Chapter 1531: A Cultured Gentleman Killing People (III)

Yuan Shuo looked at the Silver Moon martial masters around him and continued in a loud voice, “Don’t try to compare yourselves to my disciple, you can’t! It’s just like how the exalted emperors of New Martial won’t compare themselves to the Human King. They fall short of the best but are better than the worst. We can’t kick back and relax just because Li Hao is strong!

“The ascension of the dao masters to exalted emperors today is also a chance for us! If they’re exalted emperors and there are more people focused on cultivating one dao meridian, then those of us who’ve specialized in one attribute have a chance of rising to exalted emperor as well...”

It was just a hope. Seeing as both dao masters were only first ranks, it would be very difficult for the rest of them to become exalted emperors.

Under normal conditions, the limit of a world was the master of dao. For remaining cultivators to break through to the exalted emperor level when the dao master was only a first rank... that was exceedingly hard.

They stood a chance if the dao master was a second rank, but such circumstances were rare. Typically speaking, the master of a world was a seventh rank. Sixth ranks usually ascended with help from the first rank. It was difficult to pass anything on if one wasn’t a sixth rank.

“Yuan Shuo, the masters of dao are only first ranks. It’s going to be nearly impossible for us,” someone asked. “Lin Hongyu hasn’t verified her dao yet either. Is it because Li Hao is still only a first rank...”

Since the world master’s fiancé was yet to advance, general speculation tied her lack of progress to Li Hao’s river of life and death being too weak. That was a construct similar to a dao universe, just a bit smaller.

“I’m not sure,” Yuan Shuo shook his head. “But it’s mostly due to Li Hao’s continued absence. I don’t think Lin Hongyu will have much problem verifying her dao once he’s back. He’s got to be at least a second rank after making a trip out!”

It’d only been a year. Although everyone knew that a year was nothing in the grand scheme of the chaos, Yuan Shuo was firmly convinced that his disciple wouldn’t have shown no improvement at all. Li Hao was definitely at least second rank now!

That disciple of mine is absolutely a perverse genius. What’s the issue with getting to second rank?

The rest of the group could only hope.

Someone raised their head up to the sky. They didn’t see anything because they were situated on the world. They were also within Panther’s body, so the chaos was completely obscured from their eyes.

Hong Yitang and Gan Wuliang had clearly succeeded in their ascension, but then ran off without a word. Patently, danger was upon them.

Everyone was very aware that they must have encountered exalted emperor-level enemies on the outside world. Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do about it.

“It’s fine,” Yuan Shuo suddenly said when he noted how dejected the crowd was. “So they don’t think much of us and won’t tell us anything, but we should keep doing whatever it is that we should be doing.

“I’ll summon cultivators of the five elements and have them form a killing formation of the Five Styles with me! We can’t get out, but if someone comes in, we can trap them with the formation. I actually hope an exalted emperor tries their luck with us so we can give them hell!”

The old man chuckled merrily, “We could trap Bone Eclipse of Red Moon back in the day. Now the eight main cities and the Star Gate are gone, but we’re stronger! A bunch of Fused Dao building a giant formation in our territory still stands a chance to take out an exalted emperor!”

Although the group felt that the hopes were slim, they stirred to action upon hearing Yuan Shuo’s words. If someone really did take down their external defenses and made their way inside, the rest of the world wouldn’t stand a chance. All the same, doing something gave them a certain degree of comfort.

......

Conflict quickly erupted in the chaos. After the two masters of dao ascended, a battle between exalted emperors immediately commenced.

And as fighting was underway in full earnest, the two third ranks brightened with sheer, unlimited greed. They leered with madness—they’d discovered a dao universe! A dao river!

A newly born dao universe was unimaginable, the stuff of legends!

When the two Silver Moon dao masters stepped forward and became one, they recreated the dao river. And when the dao river appeared, Silver Moon’s pursuers knew that they weren’t just looking at a prize of a mid world anymore, but a dao universe!

They were fervently crazed, extremely acquisitive, and also horrifically afraid. Not of Silver Moon, but that someone else might pass by, or that Red Moon powerhouses might arrive.

Once someone else discovered that there was a dao universe here, a newly born one at that, there would be no chance for them whatsoever. The four pursuers would be lucky to be left alive if another came onto the scene.

A new dao universe was nearly the guarantee of a seventh rank in the future. It might take some time to produce an exalted emperor of that level, but people could wait!

The two third ranks also seemed to identify something. This dao universe... was similar to the one that belonged to the yin and yang dao universe. It could support two masters of dao. The two of them were third ranks, so maybe...

All of a sudden, the two were inclined to kill the other exalted emperors with them. If it wasn’t exalted emperors of the same level being tough to kill, the two third ranks even wanted to kill each other! Gains like these were meant to be enjoyed alone!

But at the same time, the two shared similar thoughts.

