An army dressed in black tramped down the avenue. Their march raised a loud hubbub, and they were greeted by bowing personnel at some doors. That represented surrender and acceptance. Those behind closed doors indicated a desire to keep observing the situation.
On this day, some were willing to surrender and submit to Li Hao! They yielded to this tyrant from the north.
âHalt!â
The army stopped as Liu Long frowned, surprised by the supernatural army in front of him. There were so many supernaturals! Was this... the Judgment Guard? He knew a little about the nine ministries as heâd asked around. âDoes Vice Commander He Liang of the Judgment Guard stand in front of me?â
âThat is this general!â The old general walked out with his spear. âAre you Liu Long of the Demon Hunter Army? The son of Silver Spear from Silver Moon?â
âThat is I!â Liu Long looked at the old manâthe general was known for using the spear. Heâd set foot into the supernatural now and even become an Arcanus!
One could not avoid mention of the Three Spears of Silver Moon if one was a spear wielder. Although Silver Spear had died long ago, his name yet remained and was known throughout the land as part of the Record of Thirty-Six.
âCommander He should be stationed with the army. What are you doing here without the requisite orders?â Liu Long frowned.
âOrders? Whose orders? The nine ministries or royal family? Or is it the Skystar Commander Office?â
Liu Long looked at the old man, uncertain of what he wanted to do. âIs Commander He waiting for the commander?â
âYou can say that.â He Liang smiled, then scanned the Demon Hunter Army standing behind Liu Long. He sighed, âYou can stop guessing. I am only here to say that so long as I stand here, none of you will set a single foot into the Ministry of the Judiciary!â
What?!
All sides rustled with this declaration. The old man was crazy, wasnât he??
Although surprised, Liu Long also understood his decision. âWhy do you persist in this course of action? The Hus were not good masters! The chaos rocking the world has much to do with them and the general was part of the martial world back in the day...â
âThatâs right!â laughed the old man. âJust like you say, I was part of the martial worldâand the martial world isnât just limited to Silver Moon. There is no talk of right or wrong, just of gratitude. The Hus helped me reach the Arcanus level, so I ought to repay them with some loyalty in these troubled times, shouldnât I?â
Indeed, the Hus were not good or wise masters, but he was also of the martial world! There is no talk of right or wrong in the martial world, weâre just a bunch of crazed fiends with weapons out for blood. It is enough that I owe a debt of gratitude to the Hus, I am no hero! I am a rogue of the martial world!
âWho comes to take my head?â He Liang soared into the air. âIt would be a worthy death if Commander Li shows me face!â
Various powerhouses took to the air in response. Light Sword and Southern Fist were present, as did Yang Shan and Qin Lian quickly arrive. All four champed at the bit. Killing He Liang would be a deed of great merit for the inauguration of the Skystar Commander Office!
âYou go, Vice Commander Liu!â came Li Haoâs voice on the wind.
Everyone blinked. Who?
Liu Long walked out of the crowd, stunning those around him. What the heck? Was Liu Long supposed to go to his death? This must be a joke! It hadnât been long since Liu Long became a Summoner of Spirit. He could kill Solars and barely manage Novas. It was a very big stretch for him to handle Arcanus. It would be better for Hao Lianchuan to go as he was at least a Nova! Although Li Hao was the vice commander of the Demon Hunters now, he was very weak.
âDoes the commander think so little of me to insult me in this way?â He Liang laughed, knowing full well what Liu Longâs cultivation level was.
âNo, I think very highly of you!â Li Hao arrived in the air. âYou are rightâyou are of the martial world and only consider personal relationships, rather than principles of righteousness. The Hus may be no more, yet I understand your desire to send off your benefactor and protect his family property. Therefore, I will send you on your way with Silver Spearâs son and the vice commander of the Demon Hunter Army. That is showing you high respect indeed!â
âIn that case, I am honored!â He Liang grinned widely.
âYou could say that!â Li Hao looked at Liu Long. âKill him. If the Judgment Guard does move, eradicate the Judgment Guard!â
âUnderstood, sir!â Liu Long rose into the air and shouted, âAssemble the formation!â
Boom!
Thousands of soldiers snapped into formation. Their blood qi surged and the world shifted; black armor glowed with a faint hue.
Liu Long roared and struck with his short ax!
Bam!
Taken aback, He Liang erupted with his supernatural abilities and sent a spray of metallic sparks through the sky!
Additional heavyweights had appeared in the surroundings and one of them identified with shock, âAn army formation! The one in the air is just an initial Summoner, which puts him on par with peak Solar at best...â
Peak Solar Liu Long broke through the skies with his weapon!
