Chapter 1421: Exchanging Counsel (I)

He Yong gradually calmed down from his blustering and blinked with astonishment. “Wait wait wait... that wasn’t an illusion? All of us really died? But how can that be... All of this was to resurrect us?” He rubbed his head. “No, wait, didn’t you say that this was to bring Earthturner Sword back?”

Indeed, the sequence of events that he’d experienced was Earthturner Sword falling in battle. What they’d just undergone last was also a resurrection, but for Earthturner Sword and some others!

Hong Yitang laughed and flicked a glance at He Yong. “I wouldn’t die even if you died! I’m the master of corporeal dao, how would I die?”

He Yong blinked with incomprehension. “What? Isn’t the master of corporeal dao Yuan Shuo??” He looked accusingly at Yuan Shuo, who smiled back and quickly adopted a blank expression.

“I don’t know, so it was all a farce!”

“......” Everyone looked at him.

Why do I feel like you knew the truth?

“Alright, we’ve all experienced and comprehended everything.” Li Hao’s laughter rang through the world. “Those who were resurrected simply swapped places with a few others during the process. Everything proceeded as it should’ve, which saves me a lot of time and effort explaining!”

The young man looked to the four corners of the world. “I have returned to Silver Moon, as have my teacher and other valiant souls who previously fell in battle. My deepest gratitude to the entire world for your assistance!”

Unbounded energy bubbled out of each cardinal direction. Not only that, but longswords hovered in the firmament and radiated their energy throughout the land

“These are the swords of the Hao Moon, each sword represents one sword dao. Everyone is free to comprehend sword dao from them!” Li Hao’s voice rang throughout the world. “Do not let greed rear its head, one dao is sufficient! You can comprehend the aura of martial dao and coalesce your supernatural character! The corporeal dao is open to you, as is the immaterial dao!

“Fused Dao is open to you with the completion of one dao! These are all the daos that I have comprehended, everyone is free to learn them! This is a grand celebration throughout the land to celebrate these joyous tidings for Silver Moon!”

Ten billion beings throughout the land shook with incredulity. The Hao Moon sword dao! The dao of the Silver Moon marquis! Could such a thing be shared so freely??

Even the powerhouses close to Li Hao stared, openmouthed. This was Li Hao’s sword dao! Or more specifically speaking, his unique dao. He was willing to openly share it, just like this?

Li Hao’s smile was amiable as he spoke softly to those around him, “Welcome back, everyone! I’ve missed you!”

Even the agitating He Yong heard the young man’s words with complicated emotions.

He missed us!

Bam!

He Yong smacked Li Hao with a fist, making the young man stumble. He grabbed Li Hao in a bear hug and laughed uproariously.

Hou Xiaochen chuckled with restraint and coughed a few times, hugging Yu Luocha tightly to himself.

“You’re a real man!” Yu Luocha murmured softly in his ear.

“......” Hou Xiaochen paused and looked down as the woman in his arms, a light in his eyes.

Yuan Shuo also grinned radiantly and looked around him, muttering, “My disciple is invincible!”

Li Hao was truly invincible!

None of the Silver Moon braves could refute that Li Hao was the first and foremost within the land. Demon Sword Li Hao was the greatest in Silver Moon!

A similar thought occurred to all Silver Moon denizens, that Li Hao was incomparable and above them all!

The great dao was in front of them, and the heavens accessible with one step!

An exalted emperor—well, a powerhouse similar to exalted emperor—and his great dao was right in front of them. Whether it was mundanes or ordinary citizens, they simply needed to reach out with one hand to grasp it. How many personages had been able to offer so freely of themselves since the ancient times?

It was an age of great prosperity and flourishing for Silver Moon and martial dao!

......

The swords of the Hao Moon rose in the air, martial dao thriving in their wake. The ascension of the world’s status, the revival of the fallen heroes, general peace and tranquility, and a golden age of prosperity brought Silver Moon to its highest peaks yet.

One could say that current times were the peak of existence for Silver Moon and for Li Hao.

The young man had swept undefeated through the world and all of his enemies had fallen! There was no one who could stand against him!

Sounds of joy and delight bubbled over the world, everyone smiled happily. If one could lose themselves in the world’s golden age, they would enjoy a temporary respite and immerse themselves in fortune and ease. There would be nothing to worry about.

But... was everything really as they wished?

......

As laughter and happy chatter rang through the world, only a select few felt unbounded pressure bearing down on them and undefinable darkness.

Li Hao was going to die of old age.

Only when he walked out of Silver Moon, survived the chaos tribulation, and ascended to exalted emperor did he have a chance of recovering. The power of time could help a person recover, but it would not increase their life span. Even time would be hard pressed to save someone who’d run out of years to live.

As for walking out of Silver Moon... that meant this temporary peace would be broken again. Whether it was Li Daoheng or Bone Eclipse, either of them had been a powerhouse. But once someone left the confines of the tiny Silver Moon, they would find countless other worlds, exalted emperors, and masters of the world among the universe.

