Chapter 1148: Each With Their Own Schemes in Mind (II)

“If I may be so bold... who is... the senior?” Li Hao temporarily ignored whether or not the tree spoke the truth.

“Vice Captain Yu Hai of the Shen family guard, originally of Tranquil Star!”

The young man raised an eyebrow.

So there’s actually a name and background to this guy...

He glanced at Director General Wang.

“It’s hard to say, we’re not familiar with Tranquil Star either,” the director general awkwardly transmitted back. “This is just a minor world, not the main world. The Shens of Tranquil Star were not the strongest among the twelve families, but they were one of the most respected. They opened the New Martial era along with the Chen forefather of Tranquil Star!

“Each family had their own guard. The vice captain of the guard would have been strong and at least a Saint! I don’t know a Yu Hai... but I was just the director general of Security at Battle Heaven.”

Li Hao inclined his head. The face in the tree continued before he had a chance to address the ancient senior.

“I enhanced the strength of the Xus because I have important matters to relay to the three families of Tranquil Star. What a pity that it caused a misunderstanding instead. Since the young friend is a descendant of the Lis, then I will tell you so you can pass the information onto them.

“Please take this to heart, young friend.” The ancient voluntarily broached the subject with urgency and resignation. Li Hao didn’t have to prompt for any information. “Please make sure to convey it to the three families. Red Moon’s people have infiltrated this world and there is a premier Red Moon powerhouse sealed near the Star Gate. It is very likely to be an exalted emperor!

“That is the first point. The second point is that Red Moon power has contaminated the eight main cities. There are turncoats among the eight cities, please be careful!

“Third, the Tranquil Star satellite city did not fully go silent that year. We’ve been working all these years and searching for something to use against the Red Moon powerhouses...” the shadow sighed emotionally. “And we’ve found it recently...”

“Found it?” Li Hao was surprised. This matched the intelligence reports they’d received from the Xus lately. What had they found and where? They couldn’t leave the ruins all this time, so had they been digging in their home for the past one hundred thousand years?

“Yes!” the shadow emphasized. “We found a secret that can be used against the Red Moon exalted emperor!”

“Can... the senior speak more about that?” Li Hao raised an eyebrow.

“It’s... not that I don’t trust the young friend, it’s... that I cannot say too much about it. Of course, if the young friend is willing to pass this message onto the three families or the other main cities, I will tell them if they send their people.”

“Is the senior not afraid that it will be the traitors turning up?” Li Hao asked with confusion.

“That’s of no matter. I will be able to determine if they have been contaminated with Red Moon power. The Xus lacked efficiency in their execution. Since the young friend is here, I trust that you will value the safety of Silver Moon more than the Xu family.

“The Red Moon exalted emperor is a sharp sword hanging over everyone’s heads. We are doomed if we are unable to eliminate them. They will massacre the world once the seal completely breaks. The consequences will be unimaginable!”

Li Hao’s mind was rapidly spinning through everything.

“Senior, it’s said... that the Zhengs... may have possibly betrayed New Martial,” the young man said slowly after a while.

“What?!” The shadow was stunned. “That’s not possible! They are all descendants of Tranquil Star. Although they are side branches of their family, they stem from exalted emperors all the same. How would they turn their backs on their civilization? The only possibility is that they are being affected by the Red Moon exalted emperor!

“This cannot be.” The shadow could not seem to accept the suggestion. “The bloodline of the eight families are a natural deterrence against Red Moon power. Their descendants will not be easily infiltrated. We would be in grave trouble if they could be!”

The ancient refused to agree with the accusation.

“If that is true, then we are in trouble,” he said after a long moment of silence. “It takes the concerted efforts of the eight families to withstand the exalted emperor!”

“I didn’t want to believe it either,” Li Hao nodded. “But this does seem to be the case.”

“Then... this makes things very difficult!” The shadow struggled, hesitant about what step to take next. “If this is the case, then we need to be careful. But even if the Zhengs really have turned traitor, the world at present does not tolerate heavyweights that are too strong. Gather them to meet me if possible. I may be able to identify who is under Red Moon’s influence.”

“I will do my best,” Li Hao nodded. “Ah, senior, are you the only one in the ruins?”

“There is more than me. However, the others all have their own missions at the moment.”

There was more than him?

𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

“Senior, the world’s restrictions have loosened these days as energy is flourishing again,” Li Hao explained. “Your replicas can walk around outside. If you really are in a hurry, I’m concerned that the eight families won’t believe what I say. Why don’t the senior send out a replica with me to meet them? They might put more stock in what we say with the senior present!

“We don’t know you, but some of the powerhouses in the eight main cities might! We’ll be able to avoid some trouble this way!”

“I can’t,” sighed the shadow. “We would’ve emerged from the ruins a long time ago if we could. Why fortify the Xus if that course of action was available to us?”

“You can’t?”

Why not?

Li Hao was confused.

