Chapter 1574: Fog Mountain (V)

“So this means to say that I can only chase after him right now!” Fog Mountain frowned slightly. “As big as the chaos is, he must be much slower than me. Does the crown prince think I can catch him?”

“Well... I’m not entirely without options to contact him,” Void said slowly after a beat.

“Then please pass along my suggestion, crown prince,” Fog Mountain nodded. “His Silver Moon has its own dao universe. As such, our interests do not conflict with each other. And for the crown prince...

“A ninth rank dao universe is strong, but it is silent.” Fog Mountain looked at Void with a smile. “Since the crown prince was unwilling to inherit even an eighth rank universe, surely you have some of your own thoughts in mind. Perhaps you wish to establish your own dao universe. The dao that is most suited to oneself is the strongest!

“People like us are old and don’t have grandiose ambitions anymore. We just want to live out our days in peace and be our own man. Freedom and a carefree ease is what we seek, we don’t wish to work for someone else anymore.

“So if the opportunity is appropriate, we’d like even a foreign dao universe!”

Fog Mountain seemed very sincere, but Void dismissed him out of hand. It was impossible for this old thing to not have any ambitions. This was the act of the hotly ambitious. If he really lacked any motivation, he would’ve gone off in search of Li Hao as soon as he determined the lay of the land.

Oh Li Hao! I told you not to continue, but you insisted...

Of course, Fog Mountain still would’ve guessed certain things as soon as he arrived, even if Li Hao abstained from doing anything. The guy was a very conscientious person and picked up on minute traces that the young man had left behind, even after erasing them.

He’d even guessed where Silver Moon was hidden.

“Then I’ll think of a way... for him to directly communicate with the senior?”

“Wonderful, that would be for the best!” Fog Mountain grinned broadly. This was just so lovely!

I like talking with youngsters. Old folks are so boring. Youngsters are much more interesting and dare do what other people dare not do. Even though they might miss a lot of things, they dared to give things a try.

Many people don’t even dare try anymore when they’re older.

......

Within the chaos.

Li Hao was still walking through the universe when his river of dao rippled slightly. The dao chess brand pulsed, sending over not the shadow’s voice, but Void’s!

“You’ve been exposed!”

Li Hao blinked. That quickly? He frowned slightly. It’d been so quick that he didn’t need to wonder who it was.

Fog Mountain!

The powerhouse from Skycloud.

“He wishes to speak with you... I have a recording of my conversation with him. Have a listen. These old guys are exceedingly shrewd! Both of us have underestimated the heroes in existence, but this may be an opportunity as well.”

Void sent over a recording without saying anything else. The transmission ended after a while. “Once you’re done, we can communicate through the brand. It just takes a little bit of energy. Not only can we study dao through dao chess, but those in possession of a brand can communicate through it.”

Li Hao nodded and didn’t engage Void in conversation. He watched the recording from beginning to end, heaving a long sigh after it. Were there really so many holes in his plan in the eyes of a seventh rank?

It looked like not only had he been a false seventh rank when he borrowed strength from a seventh rank, but he also immensely lacked the judgment of a real seventh rank.

Or perhaps this Fog Mountain wasn’t a regular seventh rank.

A powerhouse of Skycloud...

Li Hao thought for a moment and infused significant power into the brand. Since he wasn’t very far from Skyward yet, he quickly got in touch with Void.

“Help me talk to Senior Fog Mountain!”

“Alright!”

......

Moments later.

A shadow appeared in the river. Li Hao assessed it with a complicated mix of emotions.

“So the senior means that I should open the Skyward dao universe for the senior to take over?”

“Correct,” Fog Mountain smiled. “You can refuse, of course. You might be able to get away at this point. It wouldn’t make a difference to you if you gave up on some people. Perhaps New Martial has their own arrangements laid out and does not need you to worry. But if you agree, I can offer you some help!

“For example, outright attacking Red Moon exalted emperors that come to Skyward and forcing them to send more! Do you understand how dangerous it is to fight high ranks? It takes a heavy toll...”

“What if I agree now and go back on my word once the crisis is over?” asked Li Hao.

“Do you not want Silver Moon anymore?” Fog Mountain smiled.

“What if I wait until I reach seventh rank to go back?”

“You may be a genius with unsurpassed potential, but it will be very difficult for you to become a seventh rank while wandering the chaos!” Fog Mountain’s smile broadened. “You’ll need to return to Skyward! There are a multitude of opportunities in the worlds out there, but most of them will not be for you!

“I think that your opportunity will be found in Skyward, so you’ll be back! Not to mention, this is just a chat. I can’t force you into anything if you don’t agree now, can I?”

“Skyward is home for a ninth rank dao universe that is yet to awaken. Even if the senior takes up residence in it, you may not be able to recover it...”

“It’s fine!” Fog Mountain chuckled. “What I want may not be Skyward!”

Li Hao blinked. What did he mean by that?

“People like us just want to free ourselves of certain restrictions,” explained Fog Mountain. “It’s actually best if Skyward doesn’t revitalize! I just need to shift my great dao here and find a new home for it. Being able to wield the dao universe or not isn’t key. The key is that I’ll no longer be confined by others!

