Chapter 1734: The Entire Crew Ascends (III)

“Teacher, it’s too hard to construct a dao domain. I recommend you become an exalted emperor first, then build your dao domain...”

“No!” Yuan Shuo refused. “I don’t want to do things according to other people’s expectation anymore. Do me a favor and find me a world with a balanced assortment of the five elements. I will use that world as a basis to form my dao domain. I’d like to become a wandering cultivator of the likes of Sword Sovereign and the others...”

“Teacher!!”

“What?! Do you not think much of this old man?”

“It’s not that...” Li Hao said with resignation. “Very well then! I’ll give you five minor worlds, that will balance out the five elements. You will be able to integrate the five daos with the five domains then. How about it?”

“Sounds good! You’re my disciple alright, you think on your master’s behalf!”

“......” Li Hao could only smile wryly at that.

Honestly! The old guy is seriously... competitive as always.

Since Yuan Shuo was unwilling, then... the spot he’d reserved for his teacher... could go to his teacher’s wife who was not yet his teacher’s wife?

Jadelight Sword!

Li Hao very occasionally acted in a biased manner at times. And so, the young man took proactive action for the first time. He directed a large amount of dao strength, including some comprehension related to sword dao, to a woman nearby.

Jadelight Sword’s eyes widened and she looked at Yuan Shuo. She frowned when she saw that the old man was no longer cultivating. She began training herself without further word.

Can Yuan Shuo not verify his dao?

In that case... I shall do so first! I can give the old demon some pointers when I’m an exalted emperor.

“......” A resigned Li Hao picked up on some of these thoughts. He didn’t say anything. His teacher was... definitely embarrassing.

......

The disturbance caused by a cultivator verifying their dao was significant. The group as a whole improved, but when vast sums of exalted emperors were being born, those that didn’t ascend were overlooked.

The grand occasion persisted for half a month. At its end, everyone’s cultivation finally stabilized.

“The exalted emperor spots have all been occupied,” said Li Hao. “The dao universe is unable to support anyone else from verifying their dao. It will take a while to digest our gains before we can produce the next batch!”

Some of those who were yet to verify their dao were disappointed, but didn’t say anything. Li Hao looked around at those who had advanced. From Silver Moon’s side, there were Hong Yitang, Gan Wuliang, Hou Xiaochen, Director General Zhao, Sky Sword, Jadelight Sword, Hongxiu, Chen Zhongtian, Northern Fist, Tyrant Blade, Yao Si, Light Sword, Liu Long, Huang Yu, Deputy Zhou, Kong Jie, Lin Hongyu, and Panther.

From New Martial’s side, there were Zhang An, the ninth division leader, Director General Wang, the redwood tree, Guardian Turtle, Capsize Sea, General Pagoda, Celestial Pole, and the Pagoda King were exalted emperors as well.

Outsiders Mo, Xun Ruo, and Cicada were part of Silver Moon’s dao universe now. The imperial guard counted as a partial New Martial plant spirit. It, too, was also an exalted emperor.

That made for thirty-two exalted emperors. Zhang An and Lin Hongyu were not part of the dao universe. Although Panther was the master of the world, it was also closely tied to the dao universe.

The two dao universes supported precisely thirty exalted emperors!

There were a few familiar faces who had not taken a step forward. They were Wang Ming, Hao Lianchuan, Liu Yan, Yu Luocha, Golden Spear, seniors Mountain Ax and Thunderleg. In all honesty, Li Hao felt that they could have ascended. However, they ceased cultivating when they saw that the dao universe could support no more and was even shaking from their effort.

“Counting me makes for thirty-three exalted emperors!” Li Hao sighed with emotion. Thirty-three of them!

That did not include the Sword Sovereign and others, nor did it include the gleeful Big Claw off to the side. The latter’s luck was immense—it was very difficult to become a wandering exalted emperor.

The monster spirit was different from Yuan Shuo in that he did not walk the path of the dao domains. He’d simply strengthened one dao and made the ascension that way.

And so, the first round of advancement was officially concluded.

Hong Yitang, Gan Wuliang, Panther, the Pagoda King, and Celestial Pole had all become mid ranks. While Silver Moon was still weaker than strong mid worlds, the current bevy of talents made it a solid mid world.

It might even have more exalted emperors than typical mid worlds.

“Congratulations, everyone!” Li Hao boomed. “This is just the first major improvement. Once the two dao masters enter fifth rank, more spots will be available to all. The dao universes will be able to support one hundred exalted emperors when they enter sixth rank!”

Even without one hundred exalted emperors, fifty or sixty would be no issue at all.

“Therefore, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to Silver Moon,” chuckled the young man. “Everyone can just cultivate to your heart’s content and accumulate as much strength as possible. Exalted emperor is just a matter of time!”

“Our thanks to Your Lordship!” chorused the group. There was nothing else they could say.

