Chapter 1765: A Troubled Heart (IV)

Humans dominated the chaos, so how did these monster spirits and chaos beasts dare be so brazen? Were there no human powerhouses to keep them in check?

Void’s thoughts turned to his father and the few eighth ranks among humanity. It would seem... that truly none of them had ever intervened here. They were all talk!

This area was Dragon Region, home of the eighth rank Dragon master. It didn’t seem worth it to set oneself against an eighth rank master for a bunch of incredibly weak strangers on other worlds.

Void fell silent without a word. He understood that reasoning, but some things did not come down to profit or value gained. Humans could be the oppressed here since there were different laws of survival for each world, but for them to live in such conditions went beyond the pale for him.

Li Hao was likewise silent. He’d killed a fair number of beings in his time—a lot of people had died when he toppled the four worlds. More than ten million died in the advent of war, so a chaos beast offering ten million humans as a sacrifice didn’t seem like much...

But he had his bottom line no matter what.

Even if those offered were humans of another world, treating humans as food was treading on the dignity of the entire human race!

There were countless worlds among the four regions, the regions themselves were situated in the vast chaos. Numerous human exalted emperors abounded among them and there were plenty of seventh and eighth ranks to be found. There were certainly more of them than those in Dragon Region!

So why had those heavyweights never warned off the chaos beasts? They didn’t have to start a war, just give a verbal warning. If so many exalted emperors each said a word, wouldn’t that instill some reservations in the Dragon master?

One had to keep up appearances, if nothing else.

Li Hao ran through many thoughts in this moment. He thought of when he left Silver Moon province for his first foray through the martial world, at how he’d lost his temper when he saw people enslaved...

He also thought of his old mindset when journeying through the martial world, that he would sweep through all injustices with a sword of righteousness and follow his heart!

Martial masters swiftly repaid gratitude and grievances!

He didn’t come across that many injustices upon entering the chaos. Even the entire conflict with Red Moon was just a matter of differing perspectives. Killing each other was a regular occurrence, so there wasn’t much hatred to speak of. They were enemies, so it was normal for one to live and the other to die.

There was no right and wrong to speak of, nor was there any unfairness to note. New Martial was nothing good and neither was Red Moon, but it wasn’t like the young man stood on the side of good either. Who could say they were better?

But here... his temper suddenly flared. That placid, tranquil heart of his began to agitate with fury.

You guys can enslave, oppress, and rule over humans, but is there a need to eat humans to strengthen yourself at the exalted emperor level?? Can I grow stronger from eating monster spirits?

He could not!

Their bodies did not have earthly needs at this stage. What else could they eat apart, from dao strength?

These chaos beasts were simply indulging themselves! They didn’t eat humans out of a need to grow stronger or any other concerns, they just wanted to have fun.

Was that why they offered ten million humans to any exalted emperor passing by??

The still waters of Li Hao’s heart were marred by growing wrath! How dare they?! They deserved death!

“Panth, ask if there’s better and more food to be had at other worlds—at all worlds!”

The dog could sense Li Hao’s fury; the emotion tinged the next roar.

“Of course!” The other’s mental ripples quickly came forth. “The senior’s strength is extraordinary and the rigors of travel are tiring. It’s just some two-legged beasts. If anyone is so miserly as to not offer any, please come find me. My world may be poor, but I’ll satisfy the senior even if that means emptying my world!”

Panther didn’t know what to say to that.

“Accept these people and send them into Silver Moon.” Li Hao took a deep breath. “Let’s go and take a look at that so-called Phoenix major world...”

He didn’t linger or erupt in violence. This was just a third rank world. Killing its world master wouldn’t change anything. It was just like back in the day, how he hadn’t been in a hurry to take action and permitted the group of people to continue being enslaved at the mines.

If one was to take action, it was best to be thorough about it. Otherwise, it would just lead to greater disaster.

He wanted to see if Dragon Region was how this fellow spoke of—humans being eaten everywhere!

Li Hao had just wanted to observe the dao of chaos beasts at first, but now his mindset underwent a certain change. His heart that’d been at peace for a very long time was once more suffused with anger!

It’d been so long since such waves of emotion had reared their heads. There’d been only a slight smile on his face when they conquered Red Moon. There was nothing to be overjoyed or gleeful about.

Panther opened its yawning maw without another word. The dozens of young men and women were still trembling or ashen with despair. The look in their eyes was numb; they didn’t cry or protest when Panther swallowed them.

Only the young man who seemed to be nominally their leader looked back at the world, some reluctance and yearning in his eyes.

Our deaths will spare ten million of our kind... This is well worth it!

