When the iron spears of the Demon Bear Squad lunged forward, Wang Mu had already set up his defense. Those spears, which seemed as solid as hardened steel, formed a dense barrier. Even though thousands of spears rained down with unstoppable force, none could penetrate Wang Mu’s dark curtain of defense. They all lost momentum at the perimeter, falling helplessly around him, their attacks completely neutralized.
“My God, what kind of technique is this?” Hao was astonished that his plans had completely failed, so much so that he stomped his foot in frustration. “Is this guy even human? Hey, Mr. Wang, are you actually a human being?”
By Hao’s logic, only someone he had killed could truly be considered a person.
Wang Mu had just barely managed to block the spear formation, his true energy greatly depleted. Naturally, he was furious at Hao. He pointed his sword directly at Hao and shouted, “You little brat, if you’ve got the guts, come fight me one-on-one! What exactly do you call this?”
“This *is* a one-on-one fight,” Hao replied, widening his eyes in mock innocence. “Isn’t it just us a bunch against you one? Unless you’re not satisfied and want to tie your hands and feet and let us beat you up at will?”
“That would be too cruel and inhumane,” Kevin chimed in, adding fuel to the fire.
“Pfft, pfft, pfft! He’s a high-level expert. High-level experts like to play **fancy** games. What do you know about anything?” Hao scoffed, then turned back to Wang Mu with a sly grin. “Captain Wang, we’re in the middle of a battle here. Who said battles have to be one-on-one? If you came alone, that’s your own stupidity. Who else can you blame? Just wait until you die and go cry to God about it then.”
“In Saint Bear Star, when you die, you don’t meet God—you meet our Holy Bear,” Kevin couldn’t resist reminding him.
Hao jumped in mock concern and said kindly to Wang Mu, “Then you’d better be careful. I’ve seen that female Holy Bear before, and she’s quite the flirt. With your good looks, don’t let her take you for herself.”
Wang Mu was furious. As a military commander, his status was naturally extremely high. Being tricked into coming to this place was already deeply humiliating. To be treated this way by two juniors and put into such a dangerous situation—how could he possibly save face?
Yet, strangely, although Wang Mu was angry, he didn’t lose his temper or act irrationally. Instead, he sneered coldly, “So, you don’t like one-on-one fights and prefer to gang up on me, huh?”
“Exactly!” Hao, now in a dominant position, was bursting with pride. He thought he was so clever. The Empire’s main threat to Saint Bear Star had always been its massive warships, powerful cannons, and overwhelming numbers. But now he had tricked Wang Mu into coming alone, and without access to high-tech weapons, the advantage had completely shifted to Saint Bear Star’s side. If they could capture Wang Mu and use him as leverage, they could force the Empire to retreat.
But Hao was celebrating a little too soon.
Wang Mu didn’t even look at Hao, nor at the thousands of Demon Bear warriors closing in. He seemed completely unconcerned about being ganged up on and killed. Instead, he gripped his short sword and flicked it three times with his fingers.
The sound of the sword flicks echoed far and wide. True sword experts seemed to enjoy flicking their swords, as if it were more pleasant than playing a guitar. But in reality, it was quite the opposite. Wang Mu’s flicks produced a harsh, grating sound. Though it had incredible penetrating power, as if it could pierce the heavens and travel far into the sky, it was truly unbearable to the ears.
Hao was just about to mock Wang Mu and demonstrate what real music was like, but before he could begin, he suddenly realized that it no longer mattered.
His smugness was useless now, and his planned demonstration was equally pointless. Because Wang Mu’s sword flicks weren’t meant to produce pleasant sounds—they were signals. A terrifying signal, one capable of delivering a deadly blow.
This signal traveled outward, even reaching beyond the atmosphere. Hao and the others soon saw a horrifying sight. It was magnificent yet horrifying—magnificent for the Imperial forces, horrifying for Hao and his group. When this sight appeared, Hao immediately understood what kind of opponent Wang Mu truly was. He wasn’t as simple as he seemed; he was a true expert, far more formidable than anyone else.
In the sky, hundreds of Imperial warriors were slowly descending, each carrying a sword on their back. These were no ordinary soldiers. They had flown directly from outer space without using any equipment. They were using not the Empire’s basic flight techniques, but a cultivation method filled with true energy.
On their space suits, a striking emblem of a sword with a crown was clearly visible. Even Hao now understood what this symbol represented—a powerful faction within the Galactic Empire: the Wang Clan. These hundreds of sword-bearing warriors floating down with calm elegance and landing behind Wang Mu were clearly the elite force that had made Wang Mu famous and earned him great respect within the Imperial army—the Royal Swordsmen Corps.
