Chapter 1707: Divvying Up the Spoils, Ascension (IV)

“He’s certainly willing to give things away!” The Human King clucked his tongue and laughed. “Not bad, he’s a bit like me!”

Is that so?

The Orchid Forest master smiled and didn’t say anything. The New Martial Human King had stood guard over him for the past three days, giving him the idea that perhaps some exalted emperors in the chaos were different.

The Human King had given up killing his arch nemesis just because an unrelated party had benefited on a momentary impulse! And even with the Orchid Forest master being absent, the Silver Moon king still gave the lion’s share of the loot to a bunch of exalted emperors that he didn’t need to give any respect to...

So not everyone is blinded by greed and profit.

“The Red Moon master...” The Orchid Forest master looked at the Human King.

“He’s run off and hiding anywhere he can,” sneered the other. “He stripped himself of his own dao and has become a wandering cultivator. Heh, the fact that he can get away in that state doesn’t mean that he can still survive, but that the two chasing him aren’t putting their hearts into it.

“They want to let him live so that he can act as a check and balance on New Martial, as well as Orchid Forest!”

There was no way out for the Red Moon master! However, the Human King was well aware why the man was still alive.

Whether it was Skycloud or Light, none of the two world masters were bringing their full strength to bear. They weren’t trying their hardest either. On one hand, they were concerned about the Red Moon master doing something untoward in desperation. On the other, they wanted to create a new faction that would curb New Martial!

An eighth rank wanderer without any concerns or reservations tying him down made for a very difficult enemy!

“So he’s still alive...” murmured the Orchid Forest master. “I’m sorry.”

If it wasn’t for him, the formidable Human King would’ve stood a high chance of killing his biggest enemy.

“It’s fine!” dismissed the noncommittal Human King. “This is good! It’s more fun that he’s alive! An unlucky omen like the Red Moon master will never settle for being demoted to a chaos wanderer. He’ll gather a group of people to him sooner or later.

“That is fantastic! I’d be worried about having to find legitimate reasons to attack people if he was dead. Since he’s not, I’d like to see who will dare collude with him. Any that do are signing their own death warrant!

“Otherwise, I wouldn’t know who to target next out of Light, Skycloud, Blazing Sun, and Dragon. Now... let’s wait and see!”

The Orchid Forest master looked at his counterparty without a word. These people really came off as supremely confident and cocky sometimes. Clearly, the Human King wasn’t the least bit concerned. He rather thought it was good that the Red Moon master had run off.

“I wonder if Old Man Li will be able to ascend this time...” This was the only time that a note of heretofore absent unease crept into the invincible Human King’s voice.

......

At this moment, Red Moon Region.

An immense surge of sword intent swept through the area. The sword domain shrouded the world and expanded without end!

The domain seemed to have transformed into a world. Or rather, it had become a world of great dao growing at a furious pace. It’d even produced its own net of dao.

A grave Li Hao and the rest observed its development. The Sword Sovereign was about to break through.

Having devoured a complete world, the man was fully setting foot into seventh rank. He’d only been one step away to begin with. The Sword Sovereign was completing it this time thanks to the reward of a world!

𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

His sword domain expanded into a dao universe—a myriad of swords crisscrossed it!

The Sword Sovereign was completely composed and carefree within the domain. He soared into the air with a laugh. “Who would’ve thought that I’d find my fortuitous opportunity in working with you...”

He was addressing Li Hao. Prior to this, he hadn’t thought that one person alone could conquer a seventh rank world. Even if one could, the battle spoils would be much damaged.

However, he’d attained this goal in the short period of time he’d spent with Li Hao. One had to know that although New Martial seemed to conquer seventh rank worlds at a fast pace, those were the result of long and careful planning.

Many wanted a share of the spoils as well when the dust settledli. Although the Sword Sovereign was close to the Human King, it was because of this close relationship that he could not ask for anything.

There were too many in New Martial who needed these resources. But now, he no longer needed to care about any of this. He had an entire world to himself!

Boom!

A majestic sword intent pierced through the chaos!

The net of dao was crystal clear in Li Hao’s eyes. It was the dao net of the Eternal Sword, visible in its entirety. He was fully taking in how it was formed, spun, and woven!

The young man hadn’t grown so strong that he could easily accomplish this task; it was the Sword Sovereign who was making it available to him!

The merry man permitted Li Hao to study it as he would. Dao was not easily passed along, but he wished to repay a favor in kind. Li Hao had given him a dao universe that led to his ascension. Since the young man also cultivated sword dao, then he would share his with Li Hao!

What did it matter?

Li Hao’s eyes darted around. The Sword Sovereign’s dao net was not weak. It was made of more than four thousand great daos. It didn’t rival the Skyward master’s, but the Sword Sovereign had also just entered seventh rank. He was still perfecting his dao net!