New Martial had possessed numerous exalted emperors and heavyweights, but it still permitted Silver Moon to freely drift around. Was the world lost, or was New Martial really unable to triumph over its enemies?

No one knew!

Although the Ash Emperor had briefly appeared, it should’ve rushed here as soon as Number Two awakened—assuming that was possible. It wouldn’t have appeared for a split second and then vanished.

......

The central continent, Skystar City.

Everyone cultivated and energy ran throughout the world. Presences brimmed throughout the land. Some became Mountain and Sea, others made it into Sun and Moon. The effects of general cultivation were becoming quite apparent.

The Governor General Office.

Such exuberance and high spirits reigned that no one was willing to go home. The newly revived boasted to their friends what they’d seen and done during death—all of that was bullshit, of course. There was desolate silence after death and nothing to see.

......

The rear yard.

Snowflakes fluttered from the sky, another deep winter was upon them. It was almost the year 1732 and heavy snowfall was descending upon the land. It wasn’t as cold as before, however. This winter also wasn’t as cold as the ones in years past. Last year, Li Hao had resolved the problems of the nine ministries and royal family. He had been beset within and without by worries.

Last year, refugees had dotted the four continents. This year, the four continents were one.

Only Great Li and Divine Nation were isolated from them. But Great Li had the king and Celestial Pole, and Divine Nation had their queen. With these powerhouses in residence, the winter wouldn’t be too difficult to endure for their citizens either.

A jug of warmed alcohol sitting on a stone table wafted a delicious fragrance. There was a group of people sitting around it. Li Hao, Yuan Shuo, Hong Yitang, He Yong, Hou Xiaochen, Liu Long, Yu Luocha, Jadelight Sword, Lin Hongyu, Hongxiu who’d insisted on rushing back from the west, as well as Hong Qing and Liu Yan who insisted on setting up a perimeter guard.

There were five families in attendance—or six, if including He Yong.

Of these people, Yuan Shuo was Li Hao’s teacher, Liu Long was the young man’s chief, Hou Xiaochen was the director, whereas He Yong and Hong Yitang were martial uncles that’d helped him many times. They were Li Hao’s mainstays in Silver Moon and key figures in his rise.

Lin Hongyu rose to fill everyone’s cups with wine. When their cups were full, Li Hao raised his high.

“I’d like to toast everyone, everything can be found at the bottom of the cup!” smiled the young man.

All Silver Moon martial masters loved to drink. They wandered through the martial world, their weapons tasting blood. One was not a Silver Moon martial master if one did not drink.

Yuan Shuo smiled and raised his cup, as did the others. They tossed the contents back, drunk before having tried the liquid!

Li Hao raised another cup when he was done with his first and drained that one as well. “I feel so invigorated and touched by everyone’s return. That battle at Boundless has eaten away at my heart day and night ever since it took place!”

The young man sighed with desolation, not keeping anything from the group. “It was like ten thousand arrows had pierced through my heart. Whenever I close my eyes, all I can see are people dying on the battlefield and their blood spraying across the ground!

“I, Li Hao, lost both of my parents five years ago and my brother was left without an intact corpse three years ago. I was fortunate enough to receive my teacher’s favor and Chief Liu’s staunch protection even at the expense of his own life!

“I went to White Moon City and visited Battle Heaven. There, I received the director’s shelter, Martial Uncle Hong’s pointers, and Martial Uncle Southern Fist’s loyal help. That is how I made it past the most difficult of times. I was not beaten down, I was not crushed by hate. Ultimately, I was able to execute my enemies and obtain my vengeance...”

The group listened silently, with even the verbose He Yong staying quiet. They reminisced on their shared past. In those times, a mere Slayer of Tens or Dominator of Hundreds was enough to end Li Hao’s life. When the Red Moon organization attacked them, one Solar level supernatural had nearly killed them all.

And now, Slayers and Dominators were as common as cabbages in the field.

The women among the group took it upon themselves to ensure that everyone’s cups were kept full. No one interjected. They all listened quietly as the most powerful person in the world spoke of the past.

“It is all thanks to everyone’s support that I have made it to my current heights!” Li Hao concluded emotionally. “What I wanted to do most after Bone Eclipse’s death was to resurrect everyone. I’ve finally achieved my heart’s dream today!”

Yuan Shuo lifted his cup as well and took a sip out of it. He smiled as gently and refreshing as the spring breeze. “The results are good, that’s all that matters. The process doesn’t really matter—this is part of growing up!

“You were able to unify Silver Moon in such a short period of time, defeat strong enemies, and break the backs of external invaders... You’ve accomplished a grand enterprise that others were unable to achieve for one hundred thousand years!

“To be frank, so what of it if you haven’t been able to revive us? I am already more than seventy years old!” Yuan Shuo laughed. “This would be the end of a normal lifespan for someone who doesn’t cultivate! For those of us present, only Liu Long is of the next generation. He’s a little younger than us, but the rest are about the same as me.

“Life is fickle. We are fortunate to be able to cultivate and live long! But if our lives had ended like that, so what?”