Chapter 934: The Martial World is Everywhere (I)

“This is the heart of the mine,” the Black Armor explained as he looked around. “There are some pre-existing arrangements here, as well as formations, which makes it impossible for the outside world to sense this clearing.

“An exception would be if the disturbance was so great that it overrode the arrangements, or if our enemy hadn’t set up a mental world—our battle would’ve been detected then. We were not holding back in the fight and our moves exuded quite the energy ripples.”

Li Hao bobbed his head up and down, like a blank sheet of paper being written for the first time. In reality, that was what he was. He didn’t understand most of this as his tenure in martial dao was too short. He also focused on studying modern martial dao. When it came to New Martial martial dao, he was somewhat interested in only the ultimate art of Tranquil Star and the analysis of

The Accounts of Evenround.

𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

“Who was our opponent?”

“I don’t know.”

Li Hao blinked. The Black Armor didn’t know who the scarlet shadow was? How was that possible?

“This person is a premier heavyweight, aren’t they?”

“Saint level, and crafting an Empyrean King body. That makes them a definite powerhouse,” nodded the Black Armor. “The Saint level defined one as a powerhouse in New Martial. Empyrean Kings were premier existences and exalted emperors were invincible.”

“Then how come you don’t know this person?” Li Hao was immensely surprised. This was a heavyweight of New Martial!

The Black Armor was speechless and answered after a moment, “It’s normal for me not to. The world is large and I can’t possibly know everyone. It’s even harder for me to know someone if they purposefully conceal themselves. I know all of the Empyrean Kings and exalted emperors, but Saints... There were many Saints in the later days of New Martial. I couldn’t possibly have known them all.”

Alright then. It was a bit of a pity that the Black Armor didn’t recognize their opponent. If he did, they might be able to learn which main city the scarlet shadow was from.

“This guy must’ve hidden itself early on.” Director General Wang spat out a mouthful of blood with a cough. “This means that the rebellion wasn’t a spur of the moment impulse, but a premeditated plot! I find that very strange, though, and wonder who had so much courage?

“I would find it easier to believe that they suddenly thought of this when the Star Gate suddenly closed. To have planned this in advance... who possessed so much daring and resolution?”

The Star Gate had been open then and the Sword Sovereign personally held down the fort in Silver Moon! It was incredible that anyone would harbor thoughts of mutiny under such conditions.

Of course, this was Silver Moon territory. They probably wouldn’t dare do so in the main world. There were also exalted emperors in Silver Moon. The Sword Sovereign was one, as was the principal of Evenround Martial. But these two... weren’t the most reliable.

The Sword Sovereign focused on cultivation and didn’t really care about anything else. As for the principal, she was mostly there for show. She popped up here and there when she had nothing else to do and didn’t really think about any issues that needed resolving. It was the Black Armor that was more in charge of Evenround Martial. The principal came back when she had time and vanished without a trace when she didn’t.

Li Hao didn’t seek to stick his nose in too many things. To be honest, he didn’t really care which of the eight main cities had turned traitor. Even if it was Battle Heaven... he wouldn’t mind too much.

That was a chasm that New Martial citizens were unable to cross. Li Hao didn’t find himself in a position to say much, but he would not tolerate being provoked. No one could seize his homeland either. As for the ancestors whose titles and lands came from New Martial... He let them do whatever they would, so long as they didn’t run afoul of him.

Double standards were his way of life. Hence, he set everything aside and looked down at the golden body. It was already starting to recover.

“Is this body... really strong?”

“Of course!” nodded the Black Armor. “Incredibly strong and fashioned out of the purest of energy, vast quantities of indestructible matter, Water of Life, and numerous treasures of heaven and earth...”

“So it’s not a weapon?”

“No, but you could also call it that.” The Black Armor shook his head. “This is indeed a physical body, one that is no different from real physical bodies.”

“So it’s possible to build another physical body apart from oneself?” Li Hao grew more confused. “Can everyone do that, or is this ability limited to that scarlet shadow?”

“This physical body has not been fully crafted yet,” replied the Black Armor. “It should finish at the Empyrean King level. There’s no mental brand on it. Once there is, it will have a master. Without that mental brand, it is a treasure without a master.”

“Then... why didn’t the scarlet shadow do that?” Li Hao asked with utmost curiosity. If it was him, only something firmly grasped in his hand would count as his. Wasn’t the scarlet shadow afraid of the treasure being seized by another without that mental brand?

The Black Armor was quite resigned by the fact that Li Hao knew nothing, but liked to ask questions about everything. Seeing that the group still needed to take some time to recover, he had to explain, “Because the body hadn’t been fully crafted yet, do you understand? If it delivered the mental brand now, that would fix the body in its current state! It would be a semi-finished product.

