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Chapter 278: Gains (IV)

He took inventory of their gains; they’d discovered quite a bit at twenty pieces. When combined with what he’d taken from Celestial, they’d reaped fifty pieces on this expedition.

As for himself, the Solars really hadn’t come across mysterious power stones. But it wasn’t that they completely lacked any gains—theirs were significant, there was just no need to go into detail with the rest of his people.

“Let’s take another look in the outer city.” Hao Lianchuan rose after concluding his business. “Although we went through it quite a few times before and didn’t see any houses with open doors, we might discover something else without the Black Armors around. If we can obtain some more stones, Night Watcher strength will increase as a whole after this expedition.”

Hao Lianchuan was in a very good mood as their losses hadn’t been too severe and their gains significant. Meanwhile, Li Hao stared fixedly at the man, looking until he saw the bundle vanish.

There was definitely a storage treasure on him! Perhaps he could ask for one of those. He couldn’t store Stellaris inside his body yet, so he had to keep it hidden on him. Thankfully, it was feasible due to its moderate size. But if he lost it... Li Hao would die of tears.

......

At the same time. Outside Rift Canyon.

Powerful presences swept the canyon. Numerous Night Watchers were stationed around the four corners and there was even a military blockade stopping anyone from entering.

Inside the blockade.

“They’re almost out, what are you in a rush for?” Hou Xiaochen coughed a few times and looked at the furious powerhouses outside. “We’re not letting you in only because we don’t wish for you to add to any chaos or trouble...

“Haven’t we given you everything that is yours?” He smiled. “See, which of the Red Moon, Celestial, or Yama finds have I kept instead of handing over to you?

“Cut the bullshit, Hou Xiaochen!” snapped a red-haired hulk in the air. “We want the ruins and Yuan Shuo! If not, give upLi Hao!”

“You really... are a hasty one!” Hou Xiaochen chuckled ruefully. “Yuan Shuo’s gone, where am I supposed to find him? As for Li Hao... he’s still inside the ruins. What are you in such a rush for? Maybe he’s died inside! Didn’t you hear the survivors say how dangerous the ruins are?

“Look at how many went in and how many are left. Apparently there’s only thirty alive inside. Added to those who came out, that makes for a maximum of fifty out of approximately two hundred... Are you sure Li Hao will come back out? Being so eager to kick up a fuss... you really don’t think much of the Night Watchers!”

Red Hair snorted, “You’re highly responsible for Yuan Shuo getting away!”

“Now now, how can you say that?” Hou Xiaochen shook his head with resignation. “Sadly, those who’ve come down in the world must endure such treatment. After all, I’m no longer a tenth of who I used to be after being injured for so many years. You’re a luckier one, Red Hair, to have made it to Nova. You’re a hot shot now, I wouldn’t dare offend you.”

A variety of expressions flickered across Red Hair’s face. Damn it! The more this fellow was thus, the less he dared make a move. Ying Hongyue had personally summoned him before he left the central region to give one instruction—do not break ties with Hou Xiaochen until the last possible moment.

That was the only thing the leader said! Despite Red Hair being a Nova and Hou Xiaochen just a sickly Solar, the man knew that Ying Hongyue wouldn’t voice unfounded statements like these. Plainly, Hou Xiaochen was not a character to run afoul of.

The Silver Moon Night Watcher director might seem feeble and cough with every other sentence, but were the Novas maintaining order and silence out of fear of the Night Watchers?

Of course not, they were wary of Hou Xiaochen!

“There’s only ten more hours.” Hou Xiaochen checked the time. “You’ve already waited three days, what’s a little more? Also, conversation needs to be conducted properly when Li Hao emerges. What does a young man, an ordinary person know? Red Moon is likely the one with the most business—none of the others look to have the same impatience.

“Everyone, it’s too tiring to constantly be in the air. Why don’t you land and rest inside your tents?”

He didn’t mind it when no one paid attention to him.

“Then I’ll go rest, I’m not as strong as the rest of you. My body... ai, it weakens by the day!” Hou Xiaochen shook his head and entered one of the tents under Manager Yu’s support.

The group watched him go, strange expressions crossing the faces of some powerhouses from the younger generation. These younger members of the various factions didn’t know Hou Xiaochen. While overawed by superiors from headquarters, all they saw were Novas who dominated the central region not daring to make a sound in Silver Moon and keeping to themselves.

It looked like the feeble man in front of them wasn’t someone to consider offending! At the same time, they were shocked by the scale of this operation. The central region really had sent multiple Novas to a border province! Was it that important that Yuan Shuo had broken through?

Novas were a domineering, premier force in the central region. Even if an organization possessed that level of heavyweight, they wouldn’t have many. The three great organizations had almost all sent representatives of this cultivation, but no one dared make a move. This was most stunning of all.

......

Inside the tent.