Since neither one of us can claim this for ourselves, it might be nice to have two fewer people share the spoils. As for those two... they didn’t even think about having a cut of the dao universe!

This kind of mentality and greed easily fell victim to others. Gan Wuliang was one such expert in taking advantage of these traits. While he and Hong Yitang could not stand up to a third rank, they could slow one down.

Strength from a peculiar dao wafted through the surroundings, affecting the exalted emperors after Silver Moon. Greed, fear, envy, and other byproducts of jealousy drifted through the void.

Silver Moon wanted nothing more than for their pursuers to fight amongst themselves. Otherwise, Celestial Pole wouldn’t be able to withstand their enemies, much less Lin Hongyu.

Although Lin Hongyu was a cultivator of life and death, she wasn’t an exalted emperor. Cultivators of this dao weren’t inherently superior—they would be heavily suppressed by a first rank all the same in a fight.

If it wasn’t for the appearance of a dao universe heavily tempting their pursuers, the Silver Moon contingent would already be obliterated.

The pursuers were also sharp on the uptake. The first and second ranks knew that they might be ostracized by the two third ranks after the dao universe appeared, so they held some strength in reserve.

It was their hope that Silver Moon would be able to heavily wound the two third ranks. Otherwise, the latter two wouldn’t be able to fight someone so much stronger than them!

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

In this way, Silver Moon managed to hold its own against much more powerful foes. A strange balance was struck.

The third rank taking on Panther hoped that the other third rank would achieve a pyrrhic victory against the two dao masters, whereas that third rank thought the same in return. And both third ranks hoped to conclude battle as swiftly as possible, just in case undesirable developments ensued.

And so, Silver Moon didn’t face as grisly a battle as they might’ve thought. Their pursuers struggled with various motives as prompted by Gan Wuliang’s ability.

......

At the same time, in another part of the chaos.

Li Hao frowned slightly. A star of life and death within the river was pulsing violently, indicating that its bearer was in the middle of battle. This represented that Silver Moon had come in contact with the enemy.

His river of life and death was a microcosm of the dao universe. If it was stronger, he could even reach through it to swiftly land on the other side or supply Lin Hongyu with greater strength.

Clearly, that was not up to Li Hao’s abilities at present.

Based on this speed... it will take us another half day to a day to reach them.

Li Hao looked at the exalted emperors around him. No one was traveling fast. They were very far away from Silver Moon, so they didn’t know that their target was right ahead of them and was battling other exalted emperors.

In a fight between exalted emperors, half a day was enough for everything to be done and dusted!

What should he do?

There were many exalted emperors here, and possibly more following from the shadows!

By now, Li Hao was somewhat confident of being able to fight a fourth rank. That was a strong level, but the key point was that battle would not be over quickly. If there were more exalted emperors hiding in the shadows... and they were strong... he had no possible targets to borrow strength from at present.

This was not Skyward, there weren’t ruins readily available to draw from. Granted, Li Hao had certain confidence and tricks up his sleeves since he dared to make a move with a fourth rank. There was still the corpse of a fifth rank in his river, for example...

Once he reversed time with the fifth rank’s body, it wasn’t a matter of whether or not that exalted emperor would lend him strength. Li Hao would outright take up residence in his body.

But if there were existences greater than fifth rank in the shadows, then the young man would be in trouble.

Perhaps... there’s no one following us. After all, they think we haven’t even reached Red Moon Region yet. It’s only a matter of time before we encounter Celestial Pole and the Pagoda King...

Upon a second look at the exalted emperors around him, they didn’t seem as annoying as they once might have.

Do I kill them all?

A variety of thoughts ran through his mind until Li Hao suddenly called up, “Exalted Emperor Hao Ming!”

The fourth rank in the lead cocked his head with surprise. What did the young man want?

“What is it, Fellow Daoist Hao Moon?” He was polite toward Li Hao because well, could one not be polite to the friend of the Light crown prince?

“Ah... I need to admit that I’ve lied to everyone...” the young man said softly, drawing collective blinks.

What did he mean?

“I’m actually half the master of a dao universe, similar to Fellow Daoist Void. It’s just that, my side is allied with New Martial...”

Jaws dropped. What... the hell did he mean??

“So I’d like to represent New Martial and Light to recruit everyone!” Li Hao offered sincerely. He felt that these chaos wanderers weren’t all that bad. Everyone was just following orders.

New Martial can’t be bothered with them and I don’t mind that they were working for someone else.

“All Red Moon can offer everyone is a few minor worlds or inviting all of you to join Red Moon. The alliance of New Martial and Light can offer the same thing!” Li Hao said seriously. “There are too many within the Red Moon alliance and too many chaos wanderers. Ninety percent of Skyward’s powerhouses support Red Moon. Do they lack so little faith in New Martial, a world that’s already toppled two major worlds?

“Being opportunistic comes with great risk sometimes! I’d like to represent New Martial and another dao universe to secretly bring everyone into the fold. Are you interested?”