Star Gate-Chapter 1423: Exchanging Counsel (III)
“My thoughts are to bring the dao stars into the body after ninth level Fused Dao,” Li Hao broached the topic after some thought. “Coming together and growing apart again... Although our 360 dao stars form a circulatory loop, it isn’t fully one with the body. So I’m thinking, if it fully integrates with the body, is that the equivalent of bringing the great dao into ourselves?
“Does that represent accomplishing the same thing as the core origin exalted emperors? I am dao, the dao is me. This may be how we can set foot into the exalted emperor level.”
“Doesn’t your river of time count as having brought the great dao into yourself?” the group asked quizzically.
“Not quite.” Li Hao first nodded, then shook his head. “The river of time is just a simple construct, a generalized integration. A full integration would make time into me and me into time!
“I’ve yet to find an opportunity to accomplish such a thing... Of course, this is all pertaining to myself!” The young man turned to Hong Yitang. “Martial uncle doesn’t need to worry about this. All you need to do is focus on assimilating the myriad of daos. Once that is complete and martial uncle grows stronger, then it’s only a matter of time before you rise to exalted emperor. All in due time, there’s no rush!
“But other than the two masters of dao, it will be very difficult for anyone else to become exalted emperors...” Li Hao hadn’t fleshed out the ideas of his own cultivation, but he had some for the others. “Let’s take Martial Uncle He Yong, for example.
“You’ll collect the 360 dao stars as you cultivate the way of the fist. It’ll be best if you can assimilate 360 corporeal and immaterial dao stars, then coalesce your star of the fist. Once you master the sector of the fist, you can start your own branch of great dao and create an auxiliary river in the river of great dao!
“With the river of great dao as your foundation and an auxiliary river to collect all of the boxing intent in the world, that will forge your seat as an exalted emperor! But there’s one drawback to that—it will be hard for another exalted emperor of the same dao to appear, unless your sources of dao are different!”
The young man was very familiar with their paths. “At that level, you would be an exalted emperor according to the New Martial hierarchy, or a dao master according to my thoughts. They’re just names!
“The strength of the dao that one grasps, the level of control one exercises, and the capability of the auxiliary river of great dao... These are the key components that determine whether a dao master or exalted emperor is strong or weak!
“As for Martial Uncle Hong, you can consider yourself an ultimate master of great dao, or the master of a myriad daos!”
Li Hao overflowed with inspiration when it came to conventional daos. It was a pity that he himself didn’t walk a conventional path. Yuan Shuo and the others listened thoughtfully. As they thought, the kid had a very deep understanding of the great dao.
“Are there any other ways apart from establishing an auxiliary branch of the river of great dao?” asked Yuan Shuo. “Do we have to become a master of dao?”
“You can also bring the dao into yourself and create an internal world, like I’ve done,” Li Hao proposed after some thought. “But what comes after that will be a huge hassle. It also doesn’t necessarily mean greater potential, just that you can disengage yourself from some other ties. At the very least, Martial Uncle Hong cannot constrain me!”
“Then... do you have any thoughts about your dao of time?”
“It’s very hard for me to improve after creating my own world!” Li Hao frowned, stumped by the problem. “It’s not impossible though. The most elementary method is to continue opening dao meridians—opening them all and integrating them into the river. I can strengthen the river and continue to focus on time! If I can fully open and comprehend it, I would be an exalted emperor as well!
“But in that case... even if I fully excavate all of the great daos... I may not reach the Human King’s heights. That’s because my core essence is the power of time. The key lies in how to strengthen my dao of time!”
The young man sighed. “That’s the hardest question of all! There isn’t much exploration of time in any age. Sometimes there’s not a single wielder of it! Strengthening time is the hardest of all! Therefore, I’m afraid that even if I do gather a myriad daos and become a premier exalted emperor... I won’t be able to make it to the Human King’s heights.”
“......” The group had no idea what to say. So it’s not like you can’t become an exalted emperor, but that you don’t think you can reach the peaks that you want to. You don’t know how to strengthen time!
What... the...
“Time...” The mum Lin Hongyu suddenly spoke up. “Although there are drawbacks with the past and future selves that you summoned before, but based on what you said before—an infinite summoning and infinite integration... is that a kind of dao of time as well?”
“Yes, but the drawbacks are huge!” Li Hao nodded. “You mention an infinite summoning. That gets harder the stronger one is. The key is, when you’re already overwhelmingly strong, it doesn’t guarantee that you summon a future self that’s even stronger!”
This wasn’t a fundamentally sound method to continuously rely on. It was an underhanded shortcut that one could employ, so long as they weren’t afraid of certain danger in the future resulting from it.
It wasn’t a long-term solution. A permanent solution involved strengthening the power of time at its core. However, there was no one who could enlighten him in this matter.
Even though he looked at Yuan Shuo expectantly, his teacher only struggled with the desire of not wanting to disappoint his student.
“I don’t have any answers either,” he had to say in the end. “I’m not too familiar with this, but I know that experts on the outside might, even though we may not. If you do walk out of Silver Moon, you can consult with the premier existences out there.”
This was too advanced and complicated. Who could make sense of time?
Li Hao could only nod. Having high hopes for his teachers was a habit, but his teacher had only just made it to Fused Dao. He wasn’t that familiar with time either, so he naturally couldn’t give the best advice.
