Chapter 1657: Fish in a Barrel (II)

“Very well, I’ll give it a try,” Li Hao exhaled. “Right now, we can only obtain worlds from Orchid Forest!”

Orchid Forest should still have minor worlds in their inventory. The previous agreement had been that killing a fourth rank would be rewarded with a minor world. That was later changed to outright giving Li Hao a mid world. Therefore, Orchid Forest should still possess minor worlds. They probably didn’t have any more mid worlds.

This was a happy coincidence. He needed to coordinate with the Orchid Forest master if he wished to send his people out of the world. It wouldn’t be easy to conceal their movements otherwise.

“Then we’re settled.” Li Hao rose to his feet. “The disturbance will be great once the Red Moon master arrives! We have a safe base outside Orchid Forest that’s not too far away. It’ll be perfect for our needs! You guys can hide inside...”

He issued several instructions before leaving the river of dao.

......

Yan Fang quickly appeared. Li Hao did not go to the Orchid Forest master this time. It was just a minor world, Yan Fang would do. It wasn’t appropriate for a fourth rank to go to a sixth rank master of the world for all of his needs.

“A minor world...” Yan Fang blinked. A minor world was almost useless to Li Hao now. What did the young man want with it?

As for their third rank, it wouldn’t be very useful either since they’d just ascended. Requesting a minor world at this critical juncture...

“Senior, I can trade dao crystals for it,” Li Hao said as Yan Fang mused over the request. “I still have some dao crystals left...”

“That’s not necessary. It would be an affront to us if Fellow Daoist Myriad Dao makes the offer. Orchid Forest is being invaded and your people are fighting on our behalf. We have drawn clear lines between us only because the circumstances have forced us to.

“It is just a mere minor world... Orchid Forest would have no dignity left to us if we charged for it!

“We do have a minor world, but it’s not too strong as it’s a newly born one...”

“That’s alright!” Li Hao smiled.

“Then please wait for a moment, fellow daoist. I’ll have Heaven Rite send it over straight away!” Yan Fang didn’t ask permission from the world master. He had the right to decide the allocation of a minor world.

“The situation will be exceedingly perilous after Red Moon invades,” said Li Hao. “I’ve given it some thought and would like to send the rest of my people away, other than the three who’ve become part of the Orchid Forest dao universe.

“Fellow Daoist Death God and I will also be staying! Senior, do you think that can be done?”

Send his people away?

Yan Fang looked at the rest. There were only two mid ranks worthy of note among them. It didn’t matter if the rest left. It was just...

They were more battle strength at the end of the day. The low ranks had shown a high degree of coordination with Li Hao before. The world would be safer with them around.

On the other hand, it would be easier for the two mid ranks to make their moves if they didn’t have to be concerned about the safety of the low ranks.

“Of course it’s fine!” Yan Fang agreed decisively. “There are many barrier cracks in Orchid Forest these days! There are three that are not within our grasp, so the fellow daoists need to be careful. There won’t be much of a problem so long as you do not expose yourselves.

“It’s fine even if you do! If it comes down to it, I would ask that Fellow Daoist Myriad Dao and Death God attack one of the barrier cracks. That will draw attention to your desire to run away. The other fellow daoists can then pretend to attack one of the ones under Orchid Forest control. We will be able to explain ourselves then.”

Li Hao nodded, that wasn’t difficult to arrange.

Yan Fang left after they came to an agreement. He needed to set his plans in motion.

......

Everyone looked at Li Hao once Yan Fang departed.

“All of us need to go?” Lin Hongyu furrowed her brows.

“All of you!” Li Hao nodded. “There’s not much use for you guys in the events to come. In fact, it’ll be more dangerous for you guys to stay instead. Of course, leaving isn’t necessarily safer. It might even be more dangerous. I’m not sending you guys out to wander the chaos. You go with a mission.”

The Pagoda King and the other two didn’t need to go. They were part of Li Hao’s plan and would be placed in danger as well. Everyone had to take a risk if they wished to eat meat.

Lin Hongyu didn’t simper or pout. She merely reminded, “Then you and Brother Void need to be careful...” She looked at Void with a fragile bearing. “Brother, my husband is young and weaker than you. Please keep an eye out for him on this venture!”

Void was slightly awkward.

Um... what... hey now?

I’m just here to fill in the numbers. Li Hao came up with the plan and the Sword Sovereign determined the direction. I’m a sixth rank...

Okay, I get it. My father might come at a critical moment. Is that what you mean?

Being quick on the uptake, Void swiftly grasped the woman’s intentions. He nodded with a smile. “I will do my best!”

Li Hao was speechless and couldn’t be bothered to say anything.

