Chapter 971: The Way Forward Is Beneath Your Feet (I)

The ruins of Skystar Town.

The human model neared perfection. Chains belonging to supernatural locks snaked through the body, each carrying a label from Li Hao. They didn’t move around as they should since there were no supernatural characters within them.

The four limbs and five organs held the most commonly referred to nine locks. Those of dark, light, wind, and thunder were the next four most commonly seen. After that came a lock emanating light in the head. These fourteen were regarded as the standard set of fourteen locks.

But as the model of the human body continued to be finalized, Li Hao found far more than one lock in the head. There were also many more in the body.

“Dao meridians...” murmured the Black Armor as he stared at the enlarged model. Were these supernatural locks or dao meridians?

He’d thought that supernatural locks would be similar to the three cavities, but now they gave him a different feeling. The two were completely different; there was almost nothing in common between them. The only commonality that could barely be pointed out between them was that both stored energy.

This time, Li Hao took the stance of a bystander to observe the locks. It was his first time looking at them from this vantage point. They were as numerous as stars in the sky. It reminded him of the Hao Cosmos, another place that was filled with stars.

“It’s too messy.” He frowned after a while.

“I agree, it’s very messy.” Yuan Shuo nodded. “There must be a large number of supernatural locks that have yet to be identified. Look at the ones of the five organs and four limbs—they present a beautiful sight, like they’re nine dragons soaring through the void.

“There are two types of supernatural locks—ones without aura appear dim and dark. Ones with aura are bright with light. They are as if dark stars and blazing suns... And do you see? The ones without attributes or auras are concentrated in tangible parts of the body. Ones with elemental attributes and auras are a bit more abstract and mostly focused in an illusory space such as the five organs.”

The five organs possessed their own elemental attributes, but their locks weren’t found on the organs proper. Their locks were in the space within them. Meanwhile, the ones of the four limbs seem to be connected directly to flesh and blood.

Li Hao nodded. Next to him, Sky Sword also craned his neck for a look. “There are two sides to the human body, the real and tangible, as well as the unreal and intangible...”

“Simply put,” Yuan Shuo interrupted him. “There are two different kinds of locks. We can organize them in that manner and temporarily group them as part of the same system.”

Li Hao nodded and waved his hand, organizing the locks accordingly. There were more people fleshing out this model for him; more and more supernatural locks were constantly being discovered.

Since the young man had filled in the model with the locks he knew, he looked away and walked out. A large number of supernaturals were waiting for him, lining up so he could assess them.

Li Hao wouldn’t examine their bodies one by one. A mirror hovered in the air—the copy of the Mirror of Wind and Cloud. Each person walked beneath it to be reflected on its surface. Different pinpricks of light appeared according to the strength of their life force. When only one subject was reflected from its surface, areas of varying energy density could also be scanned. In this regard, one could easily investigate where supernatural locks resided in the body.

Each supernatural had to take a walk beneath the mirror. There were only a few here. Li Hao was prepared to scan the entire royal city and even the dynasty. This was a ponderous project of massive undertaking! Of course, with the City of Supernaturals present, all he needed to do was to focus on the City of Supernaturals.

The more people there were, the more the locks would be repeated and the less supplemental information there would be required.

......

As Li Hao continued to work on his model, the outside world entered the last day of the year 1730.

Dazzling fireworks erupted in the sky. Although this was a year of grave unrest, particularly in the four continents, everyone was still happy that a new year had come.

The atmosphere was quite nice in the central region. The war between supernaturals had raged for many years, resulting in numerous cities and towns becoming decimated rubble. But these days, the lofty supernaturals had ceased their struggles. There were still many supernaturals in the central region, but those who hadn’t been arrested kept a low profile.

𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Many of those taken away by the authorities now worked for a living. Although some resistance and escape attempts occurred, they were few and far in between. Those captured again for such actions were executed, but those who strove to pay off their crimes through labor did not have to worry about being put to death.

Not only were their lives assured, but they could earn cultivation resources. Although their current circumstances were a blow to their dignity, this kind of lifestyle was good for the weaker supernaturals. They didn’t have to spend their days in fear anymore!

As the three great organizations withdrew from the central region, it became Li Hao’s world. Although the nine ministries and royal family had their supernatural armies, all of them had been pressed into service through societal reforms. No one dared step forward to rebel. In the absence of premier powerhouses that could stand against the Silver Moon martial masters, any sort of resistance was futile.

And so, countless supernaturals spent their new year in construction sites. It was very unusual, but many of them felt that this was fine as well.

......

Outside of the central region, some places were still struggling to quell uprisings.

The eastern continent.

Although the Xus had lost many people, most of the family still existed. Xu Qing’s younger brother had taken over the Steadfast Duke’s household and was leading its armies against some of the overlords of the eastern continent.

