Chapter 1462: Skyward Major World (IV)

“There’s only third rank exalted emperors at the sites of dao foundation?” Li Hao was perplexed.

Big Claw blinked with surprise, then laughed with resignation. “The public sites aren’t very useful to exalted emperors once they reach fourth rank! When it comes to fourth rank, they can visit our proprietary site one time for free without having to join Dragon Observatory. It is a gift that we have prepared for fourth rank exalted emperors!”

Would those august beings need such a site at their level?

Do you think there’s a lot of fourth rank exalted emperors running around? That level can take over a region in Skyward and be the overlord themselves! In the outside, they should be the master of a mid world!

Strictly speaking, fourth and sixth rank exalted emperors were of the same stage. If they visited Skyward, Dragon Observatory would send an exalted emperor as a guide, not an Empyrean King.

“Senior, allow me to lead you to Coiled Dragon Well!” Big Claw said. “This was apparently the cultivation site of a seventh rank exalted emperor back in the day. He focused on the daos of the body and blood qi. This is a great dao that many exalted emperors practice as well! It is a dao present in many different worlds, just with minute differences.

“However, the passage of time is merciless and the flow of time imperceptible. It is rare for sites of dao foundations like these to exist these days! There will be fewer exalted emperors there, mostly first or second rank. The third ranks usually head to the other two sites, and this is only when it comes to Dragon Observatory territory. Some exalted emperors have already left our domain...”

Li Hao nodded. One had to say, life was much easier with a guide around. His guide knew everything; there was no need to blindly flail around on his own.

With mainly first and second ranks at his place of destination... he wasn’t afraid of any conflicts that might occur. Even if there were third ranks present, they wouldn’t kill him that easily. On the other hand, Li Hao could match a third rank if there was need to.

The bottom line was, he had some skill to his name as he was an exalted emperor of life and death. Not to mention, the dao of time had only been dismissed. It hadn’t disappeared.

I can collect it again in any critical moments!

It was just that doing so would result in enormous trouble for himself. The chaos tribulation might descend upon him again, which was not an outcome that Li Hao wished to see. It was best to keep a low profile. He was newly come to this area, so making money peacefully would be for the best!

......

At the same time, Skyward. Dragon Observatory Region.

Several exalted emperors were gathered in a massive palace, their voices lowered in discussion.

“Yin and Yang has made a move in Red Moon Region, resulting in the demise of Elysian Fields and Utmost Dark! Nether Moon and Skywave are moving toward Red Moon major world. They might ally together against Yin and Yang. This will be a massive battle rarely seen in the surrounding regions!

“There will be many high rank exalted emperors and dao universes involved! If Dragon Observatory can take advantage of the commotion to seize a dao universe, then our lord will absolutely have a chance of entering seventh rank...”

Up above the gathering, the one identified simply as a daoist did not make a sound.

“These will be difficult targets to take down!” someone objected. “The upheaval in Red Moon Region has drawn in many heavyweights. Yin and Yang and Red Moon are not weak major worlds. Yin and Yang has at least three seventh rank exalted emperors under its banner!

“And if the master of Red Moon is really eighth rank, then that will be one eighth rank and four seventh ranks... Plus major worlds such as Skywave means that there might be more than ten high rank exalted emperors participating in the fight!”

It was not that easy to retrieve chestnuts roasting in a fire.

“Let’s watch and wait for now!” the daoist said slowly after a while. “Battle has not officially commenced yet and the various factions of Skywave are yet to reach an accord. The masters of the neighboring major worlds have not decided to make a move...”

Participating at this exact moment was to cherish a death wish. But, they could make their preparations.

It was only a matter of time before the surrounding major worlds were involved in this war. Otherwise, the real trouble would start when a victor was decided between New Martial and Red Moon. The defeated would be devoured and the victor become so strong that they could not be restrained by their neighbors anymore.

Whether it was Red Moon or New Martial, neither were peaceful souls. They were war hawks!

“We need to focus on recruiting more exalted emperors to Dragon Observatory!” said their leader. “Both Red Moon Region and Skyward Region are not very stable these days. One exalted emperor more is one additional degree of safety! Multiple exalted emperors have arrived in Skywave in recent times. We occupy the southern gate of Skyward, which happens to be facing Red Moon Region.

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

“Many powerhouses have come from there lately, on the run from the upheaval. This is good news and an opportunity for Dragon Observatory! At the moment, there is a fifth rank exalted emperor each from Utmost Dark and Elysian Fields, as well as multiple second and third ranks. They are all present in Skyward’s southern regions. Our strength will increase by thirty percent if we can bring them to our side!”

“Will that arouse dissatisfaction from New Martial?” someone asked with hesitation.

“Their Human King has traveled through Red Moon Region for decades and never set foot on Red Moon,” smiled the leader of Dragon Observatory. “He constantly circles around the major world. Skyward has not seen a high ranked exalted emperor in many years, why would they come to us now?

