Chapter 1755: Harvest (I)

Chapter 1755: Harvest (I)

All of Silver Moon was improving in cultivation. More people were verifying their dao as exalted emperors. Those who’d missed their chance last time were quickly catching a ride on that train.

Golden Spear, Yu Luocha, Wang Ming, Hao Lianchuan, Thunderleg, Mountain Ax, Hong Qing, the ancient Saint from the city of the Zhangs, as well as Jiang Yingli and Li Shengzhang from Evenround Martial were all verifying their dao!

No one had any reservations this time. Those who should have been part of the first batch all verified their daos. Anyone who did so now was not taking the place of another. Not to mention, there should be more than enough to go around.

There were twenty additional spots!

Dao Sword was among the youngest in the crowd; he began to verify his dao as well. While he was accustomed to keeping a low profile, his sword intent flourished in a way reminiscent of Li Daoheng. Due to being influenced by Li Daoheng, he hadn’t dared verify his dao earlier, just in case he drew enmity from anyone for his temerity.

Since everyone was breaking through, he decided to do so as well.

Great fortune smiled upon Hong Yitang’s family since they now boasted of three exalted emperors. Hong Yitang himself was a fifth rank master of dao.

Liu Long’s family also drew glances. Despite lacking good potential, Liu Yan could now verify her dao as well due to prolonged accumulation of foundation. Their son Liu Yin was ninth level Fused Dao, but he was a ways from verifying his dao.

This heavyweight of Silver Moon’s new guard decided to forgo this opportunity. Even if he succeeded, he would just barely set foot over the threshold. Since he couldn’t verify his dao through methods of the spear, he would wait a while longer.

Those who were close to Li Hao benefitted immensely from their affinity. Members of the previous Demon Hunters, such as Wu Chao, Chen Jian, and Yun Yao all found success in this second round.

They hadn’t left Silver Moon and had spent five hundred years to barely catch up to Southern Fist’s group. Although many of them were eighth or ninth level Fused Dao, some even possessing higher levels than Southern Fist’s cohorts, it was the latter who advanced last time.

The old Demon Hunters finally barely joined the ranks of the exalted emperors thanks to the help of infinite dao foundation sites in Skyward. It also meant that they would have a very difficult time setting foot into fourth rank in the future.

Southern Fist’s group stood a far greater chance of making it to fourth rank compared to them.

Apart from the above mentioned, there were also those such as the empress dowager of Watercloud, Head Priest Jiang Li of Great Li, and Princess Jun of Barren Dynasty. They all verified their daos one after another, but the queen of the west and Great Li king were missing from their number.

Some realized with surprise that the two had run off! Otherwise, they should have been part of the first batch to ascend. They were already premier Empyrean Kings in Silver Moon and infinitely close to half step emperor.

What a pity that both were gone. With even Jiang Li having verified his dao, those two might still be only half step emperors. Who knew if that was a curse or a blessing? After all, those of Silver Moon had made use of a lot of external strength to verify their dao. If the two had verified theirs, they would have done so completely by themselves.

......

There was another unique person within the crowd. He was one of the very few left among the old guard and rarely seen. It was unthinkable that he was yet to verify his dao, but here he stood, watching everyone else—Yuan Shuo.

Old Demon Yuan had been the head of Silver Moon’s Thirty-Six back in the day, yet he was still a weak ninth level Fused Dao at the moment. Even Liu Long’s son was on the cusp of breaking through! Yuan Shuo was now on par with Liu Long’s son.

A group of the latest generation was hot on his heels. Given his age and seniority, Yuan Shuo possessed the most right and privilege among the group, particularly as he was Li Hao’s master. Many were quite puzzled as to why Yuan Shuo was yet to ascend.

It was one thing to not have been part of the first batch, but another opportunity had come around. Twenty spots were a lot, but as Jiang Li and the others consecutively verified their dao, those spots were quickly filling up.

With one more spot available...

The unexpected happened at this time.

Someone who’d been quiet and mum all this time suddenly erupted with fervent cheers. “Milord is invincible and first in the chaos! Have faith in the marquis to verify your dao!”

“......” Li Hao’s jaw dropped as a surge of fanatic faith appeared!

A new great dao had come into being over the river of immaterial dao; it grew at a rapid pace. Dumbfounded, Li Hao stared at it. Gan Wuliang, the master of immaterial dao, also gaped at it.

What, is there someone more skilled at flattery than me?

Those such as Celestial Pole and the Pagoda King were taken aback and looked at the youngster in question. They saw a person wreathed in fawning smiles, so humble and obsequious that he didn’t seem to be an exalted emperor at all.

Even Hou Xiaochen in the distance couldn’t help but take a few glances.

Hu Qingfeng!

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

This was an early Nova of the Inspectorate’s main headquarters and someone who made a living currying favor with others. He was a Night Watcher genius second only to Dao Sword’s group. Hou Xiaochen had nearly killed him when he came to interfere with operations at Silver Moon province.

Today, only Dao Sword verified his dao among his friends. Big Eyes, Long Blade, and Flaming Spear did not succeed. Not even Li Hao’s happenstance junior brother Hu Hao and junior sister Li Meng had broken through.

And yet, Hu Qingfeng had taken the lead in a very unique way. He’d somehow verified his dao in a sea of disbelieving eyes through rabid and sycophantic flattery!

