Chapter 478: Enormous Gains (IV)

Li Hao nodded. There was no doubt that Ying Hongyue was very strong. His organs were likely formidable beyond belief as well. How could they not be with a daily diet of blood pearls?

But judging from the Gold Armor’s tone, this wasn’t a good thing. The supernaturals that nurtured the scarlet shadows might all suffer some sort of backlash, they just weren’t aware of it yet.

“You may go, I have no further business with you!”

“......” Li Hao regarded the director general wordlessly.

Isn’t there anything you want to give me? You called me here just to have me collect ancient weapons? You’re... a bit stingy!

The director general of Security seemed to read Li Hao’s mood. “Stop looking at me,” he said calmly. “I have nothing for you! Nothing is given for free in this world, you must pay a price to receive anything. Everything is traded for equal value! Conflict is inevitable in martial dao, fight for it yourself!

“Everything that martial masters are are a result of their own efforts, not even the eight families are an exception. When the Human King came into his own, he could kill countless others for a piece of energy stone, to say nothing of the eight families. He gained his power from stepping on the bodies of innumerable others. It is an advantage conferred by your bloodline that you’ve joined the Battle Heaven Army. The rest... you should trade and fight for it yourself. Battle Heaven is just a platform for you!

“Your ancestors have wrested certain advantages for you, do not think of anything else!”

Aright then!

Li Hao nodded after some thought. It made sense. Victories were sweeter when they were a result of his own hands.

“Then... thank you, general. I take my leave!” Li Hao turned and left. He didn’t have too many regrets. Although he hadn’t received anything, he’d learned some knowledge. At least he knew that the bastard Ying Hongyue was very strong and might be an heir to one of the eight families. That was enough.

The director general seemed to think of something when he was about to leave. “I cannot give you benefits, but I can give you a clue. The eight families established a martial university back in the day to train their descendants. It’s named the Silver Moon Martial University. You might happen upon some surprises if you can find this place. It was built for the eight families!

“Some of the eight families’ battle techniques, methods, and specific training methods can be found within. However, with the changing of the times, I am no longer sure where the university is. It was in the center of the eight cities and shouldn’t be far from the diagram of the eight trigrams that you speak of!”

Li Hao turned back. “Thank you, general!”

“It’s just a clue, the rest is up to your own fortunes. Perhaps it’s long fallen apart!”

“Mmhmm, I understand!” The young man left.

“...Guardian, can we really not give him a pointer or two?” Gold Armor asked after momentary silence.

“Our time is not what they are now. Body constitutions and paths of strength are all different. We cannot interpose the past onto the present. He may not be able to practice the formidable methods we give him and it may impede his path instead. These people train in a vastly different way. Look at how strong his mental strength is, it far exceeds the physical body. Most people outside the city are thus. Would this have been the case in our time?

“There is no talk of good or bad to be had here. Perhaps this is the method most suited to them. He will lose himself in strong methods and possibly be completely crippled in the end.”

“I understand!” The director general said nothing more. He’d want to give Li Hao additional benefits, but the guardian had stopped him. That could not take place! It might harm the young man instead.

Supplemental methods such as Building Five Bridges could be used as reference. If they gave him a complete cultivation system, that would just turn Li Hao into a typical ancient cultivator. If one practiced ancient methods in this day and age... the most likely outcome was that the cultivator would embark on a path not as strong as their own could be.

After sending Li Hao off, the director general once more sank into quiet.

......

Three humans and one dog left the city lord manor. Li Hao looked up at the large turtle in the sky when they departed the premises. The sculpture was so lifelike that it was as if a real turtle.

It was massive!

Battle Heaven was said to have shrunk many times over. Had the pagoda been even bigger before?

The group soundlessly walked outside. Halfway out of the city, Li Hao looked at Hong Yitang with slight confusion. “Martial Uncle Hong, if an existence as strong as the ancient civilization perished, does that mean there is no need for martial dao to persist?”

“......” Hong Yitang served him with an odd look. “What are you suddenly thinking about this for?”

“No reason.” Li Hao shook his head with a sigh. “I just suddenly thought of a saying—the people suffer in times of prosperity, the people suffer in times of demise. A bunch of supernaturals and martial masters cause suffering day in and day out, turning a good student like me into a killing machine! It’s bullshit, is what it is!

