Such a giant magic beast was not a very powerful opponent for Yang Hao, but he could tell that the beast’s strength was far beyond the child’s. If the boy were to fight, he would likely die a tragic death.
Never had he imagined that the nobles on Earth could be so twisted as to create such a lopsided beast-fighting spectacle. Was it any different from feeding people to the beasts? Could it be that they thought the beast was too fat and wanted to take it out for a walk to lose weight?
Yang Hao had never been interested in beast fighting, so he had no intention of killing the fat beast. He grabbed the child, intending to take him away from the danger.
But the boy shook Yang Hao off and, gritting his teeth, charged at the beast with two spears in hand.
Although his steps were unsteady, there was indeed a touch of knightly bravery.
But in such a moment, what good was bravery? The beast narrowed its eyes, seeing only a tiny figure hopping around before it, its strength so weak that it couldn’t even muster the slightest interest. Bored, it let out a huge yawn.
This was a fire magic beast.
With just one yawn, a massive fireball was spit out. Though the heat couldn’t reach the elevated audience seats, it caused everyone to gasp in alarm, clearly worried about the boy’s fate.
However, the child was surprisingly agile. He leaped aside to dodge the fireball and, with a powerful throw of his right hand, drove his spear into the beast’s body.
The cheers shook the heavens, making Yang Hao feel as if the earth itself was trembling violently.
But as the cheers began to fade, the tremors seemed to intensify.
It was the fire beast again. Stung awake by the child’s spear, it became enraged. Its body bristled with armor-like scales, and it charged at the boy with heavy, thundering steps.
Good grief, this was going to be a massacre.
Yang Hao saw the boy standing there, too terrified to move, and had no choice but to rush forward, kicking him aside. Then, somehow, he pulled out a red cloth and began waving it around.
“Little bull, come on now,” Yang Hao tried his best to emulate the style of ancient bullfighters.
But this was no bull—it was a magic beast, and colorblind to boot. It couldn’t tell red from green and simply charged headlong at the boy again.
With no other choice, Yang Hao grabbed the child and, moving like a blur, flew onto the beast’s head. As the fire beast stood there, dazed and searching for its enemy, Yang Hao casually pulled out a pill and shoved it into the boy’s mouth.
“Big brother is giving you a candy. Eat it and you’ll have more strength,” Yang Hao grinned wickedly before vanishing to the side again.
What kind of candy was that? It was none other than the leftover Fire Melt Pill Yang Hao had once eaten himself. It was incredibly spicy, instantly turning the boy’s skin red, while a fiery surge erupted from his meridians.
“Waaahhh!!!” The boy actually spat out a burst of flame from his mouth, and the spears in his hands sparked with fire. With all his might, he lunged straight at the beast’s head.
The power of the Fire Melt Pill was fully unleashed. The spear pierced through completely, driving straight into the beast’s heart.
The audience of millions fell silent, the arena so still that even the wind could be heard. Then, as the massive beast collapsed with a thunderous crash, the cheers erupted. Everyone screamed at the top of their lungs, waving white handkerchiefs in admiration of the warrior’s bravery.
“Kid, you’ve got potential,” Yang Hao smiled as he approached the nearly exhausted boy and whispered, “From today on, you’re my disciple at the Pill & Sword Sect. Keep it up. Master believes in you!”
The boy was stunned, looking at Yang Hao in confusion. But Yang Hao, having quickly acquired a new apprentice, floated off leisurely toward a solitary golden balcony.
Yang Hao had sharp eyes and had already spotted someone of obvious nobility sitting there. The man wore a deep crimson velvet robe embroidered with countless golden imperial dragons and wore a circular crown studded with numerous precious gems. This seat, isolated and elevated above all others, was the only one of its kind in the entire arena.
“Your Highness!” Yang Hao greeted with a slight bow after arriving.
Though the Galactic Empire was a monarchy, it did not require strict formalities.
“You must be Yang Hao?” The Crown Prince looked quite pleased, still waving his white handkerchief toward the arena.
Yang Hao looked up. The Crown Prince appeared to be in his early forties but looked no older than thirty. He was slightly overweight, and the first impression he gave was one of weariness—not physical fatigue, but a weariness of life itself.
