Chapter 1489: Emerging From Seclusion (III)

Half a year passed on Skyward while Li Hao was locked into seclusion. All was quiet in the major world after the deaths of five exalted emperors. Although no further exalted emperors died during this time, the situation on Skyward changed somewhat.

Large numbers of exalted emperors surged into the world. Of them, many joined Dragon Observatory—even some mid ranks. The fifth rank from Utmost Dark elected to join three months ago, greatly enhancing the faction’s strength.

The fifth rank was the head of the Utmost Dark delegation, which meant that he came with a whole host of other exalted emperors. There were six survivors from Utmost Dark—one fourth rank, three third ranks, two second ranks. There wasn’t a single first rank.

With these six and the two fourth ranks from before, Dragon Observatory’s ranks had suddenly swelled to seven mid ranks!

This was an almost impossible level of strength to reach for many mid worlds. Only some of the most premier could attain this level.

With the addition of the newcomers, there were now two fifth ranks in Dragon Observatory. Void’s status decreased somewhat since he was a fourth rank.

On this day, in Void’s hall.

A surge of presence abruptly shook the premises. It appeared for only a split second before vanishing without a trace. However, it still drew attention from several exalted emperors. The leader of Dragon Observatory swiftly appeared as well, the expression on his face shifting.

Ascension?

It was very hard for mid rank exalted emperors to break through. Sometimes, tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years went by without any change.

He wasn’t very familiar with Void, just that it’d been precisely one hundred years since the latter came from a major world and joined Dragon Observatory. One hundred years was relatively short, but also not that short!

Void had been a fourth rank when he joined; the leader wasn’t aware of how long he’d spent at fourth rank exalted emperor. Had he been stuck there for long and only just made the progression today?

A multitude of thoughts ran through his mind, but now was not the time to dwell on them.

“Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Void!” the Dragon Observatory leader laughed heartily. “There is a third fifth rank amongst us now!”

He’d just recruited the fifth rank from Utmost Dark and now Void had broken through. This was indeed cause for celebration. While the gap between fourth and fifth rank wasn’t that great, this was still a fifth rank that they were talking about!

“This was just by happenstance!” Void said slowly. There wasn’t much excitement coloring his voice.

Fifth rank? That was just barely recovering to his previous strength. He’d been a peak fifth rank five hundred years ago. Based on that level of speed, he should be a sixth rank by now. That would place him just below some of the masters of major worlds in the true meaning of the level.

He should be on the same level as the leader of the Dragon Observatory. It’d been one thousand years since he started cultivating. Void had spent the first five hundred reaching peak fifth rank, then the last five hundred attaining fifth rank again. His speed seemed to be slowing down, and it seemed to have started from the third rank.

In the beginning, he followed the path as laid out in the dao universe. There was a real master of a major world in his family. And yet, five hundred years ago, he turned away from the plan that his family had set for him.

They wished for him to smoothly ascend from fifth rank to sixth, then see if he could take control of a dao universe or a world. They had his path to being a master of a world or master of dao laid out for him in a way that would maximize his chances of success.

However, he didn’t like his life being dictated in such a fashion.

He chose to give up everything five hundred years ago, withdraw from the dao universe, and start anew from the motley array of daos in the chaos. It took him five hundred years to return to fifth rank, but he was completely different from who he’d used to be.

He was now an exalted emperor of the path of emptiness, not the one who walked the path of the light god. Although that one bore a bright future, it was so... ordinary!

I am not willing!

Five hundred years!

He smiled when his thoughts traveled to Li Hao. That one had taken only a few years to rise from nothing and reach second rank.

I am much slower than him.

But that was alright. Momentary speed didn’t mean anything. He was one thousand years old and so was the New Martial Human King. However, the gap between them was still enormous. These people were his goals in life.

Having reached fifth rank, sixth rank wasn’t far off. However, seventh rank was much too difficult. For a cultivator of a random assortment of daos, it was harder than ascending the heavens to reach seventh rank.

Continual seclusion wasn’t the answer either. Perhaps he should be more present in the world. Or perhaps he should leave Skyward instead?

Void wasn’t interested in dancing attendance to the Dragon Observatory leader outside. That one had been a sixth rank for many years; he rarely seemed to cultivate now. He was either recruiting people or at discussions of dao to recruit people. His discussions of dao were complete bullshit—they analyzed the current political layout of Skyward instead.

It was all completely meaningless!

A myriad of thoughts ran through his mind, Void suddenly found himself restless. He was reassured after setting foot into fifth rank and recovering to his previous peak. This proved that he was on the right track, that his original decision had been correct!

It was only a setback of five hundred years, that was nothing in the grand scheme of things. It also wasn’t good for cultivators to lock themselves behind closed doors in meditation all the time. Walking around outside and broadening one’s vision was also good.

Isn’t Li Hao going to join the hunt in a few months? Perhaps... I should take a look as well?

