Chapter 1193: An Empyrean King Falls (II)

Chaos presence began dissipating around the group. Li Hao continued to pull chaos from the surroundings, creating a vacuum around them.

Yu Hai raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Hao with surprise. “I wondered why you weren’t in a hurry and were just waiting here. So you can absorb chaos presence...”

With the dispersal of chaos, he needed to either retreat back to the ruins or kill these people before he had to move.

“Go back, senior!” Li Hao laughed. “You will probably rock the world when the chaos fully fades away. We’re all done for once the seal breaks.”

“Go back?” Yu Hai laughed as well. “Do you still believe all that nonsense after we’ve gotten so far? Haven’t you plotted this much in order to kill me? Are you willing to freely release me now? You’ve got quite the number of thoughts in your mind at such a young age, Li Hao. But ultimately... it comes down to strength!”

This was an open declaration of hostilities.

“I never imagined that you’d be Zheng Hongyuan,” the old turtle suddenly said emotionally. “I’m curious who the leader of the rebels—Red Dust—is then. Is it your third son Zheng Yu? If so, the Zheng family has truly produced a number of gems!”

Zheng Hongyuan!

Everyone had thought that Red Dust was the Zheng patriarch, but the truth turned out otherwise. The patriarch had been in Tranquil Star all along, plotting something. He’d also become an Empyrean King long ago.

But now everyone knew that Red Dust was also an Empyrean King, and a premier one at that. This meant that the Zhengs possessed more than one Empyrean King, that they had two!

“What is the point of caring about any of that now?” Yu Hai laughed with a quirk of his brows. He looked at Li Hao, then at the continuously retreating zone of chaos. “You know that I’m an Empyrean King, but still stay here and refuse to leave. Are you worried that I’ll kill the rest in a split second??”

He gestured at the army with a wave of his hand. “Or do you want to kill me and haven’t given up that notion even now?”

Li Hao didn’t respond. The firmament split open and he soared up into the sky. “If the senior doesn’t wish to be compressed by the world to the point of being forced back into the ruins, why don’t you follow me for a chat?”

Yu Hai’s expression twitched and he looked up at the sky. “I see... I see!” he breathed out with astonishment after a while. “You came in through the dao universe, this is incredible!”

It was truly incredible, no wonder!

As he looked at Li Hao, the young man calmly looked back at him. “If you win, not only will the senior be able to eliminate future threats, but you’ll also be able to seize the dao universe. There will be nothing to fear about the Red Moon exalted emperor that way!

“Whatever was left behind in the separation point might not be easily retrieved. It might take the joint efforts of eight families to claim it. But with the senior already as an Empyrean King, you might really be able to stand against the Red Moon exalted emperor if the dao universe belongs to you!”

Yu Hai stared at him, on guard.

“Whether it is New Martial or Silver Moon, we are one in the end.” Li Hao’s expression was noncommittal. “At the end of the day, it is Red Moon that is the outsider. The presence of an exalted emperor threatens us all! We will naturally have our ways to handle him if we win, but if you win, you’ll be able to take him on sooner or later with the new dao universe. The new dao will not be broken...”

“Are you serious?”

Li Hao smiled. “Of course I am if I die!”

Yu Hai, or rather Zheng Hongyuan, didn’t quite believe what he was hearing. However, Li Hao seemed to be quite serious. Could he enter the new dao universe?

If he didn’t and the situation dragged on, he would have no choice but to return to the ruins and wait for the next opportunity to come around. But with the exposure of his identity, anything he undertook next time might be more difficult.

A variety of notions materialized in his mind. He looked at the cosmos visible through the sky. Should he go inside?

As Zheng Hongyuan hesitated, the others strode through the air and landed in another universe.

“If the senior doesn’t join us, we’ll visit you again next time,” Li Hao’s voice rang out. “But that may be the senior’s final moments! We have reaped a rich harvest today in killing nine Saints and haven’t had time to digest our gains. Once we do, the senior probably won’t have any further chances to accomplish your goals!”

“It looks like you really do want to kill me...” Zheng Hongyuan laughed and weighed up the situation. He came to a decision that he would head to the dao universe!

Once he prevailed, not only would he have cleared these threats out of his path, but he’ll be able to occupy the dao universe.

He could not withstand this kind of temptation. Hadn’t all of his schemes been in pursuit of conquering Silver Moon world? But just one Silver Moon world was less than a dao universe. The chance was at hand to claim a prize that was more valuable than something he’d plotted after for one hundred thousand years.

Despite knowing the dangers, should he not fight this one time for it? Put everything on the line? Zheng Hongyuan set foot into the broken void and entered the passageway.

The six were as if long lost friends as they walked forward together, entering the dao universe. They didn’t linger near the passageway or start a fight there. All could wait until they were inside.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Silver Moon martial masters watched them with wide eyes. Could Li Hao and the rest win?

Director General Zhao and the others wanted to follow, but the young man didn’t bring them with him. It was plain to see that he wasn’t counting them as part of the operation.