Do I need someone else to take care of me as I travel through the martial world?

“Alright, we can save everything for later!” The young man looked at the rest. “Once you leave Orchid Forest, listen to Seniors Zhang An and Number Two!” He turned to Xun Ruo. “Fellow Daoist Xun Ruo, you may go where you wish if you decide that Silver Moon is not for you! I grant you personal freedom!”

“How would I ever?” Xun Ruo hastily protested. “Of course I wish to stay! Why would I leave...”

Li Hao looked deeply at him before saying, “You were forced to make a decision that day and did not surrender willingly. Everything is up to your personal wishes! I do not ask anything of you, so you can leave after you are free of danger.”

Xun Ruo wanted to protest, but Li Hao cut him off. “Those are my words, but it is up to the fellow daoist whether you would like to stay or not! Since the fellow daoist attacked Silver Moon, I would like to give the fellow daoist a chance to choose.”

Xun Ruo nodded with a sigh. He knew what Li Hao meant. He’d put in a very mediocre performance during the last couple of engagements. Xun Ruo was a third rank, but he hadn’t been as effective as the second rank Cicada. Neither had he been as proactive as the first rank Mo. Perhaps Li Hao felt that there was no longer a need to keep Xun Ruo around.

The man was rather resigned. It was simply... the common habit of wandering cultivators. They always kept something for themselves at a critical moment. Who would really use their full strength?

That was the case for all chaos wanderers!

So long as they were part of a group, they would defer to this habit. Li Hao clearly did not approve of it. The young man’s connotations were clear.

I will not permit you to stay any longer if you continue to act like this.

You can leave once we’re clear of danger. I’m letting you live because you didn’t join Ming Hao in attacking Silver Moon that day. That is all.

None of the others said anything. Li Hao called the shots within Silver Moon.

......

After a while, Yan Fang returned with a minor world. He didn’t stay for long as their contact was conducted in secret.

Zhang An and Number Two departed the river upon obtaining the minor world. However, Zhang An’s book of dao was tightly connected to the river these days, so it remained within the waters.

Apart from Li Hao and Void, the rest moved in a group. Li Hao and Void were going to attack one of the barrier cracks and pretend they wanted to leave. They would draw general firepower so the rest could make their getaway.

......

Boom!

An explosion rang through the world as the might of an exalted emperor once more covered Orchid Forest. Soul Eclipse and Sorrowless acted at the same time outside the world. Their dao strength shook the heavens.

“Contain them!” bellowed Soul Eclipse.

Myriad Dao and his group wanted to flee!

That would not be permitted!

Multiple exalted emperors appeared around the two and attacked at the same time, suppressing the duo. A great battle broke out. Some of these exalted emperors were chaos wanderers, some were from the three major worlds.

All of them knew that Red Moon was sending people here. Their news traveled faster than Orchid Forest’s network. Red Moon had sent four sixth ranks this time, which ensured the doom of Myriad Dao’s group.

Another upheaval erupted in the distance, at a zone where Orchid Forest exalted emperors stood guard. Sorrowless took a glance, his eyes narrowing.

“Ignore that, focus on these two!” he yelled. “They cannot be permitted to leave!”

The rest were minions, possibly cannon fodder discarded to draw their attention. That would not happen this time. They would keep their eyes focused on these two fish. They’d already suffered a loss the last time they split up. It would not be repeat a second time!

As for those low ranks, they weren’t fast. So long as these two were killed, none of them would be getting away!

Rumble!

Li Hao and Void caused a massive uproar, shaking the world so much that the barrier cracks undulated. The crowd of exalted emperors on the outside brought their full strength to bear, not giving the two a chance to flee.

Neither side won any advantages after a prolonged exchange. Li Hao and Void issued some threats before breaking away from battle. On the Orchid Forest side... they had mid ranks sitting in residence, but Myriad Dao’s group still got away.

Red Moon and the three major worlds were well aware of the true situation. Orchid Forest had let that other group go on purpose!

But it was only to be expected, so they didn’t say anything. Everything was fine so long as Orchid Forest did not permit Myriad Dao and Death God to leave. Nothing would be fine if those two got away.

......

The battle was over.

All of Myriad Dao’s exalted emperors had fled. This was common knowledge, so many wandering cultivators and exalted emperors of the three major worlds were hunting them through the chaos.

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

All eyes were on Myriad Dao and Death God again.

At the same time, the Orchid Forest master received more news. Red Moon had sent four sixth ranks and they would arrive at Orchid Forest soon!

That meant there would soon be six sixth ranks at Orchid Forest!

This level of strength was sufficient to dominate the world if the Orchid Forest master didn’t become involved.