Chapter 1088: Preparations (II)

A faint mental strength emanated from the vortex in the water when Li Hao and the rest approached it. Not only that, but a faint humanoid shadow appeared in front of it. It looked around blankly when it saw the newcomers.

“Redwood?” came a ripple upon the air. The figure turned to the humans. “Are you... Li Hao of Skystar?”

The young man was rather surprised. “It looks like the senior did not remain fully sealed away and has gone for a walk in the world outside?”

“What are you guys doing here?” The shadow was nervous, slightly apprehensive, and on edge. “We have never interfered with each other and what’s inside does not belong to you!”

“We need the base station!” Li Hao cut straight to the chase.

“What do you mean?”

“We would invite the senior to return to Skystar Town with the other plant spirit seniors and leave this place to us.”

“Impossible!”

“Does the senior think that we cannot do anything to you?” Li Hao narrowed his eyes. “We have use for the base stations and Senior Redwood has already given up base station seven...”

“That has nothing to do with me, you lot will retreat immediately!” The shadow seemed to be growing irritated. “You may be strong, but my primary body is an Immortal inside the ruins. I do not fear you!”

“......” Li Hao looked at the shadow, perplexed. He slashed forward without another word!

The shadow crumbled with a loud boom.

“Go inside!” The young man couldn’t be bothered with more talk. This was a waste of time. He needed to seize the eight base stations as soon as possible. There was no time to spend dawdling with a plant spirit.

Countless branches lashed out as soon as the earth driller burrowed into the ruin. Li Hao severed them all with this sword and soon saw a tree loom in front of him.

“How dare you trespass...” Its power rippled violently with anger. “This is important New Martial territory...”

Li Hao wanted to say something in response, but Hong Yitang interrupted, “Look!”

The man pointed in a certain direction. Li Hao paused when he saw what the martial master was pointing at. Skeletons... littered the ground.

They seemed to be of human bones.

There were innumerable bones near the redwood tree; this was just what could be seen on the surface. There might be more buried below.

“Darkspirit, have you been devouring people for your cultivation?” sighed the redwood.

The big tree manifested a human shape, one of a slightly sinister middle-aged man. He looked at Li Hao with trepidation, then addressed the redwood, “The world has been unable to revitalize and I almost died when there wasn’t enough energy a few years back. Not to mention, these guys barged in themselves. I’m only drawing a bit of energy out of them. Redwood, it’s survival of the fittest. I simply choose to live. You guys aren’t here for them, are you?”

The redwood started, then stopped its answer. A matter like this... wouldn’t be much if it wasn’t uncovered. Even if it was, it still wasn’t a big deal if the offender was strong enough. After all, the redwood was equally aware that in the advent of a plant spirit dying from lack of energy in the world, cultivators could provide a few drops of sustenance since their bodies contained energy. The more one ate, the more one would recover.

It was Li Hao’s first time encountering this development. Well, it wasn’t entirely new to him since there’d been many trespassers in Battle Heaven over the years. The city had devoured them after the soldiers killed the intruders. General Pagoda was also partially involved—devouring them meant recovering itself.

However, Battle Heaven only killed intruders. There were countless white bones here. Li Hao didn’t believe that all of them were trespassers. How many would barge into an obscure ruin? There must be at least one thousand skeletons here!

“There are strict standing orders in New Martial that no plant or beast spirit is permitted to utilize humans in their cultivation!” sighed Vice Head Qi.

“How are we supposed to honor that when we’re dying?” frowned the foreboding man. “Not to mention, New Martial humans used plenty of plant and beast spirits in their cultivation. It’s just the strong eating the weak! I’m stronger than them and I was dying. Could I not absorb some energy to save myself?

“You are Li Hao...” He looked at Li Hao with some apprehension. “I know you are strong, but I am not weak either! Here, I can deploy my full strength. I have no desire to set myself against you. If you want the base station, you can have it after the second awakening. I will depart the premises then!”

The tree said that it consumed humans for self preservation, that it was the only option left in the absence of energy. That was true enough for plant spirits. Perhaps humans didn’t think much of killing monster spirits as they didn’t view their victims as being of the same race. Hence, they wouldn’t look at monster spirits with much pity. Perhaps it was the same as humans eating animal meat.

But since Li Hao had seen this sight... he couldn’t pass by like he hadn’t. He normally wouldn’t kill these plant spirits if they were willing to partner with him. Now, the situation was different.

“There is no need to discuss right or wrong, we all have our own paths to walk,” he said softly. “I do not condone your actions, so... I can only kill you!”

It was difficult to determine right or wrong in these circumstances. Humans ate monster spirits, monster spirits ate humans. Each side was pursuing their own strength. Who could be labeled as right or wrong?

“You want to kill me?” Although Darkspirit was wary of Li Hao’s side, it wasn’t truly without the ability to strike back. Since there was no possibility to continue their negotiation, there was no need for further discussion.

A golden primary body materialized as an immense presence exploded!

“Kill!” Li Hao roared, directing his people to fly out.

