Chapter 1349: Aftermath (I)

Li Hao’s face appeared throughout the world as sky canopies whirred to life.

“Enemies have ruined the plan to integrate the dao universe into Silver Moon. Although I killed eight Empyrean Kings, there were also multiple half step emperors and even an exalted emperor! They prevented the dao universe from becoming one with the world!

“However, I have eliminated all threats below half step emperor after this encounter,” Li Hao’s voice boomed through the land, rising with charged motion. “Those half step emperors and the exalted emperor that remain won’t be walking around freely for long. We’ll try again when the time comes!

“The world has returned to a normal condition due to the high number of Empyrean Kings that have died in recent battles. There is sufficient energy in the environment because of their passing. Once I kill the half step emperors and the exalted emperor... the world will naturally take another step forward in its evolution. There is no need to worry about rogues and evildoers while I am here!”

The people were silent throughout the world. They weren’t nervous, just lost in incomprehension. How strong were half step emperors and exalted emperors?

They didn’t know! But these cultivation levels seemed very strong.

Empyrean Kings were more known to them—that was a level supposedly above fourth level Fused Dao. It was a very terrifying cultivation level and the marquis had also killed many of them last time.

Hence, no one found it odd or surprising that he’d done so again today.

As for those who knew more of the New Martial cultivation hierarchy, fear and consternation gripped every single one of them.

Half step emperors? Exalted emperors? Could those legendary existences really be found in Silver Moon? That was unbelievable!

Empyrean Kings... weren’t weaklings even in New Martial. But... were they the type to die in droves at the drop of a hat? How strong was the Silver Moon marquis now?

Although the plan to incorporate the dao universe into the world had failed, no one dwelled on it. The energy of the world had indeed increased once more, and by a significant degree. That was sufficient for everyone’s cultivation efforts at present.

It’d only taken a little bit of time in return for absorbing a great deal of Water of Life and a noticeable increase in ambient energy. This had been a worthwhile endeavor to many. Morale was high throughout the land.

As for potential hostilities from powerhouses... Everyone believed that there would be no trouble with the Silver Moon marquis present.

By now, everyone unconditionally trusted Li Hao because every enemy that came knocking was beaten back or killed, no matter how strong they were. Large scale disturbances had ceased to exist in the Hao Cosmos Continent ever since the young man took over the world.

......

“Your Lordship!” It was only now that Lin Hongyu and the rest dared approach Li Hao. His presence was ever stronger. He stopped opening dao meridians after the 180th meridian. Instead, he focused on the immaterial dao meridians of sword intent.

There were now more than 130 stars of sword intent in his mental world. From the perspective of cultivation level, he’d risen to fifth level Fused Dao. It wasn’t as great of an improvement as he’d thought—it fell short of his expectations. He’d paid such a heavy price this time that he wanted to gain more from his efforts.

He’d exposed the world of the mental sea, lost the chance to ambush the immaterial dao universe, revealed the star of time, and demonstrated all of his trump cards...

In return, he’d killed Ying Hongyue and a few inconsequential Empyrean Kings. His cultivation had only risen by a minor level, making him a mid Empyrean King. And that was one unholstered by core origin!

He would have to be sixth level Fused Dao, even peak sixth level, to manage to rival peak Empyrean King. There was still a gap between him and half step emperor. He would have to be at least seventh level Fused Dao to be half step emperor, and eighth or ninth to be a premier half step emperor.

Zhang An landed on the ground, looking at Li Hao with a mix of emotions. He didn’t know what to say at a time like this.

“I’ve been wanting to take care of those traitors... but today, you killed them all apart from Li Daoheng and Zheng Yu!” he ultimately declared with resignation.

He’d planned a long time for that goal! But before he could consider how to neutralize Zheng Yu, Li Hao outright executed everyone apart from Zheng Yu and Li Daoheng!

Even Zhang An had to admit that Li Hao more and more resembled his own grandfather, that supreme revered by all of New Martial!

When it came to planning and strategy, at least, Li Hao always found success. His success came with a backdrop of his enemies fully knowing that a trap was laid out, but having no choice but to set foot in it. Even when he schemed against others, he did so with a grand generosity!

If the god of Initial Martial really was the replica of Cosmic Pole... then he was indeed someone who could survive until the end of time. But even he had been forced out of hiding this time—a testament of Li Hao’s capabilities!

He had no choice but to show himself!

The young man had gifted him—or the blade, rather—the combination of the eight bloodlines. No matter how indifferent Cosmic Pole himself may be, he had to keep the blade in mind.

Thus, that one was probably quite dejected at the moment.

Li Hao... really is a superb talent!

Zhang An inwardly praised once more. If the young man could make it past the trials of Silver Moon, then... Li Hao might surpass his grandfather!

As for whether or not he could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Human King. That was difficult to say. Although the Human King was not skilled at strategizing and didn’t like to do so, his dominance and valor was unparalleled.

