Star Gate

Chapter 698: Changes (I)

Hong Yitang seemed to be persuading himself as he spoke. He smiled at the end. “Now is the perfect timing. The people’s heart is in flux, the royal family and nine ministries are curbing each other, the three great organizations and seven divine mountains are biding their time. If we choose to take the stage at this time and intimidate a bunch of people, combined with the effects of the earlier battle, we’ll be able to do certain things.”

“Will it impact martial uncle’s cultivation?” asked Li Hao.

“This is also cultivation,” Hong Yitang laughed. “It’s a cultivation of the heart. I thought you understood.”

“I have certain reflections about this topic!” Li Hao also laughed. “Everything is cultivation. Martial masters are not of the physical strength, but of the heart. Am I right, martial uncle?”

“You do have a bright future ahead of you! Therefore, when those martial blockheads focus on the path of martial dao versus the path of energy... It doesn’t actually matter, there’s no difference!” Hong Yitang chuckled. “To be honest, I’m rather surprised and delighted that you’ve improved so much in such a short period of time and comprehended so much. Only those with their sights limited solely to martial dao obsess over martial masters and supernaturals. You don’t need to pay them too much heed.”

“I don’t mind.” Li Hao nodded. “Not to mention, the locks of my five organs are still there. It’s not like I don’t stand a chance of converting back.”

“You don’t need to think about converting back,” Hong Yitang laughed. “That’d be too forced! Just go with whatever comes your way. Of course, seal yourself if you can. You look to have undone the locks of your limbs, zifu, and spine. The ones of your organs can be ignored for now. You must know, Li Hao, that there are so many more supernatural locks in the human body than these. Therefore, as you strengthen yourself on this new path, you can also consider if martial dao is the only possible path.”

Li Hao nodded again. He always learned something new when he conversed with Hong Yitang; the young man was feeling much more at ease. While Hong Yitang offered mostly chicken soup for the soul instead of tangible cultivation methods, it always brought some new reflections to Li Hao.

That he could make it to his current heights was in large part thanks to his teacher and Hong Yitang. One was his light on the path of cultivation, the other his pillar of faith when it came to the heart.

Li Hao didn’t offer a second opinion on Hong Yitang’s desire to stay. They’d just launch another massive battle if it came down to it! He wasn’t afraid of anything! He was no weakling anymore and while the other side understood his capabilities now, so did he know a bit about them. It wouldn’t be that easy or even feasible for them to kill him anymore.

He might as well take advantage of this opportunity to set his authority. If he left now, it would give one the feeling of a deserter. Of course, he had to be on guard against counterattack, so he needed to continue to strengthen himself.

The two started back after a bit more conversation; a question struck Li Hao after they walked for a while. “Martial uncle, Ying Hongyue and the others haven’t unsealed themselves, so why are they so much stronger?”

“Differences can be apparent when it comes to the saturation and total number of locks. They are also stronger in terms of physical body, blood qi, and mental strength. They’re more holistically complete than we are.”

Li Hao understood.

......

The two didn’t say anything further. What happened in Skystar City swiftly spread on this day. Large numbers of Arcanus were dead, the nine ministries had suffered a defeat, the North Sea King had fallen in battle, the Steppe Prince had perished, and three hundred noble heads had been chopped off...

Certain interested parties made sure the news kept spreading. Silver Moon widely disseminated everything they knew as soon as they learned of it.

......

In White Moon City.

“Nice!” Kong Jie heaved a long sigh. “Even I want to be there just from reading the reports. To think that they’d all show up! You should’ve let Ole Huang take me!”

Director General Zhao ignored him. What could you have done if you’d gone? You wouldn’t have contributed to anything.

“A pity about Li Hao...” Kong Jie continued.

“Not necessarily,” the director general said faintly. “You guys are always pitying this and pitying that. What’s wrong with supernaturals? Nothing! It’s just that Silver Moon martial masters have stronger internal force than them, but they also have a different heart. Would you say that Qimei Staff and Sky Sword aren’t martial masters?”

Kong Jie blinked.

“It’s rather Earthturner Sword who has an open mind!” Director General Zhao smiled. “He sees further than the rest of you. I think that while he doesn’t rank first when it comes to potential—that’s Yuan Shuo—but he’s likely first when it comes to the future!

“Li Hao was in close contact with him shortly after he came in contact with martial dao. The lad’s been greatly affected by Hong Yitang. We wouldn’t see the current Li Hao otherwise. He would’ve become the next Yuan Shuo if he followed his teacher, but being the overlord of the martial world is operating on too small of a scale!” The director general viewed the situation more expansively than most, so he didn’t think there was anything untoward about this development.

