Chapter 1688: The West Brightens When The East Doesn’t (I)

“Stop dawdling, Dragon!” Deepsea transmitted from the front. “An exalted emperor seems to have emerged from Dragon Observatory territory. Fog Mountain did not stop their departure. Go and ask them what Fog Mountain is up to and if anything has changed with Demon Summit!”

As a seventh rank, Deepsea naturally didn’t need to undertake any of these menial tasks himself. He just needed to send Dragon out on them.

The Dragon Observatory leader cursed to himself.

I’m still a sixth rank at the end of the day! You show me no face whatsoever! But are there other exalted emperors left in my territory? How come I didn’t know about them?

I’m the master of Dragon Observatory in name, at least! I’ve simply been thrown out of my own territory by Fog Mountain for a while. Did this exalted emperor enter through the southern gate?

For an exalted emperor to be out and about during this time... they have a death wish, don’t they?

Granted, it’s fine if they’re a seventh rank, but they’re really bold if they’re less than seventh rank.

Anyone below seventh rank would be cannon fodder once fighting broke out.

“Alright, understood, I’ll go right away!” Dragon swiftly transmitted back despite all of his complaining.

Deepsea didn’t respond, neither was he inclined to.

......

Dragon looked at those next to him and transmitted, “C’mon, let’s see who’s walked out of Dragon Observatory. Let’s also take this chance to reposition ourselves further. We won’t follow this person until they’re further away from Dragon Observatory territory.”

That was good!

They were too close to the circle of seventh ranks for his own comfort; it was a very stress-inducing position. If it wasn’t for Deepsea standing in front of him, the Dragon Observatory leader wouldn’t want to be so close at all. The might of seventh ranks was a very uncomfortable sensation to endure.

He wasn’t the only one to receive similar orders—an exalted emperor had left Dragon Observatory! He looked to be a mid rank, judging from his presence. Of course, Li Hao had hidden himself in a nondescript sort of way. But when it came to seventh ranks, they would be able to tell if he was a high rank with a quick sweep of their senses.

......

Li Hao’s speed wasn’t fast; he was even wondering if high ranks would make a move to stop him. They’d already proven that high ranks wouldn’t easily become involved at this stage, just in case they caused a misunderstanding and lit the fuse to all-out war

Once he left the circle of seventh ranks, Li Hao sensed that some exalted emperors were approaching him from left and right. He could even sense the Dragon Observatory leader.

What a coincidence!

The young man continued to walk forward; the void rippled when the exalted emperors landed near him. Some sized up Li Hao—there was a faint sword intent over him.

External appearances, however, were a futile attribute to assess. There wasn’t much value to evaluating how one presented themselves.

The exalted emperors who’d come to halt Li Hao opened their mouths to speak, but frowned as those from Dragon Observatory arrived.

The Observatory leader looked around at the exalted emperors that were already present. Some were showing their faces, others watched from the shadows.

Dragon raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. “Everyone, this is Dragon Observatory territory. The situation within is unclear. Since this fellow daoist has just emerged from it, I’d like to have a conversation with the fellow daoist. This is also orders from milord Deepsea!”

He wasn’t interested in clashing with these people. It was sufficient to toss out his background of being from an eighth rank dao universe and leave it at that.

“Fellow daoist, I am Dragon!” He smiled at Li Hao. “Please forgive the oversight in hospitality. You have just exited Dragon Observatory territory. It is... a complicated situation there these days. Do you have a moment for a few words?”

He looked at Li Hao up and down as he spoke, slight bafflement settling in.

Have I... met this person before?

He wasn’t familiar with the unknown exalted emperor in terms of appearance, yet struggled with a vague hint of prior experience with this presence.

The Observatory leader had indeed met the young man before. Although Li Hao had changed his appearance, he hadn’t done so to the point of altering his dao origin. For a sixth rank like Dragon, meeting a person once was sufficient to remember a person, even if immediate recognition wasn’t at hand at their second meeting.

Granted, the Observatory leader had met many exalted emperors over the course of his long lifespan. It was normal to be running into acquaintances in random parts of the universe.

“That can be done!” Li Hao breathed out with a nod as he looked at the man. “I could sense the pressure being exerted over Dragon Observatory territory, so I wanted to leave as soon as possible. I’ve long heard of the fellow daoist’s name and we actually met a long time ago. But... with the fellow daoist’s strength as a sixth rank, you might have long forgotten me.”

“I thought the fellow daoist looked familiar!” Dragon fully grasped the opening he was given and smiled. It wasn’t a purely empty courtesy, this person did indeed look familiar.

It was best that the other was willing to properly sit down and discuss. The Observatory leader was all things to all men; he currently displayed a congenial side. It would be ideal if that atmosphere could be maintained.

“Since the fellow daoist himself has also agreed...” Dragon raised a cupped fist salute to all sides. “If there is anything else that the fellow daoists would like to know, please wait until after my conversation with the fellow daoist. You can invite him for a chat then...”

No one made a sound, despite some dissatisfaction percolating through the crowd. They were being addressed by a sixth rank, after all, one backed by Skycloud. No one dared raise an objection.

