Chapter 1561: Farewell (III)

“I hadn’t realized that it would be so dangerous in the outside world after opening the Star Gate,” Li Hao said after some thought. “I knew that Red Moon was very strong, but I thought that they might be my only opponents in the chaos since New Martial could take care of them.

“No one told me that there are opponents everywhere in the chaos. Everyone wants to kill the exalted emperors from our world...

“Countless people want our heads after Red Moon posted their bounty. We can be traded for vast sums of resources. Two more opponents pop up whenever I cut one down. There’s no end to them!

“I have to extract myself from the situation to protect Silver Moon. If it wasn’t for protecting Silver Moon, I might have already established contact with New Martial. I wouldn’t have to kill Red Moon powerhouses under the nose of the Red Moon master...”

“We have become a burden on the marquis,” Gan Wuliang said weakly. Had Li Hao grown tired of them?

“I don’t mean it in that sense.” Li Hao shook his head. “But that Silver Moon is too weak. It’s so fragile that it’s porcelain and will shatter at the slightest touch! This kind of Silver Moon can offer me no help, and neither can I only concentrate on protecting Silver Moon!

“Instead, I should make use of all the resources that I harvested this time...” A flinty look developed in Li Hao’s eyes. “I’ve killed a lot of exalted emperors and seized so much energy. In fact, I’m also going to go back and demolish Dragon Observatory. I’ll take all of their resources and shove them into Silver Moon!

“That’ll be enough for everyone to cultivate with for a while! The entire population should cultivate and develop themselves. If I can open Skyward’s dao universe again, you guys may be able to rejoin the chaos!

“In addition, I’m going to seal off the Star Gate again. I’ll cut off our connection to time!”

“You can do that?” Gan Wuliang blinked. Was that possible? The flow of time had been restored on both sides.

“Of course I can,” Li Hao smiled. “Skyward’s dao universe is sealed shut to begin with. But after I do so, you guys will be unable to contact the chaos or the outside world. You won’t be able to absorb any energy either. That means to say that you’ll have to devour pre-existing energy, which will eventually relegate the situation to how we were before—reliance on the circulation of internal energy.

“But how much energy can be absorbed from self-devouring? A world requires millions of years to develop. I will raid, loot, and plunder others! I will kill all of my enemies and throw all of their resources into Silver Moon. That will prevent self-isolation from becoming a problem.”

The young man looked at Skyward’s dao universe again.

“We must hurry. Once I lose my power, I’ll have to borrow more in order to open Skyward’s dao universe...”

“Your Lordship, do all of us need to be sealed away?” Gan Wuliang’s question drew a look from Li Hao; the man set his jaw. “I mean... we have a lot of exalted emperors now. Why don’t we let them walk out of the world?

“To each their own. What can exalted emperors do other than consume resources when they’re sealed away? Can they comprehend dao? Therefore... I say that milord should seal away Silver Moon, but not people like us!

“Some people will have to walk out from the world one day. Whether it is surviving in Skyward, heading to other worlds, or wandering through the chaos... That is up to our individual destiny! Doesn’t New Martial have many exalted emperors wandering around outside as well?

“You’ll be giving them free range for development. New Martial may not have enough energy either. They wouldn’t restrict their exalted emperors otherwise. That’s why I think that our exalted emperors should travel through the universe!”

“We can decide this later,” Li Hao said quickly after giving it some thought. “Let me bring back Silver Moon first, before the powerhouses have returned and anyone else takes notice. I’ll try to rip through the Skyward dao universe and hide Silver Moon inside!”

He’d hide it right underneath everyone’s noses, inside a ninth rank dao universe.

Even if you guys learn that it’s right here, you’ll have no way of accessing it. I’ll either have to die or those from Skyward actually return.

However, this dao universe will be even more of a cage than the chaos. There is no energy within the dao universe. Its denizens took all of it back in the day, turning it into an empty shell.

A dao universe like that is worse than the chaos. But at the very least, it’s safe!

Li Hao ran through a lot of thoughts. He didn’t want to hide Silver Moon inside the Skyward dao universe. The young man well recalled how excited everyone had been when the Star Gate opened. They had been reconnected to the rest of the universe and no longer needed to be sealed away. The future was beautiful!

But today, they were being informed that the Star Gate was closing again and Silver Moon being sealed off once more. Not only that, but that the situation would be even harsher this time around. It had been the chaos outside before; they might’ve encountered outsiders.

This time, breaking through the Star Gate would lead to nothing. If the Skyward dao universe did not open up again and they were unable to break through it, then they would be less free than they’d been in the chaos.

Gan Wuliang didn’t say anything. They could discuss all of this after they brought Silver Moon back.

......

Li Hao got to work. He was very fast while the strength of a seventh rank was still on him. The southern gate could no longer hold off the chaos tribulation. Skyward wasn’t fully sealed off, at the end of the day. It had four world gates. Closing one was just a temporary delaying measure.

Indistinct thunderclouds were starting to form over Li Hao’s head. The young man waved a hand to conceal them. With his strength, regular exalted emperors wouldn’t be able to see through him.

𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

After thinking it over, Li Hao decided to head toward Dragon Observatory.

......

Dragon Observatory.

A violent upheaval had taken place, but most within faction headquarters remained blithely unaware. Even though they knew that a battle had occurred somewhere out there... they still didn’t know anything, despite the deaths of multiple exalted emperors.

They were only a bit apprehensive!

But they weren’t too afraid, because a premier exalted emperor had joined them today. They weren’t as worried as one might think. Those at headquarters simply felt that if a fight broke out between exalted emperors, it would also threaten them to a certain degree.

A battle between exalted emperors often dragged in those weaker.

Big Claw was still waiting for Li Hao, trying to judge if he should go to Void or not. His thoughts were still running wildly when the world seemed to spin through Dragon Observatory. Some of the powerhouses remaining didn’t even have a chance to react before everyone was frozen in place.

A fifth rank appeared within Dragon Observatory; the strength of light manifested. His jaw dropped as he looked at the sky with shock.

It was the powerhouse accompanying Void. He’d been here all along, standing guard over Void when the latter was in closed door cultivation.

Seventh rank??

Who was it?!

He knew who it was the next second.

When Li Hao materialized, it prompted a drastic change in expression from the man. It was Hao Moon, the Silver Moon king!

“Crimson Cloud and the rest...”

“Are dead!”

I knew it. I totally guessed it. I guessed as soon as your strength appeared on the scene. No wonder there was such a disturbance earlier. So this violent madman killed them all. He’s really too vicious!

“I want to see Void!”

“You can’t!” Although afraid, the Light exalted emperor stood his ground. “His Highness is in closed door cultivation and left orders that unless he came out himself, no one is to disturb him. You... will have to kill me first!”

“We’re really short on time.” Li Hao slammed his palm down and created a cage, enclosing the man with a domain. There was no time to waste in further conversation.

Big Claw appeared moments later.

“Go, find Void and tell him to come out. I can’t go inside!” The tribulation was hovering over his head. If he entered Demon Summit, that might be the end of the dao foundation site.

“Understood!” Big Claw jumped to alarmed attention and darted into the dao foundation entrance.

......

Inside the Hall of Darkness within Demon Summit.

Void was still comprehending dao. He hadn’t been affected by any ripples from the energy outside. This place was completely isolated from the rest of the world. He wore a smile on his face. This was a wonderful locale and in front of him was a wonderful treasure.

He’d almost reached four thousand squares and was traveling at a fast clip. At this rate... perhaps he would make it to sixth rank soon!

Dao chess was marvelous indeed!

A voice seemed to sound in his ear the next second.

“Exalted Void Emperor, I am Big Claw. Milord Hao Moon wishes to see the senior...”

Void blinked and looked around him. There was no one there, just the shadow from the treasure. He thought he was hearing things, but seemed to hear the voice again in the next moment.

The man rose to his feet and walked out of the treasure for a closer listen. This time, he clearly heard the words.

Void lifted his feet and prepared to walk out without further thought.

“Are you leaving?” asked the shadow. “It is not a good thing to pause in the middle of dao comprehension. If you continue, I think it wouldn’t take too long—half a month at most—for you to enter sixth rank.

“But if you leave now, that is the end of your opportunity. You will not be able to enter dao chess again. It might take you only one hundred... no, maybe one thousand years to make the breakthrough here. You will find the dao you want after six thousand squares. Seventh rank is not out of the realm of possibility.”

The shadow felt that leaving now was such a waste. Void’s journey through dao chess was an opportunity that Li Hao had won for him. The man had not passed the first trial, so everything had to proceed according to the rules. This was Void’s only chance to experience dao chess. He would not have another once he left.

“My thanks for the senior’s reminders!” Void laughed and continued on his leisurely way. “Isn’t sixth and seventh rank just a matter of time? I am in no hurry! It seems that I have matters I must attend to, so I shall see you if we are fated to meet again!”

“Void, dao chess might not be open to you a second time!”

“Then we shall not meet again!” Void waved off the shadow without looking back; he truly didn’t mind.

Dao chess was a magical place, but so what if he couldn’t visit? What did that matter? As wondrous as it was, it was manmade. As daunting as the Skyward master was, that didn’t mean his creation really was unparalleled.

So he couldn’t come again in the future. Who cared?

The shadow didn’t know what to say.

These people... all make great gains after experiencing dao chess and can cultivate here with peace of mind, entering cultivation realms that others only dreamed of. But each of them comprehends dao for only a few days before leaving.

It didn’t understand what could be more important than the great dao at their heights of achievement. This was a treasure that a ninth rank exalted emperor had left behind!

Most exalted emperors would never have a chance to enter this place. Even if they did, they lacked Li Hao and Void’s potential. These people raced through dao chess with unstoppable momentum. They would easily set foot into the next cultivation level if given enough time.

But they gave up halfway!

The shadow was starting to doubt the very purpose of its existence. Why was this happening? Was the dao of a ninth rank no longer that alluring?