Chapter 917: Inviting a Savior (I)

Just as all sides viewed Security with doubt, Li Hao entered the ruins again.

“Take it easy!” he griped. “Are you all starving or what? What are you absorbing so much for? You can have all you want once we take the mine! Do you guys want to announce your presence that badly??”

These idiots!

The eight surrendered plant spirits shook with abject fear after he flayed them with his tongue. They didn’t dare absorb any more energy; the other plant spirits also swiftly decreased their absorption rate. But... they were hungry!

Which of them apart from the little tree and redwood wasn’t hungry? They were so hungry that their primary bodies were collapsing!

“Be quiet, all of you. I’m going to find a helper. All of you will be punished if you create more trouble for me! Imperial Guard, these guys are yours. Keep them in line and tell me if anyone misbehaves. I’d like to see who dares rebel!”

The plant spirits were quite resigned by the command. Other plant spirits lorded it over the humans and were waited on hand and foot. But them? They were the servants instead. However, there was nothing they could do but bow their heads when under another’s roof. They couldn’t afford to offend the young man!

Having seen Director General Wang’s abilities in utilizing Supreme Zhang’s methods to execute unruly spirits, who would dare entertain an ounce of mischief?

The little tree was quite gratified by this outcome. There were certainly benefits in being the first to join Li Hao’s banner! What a pity that these new guys were a little too weak. Otherwise, they could join the ranks of its imperial guards.

......

The Skystar Commander Office.

Li Hao walked out of the ruins and frowned at the royal palace and nine ministries in the distance. Truth be told, he wouldn’t want to move against them right now if it wasn’t an emergency. He was very weary after successive battles and didn’t have time to digest his many new reflections.

Battles that were too hard fought were also not a great source of gains. It was better to advance gradually in the proper order, but not everything in the world could proceed according to one’s preferences.

The enemy wouldn’t stand in place and wait for one to grow stronger. Therefore, the nine ministries and royal family swiftly made their moves. Li Hao was not permitted to rest or consolidate his cultivation.

I can’t take them on at all at present...

Therefore, he had to locate reinforcements. He might need a Saint on his side if he wished to unquestionably suppress his opponents. Li Hao wasn’t the sort who liked to ask for favors. His arrangement with Director General Wang wasn’t a favor—it was more of a transaction of beneficial interests.

The young man transported profits to Battle Heaven, similar to how he worked with the little tree. Silver Moon’s martial masters had volunteered their services before, so now Li Hao repaid them in kind. It was a two-way street.

But locating a Saint... perhaps he’d need to go to the dean of education at Evenround Martial. However, this one owed Li Hao nothing. On the contrary, the young man owed the school some fines. That one would never request to be resurrected or anything similar either. All he wanted was to be left in peace.

Li Hao didn’t have the best impression of this one to begin with. He later discovered that the man was alright; he just possessed a different personality from the young man, which resulted in the two not getting along.

Now that he stood in front of the Skystar Commander Office, Li Hao hesitated. He could bill his actions in bringing out the two puppets as taking them out for a breath of fresh air. But the dean had absolutely no desire to experience the modern world.

Did he have the ability to persuade the other to leave the ruins? That was one unknown. The second was what kind of price he needed to pay for this course of action.

Battle Heaven had taught Li Hao the principle of equal value transactions. One received as much as one put forth. There was no such thing as receiving something for free. Director General Wang was the result of Li Hao expending a large amount of energy and plant spirit primary bodies. He didn’t find anything inappropriate about that deal.

But when it came to the dean of education?

He seemed to have no desires or concerns, apart from wanting to go home. That was something that Li Hao simply could not promise. Although he liked to paint a rosy picture for those he wanted to recruit, he’d been taught that skill by Deputy Zhou. Not to mention, he didn’t like to paint pictures that he could not complete. He would only mention something if there was a hope he would achieve it in the short term.

Even if he could open the Star Gate, could he contact the main world? Could he send them back home?

Various questions brimmed in Li Hao’s mind, but he knew that if he didn’t visit this person, there wouldn’t be much to be gained from the Skystar Ruins. While General Pagoda in Battle Heaven was also a Saint, that tree was too big and too far away. The young man might not be able to travel so far with it even with a personal domain of seven elements.

Not to mention, the pagoda tree was the guardian plant spirit of Battle Heaven. It might not be able to leave. It also had thirty-one auxiliary plant spirits at hand. Was Li Hao supposed to bring them too? His domain might collapse on the spot.

