Star Gate

On a small mountain.

Some of the leaders of the Eight Legions were observing the surroundings through a small mirror hovering in front of them. They frowned to see their people being killed.

“Silver Moon martial masters are strong indeed.” One nodded slightly. “Almost all of them have a strength equivalent to Arcanus. However, there’s too few in peak battle condition. Earthturner Sword and Sky Sword are roughly four elements, which means we need to be more cautious of them.”

“Right.”

“Our goal is them. Killing them will let Li Hao know that the Wind and Cloud Pavilion is not an existence he can trifle with!”

“That’s right!” The powerhouses looked at each other with a smile and took to the air. They were going to kill a few Silver Moon martial masters so that the Skystar Commander Office learned to properly respect them!

The Eight Legions were not the strongest among the Wind and Cloud Pavilion, but they were the elites. Nearly half of them were Arcanus—this was the greatest source of the pavilion’s strength. If it wasn’t for this faction keeping a low profile before, there would be no room in this world for the three great organizations.

……

Just as the Wind and Cloud Pavilion sent out their people, numerous heavyweights rushed over from various parts of the world. They didn’t participate in the battle; they simply watched from other vantage points.

Blue robes fluttered into view, sword light flashing over the wearer. It was the mysterious Celestial Sword Immortal, the leader of Celestial.

Moments later, a magnificent presence oscillated through the air as a young man landed on the ground. He was uncommonly calm and collected. The lord of Yonder Mountain!

“Yonder!” The Celestial Sword Immortal called out to the other in a slightly aloof voice, but an imperceptible hint of a smile graced her face. The mountain lord inclined his head.

The three great organizations and seven divine mountains were the first batch of powers to be established in the world. The newly risen Wind and Cloud Pavilion and Skystar Commander Office were battling in these grounds today. Everyone wanted to take stock of the new factions’ strength.

Yonder Mountain kept an exceedingly low profile, especially compared to the brazen three organizations. Its lord, however, might be the strongest among the seven. The world at large had always considered him on par with the leaders of the three great organizations.

The mountain lord looked into a distance, a third eye seeming to appear in the center of his forehead as he pierced through the woods. He stood with his back to the Celestial Sword Immortal as he murmured, “Martial masters from Silver Moon remain very strong. The Wind and Cloud Pavilion has fielded many Arcanus, but they are unable to hold the advantage. At the same time, this may not be a showing of their full strength.”

“Perhaps,” laughed the Celestial Sword Immortal. “But I’m more curious when Li Hao will arrive and how strong he is now.”

Yonder grunted, having seen something unusual. He wanted to take a closer look when Li Hao’s voice reverberated through the air. “The Skystar Commander Office is here to eradicate the Wind and Cloud Pavilion today! All irrelevant personnel are to remove themselves! You will get the hell away from here if you don’t wish to suffer my wrath!”

He was exceedingly tyrannical, domineering, and cocky—the height of conceit!

Sword splendor pierced through heaven and earth—boom! Several pavilion members in black armor shot upward and were immediately churned to pieces by the sword light. Dominating sword intent swept the four directions.

The Celestial Sword Immortal furrowed her brows. “What immense sword intent!”

Li Hao had grown stronger and the key thing was, he was too high-handed in his manner! He expelled the onlookers as soon as he arrived and casually killed a few powerhouses as well.

“I know you’re here, Ying Hongyue! Fight me now if you have the balls to! Piss off if you don’t! Watch yourself when I’m done with the Wind and Cloud Pavilion!”

……

South Peak, the air over the provincial government building.

Ying Hongyue stood over the building and ignored everyone beneath him. He laughed at Li Hao’s declaration. The little guy sure liked to run his mouth! The Wind and Cloud Pavilion’s Eight Legions were in the field, it wouldn’t be so easy to take care of them.

Next to him, Indigo and Violet Moon stood side by side.

“What an overweening fellow!” Indigo Moon flowered. Her idea was that Red Moon should send out all of its forces while the Wind and Cloud Pavilion preoccupied Li Hao and take advantage of the opportunity to raze the Skystar Commander Office to the ground.

Li Hao did not know the meaning of death to be so impudent after offending such strong heavyweights!

……

The young man was the epitome of impertinence. He killed several Arcanus with a single sword stroke and issued through the armor, “Encircle the surroundings and don’t let a single one get away. Force them back to the entrance of their ruins…”

KABOOM!

Battle was fought in earnest as soon as his command was given. A keen light sparkled in Li Hao’s eyes as he looked around and vanished from the spot. He reappeared next to a small mountain where several heavyweights were convened. They were dressed differently from the Eight Legions and were either five or six elements. Eyes widened with shock to see the young man appear next to them.

