Chapter 1686: The East Is At Hand (III)

Outside Dragon Observatory.

The two sides were still arguing with each other. Fog Mountain was in no hurry; he was quite composed, instead. Increasing numbers of exalted emperors from the outside world were coming to him.

There were exalted emperors on all sides, even the subtle hint of an eighth rank will—the Light master. This way, the Skycloud master had no choice but to send his mind to the scene as well. He hadn’t been prepared to participate so quickly, but now he needed to be ready to descend in person as well!

The Human King was watching the show from the shadows. He’d guessed that the Silver Moon king might have reached Skyward, but... so what?

Would someone like Fog Mountain partner with the little fellow? The situation was very complicated at present.

The Human King had made certain guesses, but was yet to realize that the goal was Red Moon major world. At the end of the day, an eighth rank major world was too far out of consideration. If there was a sixth rank world around that was less than Orchid Forest... then his guesses would be a bit more accurate.

......

Within the world barrier.

Li Zhu was also thinking that everything was in readiness, with the exception of a final spark to set everything ablaze. The key and most critical factor was the Skyward dao universe. There would be no great battle without the opening of the dao universe.

But once the dao universe appeared, the entire world would dissolve into pitched battle! That was also when his opportunity would arrive.

He was even tempted to fake the opening of the dao universe to push everything along. It was a pity that that was a difficult occurrence to falsify. Otherwise, given his or the Human King’s personality, they could choose to fabricate the event and take these exalted emperors for a ride.

There were numerous mid ranks, as well as seventh ranks, gathered outside Dragon Observatory. Some were here to represent their worlds, others wanted to watch the show, and some sought to see what they could glean through the cracks.

There were a lot of exalted emperors on Skyward, with several dozen in regular attendance in the southern region alone. If wandering cultivators were added to the count, that made for almost one hundred exalted emperors in the southern region.

Compared to Orchid Forest, there were many more exalted emperors on Skyward. There were also too many cultivators at the Empyrean King level to be counted!

The Empyrean Kings that’d gathered were those bold of heart and even hoping for... exalted emperors to die!

Once exalted emperors started perishing and their dao strength began dissipating, even the smallest of scraps would be a feast for the Empyrean Kings. The dao of an exalted emperor was unsurpassable to them!

Who didn’t want to be an exalted emperor?

It was rare for those august personages to die. Even if they did, most of them died in the chaos. And if they didn’t, they died in worlds with masters. The master of dao would absorb that strength and not permit one drop to leak. But Skyward did not have a master, so its dao universe would not absorb that energy!

Once exalted emperors started dying and no one collected that energy, the strength of an exalted emperor would simply fade away. This was a tremendous opportunity for many!

The dao strength from the numerous exalted emperors that Li Hao disseminated last time had benefited numerous powerhouses. It’d created a large number of Saints, otherwise known as Empyrean Kings, on Skyward.

There were now more than one hundred exalted emperors gathered in Dragon Observatory territory. Once battle was joined, it would be very normal for low ranks to start dropping as seventh and eighth ranks clashed against each other. It would be another opportunity for the rest if no one had time to stop and collect dao strength from the fallen in the heat of battle.

The dangers were known, but what of them?

With danger came opportunity!

And so, there was quite a crowd on the outskirts of Dragon Observatory, including a portion of Li Hao’s acquaintances among its number. There was no shortage of covetous glances raking the surroundings, searching for the right opportunity to seize.

Yuan Shuo could sense a few familiar presences, but ignored them. It was better for them to be scattered throughout the crowd, rather than clumped together. He, too, felt that opportunity was at hand.

Yuan Shuo was also well aware that current circumstances lacked a spark to light the fuse. Everyone was running their mouths; utter mayhem would reign once the Skyward dao universe opened. However, it seemed that his student was the only one who could access it.

He was uncertain in this moment if Li Hao had returned or not. If the young man had, he would be sure to summon the dao universe. This was a rare opportunity!

It was also Li Hao’s goal to fish in troubled waters.

......

Everyone was waiting. The Red Moon master was likewise keeping an eye on things from Red Moon. At the same time, he didn’t idly sit around. While he maintained a holding pattern, he utilized various methods to contact some powerhouses.

The heavyweights of the three nearby major worlds.

The Red Moon master was projected on a massive screen; he presented a much more elegant and refined sight than a few days ago.

“There is still a great necessity for an alliance between us all,” he smiled gently. “The New Martial Human King is currently at Skyward, but the New Martial main world is nowhere to be found. New Martial is a tumor that needs to be excised from existence!

“I am of a mind to head to Skyward so I can kill the Human King, but I am beset by troubles,” sighed the Red Moon master. “We are all aware of what happened before. My world lost three seventh ranks in one day, causing a hole in our ranks. I am unable to head to Skyward, even when knowing that the Human King is there. I must stay at the Red Moon main world... just in case!”

