Star Gate

Everyone was very much on guard against this ancient personage who’d been dead for countless years. Based on what the Black Armor said, his body was long gone. That meant he was similar to those of Battle Heaven and existing only in mental form. That made Li Hao curious—if the Black Armor was on the Saint level, did Saint level bodies also decay?

How many years had it been since the ancient civilization?

Fifty thousand? One hundred thousand? Hadn’t the Black Armor already ascended past the Immortal level, which meant he’d reached a state of undying eternity? And yet, his body decomposed a scant tens of thousands of years later. How was that immortal? Or was there another reason at play? And, just what benefits could be had here?

The Black Armor had said at the second test that defeating two puppets would result in rewards and three would result in special rewards…

The quartet’s thoughts were simple since they couldn’t defeat this person—get as much as they could from him before leaving and avoid further contact with him. If there was nothing to be had, they could at least swing a waiving of their penalties, right?

Panther had taken half of the one hundred million energy stones; this one should have the other half. Li Hao’s group wasn’t able to do anything about that. The idiots that ruled the various factions had just outright dumped the stones on the ground. It might’ve been safer to hold it all within storage rings. That they’d insisted on cramming it into the small pond meant that this one could’ve absorbed it all.

It might be because of this energy that the Black Armor awoke. He would’ve stayed sleeping otherwise. If not, earlier expeditions from the Ministry of Finance should’ve perished down to the last man.

The group suppressed their various irritations as numerous thoughts flitted through their minds. The Black Armor didn’t say anything either. He rose and looked at the quartet with his usual calm.

“Come with me!” He introduced the school as they walked. “Evenround Martial is not big—there are only four buildings of the classrooms, offices, cultivation, and dormitory. Teachers and students share the same dormitory. This one is the classroom building.

“Each building has one hundred Evenround puppets in residence, overseeing daily operations…”

“What level of strength are these puppets?” Li Hao looked at the puppets following them. So there were four hundred of these puppets before?

“Apex,” the Black Armor responded faintly. “Of course, they’re not truly Apex in terms of strength. They reach that level in terms of defensive and offensive capabilities, but puppets are puppets in the end. Their powers of adaptation are much weaker and will not prevail against a true Apex.”

As much as the group understood, their hearts quailed. Apex! That was very strong! No one in the modern world could reach that level. Even Li Hao was very far from it. It would require at least a seven element Arcanus to reach it.

For supernaturals, they would have to open all five locks of the organs as well as wind and thunder to barely reach it. It was almost the same for martial masters. These were all the locks discovered in the human body for now. As for the one of the head… no one dared touch it. Therefore, the current limit of strength for martial masters and supernaturals was seven element Arcanus.

Just a puppet here was that strong! It was incredible. Li Hao said nothing further as he’d known long ago how strong the ancients were. He would just keep putting in the hard work.

The Black Armor continued walking at the head of the group. “Unfortunately, Evenround Martial does not have anything precious to offer new students due to our state of inertness. As compensation for the third test, I’ll take you to a place. It’s up to you what you gain there. If you reap a harvest, it may be a precious one indeed.”

He suddenly looked at Li Hao. “For you… it may be a very bountiful harvest!”

Li Hao was surprised by the attention. For me? What bountiful harvest?

The Black Armor didn’t say anything, leaving the young man to his thoughts as they walked. Treasure? Weapons? Or something else?

The road ahead was long until they reached a small attic that had been built underground. Li Hao was struck dumb by the incongruity, but perhaps there was much more to be seen here.

There were puppets outside the attic as well, ones that bowed to the Black Armor like they were alive. Plainly, the Black Armor possessed a high status. The attic doors opened automatically when the group approached, revealing countless books to the group’s eyes. Was this… a library?

“The Voidbreak Incantation, Indomitable Golden Body, All Methods As One, Sacred Record of Origin, Dao of Wind and Cloud, Eating in All Directions…” Li Hao sucked in a sharp breath after taking a casual glance around. There were quite a few familiar titles—not familiar in the sense that he’d read them before, but that he’d heard of their name.

Eating in All Directions was said to be a top three monster spirit secret art. The Voidbreak Incantation was the ultimate secret art of the Battle Heaven Army. Sadly, he hadn’t had the merits to trade for it. All of this was here?!

Li Hao became agitated. Did the Black Armor mean to give them these secret manuals?

Although Panther couldn’t read, it stared fixedly at a book of jade. The dog seemed to sense some presence wafting off of it and was growing agitated. Even highly learned individuals like Hong Yitang and the rest gasped with astonishment. What kind of place was Evenround Martial?

They’d heard of these ancient manuals before, some mentioned in other ancient books. These were cultivation methods of the greatest people in the ancient civilization. Although the martial universities contained all of the learning from that time period and powerhouses didn’t hoard their knowledge, it wasn’t just anyone who could learn or practice their martial skills. Therefore, most methods were stored safely in a sacred land somewhere. Only heavyweights who reached a certain level were permitted to practice them.