Behind Wang Mu, though there were only a few hundred warriors—ten times fewer than the Demon Bear Squad—the battlefield didn’t always favor numbers, especially when it came to Wang Mu’s Royal Swordsmen Corps.
Within the Galactic Empire, the number of martial arts groups had reached staggering levels. It could be said that every family had its own fighting group. In the past hundred years alone, more than five thousand such groups had been formed, absorbing hundreds of thousands of experts. Indeed, this century was a period of rapid development for martial arts groups.
Yet, when it came to history, no group could rival the Royal Swordsmen Corps. Even historians agreed that it was this very swordsmen group from the Wang family that had ushered in the revival of cultivators.
A hundred years ago, the Galactic Empire established a tripartite power structure: the Emperor, the Senate, and the Imperial Privy Council. In the long struggle for power, the Privy Council, representing technological might, had always dominated the Senate and served as the Emperor’s main support. Thus, in the Empire’s vast military forces, only massive fleets and high-tech soldiers were considered the main forces. True cultivation-based fighting groups were few, with the Royal Swordsmen Corps among the rare exceptions.
It wasn’t until the battle in the Outer Meng Left Arm, when He De and Si Tu Hai single-handedly halted the Empire’s most elite fleet, that the Privy Council suffered a shocking blow. From then on, the Senate’s cultivation-based forces rapidly rose, and the Royal Swordsmen Corps became the model for all other fighting groups, establishing itself as the backbone of the Imperial army.
Even in today’s era, where martial arts groups are widespread, the Royal Swordsmen Corps still maintains formidable strength and remains among the top ten fighting groups in the Empire. Wang Mu himself is considered a strong candidate for future Senate membership.
Within the Empire, cultivators are strictly ranked. Those below the eighth level are called swordsmen, while those at the eighth level or above can be titled sword masters. This means that even though Wang Tao, whom Hao had previously defeated, was the leader of a swordsman group, he would barely qualify as a regular member of the Royal Swordsmen Corps. From this, one can see just how powerful this group is.
Wang Mu himself had once proudly declared that as long as the Royal Swordsmen Corps stood behind him, he could roam the four seas without fear of any enemy.
Now, this most prestigious and powerful swordsman group in the Empire stood proudly before Hao and his companions. Compared to them, the Demon Bear Squad, though massive and imposing, was clearly no match. Anyone could tell that if even half of the Royal Swordsmen Corps were to step forward, they could wipe out the entire Demon Bear Squad.
“Oh my God!” Kevin was so scared he broke into a cold sweat. He turned to Hao, but Hao had no idea what to do either.
Hao’s face was pale, muttering curses at Kevin, “You stupid bear! You said you’d trick him here alone, so why did he bring so many extra people?”
“How would I know?” Kevin was equally confused. “That old bastard Wang has so many illegitimate kids, hundreds of them at once.”
This time, Wang Mu had the upper hand. He didn’t even draw his sword anymore, just leaning on his general’s staff with both hands. “You two little brats think you can trick me? From the moment he came to surrender the first time, I knew there was a trap. Of course I arranged for backup.”
“Despicable!”
“Lowlife!!”
Hao and Kevin shouted in unison, completely forgetting their own deceitful and despicable actions.
Wang Mu was a soldier who only cared about victory, no matter the method. He smiled slightly and pointed his staff at Hao. “Hand over the Three Swords, and I’ll spare your life. Otherwise, you will all die!”
“You think just saying ‘die’ means we’ll die that easily?” Maya appeared out of nowhere, her physical form fully materialized. Today, she was actually wearing clothes, not causing any scandals. “We have several times more people than you. If we fight, it’s not certain you’ll win.”
As Maya shouted arrogantly, another group came rushing in from a distance. This group numbered around a few hundred, but seemed to lack strong power, approaching slowly using basic flight techniques.
When Hao saw this group, his heart sank. It was actually his Hao Sword Squad. The hundreds of children from the squad charged forward, their faces filled with passion and determination, ready to fight to the death.
Hao was almost dizzy with frustration. He stamped his foot, “Didn’t I tell you all to hide on the spaceship? Why are you here? I didn’t plan for you to risk your lives!”
When the iron spears of the Demon Bear Regiment struck, Wang Mu was already well-prepared for defense. His defenses had solidified like unyielding steel. Even as thousands of unstoppable iron spears rained down, they still couldn’t penetrate Wang Mu’s dark barrier. One after another, the spears lost momentum at the periphery, their attacks thwarted, falling powerlessly around Wang Mu.