The old turtle was an origin weapon and probably the heart of the ancient city. Additionally, Li Hao didn’t want his force to be completely composed of Battle Heaven personnel. It wasn’t that he was wary of them, but that he wanted to head off unnecessary trouble at its root. Otherwise, would he be able to refuse if Battle Heaven decided it wanted the mine?

He would be a petty person first before being a gentleman. It would be most undesirable if the two sides erupted with hostility for the mine.

“I’ll have to lay low for a bit after claiming Skystar Town. Otherwise... with antiques consisting of the bulk of my forces... that renders my victories completely meaningless!” Li Hao frowned. If it weren’t for the nine ministries, he might not have immediately marched on the Skystar Town ruins. But with how the situation was... he had no choice.

Breathing out softly, Li Hao made quick time to the western outskirts. Two puppets followed by his side.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

At the same time.

Many people from the nine ministries were keeping an eye on him. What was the kid doing in running to and fro like this? Just as they wondered, a cold snort echoed through the world!

“You ignore me being considerate, do you I’ll kill whoever dares spy on me next!” Li Hao stood in the air and looked frostily at the royal palace. He sniffed disdainfully, a reaction intermixed with sword intent that wafted in all directions.

The current Skystar King observing from the palace grunted and spat out a mouthful of blood.

“Royal father!” gasped a few royal children below the throne.

“Cough cough cough...” The Skystar King paled and looked outside, then at the mirror fragment in his hand. Cracks had suddenly appeared in the fragment!

Li Hao!

Just how strong was the young man? He’d detected the attention cast on him through the mirror fragment. Not only thought, but he promptly smashed the treasure. How was that possible??

The royal children looked at each other with worry.

“It’s fine.” The Skystar King gently waved them off, belying the fury and shock in his eyes. Was Li Hao at peak six elements? Or even stronger? But wasn’t the void unable to support any that were stronger?

......

The Ministry of Finance.

Liu Yunqing grunted. Next to him, his elderly father with a head of white hair closed his eyes.

“Exercise more caution next time and don’t observe him for no reason. He’s not someone to run afoul of. You should’ve understood that when we failed to kill him the first time. He will bring us untold trouble!”

“Father.” Liu Yunqing steepled his fingers. “The royal family has allied with the Ministry of Armed Forces and Administration. They’re about to explore the giant mine. Should we...”

“It won’t be that easy. If it was, we would’ve done it many years ago. Why haven’t we in all this time? It’s not just because of the grave threat from the royal family, but that the one protecting the mines is too strong!”

“But once they succeed... The nine ministries have given up on us,” Liu Yunqing raised gravely. “Won’t that mean...”

“Succeed?” laughed the old man before shaking his head. “It’s truly not that simple. Not to mention, those plant spirits won’t peacefully coexist with each other. There will be more fighting to come!

“They can’t threaten us so long as we don’t enter the ruins. Who knows who the final victor will be? Do you think the plant spirits that aren’t involved in this don’t have their own plans in mind as well?”

Thus far, there was only the one backing the royal family and four others involved. There were five more from the nine ministries abstaining from the operation. The Ministry of Internal Affairs, Finance, Inspectorate, Judiciary, and Commerce were not involved. Commerce’s old minister was dead, Judiciary was all dead, and the other three had been excluded from the operation. Would their plant spirits agree to the outcome?

Not to mention, plant spirits were plant spirits, the nine ministries were the nine ministries. A victor would be hard to determine even if they successfully seized the mine.

Liu Yunqing inclined his head and thought briefly. “Does Li Hao know about this?”

Did Li Hao know? If he did, would he intervene? The young man had run back and forth today, first eliminating the Wind and Cloud Pavilion and then going to and fro after his return. No one knew what he was busy with, but he looked to have lost a great deal with the pavilion. He’d suffered heavy injuries and carried a few Silver Moon martial masters out with him each time.

But... did this guy know what’d happened in the ruins?

“What... do you want to do?” The old man looked at his son.

“How about we tell him?” laughed Liu Yunqing. “Since Armed Forces excludes us, they can have fun with dog eating dog! Li Hao has some strength to his name since he was able to kill the plant spirit of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion. Even if he can’t stir up major trouble, perhaps we’ll have a show to watch.”

“And what is your goal?” asked the old man after regarding him for a while. “Just to watch a show? You need to have a goal in mind before you undertake any action—a concrete goal! You don’t do something to offend someone or to make their day difficult. You do something to accomplish a goal and obtain profits. Offending someone for no reason at all is an idiotic move.”

Liu Yunqing blinked.

“You’ve been biding your time lately, so I thought you had something in mind,” the old man continued. “So it turns out that... you just wanted to sit by and watch a show?”

Liu Yunqing didn’t say a word.