Chapter 1051: A Strategy of Provocation (I)

Western continent powerhouses cowered as Li Hao flew overhead. Was he here to kill them??

The young man rushed through the western continent and past enormous mountain ranges before stopping in a certain locale. Off in the distance, a massive city hovered in the air like it was a metropolis of gods.

Li Hao’s jaw dropped; he had no words. How was this possible?? It seemed that the dao meridian resided in this city, the Divine Nation!

Did they have dao meridians?

Abrupt enlightenment struck him. If divine spirits possessed dao meridians from birth, then why couldn’t Divine Nation citizens have dao meridians? Strictly speaking, those of the Divine Nation were the true original inhabitants of this world.

“I see!” Li Hao murmured to himself.

“Who spies upon the Divine Nation?!” someone demanded coldly.

Li Hao stood unmoving, looking at figures gathering far away. Their strength knew no bounds—they seemed to be the reawakened divine spirits.

The young man looked and looked, abruptly spinning around with a smile. A look of crazed excitement filled his eyes. He was going to... topple the Divine Nation first!

The dao meridian was located in the center of the nation and could belong to a major personage. A kidnapping would be difficult to arrange. He couldn’t outright assess where the dao meridian was either. However, what he could do was to erase the nation from the world’s map and open the dao meridian for everyone in the world.

......

The queen of Divine Nation looked to the east from her position in the great hall and frowned. Who was that? Why did they feel... benevolent? It was obviously a powerhouse!

“That might have been Li Hao of Skystar.” A figure materialized with a solemn air. “He broke through the void with domineering presence and arrived as if the bequeathment of the heavenly will. Even we were disturbed...”

Li Hao?

The queen blinked. “Water God, why was he here?”

“We do not know.”

The queen was silent and didn’t speak of her own sensations. Li Hao? Why had he suddenly appeared in the west? To investigate the burgeoning situation? But what could he do by himself? Many divine spirits had awakened in Divine Nation and the queen herself was unparalleled. If Li Hao did not leave when he did, then he would not need to try at all.

However, she was still confused. She’d never met Li Hao before, so why did it feel like her... father had visited?

The queen shook her head. How very odd. Li Hao was certainly unusual and even a bit frightening!

......

Li Hao was immensely agitated and a plethora of ideas popped into his mind. Could the dao meridian belong to a divine spirit? There were a myriad of divine spirits, so it was highly possible that one of them had opened a special dao meridian.

If that’s the case, then don’t mind me! I’ll show the world why I am to be revered in Silver Moon!

......

The young man didn’t stay in the west for long. He shot through the void and headed north. The Great Li king soon sensed his presence again and slightly relaxed. One had to say, everyone felt safer when Li Hao was present.

Their hearts felt empty when he was away. This was true for the enemies and his own people. Everyone was wary of the young man who’d just turned twenty-one. He was becoming ever more mysterious and impossible to read.

......

Silver City.

The group’s spirits lifted with Li Hao’s return. They’d placed their full trust in him at some unknown time and were reassured when he was around. That security remained even when Li Hao said that he didn’t wish to resolve their problems through one person’s strength alone.

Every age or belief needed a central pillar. Li Hao was that pillar to the masses.

Director General Zhao quickly approached him when he returned and got straight to business. “Several main cities have sent envoys to us. They wish to reach an agreement as well, but we could not disturb you during closed door cultivation.”

“Which ones?” Li Hao discarded all pleasantries as well.

“The Zhou family of Star River and the Zhang family of Steadfast Sky,” the director general reeled off. “These two for now. There is some movement from the Hong city, but they haven’t made a decision yet, possibly because their heritage weapon was broken. We currently do not know where the Zheng main city is.”

Of the eight main cities, there were five left if Battle Heaven, Sword City, and the newly allied Martial Alliance were excluded. The spear of the Zhous and blade of the Zhangs are two of them. The remaining three were the trouble that was the Zheng young master, the mallet of the Hongs, and the footwork of the Lius.

The Zheng family might truly have betrayed New Martial, so there was no movement from them. As for the Hongs and Lius, Li Hao had respectively broken their mallet and boots. This might be the reason why they hadn’t sent anyone to Li Hao. It was rather surprising that the Zhangs had sent people despite their blade being broken.

Li Hao thought for a moment and transmitted a message outward. Someone soon answered it.

Director General Wang seesawed on the verge of life and death these days. His core origin dao had been severed and he was yet to complete his own dao meridian, so he was thrown into a painful state whenever Li Hao shifted the dao character.

He greeted the young man with a mournful look.

Li Hao smiled apologetically and quickly changed the topic. “Director General Wang, I know a bit about the eight families, but not that much either. Can you tell me a bit more about them?”

“You’re familiar with the Lis and Wangs, as well as a bit about Martial Alliance.” The director general immediately got down to business. “Of the five remaining cities, Star River of the Zhous, Boundless of the Zhengs, and Galewind of the Lius were all related to the martial sacred land that was Tranquil Star. They were cities built by the descendants of Tranquil Star.

“Steadfast Sky of the Zhangs was built by descendants of the director general from the Human King’s hometown—the southern Jiang region. That director general left behind many blade methods, some of which you might be familiar with. Those with slaying divines or annihilating emperors in their name... are all from this one.”