“And now look at the bunch of pitiful souls left behind after the ancient civilization toppled...” He looked behind them, then at the eastern gates. “I just feel that they must be constantly suffering.”

Perhaps they themselves didn’t think so, but Li Hao felt so. The soldiers were quiet for countless eons and had to endure tremendous torment upon awakening. They had to continue to defend their homes.

It wasn’t anything specific that Li Hao could voice. Perhaps he was too young to know the kind of fervor that etched itself in one’s bones. All he was doing was complaining, nothing else. He suddenly felt a bit lost when it came to the future and his life. But upon circling back to the idea that there were many tasks waiting for him to accomplish, he quickly flung everything to the back of his mind.

The enemy was not yet dead, what was the point of thinking so much? He wasn’t brainstorming any magnificent goals or ambitious plans to retrace the footsteps of the ancient civilization. It was just musings over what he’d seen and heard on this trip to the ancient city. He shoved these thoughts into the depths of his heart and didn’t display any of it.

Hong Yitang flicked a glance at Li Hao. The young man might be a bit lost, but what should be said had been said. It was up to him to walk his path. Everyone had their pursuits—old fart Yuan Shuo was probably chasing his quite hard at the moment. He’d found his life’s purpose and might have established himself in the central region.

What about himself? Hong Yitang’s thoughts traveled to himself. He was strong enough, but also weak compared to those of the ancient civilization. He wanted to reach the levels seen in those days and held certain thoughts when it came to martial dao. But wasn’t he equally as lost as the young man? Was there anything he could change? Or should he live as heartlessly as He Yong and focus only on martial breakthroughs?

This era... seemed very boring. It lacked something.

Hong Yitang subconsciously knew what it lacked, but he couldn’t achieve such a goal. He lacked the determination to do so. It would require a saint to accomplish, not a mere human. He was no saint.

Therefore, he could only speak of lofty goals. He lacked the confidence and courage to actually seek them.

Hong Yitang became quiet when he saw that Li Hao no longer said anything. He Yong sensed his change in mood and transmitted, “What are you thinking, Ole Hong?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me, what are you afraid of? We’re old friends. Are you worried I’ll laugh at you?”

“Piss off!”

He Yong grinned. “I sense something off after circling through the ancient city. Ole Hong, don’t you think the current dynasty is a pool of dead water? The people lack creativity and dig up whatever they need. Everything can be found in the ancient civilization. The war between supernaturals and martial masters also seems pointless. What are we fighting for? We rampage through the land just to crown ourselves sovereign of a territory...

“We lack the unity, fiery spirit, and faith of this ancient city, don’t we?”

“And you know about this?” Hong Yitang laughed.

“No shit, I’m not a fool! What do you think, did Hou Xiaochen and the others kill the General of Northern Pacification?”

“What makes you say that?”

“If it was them, then the unrest in the three northern provinces will embroil the entire northern territory. Severe chaos is at hand—Hou Xiaochen and his gang have quite the ambitions. None of them are kind souls! He talks about heading to the central region, but leaves behind a mess in the north. I say he’ll have to come back sooner or later, and heads will roll when he does...”

“Were you just thinking of why no one in our era considers being a regular person?”

“What’s the point of being a regular person?” Hong Yitang broke out into laughter. “Only a fool would do so, what’s the purpose of considering them? There’s no difference if more mundanes die. We lack innovation and labor—most of our technologies have been excavated from the ancient civilization. Everything from smelting iron to planes and bombs. Even our architecture style bears ancient influences.

“Our time period is built on the carcass of the old. We made it to our current heights through absorbing the essence of the ancient civilization. Our journey has become abnormal!”

Theirs was a deformed era! The world possessed planes and bombs, even city annihilation missiles. There were supernaturals and martial masters, but the people had to depend on the weather when it came to their crops. The heavens dictated how much harvest was. The climate had been kind to them in recent years and produced bountiful harvests.

Everything was about to be destroyed upon the rise of the supernatural and the ensuing war. Humanity would face extinction sooner or later!

Granted, superhumans would be fine. They would take whatever they lacked and never go hungry. Food, clothing, housing, and transportation were the pillars of survival. Transportation was inconvenient these days and food barely sufficient. Housing was nothing worthy of particular notice...

Development continued, but the people seemed to be stuck in the same place despite how everything developed. They were numb to the humdrum reality of their lives.