Chapter 266: City Gates Open (III)

“Forget about the Skystar King,” added Violet Moon. “And don’t bother mentioning the current one. If we have to hail someone as the Human King, then perhaps the one who founded the dynasty hundreds of years ago can barely qualify!”

The one who established the Skystar Dynasty might possess some right to be the Human King. The one of their generation was just a figurehead. No one thought anything of the royal family since all authority was in the hands of the nine ministries.

Hu Dingfang swept them a glance, but said nothing. Logically speaking, he should be in a towering rage. He was a commander in the dynasty’s army, after all. But... there was no point in that sort of reaction.

Being a border province, Silver Moon didn’t regard the royal family or nine ministries with much reverence. They were self-sufficient—very little help was forthcoming from the central region. They even had to divert some people and resources to reinforce the central region at times instead. Even someone in the army like Hu Dingfang didn’t like the central region all that much.

Compared to the Human King... this group was much more interested in discussing the Skystar Dynasty. The ancient civilization was done and dusted, who cared about it? They also possessed so little information that no one was really willing to publicly share what they knew.

Debates quickly broke out regarding the dynasty’s current condition. Li Hao wasn’t interested. All of these people were wily old foxes. There wasn’t much substance to their words, just ambiguous nonsense.

He turned his attention to the two characters over the city gates, undergoing a type of mental tempering. In contrast to his first glance that filled his eyes with blood, he could just barely endure the strain on his consciousness this time. What came into view was still the back of a figure that could barely be glimpsed!

The young man didn’t dare look at the figure for long, he kept his eyes on the blade at the person’s waist. He could make out the blade’s intent even though it remained sheathed and at rest. Unbounded intent to exterminate enemies!

Heaven and earth crumbled when it made itself known, the firmament shattered! This was apparent even when the figure did not actively wield the blade.

The last time Li Hao witnessed a sword severing immortality, it enabled him to understand the aura of the sword. This time, he observed not to comprehend the aura of the blade, but to see if he could enhance his sword aura and strengthen it!

Whether it was the blade or sword, both were weapons of slaughter. Their essence was the same, but that sword stroke had been a decisive severing of the self. One either lived or died when it was deployed, and blood must be shed when it was drawn. This blade, however, came with more hints of domination!

All soldiers and citizens will bow their heads before the blade! Life kneels in worship when the blade is drawn!

This was the kind of sensation it imparted. Li Hao didn’t know if his perception was correct, but he was willing to think of it in this manner. Perhaps he would have more direct insights if he was closer to the characters.

Imperceptible changes had already filtered into his sword aura. His notions of martial dao were not yet fixed in a final pattern, so anything newly observed resulted in more knowledge and reflections. He drank in everything he could, distilling the essence from his experiences so that he might be able to tread his own path.

After a while, Li Hao closed his eyes and thought back to the stroke from the Silver Armor. That was even more direct since he’d observed it with his own eyes! The other moves were too far away and too overpowering, they stood at a level beyond his current comprehension. He could only scratch the surface of what they entailed.

The Silver Armor’s blow, however, left a deep impression on him! There was no sense of the self in that stroke and the wielder lived to die!

He ignored all of the discourse and distraction around him. None of these people were martial masters, they wouldn’t understand. Just the Silver Armor’s final strike was enough to contemplate for a lifetime. What origin weapon could hope to measure up to that?

Liu Long didn’t use weapons—or rather, he didn’t use a sword—possibly because he didn’t have a deep enough understanding of them. Li Hao kept musing over them because he counted as half a swordsman.

His internal force shaped into a sword inside his body, sword aura wrapped around it!

As his sword aura and internal force progressed to becoming one; the earth aura locked inside his visceral organs shifted with agitation. Li Hao suddenly wanted to draw his sword and leap into battle! He wanted to try that move out for himself!

What move?

The one that the Silver Armor had brought to bear against the heavens! Sadly, there were too many people around him at the moment, so he suppressed the urge.

......

In the distance.

Hong Yitang suddenly looked at Li Hao with surprise. Were his senses... mistaken? The young man carried his Earthturner Sword. Having wielded it for so many years, Hong Yitang was highly proficient with it. He could even weakly sense it when they were in such close quarters. Just now, he suddenly felt that his former sword stirred with the desire to act of its own accord. That tiny bit of sword intent was immensely different to someone who’d once grasped the sword aura as him.

Baffled, he glanced at Li Hao. He’d gifted his prized sword to the young man for a variety of reasons. First, Li Hao’s teacher was Yuan Shuo, first among martial masters. While there was no way back for Hong Yitang, his daughter was a martial master. This was both an investment and an olive branch. They were all part of the Silver Moon martial world. What if his daughter could set foot into Summoner of Spirit?

