Star Gate-Chapter 1738: Quiet (IV)

“I do want dao crystals,” Void nodded. “Does the senior have any? If so, can you lend me some? I’ll return them to you as soon as I have money...”

“I don’t have any.” The shadow shook its head. “I wouldn’t be this weak if I did!”

Then what are you popping up for?!

“I don’t have any, but I do know one place that is sure to have them!” responded the dao chess.

That sent hearts a-flutter through the crowd.

“Skyward has revitalized for many years,” the treasure cut to the chase. “It hasn’t been silent all this time like the dao universe! The world origin of a ninth rank world has been absorbing chaos strength all along. Even if it accumulates just one thousand dao crystals a year, it should have one billion by now!”

Could a ninth rank world collect one thousand dao crystals a year? Not ten million, but one thousand! Of course it could!

Eyebrows raised—this was very true. It’d been so many years!

Void was delighted, but Li Hao furrowed his brow. “So the senior means to say that there are many dao crystals over at the world origin?”

“Yes.”

“Will obtaining them be a hassle?”

“You guys are even silencing the world. Are you afraid of a little extra trouble?” The shadow stared at them. Is this seriously what’s on your minds? You wouldn’t silence the world if it was!

“Then for the senior to be reminding us now... means that the senior wishes us to help with something?”

“That’s right!” The dao chess replied with forthright candor. “You are aware that my primary body is the dao chess! The heart of the dao chess is an eighth rank world, of which you are aware as well!”

The group nodded. This was common knowledge.

“However, I’ve lost the ability to grow and develop after being refined into an imperial weapon. And with being left at Demon Summit for so long... I am almost devoid of internal energy. My strength has immensely declined!

“I cannot easily leave Skyward because I will revert to being a dao universe in the absence of someone else’s limitations. That will create a new set of troubles for me.”

“So the senior wishes to replenish your energy levels?” Li Hao nodded.

“You can say that. I told you before that you might need to pay the price of an eighth rank dao universe in exchange for my help. That means I am almost completely empty! Why else would I need so much energy?”

Everyone was short on money—the dao chess included.

“I am the imperial weapon of the Skyward master,” said the shadow. “I have been instilled with certain things since the day I was forged. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say... certain rules. I am unable to harm Skyward!

“Therefore, I won’t stop you if you’re determined to go about this course of action. There is certain to be danger, but... if the world origin really does appear, could I have the rest of the energy after Void’s needs are satisfied?”

“......” Void frowned. “Senior...”

“You can deduct it from the favors that Fellow Daoist Li Hao owes me!” said the shadow. “However, the world origin is the fountain of life for a ninth rank world. It will be terrifying once it strikes back. I cannot make a move, but I can help with a small task...

“If any projections of Skyward powerhouses or dao foundation sites flare with activity, I can help keep them contained! I will suppress them with the presence of the Skyward master. In that case, that will decrease their will to resist! It will help in your consolidation of the world...”

Li Hao didn’t find anything amiss with the suggestion after some thought. He was just confused. “What does the senior need with vast sums of energy at present?”

The shadow wanted to roll its eyes!

“Why? Because everyone is aware of my existence now and wants to capture me! I’m very weak, but a lot of exalted emperors know about me. I cannot leave Skyward, but you guys can leave at any time. Am I supposed to be fish on a chopping block when you guys depart?”

What kind of question is this?? Isn’t it all your fault that I’m in the straits I am? Otherwise, I’ve survived all these years. It didn’t matter that I didn’t have energy because no one was aware of my existence.

And now?

You’ve exposed me and now ask me what I want to do with this energy??

Li Hao sheepishly scratched his head. He’d forgotten about that.

“That is true...” the young man coughed gently. “Ah, yes, senior, if you can contain Senior Fog Mountain’s dao, you might be able to fulfill each other’s needs. The senior will be able to set foot into eighth rank and you will not need to recover through your own efforts.”

“No!” The dao chess shadow shook its head before Fog Mountain had a chance to speak. “He won’t do!”

Fog Mountain scowled! I haven’t even had a chance to say that I don’t want any part of you! How dare you despise me?? You’re just an empty shell of an eighth rank dao universe, what do you have to be proud of?

The dao chess didn’t care what Fog Mountain was thinking. “His dao is not compatible with the core of my dao universe!” it explained.

“Is the senior’s core of spatial dao?”

“No. Space is Skyward, I am not Skyward! I am simply a master forged by its master. I’ve retained the core dao from when I was an eighth rank dao universe. Strictly speaking, my core dao is one of... the shadows!”

