Chapter 1744: The World Origin (II)

Not everyone understood what they saw, but the dao chess did.

“This is very bad!” it gasped. “Damn it, the world origin has bestowed life to these dao remnants! It wants to revive them!”

Not entirely revive, but that these Skyward powerhouses were born of Skyward major world. Strictly speaking, the world origin was all of their mothers.

It could sense that the world was about to be silenced. Although Void would revitalize it... that was Void’s matter. The world origin didn’t know that. What it perceived was that the world was about to be destroyed and thus, die. Hence, it gave no thought to consideration of the cost and bestowed life to these shadows to defend their home.

The powerhouses that’d walked out of Skyward seemed to be alive in this moment. Immense presences swept through the world! There was even the rising might of seventh and eighth ranks.

Void goggled with shock! Why was this happening? He’d silenced mid and minor worlds before, none of this had ever happened!

The Sword Sovereign and the others also gaped with astonishment.

“Those shadows have been bequeathed energy!” grunted the Sword Sovereign. “But it’s not too abundant, so they’ll only be able to maintain their state for a brief interval. We still need to be careful, however!”

Even if the shadows were restored for only a moment, there were too many exalted emperors in Skyward. Not only that, but the world contained seventh, eighth, and ninth rank existences. Its world origin was currently saving itself by manifesting these appearances again.

If even the Skyward master was projected... that would be truly horrifying indeed.

......

In the depths of the dao universe.

Li Hao sensed the developments; he glanced sharply at the dao star in the void. It didn’t show too much change and sparkled with the same feeble light. There was no sign of it recovering.

It was a different case entirely within the world. Powerful presences churned through the land.

......

Outside Skyward.

Lurking exalted emperors also sensed a thing or two. Some of them jerked with surprise and quickly contacted their master of the world through various means.

......

Skycloud.

The Skycloud master was still highly irked at the Red Moon master for causing the death of Deepsea. But since the matter had already happened, he had pivoted to discussing with Red Moon how they might take revenge or seize Skyward once more...

“Some changes have taken place at Skyward.” The Skycloud master suddenly raised an eyebrow. “A large rush of domineering might has appeared...”

Red Moon raised an eyebrow as well. Compared to the endless onslaught of considerations and reservations he’d nursed when he was the master of a world, he behaved with more arrogant impunity now. “Might? And a large amount of it? How interesting... I may know the cause.”

“Shall we take a look?” nodded the Skycloud master.

“Are you willing to let me walk through your dao universe?” Red Moon looked at him.

Even an eighth rank wouldn’t travel too quickly if they could not walk through a dao universe. At least, such was the case for the chaos. It would be much faster if one could walk through the dao universe.

“It’s just to take a look...” chuckled the Skycloud master. “I wield the Skycloud dao universe, after all. Do I not dare even take one person through it?”

With that, he opened the doors to the dao universe.

Red Moon laughed with knowing tones.

So Skycloud wants to recruit me... he’s dreaming nicely. I’m an eighth rank at the end of the day and the master of my world. Will I be tempted by these kinds of tricks?

Trying to win me over?

Don’t even think about it!

He truly didn’t think much of Skycloud as he found its master much less than him. None of his people had betrayed him, at the very least, whereas the second-in-command at Skycloud had run off.

The two sped through the dao universe without another word, heading for Skyward.

......

At the same time.

The Light master frowned in his world and looked at Flare Sun. “Come with me!”

Flare Sun looked back at him.

“Some... trouble might have developed at Skyward! I knew that kids are too young and don't understand many things. The entire group over there is very young. Fog Mountain is the oldest, but he was number two before and has never been a master of the world or dao...

“Come on, Ming Tang might have gotten himself into trouble!”

Flare Sun blinked with surprise.

Trouble? What kind of trouble?

There were four seventh ranks over there and one of them a peak seventh rank. Ming Tang and Li Hao could rival a seventh rank if they worked together. Even if such strength was not on par with an eighth rank world, the difference was not that great.

Under normal conditions, it would take Skycloud and Red Moon joining hands, as well as the presence of Skycloud major world, to break through Skyward!

Or, the Skycloud master might stand a chance by himself if he brought his remaining two seventh ranks with him, but... that left his home world open to attack!

Flare Sun swiftly followed his liege’s footsteps, despite not understanding the situation. “Big brother, what trouble has Ming Tang gotten into?”

“He might have silenced Skyward!”

So what?

Flare Sun still didn’t understand. “What of it? This is a prime opportunity. His gains will be great after silencing a ninth rank world.”

“Fool!” raged the Light master. “Skyward is not so easily defeated. Has there been no major world that’s wanted to seize Skyward and devour it in all these years? Devouring even a mid world is beneficial, to say nothing of a major world!

“Yet that world is not a regular world, even without a dao universe to consider!”