“No high rank wishes to become the pawn of another. I am no exception. What say you, Silver Moon king?”

“Do I have the ability to refuse?” Li Hao asked after thinking it over again and again.

“You do!” Fog Mountain laughed. “You can flee without giving thought to anything at all. You can even borrow external strength—perhaps the seventh rank strength that will take you outside of the range of Skyward and Red Moon. Will I be able to chase you down then?

“King of Silver Moon, isn’t it all up to you how your decision goes?”

“I cannot promise Skyward to you, that is not mine,” Li Hao said after some consideration. “I can only say that I’ll open the dao universe once for the senior. You may enter, but it is up to you whether or not you can occupy it.

“It will have nothing to do with me if the senior is trapped inside. I won’t leave it open forever either. If the senior agrees to this, then we have a deal!”

It was Fog Mountain’s turn to consider the situation. Just a simple opening of the dao universe and not continuously keeping it open... and it being completely up to him whether or not he could occupy it...

Fog Mountain sank into deep contemplation.

Helping Li Hao obscure the truth once resulted in the young man opening a ninth rank dao universe for him, once. Was this a worthwhile transaction?

Of course it was!

Fog Mountain didn’t need to pay that much of a price for it. And when it came to Red Moon exalted emperors, high ranks didn’t normally duel to the death in fights. He had nothing better to do anyway, so sparring with some high ranks was just as well.

“Very well, it’s up to me then!” Fog Mountain responded after a while. “It will be a function of my own fortunes whether or not I can occupy it. I won’t blame you if I can’t! I’ve received word that Red Moon might send two seventh ranks, but that may not be enough to lure all of their attention here.

“I can exchange a blow or two with anyone Light cares to send. We might attract the attention of one or two more high ranks that way. It is also up to you whether or not you can connect with New Martial. Just as you say, I’ll give you one chance since you've given me one opportunity. I’ll ask the Light crown prince to pass on any word I hear!”

“Alright!” Li Hao took a deep breath.

“Here’s to a good partnership!” Fog Mountain laughed heartily. “Ah, the crown prince is taking the blame for killing Crimson Cloud and the others. I would be hard pressed to explain myself if not! In addition, don’t think about taking on Dragon and the others. I also won’t be able to explain myself if your movements are exposed!”

“Got it!” Li Hao agreed decisively without saying anything else. He’d underestimated a seventh rank, so he needed to pay the price for it. It was much smaller than he’d imagined—the other party had agreed that he only needed to open the dao universe once.

This was one of the lightest prices that he could pay.

If Fog Mountain really did end up taking over the dao universe, then that was a testament to his strength and fortunes.

The young man took a deep breath and cut off contact. He then looked into the depths of the chaos and at Skyward off in the distance.

“The chaos remains a very interesting place.” He looked at Gan Wuliang after a while. “Everything can be found in the universe. I always think that I can be perfect in anything, but I find myself a joke when faced with absolute power!

“I’m going into closed door cultivation!” Li Hao laughed in a self-deprecating manner.

“What?”

“I’m going to break through to fourth rank!” the young man repeated with renewed resolve. “I’m not waiting anymore!”

He’d been of a mind to wait prior to this, to wait just a bit longer. Perhaps he’d be able to contact New Martial and lay hands on the comprehension of extreme yin. But now with Fog Mountain’s appearance, he completely set that aside.

Li Hao, you are not the smartest or strongest here. Not everything will unfold the way you think it will. You have to grow stronger!

So he chose to give up waiting for the dao of yin and yang. He chose to walk the path of emptiness and revitalization instead. If that didn’t work, light and dark would be fine. If that didn’t work, then the five elements!

I’m going to ascend!

The corpse of sixth rank Crimson Cloud was perfect for his purposes. All could wait until he reached fourth rank.

Gan Wuliang had no opinions otherwise. If it was him, he would’ve long risen to fourth rank. What would he wait for?

......

In this moment, Demon Summit.

Fog Mountain smiled and looked at the Hall of Darkness, then at Void. “My thanks to the Light crown prince for facilitating this conversation! There truly is much more than meets the eye at Demon Summit,” he chuckled. “Since the crown prince is willing to compensate Dragon Observatory for killing people, why don’t you buy Demon Summit while you’re at it?

“Demon Summit has the opportunities that the crown prince needs to meld light and dark. The crown prince killed Crimson Cloud because he tried to expel you from the dao foundation site. He didn’t want you to comprehend the dao of an eighth rank exalted emperor of darkness!

“How about settling both Crimson Cloud and Demon Summit’s matters for a small price?”

Fog Mountain had even thought of a perfect excuse! The integration of light and dark! This was a fantastic reason.

Demon Summit was where the eight rank dark envoy had once resided. Light major world was the territory of an eighth rank master of light. Both were eighth ranks and the polar opposites of a particular dao. Void had discovered an opportunity, but Crimson Cloud sought to block him from it. There was nothing wrong in killing the man then.