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Chapter 554: Silver Moon Swordsmen (I)

His sword strokes were as if fluttering willow leaves. He immersed himself in the process, growing bolder as he did so. He even rushed out a few times and startled his opponents by slashing his sword down, but ultimately discovered that his blow couldn’t even break the defenses of a mid Nova.

“He’s used the Incantation of the Blade of Blood!” Xu Zhen snorted after kicking Li Hao back. “It’s wearing off and he’s suffering from the backlash. He’s much weaker as a result—it’s left him with real strength around initial Nova!”

Li Hao was demonstrating the decline that occurred after using the Incantation; Xu Zhen was well familiar with it. It was Hong Yitang who was truly strong and blocking their attacks. However, the man didn’t have room to counterattack. He could only passively defend and await death.

Xu Zhen’s words made everyone brighten. That weak?

Initial Nova... was easily taken care of in their eyes. Many focused on Li Hao instead, waiting for the young man’s next charge out. When he did, all sorts of supernatural abilities exploded around the perimeter, throwing a bloody Li Hao back with a roar.

He didn’t care about his injuries, he had eyes only for the sword in his hand! He rushed out again, his durable body giving him more opportunities to fight. One stroke followed the previous. His Weeping Willow Sword technique grew more practiced, but he still wasn’t able to manifest his sword aura!

“Li Hao!” Hong Yitang grunted, his defensive circle shaking noticeably. Li Hao rushed forward again, but a cloaked powerhouse sank their hand into his arm and ripped out a large chunk of flesh!

His attacker was focused on the longsword and had tried to grab it before, but suffered a gash to his hand for his attempt. This time, the cloaked man chose to rip into Li Hao’s arm instead. The sword would come with the limb!

As substantial as Li Hao’s body was, he could not withstand the other’s attack. His skin ripped readily, but the young man’s sword drifted through the air and pierced his attacker in return. It was repelled by a surge of mysterious power, so overwhelming that Li Hao spat out a mouthful of blood. He quickly backed away and just barely managed to retreat.

His attacker wanted to follow up, but Earthturner Sword’s weapon sent him flying back!

Hong Yitang’s face began to pale. He was confined to a defensive position, Light Sword was digesting the Water of Life, Li Hao was practicing his technique, and he... was a damned babysitter. He had to keep his wits about him so that the enemy wouldn’t take advantage of an opening to break through. He was incredibly heart weary. If he’d known this would be the situation, he would’ve just ambushed all of these guys by himself. These two would be the death of him!

Li Hao had fully immersed himself in practice and deployed ever softening moves. He swayed unpredictably like dancing tree branches. When his longsword was rebuffed with another clang and someone’s foot connected with him again, he spat out blood and returned to the defensive circle.

As he did so, he flicked a glance at Xu Zhen out of the corner of his eye and smiled. Having fun, are you? I’ll make you the first target practice in a moment! You’ll be the first recipient of the Five Elements Sword!

The wood sword aura was beginning to form. As he thought, this kind of struggle of life and death was the most exciting and conducive to inspiring sword intent.

As Li Hao retreated from his latest foray, Hong Yitang sweated profusely from his efforts. His Earthturner Sword technique was magical! It sealed off the four corners, producing a boundary like an overturned bowl. It was only now that the young man had the mental bandwidth to look at it closely and marvel at how airtight it was!

Thirteen Novas were attacking them. It’d been fourteen, but the trio had killed one. None of the remaining thirteen were characters to run afoul of. Perhaps they were holding back due to wariness of the enemy or wanting others to risk their lives first, whatever it was, Hong Yitang was holding off thirteen by himself!

It wasn’t until Li Hao came back that he sensed the danger and pressure they were under. Hong Yitang’s bronze armor was beginning to deform under the immense strain! He’d actually surreptitiously unsealed himself at some point in time. He wasn’t as berserk as the others when he unsealed himself, but it was a snapping of his supernatural locks all the same.

Whether it was in Ash Mountain or Battle Heaven, he didn’t snap his locks with fanfare. It was a soundless undoing, an unsealing that was even more frightening than the typical flare of violence demonstrated by others. It indicated that Hong Yitang could partially control the potential released by his locks.

