Chapter 1615: Fighting On Behalf of Orchid Forest (III)

“It’s not that I wish entrance into the dao universe, just some temporary passageways that will support us with some Orchid Forest dao strength.” Li Hao was frowning as well. “I wish to ensure that the world no longer rejects us!”

“That cannot be done!” Heaven Rite shook his head again.

“Then forget it!” Li Hao frowned ferociously. “If you can’t agree to even this, that means we have no advantages whatsoever within Orchid Forest.”

“The fellow daoist asks for too much...” sighed Heaven Rite. “The rest are easy to discuss, but this final point of opening the dao universe to you... no one can promise that apart from the world master! Not to mention, we are not too familiar with the fellow daoist.”

They could partner since it was Li Hao’s group being sent to kill people. It didn’t matter who died, so long as it wasn’t Orchid Forest exalted emperors. It didn’t even matter if Li Hao killed those of Red Moon.

No one would stop them if they were willing to kill people.

But if these chaos wanderers were from Red Moon, then the Red Moon master might locate the Orchid Forest dao universe through them. He might even find the passageways and slip into the dao universe. He could kill the world master then!

That was not outside the realm of possibility.

Li Hao’s request was too much.

The young man knew it himself that it would be very difficult for the other to agree, he was just trying his luck. Upon seeing the man reject it out of hand, he knew that this was their bottom line. They would not open the dao universe to outsiders!

What a pity that they don’t want to take the risk... What if we’re not bad guys?

If they’d agreed, Li Hao would be able to lock onto the Orchid Forest dao universe anytime he wished. The Sword Sovereign and Void could force their way in and possibly take over Orchid Forest in a very smooth operation.

Do I look like a bad guy? Why don’t you trust me?

Li Hao grumbled some more.

“Then forget it. If you can’t agree to this... then... I can change it to wanting a portion of control over the world.”

The world and dao universe were two different concepts. Authorization over the world was similar to the heavenly will. Panther possessed such an ability. It wouldn’t have much effect on the dao universe, but would grant one advantage in the world.

Li Hao felt that this was an attainable request. It wouldn’t pose much of a threat—any threats would involve the dao universe. Meanwhile, having a portion of the world’s authorization would be beneficial to closing cracks and opening the world gates.

It also meant that he would be able to borrow more from the world’s strength.

Heaven Rite wasn’t in a hurry to reject this request. Although it wasn’t that appropriate either, it was much more palatable than authorization from the dao universe.

“Then, how much help can the fellow daoists give us?” he asked slowly.

“How many exalted emperors have infiltrated Orchid Forest thus far?”

“It is hard to determine as some may be in hiding. Some exalted emperors might have treasures with them that can conceal people, so an estimate is hard to come by. But... at least fifty exalted emperors have arrived at Orchid Forest lately. There are around forty in addition to the fellow daoist’s group. Of them, there are more than ten mid ranks.”

That was a lot. There were more foreign exalted emperors than local exalted emperors on a world, which meant that Orchid Forest truly had lost control over its territory.

“We can take care of at least five exalted emperors for Orchid Forest!” responded Li Hao. “As the fellow daoist says, there are around thirty low ranks. We can contain and even kill five to six...”

Heaven Rite was not satisfied with that.

“Exalted emperors are hard to kill,” Li Hao said slowly. “That’s one point. The other is that since we’re leaning towards Orchid Forest, that means there are ten fewer threats against Orchid Forest. And since we can neutralize another five to six, that means you don’t need to worry about fifteen or sixteen of them!”

Heaven Rite sank into deep thought; that was true. If these people didn’t favor Orchid Forest, they might become an obstacle for the world. They were sources of trouble themselves as well.

“In addition, if the fellow daoist agrees, then please supply us with fifty million dao crystals first. Each exalted emperor we kill nets us an additional reward. Ten million for first rank, twenty million for second rank, thirty million for third rank!

“We can obtain similar level rewards when we kill exalted emperors on the outside. If Orchid Forest can’t give us sufficient rewards, we will obtain the same if we ambush some minor worlds.”

Heaven Rite furrowed his brows. These prices... weren’t too outlandish, but they weren’t cheap either. Ten million dao crystals could purchase a minor world.

Of course, an exalted emperor was more important than a minor world. A minor world was a dead object, an exalted emperor was alive.

“Although Orchid Forest has some savings...” Heaven Rite wanted to say something, but considered that it would only be one or two hundred million dao crystals if the newcomer killed six third ranks.

Orchid Forest had existed for almost one million years; it had this amount of savings.

“I can take this in on behalf of the world master, but I cannot promise if he will agree! Fellow daoist, how long until you take action if Orchid Forest agrees to these terms?”

“We will act within a month!”

That was not too long.

“Then I will go back to make a report of this,” Heaven Rite nodded thoughtfully. “We will work together if there is a chance to!”

