Chapter 1711: Setting a Small Goal (IV)

The two eighth ranks weren’t the only ones to notice the newcomers—some of the seventh rank masters of the world also discovered what was amiss. One of them even recognized Fog Mountain.

“Brother Fog Mountain,” he transmitted. “How did you...”

Recover? This is incredible!

“I ate a seventh rank world, so of course I recovered!” Fog Mountain replied calmly.

“......” Collective blinks filtered through the group.

You ate a seventh rank world?? Which one?! How come we don’t know about this?? And you speak of it so casually like a seventh rank world isn’t worth anything!

Are you here now... to take revenge on the Skycloud master? But he’s an eighth rank and still inside the Skyward dao universe at the moment. You won’t be a match for him even with your recovery.

However, it was difficult to say what the outcome might be since Fog Mountain had brought another seventh rank sword cultivator with him. Two seventh ranks and with sword cultivators being known for offense...

News of Red Moon’s demise had not yet filtered through the chaos. Neither was the extermination of four major worlds worth of exalted emperors publicly known. Few were those that’d died or escaped—survivors didn’t dare flee toward Skyward. They ran in the opposite direction and news had been cut off. Only those within the Skyward dao universe were aware of the happenings.

“Brother Fog Mountain, this sword cultivator fellow daoist is unknown to us... When did a seventh rank sword cultivator appear in the chaos?” someone asked with puzzlement. Where had this person come from?

Even those who’d seen Li Hao’s version of the Sword Sovereign before did not link the two together. The key was that the two were different. There weren’t many similarities between the Sword Sovereign that Li Hao had posed as and the Sword Sovereign that appeared now.

The key was that seventh rank cultivation!

A seventh rank sword cultivator was a vastly different concept from sixth rank.

“This is my old friend who I met in the chaos,” Fog Mountain smiled easily. “When he learned that I’d been injured and stripped of my strength, he made the trip here to salvage my dignity!

“If those of you gathered here do not wish to be embroiled in more trouble, I recommend leaving as soon as possible! Skyward’s dao universe has not fully revitalized!

“What occurred before was just a plot for entrapping certain people! You will soon know the truth. The Skyward dao universe remains silent. We simply used the dao chess treasure to open it!”

The two eighth ranks listening from the sidelines couldn’t help but join the conversation.

“Fog Mountain, do you speak truly?” A surge of blazing heat swept over. “A plot? Against who? Who set it up?”

“Is the speaker the Exalted Blazing Sun Emperor?” Fog Mountain said noncommittally. “You will soon know who is the architect of the plot and who it is aimed at! There is nothing to worry about—it is impossible that someone quietly crosses the threshold to ninth rank!

“Skyward’s dao universe is only a cemetery at present, with many freshly buried seventh ranks. You’ll know how many seventh ranks have died this time when it opens again. I also took advantage of the disorder to swallow a dao universe. That was how I recovered!”

Jerks of shock rippled through the listener. Who’d died?? And more than one?!

So Fog Mountain’s recovery was related to this incident... Did that mean he was a participant and one of the masterminds?? And did the same go for that swordsman?

“Everyone, let’s put everything on the table before the dao universe opens again,” Fog Mountain continued. “I don’t mind telling you that we’ve joined an exceedingly mysterious faction in the chaos. We’re unable to go into detail, but I will say that our strength is far more than you can see!”

“Fog Mountain, you’ve gone senile from all that cultivating!” sneered Blazing Sun. Who was he trying to hoodwink? Clearly, he’d come back to try and scare them all!

Who did he think he was fooling?!

What a joke! What bloody mysterious faction of the chaos? This was the greatest joke of the century!

“I said what I said, it’s none of my business whether you believe me or not.” Fog Mountain remained calm. “I am just warning everyone assembled here that Skyward is not a benign place! This is a place that holds a lot of bodies and there are many high ranks of the four regions involved. There might even be... New Martial!

“This seat is not afraid of letting it be known that apart from New Martial, there are many others participating, including the fellow daoist beside me! Our goal is simple—we do not do this to kill anyone. We have gathered together simply for self protection. Therefore, there is nothing for anyone to worry about.”

The two eighth ranks frowned slightly. They’d heard of Fog Mountain colluding with New Martial before, and not just Fog Mountain... The two glanced at Void. The crown prince of Light was also here. Could it be that Light major world was likewise involved?

They were starting to be reminiscent of the Red Moon master—paranoid of everything and anything.

There was no helping it. Fog Mountain’s recovery was too uncanny. The others didn’t know which seventh rank major world had been destroyed.

For the moment, Li Hao ignored what Fog Mountain was saying. Those outlandish claims might actually be able to freeze the group for a while. They would have no chance but to believe Fog Mountain when they learned that four dao universes were no more.

Many seventh ranks had died this time. Three had died within Skyward’s dao universe and two more outside. That made for a total of five seventh ranks!

𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Added to that the three that Li Hao’s group had ended and two more by New Martial’s hands...

Ten seventh ranks had died in two years’ time. That was a massive shock to the chaos!

