Chapter 1748: A Missed Opportunity (III)

“I said that I wish to conduct a transaction with the seniors,” Li Hao continued. “Including the master of Light! Brother Void doesn’t wish to constantly rely on Light major world either. After all, it doesn’t belong to the world master alone. It belongs to all Light denizens.”

The Red Moon master opened his mouth to speak, but Li Hao interrupted him. “There are pros and cons to all of the dao foundation sites manifesting! We can all see the drawbacks, but there are benefits as well!

“Aren’t you guys curious why I can access the Skyward dao universe at will?”

Eyebrows raised, but the Red Moon master sneered. “You’ve received some of Skyward’s heritage and strength. That is why you can access it. What else do we need to talk about?”

“The senior is wise!” Li Hao nodded.

Red Moon felt that the young man was mocking him.

It’s such a simple question, what’s wise or not about it? Do you really think eighth ranks are idiots?

“All of the dao foundation sites have resurfaced today and regained temporary activity through the world origin’s help!” Li Hao explained swiftly. “The Skyward dao universe is silent, as everyone knows. I can understand that Senior Red Moon wishes to kill us, but not everyone cares about that. Some care more about the dao universe and revitalizing it!

“To the Exalted Skycloud Emperor and these seventh ranks, even Senior Red Moon, a reawakening ninth rank dao universe is what we all seek! We can make use of this opportunity in which the dao foundation sites have temporarily revived.

“If everyone is willing to lend a hand or two to suppress all of the shadows, we can hasten the universe’s revival if we bring the shadows to their corresponding dao stars!”

“You want to borrow our hands to defuse your crisis and revitalize the Skyward dao universe?” sneered the Red Moon master. “Isn’t that a nice plan! You like to think big!”

“That’s precisely what I have in mind!” Li Hao nodded and looked at the rest. “I can open the Skyward dao universe right now and have already occupied the world. This is the basis of my foundation for the transaction! I wouldn’t dare let anyone in otherwise. Would you really dare launch an offensive right this very moment?

“If I don’t open the dao universe, will you be able to revitalize the dao stars even if you defeat these shadows?” laughed the young man. “So let us make a deal. Everyone can enter Skyward and defeat those powerful shadows one by one. I’ll help project their strength to their corresponding dao star.

“Once the star comes back to life, you are free to move it to your own dao universe. That will give you the ability to access the Skyward dao universe anytime. You might even be able to revitalize it on your own!”

Shifting a dao star from Skyward’s dao universe to their own potentially meant a permanent key to the Skyward dao universe. While the Skycloud master considered the proposition gravely, a light danced in the Light master’s eyes.

“We’ve considered such a course of action before...” He seemed to understand the young man’s meaning. “But the dao stars can only be revived in their own dao universe. Do you mean that the shadows will do the deed and we can take the awakened star with us?”

“Yes!” Li Hao nodded.

“And we are not allowed in all at once, but one by one?”

“Correct.” Li Hao smiled at the Light master. “How about it? The first person to give it a try can choose an eighth rank’s shadow and project it to its star. The stronger it is, the greater a chance of being able to revitalize the dao universe through it!

“The shadows are just shadows at the end of the day. As strong as they are, one seventh rank can absolutely suppress them. I will have the Sword Sovereign and others work with you. If the Skyward master’s shadow appears in the end, I will permit the eighth ranks to jointly enter and suppress his shadow. That will immediately revive spatial dao!

“But before that takes place, you can only go inside one by one. Is there anyone who wishes to give it a try?”

The Light master’s lips trembled, but the Red Moon master scoffed before he had a chance to say anything.

“Who’s falling for this? If we go inside one by one and you have four seventh ranks on your side, we’ll be trapped as soon as you close off the dao universe! We’ll be mobbed four against one! Whoever goes inside will die! King of Silver Moon, do you want to take out all of my fellow daoists with this trick?”

“Void will die if I do that!” Li Hao shook his head. “Not only that, but my Silver Moon exalted emperors will die to the world’s backlash! Whether it is me, Void, or those of Silver Moon, what I propose is more important than killing one seventh or eighth rank.

“If that was not the case, I would not have invested all of the resources and ten billion dao crystals from four major worlds into Silver Moon after conquering Red Moon! Silver Moon has produced three dozen exalted emperors in an extremely short fashion, which means our resource consumption is easy to imagine.

“Would I do something so counterproductive to my goals as killing a seventh rank or two? Naturally, I can make an exception if the Red Moon master enters!” Li Hao laughed. “Time is limited. If we can’t hold on, I will shut the dao universe and let the four seventh ranks force their way through the situation. Void will be dead in that case, to which I can only offer my apologies to Senior Light!”

“Then I’ll go inside first...” frowned the Light master.