“Of course!”

With that, Heaven Rite disappeared. Li Hao steepled his fingers together and didn’t say anything.

......

In the distance.

Heaven Rite reappeared on a mountain peak. There was a dojo here and several exalted emperors, all from Orchid Forest.

“What do you think about their terms?” asked Heaven Rite, having relayed Li Hao’s words.

“They have quite the appetite,” someone chuckled. “But not too big, either! They’re a decently sized group and most importantly, have left no traces of them behind. It’s difficult to tell whether they are wandering cultivators or plants that some major worlds have been keeping on the outside.

“If it’s up to me, I would say why agree to their demands? They’re just a bunch of low ranks who are not too close to other exalted emperors. We should just take them out altogether! That will cow everyone else just as well!

“Heaven Rite, what do you think about this Myriad Dao?”

“It’s hard to say,” answered Heaven Rite. “But he’s not weak—he’s at least a third rank!”

“So what about a third rank?” another said coolly. “They’ve set foot on Orchid Forest territory and dare to haggle with us. Do they really think that we can’t do anything to a bunch of low lives? As weak as a major world might be, it is not something they can set greedy eyes on!”

“Well, we can’t put things that way... It would be a good thing if we only need to spend some dao crystals to make these people fight each other,” chuckled an older exalted emperor. “If money is all that it takes, we’d be buying multiple exalted emperors with it.

“They’ll arouse dissatisfaction if they do anything, with some others possibly joining together to take this group out! This will also fragment the outsiders. The world master is still combining the dao universe with the world. If we can maintain peace for a while longer, I’m sure the world master is willing to pay to a certain degree for that purpose.

“And if exalted emperors really do die in Orchid Forest...” laughed the older exalted emperor. “Orchid Forest can absorb their dao strength! It would be an enhancement for Orchid Forest no matter how little!”

“So the elder means to say... we should agree to their terms?”

“Why not?” laughed the old man. “We can probe the intentions of all sides first. We might be able to force some hidden characters into showing themselves!”

“Where do these guys come from? They’ve certainly got some nerve! Have they never considered that taking action first and provoking everyone else to work together, could mean that the first to stick their necks out might be the first to die?”

“Who knows!”

“Perhaps they’re doing all this to instigate larger-scale battle. After all, as pressing as current circumstances are, everyone is still waiting for the right timing. Perhaps they’re here to create this timing!”

“......” The various exalted emperors started discussing among themselves. Could they agree to such terms? They weren’t that strangest after all. If these terms were palatable... and if the wandering cultivators ended up running off with the crystals instead... Well, one would have to see if they could get away.

If Orchid Forest really could force more than a dozen exalted emperors off their land with just a few million dao crystals... then that was worth it.

“Agree to their terms!” declared the elder. “Heaven Rite, tell that Myriad Dao that we agree! As for the cracks that they want both sides of... that can be done as well! Give them the two that are controlled by Red Moon!”

The old man laughed softly. “Red Moon is not using their name in the two areas that they control. In that case, handing them over will also be a test of Red Moon. If Red Moon truly sent them, those people will not take brash action. If they haven’t... let them dog eat dog!”

“Understood!” Heaven Rite nodded. “Then the authorization of world strength...”

“That can be done as well!” assented the elder. “I will speak to the world master about it. The world master is the liege lord of Orchid Forest, so what if we give them a portion of its control? We can strip it from them anytime!”

“Understood.”

......

As the Orchid Forest group discussed, a second cultivator came to Li Hao. It was another fourth rank!

This one claimed to be a chaos wanderer named Unbounded. He was equally forthright when he saw Li Hao and forewent the niceties. “If Fellow Daoist Myriad Dao is willing to join us, we will find ways to supply the fellow daoist with sufficient resources that you set foot into fourth rank after our enterprise succeeds!”

That was likely the greatest desire for a low rank. The visitor wouldn’t have bothered with Li Hao if the young man was alone, but there were a lot of exalted emperors in his group. Most of them were second rank to boot. While they wouldn’t be able to kill a mid rank, they could keep one or two preoccupied.

“The fellow daoist does not make as good an offer as Orchid Forest,” Li Hao said brusquely.

“Orchid Forest is just painting a pretty picture in the sky,” chuckled Unbounded. “The fellow daoist should also know that the sun is setting on Orchid Forest. Everything they offer is but empty promises. It is a question whether there will even be an Orchid Forest in the future.”

“Fellow Daoist Bounded, will your future be brighter?”

“Naturally!” Unbounded pointed in a certain direction with a meaningful smile. “What does the fellow daoist think?”

Was he from Red Moon?

Who knew? And he might just be putting on a facade as well.

But it wasn’t outside the realm of possibility for him to truly be from Red Moon.

“I’ll consider it!” Li Hao nodded thoughtfully.