Chapter 1693: Striking Gold (II)

The outside world.

Yuan Shuo and the rest of his group were scavenging for pickings from the battlefield. There wasn’t much to be had. Only Li Hao had killed a few exalted emperors up till now, enabling some energy to leak out. The rest were byproducts of clashes between premier exalted emperors. They didn’t dare absorb anything too strong either—just that which was left behind.

They were akin to beggars!

Yuan Shuo was part of this army of beggars as he searched in all directions. It was pitiful sight and he wasn’t in a good mood either. He’d recognized Li Hao and saw his student enter the dao universe. He’d also heard the young man speak to the Human King and the rest, asking them to make a move.

However, only Fog Mountain had acted accordingly!

Yuan Shuo cursed heartily to himself, feeling that the Human King had shown no face to his student! Li Hao wasn’t offending Red Moon for his own purposes, but for New Martial! But the Human King wasn’t the slightest bit appreciative...

The old man’s eyes widened as he grumbled; he quickly found a place to sit down cross-legged. His presence strengthened and for a moment, an imperial presence rose from his body before disappearing.

Yuan Shuo wasn’t in the most comfortable condition and he spoke to himself in his mind, “What are you little bastard doing darting out of my own body?”

What are you trying to do, kid? If it wasn’t for this old man having a decent constitution, a fourth rank like you would be the death of me, burrowing out of my dao meridians like this! And if it wasn’t for our energies being very compatible, an Empyrean King like me would’ve spontaneously exploded!

“Be quiet for now, teacher!”

“......”

You unfilial boy! How impudent can you be?? How dare you tell me to shut up now?!

Yuan Shuo kept up a litany of curses to himself, but didn’t say a thing. So was Li Hao about to go on the run?

The young man hadn’t seemed to gain much from his recent actions. Now with the door to the dao universe still open, wouldn’t he be losing out on the dao universe as well?

Or did he intend to close the door before going on the run?

Up in the sky, Fog Mountain couldn’t hold on anymore. He cursed madly,

I’m done, I need to head inside. I don’t care if anyone else goes inside or not. Didn’t we say that the New Martial Human King and master of Light would help? None of them ended up doing anything!

Fog Mountain was prepared to abandon the opening and enter the Skyward dao universe!

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

This was when the silent Skycloud master suddenly snorted softly. Fog Mountain felt his blood qi roiled before an exalted emperor struck him with an explosive roar. He was bathed in blood!

He turned to look at the Skycloud master; the man looked aloofly back at him and didn’t say anything.

The Skycloud master had opted to suppress Fog Mountain!

Neither did Fog Mountain say anything. He’d been ready for this occurrence to take place, but he’d underestimated the world master still. He thought that the world master would erupt in open hostility when he actually left.

Reality proved that... there was no need to wait until that moment. He’d struck while the iron was hot and was stripping Fog Mountain of his dao strength at a critical moment!

The Skycloud master didn’t say a word.

You’re preparing to leave, so how would I possibly agree to let you leave with energy from the dao universe? You will relinquish your dao strength first before anything else.

Although it was difficult to strip out dao strength from a peak seventh rank, it was the perfect timing to do so when Fog Mountain was deep in battle. Any other moment would have been hard to do so otherwise. Forcefully separating dao strength would damage the roots of the dao universe.

Fog Mountain wasn’t saddened by the development, he simply laughed ruefully. “It’s a bit earlier than I thought... but this is only to be expected!”

After all, I’m leaving. I’d naively thought that you would consider our past relationship. You see, this moment is actually perfect for me to leave. I haven’t yet because I’m also worried that the Light master and others will set their sights on you.

It was a pity that it seemed more that... Skycloud thought that he was

unable

to leave right this moment.

Fog Mountain sighed to himself, but quickly recovered his smile. A magnificent surge of strength shook the world and swept through the four corners. A dao universe was visible in the sky!

The Skycloud master’s eyes widened; he materialized his dao universe as well. Within it, a massive, glittering star came shooting toward him. He looked silently at Fog Mountain.

Skycloud... it’s truly farewell this time!

“I’m only taking seventy percent of my strength and returning to you thirty percent now of Red Moon’s. I retain only the strength of an initial seventh rank,” boomed Fog Mountain. “That essentially makes you whole.

“If you continue to insist on stopping me, you will lose only more if both of us fight to the bitter end. Skycloud, we should part on the same good terms that we met on!”

An arctic expression crept over the Skycloud master’s face!

“Do you really think you’re ending things amiably if you leave now? You know full well what the situation is and how important the Skyward dao universe is to me. You also know that Skycloud holds no advantage among the four regions. Is this what you mean by parting on good terms, Fog Mountain??”

