Chapter 809: Deliberate Misrepresentation (II)

“I have the right?” Li Hao blinked. “From my ancestor?”

“Of course not, from the great majesty, didn’t I say so already?” The little tree felt quite helpless. “The Imperial Majesty’s palace has been abandoned. I am the only remaining direct spokesperson. The majesty’s belongings still belong to the majesty even if they are unwanted. I cannot take it back at present, but you can. I entrust you to bring them back!”

“......” Li Hao nearly choked on his spit. Just listen to these words! Darned if they weren’t high-handed. This great majesty was an overbearing person, wasn’t he?

My things are still mine when I don’t want them. I’ll kill whoever dares take them!

The little tree had mentioned before that this Imperial Majesty immensely disliked being mentioned and would reach through the void to kill whoever mentioned his name. What kind of person was this majesty and what was his relationship to the ancient Human King?

The ancient web of relationships was so complicated!

“Can these guys have gotten the Mirror of Wind and Cloud?”

“Impossible!” denied the little tree again. “That’s impossible because the mirror last resided with the Human King. Who is able to take anything from the Human King?”

That would be the greatest joke of all! Even the fragments of Sky Gander could not be the Mirror of Wind and Cloud. Fragments were fragments and simply lost if they went missing. How would the Human King leave the complete Mirror of Wind and Cloud randomly lying around? That was an ultimate treasure that the Daoist of Wind and Cloud had painstakingly crafted!

Although the mirror wasn’t as capable as Sky Gander, it was a treasure of a similar level. It was only lesser because it ultimately imitated Sky Gander.

“If what they wield is a fragment of Sky Gander... do you mean to say that... they will be very strong?” Li Hao understood.

“Don’t worry, the most that this world can support at present is peak six elements.”

The young man immediately understood the little tree’s response. No matter how strong a treasure was, using too much strength would result in the void churning one to pieces. Therefore, there would be no appearance of strength greater than peak six element Arcanus.

Li Hao sneered when his thoughts traveled here. He looked to the group instead of asking the little tree further.

“What bullshit Wind and Cloud Pavilion!” he snorted. “Everyone present here has seen and knows much of the world. It’s just a bunch of rats that can’t step into the light at the bullshit pavilion, some vermin that’s more disgusting than the nine ministries and three great organizations...”

“......” Hushed silence stole over the scene as powerhouses of the eight ministries looked at him. Some were quietly furious, others flushed with rage.

That... was over the line! You are too cocky!

“Don’t be mad,” Li Hao said faintly. “What I mean to say is that it’s one thing if they can’t produce some crappy ranking of their own. If they can... heh, that means they possess an ultimate treasure. The strongest beneath our heavens is peak six elements. No matter how many treasures they have, that is all they amount to!

“But if they have an ultimate treasure... Well, then I need to ask for everyone’s cooperation. None of us want our secrets to be revealed. If a ranking is truly posted, then pursue this matter to the end for me. Unless they hole up in a ruin somewhere and refuse to come out, I, Li Hao, will take action on everyone’s behalf and destroy them for no additional charge!”

His words prompted startled looks. It looked like the Wind and Cloud Pavilion had thoroughly infuriated the young man. He was the sort who wouldn’t rise early in the morning if there was nothing in it for him, but volunteering to destroy a target today...

An ultimate treasure?

If this ranking really could peer into everything, then none of them had any semblance of privacy left. Who should they kill if not these upstarts wanting to play around with a ranking? Powerhouses cared most about their privacy. One should not undertake a task that one was not capable of completing. In an era that was limited to peak six elements, did this Wind and Cloud Pavilion think themselves as gods just because they likely had a few? So did the nine ministries and royal family have a couple!

“I’m just curious who’s backing them,” said Chen Yao. “What’s their goal? Kicking up this fuss at this time... We’ve already fought the battles that should be fought and killed those we want to kill. The fights that are meant to be will break out sooner or later—the second awakening is the turning point. Picking right now of all potential timing... what do they want?”

Their provocation wouldn’t be needed by the time the second awakening rolled around. This ranking was completely superfluous! Why were they doing this now?

“If my guess is right...” Zhao Huaimin of Administration laughed softly. “Commander Li is probably going to be on the ranking. He’s going to be in the top three, if not number one.”

The group started; Li Hao raised a silent eyebrow.

“Other than Commander Li, Ying Hongyue will likely be on the ranking as well,” Zhao Huaimin continued softly. “Some royal members will probably be listed too...”

The group turned over the connotations of his word, soon grasping what he meant. It went without saying that Li Hao had many aces up his sleeves, but so were the royal family and Red Moon hiding themselves well. Even now, the world at large wasn’t certain what the depths of their strength truly were.

Li Hao occupied the limelight these days and improved at a rapid clip. If some more unexpected developments occurred... all sides might decide to just kill him before the second awakening!

The young man looked quietly at Zhao Huaimin; the man didn’t mind the attention. “It looks like Commander Li might be exerting some pressure on those of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion! Otherwise, with their previous style, they would slowly release the ranking bit by bit and do something else before the second awakening.

