters in this vein, but it could be difficult to control them.

“The second character... is pretty much my limit. I’ll need to fortify my body, mind intent, and blood qi after that before I’m confident enough to shatter more locks...”

Boom!

A furious storm ragged in the air as thunder and lightning rended the scene. There were even leaping tongues of flame. It was like an underwater volcano had erupted! The vibrations traveled to the depths of the sea into various secret locales. They even extended to other bodies of water. A major monster spirit in the North Sea opened its eyes with bafflement.

It’d opened its eyes last time it sensed core origin power. Perceiving that ahead of time was an abnormal occurrence. It represented brashness and courting death. But this time, the world seemed to have shifted. What was happening?

Some secret locales in the East Sea also shook, prompting some haggard beasts to open their eyes and look to the outside world while struggling for breath. Was the second awakening upon them?

......

The seven divine mountains, Sky Roc Mountain.

An enormous roc bird opened its eyes on the mountain and immediately vanished. It entered a secret locale that was littered with countless skeletons. In the distance, a mammoth bird-like creature that was skin and bones transmitted feebly, “Is the second awakening... beginning? I can sense the ripples of the world... space seems to be solidifying!”

“In response to the Revered One... There is no sign of a second awakening for now. It might stem from the ancient Skystar mine. The second awakening might require the breakage of those mines. The royal family and nine ministries are in control of the mines and are most likely suppressing the arrival of the second awakening...”

“Is that so?” There were no further ripples from the skeletal bird. Then why had faint ripples of change appeared in the world?

“Revered One, there seems to be Arcanus of three elements in the world now,” said the leader of Sky Roc Mountain. “Then there will be four and five. I...”

“Do you think that you are no longer strong enough?”

“Yes,” answered the roc bird. “All sides are swiftly growing stronger these days and it’s said that there have been changes at Phoenix Mountain as well. Their revered phoenix might have started revitalizing...”

The skeletal bird was silent for a while. “I am not a plant spirit and of course, plant spirits don’t necessarily need Water of Life to strengthen themselves. Our life force is strong enough and our bodies strong enough. The key lies in the strength of our bloodlines. If you can supply me with ten million mysterious power stones, then I will bestow upon you one drop of blood essence.”

The roc bird flapped its wings, remaining silent. Blood essence from an ancient monster spirit! That was indeed what it dreamed of, but the revered one’s price was too high. Ten million stones was an even higher price than some of those plant spirits!

Water of Life was of limited use when it came to advancing monster spirit cultivation. It was blood essence from the same bloodline that resulted in a noticeable effect.

“Revered one, that is such a high figure that I am afraid I will have difficulties gathering it,” the roc bird said after momentary silence. “The weaker I am, the less competitive I am, and the harder it will be for me to obtain more mysterious power stones and Water of Life...”

You and I share similar interests. How am I supposed to get more benefits for you if I don’t grow stronger first? The bird was quite dissatisfied with this being that could very well be its ancestor. It was too greedy! That was not a good trait. Cooperation was based on the outcome of mutual benefit. How am I supposed to obtain more resources for you if you don’t supply me with sufficient benefits first?

The skeletal bird was also pondering and transmitted after a long while, “It is not that I am miserly, but that I am different from plant spirits. I am too gravely injured and need more energy to recover. You know as well that plant spirits enjoy prolonged longevity to begin with, but that monster spirits fall short in this regard. If you find the figure inappropriate... I will also supply you with a drop of essence blood if you can collect one hundred drops of Water of Life.”

The roc bird flapped its wings again.

Water of Life... Only the royal family sold it these days and it would almost cost ten million stones for that sum. However, the royal family’s price was because it wanted to make money. If the roc bird could find a plant spirit to partner with, then it might not require such a high payment. It could indeed save some stones in this regard.

It looked like the recovery of monster spirits was more difficult than plant spirits. Otherwise, this one wouldn’t have it look for Water of Life as a second option. It could just outright reduce the amount of stones it wanted.

“I will try my best... Revered One, once the second awakening occurs and space stabilizes, won’t the plant spirits revitalize ahead of time and recover their strength ahead of monster spirits? Won’t that be a great advantage that they will hold over us?” This was what it worried about the most.