Manager Yu frowned and whispered, “Director... With so many Novas exerting pressure, Li Hao...”

The young man was in a great deal of trouble!

“What are you in a rush for? The Inspectorate and Military Justice haven’t sent people yet, but Novas from the other side have arrived. Our people will come, unless they’ve decided to give up Silver Moon and no longer wish to administer it! We’re just Night Watchers of a border region. It’s naturally the central region who needs to take care of central region affairs!”

Manager Yu fell silent with thought. Was that so? Or was it more that the government wanted nothing more than these newcomers to plumb the depths of Hou Xiaochen for them?

“Cough cough cough...” Hou Xiaochen was wracked by a hacking cough. “Don’t worry, if those people stay out of it, I’ll announce that Silver Moon is no longer under the dynasty’s purview. It’s fine if that leads to chaos—the dynasty will be worried once Silver Moon secedes. They’ll be afraid that it leads to a chain reaction!”

If Silver Moon seceded due to the central government remaining unmoved when Novas invaded, the end result would be that numerous parties with their own ambitions would swiftly leave the dynasty after the news spread.

When that situation developed, it wouldn’t be long until Skystar Dynasty collapsed. Thus, Hou Xiaochen judged that if he didn’t make a move or involve himself in this affair, those fellows from the government would have to get involved.

The director said no more; he contemplated silently. I wonder how things are on the inside. They’ve gone into the inner city... That’s not an easy place to tread in!

......

Inside the ancient city.

Li Hao and the others searched for a while. There were only nine streets, so it was easy to discover whether or not there were open ancient houses.

Reality proved that they’d been too hopeful. There were no houses they could enter!

No one knew why this city had been abandoned, if its denizens had all died or migrated elsewhere. There was no way to find out now. No one dared enter the houses with closed doors to see what was inside either.

According to Director Zhou and Zhao Huan, some of the open houses were empty. There were only antique furniture and other trappings to be found. In the absence of treasure, their furnishings were no different from regular houses.

After searching for a few hours, the remaining expedition team members didn’t want to waste further time. They sat down to cultivate and digest their gains. There were only fourteen living souls in the entire outer city. The silence was so deafening that it was a bit terrifying.

Hao Lianchuan and Hu Dingfang had both suffered some small injuries, so they focused on rest and recovery.

......

At a spot a little removed from the Night Watcher contingent.

Li Hao and Hong Yitang had struck up a conversation. Perhaps due to the fact that they were fellow martial masters or that the swordsman was a martial senior who didn’t seem to share a deep grudge with his teacher... the young man was very willing to chat with the leader of the Sword Sect.

“Martial uncle Hong, are there many surviving powerhouses from the martial world of yesteryear?”

Hong Yitang had nothing better to do at the moment, so he took a walk down memory lane. “Although there were no Dominators forthcoming from the Silver Moon martial world, it was still a peak martial faction in the ninety-nine provinces! We had too many half step Dominators, to say nothing of anything else!

“And many left Silver Moon to become the best and brightest of the martial worlds in other provinces!” Hong Yitang declared with gusto. “The supernatural world had yet to appear then, so Silver Moon’s martial masters could be found throughout Skystar Dynasty. They defined the era! Everyone knew that if they wanted to truly forge a path in blood, they should go to Silver Moon!

“If they wanted to witness the true blood and gore of the martial world, go to Silver Moon!

“The supernatural didn’t make much of a splash when it first appeared twenty years ago. Silver Mono’s martial world was so strong that the initial supernaturals—Starlight, Darkmoon, and even those who swiftly made it into Sunflare—found nothing but doom awaiting them. They were rookies pitting themselves against half step Dominators!”

Being a Sunflare twenty years ago made one a Heaven Favored. Those who survived those times were either Solar at the very least, or Nova at the most in present day. But in that age, they couldn’t survive in Silver Moon because there were too many martial masters!

It wasn’t until later that martial dao’s slow pace of development that they were overtaken by the supernaturals. By the time Solars appeared, martial masters found it hard to withstand their counterparts.

Li Hao nodded.

“Martial masters are partially responsible for Silver Moon’s supernatural domain not being that strong,” Hong Yitang chuckled. “We killed too many of them! A portion of Heaven Favored visited the province back in the day, and we also had a lot of homegrown ones. But too many of them died here. It wasn’t just your teacher, I killed my fair share too. What a pity... those guys would be Solars and Novas now if they’d survived to this day.”

Li Hao nodded thoughtfully and whispered, “Was Director Hou a martial master?”

“Him?”

It was no wonder that Li Hao asked as Hou Xiaochen wasn’t that old, but said to be very strong. Was he a martial master back in the day? No one had ever heard of such rumors. If he had been, surely he would’ve bore a great reputation.

“Maybe... maybe not?”

Li Hao blinked. How was that an answer? He was a martial master if he was one!