“But now that they’ve moved up their timeline...” Zhao Huaimin regarded Li Hao in a meaningful fashion. “Can it be... that Commander Li already possesses the strength to threaten all of the factions in the world?”

This was a probing question and also speculation. The pavilion’s appearance today was most likely targeting Li Hao. Otherwise, who would offend him at this time? And yet, that was precisely what they’d done!

This indicated that Li Hao would be first on the ranking if nothing unexpected further developed, or he’d be top three at worst. Not only that, but his people would likely be listed as well, and toward the top.

Zhao Huaimin was slightly baffled and hesitant himself. Had Li Hao really grown so strong to threaten this shadowy organization? Why else would they undertake such actions if that wasn’t the case?

“Minister Zhao thinks so highly of me!” laughed Li Hao. “Since you’ve already spoken thus, then this random ranking that they’re coming up with is completely inconsequential.”

Zhao Huaimin didn’t respond. If the Wind and Cloud Pavilion really could rank all powerhouses in the world... Then putting Li Hao in the top three... might have some truth to it. It may be that he really was exerting a lot of pressure on the organization, so they were forced to do so and pray that the various factions of the world killed the young man before the second awakening.

Is this Ying Hongyue’s doing?

That was a possibility! But... would it be Ying Hongyue?

At the same time, Li Hao was contemplating if Zhao Huaimin’s words made sense. Perhaps a little. Perhaps... this organization had discovered his supernatural characters or sensed something that gave them pressure. Maybe they thought that he was improving too quickly and was forced to take this kind of action, to stir up trouble when so many heavyweights were gathered.

Of course, none of this mattered. So what if they put him as number one?

“Does it matter if they really trump up a ranking and put me as number two, then Martial Uncle Hong and the rest as number two or three?” laughed Li Hao. “Will all of you believe it? Granted, it doesn’t matter if you do. Just try me!

“Alright, I’m not in the mood for this anymore. This concludes the inauguration ceremony. How inauspicious!” The smile vanished from Li Hao’s face. “The Wind and Cloud Pavilion humiliated me to my face with complete lack of reservation. A nonofficial organization is playing around at enacting a ranking to stir up trouble beneath the heavens. They will join the three great organizations as evil supernatural organizations! I hope none of you have anything to do with it, particularly the Tranquil Duke!”

The young man looked at the duke, his eyes narrowing with a cold glare. “It was you who threw the first stone today, and this happened shortly thereafter. You better pray that I don’t find anything on you or that you’re not connected to this pavilion, or I’ll raze your complex to the ground!”

“Commander Li’s words are a bit over the line.” The duke frowned. “I’m just discussing something according to its own merits. How does that turn into casting the first stone? Not to mention, Commander Li said that you would bring the law to bear against superhumans, that everything must be according to the law...”

The young man closed his eyes, surprising the duke. Was this the end of it? That easy?

Six old men abruptly appeared, each of them in masks and charging the Tranquil Duke with a variety of weapons!

The Valiant Duke’s heart skipped a beat when he wanted to shout angrily. Yao Si had locked onto him. The various powerhouses in the crowd also spasmed with alarm. They were all being targeted individually!

“Who are these brazen scum to incite trouble on the day of my inauguration ceremony?!” Li Hao bit off coldly. “It must be the remnants of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion. You court death!”

He slammed out with a palm strike of the wind, thunder, water, fire, and metal elements! A massive rumble shook the area. When people’s eyes could focus again, they saw the Tranquil Duke vomiting blood and a bloody hole in his chest!

Everyone jerked with shock!

The six masked men who killed him were lifeless on the ground.

“Brazen scum!” Li Hao frowned. “The Wind and Cloud Pavilion are indeed ruthless and brutal! Take them away and feed them to the dogs in the back! As for the Tranquil Duke... what a pity. He was killed by the Wind and Cloud scum. It looks like I misunderstood him just now!

“What a shame that I was one step too slow. That vermin was so bold as to kill someone right in front of me! Damn them! Men, give the duke a proper burial!”

A deathly silence rang loudly over the gathering. The Tranquil Duke was still vomiting blood on the ground, not yet fully dead. Bitter and incredulous, he stared wide-eyed at Li Hao. He didn’t believe that Li Hao would kill him in front of the representatives one hundred factions!

How could this have happened??

He was a three element Arcanus! Not even a six element Arcanus could’ve killed him in an instant if Li Hao hadn’t become involved! He twitched, wanting to take out some Water of Life to save himself. The duke also looked at the Valiant Duke, attempting to plead for help. But someone coughed the moment he moved.

Hou Xiaochen coughed violently as spear intent that threatened to rip through the skies slammed into the duke’s mind. The Tranquil Duke’s presence immediately dissipated.

Manager Yu hastily passed over a white handkerchief as Hou Xiaochen continued coughing violently. Crimson blood dyed it red and he looked around with some embarrassment. “My... apologies... My body’s always been in poor shape.”

No one made a sound!