Star Gate

Chapter 348: Joining the Silver Moon Guards (III)

“Just how in the world do you cultivate?” An incredibly dejected Mu Lin looked at Li Hao. “You’ve only cultivated for a few years, haven’t you? My younger brother says you were a Sunderer before and had just broken through. Of course, we all know that you’re a half step Dominator because you killed Sun Moxian, but... you should be more than that, aren’t you?”

“The Five Styles discipline naturally has its ways to elevate me!” Li Hao said slowly while staring at the deputy.

Bullshit! Mu Lin spat out another mouthful of blood. “Do we continue?”

“Nah.” Li Hao grinned. “There is no need to continue fighting after witnessing the deputy’s tremendous strength. This isn’t a fight to the death and there will be plenty more opportunities to spar with each other. If we really were fighting to the death, neither one of us would be holding back.”

“......” The martial masters around them were dead silent. What did the young man mean by that?

“So that wasn’t your full strength?” Mu Lin raised an eyebrow. “I don’t believe you. Why do you like to boast so much?”

To be honest, Mu Lin himself hadn’t brought out everything he was capable of. He could do more than just defend! But Li Hao had done the same? The kid was just blowing hot air!

Li Hao smiled and didn’t explain further. They could believe him if they wanted to! But who knew if he’d be able to kill Mu Lin if he really did bring his full strength to bear? It was tough to say when it wasn’t a struggle to the death. He hadn’t used the little sword and just utilized his hand as one.

He was well and truly curious about the Silver Moon Guards now. Hou Xiaochen’s army unit was uncommon. He must be using special methods to strengthen these martial masters; their Dominators wouldn’t be so much stronger than the ones in the outside world otherwise. Any of these centurions was stronger than Liu Long!

The chief had said before that he could fight any mid Sunflare, but that it was difficult to determine the outcome if he met a late Sunflare. These centurions, however, could easily match a late or peak Sunflare.

It was hard to explain the sudden appearance of so many veteran Dominators.

“Forget it,” sighed Mu Lin as he looked at the tattered remains of his clothes. “Let’s drop this. Welcome to the Guards, Li Hao! How was this for a welcome ceremony?”

Li Hao nodded with a smile. “Is the ranking officer here?”

“He’s out on business, I’m the boss for now!” Mu Lin laughed and waved off the martial masters watching behind them. “Back to your business, everyone! This was just a sparring session, there’s nothing else to see here. Those of the Five Styles are indeed strong, so everyone be more polite in the future!

“Let’s go inside for a chat and talk about arrangements for Li Hao.” He turned to the young man and Manager Yu. “I was going to have him be a deputy centurion, but I think that’s gone out of the window. Which of these nine would dare be his boss?”

No one wanted that loss of face! The centurions helping each other hobble away lowered their heads without a word. Indeed, who would dare give orders to Li Hao? What a joke! They’d been completely routed in front of everyone today. How was any of them supposed to interact with him if he joined their team?

In all of the Guards, possibly only Mu Lin and their ranking officer could keep the young man in check. No, Mu Lin might not be able to either! They’d all witnessed that battle and committed it to memory. Mu Lin’s defense was powerful, but he lacked in offense. Li Hao had emerged nearly unscathed, so it was hard to believe that the final blow had truly been the young man’s full strength!

......

The three walked into a large hall after a while. Mu Lin was already wearing a new outfit.

“Come, sit!” He waved his visitors to their seats and looked to Manager Yu for guidance. “Does Director Hou have any specific arrangements for Li Hao?”

“No, he just wanted to send the young man here.” Manager Yu calmly sipped her tea and didn’t seem to think much of it. She put it down after that one sip, turning to Li Hao. “Do you want to stay here?”

“Of course!” Li Hao nodded with a smile. “The caveat is that the ranking officer isn’t a trophy officer and is stronger than Deputy Mu. I like being around strong people!”

“He’s stronger than me,” chuckled Mu Lin. “Perhaps you’ve even heard of his name before.”

“Please enlighten me!”

“Golden Spear!”

Li Hao paused, in a true daze. Wasn’t Golden Spear... dead? That’s what he’d heard! Golden Spear of the Three Spears of Silver Moon?! How was that possible?

“Surprised?” Mu Lin roared with laughter. “Golden Spear is alive and has become the ranking officer of the Silver Moon Guards! He possesses the proper qualifications, doesn’t he? He was the strongest among the Three Spears back in the day and stood on the same level as the Sky Sword. The Sky Sword, Tyrant Blade, and Golden Spear were unparalleled!”

“He’s not dead?” Li Hao frowned. “If he’s alive and my master hadn’t broken through... that means he didn’t break through in Silver Moon.”

The young man didn’t believe that anyone could break his master’s curse! If they had, they would’ve eclipsed his master. As one of the Three Spears, Golden Spear had naturally met Yuan Shuo in battle. As usual, the latter won.

