Chapter 1723: Returning to Silver Moon (IV)

“Youngsters are defined differently in every generation!” chuckled Director General Zhao. That was the truth.

Only when one resided in unrest, madness, and darkness did age not become a constraint. Otherwise, in a relatively peaceful age with the old guard being hale and hearty, one was young no matter what age one was.

Back in the olden days of Silver Moon, one hundred years old made one an antique. Yuan Shuo had been the leading authority of the martial world at seventy years old—a very old leading authority.

“Let’s go take a look, they can’t be allowed to actually break the Star Gate,” said Director General Zhao. “We refuse to let people open the Star Gate because we wish to give Silver Moon more time. We need to accumulate more foundations, if nothing else! Although it’s very hard to do so now, we will not be able to close the Star Gate again once it opens and the flow of time syncs with the outside again!”

They could collect some strength as time went on. But once the Star Gate was opened and resources were still limited with none to be found outside, then they would’ve truly spent these years in vain if they lacked even the advantage of time.

Liu Long said nothing else and darted outside. The Demon Hunter Guard abstained from taking Liu Yin to account because they were giving him and Liu Yan face. That didn’t mean that Fused Dao was truly invincible.

There were few Fused Dao before, but plenty after five hundred years. The core members of the Demon Hunter Guard were all Fused Dao. Some leaders such as Wang Ming and others were seventh rank Fused Dao. If they lost their temper, Liu Long’s sixth rank Fused Dao son would be in for a hefty beating.

......

Beneath the Star Gate.

Wang Ming was on duty. The young, irreverent fellow was now much more mature and wore an air of authority.

The Demon Hunter Guard was led by the five captains of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Wang Ming was the metal captain.

He stood beneath the Star Gate and looked at the dozen young men and women in front of him. They were all strong enough, with their weakest being Mountain and Sea. Their strongest was Liu Yin at sixth level Fused Dao.

“Leave!” Wang Ming frowned. “Don’t waste your time with this! If it wasn't for your parents, I would’ve killed anyone trespassing in this area!”

The ringleader seemed particularly aggressive and stubborn. “Uncle Wang...” he grumbled.

“Call me captain!” Wang Ming couldn’t be bothered to discuss their ties of friendship now. This fella had listened to his elders when he was young, but no longer did so after growing up.

“There is no hope for the world if the Star Gate doesn’t open” Liu Yin was very dissatisfied and even angry. “Silver Moon is depleting its resources and we are not allotted much. The rest are even worse off...”

“There are no resources outside!” frowned Wang Ming. “How many times have I said that? It is a silent dao universe outside, do you understand?? There’s nothing there, it’s all empty! We would’ve gone ourselves a long time ago if there was anything there, is there a need for you guys to make the effort?”

“But that was five hundred years ago, that may not be the case now!”

“No shit! It’s been only a few months outside!” Wang Ming sniped back. “There is no break in Silver Moon’s legacy, we taught you all of this when you were young!”

“That may not be true!” Liu Yin retorted. “What if the flow of time is the same? Can the Silver Moon marquis really fully seal away Silver Moon? Perhaps he was lying to you and the flow of time is synchronized between us and the outside. He just didn’t want you guys to leave and wanted you to be his guard dogs!”

“You little bastard!” snarled Wang Ming.

Many among the younger generations questioned whether the Silver Moon marquis could really seal away the entire world. If he couldn’t do so, then how would the flow of time be different?

It was because of their strong education and knowledge that they felt this claim was ludicrous. Silver Moon had not shut itself away, it’d been artificially sealed off. In that case, why would the flow of time be different?

Therefore, many youngsters speculated that perhaps the Silver Moon marquis had lied to everyone back in the day, that he just wanted these people to quietly stay behind and watch his home. He just didn’t want everyone to run around outside!

Perhaps it was a flourishing scene of prosperity out there!

Steam nearly puffed out of Wang Ming’s ears in his anger. He was also immensely resigned. Questioning authority was a hallmark of the young. Hadn’t he himself also been like this back in the day? They’d doubted everything!

They’d been skeptical of New Martial and of Zhang An. But... it was still sobering to have it happen to him.

Damn it, am I dumber than you guys? Do you think that wouldn’t have occurred to us?

The key was, they’d personally experienced everything and knew what the truth was.

“I won’t show you continued leniency on account of your father if you keep spewing this nonsense!” growled Wang Ming. “Do you think yourself something just because you’ve reached sixth level Fused Dao at one hundred years old?

“Everything that you cultivate with came from the Silver Moon marquis! He was only twenty years old then! He now dominates the chaos and has killed countless foes. Exalted emperors are nothing to him...”

