Chapter 1616: Fighting On Behalf of Orchid Forest (IV)

“I hope that the fellow daoist recognizes the circumstances of the situation that you are in!” emphasized Unbounded. “Some things cannot be spoken of too clearly, but as the leader of a faction, the fellow daoist should naturally understand my meaning!

“Orchid Forest is fated to disappear. Changes have taken place at Skyward, and New Martial destabilizes Red Moon Region. There might be further changes in Red Moon Region as well. In that case, a sixth rank world such as Orchid Forest will find it difficult to survive.”

The weak became food for the poor. If the leader wasn’t strong enough and possessed something like a dao universe that incited greed in others, then the Orchid Forest master would certainly fail to retain his world.

Such was the harshness of reality and the stark naked truth of the chaos!

“Is the fellow daoist assured of your prospects against the Orchid Forest master as well?” asked Li Hao after some thought.

“Of course!” Unbounded was highly confident. “Who would come here if they weren’t assured of their chances? Do we seek to go to our deaths?”

Very well then. Perhaps they really were that confident. Did they have a seventh rank with them?

Even if they did, that seventh rank likely wasn’t here in person at the moment.

“Fellow Daoist Myriad Dao, your task will not be difficult. Simply coordinate with some people to exert control over all low ranks in Orchid Forest. There’s not that many of them and some of them aren’t willing to commence open hostilities between us either. Therefore, you might not need to truly battle it out. You just need to intimidate them!”

Li Hao nodded. It was possible that Orchid Forest really did just need people to cow their opponents. That was all his group needed to do to be paid.

The young man didn’t immediately come to a decision, he simply said that he’d think about it.

Unbounded said nothing else and quickly departed.

......

Members of Li Hao’s group trickled back in. The wandering cultivators in the world were highly wary of the little group and disinclined to converse with them. Having so many in a group also raised a lot of attention. Because of this, many wandering cultivators felt that Li Hao’s side was too full of themselves.

This was a major world, after all. It was exceedingly unwise to gather together with such great fanfare instead of splitting up. If this group became the fuse that set Orchid Forest on fire, they would be devoured whole!

These low ranks were dreaming to think that they could dictate the situation!

Once both sides found that it was impossible to recruit Li Hao’s group, they might opt to exterminate this unknown factor first.

......

Li Hao received word from Orchid Forest at this time—they agreed to Li Hao’s terms. They would only be paying ten million dao crystals as the first installment. It could be considered a greeting gift. The rest of the conditions would be in effect if Li Hao’s group really could start a war and kill an exalted emperor or two.

Otherwise, Orchid Forest would not supply them with further benefits.

Ten million dao crystals for a dozen exalted emperors working on their behalf. It was a very worthwhile trade for Orchid Forest.

......

Within the great hall.

The Pagoda King and Celestial Pole didn’t say anything, whereas Gan Wuliang tried to put in a good showing by shaking his head. “Orchid Forest is quite the dreamer. While ten million dao crystals are a lot, there’s quite a few of us here. It’s the equivalent of one million dao crystals for each of us. Hiring an exalted emperor with this price... makes us cabbages by the side of the road!

“If we really do accept these terms and they renege on their word, then we might become a public enemy because we’ll have taken action first against everyone!”

Li Hao sank into deep thought and asked after a while, “Do you guys think there’s a chance for Orchid Forest to survive all of this?”

“......” The group exchanged glances; no one had an answer.

“The Orchid Forest master absolutely has to reach seventh rank,” said the Pagoda King. “Otherwise, he will not save his world! Red Moon will not permit Orchid Forest to remain if it wishes to recover!

“And even if he becomes a seventh rank, the Orchid Forest master might still join Red Moon’s banner. Red Moon Region is rocked with instability these days. In my eyes, Orchid Forest is simply demonstrating its value at the moment. It doesn’t wish to become a vassal—it would rather be an alliance member.”

Li Hao nodded in agreement. “Therefore, Orchid Forest will most likely become part of Red Moon in the end.”

Nods abounded in the group, this was inevitable. Orchid Forest didn’t have many chances to fight back.

The young man thoughtfully knocked on the table. “What do you guys think about really joining Orchid Forest?”

“......” Everyone blinked. What did the young man mean?

“Orchid Forest is powerless right now,” explained Li Hao. “If we really join them and become part of their ranks, we’ll most likely become part of Red Moon as well, no matter if the Orchid Forest world master becomes a seventh rank or not!”

Won’t we be part of Red Moon then?

“The key to joining a major world is assimilating into their great dao!” intoned Hong Yitang.

Can you still resist when you are part of the great dao? The major worlds are no fools. Just try being a spy. It’s not that easy to infiltrate Red Moon! They’re not full of holes like Orchid Forest is.

Even if the Red Moon master heads to Skyward, the remaining seventh rank will likely still be in residence at Red Moon. He won’t let random exalted emperors enter Red Moon, not unless they are willing to be part of its great dao.

“Does anyone have a way of separating themselves from Red Moon’s great dao after becoming part of it?” asked Li Hao.

