A private booth in the tea house.
Li Hao quickly poured a full cup for Yu Xiao.
“Your motions are very practiced.” The man smiled. “Do you do this often?”
“I used to pour tea for teacher all the time.” The young man smiled simply. “That’s how we martial masters are. We grow and develop step by step. Certain tasks must be undertaken before our teachers are willing to pass on knowledge.”
“Old and decrepit traditions!” Yu Xiao pursed his lips with disdain. “That’s why martial dao has declined. Masters always keep something for themselves and jealously hoards the finest bit of anything. Supernaturals don’t have to curry favor with anyone at all!
“What a pity that I cannot become a supernatural. I tried before...” Li Hao was both envious and resigned.
“That’s normal.” Yu Xiao wasn’t surprised. “Your physical body is strong as a Sunderer, which makes it hard to break the supernatural locks and ascend. But this is also because your internal force has strengthened the locks. You’ll find a way to succeed if the opportunity presents itself.”
Li Hao nodded with some hope, but found no words for a response.
Yu Xiao smiled and gestured at him to sit down. The young man quickly scrambled into his seat.
“You’re the heir of the Lis in the eight families, right?” Yu Xiao cut straight to the chase.
“I don’t know.” Li Hao first nodded, then shook his head. “That’s what everyone says, but I don’t know anything about the eight families. Since Red Moon has come for me, however, and given all the research they’ve done... I probably am.”
“The sword of the Lis...”
“I’ve turned it into the agency!” Li Hao replied quickly. “I don’t know if Director Hao has it, or if Director Hou does.”
Yu Xiao nodded thoughtfully and took a sip of tea. “You said in the meeting that the Breathing Method of the Five Styles can be used in conjunction with the blood pearls to swiftly strengthen martial masters. Is that correct?”
The young man nodded again.
“If you offer the breathing method to the Night Watchers, that will bring you many more benefits.”
“Ah...” A conflicted look crossed Li Hao’s face. “I really can’t, not without my teacher’s approval. He’ll throw me out if I do it on my own. You may not know, milord, but this is a grave taboo in the martial world. Although the martial world no longer exists, my teacher does!”
“It’s fine,” Yu Xiao laughed to see how pitiful the young man looked. “I was just asking, not forcing you to hand the secret art over. Of course, if you have the intention to... Don’t forget that the Night Watcher headquarters are in Skystar City. The Silver Moon Night Watchers may not be able to bear the consequences, but Skystar City isn’t a place where martial masters can run amok!”
Yu Xiao’s laugh deepened as Li Hao looked on awkwardly. When he took another sip of tea, the young man quickly rose to fill his cup again. Yu Xiao leaned back on his chair and looked merrily across the table.
“Li Hao, there may be something special about your bloodline. We’d like a sample of your blood to study it. Do you have any opinions otherwise?”
“No!” Li Hao quickly shook his head. “Of course the request must be fulfilled if central headquarters wants to study it! Shall I collect a sample of my blood now, milord?”
What a good little boy! Yu Xiao thought that he’d struggle a bit or protest. It looked like Li Hao really was treating the Night Watchers as his savior! They all say that Yuan Shuo is crafty, but this disciple of his is... so simple and honest!
“When it comes to something like blood... Li Hao, headquarters won’t mistreat you, but I don’t need regular blood. I need essence blood.”
That put the young man in a difficult position. “Milord... essence blood... just one drop will take a lot out of me... I was already heavily injured in the ancient ruins...”
“Are you not willing?” Yu Xiao frowned.
“That’s not it!” Li Hao hastily shook his head. “How would I not? It’s not like essence blood can’t be replenished. I... alright, I will give milord one drop. But can you wait a day or two?”
“Why is that?” Yu Xiao smiled.
“Um... Director Hou gave me some treasures.” Li Hao scratched his head. “I’ll be able to collect some essence blood after eating them. That will minimize my losses.”
“Yes!” Li Hao nodded with complete honesty.
Yu Xiao didn’t mind, but subconsciously said, “He’s quite good to you...”
“Somewhat,” Li Hao laughed happily. “But it’s mostly because I accomplished a deed of merit in the ruins...”
The young man suddenly closed his mouth and looked at Yu Xiao. He seemed to have said something he shouldn’t have said and ducked his head in some fright. “Right, it’s Director Hou looking favorably upon me!”
“......” This was when Yu Xiao recalled that the person in front of him had entered the ruins! He’d previously thought that Hou Xiaochen simply placed great emphasis on Li Hao and wanted to bring Yuan Shuo to his side. But... was there another reason behind all this?
Yu Xiao had asked a few others about events in the ruins and come to understand some of what’d taken place. But Li Hao said that he’d accomplished a deed of merit. What deed? Interest immediately pricked at Yu Xiao. These ruins were a subject of general interest and there seemed to be something afoot here.
“Li Hao, are there really that many treasures inside the ruins?” he asked carelessly.
“Many, so many!” The young man quickly nodded. “Mysterious power stones are everywhere...”