“No no no,” the skeletal bird said slowly. “Their disadvantages will be greater than ours when they reemerge in the world. It is harder for them to take other forms and movement is difficult for them. Even if they can move around, they won’t be as mobile as beasts. Perhaps they will be stronger after awakening, but monster spirits have always suppressed them since the ancient times. There is no need to worry!”

In that case, the roc bird could relax more. Then it could very well procure a batch of Water of Life. However, the royal family’s price was too high. One hundred thousand stones per drop... it might as well directly trade for blood essence then.

Where could it find a plant spirit to partner with? Were there any ruins open lately that might contain plant spirits?

“The martial university of Skystar City? But that’s only a grade two ruin, will there be a plant spirit inside?” The roc bird only came up with this ruin after some thought. While Battle Heaven was open year round, did it dare go?

Anyone who went did so with a dead wish. Silver Moon was no kind and benevolent place.

......

Boom!

The sky split open as a written character swept through the world like a wave. It flattened everything in its path. Sparkling with radiance, the character descended into Li Hao’s body and entered the kidneys. With that, he had completed forming his second character.

However, the young man also felt certain pressure. It wasn’t from forming the two characters, but from an imbalance between his organs.

“Let’s wait a while for the third, fourth, and fifth characters... I should strengthen the organs and body first.” Li Hao smiled at the two characters inside his body. Would he be able to suppress those Arcanus now if he exerted himself to full strength? Would he easily suppress them?

He wasn’t sure as he’d never tried before.

“I’m almost there, next comes the patient work of gradually strengthening my own organs, blood qi, and body.”

The ‘water’ character started breathing in and out, following the manner of the Nine Forged Force. The water aura started nurturing the kidneys and the fire aura was already nourishing the heart. Li Hao felt that his two successes proved the same point, that this path was feasible!

“It just expends a lot of resources!” He’d depleted nearly two hundred thousand stones in terms of sword energy to condense the two characters. He’d only had one million left before, and also expended nearly forty drops of Water of Life. Considering the twenty that he’d promised to He Yong... He only had four hundred drops on hand.

“This is just my own expenditure. If I tell the others about this path, such as Ole Hong, won’t the cost be even greater?” Li Hao scratched his head. Hong Yitang was a supernatural now too, and he’d done so for Li Hao’s behalf. Therefore, the young man couldn’t just ignore Earthturner Sword’s plight and have fun by his lonesome.

But if he directed Hong Yitang on the way forward... he’d have to lose another large part of his wealth. Why was it that the stronger he was, the poorer he felt? General Pagoda wanted to revive in Battle Heaven, but his needs were calculated in terms of hundreds of millions. Li Hao had thought that he was incomparably rich, but now that didn’t seem to be the case.

“I wonder how many stones the nine ministries and royal family have... If they don’t have that many, where am I supposed to get all of them from?” He knew that there was a large mine in Skystar City, though.

Various thoughts ran through his mind as he shot through the water. With the ‘water’ character enveloping him, he raced through the sea so quickly that his speed couldn’t be imagined. He was even faster than some sea monster spirits!

The young man was highly excited. The ‘water’ character was domineering enough by itself and so much stronger than the simple ability to travel through water. He raced through the water like an arrow, traveling much faster than when he arrived.

......

Li Hao was back at Skystar City the next day before dawn broke. When he appeared before Hong Yitang and Deputy Zhou, both men were confused.

Had the young man failed to grasp the third element? There was no sign of fire to be found within Li Hao. And yet, how was that possible? They could clearly sense wind and thunder, but where was fire? That had been such a ferocious explosion of fire energy, how could he have failed?

“Did your fire supernatural lock break or not?” Hong Yitang frowned. “Or did you fix it again with sword energy after you broke it?”

Li Hao could fix a lock so long as it wasn’t fully broken. Of that, everyone was well aware of. Did he repair it again because he felt the course of action unwise?

“Guess!” Li Hao beamed merrily.

A pox on your ancestors! Hong Yitang cursed loudly. Deputy Zhou looked closely at Li Hao, but couldn’t determine anything. Had the lad really fixed his lock afterward? So was he toying with everyone yesterday?

The deputy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry! Do you have too much time on your hands? Hou Xiaochen was so enraged yesterday he nearly exploded, but you were just having fun and feeling that you have too much sword energy! You just had to pay a heavy price to have fun with everyone and scare the nine ministries!

How... how do you have this much spare time on your hands??