In such a vast empire, riddled with factional struggles, everyone seemed to have their own backing—except the Crown Prince, who remained utterly alone, with no support at all. This was clearly a deliberate maneuver by the Emperor, but under such circumstances, the Crown Prince was like a small boat on turbulent waves, constantly battered by every gust of wind. How could he not be tired?
After waving his handkerchief for a while, the Crown Prince finally stopped, smiling as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
“So, what exactly did you give that child just now? What made him suddenly strong enough to kill the beast?”
“A vitality-enhancing pill,” Yang Hao replied proudly. “My Pill & Sword Group’s vitality-enhancing pills not only strengthen the body but also enhance performance. Truly indescribably effective.”
The Crown Prince’s face darkened. “You gave my son a vitality-enhancing pill? He’s only sixteen!”
“S-son…?” Yang Hao stammered.
“That child, no, that brave warrior, is Your Majesty’s son.”
“Not my son, surely not yours,” the Crown Prince shot back sarcastically.
Yang Hao muttered inwardly, I couldn’t even give birth to a son that big. But now, the fact that he had given a vitality-enhancing pill to a royal prince was an undeniable truth.
“Your Majesty, I didn’t know he was the Crown Prince, so…”
“What Crown Prince?”
“The Crown Prince of the Crown Prince, isn’t that what you call it?” Yang Hao blinked innocently.
“Prince, you say! What nonsense!” The Crown Prince glared, then lowered his voice. “That vitality-enhancing pill… are there any side effects?”
“Just a few minor ones. The Fire Melt Pill can indeed unleash tremendous power, but since it’s also a vitality-enhancing pill, it can cause some… internal heat. But no big deal. A few cold showers should take care of it.”
Yang Hao was sweating inside. The vitality-enhancing components in the Fire Melt Pill were no ordinary thing. A cold shower wouldn’t wash them away. What if the royal prince ended up with uncontrollable urges?
But the Crown Prince was decisive. He waved to one of his attendants.
“Arrange three virgin women for the prince.”
“Truly royal!” Yang Hao thought, impressed. At sixteen, the prince was already being set up for a future of multiple concubines. Definitely a future ruler of a vast harem.
“Yang Hao, your vitality-enhancing pills… I hear they sell well,” the Crown Prince smiled.
Yang Hao had anticipated this. He immediately pulled out a silver, flat box and handed it to the Crown Prince.
“Your Majesty, this is a set of ‘Nine Heavens of Ice and Fire.’ It will cleanse the toxins from your body and restore your vigor, enhancing the prestige of our nation and the majesty of Your Highness.”
The Crown Prince was delighted.
How could he not be? He had never even told his father about his private issues, yet Yang Hao had guessed them all.
“Truly a famous madam,” the Crown Prince praised.
“Boss, Your Majesty,” Yang Hao corrected, suspecting the Crown Prince had said it on purpose.
In fact, soon after arriving on Earth, Yang Hao had anticipated this day and had already prepared several batches of ‘Nine Heavens of Ice and Fire.’ Just think—if even the Emperor of the remote planet of Raymon suffered from ‘vitality-enhancing drug resistance,’ how much worse must the Earth Emperor be? The Crown Prince, a notorious womanizer, was likely immune to all ordinary vitality-enhancing drugs. Only Yang Hao’s ‘Nine Heavens of Ice and Fire’ could save him.
“Your Majesty,” Yang Hao reminded carefully, “once you take my pills, you must not take any other vitality-enhancing drugs. Otherwise, the effects could clash and be dangerous.”
The late Empress of Raymon had died this way, and Yang Hao had no intention of repeating the tragedy.
“I know,” the Crown Prince said, as if already aware. “I won’t take any other pills.” He glanced sideways, and those nearby quickly lowered their heads in fear.
Only one man, from the moment Yang Hao arrived, had glared at him with unhidden hostility, making Yang Hao feel a burning sensation at the back of his neck.
