Star Gate

Li Hao walked into the city. The three troop leaders immediately appeared as well. Light flashed in the young man’s eyes and he turned his gaze onto his three comrades. He sighed inwardly when he did so, truly seeing the heart of their condition.

Souls residing in the armor!

The three troop leaders were fully dead and had become weapon souls. The Black Armor in Evenround Martial had said that true New Martial powerhouses would rather take possession of weapons than humans…

Li Hao finally believed him with this evidence. So many martial masters and supernaturals had come from the outside world on previous excursions. Why become a weapon soul if they could take possession of those targets? It looked like these were true New Martial citizens and cleaved to their faith and pride.

“It’s been a long time, troop leaders!”

The three troop leaders looked at each other. Long time? It hadn’t been that long! Li Hao’s memories were confused, weren’t they?

“Er… yes… long time…” They were unused to this treatment. When had Li Hao become so noticeable?

Indeed, he was carrying himself in a manner that made him noticeable. His confidence was off the charts, one that stemmed from the bottom of his heart. This didn’t mean to say that he could dominate Battle Heaven, just that he’d lost some of the innate fear modern humans had toward ancient powerhouses after killing a plant spirit.

He used to find them invincible. Now his thoughts were that I can kill ancient plant spirits!

Director General Wang was quite surprised at the changes in the young man and didn’t say anything for a while.

Li Hao looked at the Turtle Pagoda. He’d sensed some mental strength coming from it earlier—so it seemed that the pagoda was far from ordinary. It should be an ancient weapon with a soul? Was there such a powerful one around?

One had to know that even a Saint’s weapon was just a weapon at the end of the day. His own Stellaris didn’t demonstrate any overwhelming power. This pagoda, however, was different.

A Battle Heaven treasure? The turtle of the Wangs? He’d always thought that the Black Tortoise Seal was one of the weapons of the eight. Was he wrong and the true Black Tortoise Seal the pagoda?

Various thoughts rose in his mind and Li Hao wasn’t in a hurry to discuss other matters. He simply smiled and said, “I’ve just returned and must go to the barracks to meet the commander and give a report. I will be back to meet with the director general!”

“……” Everyone was surprised. This guy wanted to stay as far away from the barracks as possible before. What’d gotten into him today? He ran for the barracks as soon as he returned! Was he not afraid of the commander anymore? How very strange!

Director General Wang wasn’t at liberty to say much, so he nodded. “Very well, you should report in first.”

Li Hao was gone before he finished. He really had rushed off to the barracks!

“What a strange fellow!” murmured the director general.

“The kid’s had some unusual gains!” came the old turtle’s voice by his ears. “I sense some things from him… he might have killed an Apex not too long ago!”

“……” The director general blinked.

“I don’t know if it was the primary body, maybe it was just a replica. But he should’ve killed one. I can sense an air of slaughter and some of the lingering reluctance and resentment of an Apex. It should’ve happened recently—the signs wouldn’t be so obvious otherwise!”

“How is that possible?” Director General Wang couldn’t believe it, but immediately thought of something. “Does it have to do with the guard of the imperial palace? There was a replica with the lad last time…”

“I don’t know, perhaps… not.” The old turtle fell silent. It didn’t sense the imperial palace guard on Li Hao anymore. Perhaps it wasn’t with the young man.

……

Within the barracks.

A crowd of Red Armors saluted at Li Hao. A troop leader was still an officer. An excited Li Hao made straight for the headquarters of the Ninth Division—his nightmare was almost over! The leader of the Ninth Division was an Apex back in the day, how much battle strength did he have left?

You beat me with a single punch that day, but here I am back again!

Li Hao sauntered into the building and roared at the top of his lungs in front of the office, “Li Hao, leader of the Twelfth Troop of the Ninth Division has come back to report to the commander!”

His voice was extremely loud and reverberated through the surroundings! The door to the office immediately swung open of its own accord. Within, the Gold Armor always seemed to be busy.

“Are you yelling so loudly because you feel confident in yourself?” He raised his head with an aureate glint in his eyes.

Li Hao slammed his legs together with a loud clap and shouted, “As a soldier, our voices need to be loud to ensure sufficient decorum! Those with softer voices are wusses! Commander, I have come to report in!”