However, some exalted emperors transmitted their messages to Li Hao’s ears.

They were polite enough, simply extending invitations for the young man to converse with them. He was someone who’d walked out of Dragon Observatory territory, after all, and not a Skycloud member. The young man might now know anything. There was no need to be rude to a mid rank.

Li Hao responded to each of them in turn, then looked at Dragon. Life worked in mysterious ways sometimes...

He rose into the air and flew toward the Observatory leader. Meanwhile, the latter felt that he might truly know this exalted emperor.

“How might I call the fellow daoist?” he smiled. “You and I might have met before... but the fellow daoist also knows that the chaos is not a convenient place to get to know a person...”

“I understand!” Li Hao laughed. “Call me Dragonslayer!”

“......” Dragon furrowed his brows.

“Please don’t misunderstand, fellow daoist,” the young man quickly explained. “Dragons are a scourge in my world, so this is the name that the citizens of my world have given me.

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

“I don’t wish to use it with outsiders, to be honest, but I’ve decided to be frank today, just in case others think that I have something to hide. Therefore, I speak the truth with the fellow daoist. I do offer my apologies for any offense given.”

“It’s alright!” Although Dragon didn’t much care for the name, that was what the other’s world had bestowed upon him...

If the dragon race hasn’t made trouble for him, what do I care?

They were both mid ranks, despite the other appearing to be only a fourth rank.

Li Hao smiled when he saw the Observatory leader silently lead him into the distance. The man was playing right along with his plans! Was Dragon concerned that they were too close to the seventh ranks for him to take action?

Dragon looked back after a while and saw that they were at a good distance from the seventh ranks.

“There are too many seventh ranks in Dragon Observatory territory,” he breathed out more easily. “It’s such a stifling atmosphere over there. I have no other goals in mind with inviting the fellow daoist here. I simply wish to understand what the situation is like within Dragon Observatory. Have there been any changes with Demon Summit? The outside world says that the opening of the Skyward dao universe might have something to do with that dao foundation site.”

Li Hao looked around instead of immediately responding. “In response to Fellow Daoist Dragon, it’s said that the New Martial Human King has arrived at Skyward. The fellow daoist seems to have put together a team before to hunt down the New Martial Sword Sovereign.

“The Human King is known for being one who takes revenge for all slights. Has he not called upon the fellow daoist?”

The Observatory leader frowned slightly. What did Dragonslayer mean by this question? This was old history! Not to mention, that mission was later aborted! What revenge could the Human King seek?

It was unknown whether the Human King was even aware of the attempt. Was Dragonslayer purposefully picking at an old scar??

The Observatory leader brooded. He was also afraid of this past history being mentioned; he hadn’t been afraid of New Martial when the Human King wasn’t here, but now the august personage was in attendance and had already killed a seventh rank. Dragon was highly concerned about his prior deeds being reviewed. What if the Human King heard them and decided to take action?

He was about to say a few words when his expression changed drastically. The presence of the person in front of him had abruptly swelled by a great deal!

Li Hao didn’t want to waste time. The faction leader was just a minor character. Scaring him with a single word was enough. The man would be the spark that lit the fuse of Skyward. Such were the actions that suited Li Hao’s identity... no, the Sword Sovereign’s identity.

Dragon’s eyes widened; he sensed something. The exalted emperor in front of him was just a fourth rank, but his presence had grown dramatically in a split second. He whirled around to escape, cursing to himself.

The hell?? Is any random exalted emperor that we encounter these days a secret powerhouse? Where do they all come from??

And hey, I have an eighth rank major world behind me, alright?? Why is everyone willing to bully me?? Does the name of the Skycloud master not carry enough weight anymore?

The disturbance aroused attention from some exalted emperors in the distance. Powerful minds immediately extended toward Li Hao; Deepsea turned back with an angry look on his face. Who was it??

A massive sword hovered in the sky.

The furiously fleeing Dragon paled with horror when he sensed the piercing cold stab into his bones.

Fuck me! This sword intent is crazy! Who is it??

Can it be... the Sword Sovereign?!

“Didn’t you want to hunt me down?” A cold snort echoed in the surroundings. “I’ll fulfill your wish!”

“How dare you?!” bellowed Deepsea. Was this... the New Martial Sword Sovereign?! What was he doing here?? Wasn’t he just in Red Moon Region?!

Granted, it was also natural if the man had left and come to Skyward Region. But if the Sword Sovereign had just walked out of Dragon Observatory... did that mean that Fog Mountain really had joined hands with New Martial??

With the Human King appearing in public prior and now the Sword Sovereign, this rather confirmed Fog Mountain’s collusion with New Martial.

Immense sword intent flourished through the air!

Li Hao was already borrowing strength. Dao chess was conveniently nearby and alive, which further facilitated the attempt. Not to mention, the young man wasn't afraid of sixth ranks to begin with. He wouldn’t be concerned about Dragon even if he didn’t borrow strength.

Borrowing strength just made everything conclude faster.

His longsword materialized, alongside the sword intent of the Eternal Sword. While their core dao was different, what could outsiders determine?