“The Red Moon exalted emperor has nearly completely infiltrated the world, including the newly born heavenly will,” explained the shadow. “While the effects are not noticeable yet, it is indeed influenced by the Red Moon exalted emperor. We located a way to neutralize him—a discovery that the heavenly will is surely aware of.

“We will be targeted by the world as soon as we leave the ruins. Even the heavenly will might take the initiative and attack us. Replicas will be targeted all the same...”

Li Hao raised an eyebrow—being targeted by the world? He was aware of the world’s targeting of Barren Dynasty, but...

am I supposed to believe that it will target someone who has discovered a way to counter the Red Moon exalted emperor?

“The senior says that the Red Moon exalted emperor has infiltrated the heavenly will?” Li Hao asked with a straight face.

“That’s correct!”

“But that’s not possible...” frowned the young man. “How can he contaminate the heavenly will while he is confined to the seal...”

“You do not understand, young friend, this person is an exalted emperor. He is the strongest person in this world. A newly born heavenly will imitates the consciousness of the greatest powerhouse in the world. Therefore, the heavenly will is certain to be affected by the exalted emperor.”

Was that so?

Li Hao stroked his chin. “Senior, if I may be so bold, what level of strength are you?”

“Just the Saint level.”

“Peak Saint?”

“Barely that.”

“That is very strong...” Li Hao sucked in a sharp breath. “Does the senior know Senior Zhang An?”

“Of course!” the shadow promptly answered. “He is the grandson of the supreme. How would I not know him? I just don’t know if the dean is familiar with a minor character like me. The Zhangs are a lofty family. Even the Shens that I am loyal to are far beneath them...

“I’m just the vice captain of the family guards, a Saint,” he continued in a self-deprecating manner. “Those who came in contact with Dean Zhang were either descendants of exalted emperors or the emperors themselves. Someone insignificant like me would never enter his line of sight. Is he still at Evenround Martial University?”

“He is.”

“Then this is simple. If Dean Zhang is willing to send a replica, we would not need to be worried about other traitors appearing among the families. He can lead the eight families in a joint offensive against the Red Moon exalted emperor...

Far from being afraid of meeting Zhang An, the shadow seemed quite excited. Li Hao abruptly regretted that he hadn’t brought Gan Wuliang with him. The guy was still in Great Li and thus his abilities of reading emotions was unavailable.

What the ancient was saying could also be interpreted in reverse.

It’s normal for Zhang An to not know me. He’s a hotshot, I’m just a security guard for the Shens.

It would be quite within expectation for the supreme’s grandson to be strangers with the vice captain of the security guard, even if he’d once visited the Shens in person.

Peak Saint!

Li Hao marveled at how strong the ancient was. And this was what cultivation level the man said he was.

“Senior, since Tranquil Star arranged for a satellite city on Silver Moon to protect the minor world and defend against Red Moon’s intrusion,” the young man began. “In that case, didn’t the senior sense anything ahead of time?”

“No... they kept their cards close to their heart.”

“Then... senior didn’t tell the Sword Sovereign either?”

“The Sword Sovereign is a lofty personage who is... proud and aspires for greatness. He... has clashed with Tranquil Star in the past. How would we dare say that we were here as a precaution? We would truly be without recourse if the Sword Sovereign misunderstood us and killed us with one stroke.”

The ancient seemed to be quite resigned about his circumstances.

“I see,” Li Hao nodded. “In that case, this junior has one more outstanding question. Can it be... that the method for use against the Red Moon exalted emperor is within the ruins?”

“Ah...” The shadow fell silent. “We did not construct the satellite city on a whim. Since the young friend has mentioned it, I will give a brief overview. This site is the separation point of the eight cities...”

“The separation point?” Skepticism shone out of Li Hao’s eyes.

“Yes, the world was once divided into eight and a secret locale retained beneath the ground. No one knows of it, but when we arrived, the lords instructed us that we were to obtain control over the separation point when trouble beset Silver Moon. That might result in a turning point during unfavorable circumstances!”

“The world was split into eight?” Li Hao jerked with astonishment.

“Correct.”

“So... there may be something beneath the surface that is useful against the Red Moon exalted emperor?”

“Correct! Of course, the exalted emperor is too strong for us to confirm that right now. That’s why we wish to consult with the eight families.”

Li Hao nodded solemnly. “Senior, if I may, do we stand a chance against the exalted emperor after the eight families come and procure whatever it is?”

“There will be a chance.”

“Ah...” Li Hao furrowed his brows. “Then what if we can’t collect all eight?”

“We’ll figure out another way then. If that really is out of the question, then it might still be feasible if there is bloodline heritage of the eight families...”

“Senior, can you tell me what it is?”

“Ah... I cannot!” the shadow said with regret. “I have already revealed too much. It would be risky to say anything more. It would not only be irresponsible toward us, but also irresponsible for the young friend. Knowing too much might trigger the heavenly will and result in enormous danger!”

“I see, the senior truly has much to worry about.” Li Hao was extremely grave. “Then, senior, may I... enter Tranquil Star?”