Apart from the Xus, there was also the East Pole province under the command of the East Pole Duke, the biggest eastern supernatural organization Helios, and the Firebright province as led by Inspector General Yu Qiao.

After Li Hao killed many Xu powerhouses, the four biggest factions of the eastern continent vied for supremacy. It was a fertile and rich land; war erupted as soon as Li Hao left. When it came down to it, the young man was a major contributing factor to war breaking out.

He knew that as well, but there was nothing he could do about it. The Xus had broken all ties with him, so he couldn’t just let them be.

The various provinces of the eastern continent were much quieter compared to the rest of the world on this new year eve. All powerhouses converged on the Calm Borders province that the Xus resided in. The three invading factions had encircled the province with their troops.

The twenty-one provinces of the east all had their own allegiances. While the Xus possessed deep foundations, they were yet to produce a premier heavyweight. Meanwhile, powerhouses continued to appear in the other three factions, putting the Xus in an even more precarious position.

New year eve, the Xu Manor.

After Xu Qing and the family experts died, Li Hao further burned most of it down. Although it’d been rebuilt, it was in much more dismal straits than before. The current Su patriarch was Xu Qing’s younger brother, Xu Huan.

He was a muscular man nearing forty years of age. At the moment, he appeared rather old. Dark circles appeared beneath his eyes and his expression was solemn. Apart from Xu Huan, there were a few other heavyweights in the main hall.

Two of them were the Heaven and Earth Generals. Both of them were Arcanus now. Light Sword had killed most of the eight generals and Li Hao killed one, leaving only these two left. They’d fought with the army when the duke went against Li Hao, which was how they’d survived disaster.

Xu Huan rubbed his temples; the celebrations outside were not what they used to be. Calm Borders were a bleak and desolate place now.

“There is word from the central region that the nine ministries and royal family are all done,” he said after a while of silence. “Lin Hongyu at the City of Supernaturals has surrendered. Eleven out of the twelve aristocracies are dead. Only a few of the Lin Arcanus live. Lin Hongyu even killed her own family in order to gain Li Hao’s trust! This venomous harpy is truly ruthless!

“The east sways with uncertainty as Yu Qiao and the East Pole Duke are using Li Hao’s banner to threaten us...”

Xu Huan had been handed authority in a time of great danger. The family already teetered on the precipice when he became the patriarch. With menaces coming at them from three different directions and unending disorder, he was extremely weary.

“The ruins that the family owns have never been deeply excavated,” he said slowly as he looked at the family’s strongest. “Our ruins are no ordinary locale. Tranquil Star was said to be the sacred land of the ancient civilization...”

“Your Grace, it’s said that Silver Moon Territory was just a vassal world of the ancient civilization,” the Heaven General couldn’t help but speak up from below. “Can this world really have a sacred land?”

“Even if it’s not, it is bound to be extraordinary since it is known by this reputation,” Xu Huan responded slowly. “The other ruins cannot measure up to them. Therefore, I’ve decided to explore them in depth.

“Based on what I know, the ruins have been less than quiet lately as well. There seems to be a powerful presence in its depths. I will bring people in to investigate it. This might be the family’s last chance!”

The group exchanged glances. Ruins were sometimes very dangerous. The family had only dared to poke around the outside over the years. Xu Qing had wanted to invite Li Hao on a joint expedition, but the young man had turned him down.

Xu Huan could not be deterred by caution any longer. Tranquil Star was said to be the ancient civilization’s sacred land and possessed a bevy of exalted emperors. Of course, no one was familiar with its actual state or whether or not that was a true sacred land. Even though everyone felt that the likelihood wasn’t great, any city that was built here, however, could not be ordinary.

The Xus owned such a formidable set of ruins, but were facing the extinction of the family. Xu Huan was loath to accept his circumstances.

He’d truly made up his mind this time. No matter how dangerous the situation was, who cared about that at this stage? Once he was able to obtain great benefits from the ruins, that was the family’s second chance.

Otherwise, they were all done for!

“I’m going to take some of the army heavyweights with me,” Xu Huan explained. “The family stands a chance if I succeed. If not and we do not emerge, then the eastern continent has a new master!

“Will you generals come with me or...”

“We will naturally move as one with Your Grace!” came the stern response. Everyone knew that there was no path behind them.

“Very well, then we will make use of this time while Li Hao is still preoccupied with the central region and the three great organizations have entered the north. It is the new year today, those factions will not easily attack us on this day. We head for the ruins!”

“Yes, sir!” The solemn group prepared to enter the ruins with the family patriarch.

Tranquil Star was the sacred land of the ancient times. It might really hold the chance of salvation for the Xus!