Chapter 1627: No Mercy! (III)

“You guys have just one goal... hold back the two fourth ranks!” Li Hao looked at the group, levying unspoken pressure. They were to obstruct the fourth ranks??

“Everyone will be happy to see us kill Red Moon exalted emperors,” continued the young man. “But the opposite is true when it comes to targeting anyone else. If we set our eyes on any other faction, there will be someone who steps forward to stop us.

“When it comes to Red Moon, everyone else is wary of them being so strong. Since they’re the local tyrants of the region, no one will intervene in their business without the relevant approval. This creates our chance to kill them.”

“Please give us your orders, milord!” Gan Wuliang hastily said. “Please make your arrangements, we will do our utmost to fulfill them!”

“Martial Uncle Hong, Gan Wuliang, and the two Seniors Celestial Pole. The four of you will take on one fourth rank!” nodded Li Hao. “The rest will take on the other!”

The group exchanged glances; there would be a certain degree of difficulty involved in this. The gap between third and fourth rank was significant. But if the two masters of dao ascended... then the pressure on their shoulders would be greatly alleviated.

“I’m going to kill the two third ranks!” Li Hao concluded. “But before I do, you guys need to distract their fourth ranks and give me time to break through.

“I’m going to try using the dao of fire to force my ascension,” he laughed. “Perhaps I’ll be able to do so for real!”

He might not have to fake the breakthrough. His strength of fire was so strong that it wasn’t impossible to set foot into fourth rank through the dao of fire. That would make everything more real.

Of course, putting on a show was always the fallback plan. He would use life and death, emptiness and revitalization as the foundation to simulate fire dao and set foot into fourth rank once more. There might be some flaws in the process, however.

“Have we discussed the price of killing a fourth rank with Orchid Forest?” asked Li Hao.

“I have,” nodded the Pagoda King. “Their response is that we should try to avoid clashing with mid ranks, but if we do and really kill a fourth rank, they are willing to pay us fifty million dao crystals.”

Many cursed to themselves at this response. That was less profitable than killing two third ranks! They could earn sixty million for two third ranks. Killing a fourth rank was much harder than two third ranks.

“In addition, they say that they do have minor worlds,” the Pagoda King continued. “But they don’t normally use them to transact with outsiders. If we do kill a fourth rank, that can be on the table as well. They are willing to throw in one minor world as compensation if we kill one fourth rank, which means one fourth rank is worth a minor world and forty million dao crystals.”

Li Hao furrowed his brows. A minor world was the equivalent of a fourth rank! Did those of Orchid Forest not believe he could kill a fourth rank, or were they unwilling to trade a minor world with him?

Likely both.

A minor world was better than dao crystals, at least for major world exalted emperors. Were two fourth ranks really worth only two minor worlds? If combined with the one in his possession, he would still be far away from satisfying Number Two. That was a hard cat to feed!

But since he was a fourth rank, it was much easier for him to kill fourth ranks as well.

Of course, there would be a great deal of trouble afterward. He would see then if the Orchid Forest master was willing to support him further!

Li Hao felt no psychological pressure in killing more Red Moon exalted emperors. He would be excising a plague for the people! After all, who told these people to offend New Martial and especially, himself?!

“World master, lend me some strength!” Li Hao’s dao strength rippled, as if he was sending a prayer into the world. This had been one of the conditions they’d agreed upon earlier.

The Orchid Forest master seemed to sense it moments later; a faint sheen of heavenly will appeared over all of their bodies. The vague sense of repulsion they’d felt from Orchid Forest before dissipated.

Such was the marvelous use of world strength!

Its influence wasn’t great, but the advantage of home ground was undeniable.

“My thanks to the world master!” Li Hao beamed.

No response was forthcoming.

......

The Orchid Forest master was accelerating his refinement of the dao universe; he paused with confusion. Who was the wandering cultivator going to act against? Myriad Dao was certainly an interesting person.

Also, there were quite a few under the wandering cultivator’s banner that were infinitely close to third rank. Their strength was growing rapidly—possibly a function of an addiction to obtaining large sums of dao crystals after killing exalted emperors.

A new thought occurred to the world master as he rummaged through his thoughts. Were they heading toward... the Red Moon fissure?

How bold!

But surely not?

It was very aggravating that Red Moon had sent two mid ranks, but he wasn’t at liberty to say anything. Myriad Dao was a madman! Or was he not afraid of these guys after being bolstered by world strength?

“He’s going to take on Red Moon? Is ignorance bliss?” laughed the world master. This was good!

Orchid Forest exalted emperors were highly wary of Red Moon and too afraid to make a move against those exalted emperors. But this group of idiots played perfectly into his interests. It was just... a group of low ranks didn’t stand a large chance against two mid ranks.

