Chapter 1149: Each With Their Own Schemes in Mind (III)

“Of course you can visit Tranquil Star!” the shadow said softly. “The young friend is a descendant of the Lis. Sword City might be sealed near the Star Gate when the world changed back in the day. It is unknown how many Li descendants there might be in the world now.

“It would be wonderful if you are willing to visit in person. I was going to invite you to join us even if you didn’t mention it. I would not have strengthened the Xus had I known that the young friend is a descendant of the Lis,” the ancient said with regret. “I have caused some trouble for you.”

“Senior... did the Xus never mention this detail?”

“No.”

“Then... how did senior recognize me?”

Even Stellaris is gone, how did you identify me?

“It’s simple,” chuckled the shadow. “The sword intent around you is unmistakable. There is the will of the Sword Sovereign within it. No one in the world can learn this sword method apart from the Li descendants...”

“I see!” Li Hao nodded again and couldn’t help himself. “Senior, is this spot the exact separation point of the eight portions of the world? Who could’ve possessed so much strength so as to manage the feat?

“Could it be... my ancestor the Sword Sovereign?” The young man answered his own question with excitement. “No wonder he is hailed an exalted emperor, so that’s how powerful they are! We thought we’re invincible already, but we can’t section a province, much less the entire world...”

“I’m unaware of who exactly accomplished this feat. Perhaps it was the Sword Sovereign, perhaps it was someone else. This matter was too far removed from the likes of us for us to know.”

Li Hao smiled.

I know, but I’m not telling you! Is this place really the separation point of the eight sections of the world?

When the young man witnessed the Exalted Blood Emperor dividing the world, he hadn’t known why the august personage had done so. The Exalted Blood Emperor had voiced some words when he was done—seemingly both to the new world and to himself.

Perhaps he’d undertaken those actions to avoid the birth of a new world consciousness. What was the significance of the separation point?

A variety of questions surged into Li Hao’s mind. He believed ten percent of what the ancient said and threw away ninety percent of it.

Perhaps the separation point was real and the ruins being special was also true. And perhaps it was true that the ancients had been in search of something. But the young man did not believe the person’s identity.

All this talk of the Human King arranging Tranquil Star to send people in the event of a problem was... utter bullshit!

Do you think I don’t know anything about the ancient Human King? Would a tyrannical guy who mows down his enemies do stuff like this? He decided to invade Red Moon major world, so why would he arrange for contingency plans in a minor world?

He left no backup in the main world, much less a minor one! He’s a dude who doesn’t give a shit what happens after he’s dead!

Nothing means anything if he fails his campaign. Red Moon is doomed if he succeeds, so who cares about mud pies being thrown around his backyard?

Would the Human King arrange for reserve assistance?

Li Hao didn’t think so. A person like that marched out with only one goal—defeat and kill all enemies. Why would he play house with his rear lines? He wouldn’t care about his home being taken over—he’d raze his enemy’s in response and then hit back!

Therefore, the young man blithely ignored everything the ancient said about the Human King’s plans. The only thing true was the ancient stationed here to look for something.

Li Hao thought back to the Exalted Blood Emperor sectioning the world. Not that many should’ve witnessed that act since the world had just been born. How did this ancient learn of it, and from where?

The young man had seen it through the two Battle Heaven characters. Was that where the ancient saw it? Also, Li Hao once asked about the act in a roundabout way. No one knew about it—not Director General Wang, not the Wangs, and not even the old turtle in Battle Heaven.

So that begged the question, how did this person know about it?

Can everyone see the scenes within the Battle Heaven characters apart from myself? Probably... not? If that’s the case, apart from me and probably the Sword Sovereign, then... there’s only one other being that’s aware of this history...

But who was it?

...the heavenly will!

That was right, perhaps the heavenly will knew. The physical brand of the world existed then, even if the heavenly will was yet to take shape. In that case, the heavenly will would be aware of everything when it was born later.

However, the heavenly will had not fully matured yet. Even if it knew, how did the ancient in front of him know? Did it have something to do with the heavens?

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Li Hao ran through the possibilities—the situation was more complicated than he’d anticipated. He was unable to determine the truth of the matter, so he analyzed the most likely explanations. If this person was on the same side as the heavenly will, then was he on the same side as the Zhengs?

Did that mean that the ancient, Zhengs, and heavenly will were one faction?

Their goal might really be to eliminate the Red Moon exalted emperor. After all, that was their greatest threat, especially to the heavenly will.

The Red Moon exalted emperor needs to take over the minor world so he can attack the main world through it. The Zhengs want to control the minor world and become its master so they can profit from the war between the two universes. The heavenly will’s target is to avoid annihilation. The exalted emperor is a tumor in its side because he stands a chance of erasing the heavenly will...

Therefore, it’s possible that the Zhengs are colluding with the heavenly will! They share common goals for the moment, and the Zhengs have an additional one of revitalizing the minor world. Their powerhouses will be able to walk in the world once the second awakening is at hand. The heavenly will also wishes for the second awakening to take place...