Li Hao’s eyes lit up, he really did know of a few blade methods with these kinds of names. It was also said that the Blood Eruption Berserk Blade was part of this personage’s heritage. There was one person among the Silver Moon martial masters who could be considered as having received his heritage—Berserk Blade!

However, the martial master had left for another locale with a few other martial masters. It’d been a long time since Li Hao last saw the man. Hou Xiaochen had mentioned that he’d sent Berserk Blade to another place for a mission; the latter was yet to return.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

So the blade of the Zhangs was this person’s heritage! Li Hao had also known that the Star River city of the Zhous, Boundless of the Zhengs, and Galewind of the Lius were related to Tranquil Star.

“The remaining family of the Hongs didn’t have a famous ancestor. Their Thunderstorm city was established by a powerhouse in Late New Martial who moved to Silver Moon. He was also a genius alumni in the later days of Demonic Martial...”

Li Hao nodded slightly.

Three of the eight cities were tied to Tranquil Star and of the remaining, the Zhao city was built by a descendant of the martial world alliance head, the Hong city was built by the genius of Demonic Martial, the Zhang city was built by the descendant of the director general of the Human King’s home, and the Wang city was built by relatives of the Exalted Blood Emperor.

All of them had an impressive background.

“Then why is it that the folk song lists the Lis first, the Zhangs second, and the Wangs toward the end?”

“There wasn’t much of a difference between the various families apart from the Lis.” Director General Wang shook his head. “That the Zhangs are number two... is unknown as well. We don’t know where the folk song comes from and have no specifics about it. This is just a minor world, after all. Apart from the Sword Sovereign, none of the families sent their exalted emperors back in the day!”

The one from the Wang family possessed an illustrious background, but it wasn’t the Exalted Blood Emperor who personally held down the fort.

“Then based on what you say, the Zhous, Zhengs, and Lius were not of the same faction?” Li Hao raised.

“I wouldn’t go as far as that. All of their forefathers were close to each other, but that doesn’t mean their descendants were the same. As the saying goes, the first generation is a close family, the second generation are close relatives. The third and fourth generation... forget about them. This was true for those related by blood, much less descendants of those who didn’t share the same ancestors...” Director General Wang didn’t mind this. “The various families of Tranquil Star weren’t that close in the end. They went their separate ways after New Martial was established.”

Li Hao didn’t say anything else and thought for a while. “Now that the Zhous and Zhangs wish to reach a simple agreement of alliance with me... I already have the Wangs and Zhaos, and Sword City has disappeared. That leaves only the Zheng, Liu, and Hong families who haven’t given me a response.”

Director General Wang exhaled without a word. Everyone had their own thoughts in mind, so he wasn’t at liberty to venture any opinions of his own. The only absence that seemed normal to him was the Zhengs since they were most likely the traitors.

“Let’s set the three remaining families aside first.” Li Hao ran through his plans again. “There are also the four nations and three continents to consider, as well as an unknown powerhouse that might be from another universe. I’m trying to clear away enemies to the best of my abilities. Why does it feel like everything beneath the heavens is trying to set themselves against me?”

It was quite a helpless feeling. He was already trying to seek peace the best he could, as well as balance between everything he sought to do. And yet, the number of enemies mounted and didn’t decrease the slightest bit.

Conquering the world seemed to be a very difficult proposition.

“Perhaps... I lack something still. I have enough gentle tolerance... then it’s might that I’m lacking! The real dao of kings is through a balance of gentle forbearance and unquestionable might!

“Therefore, I need to eliminate one family with decisive and overpowering methods. World peace will arrive only when I strike fear in the hearts of people!” The young man looked at Director General Zhao. “If I bring my full force to bear and eliminate one faction, which do you think is the better target to pick?”

The old man blinked, then said slowly, “If you’re going to create a reputation for yourself... then Great Li would be the best!”

Was there any other choice available? Director General Zhao was slightly confused. Great Li stood right in front of them and their battle strength wasn’t as formidable as they’d previously thought. He couldn’t determine what Li Hao was thinking.

“Director General Zhao, not only are wars waged to kill enemies and intimidate opponents, but they are predicated on the basis of sufficient gains!” Li Hao said meaningfully.

“Sufficient gains...” The old man paused and thought it over. “There are many treasures in the ancient cities, but their residents are all present and there are powerhouses holding down the fort. We have to leave them alone for now, not to mention we have too many enemies. For the moment, we should focus aboveground.

“The dukes of the three continents are too weak and there’s limited benefits to attacking them. It is also not the time for internal discord, so we can only choose the four nations.

“If the commander thinks it’s not worth it to eliminate Great Li... then there’s only Watercloud Dynasty to the south and Divine Nation to the west that are appropriate. Barren Dynasty to the east is another poor nation that may be even more impoverished than Great Li.

“If it’s the Watercloud Dynasty... they’re rich enough, but I don’t think that they have that many cultivation resources. Only the Divine Nation in the west has ample cultivation resources. And with the presence of divine spirits that naturally gather energy, there might even be mines there!

“However, they are the strongest among the four!”