“......” No one made a sound. The Pagoda King and Celestial Pole shook their heads—it wouldn’t be that easy.

“What about forging a great dao?”

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Everyone stared at Li Hao, thinking that he was simply having the most fantastic daydreams. Did he think too lightly of an eighth rank world master?

“What is known as a dao mark is just a physical manifestation of dao!” explained Li Hao. “Exalted emperors can break free of dao universes if they are willing to relinquish the strength of one! What if we are willing to relinquish it?”

“......” No one made a sound. That was feasible, assuming that one was willing to relinquish it!

“We can be part of any world so long as there is a great dao that is a good match for us. We do not need to cultivate only one dao. When the great dao melds into the dao universe, we can outright forgo that great dao in a critical moment...”

“It’ll be too hard!” said Celestial Pole. “You will find it very difficult to pull the wool over the eyes of an eighth rank. If you really do give up the strength of a great dao, then you won’t be able to fight back!”

“So we can’t fool Red Moon, but can we fool the sixth rank Orchid Forest master?” Li Hao laughed. “What if I give everyone some external dao, the kind that ascends one to the ranks of exalted emperors? Can we hoodwink them with this strength?”

He would use the strength of the minor worlds! They were very weak at the moment.

Exchanges were exchanged within the group. The Pagoda King saw many look at himself and stared wordlessly back at them.

I’m an outsider who’s just joined you guys. What are you looking at me for? Is it because I talk too much?

“Does... the Silver Moon king mean that we’ll become part of Orchid Forest, then use it as a platform to become part of Red Moon?” The Pagoda King had no choice but to ask.

“Correct!” Li Hao nodded.

The Pagoda King didn’t want to say anything. What if the eighth rank master of the world didn’t leave? What if he just waited at Red Moon? Then would they really become Red Moon lackeys?

Clearly, Li Hao was betting that the Red Moon master would have to leave sooner or later. The fella was a gambling sort as well!

So he didn’t think much of Orchid Forest and it sounded like he wished to enter Red Moon to turn it topsy turvy.

The Pagoda King’s head ached. The Human King was adept at stirring up trouble and it seemed like Li Hao was just as adept. He was only a fourth rank, but he had his eyes set on an eighth rank world.

“What is your final goal?”

“I want Red Moon’s dao strength, world strength, and dao crystals...” said Li Hao. “I do not think I’ll actually be able to exterminate Red Moon, that exceeds my abilities. What we need to do is to make out like bandits and then go on the run!”

He’d never thought of annihilating Red Moon. He didn’t have the ability to and neither could he pull it off. That would never be a possibility so long as the eighth rank master was still alive.

But taking advantage of the world master’s absence to raid its storage... There was a chance of that succeeding so long as he was bold enough and unafraid of death or being hunted by an eighth rank for the rest of his life.

“In that case, Red Moon will be down one more seventh rank...” Li Hao grinned. “But that’s not what I should be concerned with. It’s what that one should be concerned about!”

Alright then, I get it now. You’re talking about the Sword Sovereign!

The Human King was nearly the death of the Sword Sovereign a few times, so... are you sending the Sword Sovereign to his death or helping him ascend once more?

No one said a word.

What you say goes!

Those of Silver Moon wouldn’t object and those of New Martial didn’t say a word when they thought of the Sword Sovereign. Mo and the two other newcomers had no rights to speak, so they didn’t bother objecting.

Li Hao called the shots, he only asked questions for asking’s sake.

“Then we’re decided!” said the young man. “We’ll actually be prepared to join Orchid Forest and conduct ourselves on its behalf. If Orchid Forest can’t pull through, then... it can’t. But if it does and we bathe ourselves in blood fighting for it, then we’ll gain a chance to join a major world!”

Everyone nodded in acknowledgment.

“We’ll set out as soon as their first installment arrives!” smiled the young man.

“Understood!” No one refused their orders.

Meanwhile, Li Hao considered them thoughtfully. The rest were fine, but he wasn’t very reassured about the three that’d joined them. Had he known all of this would happen, he would’ve never accepted them. They were now a source of unease.

Now that he knew that dao universes had limited spots available, he needed to dole them out carefully. Taking in outsiders that he was unsure of... he might as well not have accepted them.

“We fight for Orchid Forest!” Li Hao repeated after a moment.

“......” The rest stared at him. Was he starting to hypnotize himself with his nonsense? How... shameless!

However resigned as they were, they tried to answer in kind when the young man looked at them.

“We fight for Orchid Forest!” came a scattered chorus within the hall.

Outside the hall.

Heaven Rite was here with the first delivery of dao crystals and was dazed by what he heard.

Are these guys throwing away their own dignity in order to gain Orchid Forest’s trust? I haven’t even reached you yet!

If you’re going to put on an act like that, at least do it in front of me.

You’re just a bunch of outsiders that want to glean some pickings from Orchid Forest. How do you actually have the face to say you’re fighting for us?

Screw you!

He’d never seen such shameless wandering cultivators in his life!