This was someone who’d nearly died to Li Hao and his crew. One had to know that of the Inspectorate main headquarters, only Chen Zhongtian had verified his dao. Not even his son Chen Yao had been successful. The current generation Inspector General was yet to become an exalted emperor, but Hu Qingfeng was one!

Gan Wuliang still stared with incomprehension. What... kind of dao was this?

As the master of immaterial dao, he could sense the newest addition to his dao universe. When he stretched his mind toward it, his findings left him flabbergasted.

Ah... there are a myriad of daos in existence and anything is possible. I... don’t know what to say about Hu Qingfeng’s main dao. I just sense overwhelming fanaticism, humility, subservience, and adulation. It’s like a dao of faith, but the focus of his faith is Li Hao!

Gan Wuliang didn’t know what to say.

Hot damn, I’m learning something new today! So this is a possibility??

Li Hao blinked with astonishment.

You can do that? There are too many daos in the world and so many that are unique. But... even Hu Qingfeng can verify his dao?

To be honest, many candidates had passed through his mind for the last spot in the dao universe. Hu Hao, Li Meng, Chen Yao, Big Eyes, Berserk Blade, Long Blade... Any of them were possible, despite all of them appearing weaker.

It shouldn’t have fallen to Hu Qingfeng, no matter what!

Even the plant spirit defectors from New Martial, some of the troop leaders in the Battle Heaven Army, or the students of Evenround are stronger than you! If not them, then at least Liu Yin of the new generation!

But

you’re

the one to succeed??

Li Hao couldn’t help but laugh helplessly. He was generally unflappable, but he couldn’t help but look into the distance now with a chuckle. “You’re... very interesting, Hu Qingfeng!”

Hu Qingfeng beamed from ear to ear!

“The marquis is invincible!” he called out in ringing tones. “My deepest thanks to Your Lordship for your favor. Becoming an exalted emperor is easily done when one believes the marquis!”

The Pagoda King cast a glance at Celestial Pole; Celestial Pole looked back at him. These two New Martial exalted emperors renowned for their ability to curry favor, particularly the Pagoda King, were finding themselves... inadequate at the moment.

Although the Pagoda King was infamous, he had some true skill to his name! There was no sign of flattery within his great dao.

Hu Qingfeng refreshed everyone’s understanding of the world. His branch of the great dao hovered in the sky. It even looked a bit like Li Hao!

Fucking hell?!

Was this a display of flattery deeply ingrained into one’s bones? Even his great dao resembled the young man!

Li Hao didn’t know how to react to the situation. Void happened to recover to peak condition at this point and couldn’t help but look over when he heard the shouts. He nearly burst out laughing at what he found!

So one could become an exalted emperor in this fashion?

“What... kind of dao is this?” Void’s presence built commandingly. Although he was yet to truly set foot into seventh rank, he nearly rivaled the Sword Sovereign in Li Hao’s eyes. Void could truly challenge seventh ranks now, but it was only a matter of time before he lost in single combat.

“I don’t know, I haven’t comprehended this dao in the dao chess.” Li Hao shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. “I don’t know if this is a newly born dao or one to be found later in the dao chess.

“Perhaps not even the Skyward master has ever comprehended this dao. What true overlord would think of it?”

They would never do so, would they? Would the Skyward master complete his ten thousand daos if he obtained this one? It had made someone an exalted emperor, after all!

Even the Pagoda King’s dao was slightly cast in shadows. It wasn’t one of open forthrightness that nearly announced to all of existence that the wielder was one of flattery!

How did one employ this dao? Was there any power to it whatsoever?

Li Hao looked around helplessly. Lin Hongyu had created clothes for herself now and couldn’t help but look sideways at Silver Moon’s latest exalted emperor.

“Hu Qingfeng... just didn’t run into you during Silver Moon. He was so enthusiastic every time he saw me, Teacher Yuan, and Director Hou that we didn’t know how to deal with him!”

His was a type of currying favor that was overwhelming! He erupted with passionate praise for everyone he saw, the type without any sort of restraint. It was so over-the-top that it numbed the skull.

“He wasn’t like this before...” Li Hao rummaged through his memories. Although not that much time had passed, he was still shocked at Hu Qingfeng’s change. “He came to Silver Moon province as a representative from headquarters. He threw his weight around so much that we nearly killed him for being annoying!

“Director Hou later wanted him to be a vanguard for us and return to headquarters. He bowed his head to the times, but we nearly forgot about him later on. Who would’ve thought that this would be what he got up to!”

Li Hao wouldn’t think of it a loss if anyone else took one of the twenty spots. But Hu Qingfeng? That was indeed a bit of a shame. Wasn’t that a waste?

“Whatever, it’s fine,” Li Hao suddenly smiled. “Hongyu, you’re third rank now. Congratulations!”

Lin Hongyu set aside the matter of Hu Qingfeng and nodded with a smile. “Third rank... I should be eighteen right now in this life!”

Li Hao blinked, then couldn’t help but laugh.

You really think of yourself as eighteen?

Meanwhile, Lin Hongyu had never forgotten that Li Hao had once called her old.

You’re thirty years old, which makes you ten years older than me. That’s kinda old!

Old??