Director General Zhao’s face shifted through a variety of emotions before he grunted, “Clean up the battlefield and gather the troops. King of Barren Dynasty, bring your army under control and disarm. Await for further instruction!”

The Barren king’s expression twitched, but chose to acquiesce with a frown when he saw how killing intent blazed in the eyes of the Silver Moon martial masters around him.

“Drop your weapons!” he commanded.

The Barren army milled around uncertainly, fear creeping into their hearts. Casualties had been high when the remnants of their army had lost control in a berserk rage. There were only approximately seven hundred thousand left now and a lot of injured to tend to. With their king having surrendered, they were in no mood to resist further.

Weapons clattered to the ground, cavalry dismounted from their steeds. All of them were petrified and apprehensive as they awaited further arrangements.

Boundless city manifested in the distance; Lin Hongyu and others welcomed Princess Jun into the city. They were all smiles, but the princess was hardly in a jovial mood.

These people put it nicely and said that they were welcoming her into the ancient city as a guest. But after she entered, she was swiftly separated from the white horse. The elites following her were also instantly surrounded by tens of thousands of armored soldiers. It made the princess uneasy, as if she’d emerged from a tiger’s cave to plunge into a wolves’ den. These people seemed more terrifying than the desolate beasts!

“Don’t worry. Your Highness.” Lin Hongyu beamed radiantly like the friendly big sister next door. “Barren will have accomplished a deed of great merit after the marquis kills his enemy. He makes a clear distinction between personal and public matters, always handing out rewards when appropriate.

“Barren will no longer have to suffer the hardships of life. You’ll be able to enter the prosperous central plains and become part of Skystar...”

The princess’ expression continued to change, but she didn’t say anything.

Enter the central plains...

For a nation accustomed to the bleak wilderness, their advantage in terms of calvary would be negated after entering the central region. It was difficult to say if there would even be cavalry then.

But this was truly not the time to worry about that.

“Everyone, enter the city!” Lin Hongyu’s voice rang through the air. “We must be on guard against a counterattack from the enemy! Withdraw from Barren territory and await His Lordship’s orders!”

The ponderous army began converging on Boundless. The massive ancient city hovered beneath the sky.

It was the first time in one hundred thousand years that a main city had officially appeared in the world. Whether it was Galewind or Battle Heaven, neither of the two had appeared before others.

Skystar’s armies quickly retreated, as did the Barren army approach Boundless under the leadership of their king and civil officials. An anxious atmosphere wrapped around the Boundless contingent.

Lin Hongyu and the others did not focus on them. Barren Dynasty was just a symptom, the key was that Empyrean King!

If they could kill the Empyrean King, then this battle would be a grand victory. If they couldn’t, then destroying Barren Dynasty and killing a few of Red Dust’s Saints was insignificant. They weren’t decisive developments.

Another city appeared in the distance as these thoughts ran through the crowd’s minds. It only briefly flashed through the horizon, observing something before it quickly disappeared.

“Galewind!” Lin Hongyu’s eyes widened.

The world was a bit more stable now. Although Red Dust still might not be able to walk out of the city, he might be able to send a replica like he had in times past. After all, much of the chaos had dissipated.

They needed to be careful.

Lin Hongyu wanted to chase after him, but ultimately decided to give up on the notion. The guy wouldn’t be getting away if the marquis won. If he lost... then there was no point in pursuing him.

Everyone was worried, but no one spoke of it.

......

The Hao Cosmos.

Zheng Hongyuan looked around and suddenly smiled. “The little friend is not being too honest. Is the dao universe this dark? It’s like there is nothing here...”

Li Hao did not say a word.

“I just want to ask you one thing, Zheng Hongyuan,” Li Daozong’s voice sounded coldly. “Whether it is the Lis or New Martial, did we treat the Zhengs poorly? Other people might turn traitor because they find their circumstances unfair or unjust. But the Zhengs were part of the eight families and you are an Empyrean King. Why did you betray us?”

“Does there need to be a reason, Li Daozong?” smiled Zheng Hongyuan. “Isn’t the world of superhumans reason enough? The Human King and others obstructed our path forward—it was as simple as that!

“It would be one thing if we lacked the ability to become an exalted emperor, but it was the Human King who severed our hopes of entering that field. He divided the world into three—he and the Green Emperor took one third, the exalted emperors of the world took one third, and all of life took the remaining third. There was no room left for newcomers!

“Those who came ahead of us monopolized the path, what could we do that about?? Since my family produced Empyrean Kings, we naturally wished to proceed to exalted emperor. The Sword Sovereign had a minor world, but refused to refine it and didn’t wish to give it to anyone else. Where is the fairness in that?!

“Is there anything that is wrong with the pursuit of strength?” Zheng Hongyuan protested instead of trying to argue his innocence. “Having cultivated our entire lives and reaching this level, we are stuck here forevermore. Do you think we were willing to see this outcome? There is a path ahead, but it is not available to us!”

It was as simple as that. There weren’t too many reasons, just that everyone knew the world was split into three. Trying to become an exalted emperor in the late days of New Martial was almost impossible!

For some, severing their hope of progress was a blood feud!

What other reasons did there need to be?