Star Gate

"I mean in terms of species! Species!" Li Hao coughed. "Plant spirits are a massive species, are they not?"

The young man offered a few words of bracing comfort. These three were indeed not the sharpest! Granted, he was comparing them not against ordinary people, but against powerhouses. The stronger one was, the more mental strength one accumulated. That provided a baseline intelligence. Compared to their peers, these three were much... dumber.

"Take the beast spirits, for example. They didn't have much intelligence at first, but they produced many powerhouses. These days, I know one particular monster spirit who is very, very smart—Capsize Sea..."

"The Sea Pacification Envoy of Silver Moon?" The sword tree was familiar with this one. "Indeed, the water cow family possesses high intelligence!"

"So long as your race produces a few exalted emperors..." Li Hao continued. "A species transforms its inner nature when exalted emperors appear! One person attaining their dao means the rise of many others! Such is the great dao, but the prerequisite is that you must seek your dao!

"Therefore, you should absolutely attempt things that you haven't before!" The young man smiled. "Starting something is always the hardest. It's easy after you begin. Nothing is an issue when you are no longer afraid and have more confidence in yourself.

"You are familiar with the Sword Sovereign's sword intent, why are you worried about something going wrong? The more afraid you are, the more easily somethingwillgo wrong!

"Also, I won't die. I'll tell you the truth—it's only my replica here, not my primary body!"

"Your replica?"

"Yes, so it doesn't matter if I die!"

The three twitched from the new information.

"Of course, I'll still suffer a great blow if my replica dies," said Li Hao. "So don't relax too much and think nothing of my death. You can just be calmer about things. If I really die, then we lose a little. But it's also nice if I stay alive, right?"

"If you're just a replica... then... we can give it a try." The sword tree finally seemed to relax. "Can you... really come back to life?"

"Of course!" Li Hao nodded encouragingly.

Replica my ass. Well, this physical body is my replica, but the river is within my body. How else am I able to attack Lifeless Sword?

Whatever, this is just to comfort these guys. If mistakes do happen... death isn't that scary. We seek our fortune and opportunity in the midst of danger. I know that I won't be able to beat those guys if I continue as is, so I need to think of another way!

"Then... let's give it a try!" The sword tree was much more confident than before. "The sword intent can also help us recover some! Don't worry, we'll try not to commit any errors that lead to the demise of your replica!"

"Let's definitely aim for that. I'm already finding it difficult to catch up. That may become an impossible feat if my replica dies."

"Understood, we get it!"

"......" It was Li Hao's turn to worry.Are these guys not taking it seriously enough after what I said?

Forget it, whatever!

So long as I don't die, they can try their best to kill me!

"Then I'll absorb sword intent first. The sword intent here is dense—three days worth of work will be sufficient to collect an amount to kill me. Can the seniors accept one attempt per three days?"

"We can!"

"We'll come back then!"

Li Hao bent his mind to the task of absorbing sword intent. This sword intent could be stored elsewhere to use as a trump card against Empyrean Kings. However, an external tool was something outside of him in the end!

I want to analyze the Sword Sovereign's dao and dissect his sword intent. Only when I make it mine is it an enhancement from a foundational nature.

......

If starting the count from today, Li Hao was due to kill himself in three days with the Eternal Sword intent. He would seek enlightenment and opportunity among death.

Each death and resurrection depleted some of his lifespan. He didn't mind since failure meant that he had three years left to live at most. The seal would break after three years!

He had many years left in his lifespan. If he succeeded, he would grow stronger and those years would only increase. Thus, who cared about a little expenditure now?

......

Just as Li Hao began to experience death, the end of the third month since his departure took place on the Hao Cosmos Continent!

Summer had gone and fall was here. Autumn was in full swing throughout the land.

A great deal of changes had occurred in the continent over the past three months. Millions upon millions continuously built infrastructure. With almost all enemies eliminated, Silver Moon world welcomed its most glorious age of prosperity.

Never had there been so many supernaturals and martial masters in any age. They were active in all aspects of society.

It'd been nearly one year since Li Hao rolled out efforts to improve the dynasty's literacy rate. After such a long period of time, sufficient numbers of people had learned how to read and write so that the intake of knowledge was much faster than before. Martial dao flourished, as did all trades and professions.

......

The Skystar Commander Office, the heart of the world.

Various heavyweights from all walks of life were gathering once more.

As time went on and with the treasures that Li Hao had collected last time—a variety of blood pearls of the Saint, Empyrean King, and Immortal level, as well as ninety-nine Empyrean King-level Heavenly Aroma Fruit... The treasures helped many powerhouses step into higher levels.

After three months, there were more Fused Dao cultivators among the ranks. Zhao Shuguang and Gan Wuliang had both received Empyrean King-level blood pearls. They'd broken through a month after Li Hao's departure.

The first one to come after them wasn't a Silver Moon martial master, but Director General Wang.

Wang Ye was a director general from the New Martial age and the first to convert to the new dao. He'd finally reaped his own harvest and advanced to the Fused Dao realm, a level of existence in the modern age on par with Saints.

