Chapter 979: The Curtains Rise (I)

The notable figures of New Martial had reached their goal step by step, footprint by footprint. How many obstacles had they overcome and how many dangers had they faced? They’d created something magnificent from nothing at all, established an age, and extended thousands of years of glory!

Would people like that truly die? Yet, these New Martial citizens had less confidence in themselves than Li Hao did!

The young man didn’t say anything else. He simply felt that since the Human King had weathered so many hardships and dealt with so many adversities, how would he and his companions be defeated without a second word? Judging from what his people said about him and Supreme Zhang, none of these titans had changed even after attaining their goals.

Could personages like that be toppled just because an enemy wished to?

How was that even possible?!

Perhaps the enemy was more formidable than previously imagined or perhaps other matters were keeping them away. But so long as they were alive, a group like them would not be defeated so easily.

Li Hao rather felt himself to be in the same position. His experiences and breadth of vision were far less than that of these august figures, but he could sense that even now, he was much stronger and more tenacious than who he’d been when he resided at Silver City. He had improved one hundredfold, one thousandfold!

This was because his heart had grown! Whatever difficulty, enemy, unknowns, or fear, none of it could defeat him!

If even I am this way, then how could those people be routed?

Even if they were, that would only mean that the enemy was too strong, so strong that the Human King and his companions were killed in an instant.

If that’s the case, then nothing else needs to be said.

But... is that possible?

Li Hao’s theory was that it hadn’t been long since Silver Moon had decoupled from the main world. Ties between the two weren’t severed before because Silver Moon Territory had still been within New Martial boundaries. That meant that New Martial continued to stand. It had shone for so many years, it would not be extinguished so easily.

Director General Wang chewed over the young man’s words; he didn’t find his decision to discard his current body to be a mistake. He was still a New Martial citizen, he’d just chosen to embrace this new era. He would still be a New Martial citizen even after he grew stronger.

It was just a different dao. Walking a different path didn’t entail severing relationships or turning his back on his identity.

......

Li Hao spent some time soothing the New Martial existences. This period of cultivation had instilled within him some tolerance and understanding of those who called New Martial home. Or perhaps, it could be more accurately described as acceptance.

They were of different ages and of different species, but they could seek to coexist peacefully while retaining their differences.

It was impossible to conquer the myriad of worlds in the vast universe. Additionally, Silver Moon bore the legacy of New Martial. They were connected as a same family, like two sides of a coin. Even if this world did seek independence, the two could be allies or at the very least, two civilizations that developed peacefully without interfering with each other.

It was due to these considerations that Li Hao chose to placate the plant spirits at the time. If in times before... he would already be generous enough to not be on guard against them! The young man might even be secretly pleased if these plant spirits chose to forsake their current bodies. That would produce so many discarded trunks for his use!

“Then let’s step outside for a breath of fresh air.” Li Hao stood up in an exceedingly good mood, organizing the area around him. “It’s not a good idea to be completely absorbed in cultivation. Let’s meet City Lord Lin and discuss how to swiftly roll out martial dao to the rest of the world!”

“Sounds good!” Everyone was in lighthearted spirits and walked outside.

“The great dao is much more stabilized after its rules have been established,” Zhang An said from behind them. “The world is stabilizing as well. You need to be quick about absorbing energy, or else the second awakening will soon be at hand!

“Additionally, this is only a temporary stopgap that will delay the second awakening. The more cultivators there are, the more it will further stabilize the world. A balance in energy consumption will be reached—you will take from the world in the beginning, then return the energy in later stages...”

This was another circulatory loop. When powerhouses interacted with energy, it had the effect of tempering the world because they were pulling more energy from the Hao Cosmos. That was the energy of the dao universe, which would in turn strengthen this world. Only in the initial stages would cultivators pull more from the world itself and create an energy imbalance.

“I understand, thank you for your reminder, senior.” Li Hao nodded. The second awakening was destined to take place, he wouldn’t be able to delay it for too long. Immortals, Saints, and even Empyrean Kings would appear when the world awakened. That was when his troubles would really begin.

Of those, the young man and everyone else was aware of. So whether it was the nine ministries, royal family, or three great organizations, all awaited the second awakening. They could tell that Li Hao and the Silver Moon martial masters did not wish to use New Martial might against New Martial citizens. They wanted to fight by themselves!

Since the young man was unwilling to compromise in this matter, then great conflict might occur.

......

Li Hao chuckled when he walked out of the ruins. Minor changes seemed to have taken place in Zhang An this time. This illustrious personage from the early days of New Martial, Supreme Zhang’s grandson, no longer seemed as bleak as before.

The group filed out of the ruins, sensing something different as soon as they emerged.