Zhang An once more felt strongly of how different Li Hao and the Human King were. Meanwhile, the Saints standing behind him were at a complete loss. If all the traitors were dead and only the two half step emperors left... what were they supposed to do?

Go kill half step emperors? Or what? There didn’t seem to be anything they could do anymore.

They looked helplessly at Zhang An. The Saints had followed him because they felt that New Martial vengeance should be exacted by those of New Martial. But now look at the situation!

All Zhang An had accomplished from beginning to end was to take over Star River!

“Marquis Li, we are unable to match a half step emperor. The gap between our cultivation levels is too great!” the Zhang Saint suddenly expressed. “But I hear that New Martial cultivators can stabilize the new dao if we transplant our great dao? If that is the case, will that further strengthen the marquis, perhaps facilitating an ascension to seventh level Fused Dao so that you are able to fight a half step emperor?

“There are not that many of us, but we are all bonafide core origin Saints!”

This person brimmed with blade intent and was ferocious in battle. When the plant spirit of the Zhangs’ Steadfast Sky turned traitor, he executed it on the spot.

The Zhangs... are Little Yuan’s ancestral family,

Li Hao mused.

It would be too calculating for the Saint to declare at this moment that he wanted to join Silver Moon. But to make an offer of transplanting his dao so that the new dao would be more consolidated, thereby pushing Li Hao forward on his cultivation... That didn’t sound the slightest bit conniving at all.

In fact, it was a show of immense righteousness and gratitude.

I will use the core origin dao to stabilize the new dao!

I will help Li Hao battle half step emperors!

What a great demonstration of magnanimity this was!

And the truth was, none of the Silver Moon martial masters would’ve been happy to hear a New Martial Saint express that he wanted to join them, not at this stage. Why hadn’t the offer been on the table before, when they needed help more?

But on the other hand, this declaration made a great deal of sense to the martial masters. These were indeed genuine core origin Saints in front of them, and their great daos would indeed fortify the dao universe and dao river.

Although there weren’t that many of them, the help they provided would be invaluable. No one thought poorly of the suggestion and rather felt that it should be taken into consideration.

Of course, everything depended on Li Hao. Such was the art of the speech.

The Zhang Saint looked like an honest and simple person, yet Gan Wuliang and a few others were considering him in a new light after that offer. Here was another person to reckon with. Zhang An hadn’t even said anything yet, but this Saint had already won a lot of goodwill!

As expected of a descendant of a politician! The Saint’s ancestor had been a governor general of New Martial and a half step emperor. He’d been the governor general of the Human King’s home, making him the equivalent of Zhao Shuguang.

Li Hao didn’t immediately say anything. Instead, he looked at the New Martial Saints gathered around him, including the redwood tree. Although they purported to have been cultivating the new dao all this time, they were just studying and comprehending it. None of them had officially switched to the new dao, so they still counted as core origin cultivators.

There were quite a few New Martial Saints among them. If they all switched to the new dao, it would be as the Zhang Saint said, highly beneficial to the new dao.

Li Hao took another glance at the void, at where the dao universe rippled and the loose energy left behind by the Empyrean Kings...

“Very well!” he smiled. “Let’s make use of this opportunity to convert all willing New Martial cultivators to the new dao! Redwood Mountain and the others have been waiting for this opportunity, so we should make full use of it! It won’t come around again!

“There is no one who will stop or interfere with us right now... Those three guys are too busy fighting each other to the death in the immaterial dao universe. They won’t be out in the short run!”

“Are you going to ignore them, just like that?” Zhang An furrowed his brows. “If the star of time really is taken...”

That would create incredible trouble! Was Li Hao really not going to do anything?

“I don’t have the ability to do anything about them.” Li Hao shook his head. “They’re half step emperors and there’s three of them! The star of time won’t be captured so easily. And with three of them checking each other, they form the most stable configuration of a triangle.

“If it’d only been Zheng Yu, I would worry that he wouldn’t be able to hold out against Li Daoheng. But when it’s three, none of them can fight two at once!”

It would be a dicey situation if there were only two of them in the dao universe. A simple duel might decide the outcome of the star.

But when there were three... that made things interesting! There would be no easy solution then! Two would easily overpower one, but the unexpected could occur when it was one against one.

Zhang An inclined his head in agreement, then thought over the upcoming arrangements. “I have no opinion about them switching to the new dao, and it’s even better that you’ve agreed. I hadn’t expected that we’d reach this stage so quickly, that you would resolve all of the trouble left behind by the half step emperor!

“You’re much stronger than me, so if everyone is willing... You can do as you see fit.” He paused at this point. “You’ve greatly exceeded my expectations! But... there is one question that I’d still like to ask.”

“Ask away, senior!”

Zhang An considered him for a long time. “If, and I mean if. If everyone is unable to ascend to exalted emperor, but Li Daoheng and Zheng Yu are willing to ally with you to kill the Red Moon exalted emperor... would you be willing?”

Li Hao looked meaningfully back at the man and didn’t immediately respond.