But today, they could be found everywhere!

Each manual still exuded the light of great dao, despite it being years since they’d been written. The group could sense that if they cultivated here, they wouldn’t even need to read the books to quickly reap great rewards.

The Black Armor was used to the sight and looked at his new charges. “These battle methods are left behind by the powerhouses of old. Evenround Martial’s background is far from ordinary, so it stores almost all of the martial knowledge available from experts back in the day!”

The group took sharp breaths.

“What kind of background does Evenround Martial have…” asked a shocked Li Hao. “How can it… have copies of all of the greatest martial knowledge?”

“Not just that, that’s only part of it. Even the Sword Sovereign from your Li family left behind a copy of his sword method here,” the Black Armor said faintly. “It’s not specific instructions, just some reflections. They might be helpful for you, but not all of your desires will be satisfied in one go since you’re a new student.

“You can choose one manual this time. Other than Hou Xiaochen, that tree and Hong Yitang can also choose one themselves. Sky Sword can choose one of lower caliber.”

Hou Xiaochen was rendered speechless. He had to go without? Fine, he’d only just passed the second test.

A new thought had just occurred in Li Hao’s mind when the Black Armor promptly responded, “Don’t think of sharing what you learn in the outside world. This isn’t regular martial knowledge. There are restrictions within as this knowledge touches upon the great dao. You won’t be able to speak of it no matter what you try!”

That’s… crazy. Li Hao didn’t quite believe it, but he didn’t say anything to the contrary. The rewards were good enough. Reflections from his ancestor’s sword methods? That was the martial knowledge of an exalted emperor, an absolute titan! That was a supreme treasure to him.

However, the Black Armor took a look at him. “I don’t actually recommend that you choose the sword method. Everyone’s sword is different and your ancestor was not skilled at teaching others. It is not very suitable for you.”

Li Hao blinked. What did that mean? Was the Black Armor not giving it to him anymore?

“As compensation for the third test, I recommend that you peruse another battle method…”

Li Hao frowned, but quickly smiled. “Might I ask what kind of battle method it is?”

“You’ll see when you see it.” The Black Armor led Li Hao forward, then looked back at Hong Yitang. “You can come as well if you’d like. The battle method might be useful for you too.”

Although confused, Hong Yitang followed after momentary consideration.

“Sky Sword, you can read the books that can be moved,” the Black Armor’s voice sounded as they walked off. “You won’t be able to read the books that you cannot move. Hou Xiaochen, you can read the free books. You will have certain gains from them regardless. These are the benefits as provided to the students.

“Stop staring at the monster spirit method, Panther. You’ll naturally learn it if you’re strong enough. If not, reading it would just be a waste of time. Let the tree out. There are monster spirit cultivation methods here that will be helpful to it.”

Standing in the back, Hou Xiaochen listened to the instructions with resignation. How sad he was! The Black Armor even seemed to be pulling Li Hao and Hong Yitang aside for special tutelage! How envious and jealous he was!

……

The Black Armor walked ahead with the two; they walked for an indeterminate period of time as the attic seemed to run to the heavens. Finally, they reached a tiny enclosed area. There was a book here.

Just one book.

“The Accounts of Evenround.” Li Hao paused after reading the title. What… was this? A storybook?

The Black Armor seemed to be caught in memories as he looked at it. It was a long moment before he introduced, “This book was written by the headmaster himself back in the day. After it was written, he invited the Human King to edit it.”

Li Hao’s heart shook. The Human King himself edited this book!? Just what kind of status did Evenround Martial possess??

“Of course, this book was just the headmaster’s imitation of a powerhouse’s methods. Now that the headmaster is no longer among us, we can speak of this freely.”

Li Hao looked curiously at him. “Does the senior mean that… this book is a copy of another work?”

“Ahem… you can’t put it that way!” The Black Armor smiled. It’s not a copy, just… some of the methods… are similar to a certain ancient powerhouse. That powerhouse was very strong! What a pity that they ultimately perished in battle.”

“Perished?” Would the strong perish? Li Hao didn’t think much of such a heavyweight.

“Don’t go thinking that only the weak fall!” The Black Armor said emotionally. “On the contrary, although that one died countless years ago, he was still a benefactor to the New Martial that developed later. The Human King was so strong in part thanks to the methods left behind by that one. Battle Heaven is an auxiliary branch of the Exalted Blood Emperor, and the Exalted Blood Emperor had a very complex relationship with that one.

“Strictly speaking, Battle Heaven’s name represents the powerhouse who fell. He has left indelible traces in the world since the beginning of time!”

Li Hao couldn’t help but remark when he saw that the Black Armor was outright using some titles. “You… Senior Little Tree said that the titles of those truly strong can not be mentioned…”