Shadows!

Li Hao was surprised by the revelation.

“It’s why I was left with the dark envoy. The dark envoy’s dao of darkness encompasses my core of shadows! Fog Mountain’s dao is not compatible with mine. Our integration will not lead to anything good and might only serve to injure both of us!”

The dao chess looked at Li Hao, then at Void. Either of these two were acceptable. One of them was a cultivator of light and dark, the other was a practitioner of time that encompassed all daos. The dao chess didn’t mind either.

Of course, the dao of time was most preferable, but Li Hao seemed intent on establishing his own dao universe. It was quite maddening.

Who would’ve thought that there would be a day in which an eighth rank dao universe would be thought less of?

“I don’t need it either,” Fog Mountain retorted. “An empty shell of an eighth rank dao universe is of no use to me whatsoever. I will only gain another empty shell for my efforts, one that will not help me enter eighth rank! Forget it, I’ll end up having to support the dao chess instead. That’s too much work!”

You think less of me? Nah, I think less of you!

The dao chess was equally resigned. Forget it, the two of us have nothing good to say to each other. I don’t want you as a master either.

“Alright, then we’re agreed!” Li Hao nodded. “Apart from the portion to fulfill Void’s needs, anything else we lay our hands on goes to the senior! And senior, you have to keep all of the dao foundation sites, projections, and replicas in Skyward under control!”

Replicas?

The wordless dao chess shadow shook its head. “There shouldn’t be any, there’s no need to worry. Replicas weren’t popular in Skyward! Even if there are any, you have four seventh ranks here. There’s no problem, be at ease!”

Li Hao nodded, that was true.

He said nothing more and swiftly transmitted through the world in thunderous tones, “We will silence Skyward after seven days! Cultivators of Silver Moon can seek out a dao foundation site that is a good match for your dao and commence mediation! Exalted emperors are to split up and oversee different parts of the land to prevent accidents!”

Silver Moon cultivators shifted into motion. Li Hao and Void were also ready for what they were about to do next! The massive Skyward was laid defenseless before them.

......

At the same time.

Many exalted emperors were lying in wait in the depths of the chaos outside Skyward. They continuously sent probes toward the world, not knowing what these people would do with it now that they had made it theirs.

All factions were holding emergency meetings. Skyward and New Martial were priority targets. Should they join forces to eliminate the scourge that was New Martial, or should they combine their forces to capture all of the powerhouses within Skyward? Such was the problem that all sides grappled with.

The exalted emperors lying in wait had one mission. Once dao remnants appeared in Skyward, they were to immediately notify all sides. The revitalizing dao universe could not be permitted to fall into these people’s hands.

Everyone waited quietly. A rare moment of quiet had come upon Skyward Region, but it was one that came with a suffocating sensation.

......

Seven days passed by in the blink of an eye.

Skyward.

Void and Li Hao were situated at the north and south poles of the world. They stood at the peak of the world and watched with growing excitement. They were about to silence the world! Although Skyward’s heavyweights had disappeared, this was still a thrilling prospect.

Four seventh ranks sat in residence in the four cardinal directions. They monitored both inside and outside. They were on guard against other exalted emperors from rushing in, but also wary of unknown dangers lurking within Skyward.

Void took a deep breath and chuckled softly. “So big!”

This world was so big that it was like he was silencing Light. He’d never dared think this way before. My father would beat me to death if I dared think of such things. Being here with these people today imparted the sudden idea that silencing Skyward was no major deal.

There’s nothing that we won’t do!

He was a bit weaker at the moment, but he wouldn’t always be weaker. Setting aside the four seventh ranks, it was difficult to say who was stronger between him and Li Hao. This wasn’t his original intention. He admired Li Hao, but he didn’t wish to be surpassed by someone younger than him.

I’m going to enter seventh rank this time!

Even if his strength wasn’t up to seventh rank, his cultivation realm would firmly be rooted in seventh rank. He would spontaneously cross that threshold once he accumulated sufficient resources. He would become an exalted emperor of six daos!

“Let us begin!” Void murmured, materializing the world of emptiness over him and sending it outward. This wasn’t a simple setup of a domain, but a gradual percolation that started from the ground. It seeped underneath to the magma layer, then spread out across the entire world domain.

A dark world of silence began to spread at a glacial pace. This was far slower than the major world that they typically displayed at the drop of a hat!

Not only that, but there seemed to be a small flower in the center of the world. It began growing and absorbed the entire world’s strength to produce a flower of life!

Li Hao said that he needed to give the energy back and revitalize the world. But... what if I don’t?