Li Hao quickly deduced a theory about the current state of affairs. He placed the ancient as being in the Zheng camp and worked backward from there. That line of reasoning explained a lot of things. Otherwise, many parts did not add up.

Tranquil Star was a very noticeable name. Why would the ancient’s side utilize that name if they wished to secretly search for what they wanted? Weren’t they worried that anyone who awoke ahead of time would realize something was amiss because of the name?

Li Hao might not have paid attention to this place if it was nameless or called anything else. This was one detail that he couldn’t reconcile. Or did these ancients think that no one else would awake before they did and thus, didn’t care at all what name they used? They used Tranquil Star simply because the Zhengs hailed from that city and they wished to recreate the sacred land’s glories?

Did they wish to advance from a side branch to the main branch of the family?

If the person in front of him was of the Zhengs, the Zheng patriarch Zheng Hongyuan had three sons. His eldest son Zheng Ke had followed the Sword Sovereign into battle. Second son Zheng Gong died at Li Hao’s hands. Third son Zheng Yu’s whereabouts were unknown, as were Zheng Hongyuan’s.

Red Dust was Zheng Hongyuan, wasn’t he? Then... if this person was a peak Saint, was he Zheng Yu?

Countless possibilities surfaced in Li Hao’s mind; he rubbed his eyes, finding the situation tricky. But even if his opponent was just a peak Saint, he was still difficult to manage!

“Can the senior only take up residence in this tree for the moment?” the young man asked slowly after exhaling slowly.

“Ai... there’s nothing I can do about it!”

Li Hao understood, so this was the reason! No wonder they couldn’t send replicas into the world. But it wasn’t necessarily because the heavenly will targeted them. Why didn’t these ancients walk around in the world then?

It was strange!

A replica even just at the Dominator level would suffice for contacting the three ancient cities. It wasn’t as if it had to fight or kill someone.

The more information he received, the more confused Li Hao became. He thrust all of the interference aside and only entertained one thought—

I might as well imitate the ancient Human King and just kill the guy!

Nothing’s a problem when he’s dead!

But in that case, the ancient might be lowballing his strength. What was Li Hao supposed to do in the event his opponent was an Empyrean King? Headbutt him?

Li Hao looked around again, this location was indeed the center of the east. Barren Dynasty was situated on the border of the eastern continent and there were some Saints among the desolate beasts as well. Not only that, but Red Dust might wish to obliterate the desolate beasts, act against Barren Dynasty, and revitalize the world.

If Red Dust is in cahoots with these guys...

“Does the young friend wish to come inside for a seat?” the shadow asked gently. “There is nothing I can do about a lack in hospitality on the outside. I cannot set forth...”

“That’s alright.” Li Hao shook his head after some thought. “The senior’s secret is too great. I’m concerned that I would be disturbing the senior. How about this, I’ll help senior locate the people of the eight main cities. It’s best if we can eliminate the Red Moon exalted emperor!

“Senior, do you know Barren Dynasty? It’s a nation formed by desolate beasts and they’ve invaded the world. They’re camped not too far away from here and might invade at any time. This is my greatest worry at present! If the Tranquil Star ruins are here, will the senior be able to enter the chaos and take down the desolate beasts once they invade and envelop the ruins with chaos?”

“Envelop the ruins with chaos?” The shadow thought it over. “I... may very well be able to! The chaos can obscure the heavens, but... can they actually reach this place? It looks like I’ve underestimated the desolate beasts. There weren’t that many left back in the day, so to think that they could reach this stage...”

“That’s good. I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to defend against the desolate beasts!” Li Hao exclaimed happily, but inwardly cursed to himself.

Didn’t you say that the heavenly will is targeting you? Then how do you not know of the chaos encroaching and whittling away at the heavenly will?

I knew it! Wouldn’t you rather sit aside and wait for the heavens to be obliterated by the chaos? How are you saying that you’ll help me instead? Do you really think I’m that stupid? Do you think I’m such a country bumpkin that I don’t know about the relationship between the heavenly will and chaos??

“In that case, I will not disturb the senior further!” Li Hao turned to his people. “Don’t crowd around here, it’s all a misunderstanding. We should not disturb the senior’s peace and quiet!

“I do apologize for killing the Xus. If I’d known that senior was the guardian of Silver Moon, we would not have taken the action we did.”

“That is alright, the Xu greed knew no bounds. They were not good people, I helped them because I had no choice. No one else happened upon this location and I am unable to leave. I can only contact the other places through the Xus...”

Yeah yeah, why don’t you try a better story? It’s just passing on some messages, is there a need to enhance a messenger to fourth level Sun and Moon for that purpose?

What a joke!

Plainly, the ancient knew that Li Hao and his people had taken over Silver Moon province. The man was worried that the Xu family wouldn’t be able to put up a decent fight. Therefore, he strengthened the family. His only miscalculation was that Li Hao’s group would improve even faster.

Otherwise, people like the Xus would happily amble behind anyone who promised them rewards. First level Sun and Moon would’ve been enough, to say nothing of fourth level.

Who was this ancient geezer trying to fool?

Does he honestly think I’m an idiot?