Chapter 1622: Want to Eat Fish (II)

When the Orchid Forest master of great dao had been alive, he naturally supported and looked out for his own more. The world master had just barely managed to drag some of his people to fourth rank. His fifth ranks were few and far in between.

Of the four fifth ranks, only one was in the world master’s camp. The other three fifth ranks and two fourth ranks continued strenuous objection to their current situation. They wanted to outright eliminate Myriad Dao’s group to save themselves further trouble.

This was when the world master’s attitude was key. The other pivotal character was Exalted Emperor Yan Fang, Orchid Forest’s other sixth rank. He occupied a very high status and position, and was quite strong as well.

Although the world master had taken the dao universe in the dao master’s death, this exalted emperor also claimed a significant position in the dao universe.

Those who used to follow the master of dao looked at Yan Fang. He’d been more on their side when the master of dao was alive. The world master wouldn’t dare set himself against this group if Yan Fang said anything, even if he was displeased by the statements.

Otherwise, it would incite half of the Orchid Forest exalted emperors to rebellion.

“What do you think, Elder Yan?” A fifth rank looked at Yan Fang. “Exalted emperors tend to keep to sparring when they meet in battle, but this group started killing as soon as they showed up! “They’ve killed four exalted emperors within the span of a day. What difference is there between them and that group of New Martial fanatics then? Outsiders might think that we’ve allied with New Martial...”

Yan Fang shook his head with a soft cough. “Do not voice wild thoughts! The world master himself has verified the wandering cultivator’s identity. He is confirmed to not be from New Martial. Not to mention, we have a blood feud with New Martial after they killed our master of dao. Speak no more of this.”

They could not tie this group of wanderers to New Martial!

Even if there was a connection, it needed to remain unsaid. The crafty old fox that was Yan Fang knew that Red Moon would seize any excuse possible to invade someone else in their territory. That would be the end of the road for Orchid Forest then.

“No matter what people think, Orchid Forest cannot be charged with the crime of colluding with New Martial!” he said softly to the other speaker. “That is a great taboo in Red Moon Region! Not to mention, our dao master died in New Martial’s hands. No one will find it possible that we have any dealings with New Martial, so do not create trouble for yourselves.”

The first speaker blinked, then nodded. He’d only been running his mouth. Yan Fang was right. If Myriad Dao and his group were labeled with New Martial identities, then that would be the start of real trouble for Orchid Forest.

While it might not be bad for Red Moon to gain a legitimate excuse to take action, it was a grave sin nonetheless to collaborate with New Martial to kill Red Moon exalted emperors. Many Orchid Forest exalted emperors might need to die then to pacify Red Moon.

Who could guarantee that

they

wouldn’t be the ones to die?

“Orchid Forest can lose, but we cannot have anything to do with New Martial so long as this region is still called Red Moon Region,” Yan Fang said softly. “New Martial has killed many of their seventh ranks and their world master is enraged beyond belief. Do you want to become the target that he vents his spleen on?

“We are the ones who hired Myriad Dao. He has already killed people and the world master has verified his identity. Even if he really is from New Martial...” The old man paused and concluded frostily, “He is not, at this point!”

A solemn atmosphere spontaneously draped over the scene!

He is not, at this point.

They understood the old man’s meaning. It didn’t matter who Myriad Dao and his group were anymore. Even if they really were from New Martial, their identities had to be washed clean.

“We understand, Elder Yan!” There was nothing for the fifth rank to do but nod. And still, he was a bit reluctant to accept the situation. “Great trouble might develop if these people keep killing like this!”

“Mmhmm,” nodded Yan Fang. “But there’s also not much to be concerned about since they’re only a bunch of low ranks. That is the only level of exalted emperor they can kill!

“There are many mid ranks within Orchid Forest. How many can they kill even if they continue down this path? Red Moon will surely not stand for this behavior and send reinforcements. So let us wait and see!

“There is no rush to pick sides. What if Orchid Forest really can reach seventh rank on account of our own merits?” The laughing old man looked at those of the dao master’s faction. “Keep in mind that outsiders will always be outsiders without the slightest achievement to their name.

“Red Moon has a death feud with New Martial and has recently lost multiple seventh ranks. Everyone wishes to be part of an eighth rank world, as do I. I would rather join an eighth rank world myself, but dare I do so at this current stage?

“Wouldn’t we just be cannon fodder right now?

“The only way we won’t be is if we’re just as crazed as Myriad Dao! Orchid Forest’s situation is also Red Moon’s situation. They look a little better off simply because the Red Moon master is still around, but don’t forget, Fog Mountain of Skycloud killed Red Velarium! The Light crown prince is good friends with the Silver Moon king. What if two eighth rank worlds and a peak seventh rank world ally together?”

Was Red Moon really in better straits than Orchid Forest?

Being a sixth rank, Yan Fang wished to join an eighth rank world as well. It would give him a higher chance of becoming a seventh rank!

He’d been a supporter of the master of dao in the past, but times were different now. He didn’t want to join at this moment. Even if they were to become part of Red Moon, it should happen only after the world master entered seventh rank. That was the only way an Orchid Forest sixth rank like him had a chance of becoming a seventh rank in Red Moon.