The other seventh ranks simply listened to him without comment. All of them knew that the Red Moon master did not head to Skyward not only due to concerns of a New Martial ambush, but also because of apprehension of the three of them.

“Due to Fog Mountain’s actions, everyone knows that the situation at Skyward will ignite with a single spark!” continued the Red Moon master. “I have an idea that I wonder if everyone will be interested in...”

“Fellow Daoist Red Moon can speak candidly.”

“I would like to ambush the Human King...” the Red Moon master said slowly after some thought. “But I may not be able to kill him by myself. Therefore, I’d like for the group to accompany me in a surprise visit to Skyward. The strength of one eighth rank and four seventh ranks is sure to overcome the New Martial Human King!”

Bring the three major worlds to heel?

What was the point of that?

An alliance would work just as well.

The Red Moon master’s attention was preoccupied with Skyward at the moment. Although he had two seventh ranks holding down the fort on Red Moon’s major world, what if something unexpected happened?

In that case, I’ll take these seventh ranks with me. Not only will they become my assistants, but it will also lessen the pressure on Red Moon!

That was killing two birds with one stone!

“Visit Skyward?” frowned the Skywave master.

“Yes!” smiled the Red Moon master. “Are you not interested? A ninth rank major world is about to come back to life. Have you... no thoughts or desires about that? If you do, then our goals coincide!”

“Surely Fellow Daoist Red Moon jests. The revitalization of a ninth rank world is out of the purview of seventh ranks...”

“That is hard to say,” the Red Moon master shook his head. “These things are sometimes up to fate and destiny, as well as affinity between daos. Why else are there so many seventh rank masters of the world over there?”

“The key is that we cannot take our worlds with us if we leave now,” rumbled the Nether Moon master. “If anything happens and we are unable to rush back, there would be grave trouble if anything affects our worlds!”

Your Red Moon has two seventh ranks in residence, so you’re naturally not concerned. The same doesn’t go for us. Take Nether Moon, for example. I only have one seventh rank. If someone attacks my world once I leave, I’ll be caught in a very difficult position.

“The three major worlds can look to Red Moon for that,” smiled the Red Moon master. “With Griefstricken and Orchid Forest in residence, would-be invaders will not find it easy to breach the defenses of any of our worlds. Assuming that they are not eighth ranks, that is!”

The rest of the group sank into deep thought. Were they interested in Skyward?

Of course they were!

But they couldn’t fully trust the Red Moon master’s words either. One major concern was that Red Moon was luring them away before anyone else had a chance to move against them.

Two seventh ranks are sufficient to conquer our worlds. Our homes will be gone before we have a chance to return!

Without its home world, the dao universe would start to shrivel in the absence of a cultivating population. The dao universe remaining in the world master’s hands would be irrelevant. Without sufficient fortune to recover the home world, the dao universe would quickly wither and all of its cultivators become chaos wanderers.

The Red Moon master knew that the group didn’t necessarily trust him, but taking them with him now was the best decision! Not only would that ensure Red Moon’s safety, but he himself would be more protected when he traveled off world. There was no need to be concerned about a New Martial ambush then!

“Everyone, I understand your misgivings and what you are anxious about...” the Red Moon master continued. “Since we have a desire to ally together, then some trust needs to be exchanged between us!

“Since mutual trust is lacking between us, then let us form an alliance of great dao!” He appeared rather sincere in this moment. “With our dao origin as the foundation, any who harm the alliance will be punished with a chaos tribulation! Their dao origin will be smote to pieces.

“If such a vow still cannot instill trust between us, then there is no meaning to our alliance!”

The group blinked. An alliance of the chaos!

That was indeed a legitimate construct. With one’s dao origin as the foundation and the dao universe as the source... any violations would indeed result in a chaos tribulation!

“An alliance... is not out of the question...” responded the Nether Moon master. “The terms just need to be simple—the major one is that no one from Red Moon is permitted to harass those from our worlds or attack our worlds. Any infringements will result in being penalized by thunder and lightning...”

“Are you joking?” laughed the Red Moon master. “There are billions of citizens in a major world. I cannot control all of them. How about this, I can exercise authority over the seventh ranks!

"There are three of them in Red Moon, including me. The three of us will be subject to the alliance rules. In the same vein, so will you be held accountable by the same rules! In addition, let us set a time limit on this alliance to... one hundred years!”

Are you kidding? You want me to keep an entire major world of inhabitants in line?? Won’t I be struck by thunder and lightning if any one of them attacks one of yours? I’ll be struck by lightning thousands of times a day. I’ll be obliterated in no time!