“The world is indeed more secure,” Hong Yitang observed. “Not only that, but we seem to have more of a connection with heaven and earth. My auras... are very lively!”

“Energy is more active, which will bring auras—or dao—into clearer focus!” Yuan Shuo concurred. “The auras of heaven and earth are closer to us now, so we’ll feel more of it when we incorporate our auras into the world.”

Li Hao gave the new revelations a try—supernatural characters melded into the void. The auras of heaven and earth gathered!

Energy around them surged toward Li Hao’s body like he was a starving plant spirit. The sight made people’s scalps tingle with numbness. This guy’s ability to devour energy was even more terrifying than that of plant spirits!

Li Hao raised his head to look at the sky; he seemed to sense something.

“How interesting!” he grinned. “Heaven’s intent seems to be stirring with irritation. I think I’m pissing it off?”

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

“Heaven’s intent is not man’s intent,” snorted Yuan Shuo. “So what if it’s annoyed?”

“We can’t say that, teacher,” Li Hao laughed. “Heaven’s intent has isolated us from the main world so that we have a chance to develop independently. Therefore, it’s a good person... good consciousness to us! We can try being more polite next time and follow its will. There might be something in it for us if we do so!”

“......” The group paused, then bent over with stifled laughter. Li Hao had quite the imagination!

“We can fool heaven’s intent!” the young man said seriously. “It’s newly born and can’t sense much because it’s not a living person. What it can sense is some major auras. When auras meld into the world and become one with it... It gives us a vehicle by which we can fool the heavens!”

He sent the ‘dao’ character into the void; certain thoughts rose from it.

“Heaven’s will is eternal and I am a willing believer. I facilitate your growth and the development of the world. I hereby dedicate my life to this world...” This was Li Hao’s mediation, a prayer that he purposefully displayed for the rest.

The group noted the world shifting before a surge of power manifested in the void, then slammed into Li Hao’s body. The young man smiled as he swallowed it, then turned to the stunned crowd with a smile.

“What are you looking at me for? A child is smarter than the will of heaven at present! It’s just a strand of consciousness out there somewhere. Meld your aura into the world and speak nicely to it for some presents! I’d gotten sidetracked by a tangent before and thought that it was heaven’s will manipulating our hearts.

“That’s not the case. Heaven’s will is very weak. If not, it would’ve long taken over the world. We wouldn’t have had the chance to discover the Hao Cosmos then. At the same time, these presents are limited!” Li Hao expounded. “Some energy doesn’t mean anything. The true key is when we fight enemies. Those of you who integrate your aura into the world can borrow more power from it. Teacher said this before!

“We need to follow heaven’s will when we incorporate our aura into the world. Then, we need to learn how to borrow strength to suppress enemies when we do battle. This is where we need to convince heaven’s will of a belief—our enemies will destroy the development of the world! The will of heaven will protect the world.”

Jaws dropped as the group listened to Li Hao. Was this permissible? Could they borrow more force from the world if they melded their auras into the environment?

Li Hao nodded seriously, prompting a flurry of action from his eager seniors. All of them directed their auras into the void and muttered various entreaties.

“Heaven above, you are my mother and father. We wish to protect the world, develop peacefully, strengthen the world, expel and exterminate enemies...”

Aura upon aura sank into the world. This was the sight that greeted Lin Hongyu when she arrived. It was like she’d stumbled into a cult meeting. A bunch of lunatics were praying to evil gods!

Wide-eyed, she stared at even the noble and righteous Sky Sword muttering under his breath, bowing and praying reverently to the sky.

The hell?

She was suddenly fearful and wanted to back away. Had these crazies... fallen in with some evil god?

There were indeed gods and divine spirits in this world. There was a Divine Nation situated at the end of the western direction. It was said that local deities that’d been eliminated during New Martial took shelter there. Countless people worshipped them in that nation. As the master of the City of Supernaturals, Lin Hongyu was aware of that part of the world.

She also knew that divine spirits might really have awakened in the Divine Nation of the west. That... wasn’t what had overcome Li Hao and the rest, was it?

“Ah, City Lord Lin is here, my apologies.” Li Hao drifted out with a smile. “I was busy with some matters before and forgot about the time. I do apologize for not welcoming you...”

Lin Hongyu quickly kept her thoughts in check and flashed a smile. “It’s to be expected that the commander is busy. Um...” She looked at Sky Sword and the rest, pretending to be curious. “What are the seniors...”

“They’re trying to fool the heavens and borrow more power from the world.”

Lin Hongyu almost snorted with laughter. They really were crazy! How childish could this group of old farts get? Hoodwinking the heavens to get more strength out of them?

Who are you kidding? People say that Silver Moon martial masters are strong and vicious, but no one said that they were this childish!