Chapter 1501: Advancing Swiftly (II)

Just as Li Hao was ready to set out once more.

The entrance to the Hall of Darkness.

Three exalted emperors were gathered here. One of them was the fifth rank Drouth, the other two were third ranks. There was another third rank and two second ranks that were yet to arrive.

Drouth had already waited two days. His brows were knitted together. Only two more had come over the past two days. Although it was difficult to get around in Demon Summit, it wasn’t a large place. It was actually very small to someone like an exalted emperor.

If it wasn’t for the convergence of energy that made it difficult to determine direction and prevented fast travel, the other three would’ve been here after a few short hops.

He took a look at the Hall of Darkness, then at dark puppets hovering in and out of sight in the surroundings.

“We can’t wait any longer!” he intoned. “More puppets have been gathering over the past two days. I’ve seen traces of the fourth rank puppet that attacked me before. We can’t stay here much longer! Since the other three haven’t joined us... we’ll head into the hall first. They should know that we went inside...”

The remaining two exalted emperors inclined their heads. Now was not the time to wait.

“Drouth King, why have so many dark puppets been lured out of the shadows?” asked one of them.

“It might have something to do with the Hall of Darkness,” Drouth said after a glance at the hall. “Over the past two days, I’ve sensed some agitation in the energy seeping out of the hall. This characteristic might be what is causing the dark puppets to be more fidgety.”

It was a bad development, but could also be used to their advantage.

Demon Summit had stood for countless years and no one had claimed the key treasure within yet. Perhaps it would be their chance this time.

“Let’s go in!” Drouth didn’t say much else. All would be known after they entered the structure.

Utmost Dark knew a bit about the Hall of Darkness; people from the major world had once visited it as well. It was said that there was nothing inside, that no gains could be had after entering.

At the same time, everyone knew that the key to Demon Summit was within this hall. The eighth rank dark envoy had cultivated here back in the day. That was a terrifying existence!

Drouth even knew some secrets that possibly the Dragon Observatory leader were unaware of. Apparently, the master of Skyward had visited a few times when the dark envoy cultivated here. They had had numerous conversations. Demon Summit was even potentially linked to the Skyward master.

This was an extraordinary place.

The Dragon Observatory leader could claim it simply because some masters of major worlds could not easily enter Skyward. Even if they visited, they usually kept a low profile and did not easily expose themselves.

There was another key factor in that there might be a premier exalted emperor standing behind the Dragon Observatory leader.

Although Skyward Region was named after Skyward, the major world’s heavyweights had long vanished. There were roughly a dozen major worlds in the region, the most renowned of which were Light and Skycloud. Their world masters were said to be eighth ranks.

This wasn’t a confirmed fact because they very rarely made a move. Even the Red Moon master was thus. High ranks might have an idea of how strong these world masters were, but other exalted emperors could only make a determination through rumor.

The Dragon Observatory leader might be backed by an eighth rank. Whether it was the master of Light or Skycloud remained to be seen. This was why Dragon Observatory was able to maintain a solid hold on the Demon Summit site. No one made trouble for him.

Just the rumor of such a powerful backer was enough to induce some fear. Any other heavyweight was unable to take on a sixth rank.

“Let’s head inside!” Drouth set everything out of mind. Demon Summit was the key to whether or not he could enter the sixth rank, if Utmost Dark could once more revitalize, and if the dao universe could be restored.

This was his chance!

He swiftly stepped forward with the other two exalted emperors. The massive doors of darkness swung open without a sound when the group drew near. They yawned open like a massive mouth of darkness!

Drouth was slightly nervous, but plunged forward without hesitation. The other two were hot on his heels.

After the three entered the hall, the doors swung shut, as if no one had come by at all.

......

Demon Summit.

Li Hao roamed around the area, pausing at a certain spot. He stooped down and touched the ground. Some blood infused with the power of darkness had sprayed over it. The young man extended his senses toward it.

What a pity.

The other second rank of Utmost Dark was dead!

Indeed, he’d died to the dark puppets. Some death qi was intermixed with the blood—it was difficult to sense for others, but Li Hao could sense it clearly. A dark puppet had killed the second rank!

What a damned shame! That had been the target he’d set his eyes on!

The second rank was the same level as him. Being a peak second rank, Li Hao had an easy time killing his peers. But now, his quarry had fallen to the dark puppets!

The road to him reaching third rank had just grown harder.

So being an exalted emperor doesn’t guarantee one’s safety either...

Li Hao reflected with emotion. How many exalted emperors had died since he came to Skyward? He himself was responsible for seven!

Five at Skyriver, one at Coiled Dragon Well, and two more here... It’d been less than a year since his arrival at Skyward, but he’d seen nine exalted emperors die with his own eyes!