For that, Director General Wang was so excited he could barely contain himself. He ran off and challenged a certain division leader to several hundred rounds of combat. That special division leader shaved him bald with his opening move, causing the director general to hide for several days before emerging in the public eye again.

The third month after Li Hao left, which was a few days ago, saw the birth of the fourth Fused Dao cultivator. Contrary to everyone's expectations, it wasn't one of the Thirty-Six such as Sky Sword or Tyrant Blade who were commonly thought highly of.

The fourth Fused Dao cultivator was the person once hailed as the greatest genius in the world, the incredibly low profile Dao Sword.

Who was Dao Sword?

Superhumans were once innumerable in the central continent and he was the greatest genius in the Night Watcher system. He was the foremost genius in the entire dynasty!

Dao Sword very much kept to himself. His companions Big Eyes, Spear, and Blade were the most preeminent geniuses in the entire central region. Strictly speaking, Dao Sword was the first supernatural to cultivate his way to Arcanus.

He did not have a foundation of martial dao since he'd never been a martial master. He'd started as a supernatural and was the first to naturally progress to the lofty level that was now known as Mountain and Sea.

The quartet joined the Skystar Commander Office when Yao Si led the entire agency to join Li Hao's side. Li Hao had brought them all under his command. Silver Moon martial masters reigned throughout the land. Out of the pure supernaturals such as the quartet, the only one to create a good station in life was... Gan Wuliang!

Gan Wuliang was also a pure supernatural! But Li Hao always kept him in mind when doling out treasures and gains. Even Hu Qingfeng, good only for flattery and having nearly died in White Moon City back in the day, was now a seventh level Sun and Moon.

Dao Sword had caught up from behind and surpassed Sky Sword and the rest, entering the Fused Dao level!

There were now seven Fused Dao cultivators under Li Hao's banner—Lin Hongyu, Earthturner Sword, Panther, Zhao Shuguang, Gan Wuliang, Wang Ye, and Dao Sword.

The Skystar Commander Office, upon the head seat.

Lin Hongyu silently watched Dao Sword. The phrase "a gentleman being as pure as jade" was possibly meant to describe someone like him. He was always so cool, composed, and calm. Li Hao also gave off the same feeling, but sometimes he seemed quite the berserker. And with his humble upbringing, he was at times a bit brash and crude.

Dao Sword seemed to possess the refined and cultured nature that a true gentleman would have. He had always been so. When Big Eyes and the rest couldn't stand the sight of Li Hao, only Dao Sword kept his grace and didn't butt heads with Li Hao.

"If Director Yao was still here... he would be very proud to see your accomplishments!" Lin Hongyu said slowly. "Although I didn't have many dealings with him when he was alive, I could sense his level of care for you and your companions. The marquis also once said that the youngsters who were willing to go with him to the City of Supernaturals that day were the future pillars of our nation!

"Dao Sword, I have to say that it's both unexpected, but well within reason that you were able to set foot into Fused Dao!" Lin Hongyu offered some compliments and displayed an admiring look. "You've been to the dao universe, did you find great value in it?"

"Quite a lot." Dao Sword's voice was pitched to the perfect level. "The key lies with the marquis cultivating dao, but not claiming it only for himself. This kind of magnanimity is rare to see! If it wasn't for him giving free access to the dao universe, I would not have ascended to Fused Dao either!"

"That is also true," laughed Lin Hongyu. "He... might be the only one since the dawn of time to be so generous as to open the dao universe to others. Even during New Martial, the core origin universe was not accessible as well. Only those with the ability to could enter. And for those without... why would anyone purposefully open a passageway for them?

"Now that you are in Fused Dao, your battle strength is on par with one! Dao Sword, the path of great dao is hard to walk after Fused Dao. How about I give you some missions?"

"Please give me your orders, commander!"

"The heavenly will is in hiding and is hard to detect! The marquis said before he entered closed door cultivation that the heavenly will favors youngsters with potential. Your potential is immense and you have cultivated the new dao to an immensely strong level.

"I'd like for you to probe where the heavenly will is hiding or if it's favored a new candidate. Regular people will find it hard to complete this mission. I'd like you to try. What do you think?"

"I can do that! I have no opinions otherwise!" Dao Sword nodded after some thought. "But since I have some talent, what if... the heavenly will sets its sights on me? How should I handle that?"

"You can accept its favor!" Lin Hongyu laughed. "The marquis is not afraid of someone on his side being favored, so long as you do not hide it. It's fine even if you progress many times in one day because of it. If we know, we'll be able to take action against it. The marquis has triumphed over the heavenly will once, he'll do so again!"

"Then I have no opinions otherwise." Dao Sword agreed to his mission.

"We also have a mission of having you tempt the heavenly will. Since it's everywhere, you do not need to mention this after leaving this place! Here, it is safe enough. The heavenly will lurking in the shadows will always be a threat. It is not one if it is out in the open!"

Dao Sword nodded again.