Chapter 1695: Striking Gold (IV)

Just as the crack to the Skyward dao universe closed, Yuan Shuo appeared next to Void with a flash. He grabbed Fog Mountain, drawing only a remote look from the latter.

“Hahaha, we’re rich! We’re rich!” Li Hao’s deranged laughter rang in Fog Mountain’s ears.

“......” Fog Mountain thought that the young man had truly lost his mind. Also, when did the young man exit the dao universe?

“C’mon, let’s go, we’re seriously rich this time.” Li Hao hooted with mirth. “Although it’s going to be a bit troublesome... but we’ve really struck gold!”

He was absolutely overjoyed at how everything had exceeded expectations!

The brand in his river of dao sparkled. Being as the Skyward dao universe was within the major world, there was no need to pass through the world barrier to exit it. Although the dao chess’ primary body had departed, it still possessed the capability to transport others.

The former leader of Dragon Observatory had been turned into fuel. Li Hao floated out of Yuan Shuo’s body with glee on his face. He looked at Fog Mountain as if he gazed upon a great treasure.

“Let’s put it all on the line, esteemed Senior Fog Mountain!” The young man gnashed his teeth. “You’ll have to really work for it!”

What?? I’m crippled!

“Four dao universes are waiting for us!” Li Hao began the transportation process, but suddenly jerked his head up. A person was hovering overhead and frowning at the tightly sealed dao universe.

“Open it once more,” he looked at Li Hao. “I want to go inside as well!”

The young man paused.

What are you still doing here? I thought you ran off already!

It was Li Zhu!

“The senior wishes to go inside?”

“Yes,” Li Zhu nodded, slightly regretful that those assholes hadn’t erupted in pitched battle outside the dao universe. They’d all headed inside instead, more’s he pity. He’d waited here for so long, but it was completely in vain!

Li Hao looked at the man, then at Fog Mountain. He hesitated for a brief second. “Senior... are you interested in taking on a gig somewhere else?”

I’m concerned that Fog Mountain won’t be enough, and since we have three major worlds at hand, there should be enough to go around.

“Hmm?”

“Red Moon!”

“There’s at least two seventh ranks there...” Li Zhu frowned.

I can collect some pickings if I follow these guys, won’t I just be going to my death if I follow you?

He looked at Fog Mountain and paused, realizing something. The man then considered Li Hao again and... promptly dove into Li Hao’s river. Even the young man started at this response.

Didn’t you want to leave?

“Let’s go!” said Li Zhu. “My demands aren’t high, just give me one of the three dao universes. You can give whatever you want to this Fellow Daoist Fog Mountain... In return, I can hold back one of the seventh ranks for you!”

Li Hao hesitated for a moment, then clenched his teeth with a nod. Very well!

Although the demands weren’t low, it was a very big offer of help to make.

Fine, let’s do it! It’s better to be safe than sorry!

Fog Mountain was still looking around in a bleary haze as Li Hao activated the transport. He immediately discovered that he’d been dragged into a transportation tunnel and tried to struggle free. “Where are we going...”

I’m already crippled, why are you guys bringing me along?

“The senior will hold back one seventh rank in a bit,” Li Hao forced out through grit teeth. “It doesn’t matter if you kill them or not. Senior Li Zhu and the Sword Sovereign will handle the other, and the rest of us will kill the other exalted emperors!

“We’re going to make out like bandits today. If you guys are able to become seventh ranks, you can come back to help the Human King and the rest!”

Fog Mountain was still in a daze.

But I’m crippled! Are you guys listening to me? I say that I’m crippled! I’m no good for anything anymore!! Hello, are you deaf?!

Li Hao hadn’t seemed to hear anything that Fog Mountain said.

Crippled? Cut the nonsense! We need to move fast. If we’re slow and too much time passes, I won’t be able to reverse time for you. You’ve only been crippled for a few moments, it’s fine. It’ll be actual trouble if this drags on for too long. You seriously talk too much!

Li Hao continued to be overjoyed.

As I thought, even the heavens are helping me! I hope the Human King doesn’t die too quickly. It’s a possibility since Red Moon brought so many exalted emperors with him!

“Hold on, Human King!” Li Hao said quietly.

With me taking four dao universes on my side, I’m helping you too...

The transportation tunnel swiftly extended forward, rushing straight for Red Moon!

A few weak exalted emperors in Skyward who weren’t able to enter the dao universe sensed something different in the air. But since the dao universe was still present overhead, they quickly dismissed the disturbance.

They were all hopeful that some chance might come their way for something good. If some of these powerhouses died in the dao universe, there might be a lot of dao strength that seeped out.

Li Hao’s group quickly landed at Void’s previous coordinates in Red Moon Region.

“Hurry, fast!” Li Hao raced toward Red Moon, constantly shaking the star of life and death to tell Lin Hongyu that he was here. It was only now that he remembered he’d brought his teacher as well. There was no time to make arrangements for Yuan Shuo. “Don’t go anywhere in a bit, teacher. Enter the world and find a spot to hide!”

Yuan Shuo was quite speechless at his instructions.