“Did you see them too when you were inside?”
Yu Xiao smiled at the young man’s reluctance to say more. “Oh yes, the ruins will be opening again next month. Will you be entering them?”
“Of course...” Li Hao quickly shut his mouth with a shake of his head. “No no, I’m so weak...”
The man sniffed out secrets at play. Li Hao was going in again next month? It was said that these ruins had something to do with the eight families. Was there really something going on here that he was unaware of?
But based on what he knew, there was nothing of note. Li Hao had attempted to open the city gates with his essence blood, but to no effect. What did he mean by this deed of merit?
Curiosity itched at Yu Xiao’s heart. Seeing as the young man was a timid sort, he put on a stern demeanor.
“Li Hao,” the man coughed. “You should remember that I’m here from central headquarters. Our mission is to ensure that the three great organizations don’t reap any benefits!
“It’s very dangerous and potentially a fatal mistake for a Night Watcher to conceal important information from their superiors. You might be branded as a traitor if it’s serious enough!”
Color drained from Li Hao’s face, but he didn’t dare meet Yu Xiao’s eyes. “I... I really haven’t,” he said in a muffled voice.
“Milord!” Li Hao jerked his head up. “I really... really haven’t!”
“Are you still trying to worm your way out?” Yu Xiao frowned forebodingly. “Do you think we haven’t grasped any information upstairs?”
The young man was as white as a sheet and said with difficulty, “I... really haven’t concealed anything. I’ve already reported it to the directors...”
“Then I ask you, is Silver Moon still under dynastic rule? Since it is and I am your superior, do you intend to continue concealing information from me after I’ve asked you directly?”
“But, Director Hou told me not to tell anyone else,” muttered an abject Li Hao. “I’m afraid...”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret. Or do you not trust your superior officers?”
Obvious conflict played out over the young man’s face and he nodded after a while. “It’s... actually not much,” he whispered. “Just two small things. The first is that I didn’t enter the city—I waited outside for the lords and ladies to come back out. I happened to see a weapon that looked like a small snake shoot from the city. I thought I was seeing things when it flew out. The little snake flew to a certain spot when something happened inside the city. I didn’t dare mention it and only told Director Hou later. He said not to tell anyone else about it.”
The Shadow Snake Sword!
Yu Xiao’s eyes lit up when he heard these words, he immediately understood the connotations of what the young man was saying.
“You... saw the sword fly out?”
“Not a sword, it was a snake.”
You idiot, that was the sword. Yu Xiao knew that Li Hao had likely never seen an origin weapon before—the only one he knew was the Flaming Phoenix Spear since Hou Xiaochen had used it that day.
“Where did it land?” Yu Xiao asked, his thoughts spinning rapidly.
“On the rooftop of an ancient house. I didn’t dare take a look since I couldn’t fly in the ancient city. I thought it was an ancient beast from the inner city, so I didn’t dare stick my nose into it.”
An origin weapon! What an unexpected surprise! Yu Xiao’s face flushed with excitement. He wasn’t equipped with an origin weapon—Zhang Ting had been because she bore a heavy mission on her shoulders. A mid Solar wouldn’t be privileged enough to carry on otherwise.
If I can get my hands on it...
It looked like Zhang Ting really was dead! No wonder they were letting Li Hao back into the ruins next month. Anyone who knew the location of an origin weapon was a highly valuable asset.
“Can you identify the precise location of that ancient house?”
“It’s hard,” Li Hao replied with difficulty. “But if I go inside again, I can probably find it. Or I can go back and draw a map for milord. It might not be the most accurate, but it shouldn’t be too far off.”
“Did you draw one for Hou Xiaochen?”
“No, Director Hou is still in closed door cultivation. When I mentioned it to him at the canyon, he told me not to tell anyone else. I came to make a full report, but the director’s been in seclusion this entire time and I didn’t dare talk to the others about it.”
So perhaps even Hou Xiaochen didn’t know the precise location! Yu Xiao’s eyes gleamed brightly. If that was the case... then... maybe...
Of course, the man would emerge from seclusion one day. Once he did and questioned Li Hao, this scaredy-cat would never dare hide anything from his director. But that was fine, Yu Xiao would know then as well and might be able to be one step ahead. Hou Xiaochen might not enter the ruins himself either.
“Very well, you will give me a rough draft after you return. Remember, you may not tell anyone else about this!” he said solemnly.
“Understood!” Li Hao nodded.
Yu Xiao’s thoughts traveled further—what if Li Hao died before Hou Xiaochen made it out of seclusion? Wouldn’t that mean that the Shadow Snake Sword’s whereabouts would remain a mystery? Of course, that had to wait until Li Hao gave him the sword’s location.
“You mentioned two things, this is one of them. What is the other?”
Li Hao struggled once more, but said honestly, “The second has to do with my blood.”
“Hmm?” Yu Xiao was confused at the relevance. Is your blood special? Is there really something more to the bloodlines of the eight families?