“That won’t do. The senior has a close relationship with us, so others might not believe what you accomplish. Is anyone willing to give it a try? Silver Moon will not offend high ranks for no good reason! Red Moon is the only exception!”

Red Moon glowered ominously!

“Is there really no one who wants to seize this opportunity?” Li Hao asked again.

A seventh rank walked out of the darkness. He was hesitant, but the first to try might not be in that much danger.

“This seat is willing to give it a try!” he said slowly. “Just as you say, king of Silver Moon, the Sword Sovereign and others will work with me, correct? They will help me suppress a Skyward exalted emperor shadow, which you will project into the dao universe. I can take their dao star with me, correct?”

“Correct!”

“Am I guaranteed an open line to the Skyward dao universe once I have it?” the seventh rank asked solemnly.

“It should guarantee that...” Li Hao said after some thought. “The caveat being that you can sense some of Skyward’s dao. You will be able to access the dao universe so long as the star still possesses some strength! That’s how I did it, anyhow!”

The seventh rank took a small breath and came to a decision. Those who were bold feasted, and those who were cowardly starved! What harm was there in giving it a try? Who didn’t want Skyward’s dao universe?

“I want to head inside...” he said. “In addition, will you guys really help if I choose an eighth rank shadow?”

“We will!”

“King of Silver Moon, I hope you guys aren’t up to some tricks...” The seventh rank was still wary. “Us seventh rank worlds rarely participate in conflicts between the strong worlds such as New Martial, Red Moon, Skycloud and Light. That is why New Martial only has eighth rank worlds for enemies.

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

“But if you dare scheme against us... I might suffer, whereas New Martial will lose the trust of all worlds in the chaos. You will have lost greatly for a small gain!”

“Why would I do that?” Li Hao burst out laughing. “Is there really no trust left in the universe? I am here to resolve the crisis and to engage in a mutually beneficial arrangement. If the seniors really do suppress all of the shadows, then we will seize the billions of dao crystals around the world origin.

“This is a win-win situation! And it is Silver Moon that is the host here, not New Martial! Seniors, my name is Li Hao and I am the king of Silver Moon that you speak of. There is no falsehood in my words today!

“I may be weak, but the words I utter in public will never be false. It is natural to worry since this is your first dealing with me. You will come to see that I am a man of my word!”

The seventh rank raised an eyebrow. This was all hot air that no one would easily believe. However... it was worth a try!

He would fight back if push came to shove. He might not even die from it.

“Very well, then I will give it a try. Li Hao, I hope this is the start of a long partnership!” With that, the seventh rank offered something in response. He broke through the void and sped toward the world gate. Behind him, the Red Moon master sneered.

“If we believe even the enemy’s words in the chaos... then a grisly death is only a matter of time!”

“We will end up like the senior if we don’t trust anyone,” Li Hao said calmly. “We will have lost our world, for one, and also be a laughingstock easily hunted by New Martial!”

Killing intent surged and the Red Moon master rushed Li Hao!

The young man immediately retreated into the world gate.

“I may be less than the senior, but you cannot kill me at present. If you disturb my plans and cause Void’s death, be careful of Senior Light killing you at all cost!

“You will have then offended Light after New Martial in short succession. A wandering eighth rank is formidable, but you will die in a grisly fashion all the same if you ruin the plans of all of the seventh and eighth ranks present!”

The look in the Red Moon master’s eyes was cold! He looked around and scoffed after a long moment. He wanted to see if the young man was really so saintly that he would permit others to succeed!

Only Li Hao grasped the method to open the Skyward dao universe—that was the basis of his authority. No one wanted to give up on Skyward, but neither was anyone able to open it. If everyone really could open it... then Skyward would immediately become top priority throughout the chaos!

That would hold true even if it remained silent! So would Li Hao really allow this to pass? Would he relinquish his position of incredible strength just to save Void and the weaklings of Silver Moon?

The Red Moon master didn’t believe so!

As for the dao crystals near the world origin... even a fool would know how to choose between a ninth rank dao universe and less than ten billion dao crystals! Li Hao’s goal could not be those dao crystals!

The seventh rank had set a very nervous foot through the world gate and found that the Sword Sovereign was nearby! His tension immediately ratcheted up a notch.

“What are you looking at?” The Sword Sovereign looked frostily at him. “Hurry up and choose which shadow you want!”

The seventh rank’s expression chilled and he looked at Demon Summit close by. Light and dark had come together and were erupting in a dao domain.

“I want the shadow of the dark envoy!”

“Then I’ll preoccupy the light envoy and suppress their dao domain,” the Sword Sovereign promptly answered. “Although the dark envoy’s shadow possesses the might of an eighth rank, its actual strength is seventh rank. You are a seventh rank master of the world. If you bring your full force to bear, you are certain to overpower it!”

“Very well!” The exalted emperor said nothing else.