The man was around fifty, his gray hair standing upright, clearly a temperamental character. His eyes were brown, like those of a wild beast, filled with ferocity. His clothing was unusual too—not the standard Imperial swordsman’s uniform, but a fur coat. In his hands, he held a broadsword. Its sheath revealed nothing special, but the hilt bore a prominent carving of a beast’s head.
No weapons were allowed near the Crown Prince, except for the Imperial Guards. Yang Hao had hidden his Shadow Moon within himself to avoid detection. Yet this man carried his sword openly, clearly no ordinary figure.
“Oh,” the Crown Prince seemed to remember him. “This is Bista, the leader of the Beast-Heart Sword Group, a major figure among the Ten Sword Schools.”
Though he said it, there was no real praise in his tone. Bista merely nodded slightly, his fierce gaze never leaving Yang Hao.
In the past, Yang Hao might have feared such people, but now, having slaughtered countless members of the Ten Sword Schools, he had nothing to fear.
“Oh,” Yang Hao replied with a smirk, giving no respect.
“You’ve been acting out quite a bit lately,” the Crown Prince said, glancing at him.
“Before, as the leader of the Resistance Alliance, opposing the Ten Sword Schools was understandable. But now that you’re an official of high rank and even ennobled by the Emperor, why keep stirring up trouble? Don’t you know even the Emperor respects the Elders’ Council?”
“Your Highness, how many years have the Ten Sword Schools dominated the Empire?”
Yang Hao suddenly asked.
“Hmm, probably over a hundred years,” the Crown Prince frowned, unable to give an exact number.
“Your Majesty, doesn’t that seem too stagnant?” Yang Hao smiled. “Just ten sword schools, just one Elders’ Council—it’s so boring it could kill a man.”
“So that’s why you created the ‘Number One Sword School in the World’?” The Crown Prince looked at Yang Hao with amusement.
“Yes,” Yang Hao declared loyally. “The Pill & Sword Sect is absolutely loyal to the Emperor and Your Highness. Our disputes with the Ten Sword Schools are purely about sword techniques.”
“Sword techniques? You dare to speak of sword techniques?” Bista arrogantly pointed his sword at Yang Hao. “A mere seller of vitality-enhancing pills dares to claim sword mastery? How can your so-called sword techniques compare to the Ten Sword Schools? How can you even be mentioned in the same breath as the Elders?”
“Mr. Bista, don’t forget, four sword schools have already fallen to me.”
“It was just your luck,” Bista retorted, his hair changing from black to a dark red, indicating his rising anger. “If it were me, I’d have you sliced into hundreds of pieces and fed to the beasts.”
As he spoke, Bista continued to wave his long sword past the Crown Prince, pointing it at Yang Hao.
Even the Crown Prince, usually calm, changed expression. “Bista, even though yours is the ‘Beast-Heart Sword,’ you don’t need to keep showing it off in front of me.”
“Your Majesty, I apologize,” Bista stammered, startled. Although the Ten Sacred Swords were permitted to remain armed, waving one around near the Crown Prince was no small matter.
“Treason!” Yang Hao seized the opportunity to strike back. “Waving that sword around like that—could it be you’re plotting to assassinate the Crown Prince?”
That was unthinkable. Not only did Bista’s face pale, but the Imperial Guards around the Crown Prince drew their swords, forming a protective circle.
The atmosphere instantly turned tense. Even Bista, as arrogant as he was, could not afford to be accused of treason. He looked desperately at the Crown Prince, hoping for his support.
But the Crown Prince remained calm, watching the arena below without giving any orders. He had already gone out of his way to help Bista summon Yang Hao, and now Bista was waving his sword around in front of him. Naturally, the Crown Prince wanted to teach him a lesson.
More importantly, the Crown Prince actually liked Yang Hao. He had heard nothing but complaints about Yang Hao from the Ten Sword Schools, yet the moment Yang Hao appeared, he made the prince shine, offered rare medicine, and even matched the Crown Prince’s personality. The Crown Prince wanted to see how the two sword school leaders would resolve this confrontation.
The Crown Prince, who should have been the example of decorum, was content to watch the show, leaving the Imperial Guards in a difficult position. Bista’s status made the accusation of attempted regicide unbelievable, yet why didn’t the Crown Prince intervene?
