Chapter Sixteen: The Serpent Shield Bureau!

Vast experience in Wing Chun, Tai Chi, Bajiquan, Brazilian combat arts, and countless other fighting systems surged together in Hao Yun’s mind, crystallizing into instinct.

Then, at the very moment that radiance gathered to its utmost brilliance, an entirely new cultivation method surfaced in his thoughts.

"Cultivation Method: Martial Dao!"

The supreme path of martial cultivation meant drawing upon the strengths of all schools, refining endless powers—mystic arts, magic, immortal techniques, and more—into one, merging them into the self to elevate the human body’s potential, until one could shatter space with a single fist and roam the universe in body and spirit.

"Detected supreme cultivation method, Martial Dao. Does the host wish to integrate the power of Haki, ninja arts, the Sage Body, and Electro Master abilities into it?"

"Merge!"

Hao Yun had never advanced his own strength before because he thought it was far too complicated.

Though, with the system’s help, all abilities used the same energy framework, their emphases still differed. For example, Electro Masters trained the brain, Haki trained the body, ninja arts trained the meridians within the body... But if there were too many, what if they conflicted?

For instance, the energy circulation of Haki and ninja arts differed, and many pathways overlapped the same meridians, so Hao Yun had never used the two at the same time.

This time, since they could be refined together, perhaps more systems could be added in the future. Magic, for example—he had been coveting the portals of Kamar-Taj for a long time.

"Fusion successful! Martial Dao cultivation has reached the Seven Star Realm!"

"The host’s Martial Dao cultivation has produced traits:
1. Lightning power.
2. Prediction.
3. Recovery..."

Hao Yun closed his eyes and felt the fully integrated power within him. He was so delighted he could hardly keep his mouth closed.

Martial Dao traits were essentially passive skills, and his original ninja arts could still be used! That meant Hao Yun had not only greatly increased his physical strength without neglecting his original abilities, he had also gained quite a few passive effects.

Compared with the abilities he had originally drawn from the gacha, which were only imitations and could not be wielded with full mastery, he had now truly walked out upon his own path. Even the use of lightning was more than twice as powerful as his previous Electro Master ability, and far more natural to command.

Then he looked at the martial cultivation realms:
Primordial, Dual Extremes, Three Powers, Four Symbols, Five Elements, Six Harmonies, Seven Stars.

Having fused advanced clairvoyance and an LV7 Electro Master, he had only just reached the lowest realm, Seven Stars? Then wouldn’t reaching Six Harmonies mean he could break through to the Skyfather level?

As expected of the supreme martial Dao of humanity. This starting point was incredible.

Then he looked at his personal panel...

"Host: Hao Yun
Energy Level: LV9 Planetary Level (PS: LV5 to LV10 are all Planetary Level; above LV10 is Galactic Level, also known as Skyfather Level)
Physique: Human
Ability: Human Supreme Martial Dao Inheritance: Seven Star Realm (fused Electro Master, Wood Release ninja arts, Sage Body, advanced clairvoyance Haki)
Items: one weakened version of the Super God Gene, one Xuanyuan Sword! (Items given away are no longer listed.)
Sign-in points: 25007."

Mm, he had already reached LV9 Planetary Level. By his estimate, if he fused a few more inheritances, he should be able to reach Skyfather. Mm... he just did not know what level Ancient One was at.

By estimate, she was probably several major realms above Skyfather. After all, Odin, who had reached Skyfather, seemed rather embarrassing in comparison to Ancient One...

And then there was the reward mentioned in the system prompt: the Shikai of the Soul Blade, Xuanyuan Sword... Forget it. This thing was a little too powerful. In mythology, it was the sword of the Human Emperor Xuanyuan, a sacred artifact of merit. Better not destroy his own little shabby house.

System upgrade...

"Open system log!"

"System upgrade successful. In addition to daily sign-ins, monthly sign-in rewards and holiday sign-in rewards have been added.
Monthly sign-in reward: After signing in continuously for one full month, you will receive one draw within the Planetary Level range. Reward scope: all worlds.
Holiday sign-in reward: Matching draws will be issued according to the specific holiday, with rewards up to the Skyfather Level. Scope: all worlds."

Not bad. Two more rewards obtainable through continuous sign-ins, especially the holiday ones. By then, he could raise his strength by a huge margin again.

After reading through all the rewards, Hao Yun fell asleep in satisfaction...

Meanwhile, the Illuminati had fallen once again into a sea of misery.

"Cough, cough..."

The Illuminati’s main hall was in ruins. The Captain, Natasha, Barton, Tony, and the others were all covered in wounds, sprawled across the floor in a miserable state.

The only ones unharmed were the Potts sisters, who had just returned from a shopping trip.

Mm, Banner was fine too, except his clothes were a little disheveled.

"Tony? What happened?"

Seeing the wounded scattered everywhere, Pepper tossed aside the clothes she had bought in the afternoon and rushed to Tony, lifting her skirt as she ran.

She cradled his head and checked his breathing... fortunately, he was breathing and had a pulse; he had only passed out.

Her gaze moved downward... hmm? The new element reactor seemed to have run out of power?

"Jarvis, what exactly happened?"

Angelica checked on everyone, confirmed no one had died, and asked Tony’s butler in a voice colder than ice... no, that was wrong. He was now the collective butler of the entire Illuminati.

"Mrs. Potts, the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization has changed. Nick Fury is dead. The Captain led Mr. Tony and the Illuminati members to S.H.I.E.L.D., where they were blocked by several strange humans and severely wounded."

"Strange humans? Who? Jarvis, I want to see the battle records!"

The projector switched on, showing the scene of the Captain leading people into the Trident headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D. and encountering Alexander and his men as they blocked the way.

It had to be said that after two wars saving the world, the Illuminati members had all grown somewhat arrogant. Facing Alexander, they immediately exposed his identity as Hydra. Then, with one harsh exchange, the two sides began to fight.

At first, everyone thought the Illuminati’s abilities would let them subdue the enemy quickly... but the result was far beyond anyone’s expectations. The Illuminati members brought by the Captain suffered an unprecedented beating.

First were Tony and War Machine; before they even had time to equip their nanobots, they were killed in an instant by a woman of fifteen or sixteen who was absurdly voluptuous. Next were the Captain and the others, who encountered attacks from nowhere. Their weapons were stripped away, and they themselves were knocked unconscious directly, without even the chance to resist. As for Doctor Banner, just as he was about to transform, the woman who had subdued Tony released a strange red light with one hand, instantly suppressing his transformation...

If Jarvis had not finally controlled the nanobots to wrap around everyone and retreat in time, the members of the Illuminati might well have fallen together in S.H.I.E.L.D.... no, Hydra’s hands!

"Red light, control, calming the Hulk... mental abilities... Scarlet Witch Wanda? Then that invisible attack was Quicksilver?"

Angelica only thought for a moment before immediately identifying the enemies who had defeated Tony and the others. Damn it, she had said they should have gone to recruit the witch and Quicksilver earlier, but Tony simply would not listen.

He even said there were enough people already, that being a hero was hard, that the children should be allowed to have a normal childhood... and look at the result now. They had been taken in by Hydra, brainwashed, and now he was satisfied, was he? Truly, one invites disaster by courting death!

Wait, something seemed off...

Angelica’s gaze shifted toward the Illuminati’s vault.

To develop the abilities of the witch and Quicksilver, did they not need the Mind Stone? Wasn’t the Mind Stone in the Illuminati’s storage? Had it been stolen by Hydra?!