Chapter 1724: Returning to Silver Moon (V)

Liu Yin was as pale as a sheet as he froze on the ground.

I’ve been crippled?

The other young men and women shook with horror.

“Cowards!” Liu Long sniffed. “You’ve never experienced the fires of battle, yet want to play with the big guns? None of you guys will live past a day if you walk outside!”

No one dared make a sound; all of the color had drained from their faces. Liu Long wanted to continue berating them, but Director General Zhao suddenly frowned and looked up at the sky. The Star Gate had suddenly trembled.

Director General Zhao stared, as did Liu Long blink with astonishment. The latter jerked his head upward, a motion followed by countless people. The red doorframe in the sky shook with increasing intensity!

Just as shock and apprehension filtered through the crowd, the Star Gate opened!

The doors swung open with a rumble and a person came striding through the sky. He wore a smile on his face and looked down with some surprise. The person was also a bit confused. Was something taking place here?

Of course, none of that really mattered. A tremendous presence came down over Silver Moon!

Li Hao wasn’t purposefully putting on a show; he’d simply used a bit of force to open the Star Gate. A fifth rank only needed to slightly exert themselves to suppress a mid world.

Multiple exalted emperors followed the young man into Silver Moon!

The Sword Sovereign’s presence shook the entire world; he glanced over it and sighed with appreciation, “It’s changed so much...”

“Is this Silver Moon?” Someone darted in—Void. He’d been busy running around just now. The man peered around the mid world with some surprise. “I thought Silver Moon would be extremely strong, but... how is it so... weak?”

“......”

No shit!

Li Hao didn’t know what to say. Silver Moon had just ascended to the status of a mid world and all of its exalted emperors had ventured into the chaos universe after that.

Of course it’s not strong!

Numerous exalted emperors stood beneath the heavens. Their presences shook Silver Moon, drawing the entire population’s gazes. Some exalted emperors purposefully refrained from concealing their might, presenting a piercing sight for anyone who looked at them.

Compared to them, those who’d reached the extremity of their paths—such as Director General Zhao—were hardly worth mention!

“Oh? Chief, is this your descendant?” Li Hao looked at Liu Long, a bit surprised to find a familiar bloodline presence from the young man. Had the chief... gotten married and fathered children?

Liu Long nodded dumbly, a bit surprised that Li Hao had come back.

“What’s going on here?” smiled the young man. “Did you do this? Why are you beating your own son? Chief, you’re really something...”

𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Shaking his head, Li Hao casually waved his hand and healed the crippled Liu Yin. The boy spontaneously recovered to peak condition, as if nothing ever happened.

Liu Yin’s jaw dropped! Was this the Silver Moon marquis?? He’d brought back a crippled sixth level Fused Dao in the blink of an eye, restoring even the dao meridians. There was no sign at all that he’d ever been injured!

This was... simply incredible!

Liu Long opened his mouth to speak, but Li Hao chuckled softly. “I’m back!”

There was only his voice in all of the world. A heartbeat later, the silent world rang with charged roars.

“The marquis has returned!”

“Greetings to Your Lordship!”

The land was abruptly populated by the old guard that Liu Yin and the rest thought were dying out. Their passionate yells filled the air!

Veterans who’d remained behind back in the day, ones who’d seemed to disappear into seclusion, soared into the air as an endless flock of Sun and Moon, Mountain and Sea! They were so numerous that they blotted out the sun!

The sight left the younger generation dumbfounded. Some stared at their neighbors and friends that’d suddenly come to life. These people were inconspicuous in ordinary times, just the elderly who liked to bask in the sun. But now, they erupted with presences that were either Sun and Moon or Fused Dao!

The younger folks were stunned out of their wits. How were there so many heavyweights still alive?!

“Good, very good! I’m so very happy to see everyone once again!” Li Hao’s laughter was the only sound in the world.

A figure appeared in the people’s minds—Li Hao. He waved a hand and bade a rain of life to come forth. Countless elderly who were devoid of energy or struggling with old wounds recovered in a heartbeat. Some even saw their strength grow tremendously.

“Not bad,” chuckled Li Hao. “I’ve come back to take everyone for a spin outside. Of course, I hope that prior to this, all of our old friends will be able to verify their dao as exalted emperors. I’ve brought back a dozen worlds bigger than Silver Moon and will incorporate them into our home. Our chance is here, everyone!”

General shock!

What??

A dozen worlds?!

It was only the youngsters that were shocked; the old guard was used to such revelations and were simply excited beyond belief. As expected, the Silver Moon marquis was truly invincible! This was such a normal display for him!

Many of them smirked at the youngsters.