An astronomical amount of resources had been expended to produce large numbers of first ranks. It was more of a loss than a gain to Li Hao and it exerted significant pressure upon those from Silver Moon, despite their increase in strength.

They hadn’t relied on themselves to make it past the exalted emperor threshold. They continuously relied on Li Hao. This was the true definition of a rising tide lifting all boats. Many looked at Yuan Shuo with complicated looks. Yuan Shuo... hadn’t been able to ascend! That was such a surprise!

Meanwhile, the young man smiled without saying a word. He’d paid back some debts this time, ones that he owed to those who supported him early on, such as Capsize Sea. They’d all helped him so tremendously so that they could ascend to exalted emperor in the future.

There was also the promise that he’d made Big Claw in the past...

All of that had been fulfilled today.

The first batch of New Martial veterans he’d met—Director General Wang and the others from Battle Heaven—had all succeeded in becoming exalted emperors. There were also some Saints from New Martial that were powerhouses of other main cities. They did not make the leap this time for two main reasons.

One, it was difficult to vie with Silver Moon inhabitants of the new age. The second was that it would be inappropriate for them to fight for a spot. Thus, it was better to acknowledge their circumstances and refrain from making a fuss.

There was still hope for them in the second batch. Not only was a successful ascension not guaranteed even if they fought for a spot now, but it might result in dissatisfaction from those of Silver Moon.

Li Hao and his world was now a force to be reckoned with so long as he did not provoke seventh or eighth rank worlds! If he did... forget about it.

The gap between several dozen first ranks and a major world was too big.

Li Hao couldn’t help but look at his people with a laugh. “Since we’ve succeeded, then it’s my turn to cultivate...”

His river of dao manifested, as well as the star of life and death!

There were those in the crowd who did not understand the sight and others who looked at it with a complicated gaze of knowing. It was time for the young man to walk the cycle of life and death!

Li Hao could no longer hold on. But before he did so, he smiled.

“I’m going to weather a thunder tribulation before I do so and capture it to see if I can create a world of destruction!” He looked at Li Zhu. “Senior Li Zhu, if I am unable to withstand the tribulation or even see it strike the river, can the senior help me and conceal the river so that it retains some of its strength?

“I can’t consume too much strength from my river this time or I won’t be able to support myself in this endeavour.”

“Will do!” Li Zhu said nothing more.

Li Hao forewent concealing his presence, which promptly gave rise to the presence of thunderclouds that brewed with a tribulation. The tribulation took shape as a giant!

The two sides were well acquainted with each other, so the thunder tribulation appeared with extreme swiftness. It even manifested nine giants in one go, each of them ferocious beyond compare.

The tribulation no longer wished to play by the rules as it’d been thoroughly enraged by Li Hao’s repeated provocation! The giants were each stronger than the last, ranging from sixth rank at the weakest and seventh rank at the strongest. They came out swinging!

So did Li Hao raise his sword in return.

A myriad of daos appeared and the dao net manifested a dao net. They crashed against the giants of thunder and lightning.

Li Hao’s body broke apart in the blink of an eye, but he ignored it. He roared with fury and brought his sword down on a sixth rank giant!

He slew a giant while everyone watched solemnly!

The young man quickly darted into the remains, comprehending everything he could. He quickly captured some thunder and lightning, as well as some destructive force.

A weak world floated out of the river, but some of the thunder and lightning that Li Hao had captured wasn’t sent to the world before a seventh rank giant detonated. It blew the young man to pieces!

Despite Li Hao’s demise, the remaining giants did not slow down. They sped straight for the river, as if sensing the young man there!

Li Zhu swiftly deployed his dao domain to conceal the river, but the giants continued onward! The man’s eyes widened. Would this not stop the tribulation anymore?

Number Two manifested just as the thought crossed his mind and opened its mouth, devouring the world and the remaining giants. The thunderclouds agitated again, as if wanting to coalesce more giants. However, the dao of hiding proved effective this time.

It concealed everything!

The thunderclouds briefly hesitated before departing. Li Zhu frowned, as did the Sword Sovereign and others look on with dismay.

“Hao Moon has provoked the tribulation too many times...” Void murmured uneasily. “He already died this time and his presence vanished into oblivion, but the tribulation did not disperse. It continued chasing him to the bitter end... It might be more than a seventh rank tribulation that comes for him next time!”

The thunder and lightning had dispersed when Li Hao died in the past. A new beginning meant the end of old conflict!

And yet, that was not the case this time.

The group was exceedingly solemn; no one said a word. Void looked curiously at Number Two. There had been a lot of thunder giants left just now, but the cat had eaten them all!

What level of strength was the cat?

Li Zhu and a few others also took grave second glances at the cat. Was this one about to fully descend upon this world? Could it replicate the Ash Emperor and be a peak seventh rank? Or would it be slightly weaker and duplicate the limits of New Martial back in the day—peak sixth rank?

It was difficult to say, but the cat may already be sixth rank at present! The key was that it could eat anything, which was a terrifying prospect.