“Not everyone needs to leave Silver Moon in order to break through,” Manager Yu said faintly. “Some people were unable to progress back in the day only because Yuan Shuo’s will kept everyone down. If someone pierced this intent, there would naturally be no obstacle to breaking through!”

“I see!” Li Hao immediately understood. “But taking a shortcut isn’t necessarily a good thing.”

Indeed, he did understand. Hou Xiaochen! It was Hou Xiaochen who’d pierced his teacher’s will and enabled Golden Spear to break his shackles. The latter might’ve risen to Dominator many years ago. That he hadn’t walked out of Silver Moon meant that he’d joined Hou Xiaochen’s side!

“A shortcut? Not necessarily!” Manager Yu frowned slightly. “When there’s someone stronger than Yuan Shuo, that means Golden Spear’s path will be wider...”

“My teacher is invincible among his peers!” Surprisingly, Li Hao doggedly vied for every point in this conversation. His position directly opposed the secretary’s. “There is no one in the world who is a stronger Sunderer than my teacher with his five auras melded together. If there is, then my teacher wouldn’t still have the reputation that he does! Manager Yu, not even Director Hou would dare claim that he rivals my teacher as a half step Dominator if you asked him!”

Manager Yu’s chest heaved; she seemed infuriated. This was a rare sight for Mu Lin. He’d almost never seen this one lose her temper—she must truly be incensed. He stayed quiet. These two weren’t just fighting over who was stronger, but who should be recognized as number one of martial dao! Plainly, Li Hao was not going to give way because he was Yuan Shuo’s disciple.

“They have to be at the same level for there to be a chance to determine that.” An aloof Manager Yu kept a firm hold of her temper. “What a pity that Yuan Shuo was yet to set foot into Dominator in that era. We might’ve been able to come to an answer!”

“There’s still a chance!” Li Hao smiled. “They weren’t Sunderers or Dominators together, but there’s a chance for them to meet beyond Dominator, right?”

The secretary looked coldly at him and didn’t respond.

First among martial masters! Who was the greatest? That might not be known for a very long time. She couldn’t prove either that a half step Dominator Hou Xiaochen was stronger than Yuan Shuo. No one in the dynasty dared say so as, honestly, no one could combine five auras together.

“Let’s set that aside.” It was only now that Mu Lin interrupted the arguing. “Golden Spear is our ranking officer. Do you still think that the Guards is trash, Li Hao?”

“Of course not!” The young man shook his head. “If I’d known that Senior Golden Spear is the one in charge, I would’ve kept my nose down. A senior martial master like him was mentioned in the same breath as my master. Although he eventually lost to my master, I would more likely than not lose to him if we met in battle!”

That was because Golden Spear had become a Dominator long ago, thanks to Hou Xiaochen breaking his teacher’s will. It was a certainty that Golden Spear was very strong. He probably rivaled Novas!

Sky Sword had become a Nova in the central region and was a premier existence among his level. Golden Spear, Sky Sword, and Tyrant Blade possessed similar reputations. If Tyrant Blade could kill a Solar seven years ago, would Golden Spear be any weaker?

Of course not!

As proud as Li Hao may be, he didn’t think that he could match the other at this point in time. He was a bit distracted at the moment. Out of the Record of Heroes from back in the day, he’d already met the Qimei Staff, Southern Fist, Earthturner Sword, and Yu Luocha. He knew that the Jadelight Sword, Sky Sword, and Tyrant Blade were alive, and he might meet Golden Spear soon. Silver Spear was dead and he’d killed the heir to Bronze Spear...

How... interesting!

As for the Heartjab Daughter that he’d seen before, she wasn’t part of the ranking. There were only thirty-six names on the record. Some half step Dominators had their own reputations, but were not included.

If Manager Yu really was the Yu Luocha of old, then she was someone who commanded the wind and clouds back in the day as well. When all was said and done, it appeared that Earthturner Sword had done the worst for himself, if Li Hao ignored those who were dead.

Roughly ten among the thirty-six were confirmed dead, mostly at Yuan Shuo’s hand. Were the rest alive? During Yuan Shuo’s rampage back in the day, there were some that he didn’t repeatedly challenge. Under the premise of similar strength, he would be able to kill a second after killing a first. If he’d seen that through, more would’ve died.

Li Hao’s thoughts traveled to initial Solar Hong Yitang. Why did he seem less than the existences that’d yet to ascend to the supernatural domain? Golden Spear and Tyrant Blade hadn’t crossed over either, while Southern Fist felt stronger than Hong Yitang. The Earthturner Sword had been ranked number two among the Seven Swords. The young man frowned—was Hong Yitang truly crippled? He’d refused the letter of challenge three times. That Yuan Shuo had issued them to him represented his strength!

Was it due to a continued lack of fighting that led to a decline in morale, which resulted in his current mediocrity?

Li Hao quickly set the Earthturner Sword out of his mind.