Li Hao noted their reactions, but didn’t say anything. Panther sped straight for Phoenix major world.

Behind them, the massive beast heaved a sigh of relief. Thank goodness a few dozen two-legged beasts had been enough. He’d thought that a much higher price would be exacted.

......

Panther and the group traveled onward. Li Hao and Void stood beneath the dog’s ears. Void seemed to sense his friend’s raging fury and transmitted, “Don’t do anything brash... Dragon Region is very strong, so we should observe the situation first!”

“I know.” Li Hao didn’t say anything; he was very calm. The angrier he was, the calmer he became. Anger did not cause him to lose control.

“The weak become prey for the strong...” Void wanted to break the silence. He was trying to say that some things could not be changed.

Li Hao nodded and transmitted back, “I know. It’s the dark side of the law of the jungle. But to me, how is a powerhouse strong when they bully and terrorize the weak, but not for survival? They slaughter others not for the sake of advancement.”

One could kill for survival, pursuit of dao, war, and conflict of principles. But to treat humans as food when food wasn’t a necessity... that, Li Hao could not tolerate.

“Humanity rules over the other three regions with immense force, so why don’t we see humans slaughter countless monster spirits just to satisfy our heavyweights’ desire to eat or experience something new?”

“Humans tend to have more reason and rationality compared to beasts,” Void said after some thought. “Beasts operate more on instinct, humans are enlightened. Beasts rely on ancient heritage and bloodline inheritance. Hence, their wild nature and bloodthirsty tendencies are much more pronounced.”

He analyzed it from a logical perspective, but Li Hao shook his head.

“That’s not it. Some of humanity’s powerful existences are insatiably greedy and have towering personal desires. Personal desires are one thing, but their greed is so strong that they don’t dare offend a tyrant like the Dragon master!

“In fact, they imitate him to a certain degree. Anyone from eighth ranks to exalted emperors newly emerged from their worlds have the same thoughts in mind. What happens at Dragon Region is simple enough and easy to take care of!”

Indeed, it was a matter easily resolved. The eighth ranks just needed to jointly issue a statement to curb the Dragon master. A simple word or two would do the trick, no matter how bold or brazen he was!

And yet, no one undertook that action. The naked truth was that offending the Dragon master might result in a threat to their own standing, which could jeopardize their own rule. Even the Light master was included in that.

Void felt a bit awkward and thought for a moment before saying, “There’s other reasons too. We’re not of the same world, therefore...”

He didn’t know how to say it.

“No, let me propose a hypothetical situation.” Li Hao gave it some thought. “This is all hypothetical, mind you. If the New Martial Human King conquered the other three regions and left Dragon Region alone, would the beasts of this region still wantonly treat humans as food like this?”

Void mulled over the question. If the Human King united the other three regions and left Dragon Region alone, would this region’s powerhouses be afraid?

They would!

It came down to personality. The Dragon master was aware of the natures of the other eighth ranks and wasn’t concerned that they would object to his doings. But the Human King... would still induce fear and wariness, even if he didn’t know or turned a blind eye to the doings in Dragon Region.

That was because the Human King might erupt in open hostilities anytime and kill them all!

“So you mean that... the human leaders of the other four regions are too cowardly and selfish...” Void breathed out.

“Would Dragon Region have dared do this when the Skyward master was around?” asked Li Hao.

Void shook his head. “Chaos beasts did not have a home in the four regions then. Dragon Region was not yet Dragon Region. This was human territory back in the day.”

“So he’s picking on soft targets,” Li Hao confirmed. “In his eyes, the eighth ranks and that group of seventh ranks are all easy pickings, aren’t they?”

“You can say that.” Void nodded, having nothing else to add because that group included his father. “Then what are you prepared to do about it? There are eighth ranks and seventh ranks in Dragon Region, with many of the seventh ranks occupying home ground advantage.

“We’re not facing the seventh ranks of Red Moon, the ones who weren’t masters of dao. Apart from the ones of Dragon major world, almost all the seventh ranks here are dao masters! They’re stronger than the Waterpeak we killed before. We killed her only because she was away from her world!”

We can’t take them.

At present, the two of them could handle a seventh rank—the caveat being that there wasn’t a major world behind one. They could also take on an eighth rank that wasn’t a master of dao or the world.

But if they encountered a seventh rank master of dao or the world, they would be outclassed. Such was the difference between those kinds of heavyweights.

Dragon Region was someone else’s territory. Here, the two of them and Silver Moon was the equivalent of a weak seventh rank world. That was the greatest limit of their abilities. On the other hand, Dragon Region possessed at least a dozen seventh rank worlds.