Bam!
Waves reared as nine waves overlaid on top of each other. The Nine Forged Force!
A spear and ax collided in the air. Liu Long somehow did not automatically end up on the back foot. Jaws sagged as onlookers gasped. Two thousand ordinary soldiers in formation had facilitated a peak Solar to triumph over an Arcanus!
That was... incredible!
âSo what of ordinary people?â Li Haoâs voice boomed throughout the city. âTwo thousand mundanes can kill an Arcanus all the same! The peopleâs heart cannot be ignored and the peopleâs will cannot be violated. Our overwhelming momentum is not to be defied by you, a mantis trying to stop a chariot!â
Two thousand soldiers roared at the same time when he finished speaking. âKILL!â Their killing intent soared to the heavens. Liu Long broke through the sky and earth with a massive roar!
Concentrating fiercely, the presence on his ax increased explosively as he delivered hundreds of strokes in one blow.
The spear snapped with a loud collision and a trace of blood appeared on the old generalâs head. He looked at all and suddenly smiled, âIt is... a pity... that Silver Spearâs son... doesnât use the spear...â
KABOOM!
His mysterious power detonated as he fell to the ground. The bloody mark traveled down his head.
Liu Longâs face and body also dripped with blood, but no one could see it since he was wearing armor. This had been too much of a stretch for him. While his body was strong and could endure the blood qi from two thousand soldiers, he nearly burst in the end.
Even so, his morale soared! I just killed an Arcanus!
âGeneral!â Thousands of soldiers wailed behind the old man. Their general was dead! Theyâd expected this development, but no one expected that the general would die to Liu Long. The Judgment Guard thought that one of Li Haoâs heavyweights would take the field, but it was Liu Long!
Liu Long didnât look again at He Liang. To the victor went the spoils. If Li Hao was the one defeated today, then it might be Liu Long paying the price with his life. There was nothing that needed to be said here!
He regarded the supernatural army in front of him and called out, âAre you going to fight or surrender?â
âTo fight or surrender??â roared the two thousand in the Battle Heaven. Their blood qi still agitated and their emotions ran high. There was nothing that compared. Heavens above! Our formation killed an Arcanus!
âAn Arcanus!â This was the most preeminent existence of modern society! Even the weakest Arcanus was a heavyweight, but the soldiersâ combined strength had taken one down!
Around them, the crowd were stunned beyond belief. Two thousand soldiers could kill an Arcanus?? What was this world coming to? Did they fight or surrender?
The army wavered before a Nova stepped forward with an angry shout. âThose afraid of death can stay back and those unafraid can charge with me. Weâll see for ourselves how strong the Demon Hunter Army is! The Hus have been kind to us and keep us around for the one critical occasion in which they need us. Today is the day! FIGHT!!â
âFight!!â Liu Long waved his ax around. âKill!â
BOOM!
One thousand soldiers charged with the Nova and clashed with the Demon Hunters. The Demon Hunter Army were methodically organizedâten people a team, one hundred a troop, and one thousand a formation.
Rivers of blood flowed in the spacious Avenue of the Nine Ministries! Screams, wails, shouts, and the collisions of weapons were the only sound that could be heard. The one thousand supernaturals were dead to the last after ten minutes, while the black-armored soldiers stood proudly in place. The disparity in strength was plainly obvious.
âImpossible...â someone murmured. This simply wasnât possible! That had been one thousand supernaturals and a few Novas among them. Although they faced two thousand Demon Hunters, the result couldnât possibly be 0 to 1000! The Demon Hunters had suffered no casualties! It was incredible and so astounding that no one could believe it.
The Military God from the Ministry of Armed Forces strode through the air, surveying the Avenue of the Judiciary with a solemn expression. âThe Demon Hunter Army is quite something. They wear armor from Battle Heaven and assemble into formations with blood qi. Ten people to a minor formation with interconnected blood qi...â
Their defensive ability was on par with Sunflares; ten people to a formation made their offensive power greater than Sunflares. Thus, it was to be expected that the Demon Hunters would stamp out Darkmoon and Sunflare opponents, but this was still incredible! It was too hard to believe!
âDo you fight or surrender?â Liu Long demanded again.
âFight or surrender?!â chorused the soldiers, the battle intent flaring and killing intent soaring to the sky! A combined aura rose from them and swept through the area. Some Solars shook in their boots, finding the aura to be as imposing as heavenly might and unable to look at it straight in the eye.
It was just a bunch of weaklings they faced, why... were they so strong?