“Wow! So lively!” A crisp female voice rang out, and Yang Hao’s eyes widened as someone actually slapped the Crown Prince’s back—hard.
Yang Hao’s mouth dropped open in shock. Who dared to strike the Crown Prince? The guards hadn’t stopped her, but even more shocking was that the Crown Prince himself merely smiled bitterly, making no move to resist.
“Does that count as treason?” The woman, now revealed, shot a glare at the guards, who quickly sheathed their swords and stepped back.
Bista finally had a way out and stood aside, drenched in sweat.
The Crown Prince sighed helplessly. “Princess sister, you’re always late. You missed your little nephew’s glorious moment—he killed the beast with one strike!”
“Whaaat!” The princess, always dramatic, turned her gaze to Yang Hao.
Honestly speaking, with just one glance, Yang Hao had already been struck by an electric jolt.
The princess was truly ravishingly beautiful. At first glance, her tall, voluptuous figure exuded a seductive charm, but as one looked closer, an aura of noble dignity emerged. Her delicate, fair face was adorned with a small, upturned nose and luscious, red lips. Most captivating were her eyes—seemingly calm as still water, yet occasionally flashing an irresistible, enchanting allure.
In one sentence: such a creature was a natural nemesis to any man, and no man could possibly resist her.
“Are you Yang Hao?” The princess curled her lips into a fox-like smile.
“Yes.” Yang Hao replied, still somewhat dazed.
Smack!! Without a word, the princess had already slapped him across the face.
Yang Hao remained stunned.
Not satisfied with this, the spoiled princess raised her hand again, aiming for a second strike.
This time, however, Yang Hao tilted his head and dodged: “Your Highness, once is enough; let’s not repeat it.” His tone was somewhat cold. No matter how beautiful a woman was, she couldn’t possibly surpass the many beauties Yang Hao had seen in his life.
“The second slap was on behalf of Ling Zhiyan,” the princess declared with justification.
Yang Hao pondered thoughtfully: “Alright then.” He leaned his face forward.
The princess hesitated for a moment, but still slapped him again, though with slightly less force.
Rubbing his stinging cheek, Yang Hao couldn’t resist asking, “How has Ling Zhiyan been lately?”
“She’s under house arrest by the Elders and probably won’t come out for the rest of her life,” the princess sneered. “So you don’t think that slap was unjustified, do you?”
“Not at all, not at all.” Speaking of Ling Zhiyan, Yang Hao was actually willing to accept the punishment. He still remembered how Ling Zhiyan had nearly died saving him from a sword strike, and how she had stolen the Judgment Sword for him.
Still puzzled, Yang Hao asked, “The second slap was for Ling Zhiyan, but why did you slap me the first time?”
The princess winked, covering her mouth with a giggle: “That was just warming up.”
“Xianlan,” the Crown Prince finally interjected, beckoning the princess to sit down. “You’re behaving like a child with no decorum befitting a royal heir, always messing around with these ministers.”
At the word “messing around,” not only did the Crown Prince cough awkwardly, but the guards and nobles sitting nearby also exchanged strange glances.
Princess Xianlan, the most famous figure in the Milky Way Empire, could not simply be described as mischievous. For nobles and ministers, she was nothing short of a catastrophe.
Who was the most feared official on Earth?
Who was the one nobles dreaded to see the most?
Who was the one whose name alone made the Elders’ heads ache?
Princess Xianlan was the embodiment of both angel and demon, a mischievous troublemaker that all officials and ministers feared encountering. Since childhood, the princess had averaged one ministerial household thrown into chaos every week—burning houses, shaving beards, and at her worst, causing over thirty high-ranking officials to resign in a single day.
As she grew up, this princess, whose beauty was known throughout the universe, naturally became the object of every young noble’s affection. Yet within a year, over three hundred aristocratic families had even abandoned their hereditary titles and fled Earth to escape her. Now that she had reached marriageable age, no one dared to propose to her. Even the Emperor’s attempt to arrange a marriage was met with refusal. At the mere hint from the Emperor, ministers with eligible sons would submit collective resignations, leaving the imperial ruler deeply embarrassed.