“My god, what kind of technique is this?” Yang Hao realized his plan had completely failed and couldn’t help but stomp his feet in frustration. “This is downright monstrous! Hey, Wang, are you even human?”
By Yang Hao’s logic, only someone who could be killed by him would qualify as human.
Wang Mu, having barely defended against the iron spear formation, felt his energy depleted and harbored deep hatred for Yang Hao. He pointed his sword directly at Yang Hao and cursed, “You little brat, if you have the guts, come fight me one-on-one. What kind of cowardly tactic is this?”
“This *is* one-on-one,” Yang Hao widened his eyes, feigning innocence. “It’s just us—a group—against you—one. Unless you’re not satisfied and want to drop your sword, tie your hands, and let us trample all over you?”
“That’s too cruel, downright inhumane,” Kevin chimed in, adding fuel to the fire.
“Tsk tsk tsk, he’s a master, and masters love playing the masochist. What do you know?” Yang Hao sneered, then turned back to Wang Mu with a cheeky grin. “Commander Wang, we’re in the middle of a battle here. Who said battles have to be one-on-one? If you came alone, that’s your own stupidity. Who’s to blame? You can cry to God about it after you die.”
“If you die on the Holy Bear Star, you won’t see God—you’ll meet our Holy Bear,” Kevin couldn’t resist adding.
Yang Hao feigned shock and said sympathetically to Wang Mu, “Then you better be careful. I’ve met that female Holy Bear—she’s quite the pervert. With your good looks, watch out or she’ll claim you for herself.”
Wang Mu was seething. As a high-ranking legion commander, his status was lofty. Being lured to this place was already humiliating enough, but now he was being mocked by two juniors and trapped in a perilous situation. His pride couldn’t take it.
Yet, strangely, despite his anger, Wang Mu didn’t lose his composure. Instead, he let out a chilling laugh. “So, you don’t want a fair duel—you prefer a brawl?”
“Exactly!” Yang Hao, riding high on his perceived victory, felt incredibly smug. He believed he had outsmarted the Empire. The Empire’s threat to the Holy Bear Star lay in their massive warships and overwhelming numbers. But by luring Wang Mu here alone and restricting the use of high-tech weaponry, the advantage now lay entirely with the Holy Bear Star. Capturing Wang Mu would force the Empire to retreat.
But Yang Hao’s celebration was premature.
Wang Mu didn’t even glance at Yang Hao or the thousands of Demon Bear warriors closing in. He showed no concern about being overwhelmed. Instead, he held his short sword horizontally and flicked it three times with his fingers.
The sound of the sword reverberated far and wide. True sword masters often enjoyed flicking their blades, as if it produced a melody superior to any guitar. But this was far from the case—especially with Wang Mu’s strikes. The sound was harsh and grating, piercing through the air like a signal meant to reach the heavens. It was unbearably unpleasant.
Yang Hao was about to mock Wang Mu and demonstrate what real music sounded like, but before he could, he realized it was pointless.
Yang Hao’s smugness was useless. His so-called demonstration was even more futile. Because Wang Mu’s sword flick wasn’t for music—it was a signal. A terrifying, lethal signal.
The signal spread outward, even reaching beyond the atmosphere. Soon, Yang Hao and his allies witnessed a scene of despair—one that was both magnificent and tragic. The magnificence belonged to the Empire, while the tragedy was reserved for Yang Hao’s side. The moment this sight appeared, Yang Hao understood the kind of opponent Wang Mu truly was—not the simple commander he appeared to be, but a master far more formidable than anyone else.
Hundreds of Empire warriors, each carrying a sword, descended leisurely from the sky. These were no ordinary soldiers—they didn’t rely on any equipment to fly from outer space. Their technique surpassed the Empire’s basic flight skill—it was a cultivation method infused with true energy.
On their space suits, a crowned sword emblem stood out prominently. Even Yang Hao now recognized it—the symbol of the Wang Clan, one of the most powerful factions in the Galactic Empire. These hundreds of sword-wielding warriors, landing gracefully behind Wang Mu, were none other than his famed and revered elite force—the Royal Swordmasters.
Though Wang Mu’s forces numbered only in the hundreds—far fewer than the Demon Bear Regiment—numbers alone didn’t dictate victory on the battlefield. Especially when facing the Royal Swordmasters.
In the Galactic Empire, martial factions had proliferated to an astonishing degree. Nearly every family had its own combat group, with over five thousand such factions emerging in the past century alone, absorbing hundreds of thousands of experts. This era marked the rapid expansion of martial forces.