Of course, he would be part of Dragon Observatory’s camp if he joined, not Li Hao’s side. He was going to hunt down some premier existences, such as the Sword Sovereign!

Ever since the massacre happened in Skyriver, all factions within Skyward reached a consensus. They were going to hunt down the Sword Sovereign!

This was a heavyweight said to be in the sixth rank. The person in the lead was the organizer of the operation—the Dragon Observatory exalted emperor!

All four major Skyward factions would participate. That was four sixth ranks, almost ten fifth ranks, and a dozen fourth ranks! With so many powerhouses marching together, they would dare fight even a seventh rank.

Void smiled. This could be very interesting. The Sword Sovereign of New Martial might be related to Li Hao. Silver Moon was where he’d once stood guard and Li Hao bore the same surname as him.

It’s time to stretch my legs!

With that in mind, Void materialized outside his hall. He looked at the Dragon Observatory leader and said, “Senior Dragon, I’d like to join the hunt to come!”

The man blinked and quickly smiled with approval. “Very well!”

This was a good thing! That guy hadn’t been willing to participate before and remained in seclusion. The Dragon Observatory leader had thought that being down one fourth rank was insignificant, but now that Void was a fifth rank... Having one more fifth rank in the group was one bit more insurance.

Everyone was generally wary of the Sword Sovereign. Although the man had only set foot into sixth rank recently, sword cultivators were terrifying to begin with. Not to mention, he was a New Martial sword cultivator!

“Void, our chances of success will be greater with you!” laughed the Dragon Observatory leader. “The benefits we’ll obtain from killing that guy are unimaginable! There are multiple factions that have levied bounties on that guy’s head, ones second only to those for the New Martial high ranks!”

In some cases, the bounty for the Sword Sovereign’s head was even higher than New Martial’s Supreme Zhang. This guy truly did have a battle record to his name and had been roaming around outside. He’d recently killed a peak fourth rank and was said to have executed another fifth rank in a recent clash with Red Moon.

A heavyweight like him who could kill mid ranks at the drop of a hat was exceedingly frightful.

“You can send for me when we move out,” Void inclined his head.

“I will!” nodded the Dragon Observatory leader. “Ah, your friend the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor. It’s been almost a year since he’s joined us. He has yet to visit. He should come by when he has time, I will personally receive him!”

This was Void’s friend, after all, and the only person Void had brought in over one hundred years. Now that Void was a fifth rank, the Dragon Observatory leader had to place more importance on anyone associated with him.

“Alright, I just don’t know if he’ll want to,” Void laughed.

What a joke! I’m a sixth rank. It’s a huge show of face that I’m willing to meet him! I wouldn’t bother if it wasn’t for you. There are a lot of initial ranks under my banner these days!

The Dragon Observatory leader treated Void’s words as a simple pleasantry. He smiled and didn’t say anything else.

Neither did Void continue the conversation. Instead, he sent a message to Big Claw. There were no direct methods of communication between him and Li Hao. The two hadn’t established anything, leaving it up to fate for each of their points of contact.

If the message went through, it went through. If it didn’t, then they could forget about it. A relationship between gentlemen was placid and reserved. There was no need to be in too much contact.

......

Newly emerged from seclusion, Li Hao quickly received the message.

The Dragon Observatory leader wishes to see me? He’s putting together a group to hunt down the Sword Sovereign... Now this is interesting!

Li Hao hadn’t planned on joining the operation, but he grinned with sudden interest.

I can take a closer look at what’s going on. Is the Sword Sovereign my ancestor or not? Whatever!

Whether he is or he is not, we can have a chat if I run into him.

The young man was truly interested in the Sword Sovereign. Silver Moon’s dao universe might have a lot to do with him. All of Silver Moon was heavily influenced by the Sword Sovereign!

And had the Sword Sovereign picked Silver Moon on purpose or not? Perhaps Li Hao could also ask him that.

......

Skyward, the southern region, Dragon Observatory minor region.

This region was essentially the local overlord of the south. It might not have been before, but it was now. With the addition of the fifth rank from Utmost Dark and the ascension of Void, Dragon Observatory suddenly boasted two more fifth ranks for a total of three!

This was an uncommon level of strength!

On this day, Dragon Observatory City.

Big Claw respectfully led a person into the city. The guards on duty were strong and recognized Big Claw. They knew that he’d been showing around an exalted emperor lately and had not returned for a while. Hence, they were both surprised by his sudden presence.

They quickly grasped that he’d brought back the exalted emperor that everyone was yet to meet. He was called... the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor, a first rank!

Everyone would’ve valued the new addition if in times past. But now they had six new additions from Utmost Dark, none of them a first rank.

The minor region masters elsewhere in the south had also come with their own exalted emperors. They had multiple first and second ranks under their banner.

More than ten exalted emperors had joined Dragon Observatory in recent times; the faction’s strength grew explosively!

Under such circumstances, the guards lacked a bit of respect for a first rank they’d never met before. They viewed Li Hao with a few hints more of unconcern.