“Elder Yan, take note!” he quickly transmitted. “Myriad Dao’s group is heading toward the Red Moon crack. If they prove to be in over their heads and something untoward develops, forget the rest. Make sure Myriad Dao survives!”

......

The outside world.

The other Orchid Forest sixth rank—Yan Fang—widened his eyes. How bold! It’d been quiet for only a few days. Myriad Dao’s group had been poking the wandering cultivators nonstop over this period of time. Yan Fang had thought that they would march against the wandering cultivators first, but they chose Red Moon still, and after reinforcements arrived!

He stood up and vanished on the spot, entering the void to rescue people at any time. It was fine if some of Myriad Dao’s subordinates died, but the young man had to live.

They needed him to change the status quo.

......

At the same time.

The Red Moon exalted emperors were still debating. Neither Wu Ju nor Yu Ce wanted to pay attention to the other. One felt that the other was too cowardly, the other felt that their compatriot was a brainless idiot.

The conversation still raged hotly when Wu Ju’s expression twitched and he looked into the distance. Yu Ce did the same.

“Is it them?” He looked at Wu Ju with surprise and shock.

Wu Ju nodded.

“I misjudged you, Wu Ju.” Yu Ce smiled. “It’s not that you’re weak or cowardly. It’s that these guys are crazy!”

There were two fourth ranks and two third ranks here, and from a major world to boot. But these crazies were third rank at most and had more people than them. And yet, what good was their strength in numbers?

Are they trying to intimidate us? They’re coming straight for us!

Yu Ce watched with disbelief and even some suspicion. “Are they coming... to apologize and make amends?” He burst out laughing. He couldn’t help but think this way because he didn’t believe that wandering cultivators would attack his party. How could there be exalted emperors so foolish??

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

“Be careful of Orchid Forest!” stammered a startled Wu Ju.

We can’t be careless!

It wasn’t these wandering cultivators who were concerning, but the situation on Orchid Forest.

Yu Ce understood and he hastily probed the surroundings. These people didn’t matter, he didn’t care about them at all. The Orchid Forest exalted emperors were the primary concern. If their mid ranks chose to intervene right now... that would be trouble.

He found nothing after a quick investigation, but neither did he dare rest easy. This was Orchid Forest territory and the world master might arrive at any second.

“You are in Orchid Forest territory. All outsiders are to leave as quickly as possible!” Li Hao’s voice sounded with unbridled authority. The world quieted down once more.

......

The wandering cultivator alliance.

Two mid ranks looked up at the sky, one of them suddenly smiled. “Hot damn, what an idiot. Screw them!”

Did they want to die?

You guys killed a third rank last time. Are you so arrogant that you don’t think of anything of anyone else? How dare you make a move against Red Moon??

The wandering cultivators couldn’t believe it. How could there be such a crazy and stupid exalted emperor?? They were just discussing if they should make a move against these guys, but that wasn’t needed anymore. These crazies were dead without a doubt! It was up to the Red Moon exalted emperors to see how many they wished to kill.

Up in the sky, Yu Ce laughed. “He’s got some nerve! It looks like he thinks nothing of everything in the world after striking gold once.”

“Are you going to retreat or not?” Li Hao’s voice rang through the world. “We will kill you if you do not retreat! Orchid Forest will not permit outsiders to run rampant through it!”

“......” The group of Orchid Forest exalted emperors stared wordlessly at the sky.

We

don’t even have the confidence to say that. Are you an Orchid Forest exalted emperor or are we?

......

Yu Ce looked frostily at Li Hao from the air, then investigated the surroundings again. There were no Orchid Forest exalted emperors around. The Orchid Forest master wouldn’t dare take action against them either.

Since it was just the wandering cultivator here with no idea what was good for him, then they would kill him!

“Die!”

A harrowing surge of strength rose and the power of desire emanated through the air. It was so beguiling that it took only a moment before the first rank Mo buckled.

“Go!” Li Hao commanded in ringing tones.

Mo had been entranced, but immediately woke to her senses. She was alarmed, then highly agitated. It was so exciting to attack an exalted emperor of an eighth rank major world, especially one that was a mid rank!

This was a group of lunatics—those from Silver Moon were just as crazed as those from New Martial. All exalted emperors made their moves; Yu Ce ignored everyone and headed straight for Li Hao.

Despite him overlooking the rest of the group, some weaklings surprisingly put themselves in his way. When Gan Wuliang and the others appeared, Yu Ce snorted, “You guys are second rank... and have some nerve!”

How dare four second ranks try to stop me??

He grunted and sent a red moon into the air, irradiating the land. He wasn’t hiding anything—

I am a Red Moon exalted emperor, so what of it?