Star Gate

Li Hao nodded. Lights switched on when Mu Sen opened the door, revealing an expanse of ice crystal covers. However, there didn’t seem to be enough for one thousand cubes! Where was the rest?

The inspector general brought up the rear. His smile deepened when he saw Li Hao looking around. “Are you wondering why there doesn’t seem to be that much mysterious power here?”

The young man nodded again.

“Mysterious power doesn’t necessarily need to be preserved in ice crystal covers. The covers do indeed prevent the energy from dissipating, but their biggest drawback is that they require too much space! Can you use an ice crystal cover to preserve mysterious power from a supernatural that you kill when traveling? Impossible!”

Li Hao continued to nod. That was very true! A dead Solar produced roughly one thousand cubes, but who carried around sufficient ice crystal covers for that amount?

“It is the same when you guys extract mysterious power,” Mu Sen continued explaining. “For instance, you have been allotted thirty-two cubes of power, but must you absorb them here? No martial master or supernatural wishes other people to witness their cultivation process. Therefore, there’s a way to make mysterious energy portable!”

That piqued Li Hao’s interest. “Inspector General, how do they do it? What kind of item is needed to prevent the power from fading away?”

There truly was a lack of privacy to absorbing his share in the treasury. There were so many people outside. Wouldn’t he be a walking billboard afterward announcing that he was different from everyone?

“You’ll find out in a bit!” Mu Sen answered merrily with a meaningful smile. “We didn’t have this option before in Silver City, but now… we do!”

The two entered the range of the ice crystal covers; there were one hundred cubes of varying attributes scattered among them. Some were unattributed mysterious power!

“You can choose thirty-two cubes of whatever attributes you want. You can also pick unattributed ones! They’re roughly the same value—unattributed is easier to absorb while attributed ones are more explosive, but they more easily break supernatural locks.”

Li Hao was here for power of the five elements. The ball of earth energy had transformed his spleen and he had samples of every element other than fire. No fire supernaturals had come on this operation—double their effort was required for half the result on a rainy night. Their battle strength was diminished, making it inconvenient to attack in such wet weather.

The other available attributes were wind and thunder; flight was also part of wind.

I need fire… According to the five elements of metal, wood, water, earth and fire, it corresponds to the heart. If mysterious power strengthens my organs again this time, my heart will be left behind.

“Inspector General,” Li Hao requested after a quick glance. “I would like eight cubes of metal, wood, and water, as well as six cubes of earth.”

He felt the need to balance the equation after previously absorbing two cubes of earth. Since there was no fire to select from, there were two more that he could select. “I would like one each of thunder and wind please.”

“Absorbing power attributed to the elements can indeed increase your chances of making the crossover,” Mu Sen elucidated, hardly surprised by the young man’s decision. “But they need to be the proper match! If you bear the fire attribute and take in water, backlash can easily hit you and might even cost your life!”

It was very normal that Li Hao needed power of different attributes. The best kind of mysterious power to conduct was the type that was a perfect counterpart to the young man. Only that attribute could potentially lead to the opening of his supernatural locks.

But trial and error was the only way to identify the proper attribute. Li Hao wanted too many different attributes at once—it would easily lead to waste. Of course, this was the young man’s decision. Mu Sen wouldn’t sway him one way or another.

“I know, Inspector General!” Li Hao nodded. “I’ll abandon the attempt if things start to go south!”

“Mmhmm, I trust that you won’t be that silly. But are you giving up martial dao progress with this focus on absorbing attributed power?” Mu Sen found it a bit regrettable. “Your teacher is a martial dao legend after entering the Dominator level! I thought you would choose unattributed power and proceed further down the martial dao path like your teacher. But it looks like you don’t care about that.”

“Inspector General, my period of training is too short!” Li Hao answered simply. “It barely totals three years, with only a few days of really treating it as walking the path of martial dao. I’m basically the same as a supernatural initiate, and I’d make progress faster with the latter. Thus, I want to become supernatural as fast as possible!”

Mu Sen nodded with comprehension, dropping whatever he might’ve said next. Indeed, Li Hao hadn’t practiced martial dao long enough. It was understandable that he would choose the supernatural instead.

“You better become a Slayer before crossing over. If you accomplish that, you stand a chance of skipping Starlight. Of course, it depends on the circumstances since it takes a while to enter Slayer of Tens.”