But in terms of history, none could compare to the Royal Swordmasters. Historians even credited the Wang Clan’s swordmasters with ushering in the revival of cultivators.
A century ago, the Galactic Empire’s power structure had been divided into three: the Emperor, the Senate, and the Privy Council. In the long power struggle, the Privy Council—representing technological might—had dominated, marginalizing the Senate. Thus, the Empire’s military relied primarily on massive fleets and high-tech soldiers. Only a few true cultivator factions, like the Royal Swordmasters, remained.
That changed after the Outer Mongolia Spiral Arm War, where He De and Situ Hai—just two men—held off the Empire’s most elite fleet. This shocking defeat for the Privy Council led to the resurgence of the Senate, with the Royal Swordmasters becoming the model for all combat factions and the backbone of the Empire’s military.
Even now, in an era teeming with martial factions, the Royal Swordmasters remained a dominant force, consistently ranked among the Empire’s top ten combat groups. Wang Mu himself was seen as a future candidate for the Senate.
In the Empire, cultivators were strictly ranked. Those below the eighth level were called swordsmen, while those above could be titled swordmasters. Thus, even though Yang Hao had previously defeated Wang Tao—a leader of a swordsmen group—he would at best be an ordinary member of the Royal Swordmasters. This alone spoke volumes about their strength.
Wang Mu had once boasted, “With the Royal Swordmasters at my side, I fear no enemy in the galaxy.”
Now, this legendary and formidable force stood proudly before Yang Hao. Though the Demon Bear Regiment was vast in numbers, everyone knew that even half of the Royal Swordmasters could annihilate them entirely.
“Oh my god!” Kevin was drenched in sweat, turning to Yang Hao for guidance—but Yang Hao had no idea what to do.
Yang Hao’s face was ashen as he muttered reproachfully at Kevin, “You stupid bear! I told you to lure him alone—why did you bring so many hangers-on?”
“How was I supposed to know?” Kevin was equally baffled. “This old Wang guy has so many illegitimate children—hundreds of them!”
Now, Wang Mu held absolute superiority. He sheathed his sword and leaned on his marshal’s staff. “Did you two really think you could trick me? From the moment he first came to surrender, I knew it was a trap. Of course, I prepared reinforcements.”
“Shameless!”
“Despicable!”
Yang Hao and Kevin shouted in unison, conveniently forgetting their own underhanded tactics.
Wang Mu was a soldier—victory was all that mattered, regardless of method. He smirked, pointing his staff at Yang Hao. “Hand over the Three Swords, and I’ll spare your miserable lives. Otherwise, you all die!”
“You think death comes so easily?” Maya materialized out of nowhere, this time fully clothed and less scandalous than usual. “We outnumber you several times over. If we fight, you might not win.”
Amid Maya’s taunts, another group approached from the distance—a few hundred strong, though their power seemed lacking as they flew slowly using basic techniques.
Yang Hao’s heart sank when he recognized them—it was his own Hao Sword Regiment. The children of the Hao Sword Regiment charged forward, their faces filled with determination, ready for battle.
Yang Hao was furious. He stomped his foot. “I told you to stay on the ship! What are you doing here? I didn’t bring you to risk your lives!”
The Hao Sword Regiment was made up of orphans Yang Hao had brought from the planet Remon. After mastering the Dual Cultivation Sect, Yang Hao had given them basic elixirs and helped them build their foundations. Now, each had some level of combat ability. But Yang Hao had refrained from teaching them the more risqué techniques of the Dual Cultivation Sect, deeming them too young.
Among them was Lou Weizhen, a fifteen-year-old girl and the group’s leader. With delicate features and early maturity, she had the grace of a young woman. But having grown up without parents, she preferred dressing like a boy. In the Hao Sword Regiment, she kept her hair short and always carried a sword, exuding a heroic aura.
Seeing Yang Hao’s distress, Lou Weizhen stepped forward. “Brother Hao, we know you’re here to fight to the death. If you’re going to die, we’ll die with you!”
“Yeah! We’ll die with our leader!”
Among the squad, the eldest was a girl named Lou Weizhen, who was the leader of the children. She was about fifteen years old, with delicate features and early development, already showing the charm of a young woman. However, since she had grown up without parental guidance, she preferred dressing like a boy. After joining the Hao Sword Squad, she always kept her hair short and carried a sword, giving her a very dashing and heroic appearance.
Seeing how anxious Hao was, Lou Weizhen stepped forward to explain, “Brother Hao, we know today you’re here to fight for your life. If it’s to die, we’ll die with you!”
“That’s right! Die together with our leader!”
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