Li Hao had previously enjoyed the privilege of personally watching an exalted emperor advance from sixth to seventh rank. He hadn’t done so through oblique observation in a dao universe, but through his own dao net. This was different from what had happened with the Orchid Forest master.

It wasn’t that Li Hao thought less of the Orchid Forest master. Anyone who could set foot into seventh rank was a force to contend with.

It was just, the Orchid Forest master had ascended through a complete dao universe and dao net. He wasn’t the creator, just the heir. Meanwhile, the Sword Sovereign was the vanguard of his path!

Given enough time, the Sword Sovereign would be able to create a dao universe and birth his own world. He would have a major world of his own and be its creator!

That was their greatest difference.

Being able to observe the ascension of such a heavyweight was the biggest gain for Li Hao. He was beside himself with joy!

He had Fog Mountain and the Sword Sovereign next to him now. There was no need to worry about accidents when two seventh ranks were present. And the surprises weren’t over yet.

A black book rose in Nether Moon far away. Another domain of a myriad daos appeared, blotting out the sun. As the pages turned, a person hovered in the air and looked at the Sword Sovereign.

“This was much easier than I thought.” He chuckled as he focused on Li Hao instead. “So this is all there is to seventh rank! The construction of a dao net is very interesting indeed. Eternal Sword’s dao net is too plain and boring. Are you interested in looking at mine?”

Li Hao lit up!

“I have entered seventh rank.... so it’s time for me to leave.” Li Zhu smiled meaningfully. “King of Silver Moon, it’s not that I wish to drive a wedge between you two, but it’s better to have as few dealings with New Martial as possible, particularly the Human King and Martial King!

“The Human King is alright, but the Martial King is a complete son of a bitch who only cares about New Martial interests. A world can only have one master, so don’t set your sights on New Martial. That little bastard wants nothing more than all of existence to become New Martial vassals.

“He is the

supreme

for New Martial, but he’s a thrice-blasted bastard through and through to me...”

Off to the side, Zhang An looked down.

Grandfather’s not here, so I can’t take this guy on. Not to mention, he’s cursed grandfather to his face before. I’m not making a sound.

Li Zhu laughed heartily and waved the world into a domain. A myriad of daos appeared as the dao net was swiftly completed. Great daos appeared; Li Hao stared at the central one for a while. He was surprised at what he found.

He’d thought that Li Zhu’s core dao would be one of shadows, concealment, darkness, or the like since he was skilled at the dao of hiding. But as it turned out, none of those were the answer. It was... majestic!

Li Hao was truly stunned. The central dao was a majestic, vast, resplendent dao that even bore signs of imperial might!

Um... ah...

What’s so surprising about this?

smirked Li Zhu.

I am the king of the Earth Dwellers!

The net of dao finished in the next second and closed around the central dao. A tremendous presence rose from the man.

“I take my leave!” Li Zhu was in even more of a hurry than the Sword Sovereign. He vanished in a flash, leaving his voice behind on the wind. “Eternal Sword, go back and tell Zhang Tao that my war with him isn’t over yet!”

“......” The Sword Sovereign stared speechlessly before shaking his head. “All of these guys are stubborn and spirited. I don’t know if it’s a good idea or bad to let this guy into seventh rank. All he does is create trouble for the Martial King from day to night!”

“Is their grudge still ongoing?” asked Li Hao.

“Yep,” laughed the Sword Sovereign. “That’s fine, the Martial King is a piece of shit. We’ll have a nice show on our hands if they start fighting!”

Zhang An trembled uncontrollably.

Should I... say something? These guys all have a bone to pick with my grandfather. Thank goodness I didn’t talk about him much. I don’t think any of them like him.

By now, two people had entered seventh rank, one had recovered to peak seventh rank, and Void was hiccuping in the distance. He, too, had improved a great deal.

Gan Wuliang stood next to him—the man had also set foot into fourth rank.

As for Li Hao... the young man laughed, summoning hundreds of worlds to him. A presence rose from his body with an explosive roar. He’d just witnessed two seventh ranks verify their dao!

He’d suppressed his growing presence for some mental clarity. If it wasn’t for that, he would’ve already broken through. Now that their process was complete, there was no need to keep himself in check.

rumble!!

The worlds trembled around him! Immense strength swirled in all directions; even Void’s eyes widened.

Did this level of strength... truly belong to only a fifth rank??

Hundreds of domains overlapped and Li Hao’s presence grew rapidly again. Void could feel some pressure, despite being a sixth rank himself.

Damn this guy improves quickly! He might leave me behind if I don’t reach seventh rank soon!

“I’m finally fifth rank!” Li Hao breathed out with a chuckle. The four major worlds around them were much smaller than before; they’d been almost depleted of energy. Only one world in the premises still blazed with strength.

Orchid Forest!

“Time to get to work!” Li Hao smiled. “Let’s drag Orchid Forest further away from here and then... go to Skyward!”