The group of youngsters ignored Wang Ming’s words. True, this was what they were taught in schools, but who knew what the truth was? A twenty year old who could kill exalted emperors like killing chicken?

How was that true?

How strong were exalted emperors?

They’d never met one before, so perhaps... exalted emperors were similar to Fused Dao.

In that case, we can also dominate the chaos universe if we make our way out there!

Such was the difference in vision. It didn’t matter if the old guys kept expounding on the might of exalted emperors. Things were different now. Back then, an exalted emperor had been sealed in the sky over Silver Moon and there was a half step emperor infinitely close to exalted emperor that created pressure for everyone.

Now, there was only themselves and a lack of pressure for five hundred years.

“You little shit, do you court death?!” An angry roar sounded behind them.

Bam!

A large hand descended from above; Liu Yin’s eyes widened when he whirled around. His old man was here!

The hand landed before he could say anything and suppressed him with a rumble!

Waves undulated over Liu Long’s body and he looked irritably at Wang Ming. “Why didn’t you just arrest him?”

Wang Ming rolled his eyes.

I’d like to! But what about your wife? Maybe she’ll come for my head if I arrest your son!

Liu Long kept his son in check as if he was a rooster exerting control over a chick.

“A mere sixth level Fused Dao is not even on par with the Silver Moon marquis’ strength of third level Fused Dao back in the day! How dare you throw your weight around?! Have you enjoyed peaceful times for so long that this is what you think of everyone in the world??”

“Father...” Liu Yin still refused to accept the situation, despite his current position. “It’s all just what you say. I want to open the Star Gate and take a look at the world you guys speak of. Why can’t I do that?

“You talk of countless exalted emperors and powerhouses everywhere that can kill Fused Dao with one breath. Those are just bald-faced lies!”

“......” Liu Long glowered and clenched his hand, prompting a yelp from his son. He was immensely resigned—there was no way he could prove how strong exalted emperors were! That was the most tragic of all!

He was not an exalted emperor. Even though he was a ninth level Fused Dao, he was not an exalted emperor. While he was far stronger than his son, he was unable to kill someone like his son with a quick exhale. Therefore, all of this was hot air in Liu Yin’s eyes!

The thing that Liu Long regretted most of all was not convincing Li Hao to leave one exalted emperor behind!

Only then would these Fused Dao brats understand how strong exalted emperors were and how dangerous the world outside was!

Director General Zhao and the rest rushed to the scene. The director general had been seventh level Fused Dao to begin with and was now only ninth level. He had not made it to the exalted emperor level either.

“That’s enough, let him go!” He sighed as he looked at the group. “It’s our problem for not being able to become exalted emperors. These youngsters are also worried about a lack of resources...”

That was their reason for wanting to leave.

We can’t create resources out of thin air! We would at least be able to extract some from the dao universe if we were exalted emperors. But now...

One could only say that they were too useless.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

“We need to make an example out of him!” Liu Long frowned and sighed as well. “Unrest will grow if this continues! Liu Yin...”

Liu Long set his jaw after a moment of apprehension. “He will be the example! He’s been far too bold and dares set his sights upon the Star Gate. This cannot be permitted to stand! I don’t want to kill him, so I will cripple his martial dao and throw him in a cell. Let him be a warning to all!”

“......” Liu Yin’s jaw dropped.

Seriously?

Liu Long, however, was very serious. He truly couldn’t bear to kill his son, but mayhem would develop if this situation continued! A drastic example needed to be made out of someone!

Everyone gave him face, but he also needed to give it to others. He needed to show it to Li Hao as well. While the young man might not care, these youngsters couldn’t be permitted to continue like this!

“There’s no need for that...” Director General Zhao was yet to finish when a crack rang out. Liu Long crushed countless dao meridians within his son’s body with a clench of his hand!

Absolute shock reigned through the scene and the world fell silent!

“So be it,” Liu Long said calmly. “The same will go for the others. This is their first offense. If they commit it again, they will all be executed! Nothing can be accomplished without rules or standards! There will be outright rebellion if this continues!

“I am saving him. If this continues and they rebel, what will Li Hao have left in this world when he returns? He might not care, but his own people will have risen against him!

“Director General Zhao, do not let my family affairs affect all of Silver Moon. This kid doesn’t understand at all that Silver Moon would’ve been destroyed many times over without the marquis’ protection.

“When it comes down to the safety of ten billion souls and my son, I know what is more important! I have only crippled him and not killed him—that is a show of favoritism already!”

“Um...” sighed Director General Zhao. Liu Long the same as ever, crippling his son at the drop of a hat. The situation would be even more difficult to smooth over now.