Added to that the Red Moon third rank after Silver Moon rejoined the chaos and the second rank that Panther took possession of...

It made for eleven exalted emperors that he’d see perish with his own eyes within the year. That wasn’t even counting trash like Bone Eclipse.

The chaos really is very dangerous!

exclaimed the young man.

Little did Li Hao know, the nine exalted emperors that’d died on Skyward over the past year were the only ones who’d died. Each and every single one of their deaths had to do with him. All exalted emperors elsewhere were perfectly fine!

Under normal circumstances, there wouldn’t be that many of this level that died—not unless they encountered extreme danger or a violent war occurred. It was only with Li Hao’s arrival that the unusual was taking place.

And yet, the young man labored under some misconceptions—possibly because the Human King had outright annihilated a major world, as did New Martial. That caused the deaths of many exalted emperors, which made Li Hao feel that cultivators of this level died by the droves in the chaos!

But if it wasn’t for him and the Human King, how would there be so much conflict?

At least the Human King knew that he was a harbinger of death and violence. Li Hao, on the other hand, was completely oblivious. He thought of himself as a cultured, educated gentleman who nearly never went on the offensive or sought to kill someone. He fought for justice!

Perhaps he’d been brainwashed by Liu Long’s words back in the day. They were actually true for him and had become part of his personal values.

The other Utmost Dark exalted emperors might have all left or died. It’s going too hard to find them. Why don’t I kill a dark puppet and make it to third rank first!

To think of the deed was to take action, so the ‘dark’ character vanished. With it, the domain disappeared.

“Ahem!” coughed the young man. Rustles in the surroundings quickly answered him. The dark puppets that hadn’t come for him earlier began to appear.

A sharp claw appeared from the gloom—possibly his old acquaintance that’d chased the other Utmost Dark exalted emperor. They all looked the same to Li Hao.

A wild man appeared from the shadows, his eyes devoid of light. Only endless darkness filled it, but that didn’t hamper his aim as he stabbed at the young man!

......

At the same time, Dragon Observatory.

The leader looked at the board of light and frowned slightly. Two exalted emperors were dead. Three of them had entered the Hall of Darkness—their dots of light could no longer be seen. He could scan the environment outside the hall, not the internals of the structure.

In addition, Hao Moon seemed to be fighting a dark puppet. There wasn’t much difference that could be gleaned from his dot of light.

The leader didn’t isolate Demon Summit this time around since the puppet was only second rank. It would be no match for Hao Moon.

“There’s still another third rank left in the site...” He looked at another dot of light. The two weren’t too far away from each other. Would their paths cross?

If possible, he still wanted to test this Hao Moon.

Even if they don’t encounter each other, Drouth and the rest have already entered the Hall of Darkness. These two might meet in front of the hall doors...

The leader took another look at the dot of light that represented Li Hao. Had this one hidden his strength, or did he really benefit from unlimited fortune? Why did it seem like his light was almost third rank, and somehow not even much weaker than the third rank of Utmost Dark?

It was very strange!

This Hao Moon had been a first rank prior to the trip, but now he almost seemed to be a third rank. Was he revealing his strength because no one was around? Otherwise, a normal person wouldn’t progress so quickly, no?

Did he conceal his strength before? Perhaps he was a third rank to begin with?

It was too hard to believe that Hao Moon’s current level of strength was a function of regular cultivation. The boy couldn’t have been a real first rank when he joined! It’d been only a year—a blink of the eye for exalted emperors.

It was common for exalted emperors to enter closed door cultivation for decades or hundreds of years at a time. The Human King in a nearby region was an exception who’d improved rapidly, alongside his New Martial exalted emperors. He’d set foot into seventh rank after just one thousand years.

Seventh ranks were usually hundreds of thousands of years old, with one hundred thousand years being considered young.

Let’s watch a bit more!

The Dragon Observatory leader turned his attention back to the board of light.

......

Within Demon Summit.

Li Hao employed sword methods this time. One hundred dao stars gathered, life and death manifested when he struck.

The power of life and death was exceedingly powerful and difficult to deal with for most exalted emperors. However, the dark puppets didn’t seem to be alive, so life and death did not affect them. This eruption of force could not extract their vitality or still them through death qi.

Life and death was ineffective on these beings! The techniques that he’d brought to bear against the second rank could not be employed on the wild man.

Li Hao’s eyes widened. An undead being!

Or rather, these things didn’t count as alive. Only after truly exchanging blows with these beings did Li Hao discover that they were very difficult to contain.

The power of life and death was ineffective, whereas the energy of darkness would swiftly congregate and heal the injuries inflicted by any other dao strength. That enabled his opponent to stand with unlimited vitality, never weakening or suffering from injury.

𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

It was Li Hao who might die from attrition after expending too many resources.