Li Hao had arrived so quickly, and he was so much stronger than they imagined! A regular peak six elements didn’t seem as strong as him! They’d seen their fair share of heavyweights before this, but Li Hao gave them a very dangerous feeling.

“The Eight Legions?” Li Hao smiled. “According to my knowledge, the Eight Legions are indeed part of the Wind and Cloud Pavilion. But the pavilion vanished from Silver Moon Territory a very long time ago. It disappeared before the eight main cities fell silent, so what Eight Legions are there to speak of?”

Director General Wang had given him an overview of past history on the way here. The Eight Legions had indeed been under the pavilion’s banner back in the day, but this faction had withdrawn from Silver Moon Territory before the great silence. Who were these guys then? Just borrowing the name?

Those in front of Li Hao leapt into motion instead of responding. There were four of their leaders here, each with domineering strength.

Energy rippled with each of their attacks and seemed to assemble into a formation that enveloped Li Hao. A bloody dragon appeared in the center that sought to swallow the young man.

Li Hao disappeared, then reappeared to shatter one of the leader’s armor with a palm strike. The latter paled and vomited blood, incredulously gasping out, “Seven elements?!”

That was impossible! But how would the young man be so strong if he wasn’t seven elements??

The pavilion member didn’t understand, but there was no time for him to dwell on the matter.

“Retreat!” he howled. The others quickly followed suit.

Li Hao didn’t bother chasing after them. Instead, he slashed to the side and sliced a hiding Arcanus into two. He calmly followed that stroke up with more strokes. In the distance, one of the fleeing powerhouses took out a bugle and blew into it. The Wind and Cloud Pavilion members that’d spread out swiftly converged on a single spot.

“Interesting.” A solemn Director General Wang appeared after everyone was gone. “These guys knew the Eight Legion Confinement Formation of old. There were only four of them just now, so the effects weren’t apparent. You would’ve been in trouble if it’d been eight. Even a five or six element Arcanus would’ve been able to confine you!”

Li Hao raised a brow. That impressive? He was a seven element titan!

“Judging from this display, I haven’t run into an old friend, have I?” frowned the director general. He turned to Li Hao. “Keep chasing them and force these guys back.”

The young man nodded and swiftly relayed instructions through the armor. Vast quantities of powerhouses hunted down their quarry. As for those watching even further away, Li Hao couldn’t be bothered with them since they were so far in the distance. The Wind and Cloud Pavilion was the more pressing matter.

Numerous powerhouses headed Li Hao’s way.

……

Hong Yitang floated in with a frown. “So many Arcanus came for the purpose of testing us. There might even be more in their headquarters. They’re a difficult opponent.”

Li Hao nodded. “Forget that, let’s force them back first. Also, everyone retract your supernatural characters and don’t easily display them to those watching outside.”

“Understood!” Almost all of the Skystar Commander Office’s forces were gathered here, apart from Chen Zhongtian, Yao Si, and a few others holding down the fort in Skystar Town. Li Hao wanted to eliminate the Wind and Cloud Pavilion in this operation and not let a single one get away.

The group followed Li Hao, hot on their quarry’s heels.

……

At the entrance of a mountain cave.

Several Eight Legion leaders flushed with mortification. “Report back that Li Hao is much stronger than imagined,” one of them muttered. “He’s nearing seven elements and might have truly set foot into seven elements…”

“Understood!” Someone darted into the ring of light behind them.

In an underground ruin.

A ring of light manifested. Several powerhouses guarded the spot and looked sharply at the ring when they sensed someone entering. They dismissed the brewing energy in their hands when they saw it was someone from the Eight Legions.

“Report! Li Hao has arrived and is immensely strong. He’s killed multiple Eight Legion members and we cannot stand against him…”

The pavilion master arrived before he finished speaking. Black robes fluttering around him, the pavilion master looked coldly through the ring of light. “He’s fast. He already had the life force of peak six elements last time we checked. It’s to be expected that you guys can’t withstand him.”

Despite the logic, he was still immensely irritated. He’d wanted to deliver a resounding blow to the young man’s people, but his own had been beaten back instead. Li Hao had arrived too quickly and the Eight Legions were too slow. How had they not eliminated the Silver Moon martial masters in the vicinity?

“Damn it, what a pity that this seat cannot leave the ruins, otherwise…” The pavilion master frowned, finding it a slight shame. There were drawbacks to being too strong, such as being unable to leave the ruins. Not only him, but many powerhouses among the Wind and Cloud Pavilion were similarly confined. His three guardians were as well.

These were the true foundation of the pavilion’s strength and they all exceeded the current limits of the world. Hence, to him, none of the fellows in the outside world were worthy of caution no matter how strong they were. The true heavyweights were all hidden in the ruins.