“If the mental brand is imprinted after the body enters the Empyrean King level, it would be a finished product and the brand wouldn’t fix it in place. The body would be a good match for mental strength and the two could grow together without harming its potential.

“Branding it now will destroy the body’s potential, it would be halted halfway toward completion. That level would be the highest it can ever attain in this life. It would have to be reforged for it to take a step forward!”

Li Hao nodded. So that was the case!

“A semi-finished product...” He looked at the body with regret. “So if this body is refined by someone, it would be a faux Empyrean King at most and stand no chance of advancement, is that so?”

“Correct.”

That was indeed an immense pity. The scarlet shadow had been a Saint to begin with, surely it didn’t want to expend thousands of years and countless treasures to become only a little stronger than it already was. It would’ve worked so hard for nothing!

Indeed, it took a great deal of decisiveness to mentally brand the treasure now. The scarlet shadow plainly did not possess such willpower. If it had, it would’ve been able to fully control the body.

Li Hao looked at the Black Armor. The dean possessed great mental power. He would be able to bring the strength of an Empyrean King to bear if he had the body of one that was almost at that level, wouldn’t he?

That was incredible to consider! Even if his cultivation level was then fixed in place and unable to progress, a powerhouse on par with an Empyrean King would reign supreme in modern society, wouldn’t it?

“How much longer will it need to be finished?”

“It’s almost done,” estimated the Black Armor with a glance at the lake. “It’s been here all along and the second awakening would’ve taken place as soon as it was finished. Therefore, the second awakening was under their control all along! They anticipated everything from a very long time ago and made their preparations. Whether it is the first awakening or second awakening, all was in their grasp.

“It is said that the first awakening took place because a ruin in Silver Moon was destroyed. If my conjecture is correct, that ruin must have held someone like the scarlet shadow. I don’t know if there was a physical body there or not, but there must have been some lingering mental strength. It might’ve left with the people who broke the ruins, or it might not and stayed within the ruins all this time!”

Li Hao’s eyes widened. The first awakening had resulted from Ying Hongyue’s actions. There was a scarlet shadow by the man’s side—he’d seen it once through the mirror. Was it... a mental strength replica? A core origin replica?

That was very possible!

So that meant to say that the site of the first awakening was very similar to this place. Hence, the so-called revitalization of energy in the world was all in their enemy’s grasp.

Li Hao frowned. Extracting so much energy and making all of the world’s powerhouses fall into silence, then revitalizing the flow of energy but obtaining control of it beforehand... Perhaps the enemy had long been prepared and left a great sum of treasures in advance. They were recovering while others slept.

If that was the case... the implications were terrifying. Had they dragged the process out for so many years just to deplete the other powerhouses in the world? Though the rest were revitalizing now, they were empty husks and far behind the very well prepared enemy.

Li Hao was starting to wrap his mind around the massive conspiracy. This also indicated that the enemy was less than the eight main cities at their peak. They weren’t even confident of taking down those left behind to defend the main cities, so they could only opt for attrition through the passage of time.

But hadn’t the powerhouses of the eight main cities all withdrawn? Only Saints at best were left. Did the enemy not even have a few Saints? Now this was perplexing.

Li Hao was also certain of one fact—there must be another powerhouse left in the ruin that caused the first awakening. At the very least Ying Hongyue, the Celestial Sword Immortal, the mountain lord of Yonder, and Yama had been present for the first awakening. They would know where those ruins were.

No, wait!

Li Hao suddenly recalled what Deputy Zhou had once said to him. Quite a few people had been involved in the first awakening, including the commander of the Skystar Guards!

And who was that?

Director General Zhao!

Indeed, Director General Zhao was Laughter, the commander of the Skystar Guards. He would know!

The young man’s expression shifted slightly. In that case, would the director general have met that powerhouse? This was a matter from a very long time ago, something mentioned in passing when he first met the director general. Li Hao had almost forgotten about it.

He suddenly remembered it when the Black Armor mentioned that the awakenings were premeditated. Director General Zhao knew where the ruins were and had participated in the first awakening!

“Li Hao!” Yuan Shuo called out when he saw his student sink into deep thought again. “What were you thinking? Are you alright? How come you’ve detonated all of your supernatural characters?”

“It’s fine,” the young man shook his head with a laugh. “I’ve just suddenly had some cultivation reflections and wanted to cleanse them of impurities. I’ll re-coalesce them when I have a moment and organize my new system. This saves me some trouble.”