Second, Li Hao had hopes of ascending to Dominator since he’d cut down Sun Moxian. Hong Yitang thought rather highly of a Dominator who was the disciple of a Summoner. The caveat was that the young man didn’t die an early death.

Third, the Sword Sect was based in Silver Moon, after all. The province still answered to the central government, which made people like Hao Lianchuan, Hou Xiaochen, and Hu Dingfang the true overlords of the province!

Li Hao... seemed to be on good terms with Hao Lianchuan. Hong Yitang knew a little of what’d gone on behind the scenes with Hu Dingfang—the man counted as a partial disciple, even if Yuan Shuo would never admit to it!

It was important to be on good terms with Li Hao if one was to operate in Silver Moon. All of this culminated in why Hong Yitang had gifted his precious sword to the young man.

But for the moment, he was confused. Was this sword intent coming from Li Hao? It’d been a fleeting moment of tyranny, bloodthirstiness, and resolution. Would this come from a young martial master without much experience to speak of?

As he looked at Li Hao, the young man happened to look his way as well. Li Hao blinked and smiled a friendly, kind smile.

Hong Yitang shifted slightly and also smiled back without saying anything.

......

Time passed bit by bit. After an unknown interval, a hubbub of shrill cries traveled back to those at the inner gates. Li Hao didn’t know what was happening, but judging from the reactions of the group, it was signals from those who’d left earlier. Those people had exited the ruins!

The Solars immediately stood up.

“Everyone, you should head inside first and try to open the city gates. It’s best if we can open them. If not, we’ll wait for you outside!”

Those due to head inside didn’t respond. They didn’t care if the city gates could be opened anymore or not. It was best if they could—otherwise, those waiting outside would happen onto some easy gains if they fought inside.

Hu Dingfang, Violet Moon, the Revolution King, Ding Chen, and Hong Yitang soared into the air and over the city walls. Hao Lianchuan and Kong Qi waited silently outside. Everyone looked at the massive gates. Could they be opened?

If they could, then those who hadn’t taken the second passageway also had the chance to enter the city for a look around. Perhaps there were treasures that’d been left behind?

A loud rumbling came from the massive city gates after a long while. The tightly shut gates started to move to both sides. They were opening!

Hao Lianchuan and the rest rejoiced, it was finally open!

RUMBLE!

Gates that had been sealed for nigh eternity were open once more.

......

At the same time.

The inner city.

The crouching turtle atop the pagoda seemed to open its eyes when the gates were opened. The gates to Battle Heaven were... open! In times gone by, the gates had always opened to a hubbub of activity and voices as people bustled in and out. Now after millions of years, the city was the same, but everything else was gone.

......

There was another structure next to the pagoda. It wasn’t very tall, but it occupied a lot of land. There was a massive throne inside the structure upon which sat a person—or rather, a suit of armor.

A Gold Armor!

It sat without moving, but held something in its hands. The item appeared to be a turtle shell, one that exuded a faint glow. It seemed to be the core of the ancient city. It enveloped and protected the city, enabling it to stand for millions of years. Energy circulated through the turtle shell as if the stars and moon. It was extraordinarily captivating.

The shell trembled for a split second when the gates opened, then quickly quieted down. It seemed to be identifying and also expectant for something.

The Gold Armor remained unmoving, a desolate silence the only thing emanating from it.

......

Elated jubilation rang outside the city! The inner city was finally accessible!

Numerous figures sped inside as soon as the gates opened, including Hao Lianchuan. He was also excited as the Night Watchers had tried numerous ways but failed to enter the inner city. It was finally open in front of him!

“Everyone, Li Hao, be careful...” He ran off after these words. He didn’t factor in Zhang Ting’s presence; she wouldn’t voluntarily expose herself. She was just here as an observer, provided that Li Hao didn’t provoke her first.

He... probably wouldn’t, right? There were no more Silver or Black Armors, so what would he start a fight with her for?

......

A group of people rushed into the city, setting their sights on the pagoda near the city center. They couldn’t contain themselves and ran in before the gates were fully open. Those who could fly took directly to the air.

Only eight people out of thirty were left outside in the blink of an eye. Wang Ming wanted to charge as well... but saw that Li Hao and Liu Long weren’t moving!

“Are you guys really not going inside?” he asked urgently. There was treasure strewn throughout the city! They could visit some of the ancient houses, if not the pagoda. Perhaps there were open treasures! Maybe there were armories to explore!

Indeed, armories. Those suits of armor didn’t appear out of nowhere, did they? Even the Black Armors were a valuable treasure! What if there were Bronze or Silver Armors in storage, or even a Gold Armor? They’d be so rich!

They didn’t have to fight the exalted personages for the origin weapon, just picking up the scraps was enough for them to live a carefree life of ease!