Seventh rank was difficult to attain!

Those ten represented an arduous and painstaking cultivation of many years! Only three seventh ranks in the form of the Sword Sovereign, Li Zhu, and the Orchid Forest master had been born lately. That number was far less than the replacement amount.

“There are two eighth ranks and roughly six more seventh ranks in the surroundings,” Li Hao transmitted after observing the surroundings. “I don’t know if that’s it, but it’s shocking that there’s still another eight high ranks outside the Skyward dao universe!”

He wasn’t aware of how many that’d entered before, but Void was. Three eighth ranks and sixteen seventh ranks, if including the Human King and Orchid Forest master. That made for nineteen high ranks within the dao universe—well, sixteen at most now.

With the eight outside, that totaled twenty-four in Skyward. Fog Mountain, the Sword Sovereign, and Li Zhu were newly arrived. The grand total of high ranks was likely twenty-seven, and many of them were eighth ranks.

If one included the dead, that made for thirty.

There were approximately fifty major worlds within the four regions, but some major worlds had more than one seventh rank. Eighth rank dao universes would hold more seventh ranks. If all of the high ranks within the four regions were counted up, they would only number one hundred or so.

Such was the number of high ranks in the vast four regions! It was an incredible expanse that represented the entire chaos to many. The distance between each major world was massive. Regular exalted emperors would spend several decades in travel time if they flew to visit each world.

And now, roughly one-third were gathered here. All of the eighth ranks were here!

“Should we open the dao universe now?” asked Fog Mountain.

“Not yet, I’d like to wait a bit longer!” Li Hao continued to transmit. “The best timing is when New Martial makes its move. Logically speaking, it is indeed a good time now. If the supreme can detect something awry here, he should choose this moment!

“What a pity that we can’t communicate, or I’d open the dao universe before New Martial makes their move. That will force out the powerhouses within the dao universe whether they want to or not.”

If New Martial went on the offensive and eliminated a major world, they might not cause a disturbance greater than the one that’d taken place at Red Moon. It was difficult for news to travel from Red Moon Region. In theory, that meant that information would be hard to share about New Martial’s movements as well.

However, New Martial could not possibly eradicate all of the major worlds in the surroundings. So long as any exalted emperor of a major world saw the situation and sent word to Skyward, the latest developments would be quickly known.

Li Hao assessed the surroundings once more and transmitted, “Let’s wait a bit longer. It’s best if more news comes before I open the dao universe. By then, both Blazing Sun and Dragon will choose to leave. We’ll have a greater chance of success then!”

The young man was quite regretful that communication wasn’t that developed in the chaos. If it was, he could’ve coordinated beautifully with New Martial!

......

At this time, Blazing Sun Region.

A fiery world passed through the outskirts of this region. A nearby cat eyed the far distance. The supreme seemed to be gathering intelligence within the chaos as multiple replicas sent back a large number of reports.

“The time is at hand!” He suddenly opened his eyes with a smile. “Although it’s only a seventh rank world, New Martial will see the appearance of many great talents once we seize it! Seventh rank will be well within reach!”

He looked at some of the exalted emperors within the crowd. These people had the most hope of setting foot into seventh rank. The Exalted Blood Emperor, Earth Emperor, Exalted Hard-Headed Emperor, Exalted Broken Will Emperor, Suppression King, Exalted Divine Forge Emperor, Human Consort...

Anyone in that list stood a strong chance as they had a decent quantity of yang qi in them. The Human King had paid a significant price to help them. Well, alright, the Earth Emperor lacked yang qi, so perhaps he had the most hope of ascension.

“Today will be the day that determines our success!” The supreme lifted his head upwards. “In addition, New Martial might have good news to share with everyone. I’m not sure if it is accurate or not, but there might be a new seventh rank among us!”

The Earth Emperor and the rest were unruffled. Within the crowd, Celestial Pole’s father—the Western Emperor—yawned. He looked at the supreme with boredom.

Are you talking about yourself? Out with it already! This attitude of forced mystery is so tedious!

“I’m not talking about myself!” laughed the supreme.

The group continued to ignore him.

“Perhaps... it’s Li Changsheng, perhaps it’s Li Zhu!” The supreme looked at the Earth Emperor. The man looked back with cool composure.

What are you looking at me for? Li Zhu may be my son, but I don’t know what the situation is. Not to mention, it’s your word against nothing. Do you think I’ll believe you?

Do you want me to fight to my death, you damned old fart?? You probably think that since my son has set foot into seventh rank, it doesn’t matter anymore if the father is killed in battle!

This is how you always pull the wool over our eyes!

The supreme continued staring at the Earth Emperor, but gave up after a while.

Fine! I really do sense something, but what can I do when none of you believe me?

Finally, he set his eyes on someone wearing brightly patterned leggings. This was the renowned Sun God. To be frank, the Human King and Supreme Zhang were the more normal members of New Martial. This one... was highly unusual.

He wore loud leggings throughout the year and constantly hugged a large coconut to himself, always drinking out of it! All he lacked were some beauties in bikinis next to him to complete the picture!