Even more terrifying was that Xianlan wasn’t afraid of the Elder Council either. She had studied under at least three Elder Council members, learning not martial arts but rather an array of bizarre and cruel pranks. These pranks were first tested on the Elders themselves. It was said that at least twelve Elders had gone into hiding out of fear of her, never to be seen again.
In short, within the entire empire, only the Elder Council’s leader was immune to Princess Xianlan’s antics. There wasn’t a single person who wasn’t afraid of her, and there wasn’t a single person she wouldn’t dare to target.
Today, her sights were set on Yang Hao, and that intoxicating, fox-like smile reappeared on her lips.
Everyone knew that this was a prelude to her mischief.
But Yang Hao remained oblivious, not even looking at the princess—something that, in Xianlan’s eyes, was worse than treason. Any man who failed to look at such a beauty must be blind, yet Yang Hao kept his head down, muttering something incoherently. This only fueled Princess Xianlan’s growing fury.
Actually, Yang Hao wasn’t ignoring her—he simply dared not look. Her beauty hadn’t mesmerized him, but the old lecher inside him was completely smitten. The lustful old man, deprived of female company for days, was desperately urging Yang Hao to seize an opportunity to drug Xianlan and have his way with her. Yang Hao was muttering as he struggled internally with the old pervert.
“Yang Hao,” Princess Xianlan’s eyes sparkled with mischief, “I’ve heard you’re quite impressive—establishing the number one sword sect in the world. Are you really the best? Better than the Ten Sword Schools?”
At her words, Yang Hao immediately felt piercing, hostile glares from all directions, especially from Bista, whose eyes burned with fiery hatred.
But Yang Hao wasn’t afraid. He had the audacity to hang that banner, indicating his face was already thick enough to be impervious to blades and bullets.
“That’s right, Your Highness,” Yang Hao said with a smile. “My Danding Sword Sect is indeed the best in the world.”
“Where exactly is it the best?” The princess placed her finger against her lips, feigning innocence. “Is it the sword techniques or the sword formations?”
“The aphrodisiacs are the best,” Yang Hao replied readily, “and the divine weapons are the best too.”
“Tsk!” The princess spat, though her seductive gaze swept over Yang Hao’s face. “How are your divine weapons the best?”
“While other sword sects have only one divine sword per sect, my Danding Sect has four divine swords. There might even be more in the future.” Yang Hao grinned smugly.
“Oh!” The princess clapped her hands, remembering. “You also stole the divine swords from the Ten Sword Schools, right? So now you have four. That’s really impressive.” She turned with a sweet smile toward Bista. “Commander Bista, your Beast-Heart Sword Group only has one sword. You really can’t compare with him.”
This was an outright provocation.
The Crown Prince winked at Yang Hao and casually turned his head toward the arena, indicating his complete helplessness.
With the princess’s support, Bista’s courage suddenly surged beyond his capacity. He took a quick step forward, pointing at Yang Hao and shouting, “Hand over those four divine swords!”
Hand them over? Not a chance.
After learning the true purpose of the ten swords from the Divine Realm, Yang Hao had long decided that once a sword was taken, it would never be returned. He remained completely unfazed: “Commander Bista, may I ask whom you want me to hand the divine swords over to?”
“Obviously to me!” Bista declared confidently.
But the princess sighed softly, and even her gaze toward Yang Hao seemed to change.
Yang Hao smiled and smoothly replied, “Commander Bista, I have a question for you—was the Immortal Sword yours?”
Bista’s face stiffened, his momentum weakening slightly: “N-no…”
Everyone knew the Immortal Sword was the Wang family’s ancestral treasure.
“Then was the Gravity Sword yours?” Yang Hao continued.
“Of course not.” This time, he answered more quickly. The Black Wind Elder was one of the Elder Council’s leaders; offending him was unthinkable.
“Was the Treasure Sword yours then?”
“No.”
“Oh,” Yang Hao nodded emphatically. “I see. Then was the Judgment Sword yours?”