Li Hao heaved for breath and didn’t immediately offer to help. He had Xu Zhen in his sights. Xu Zhen was one of the five late Novas, but his identity was special. He had another late and a peak Nova following him. If he was to die... then the other representatives from the Steadfast Duke would either despair and fight to the death, or they would be so terrified that they would immediately run for their lives.

But as the duke’s son, Xu Zhen would not be an easy target.

Li Hao panted for a bit as a faint aura billowed into existence like swaying willow branches. The Weeping Willow Sword. The aura born from this technique was not as vibrant or majestic as other wood auras. It was a gentle, tender sensation that drifted with the wind—timid, yet endless.

Li Hao’s wood sword aura stemmed from two origins—the Weeping Willow Sword method and the little tree’s core origin power. Hence, there was a bit of the little tree’s characteristics interspersed among the willow.

What were the tree’s characteristics? It sank its roots into the mountain and never loosened!

Perseverance, continuous, and unending!

It safeguarded a palace by itself for tens and thousands of years all by its lonesome. Once it accepted something as part of its values, there it stayed forever. There was no turning back.

Li Hao had a deeper understanding of the little tree’s dao at the moment. It was similar to the big tree’s—perhaps it was just pure inheritance or rebirth, and not walking down another path.

Therefore, the son inherited the father’s work and dao. In Li Hao’s comprehension, it was always the big tree’s growth history. The big tree was dead now, the little tree had taken root and sprouted, continuing their mission in inexhaustible fashion.

“Li Hao!” Hong Yitang grunted once more because his defensive circle was shrinking, but the young man seemed to be comprehending something. He was almost out of range and would be in trouble if he left the circle of protection!

Li Hao gently took a few steps back like a willow leaf flitting around. Light Sword flushed white and red—she seemed to be awakening soon. Hong Yitang inwardly wailed to the heavens. These two were so unreliable! It was one thing for Light Sword to be out of the fight, but Li Hao...

The man knew what Li Hao was doing, but it really was going to be the death of him!

A little tree seemed to take root in Li Hao’s liver and sprout leaves. It was a willow branch stuck in the dirt. As it extended in growth, locks appeared like roots—not to confine the little tree in place, but to entwine around its roots and reach throughout the liver.

There were strange things living in all of the five organs now. There was a ferocious tiger in the heart, a wave of water in the kidneys, a mountain in the spleen, a dot of a golden sun in the lungs, and now a growing tree in his liver.

The little tree was the weakest, the other four were noticeably stronger as they’d been fed the Goldensky Lotus or Mind Fruits. This tree was the weakest as it’d just been born.

Li Hao coughed gently, summoning a seed of the Goldensky Lotus into his hand. Hong Yitang had given it to him, along with a petal. He’d already consumed the petal, but kept the seed for future use. If the petal could enhance the aura, then what of the seed?

He didn’t know, but he wanted to try. It might have good effects as well. If possible, he wanted to strengthen the willow tree. If the five auras were out of balance, that would create problems when trying to meld them together.

The golden lotus seed immediately vanished when he placed it in his mouth. A surge of refreshing energy far stronger than the petal refreshed Li Hao’s mind. The seed had a similar effect, and it seemed much stronger!

He conducted the strength into his liver, whereupon the tree shot upward like it’d been fertilized.

Boom!

Hong Yitang’s heart pounded fiercely—audibly—as the power of fire seeped out. Li Hao jerked awake with alarm and looked at the man. Hong Yitang’s face was on fire; one of his locks seemed to have snapped all the way through.

The increased strength enlarged his defensive circle, but the power seemed difficult to endure. His heart seemed to be burning. This was a condition that hadn’t appeared when he faced Hou Xiaochen and the others in Battle Heaven.

Light Sword’s eyes fluttered, but Hong Yitang roared, “Continue recovering, don’t waste the Water of Life!”

She plainly sensed danger and felt Hong Yitang’s resignation. If the situation continued, he would follow in her steps. However, Hong Yitang was also well aware that Light Sword was still recovering. If she made a move, she would quickly undo all of her earlier work. Not only would the droplet of water be wasted, but Li Hao might not be able to save her either.

They only needed a while longer for the Water of Life to completely permeate her body and close her wounds. Only then could she act.

Light Sword’s eyelids fluttered a moment longer before calming down. Earthturner Sword seemed to bestow an immense feeling of security upon everyone. Even Li Hao could focus solely on his cultivation because he knew the man was there. He was a jolt of confidence!