“But the eight cities...” Kong Jie frowned.

“Do you think that the ancient civilization was as short-sighted as you guys?” Director General Zhao couldn’t be bothered to further converse with Kong Jie. They didn’t understand that this was good! He rather had some more expectations for Li Hao now.

......

Skystar City was the same flourishing scene of prosperity as usual. Yesterday’s great battle was already ancient history and everything had been returned to its previous condition. Apart from the northern city gate being slightly tattered, there was nothing else different in the city.

Well, there were several hundred corpses at the northern gate and several hundred heads hanging from it...

But the weather seemed to be nicer.

Skystar City was full in the onset of winter by the time November rolled around. Thunder and lightning had ravaged the skies yesterday, storm clouds pressed down on the city as gale winds howled. Today, the sun was out and a ray of sunlight barreled through the gloom to envelope the capital.

The thriving royal city basked in long-awaited sunlight this morning. Children ran through the streets as adults bustled about their business. Vendors and storefronts were open bright and early. A steady stream of customers browsed their wares. All was as usual. All was as normal.

A troop of supernaturals wearing Night Watcher uniforms walked on the streets. Merchants and passersby that usually avoided them like the plague—while still nervous—didn’t shrink back from them as usual. Instead, they regarded the Night Watchers with either curiosity, confusion, or odd looks.

They seemed to be asking, are you from the Skystar Commander Office?

Countless pairs of eyes stared at the patrolling Night Watchers. It was a rather uncomfortable sensation, like they itched all over. They might have rebuked the crowds if this was in times before, swaggering around with their strength and finding joy in watching people run frantically away from them.

But today, they didn’t dare do so.

They simply quietly walked along the streets, looking around the surroundings.

“The Skystar Commander Office is being built in the northern quadrant of the city!” someone rasped out, like they were reciting from a book. “If you have concerns, you can wait for a few days before taking action. All those who desire justice may proceed there!”

The two sides of the street were as quiet as could be. The Night Watchers felt equally awkward, but didn’t dare say any. They simply reeled off their words, walked forward silently, then repeated themselves after a few moments.

A meat vendor suddenly called out from a distance. “Sirs! This guy owes me thirty thousand star coins and won’t pay up! He threatens me and wants to kill me instead when I ask him to settle his debt! Can you do something about this?”

The roar startled the Night Watchers and the other vendors lining the streets. Everyone looked at the meat seller.

A fierce, brawny man wielded a butcher’s knife as he faced a person outside his stall. The latter gripped a blade and wore luxurious clothing, but looked more like a monkey with a hat on. He was skinny, scrawny, and his eyes darted around shiftily.

His face twitched to see everyone put him as the center of attention and he quickly cursed when he saw the Night Watchers, “Bullshit! When did I ever say I wasn’t paying you? I only said it’d be a few days late, can I possibly stiff you? It’s just thirty thousand coins, I’ll have it to you in two days! I’m buying meat for the marquis, would I possibly rip you off??”

His quick retort mentioned his status and willingness to pay as he knew many nobles had died just yesterday.

“Stop yelling,” he said with a guilty conscience. “Why are you bothering those gentlemen with such a small matter? I’ll give you three thousand right now and the rest tomorrow!”

He pulled out coins from his pockets and threw them onto the table. “Here, three thousand, do you see that?”

“Not enough!” The brawny meat seller set his jaw. “Give me all thirty thousand! It’s not like you’ve owed me for just a day or two. You always leave as soon as you get your meat and never pay anything. I’m a small shop that’s about to close because of debts like your thirty thousand. You’re not the only one to owe me money! I’m actually prepared to close and take my family out of the city to find a way to live. I’ll go toe-to-toe with you today if I can’t get my money!”

He tightened his hand on his knife, but his knees were wobbling with fear. He’d said what he’d said though, the rest was up to fate. He wouldn’t dare demand payment in normal times, even though he’d been driven to desperation. Many were those who had outstanding accounts with him, but he didn’t dare request satisfaction.

Business was good as he earned eighty to one hundred thousand star coins a year. That would make him rich anywhere, but it was all paper profits! The ledger of those with open tabs was almost a meter thick!

It was the errand boy of a marquis who owed several thousand today, the cleaning staff of a director’s household tomorrow. It might be the provisioner of a duke owing you tens of thousands today, and the provisioner of a minister owing you another tens of thousands tomorrow...

A year of this treatment meant that he was deep in the red and didn’t even need to think about turning a profit. He was putting it all on the line today!