Bista turned pale with rage. If he admitted it, the Shadowkillers would tear him apart alive: “Certainly not! That’s the Shadowkillers’ divine sword.”
“There you go then,” Yang Hao said, clapping his hands together in satisfaction. “Since none of them are yours, why should I hand them over to you? Are you trying to steal the Ten Sword Schools’ ancestral treasures?”
“If they’re the ancestral treasures of the Ten Sword Schools, how did they end up in Lord Yang Hao’s hands?” Seeing Bista defeated, the princess smoothly took over the conversation.
“Oh!” Yang Hao mimicked her tone perfectly. “This is something we can’t really talk about openly.”
“Why can’t we talk about it openly? Our Ten Sword Schools do everything with integrity, unlike some people who scheme in the dark,” Bista thought he had caught Yang Hao in a mistake and eagerly asked.
“Really want to know?” Yang Hao feigned fear.
“Of course we do!” Bista was clearly a man ruled by impulse.
Sighing deeply, Yang Hao looked reluctantly resigned. “Alright then. The truth is this: our Danding Aphrodisiac Group’s aphrodisiacs are just too good. The disciples from those sword schools all came to the outer regions to buy them. But they didn’t bring any money. Eventually, to satisfy their cravings, they had no choice but to pledge their ancestral swords as payment for the aphrodisiacs. So, young men, when you go out, the most important thing is to carry money.”
Bista nearly spat out a mouthful of blood.
But the Crown Prince, princess, and guards nearby were all laughing so hard they were doubled over, forcing Bista to swallow his blood back down. He looked around—there were at least dozens of people who had heard this, and the Ten Sword Schools had never been so disgraced. Not only had their swords been taken, but they had also gained the ignominious reputation of buying aphrodisiacs without paying.
The Ten Sword Schools had always stood united. Bista was a straightforward and impulsive man, and it had been his idea to bring Yang Hao here today. Now, in a fit of rage, he disregarded everything and directly challenged Yang Hao: “I challenge you!”
“Oh?” Yang Hao grinned slyly, eyeing the Beast-Heart Sword in Bista’s hand—it was also one of the ten divine swords.
Princess Xianlan coughed lightly and gave Bista a sharp glare, clearly implying, “You think you can beat Yang Hao?”
Bista suddenly remembered that Yang Hao had recently defeated the Sword Sage Situ Hai, and the Elder Council had issued orders not to provoke him unless absolutely necessary. But now that he had issued the challenge, how could he back down?
But a princess was still a princess—far superior to a beast commander. Xianlan smoothly redirected the conversation: “Both of you are pillars of the nation. It would be unseemly for you to duel in the imperial capital.”
“Yes, yes,” Bista muttered, though still feeling resentful.
“But…” the princess’s gaze swept back to Yang Hao, her seductive charm almost unbearable, “this is the arena, after all—a place for fighting. Lord Yang Hao has just arrived in the capital and founded the number one sword sect in the world. Why don’t you go down and fight some magical beasts to show us your strength?”
A sudden unease stirred in Yang Hao’s heart.
But the Crown Prince suddenly turned around and enthusiastically supported the idea: “My dear sister has a great idea. Many people here today are eager to see Lord Yang Hao in action. Your strength is truly mysterious and unfathomable.”
A flash of realization struck Yang Hao’s mind—he finally understood what was wrong. Being summoned to the arena by the Crown Prince today was a setup. It wasn’t about forcing Yang Hao to hand over the divine swords, but rather about testing his strength and seeing what he truly had to rival the Ten Sword Schools and the Elder Council.
He guessed that the entire empire was closely watching today. Whether or not he encountered this troublesome princess, Yang Hao had to show his hand.
But could those few little magical beasts really test Yang Hao’s strength?
A faint smile curled Yang Hao’s lips. Just over half a year ago, he had still been an ordinary student, struggling to kill even a small magical beast for alchemy. But now, even the mightiest magical beasts would be nothing before him.
Princess Xianlan, of course, wouldn’t let him off the hook: “Lord Yang Hao, each of the Ten Sword Schools has its own territory and prestige. For example, the Beast-Heart Sword Group’s territory is this very arena. If your Danding Sword Sect is truly the best in the world, then go down and defeat the entire Beast-Heart Sword Group.”