“Not to mention, they would be newcomers if they did visit. There are many low ranked exalted emperors in Skyward. If the visitor dares throw their weight around, none of the masters of the world around us will sit idly by!”

In addition, New Martial was preparing for battle against Red Moon. This would be the last thing on their mind. While the master of Dragon Observatory could not afford to get on the Human King’s bad side, neither could the Human King do just anything he wished.

The group nodded again, that was true. The mention of two fifth rank exalted emperors being on Skyward was incredibly tempting. It would be an incredible boon to Dragon Observatory if they joined the faction!

Utmost Dark’s dao universe was said to have been destroyed, but Elysian Fields’ remained. Any exalted emperor of that dao universe stood a chance of taking it back.

Even if that wasn’t an option—such as the Utmost Dark’s exalted emperor, for example—they would wield a large quantity of dao strength. If they were lucky, they might be able to recreate the dao universe. The caveat was that they needed to possess the ability to do so.

If they succeeded, that was a dao universe for free. They might be weak in the early stages, but with a dao universe would come more opportunities.

“We also need to investigate the backgrounds of the exalted emperors in the south,” said their leader. “Just in case they’re scouts from Red Moon or New Martial! The Human King may not be inclined to visit, but many of New Martial’s exalted emperors travel through the chaos. The same goes for Red Moon. Skyward is close to Red Moon Region, so we should stay alert!”

“Understood!” Heads bobbed up and down through the group.

Finally, the daoist said, “The sites of dao foundation are starting to run low on exalted emperor blood essence. Find an opportunity to collect some more! Remember to be careful and not commit mistakes that can be taken advantage of by others! Look for some of the weaker wanderers and set up our people at the other sites.

“Create some trouble between them and instill a sense of danger. Help them understand that they need a strong faction at their back if they wish to travel the chaos!”

“That is a small matter, we have already made those arrangements.”

“Very good! Disorder is present in the chaos these days and it will take those of seventh rank and higher to pacify it. Who knows when such an opportunity will occur in Skyward? If I can set foot into seventh rank and take control of the world, then Dragon Observatory will become the master of a major world. We will match the major worlds of long tenure!”

The group was hopeful, but didn’t say anything. That was an ambitious wish!

Skyward had stood for so many years and played host to numerous masters of a world, but they always left empty-handed. Who knew if the legends were true or not?

Perhaps there was no fortune to be found here at all.

The group was both expectant and regretful. What a pity that they were unable to lay hands on a dao universe. Dragon Observatory would not have to be in its current straits if their lord was at seventh rank and a major world at their behest. Others wouldn’t be able to freely come and go through their territory!

The daoist said nothing else. Fortune was hard to come by and he craved to break through to seventh rank exalted emperor as well. But how many seventh ranks were there in the unlimited chaos?

Even the birth of a seventh rank exalted emperor in a major world was met with untold trials and hardships.

Apparently New Martial, however, had taken only three generations and several thousand years to produce a seventh rank. It had more than one, a fact that induced enormous envy!

The New Martial Human King was purported to be a brash and impetuous person who had no idea what the laws of dao were. The Ash Emperor was an entity that ate and slept, slept and ate. Somehow, it was also a seventh rank. The rest of the chaos was incredibly jealous!

As envious and jealous as the Dragon Observatory daoist might be, he didn’t dare provoke this faction.

However, the New Martial Human King was far too cocky and Yin and Yang a unique world. They would be embroiled in trouble sooner or later. Could he reap a harvest from whatever ensued?

The demise of Elysian Fields and Utmost Dark was certain to spark massive upheaval.

“Ah, yes. Yin and Yang seems to have lost a desolate backwater. It is a world that the Sword Sovereign of Yin and Yang once sat residence in. Red Moon ambushed it and sent it into the chaos. New Martial has searched for it, but has been unable to locate the world. We should search for it if there is an opportunity to do so!”

The group’s eyes widened and people nodded. A vassal world born of a major world, instead of one swearing allegiance to the faction, might make it possible for a study of the major world’s dao. But since both New Martial and Red Moon were unable to find it, it would be up to luck if Dragon Observatory could.

......

Skyward. Dragon Observatory Region, Coiled Dragon Well.

Despite the name, the site wasn’t actually a well. The terrain had simply jutted up to resemble one.

There might have been structures here before, but it had been untold years since the Skyward master’s disappearance. There wasn’t a single hair left in a dao foundation site open to the public, much less buildings. If it wasn’t for the remnants of dao lingering in the dirt that were hard to carry off, even that would be gone!

The chaos universe was not a place of continual development. It was a pond of stagnant water. Everyone flocked to any treasures that presented itself, not knowing when the next opportunity might come around again.

There were some structures outside the well-shaped hill, however. Their building styles were vastly different as they came from the hands of different world-dwellers. These were built by those who came later and were not native to Skyward.

There was almost nothing indigenous left anymore. Li Hao was clearly late to the party.

That was how the world worked at times. Arriving late meant there was nothing remaining.