Would Red Moon help two Orchid Forest exalted emperors rise to seventh rank?

The group understood Yan Fang’s meaning after this speech. He supported the world master!

Those who stood on the dao master’s side looked at each other with difficulty. Orchid Forest’s two sixth ranks had reached an accord! There was no longer anything that they could say.

The fifth rank that was part of the world master’s faction brightened. “Elder Yan, do you mean to say that we should continue supporting Myriad Dao and his group?”

“Appropriate support is necessary!” Yan Fang inclined his head after some thought. “We need to suppress the cockiness of the outsiders and do so through borrowed strength! We’ll suppress the mid ranks as much as we can, which will also force the low ranks within Orchid Forest to band together.

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

“This will create two factions in Orchid Forest society that will actually be beneficial for us to stabilize the world!”

“But these people demand a high price for killing exalted emperors!” said someone from the dao master’s faction. “They’ve claimed one hundred and sixty million dao crystals this time. When adding the ten million from before means that they’ve already been paid one hundred and seventy million dao crystals in total.

“That sum can be traded for two mid worlds! Although Orchid Forest’s foundations run deep, we are only a sixth rank major world. Depleting our reserves like this...”

“They’re trading exalted emperors for money, are exalted emperors that easy to kill?” Yan Fang chuckled. “Are there that many for them to kill? Not to mention, there’s more than a dozen in that group risking their lives. One first rank means roughly one million dao crystals for each of them when all is said and done.

“That kind of price is not too high. We can’t let them do work for absolutely no return, can we?”

Yan Fang didn’t think that the price was too high. They’d just killed a bit more than expected this time, which was why the payout seemed so enormous.

One hundred million was no small sum; it was a large fortune to mid ranks. But... there were a lot of people in that group. The spoils weren’t much after they were divided. It was just one hundred million at the end of the day, any exalted emperor present had that much in their personal vaults.

You can kill those exalted emperors yourselves if you have the ability to.

“This was just the first time. The other exalted emperors in the world will be on guard after this and won’t foolishly wait around to be mobbed. It’s just a steeper price for the first time and a demonstration of Orchid Forest sincerity!”

Upon further thought, the crowd of exalted emperors felt that there was nothing more to say. So they would spend some money for their endeavors.

......

Li Hao was naturally unaware of Orchid Forest’s discussion. But when Gan Wuliang returned with the dao crystals, he knew that the world had decided to work with them. They would not have paid so many dao crystals otherwise.

They would drag their heels on payment instead!

Orchid Forest hadn’t hemmed or hawed, but paid them in a very decisive manner. This large payment wouldn’t have been possible without the approval of the two Orchid Forest sixth ranks.

“One hundred and seventy million dao crystals!” Li Hao smiled. It was the same as the spoils from the seventh rank, but there was a difference of heaven and earth in the price they’d paid and the risk taken!

As he thought, killing a seventh rank was the worst tradeoff ever!

The seventh rank had to be an enemy to make it worthwhile. Just killing one was too much of a loss. It would be one thing if the target was a master of a world. But if it was just a regular seventh rank, whoever killed one would weep from the horrible return on investment.

Yet if they killed a seventh rank with a dao universe and major world to their name, then that would be an enormous gain.

The exalted emperors standing around the barrier crack that Li Hao had claimed grinned widely.

“We’ve had quite the gains,” said the young man as he looked at everyone. “But you guys are aware of our situation as well. One hundred million dao crystals will go to Gan Wuliang, Hong Yitang, and Panther. That will be the equivalent of them devouring a mid world.

“Of the remaining seventy million, I will take fifty million. The rest of the twenty million can go to you guys for your regular cultivation needs.”

No one had dissenting opinions. It made sense that the lion’s share went to the two dao masters and master of the world. Everyone else’s hard work would be for naught if those three didn’t ascend. The group wanted nothing more than those three to enter third rank as soon as possible.

In that regard, Celestial Pole and Xun Ruo could outright enter third rank. They were third ranks to begin with, just limited by the two dao masters at the moment.

“It doesn’t matter if we absorb those crystals or cultivate,” Celestial Pole said. “I think we can give our share to those three as well!”

The other exalted emperors expressed similar sentiments. As for Li Hao wanting a share... no one said anything either. He was a fourth rank unaffected by the dao universe. It was best if he could set foot into fifth rank.

“Then it’s settled. One hundred million crystals will take them a while to digest. Third rank will be no difficulty since first to third rank is a simple accumulation of energy!” Li Hao declared. “You three need to set foot into third rank so you can better complete some future plans.”

Gan Wuliang and the others nodded. There was no denying that! No one else was able to set foot into third rank if they did not. This was no time to politely refuse.

“Orchid Forest has probed you, will they come for us too if we set foot into third rank?” Hong Yitang transmitted. Li Hao had the ability to conceal his dao origin, the rest of them didn’t.

Not to mention, they were masters of great dao. Extreme conflict between the two great daos might develop once they entered another’s dao universe. That would immediately expose them!

Li Hao had been shouldering all of the pressure in front of them in the past, so the Orchid Forest world master didn’t cast his gaze on them. That would not work in the days to come.