We just can’t be bothered with you normally! You’re a bunch of brats who haven’t seen anything of the world! We once followed the marquis and fought by his side!

The veterans who’d struggled with dejection all roared with enthusiasm, suddenly returning to their high spirits of five hundred years ago. It was hard for Li Hao to understand their passion since he’d only left a few months ago. Granted, he could understand why they reacted thus since he’d been gone a very long time for them.

The young man was equally emotional when he set his eyes on Silver Moon again.

I... don’t want to shut the Star Gate once more, but Silver Moon is too weak....

......

Five hundred years!

It’d been a few months in the world outside, but five hundred years in Silver Moon with the snap of a finger! This was truly a great change in the course of time, in which vast seas turned into farmland!

The one hundred thousand years since New Martial hadn’t registered for Li Hao—perhaps only those of New Martial had felt anything. But when he returned to Silver Moon and saw that people who’d still been young just a few months ago... that a few hundred years had passed in the blink of an eye...

Liu Long’s son was one hundred years old after the blink of an eye and those such as Wang Ming were five hundred years old. It was one thing when it came to those who remained unmarried, such as Director General Zhao. But for those who had, some of them already had great-great grandchildren.

These were the truly inexorable effects of time! The slice of a blade and the intersection of space and time made Li Hao become lost in thought.

Five hundred years!

When he truly felt the magnitude of time’s passing, he froze on the spot and looked at the old guard blotting out the sun. Some of them were yet to reach the Sun and Moon level, so they were almost at the end of their lifespan.

Those of the Mountain and Sea level could theoretically live for one thousand years... but that was theory.

The power of time swirled over the young man’s body. He simply looked quietly at everyone with a faint smile, gazing upon those who’d once been comrade-in-arms. There were Demon Hunters, those of the Demon Hunter Army, and Demon Hunter Guards...

There were some he was familiar with and others he was not. There were even those who’d once been mundanes. Five hundred years had killed off almost everyone yet to reach Mountain Sea, leaving only the strong.

Dominators of Thousands would have found it difficult to survive to present day.

Li Hao surveyed the surroundings and sent his mind through the world. Everyone was arrayed in front of him—he seemed to be looking for someone. Gan Wuliang and the rest looked at each other. Who did the marquis want?

Almost everyone he knew was here. Who was missing?

If someone had died of old age, then logically speaking, Li Hao should not be familiar with them either. Those he knew would not have died of old age since reaching Mountain and Sea was a relatively easy task to accomplish.

After a soft sigh, Li Hao murmured, “Time is truly a butcher’s knife that makes no noise...”

Just as people wondered if one of his acquaintances had died, the young man shook his head. “Secretary Yu is five hundred years old... Director Hou hasn’t returned yet, so I can see her calling upon martial dao to change her appearance...”

“......” Jaws dropped.

“Big Sis Liu Yan has also grown old...” sighed the young man again.

Liu Long looked around awkwardly.

Listen to yourself, kid!

“And Hong Qing was such a young girl before, but she’s even older than Martial Uncle Hong now...”

Hong Yitang looked at the young man with a conflicted gaze.

Damn it, can you shut up?

“And Martial Aunt Hongxiu has white hair now...”

Shut UP kid! Why are you focusing on the women?? You’ve finally opened the Star Gate and everyone’s watching you, waiting for you to do something amazing. What are you talking about this for?

Li Hao spent a while sighing with emotion before he faced the crowd in front of him again. There was Director General Zhao, Liu Long, Wang Ming, Huang Yu, Jadelight Sword...

These were the ones who’d chosen not to depart. Instead, they’d stayed at Silver Moon to stand guard over their home. All of them were local overlords and premier heavyweights, but Li Hao only looked at them with heartache.

“All of you have gotten old after five hundred years!”

“......” Someone finally could help themselves and coughed gently.

“It’s not that bad, is it?” Celestial Pole offered. “My replica slept here for one hundred thousand years, so this was only five hundred...”

Those not in the know would’ve thought that five hundred years had passed! Was there a need for this?

Isn’t everyone still here? You didn’t know those who died either. It’s also normal for people to die of sickness and old age. Who doesn’t die? They’re strangers to you.

If no one died, Silver Moon would house more than one hundred billion after five hundred years.

Wang Ming was a bit nervous, but felt a strange sense of familiarity when he looked at the young man. It’d only been a few months for Li Hao, but five hundred years for them!

Five hundred years was too long!

The Li Hao of his memories had gotten hazy and he looked at Li Hao with a bit less of his old... familiarity, but a bit more reverence.

He tried to change the mood and approach with a thick face, but couldn’t bring himself to do it. Ultimately, he said softly, “We’ve finally seen you return, milord!”