Sword light shimmered, enveloping the premises as Sky Sword and Earthturner Sword launched into motion. The young man preoccupied himself with assessing their opponent’s strength and, as such, didn’t join the fray. He was comparing the tree’s display to their previous battles.

Modern New Martial powerhouses were weakened by the lack of support from core origin dao, but their degree of weakening was different.

Seven element Arcanus and seventh level Mountain and Sea were the equivalent of modern Apexes. However, there was a great deal of difference within the Apex cultivation level. Seven to ninth level Mountain and Sea could only measure up to initial Apex. First level Sun and Moon might be the equivalent of mid Apex. Second level Sun and Moon could be regarded on par with late Apex, and third level Sun and Moon the equivalent of peak Apex.

Only when one entered fourth level Sun and Moon could one be compared to modern initial Immortals. Nineteen dao meridians were required for that cultivation level.

There were also differences to the level of awakening. Some ancients hadn’t awakened by a large degree, so they were weak even though they were Immortals. Peak Immortals such as the redwood tree had awakened by a very insignificant amount prior to encountering Li Hao.

Their battle strength would be much lower as a result because they lacked sufficient energy.

Li Hao compared the darkspirit tree’s performance to the peak battle strength of those who’d recovered in modern times. At the very least, the powerhouses of the traitorous city would be in prime condition. Other than a lack of support from core origin dao, there would be no weakness or frailty in those existences.

The tree that they fought now should be a peak Immortal.

According to conventional knowledge, it would take seventh level Sun and Moon to stand a chance against it. At least twenty-eight dao meridians was necessary. No one on Li Hao’s side possessed such battle strength, but at the moment, some heavyweights with more than ten meridians were sufficient to force the tree into difficult straits.

It hasn’t awakened to a sufficient degree and its energy level is low. No wonder it would stoop so low as to absorb energy from human bodies...

The peak Immortal plant spirit in front of them was at most third level Sun and Moon. It paled in comparison when attacked by numerous Sun and Moon cultivators. However, just because the base station plant spirits were in such a shape didn’t mean that all plant spirits would be.

Li Hao watched for a while—there were a few very ferocious martial masters on his side. Sky Sword, Tyrant Blade, Earthturner Sword to name a few were all enormously powerful. They were good enough against weakened Immortals, but wouldn’t be sufficient against an Immortal in prime condition.

Twelve meridians was on par with peak first level Sun and Moon. This level of battle strength could only be brought to bear against those who’d fully awakened later.

While the world’s energy was still insufficient, it continued to burgeon. Many ancient powerhouses were likely much stronger than they were before.

Hong Yitang shouted and struck with his sword! A multitude of changes followed, as did some power from the Hao Cosmos. Bright light emanated from his body, a sign of the body dao meridian being opened. Li Hao took the advantage to observe it closely.

Hong Yitang struck not with a sword of the earth attribute, but of the fire attribute! Leaping flames scorched the heavens!

BOOM!

The ferocious darkspirit tree flew backward from the blow. The rest of Li Hao’s people immediately swarmed forward to bring the rest of their abilities to bear.

Vice Head Qi walked over to observe the fighting from Li Hao’s side. “The darkspirit tree has not revived by much and lacks energy. If given some more time... we might not be able to deal with it.”

“That is why we need to take action before the world awakens with more energy!” Li Hao nodded. “Senior, do you think a seventh level Sun and Moon with twenty-eight meridians would have a hope of handling a Saint?”

“A Saint of this age?”

“Yes.”

“Not at all!” The vice head shook his head. “Unless they’re very weak, less than one-tenth of their original strength! Otherwise, you won’t be able to defeat them with cultivators at seventh level Sun and Moon. You might stand a chance if you have ninth level since that’s thirty-six meridians. There’s a bit of a hope there for an initial Saint that has yet to fully recover.

“But once the opponent is more than initial Saint and has recovered by thirty percent, you won’t stand a chance against them either.

“Based on my current observations, the Sun and Moon realm is the Apex realm of my time! Granted, all of the ancients need to be downgraded one level in the absence of core origin dao. Mid Sun and Moon might be able to fight some Immortals, and late Sun and Moon can defeat late or peak Immortals...

“This is for those that are fully awake. This means that peak Sun and Moon should be able to sweep any Immortal level existence! But you’ll need at least the next level for a Saint!”

Li Hao furrowed his brows. There were certain to be Saints in the ancient city. It was difficult to say how much they’d recovered by. Perhaps one half of their strength, perhaps less. Who knew? He was most wary of Saints.

As for Immortals, Li Hao was able to take them on if he forced open his dao meridians with no thought for cost. It wasn’t that he couldn’t open more than twenty-eight since he’d done that against Divine Nation. He’d even opened all of his dao meridians then.

Hong Yitang and the others could handle some Apexes and stand a chance against recently awakened immortals. But up against Saints, no matter how little their opponent had recovered, they would be rather ineffective.

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

In this light, the Saints of the ancient cities would be the greatest trouble of all. It was quite the headache for Li Hao.