This woman was truly no angel. Knowing Bista couldn’t beat him, she was sending him to fight the entire sword group.
Fighting alone wasn’t a problem, but Yang Hao was still thinking about what benefits he could gain.
“I’m feeling a bit tired today. It’s really not a good day for a fight,” Yang Hao bowed, though his tone lacked any real respect.
The princess’s expression darkened slightly. She hadn’t expected Yang Hao to refuse outright.
“Your aphrodisiacs are so good—just take a few and you won’t be tired anymore.”
“The aphrodisiacs are indeed good,” Yang Hao replied with a sly grin, “but the ingredients are too expensive. I can’t afford them.”
“Hmph!” The princess understood immediately. This man was indeed a profit-driven merchant at heart, unwilling to act without clear benefits.
Yang Hao continued to play hard to get: “The Danding Sword Sect is small and weak, and we have to be careful not to offend the big shots. So, if we can avoid a fight, we’d rather not fight.”
“How about a wager then?” Princess Xianlan proposed cunningly. “Let’s bet our divine swords. Whoever wins takes them all.”
Yang Hao’s eyes gleamed slightly.
Bista broke into a cold sweat: “Your Majesty, this… this isn’t appropriate.”
“Do you think you can’t win?” The princess’s gaze could freeze someone solid. “Then the Beast-Heart Sword Group might as well disband.”
Bista felt like dying. He deeply regretted convincing the Crown Prince to bring Yang Hao here. Now he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. For the Crown Prince and the princess, it was just an entertaining show—whether the divine swords stayed with the Beast-Heart Sword Group or not didn’t matter much to them. But for the Beast-Heart Sword Group, losing the Beast-Heart Sword would be a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions.
But until now, Bi Si Ta had no choice but to agree. He gritted his teeth and nodded with resentment.
“I won’t do it!” Yang Hao suddenly declared aloud.
“Oh?” the Crown Prince was also surprised. This matter was obviously beneficial to Yang Hao. On one side was a treasured artifact of a sect, while on the other was stolen goods; naturally, their value couldn’t be compared.
But now, whether Bista wanted to or not, he had to agree. Gritting his teeth, he nodded resentfully.
“I won’t do it!” Yang Hao suddenly declared loudly.
“Oh?” The Crown Prince was also taken aback. This matter clearly seemed beneficial to Yang Hao. On one side was the sect’s treasured artifact, while the other was stolen loot—their rarity was incomparable.
But Yang Hao had his own thoughts: “I already have four divine swords. This Beastheart Captain only has one. If we make this bet, I’d be at a huge disadvantage.”
“Then what do you want?” Xian Lan’s sharp gaze swept over Yang Hao’s face. “Don’t tell me you want four more divine swords?”
“The swords? I’ll take them one by one,” Yang Hao said arrogantly. “For today’s wager, aside from the Beastheart Sword, I only ask His Highness the Crown Prince to grant me permission to visit the Empire’s Joint AI Center. That’s all.”
“Ha!” Xian Lan’s face was full of mockery. She thought Yang Hao was truly audacious. The Joint AI Center was an extremely classified location—even she, a favored princess, had never seen it, let alone a rebel general.
“Granted.” The Crown Prince remained expressionless as he uttered the two words.
The entire room was stunned.
This shock was no small matter. Not only the surrounding nobles and guards but even Princess Xian Lan gaped in astonishment.
The Joint AI Center was perhaps the most supreme and confidential place in the Galactic Empire, second only to the Senate. For those in power, there was an even greater mystery—the Joint AI Center was the only thing in the empire beyond the Senate’s control.
Years ago, when the AI Star was discovered, the Senate had demanded the Emperor immediately destroy all AI lifeforms. But the Emperor, unusually, did the opposite, ordering the Science Academy to harness the AI’s potential. This led to the empire’s rapid expansion and breakthroughs in starship technology over the past few decades.
All AI in the universe could be controlled by the Joint AI Center. In other words, whoever controlled the Joint AI controlled the empire’s fleets and all its vital lifelines.