“Everyone has their own aspirations in life,” sighed Fog Mountain. “I already said that I’m only taking seventy percent of my energy. That’s not much of a loss to you in the end. And if there comes an opportunity in the future, if I can kill a seventh rank... I will give you all of the dao strength that I collect!

“While that still won’t make you completely whole, it will be very close! What else do you want from me? I’ve done everything you asked during all of these years. I’ve been meticulous, down to the very last detail!

“And it’s not just one or two years, but

three hundred thousand

years that I’ve been a seventh rank! That’s far too long. You guys have spent those years in seclusion and closed door cultivation, while I’ve handled everything within the world. Is that not enough?”

“Hmph!” snorted the Skycloud master. “You were given authority because I valued and trusted you! How dare you be ungrateful!”

“But I... clearly turned you down before and said I wanted to rest for a while,” chuckled Fog Mountain.

The Skycloud master didn’t reply to that. He remained staring coldly at Fog Mountain. He knew that the Human King, Red Moon, and Light master were waiting for a chance, but he also knew that Fog Mountain wouldn’t give them that chance.

“I might die here if you leave now with the strength of a seventh rank.” He stared down Fog Mountain. “Skycloud might topple as well!”

The Skycloud master wasn’t afraid of anything; he knew Fog Mountain. He flashed a smile.

“Fog Mountain, it’s not out of the question for you to forcefully declare your independence. Just as you say, leaving with seventy percent of your strength would be fine in ordinary circumstances. But now? Do you wish for Skycloud to be destroyed?”

The Skycloud master leveled a finger at those standing around them.

“Those guys are vicious wolves, ready to swoop in as soon as they see a hint of weakness!” he sneered. “But you and I are hard pressed to coexist in the same world anymore. Very well, I will give you a chance to leave if you relinquish all of your strength. Or I might permit you to retain the strength of a sixth rank. That is my greatest concession!”

Sixth rank!

Although that was simply the difference of one cultivation rank, it was the difference between heaven and earth. Retaining only the strength of a sixth rank was essentially... condemning Fog Mountain to death.

Fog Mountain stared at his soon-to-be former world master.

“I’ll tell you the truth.” The Skycloud master remained noncommittal. “I transferred a large sum of energy from the great dao to Deepsea before any of this commenced. Deepsea is on the cusp of peak seventh rank!

“I can just barely maintain eighth rank at present. My cultivation level might decline if you leave and take your energy with you...”

Exalted emperors around the premises looked at each other with wide eyes. The Light master and other heavyweights were rather surprised. Was this true?

Standing behind the Skycloud master, Deepsea suddenly flared with immense presence. He no longer showed signs of nearly collapsing to one blow from the Human King. He looked at Fog Mountain with a complicated expression.

“Fog Mountain, the world master... speaks truly! If you force your way out of the dao universe right now, he might suffer a decline in cultivation. He trusts you deeply and believes that you will not plunge Skycloud into the depths of despair!”

Fog Mountain froze. He stared at the two; the exalted emperors fighting in the surroundings all chose to pause in their clashes. Many of them focused on Fog Mountain instead. Who would’ve thought they’d see such a show here?

It wasn’t the forceful suppression of Fog Mountain and grim fight that everyone had expected, but using the safety of Skycloud and the world master’s cultivation level to bet on Fog Mountain’s conscience.

Some exalted emperors wanted to snicker. The Skycloud master was crazy, wasn’t he? Counting on a peak seventh rank to possess a conscience...

No one was in a hurry now. The Sword Sovereign had already entered the Skyward dao universe, but all remained silent inside. There was no sign of the dao universe revitalizing. And with eighth ranks standing guard in close proximity, the rest could only surge forward in a mob!

It would be quite interesting to see how Fog Mountain chose...

......

“Shameless!” spat Yuan Shuo. “Is this Skycloud master trying to control Fog Mountain with morals and ethics? I would never buckle to this kind of pressure! What do you think, kid?”

If it was me, I’d be leaving anyway! What do I care about your cultivation level declining? Screw you!

No one can control me so long as I lack ethics and morals!

And that Deepsea... It looks like Skycloud has reached an internal accord that he can leave, but without the strength of a seventh rank. He needs to leave his dao strength behind. The Skycloud master seems to have promised Fog Mountain’s energy to others in order to win their support.

Otherwise, with Fog Mountain’s popularity...

Too bad popularity isn’t good for much. When it comes to seventh rank, being able to split a peak seventh rank’s energy is far more important than friendship!

“This is good!” Li Hao chuckled through transmission. “Teacher, the heavens smile upon me!”

What? Did you take too many blows to the head or what, kid? It’s more like the heavens are shitting upon you!

That one really seems to be on your side, but you won’t be able to do much if he really gives up the strength of a peak seventh rank. With all these powerhouses around, he seems to be the only one listening to you.