Star Gate-Chapter 1523: Peace of Mind (II)
There were twelve exalted emperors setting forth to deal with two New Martial initial ranks. Despite Li Hao being a first rank in name, it was clear from the size of this entourage just how much importance was being placed on their venture. No matter if it was a trap or not, the rest of the universe took New Martial very seriously.
It’d been a year since Silver Moon opened the Star Gate. Red Moon Region had not been at peace during this year.
The Human King had attempted to slip into a major world a few times, but was thankfully beaten back by joint efforts of powerhouses from various directions. Otherwise, another major world might have fallen again.
Even so, those in Red Moon Region were so taut with nerves that they were afraid of their own shadows. They were deathly afraid that the Human King might hop out at any time to end them.
Large numbers of major worlds migrated toward Red Moon major world. Although its reputation was extremely poor, the general public actually felt that Red Moon might be more dependable than the New Martial Human King.
Apparently, Red Moon and New Martial high rank exalted emperors had once come across each other in the chaos. The New Martial Sun God and a Red Moon seventh rank exchanged blows, causing a significant disturbance that led to mutual retreat after both sides suffered losses.
The conflict between the two major worlds had been elevated to the high rank exalted emperor level.
The Sword Sovereign had also been spotted last month—he acted in an exceedingly ruthless and vicious fashion. The man slaughtered all of the exalted emperors in a mid world heading toward Red Moon, including their world master who’d just entered sixth rank.
His actions had stunned all sides!
It was very hard for sixth ranks to die. Under normal conditions, it would take a seventh rank to manage the deed. Even fellow sixth ranks found it hard to kill each other, much less one that was a master of a world and reinforced by his world.
The Sword Sovereign had attacked so ferociously that he overwhelmed his target. While his stamina was subpar, one had to say that his offensive capabilities were horrifying! He’d gravely injured the world master with one stroke and executed the man with a second. Not even three strokes had been required!
The outcome horrified many worlds. They circled back and forth on the spot, not daring to move further toward Red Moon Region. Where was safety to be found?
News kept spreading of the happenings, making their way into Li Hao’s ears. He had to give it to New Martial, they were a merciless bunch of people who could cause some serious trouble. Despite not having any allies, they weren’t afraid of Red Moon powerhouses. They only had Yin and Yang to their name, but the major world was in the Ash Emperor’s stomach. Who knew where the cat had run off to? The Red Moon powerhouses could find no sign of it.
When there were too few of those from New Martial around, they were afraid of their home being eaten by others. But now that there were quite a few of them roaming the universe, did they... not want their home at all?
New Martial engaged in guerrilla tactics, but Red Moon was too big to do so in return. They could only defend passively. This caused the major world—helmed by an eighth rank—to be caught on the back foot when facing New Martial.
All of this was mentioned in casual conversation as the group traveled.
......
“Hao Moon.” Mo was the one most familiar with Li Hao in the group. Although they’d met only once before, she was very polite and enthusiastic when facing the young man. It wasn’t simply because he was friends with Void—she’d always treated the young man in this manner.
The first reason was due to a Suncloud exalted emperor disappearing the first time they met, the second was because Li Hao was handsome. The third was that she and another exalted emperor encountered an eruption of dao echoes at Coiled Dragon Well after they met Li Hao. She’d comprehended some things from that experience.
While she was still a first rank, she could feel second rank to be close at hand. It was such a stroke of good fortune! The Exalted Hao Moon Emperor was someone who could bring others good luck!
“What is it?” Li Hao was busy looking around. The chaos was vast and unbounded, but he had a map in hand. He was busy matching the map to what he saw.
“Is the Exalted Void Emperor really the highness of Light?”
“I don’t know, probably?” Li Hao smiled. “I don’t speak of these things with Fellow Daoist Void. I only learned of his identity today. He’s never mentioned it before.”
Mo didn’t believe the young man, but neither did she think he was the type of lie.
“Then how did you and the Exalted Void Emperor meet?” she asked with curiosity.
“I said I wanted to join the Dragon Observatory. They wanted to test me and sent the Exalted Void Emperor.”
That was it? They’d known each other for only a year? For exalted emperors, was someone a friend if they hadn’t known each other for hundreds or thousands of years?
Everyone else was eavesdropping on their conversation. No one believed Li Hao. What a liar!
He’d obviously known Void since a long time ago. Some even suspected that Hao Moon also came from a major world. Perhaps he was also from Light! How would he know Void otherwise?
Li Hao didn’t continue with this topic. Instead, he asked with puzzlement, “So we’re going against Celestial Pole and the Pagoda King of New Martial. Where are those guys?”
No one made a sound. Mo tilted her head at the fourth rank— Exalted Emperor Ming Hao.
He inclined his head, there was nothing worth hiding.
“They should be near Red Moon major world,” Mo responded. “Around where Nether Moon used to be. There are no major worlds left in the area after Nether Moon migrated. Those two should be almost there.”