“There’s too much danger involved when you interact with premier existences.” Yuan Shuo had another thought on the matter. “I have an idea—there is only one past, you can trace it too, right? If you meet some premier existences and can do so without provoking them, why not try to trace their past and observe them. Or you can interact with their past. It might prove fruitful.”
Trace someone else’s past?
Li Hao was inspired, but initially frowned. “It’s very hard for me to trace someone else’s past, I always focus only on myself...”
“I think it’s doable!” Yuan Shuo said seriously. “When you... I told you, I had a dream! I don’t know if I had it before, but I remember having that dream after I awoke. That means you met the real me!”
Li Hao’s eyes widened. That meant to say that the power of time could be used on someone else and used to trace their past. But... the difficulty involved in that would be high, would it not? Or could those that existed in his memories be used to return to the past?
Various ideas popped into his mind, giving his new possibilities.
If this is the case, then doesn’t it mean the more powerhouses I come in contact with, the more hope I have? I can obtain some important comprehension from them and utilize them to help me cultivate?
Li Hao said nothing else. He returned to drinking and chatting idly with the group. Inwardly, he knew that he needed to make his preparations to open the Star Gate as soon as possible and leave the world.
Otherwise, with the enhancement of the world, exalted emperors might be able to enter soon. A major concern was that he might be dead of old age first before that happened.
A mid world was sufficient to produce an exalted emperor, and the key thing was, he was running out of time.
......
Silver Moon expanded while the conversation took place, and it grew at a rapid pace!
The world barrier had ballooned outward since Silver Moon had grown at least three times bigger. Where it’d been slightly crowded with ten billion in the central continent before, it was now much more spacious.
Ash Mountain hadn’t been that big to begin with, but now it was massive. It was much more substantial than the Ash Mountain range of New Martial because these mountains weren’t much to speak of in New Martial.
As Li Hao and the rest chatted, the divine temple.
There was another conversation taking place here. Zhang An looked at Celestial Pole with a complicated mix of emotions.
“While there may be no further internal worries in Silver Moon, Senior Celestial Pole, there are plenty in the outside world! There is no trace of New Martial to be found and we really might be in range of Red Moon major world.
“We’ve encountered chaos tribulations on multiple occasions, witnessed the deaths of exalted emperors, and Li Hao even came in contact with the shadow of the Ash Emperor. Given such large scale disturbances, whether it is New Martial or Red Moon, either side should know that Silver Moon still exists, and that the minor world has risen in status. If we continue on like this, we are no longer as discreet as we were before!”
Celestial Pole kept his eyes trained on the sky above, as if he didn’t hear a word.
“Senior, you’re an exalted emperor of New Martial at the end of the day...” Zhang An couldn’t help himself.
“I’m just a replica!” Celestial Pole refuted wordlessly. “What do you want me to do? I am a replica that is a half step emperor, one without the fortification of the core origin universe. I can only match the Empyrean Kings in the outside world. What am I supposed to do when I meet an actual Red Moon powerhouse?”
“That’s not what I mean!” Zhang An protested. “Chaos tribulations are hard to weather. Once the Star Gate opens and Li Hao walks through it, he is certain to be struck by thunder and lightning! My thoughts are that since, among Silver Moon denizens, only you and I have ever left this world and journeyed through the chaos, then I would like to leave with the senior to search for New Martial!
“We can follow any traces of core origin that we sense. If we track them to the point of being able to tear through a gap to the core origin universe, then the Ash Emperor is certain to find us! 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
“In that case, whether it is returning to New Martial with Silver Moon, having Silver Moon become a vassal world, or becoming an independent world... Silver Moon and New Martial are from the same origin, so it’s not like New Martial will seek to destroy Silver Moon!”
“......” Celestial Pole grappled with a headache. “You want me to travel the chaos with you? How about no... the chaos is too complicated. To put it bluntly, I could do that with your grandfather or my primary body. But if it’s a combination of a replica and a weakling like you... that’s too much!
“We might end up in Red Moon if we veer even the slightest bit off track!”
This was the last thing that Celestial Pole wanted to do. He would much rather stay here and wait. The Ash Emperor knew they were here and Number Two was here. The Ash Emperor might be here soon.
“Senior...” Zhang An was aware of his personality. “Are you not familiar with the Ash Emperor’s personality? The Imperial Majesty is forgetful and prone to taking naps. If it suddenly wants to sleep, it might sleep until Red Moon comes!
“Also, they would be here already if Silver Moon is so easy to locate. The Human King is another impatient soul. As unimportant as Silver Moon is, there are many New Martial citizens here. If the Human King could find us, he would’ve come to us a long time ago...”
“It’s still too dangerous!” Celestial Pole shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t think much of you, but that any disturbance in the chaos will be the end of you! Also, if you’re unlucky enough to encounter another powerhouse walking through the chaos, whether it’s a chaos beast or chaos world, we’re dead regardless. Do you think you can survive in the chaos without being an exalted emperor?
“Let Li Hao walk out by himself if you really have no options!” Celestial Pole said upon seeing Zhang An remain silent.
“Can he make it past the tribulation?” Zhang An frowned. “Even if he can, he’s not familiar with New Martial. He might not go to New Martial. With his personality, he might go with whoever he comes across first. He won’t want to fight them, just stay out of their way. It’ll be very hard to get him to go to New Martial.”
That was true.