It was obvious that Liu Long had completely bypassed Li Hao in his reports; Mu Sen didn’t know about the young man’s condition. Liu Long hadn’t given an explanation as to why Li Hao should be allotted so much mysterious power. All he said when Mu Sen asked was that Li Hao had contributed greatly as bait.

Only the Demon Hunters were aware that the young man was behind the deaths of the supernatural and the Sunderer. Therefore, Mu Sen was completely oblivious that Li Hao was a Slayer and fast approaching the Sunderer threshold.

The young man was a mundane in everyone’s eyes. He might ascend to Starlight or Slayer more quickly after absorbing mysterious power, but other than that? It was too early to consider anything else.

In the meantime, Li Hao aimed to quietly get rich. There was no need to publicize his accomplishments! Enemies could be ambushed only when they remained unaware. What the hell could he do if they knew everything about him?

“What do I use to withdraw mysterious power, sir?”

Mu Sen walked over to a glass cabinet and took out a long, white rod. Li Hao didn’t recognize it at first—his gaze sharpened when he did.

Human bone!

“Use this!” The inspector general smiled faintly. “Remember to return it when you’re done! Mysterious power normally cannot be conserved. Apart from ice crystals, the human body is the most ideal container. It’s not that any regular person will do—a Sunflare at the very least is required. Their bones can compress mysterious power!”

Silver City possessed these tools only after killing a Sunflare and Solar. No wonder the inspector general had said that they didn’t possess the relevant capabilities before.

“The skeletons of these powerhouses can compress mysterious power, or they’d explode as well! Their skin also serves the same function, but your teacher dismembered the two that died. While their bones are intact, their skin… forget it!”

Revulsion and aversion crept into Li Hao’s expression. He turned slightly pale.

Mu Sen chuckled when he looked at the young man. “Are you afraid?”

“No, not afraid,” Li Hao answered haltingly. “It’s just… it’s just a bit… Inspector General, is this all we have?”

“We can use other tools, such as supernatural objects. Do you have any?” Mu Sen continued chuckling. “With the state of Silver City, it’s already grand that we have objects to store mysterious power in. Look at you being picky! Your teacher’s mysterious power is held in an even more ludicrous container—the Solar’s head!”

Color drained from Li Hao’s face and he set his jaw, looking like he was marching to his death. Mu Sen sighed inwardly to see the young man’s reaction. Too young!

He was just like the Night Watcher youngsters—inexperienced in the ways of the world. Li Hao was even less in the know. Although he was Yuan Shuo’s student, he hadn’t practiced martial dao before. As expected, he shied away from blood and gore.

The inspector general said nothing further and fulfilled Li Hao’s request. Eight cubes of metal, wood, and water, six of earth, and one each of wind and thunder. He used six separate bones to hold the young man’s mysterious power. Mu Sen placed them in a little black bag and handed it to Li Hao.

“Take your time after you go back! Don’t be in a rush! Send these back when you’re done, they can be reused! Silver City’s too lacking in mysterious power containers!

“Only a few people know of this, so don’t tell anyone. Wealth stirs the heart and attracts trouble. Thirty-two mysterious cubes can be sold for tens of millions in the black market. That amount of money is sufficient for many people to forget everything!”

“Thank you for your reminder, Inspector General!” A pale Li Hao walked out with the little black bag.

……

Liu Yan arrived a bit after Li Hao left the treasury. She nodded at Mu Sen, who smiled upon thinking of recent events.

“Little fellow Li Hao just collected his portion. The Demon Hunters should take him through appropriate tempering when you have time! He needs to expand his worldview since he’s been dragged into this domain. He’s so timid that he looked like he’d seen a ghost after looking at a human bone. He would’ve wet his pants if I didn’t let him go!”

A very strange look entered Liu Yan’s eyes. She nodded with difficulty after a long pause. “Alright, will do! He’s a cultured lad, a scholarly sort. It’s normal that he’s never seen blood before!”

What the hell? The kid’s nothing good! He lied again! Almost wet his pants after seeing a bone?? It’s more like he almost made me pee my pants when he killed the water supernatural. His methods… I have no words.

And now this? Weak-kneed at the sight of a human bone? Who’s he trying to fool?

She hadn’t seen it before, but Liu Yan now knew this was Li Hao’s disguise. The kid was rotten, bold, and ruthless. And perverted! Whoever believed him died a grisly death!

She said none of this to Mu Sen. This was good, the fewer people who knew, the better! If everyone knew how evil and perverted the kid was, none of the team might’ve made it back alive from the mission. The damned kid hid behind a good boy act, which had proven to be the deaths of those two powerhouses.