Li Hao probed the map with his consciousness, noting where Nether Moon had originally stood. It wasn’t too far from when Silver Moon first appeared.
Distance was relative, however. The gap between the two would take a low rank exalted emperor two or three months to bridge. It was still quite far!
This was the major drawback regarding the chaos. Travelers spent most of their time on the journey. Any combat was quickly over. The universe was too big!
Any destination took two or three months to reach, assuming that one set off in the correct direction. If one took the wrong step or was slightly disoriented, then the resulting destination might be tens of thousands of kilometers off from the intended target.
Granted, however, exalted emperors rarely took a wrong turn. In the entire chaos universe, everyone was relatively normal apart from the Human King often supposedly getting lost.
On the other hand, it was easy to get lost if one was disoriented, lacked any landmarks, and wasn’t in the middle of an active battle.
“I heard you guys say before that New Martial has other exalted emperors that are active in the area. Will that be a problem?”
“That will have nothing to do with us.” Mo shook her head. “There will be others to take care of them. Red Moon has recruited large numbers of chaos wanderers in order to deal with New Martial’s response. And it’s just not chaos wanderers, you know as well that many exalted emperors on Skyward have been itching for action lately!”
The connotations of her words were that they would make their moves as well. It was only a matter of time. Since this group was made of weaklings, they were setting out first. But with the other seeing strong, they could catch up even when setting off a few months later.
“I also know about Silver Moon world,” Li Hao nodded. “It’s a New Martial vassal world. Apparently there’s a bounty of a mid world on it. Has anyone claimed it?”
“No.” Mo shook her head. “But there have been sightings of Silver Moon’s movements. Someone came across it earlier—a second rank chaos beast. There was another exalted emperor present then as well.
“The two exalted emperors joined hands to injure a second rank. After that, Silver Moon fled. It’s supposedly trying to convene with New Martial and headed toward Celestial Pole and the Pagoda King. We might be able to find it!”
Gone off in search of New Martial?
Li Hao raised a mental eyebrow. And the birth of another exalted emperor... was likely not one of the masters of great dao. It shouldn’t be Lin Hongyu, which left Celestial Pole.
Hong Yitang and the others shouldn’t be too far from exalted emperor after a year. Silver Moon should’ve undergone a period of high development during this year. The dao universe should be quite strong.
It just lacked a certain timing to take another step forward.
Hong Yitang, Gan Wuliang, and Lin Hongyu should all be one step away from the exalted emperor level. If he returned, there would likely be three more exalted emperors in Silver Moon. Combined with Celestial Pole’s replica, Panther, and himself would make for six exalted emperors in the world!
Silver Moon would rival some of the weaker mid worlds at that point, apart from not possessing any mid rank exalted emperors. It would finally satisfy the standards of a mid world.
Granted, with its possession of a dao universe, that gave Silver Moon the blueprint of a major world. At the same time, the path to becoming a major world would be long and arduous.
“I actually hope to run into Silver Moon!” Li Hao said with enthusiasm. “Trading it for a mid world would really be something...”
“It wouldn’t be just one mid world!” laughed Mo. “Red Moon is offering an even higher bounty now in order to neutralize New Martial. A mid world is just one of the prizes. There are many more benefits, such as letting us join the dao universe of a major world! 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
“Major worlds don’t randomly recruit exalted emperors,” she said with envy. “A major world can support one hundred exalted emperors at best! But the chaos does not lack for mid or minor worlds. Many exalted emperors can only cultivate the messy disarray of daos in the chaos!
“Quite a few people will jump at the chance to join a major world, and an eighth rank at that!”
What a pity that the opportunities were few and far in between. Mid ranks might refrain on the basis of propriety and decorum, but to initial ranks, joining a major world would be the key to them entering mid rank.
It would be too hard to bridge the gap on their own.
Li Hao nodded, that was true. How many exalted emperors were there in Skyward, to say nothing of anything else? There were at least one hundred.
The reality was that there were far more than one hundred. How many were there in Dragon Observatory alone? Most of them were chaos wanderers; progress was exceedingly difficult after they reached the exalted emperor level. Reaching high rank would be difficult even after joining a major world, becoming a mid rank was much easier. At least, it would be easier than them going at it alone, like they were doing now.
Hence, the presence of a dao universe was one of the most tempting terms for recruitment. Silver Moon had the ability to play that card as well, but Li Hao wasn’t interested in putting it on the table. His masters of dao were yet to become exalted emperors—they might lose their place to a new recruit instead. They would’ve delivered themselves on a silver platter to someone else.
Not to mention, Li Hao’s thoughts were to supply as many opportunities to Silver Moon natives as possible. Even as the dao universe grew stronger, he hoped that it would be Silver Moon denizens that filled in the gaps, not outsiders!
And in Li Hao’s eyes, the potential of a twin dao universe was very big. Based off his previous calculations, a fully mature dao universe would be able to support 360 exalted emperors. Assuming that the dao universe was strong enough, that was.
