Chapter 1630: Battle Spoils (II)

“Little friend Myriad Dao, should I repair the other barrier crack, or does the little friend wish to continue to stand guard over it?” A soft voice suddenly sounded in Li Hao’s ears.

It was the Orchid Forest master!

Li Hao raised an eyebrow. The world master might have been able to repair the fissures a long time ago, but hadn’t chosen to do so due to the presence of other factions at them. He didn’t want open hostilities with the major worlds behind each faction.

Now that the barrier cracks were being abandoned, the world master wouldn’t offend anyone if he quickly repaired them. What a wily old fox!

It looked like he was discussing next steps with Li Hao, but it would violate the young man’s projected image if he didn’t agree. Granted, that image wasn’t all that important.

The barrier cracks were the key to exalted emperors entering Orchid Forest. They would have to go through the world gate in their absence. It would be a highly dangerous proposition.

“It would be best for the world master to repair it, to ensure that the barrier crack is most thoroughly mended.”

“Then I will utilize world strength to fix it. In addition, felicitations are in order for the little friend’s ascension. I hear that the little friend wishes for some minor worlds. Do you seek them to help the other fellow daoists ascend to mid rank?”

“I do indeed have this idea in mind,” Li Hao transmitted back. “It’s easy for them to enter third rank, but going from third to fourth will be very, very difficult! There might be a chance if we borrow the energy of a world’s eruption...

“Hopes are dim if we utilize a minor world. There aren’t many who can ascend to mid rank through devouring a minor world. Even if there are, most successes were already on the cusp of a breakthrough!”

“The little friend has killed two fourth ranks this time,” transmitted the Orchid Forest master. “You can trade for two minor worlds based on our previous agreement, as well as eighty million dao crystals. But since the little friend has ascended to fourth rank, minor worlds will be of limited use to you. If you do not mind, you can outright trade for a mid world.”

“......” Li Hao’s heart shook.

A mid world!

The weakest of mid worlds would be on par with Silver Moon. Mid worlds were typically worth ten times a minor world. While it was priced at one hundred million dao crystals, that was just talk.

Mid worlds usually had mid ranks in residence, and more than one exalted emperor at that. Minor worlds abounded in the chaos and were easily seized. But one truly had to lay their life on the line for mid worlds.

Therefore, it was exceedingly rare to use mid worlds in transactions.

Did the Orchid Forest master mean to... bribe Li Hao or reward the young man? One had to keep in mind, Orchid Forest was just a sixth rank major world, not a seventh rank! Even if it really did have mid worlds in possession, they would be few and far in between.

Li Hao had killed two fourth ranks, which normally would fetch a mid world in reward. But in reality, that was just all talk. It wasn’t feasible to be awarded such.

“Is this appropriate, world master?”

A mid world might attain the ten fish that Number Two wanted. A second consideration was that the structure of a mid world... would be highly valuable. Apart from knowing some of Silver Moon’s structure and owning a minor world, Li Hao lacked a mid world.

Third, the cat just wanted the world origin, not the world itself. As the master of a world, Panther would be fortified by devouring another mid world. That would further enhance Silver Moon as well!

“What isn’t appropriate about it?” sounded the Orchid Forest master. “I think it’s a great idea. Only a mid world can be of some help to the little friend.

“This mid world of mine isn’t too strong—it used to belong to a fourth rank. Its world master later set itself against Orchid Forest and was annihilated for it. It lacks a dao universe, but the dao rules of a mid world are very strong.

“We did not loot the world after defeating its world master. Its world strength is still very dense. Whether the little friend wishes to refine or devour it, it is up to you!”

If Myriad Dao refined it and migrated some people over, he would outright become the master of a mid world!

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Becoming a world master was another type of progression. Therefore, few were the deals involving mid worlds because their world strength was so dense. Under normal conditions, even fifth ranks would find it difficult to easily break through the defenses of a mid world with a fourth rank in residence.

“Then... I thank the world master for your grace!”

“You’re welcome!” It was only the world master’s voice in Li Hao’s ears, the man himself did not appear. “In addition, the little friend knows as well where these people come from. I am not liberty to show myself or I would’ve long killed them!

“It is also because of this that they are certain to retaliate! If all goes according to expectation, there will be a sixth rank that comes next time!

“There is only one other sixth rank apart from me in Orchid Forest for the moment. It is not feasible for me to take action or step forward to cow them. Senior Yan Fang can keep one sixth rank at bay, but that world is certain to have more than one sixth rank among its roster!

“If other sixth ranks see an opportunity to make a move over the course of us dealing with Red Moon... then that will be grave trouble indeed!”

A shudder ran through Li Hao at these words. Did that mean that the Orchid Forest sixth rank would turn a blind eye if the Red Moon sixth rank came? If that was the case... then the Orchid Forest master lacked vision and forethought.

It was no wonder that Li Hao felt this way. Those from Red Moon were most likely here to seize the dao universe, not to make friends. He’d helped them eliminate the Red Moon delegation, but the world master didn’t seem to have rendered any aid apart from giving him a mid world.