This was the Emperor’s exclusive domain—even the Senate couldn’t interfere.
Yet the Crown Prince had allowed Yang Hao to see it. This authority wasn’t something the Crown Prince could grant on his own. His bold statement implied the Emperor’s tacit approval.
In an instant, everyone around quickly deduced that today’s events were far from simple. Not only were the nobles and the Ten Sword Schools testing Yang Hao’s strength, but even the lofty Emperor was watching him closely.
This made things much more interesting.
A single Yang Hao had stirred up still waters.
But only if he could truly stir them.
Princess Xian Lan’s expression turned solemn. She took a deep breath and, seemingly casually, said to Bista, “Beastheart Sword Squad, go all out.”
“Go all out…” Bista muttered in repetition.
“Does that mean we can use…?”
Before he could finish, Xian Lan nodded. “Permission granted.”
Bista’s face lit up with wild joy. Originally, he had been somewhat wary of Yang Hao. But if they were truly allowed to use that power, not only Yang Hao but even if another Sword Saint like Situ Hai joined, they’d likely be doomed.
Several guards bowed and exited, spreading the terms of the wager to every corner of the vast circular audience stands.
“What else do you want then?” Xuan Lan’s beautiful eyes glanced toward Yang Hao’s face. “Could it be that you want another four divine swords?”
“Swords? I’ll take them one by one,” Yang Hao said arrogantly. “Besides the Beast Heart Sword, today’s bet will be sealed if the Crown Prince merely agrees to let me visit the Empire’s United Cybernetic Intelligence Center.”
“Hah!” Xuan Lan wore a face of mockery, thinking that Yang Hao was indeed audacious. The United Cybernetic Intelligence Center was such a secret place; even she, a favored princess, had never seen it, let alone a defected general.
“Granted,” the Crown Prince replied calmly.
Everyone present was shocked.
This surprise was truly extraordinary. Not only the nobles and guards nearby, even Princess Xuan Lan was astonished, her mouth agape.
The United Cybernetic Intelligence Center was likely the most supreme and secretive location in the Galactic Empire, second only to the Senate itself. For those in power, there was an even greater mystery: the United Cybernetic Intelligence Center was the only entity in the Empire beyond the Senate’s control.
Back then, when cybernetic intelligence was first discovered on Zhi Nao Planet, the Senate had demanded the Emperor destroy all cybernetic organisms immediately. However, the Emperor had rarely acted against their advice, instead ordering the Academy of Sciences to make good use of the cybernetic intelligence. This decision led to the Empire’s rapid expansion and breakthroughs in ship technology in recent decades.
All cybernetic intelligence across the universe could be controlled by the United Cybernetic Intelligence Center. In other words, whoever controlled the United Cybernetic Intelligence Center controlled the Empire’s fleets and all the vital arteries of the Empire.
This was the Emperor’s exclusive domain, one into which even the Senate couldn’t insert itself.
Yet the Crown Prince allowed Yang Hao to visit it. Such authority naturally wasn’t something the Crown Prince could grant. Of course, he dared to say so because there was the Emperor himself who had given tacit approval.
In an instant, everyone around quickly deduced that today’s matter wasn’t simple. It wasn’t just the nobles and the Ten Sword Style sect who wanted to test Yang Hao’s strength; even the Emperor himself, high above all, was also paying close attention to Yang Hao.
This situation had become far more interesting.
One Yang Hao had stirred up the still waters.
But he had to be capable of stirring them up.
Princess Xuan Lan’s expression grew calm. She took a deep breath and seemingly casually said to Bi Si Ta, “Beast Heart Sword Group, go all out.”
“All out…” Bi Si Ta repeated softly.
“Could we really use…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Xuan Lan nodded. “Approved.”
A surge of ecstatic excitement flashed across Bi Si Ta’s face. Originally, he had still been somewhat wary of Yang Hao, but if he was truly allowed to use that power, Yang Hao wouldn’t stand a chance—even if he were joined by sword saint Situ Hai, they would likely still face only death.
Several guards bowed and exited, transmitting the details of this bet to every corner of the vast circular auditorium.
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