“……” The Gold Armor looked at Li Hao for a while. “Mmhmm, I see. Dismissed!”

The young man did not leave. “Commander, I would like to be restored to my title of general!” he shouted.

The Gold Armor paused.

“Based on what the commander said that day, I have the right to be conferred a general rank due to being an heir of the Lis. However, I have been held back by the commander. I think I can be restored to it now!”

“On what basis?” The Gold Armor nearly laughed in his anger.

“The rules!” Li Hao roared with all his might. “These are the rules of Battle Heaven! I am a member of the Lis and deserve this kind of treatment!”

“……” The Gold Armor sized up Li Hao and grinned. “Hmm, it’s not bad to be full of confidence! You probably think of yourself as invincible after killing some powerhouses outside. You’ve grown proud and cocky… Do you think my surname is Wang?”

Li Hao blinked.

“A soldier… should not be this smug!” The Gold Armor stood up aloofly. “Li Hao, do not think of yourself as being very strong. Remember, you are still just a weakling!”

Li Hao felt the world shattered around him! His supernatural characters of the five elements materialized and he erupted with the force of seven elements Arcanus, but an exceedingly strong sword intent erupted from the commander’s body!

……

The city gates.

“Has that guy let loose with his full strength?” Director General Wang blinked. That one had been the highest ranked among military officers and would’ve long been promoted if it wasn’t for the unexpected happening to Battle Heaven. The frontlines had already sent orders that this commander was to lead their First Troop. Of that, the director general was well aware of.

Sadly, Battle Heaven later lost contact with the outside world. As time went on, that one continued to be the division leader of the Ninth Troop and no longer had opportunities to demonstrate his capabilities.

Is he… going to beat Li Hao to death this time?

……

Bam!

Li Hao felt that a sword had appeared in his mind—the world was a foggy chaos. The commander’s aloof voice traveled into his ear. “This is it? That’s all you have? Strength almost on par with Apex? Strength like this would only make you a troop leader back in the day, where do you get the confidence to be a commander?

“You are but half step Apex! One might have thought you were a Saint from the way you were carrying yourself!”

Bam!

One punch!

Li Hao slammed into the wall and slowly slid off it. The commander retracted his fist.

“Your physical body is too weak to be considered and the forceful amalgamation of the five elements has resulted in numerous flaws! Your mental strength is ordinary, leaving only the aura as something slightly worthy of note. Is this all there is to you?”

“……” Li Hao stared dumbly at the Gold Armor. Why was this happening?? It wasn’t possible! I can fight Immortals and I just casually killed an Apex replica! Have you fully awakened?

“How much battle strength did that Immortal have left?” The Gold Armor seemed to see through Li Hao’s thoughts as the young man didn’t have a chance to protect his mind. “What you view as an Immortal is just completely useless trash! It’s just the supplemental guardian spirit of a military town—how much battle strength does it still possess after countless eons? Any of the main division leaders will not be afraid of it! Any troop leader can easily kill it!

“The only Skystar Town plant spirit that has truly recovered some of its battle strength is that bramble rose! But even so, it had to lower itself and bow when it saw me in my peak! Little fellow, don’t be too cocky in life!”

“……” Li Hao continued staring dumbly. That was a powerful guardian plant spirit, supposedly at peak Immortal. It had to bow to the commander when he was at his peak?

Aren’t you… just a division leader? That makes you peak Apex at most, doesn’t it?

He was flailing around in befuddlement as his nightmare was upon him again. Why… have I been beaten around again?

The ninth division leader returned to his seat, took out a sheet of paper and swiftly wrote a few words. “Arrogant and overbearing, completely forgetting himself in his pride, and unworthy of his achievements. Recommendation: expulsion from the Battle Heaven Army!”

“……” Li Hao could see the writing—perhaps on purpose. He bounced up. “Don’t…”

“Mind the rules!”

“I was wrong, sir!”

“……” The commander looked at him for a long moment before saying, “Out!”

“Understood, sir!” Li Hao turned around and rang, resignation writ large across his face. Was this one still a commander? Other people’s strength decreased by a great amount when they died. Why did this one seem stronger?

The hell??

etvolare’s Thoughts

Lol, Li Hao got smacked around again.