The Sword Sovereign convened with them before long, frowning at Li Zhu and not bothering to address the man. Li Zhu ignored him as well. Although the two hailed from New Martial, it was an interesting sight to see the two of them pretend that the other didn’t exist.

“C’mon, quick!” Li Hao didn’t care what these people might think of each other. They needed to get to Red Moon!

The group picked up as much speed as they could. Red Moon was within their grasp!

......

The four major worlds were almost orbiting with each other. Skywave, Cold River, Nether Moon, and Red Moon were all accounted for, as well as two seventh ranks. But there were more than two high ranks within these four worlds.

The key was that they were all major worlds. When it came to Red Moon, they had more than one hundred exalted emperors in their ranks since Orchid Forest had joined them. When all of the exalted emperors were added together across the other worlds, they totaled more than one hundred as well.

This was a congregation of five major worlds!

It was a rare sight in the chaos for five major worlds to be gathered together. It wasn’t just the matter of the two seventh ranks, but that Li Hao’s plan had only targeted high ranks from the very beginning. One had to say, the young man was as bold as he was talented!

Although some peak sixth ranks couldn’t measure up to the seventh ranks, any that were as perversely strong as the Sword Sovereign would be immensely terrifying.

“The four major worlds have approximately two hundred exalted emperors under their banner, if we exclude the roughly thirty from Orchid Forest. Of them, there’s at least ten sixth ranks and dozens of fourth and fifth ranks.

“They have more than one hundred low ranks!” Li Hao gazed into the distance. “Our first stop is Red Moon! We’ll take Red Moon first, then the other three.

“There’s one seventh rank at Red Moon and another elsewhere. They’ll travel fast if they come to reinforce Red Moon. Other exalted emperors will be slower and might not come!

“Although we’ve killed six Red Moon sixth ranks so far, there’s still a lot of them left. In addition, a portion of them are peak sixth ranks that are attempting to ascend to seventh rank right this moment!”

And when compared to his side...

While he had a lot of people... There were the Sword Sovereign, Li Zhu, and Celestial Pole from New Martial. Him, Hong Yitang, Lin Hongyu, Gan Wuliang, Panther, and Xun Ruo from Silver Moon. Yuan Shuo was out of the equation as he was too weak, and neither did Li Hao count Number Two among his crew.

He also had Void and the three exalted emperors that were still on Red Moon.

However, most of his people were low ranks. Meanwhile, Red Moon possessed one hundred exalted emperors. Even if those from Orchid Forest didn’t take a stand, it would be difficult to expect them to help in the absence of their world master.

“Senior Fog Mountain!” Li Hao looked at the man. “Griefstricken is not weak. Is the senior confident in quickly taking him down?”

“I...”

am a cripple!

“Senior, are you confident in taking him down if you were at your peak and bringing your full strength to bear? Your opponent will be on home territory!”

“I can, but it will be very difficult!” Fog Mountain quickly responded. “It’s always difficult to kill a seventh rank...”

“What if you work with the Sword Sovereign?”

Work together?

Fog Mountain glanced at the Sword Sovereign, unsure of the man’s strength.

“There won’t be much of a problem for me to hack at him a few times...” the Sword Sovereign said noncommittally.

“He’s on par with the strength I brought to bear against Dragon,” Li Hao explained.

That made him very strong, then!

“In that case, so long as our opponent doesn’t run and I recover peak battle condition... the two of us will be able to kill him very quickly!”

Very quickly!

“How quickly?”

“Um... thirty seconds at most, and that’s assuming he doesn’t run...”

Li Hao nodded. Thirty seconds and with the major worlds nearly glued together, the other seventh rank would arrive very quickly if they came to help. A single flash was a very long distance for a seventh rank. Perhaps thirty seconds was the most that would elapse with one flash.

If Fog Mountain and the Sword Sovereign really could kill their opponent in this period of time, then it didn’t matter if the other seventh rank came.

“I want thunder and lightning to cover Red Moon!” Li Hao said rapidly. “Void, come and help me continuously recover. I’m going to trace time and help Senior Fog Mountain recover. Senior Li Zhu, direct the thunder and lightning for me. Utilize the method of hiding to infuse Red Moon major world with my presence!

“Gan Wuliang, Martial Uncle Hong, the two of you will suppress the world with your great dao and prevent Red Moon presence from leaking out or their powerhouses from fleeing. When the great dao shakes, you must curtail the unrest!

“Lin Hongyu, you are in charge of absorbing life and death. If someone falls in battle...” The young man regarded the group. “Absorb their dao origin and wait for their resurrection! Void, you must also keep an eye on Senior Sword Sovereign aside from helping me recover. Once any problems develop, you must quickly deplete your resources and help him regain his strength!”

The group nodded at his instructions. Not even Li Zhu and the Sword Sovereign said anything in protest. They were well aware that there could only be one person making the call at the very end. Neither of the two were that familiar with the plan or the people involved. The opposite was true for Li Hao.

It was best to follow his instructions. If anyone wanted to take over leadership at this point in time, that might fully enrage Li Hao to the point of excising them from the operation to come. No one would be gaining anything then!