“But... isn’t it because Skyward is situated in the middle of the four regions and has four eighth rank worlds around it? It’s stayed safe all these years because the eighth rank worlds are wary of each other!”

Wasn’t that the case?

Flare Sun was confused as this was the generally understood reason.

“That’s only one reason!” the Light master responded quickly. “If that was the case, then us four worlds would’ve long split up Skyward between ourselves and devoured it!

“The key is that Skyward is a ninth rank world and those who have left it are not necessarily dead. They might still be alive, including their world master. Thus, the world will strike back if it is being destroyed! It possesses a certain amount of defensive ability.

“I’m not talking about summoning the Skyward exalted emperors back, but referring to its numerous dao foundation sites. Do you think I’m just blowing hot air? Those dao foundation sites are the personal cultivation grounds of those exalted emperors!

“If they are alive, then these sites will be activated when an invader seeks to swallow Skyward!”

Activated? What do you mean?

Flare Sun would quickly learn of what his world master meant as Skyward appeared in front of him as they exited the dao universe. Countless presences swirled in its firmament; there were even ones that belonged to eighth ranks!

The void split open in another locale, producing Skycloud and Red Moon. The Red Moon master laughed softly, a little sardonically. He lacked the deep bitterness from before and simply seemed amused. “Light... it would seem that this group highly values your son!”

The Light master ignored him, assessing the world in front of him. Something seemed to have been painted over it as it appeared to be gray, but that gray color was rapidly receding.

The power of emptiness!

Being an eighth rank, he could tell with a single glance that this should be the work of his son. Ming Tang looked to have silenced the world, resulting in the world origin’s appearance to bestow life to the dao foundation sites. This was its counterblow!

His son had been too bold!

A headache brewed at the Light meter’s temples. Of the four seventh ranks left at Skyward, only Orchid Forest was a true master of the world. The key was, Orchid Forest was a world that’d just broken through!

Its world master didn’t have the faintest clue what Skyward’s basis of existence was. The Skyward master wasn’t dead, its world origin yet remained! The entire world continued to operate, and now that it’d struck back against its invaders... not even four more seventh ranks would be able to defuse the situation.

Why had no eighth rank major world ever dared to attack Skyward?

An eighth rank world would have four or five high ranks at most—a number on par with the Sword Sovereign’s group. It wouldn’t be that much stronger. An eighth rank world that dared attack Skyward to devour it might be annihilated in return!

So who would dare do such a thing?

They wouldn’t, not unless they grasped the dao universe first and then suppressed the world origin.

Boom!

Sword light flashed as a powerhouse sought to suppress the shadows from the dao foundation sites.

The Sword Sovereign!

The immense offensive capabilities brought frowns to Red Moon and Skycloud’s faces. He was very strong—as expected of the premier existence among sword cultivators! The Eternal Sword intent was domineering among peers. Although the Sword Sovereign was a newly risen seventh rank, he might not be that much weaker than Flare Sun.

The new arrivals took up vantage points outside Skyward and didn’t seek to enter it. As strong as Red Moon and Skycloud were, if they entered now and drew the Sword Sovereign’s undivided attention... That would be troublesome too.

As for Void being struck with backlash, wasn’t the master of Light present? Would he just sit by and watch his son go down?

Skycloud and Red Moon looked at each other, a sneer playing on their lips. It’d be best if the Light master intervened!

If he became involved to protect his son, he would have to fight the shadows and the entire world origin. Once he was preoccupied... that would be a chance for Red Moon and Skycloud!

“Sage nephew Ming Tang is quite the charismatic fellow!” chuckled Skycloud. “He silenced an entire ninth rank world with his strength as a sixth rank! As they say, a newborn calf is not afraid of the tiger and a tiger father does not spawn a lesser son!”

Light flicked a foreboding glare at him. “Skycloud, have you gotten so full of yourself just because you’ve recruited a beggar to your banner? Fog Mountain is gone, Deepsea is dead, but someone like Red Moon is a typical fairweather ally. He’ll be the first to end you when you’re hurt, not the enemy.

“Don’t come for me or you and your world might be the one to pay a hefty price!”

“There’s no need to threaten anyone, Light,” grinned Red Moon. “If you dare start a war, as poor as I may be, I will not cause an ally to be on guard against me. We’ve already had one instance of civil discord. I may very well just join Skycloud if you dare take action!”

It was Skycloud who was wary of him, but if Red Moon voluntarily joined the Skycloud dao universe, the world master would no longer be afraid of anything. The dao universe would be immensely strengthened and a dao master would have a certain degree of control over their exalted emperors.

“Do you want to give it a try?” snorted Light.

“So what if I do?” leered Red Moon. There were two eighth ranks present, he wasn’t the least bit afraid of this fellow.

It was Skycloud who wasn’t interested in arguing with Light. Red Moon was all talk, he wouldn’t take it seriously.