So this means that it’s down to me?

“A sixth rank will be much stronger than a fourth rank,” the world master continued. “Three or four fourth ranks together will still find it difficult to stand against a sixth rank!”

There wasn’t much issue for a sixth rank to move against two fifth ranks, and easy for a fifth rank to handle two fourth ranks... And this was between mid ranks, when the gap wasn’t that big.

It would be an entirely different story among high ranks.

A regular sixth rank might be dead after one move after encountering a seventh rank. The deployment of a dao domain would outright suppress the sixth rank!

Seventh rank represented a major metamorphosis. It would take more than four or five fourth ranks to overcome a sixth rank, and that depended on the sixth rank being trash. If their target was someone similar to the Sword Sovereign, then ten fourth ranks would still fall to the sixth rank.

“It is not convenient for Orchid Forest to outright take action against them,” came the Orchid Forest master’s voice as Li Hao dwelled with his thoughts. “Of course, we will resist in critical moments if we really can’t help it! But since open hostilities have not broken out yet, we will have to depend on the little friend a bit more.

“In order to prevent us from attracting too many Red Moon exalted emperors to us, we would ask the little friend to stand at the front and defend us for a while longer. In return, we can offer opportunities to those beneath your banner. The little friend might not care about more opportunities, but perhaps they do...

“Before the Orchid Forest dao master died, my world had a chance of ascending to seventh rank. In the interest of fighting against Red Moon powerhouses, the fellow daoists can all enter the Orchid Forest world domain. Since one peak sixth rank has died, we can support a few more exalted emperors!”

Li Hao raised an eyebrow. Was this genuine recruitment or another probe?

Entering the dao universe!

That was a fine proposition. And if the world master truly reached seventh rank, then all of the exalted emperors within the dao universe would benefit.

But there would be problems with Gan Wuliang and Hong Yitang. They weren’t easy candidates to integrate with another dao universe! The slightest misstep would expose them.

A multitude of thoughts ran through Li Hao’s mind. So the world master meant to say that he wouldn’t take direct action against Red Moon for them, but he was willing to accept a group of people into the dao universe. That would bestow them the advantage of home territory and strengthen their ability to stand against Red Moon.

Or... in the event of Red Moon executing Li Hao, then those that’d joined the dao universe would naturally become Orchid Forest exalted emperors. And with joining the dao universe, there would no longer be any other options left to them.

They would have to be in the same boat as Orchid Forest.

Li Hao contemplated various ideas and assessed them for viability. “World master, how many can the dao universe support?”

It was the Orchid Forest master’s turn to raise his eyebrows. Was he... really willing to do so?

They might not listen to you anymore if they join the Orchid Forest dao universe. Granted, that’s not a given, but once they are freed from your restraint and become exalted emperors of a dao universe, you will no longer have any authority over these people.

Once subordinates might become complete strangers.

“The dao universe can only support three to five at most. It would take the ascension of the dao universe to support more. More than ten will be possible then...”

“World master, can I think over this and discuss it with them?”

“Of course, take all the time you need! In addition, Red Moon isn’t too far away from us. If a sixth rank pushes at full speed, they will reach us in three days.”

Three days made for very fast speed, and that was sixth rank! A seventh rank might make it in one day. An eighth rank... might make it in a few moments.

It was clear to see from this how close Orchid Forest was to Red Moon, and how unconcerned they were that Red Moon might march on them. Of course, this confidence stemmed from the fact that they were here to form an alliance. They needed to be closer to Red Moon that way.

If it took the eighth rank Red Moon master too long to visit an allied world, then there would be no point in a strategic alliance.

“I understand. Thank you, world master!”

“As we should. In addition, if the little friend finds it dangerous after Red Moon powerhouses arrive, there is no need to meet them in direct combat. You can simply hide in Orchid Forest. If they are so brazen as to run rampant through the world, this seat will take action in crucial moments!”

These last words were delivered with charismatic resolve.

While Li Hao was unaware of their veracity, they might not be false. If the invaders proved too far out of line, it would be normal for the Orchid Forest master to take action. The caveat was that the world master had to be ready for his own ascension.

If not, it would be incredible trouble to draw the remaining seventh rank and the eighth rank world master from Red Moon.

The Orchid Forest master’s consciousness quickly receded from the area. The barrier crack that Li Hao had occupied before swiftly began to mend.

There were abruptly three less among the eleven cracks.

Orchid Forest themselves were keeping five of the remaining eight under control. Wandering cultivators inside the world assessed the current situation with growing alarm. They would be in perilous conditions once all the fissures were sealed.

They hesitated, then followed the lead of the other two fourth ranks and sped for the barrier crack under the sixth ranks jurisdiction.

While Li Hao’s side was weak, would-be attackers were concerned about him teaming up with Orchid Forest exalted emperors. No one dared draw near him.

It was safer to visit the wandering cultivator side.