Star Gate

Li Hao once more interrupted his own breakthrough. He was yet to return to the outside world, which meant that Silver Moon would be in danger if he continued to progress. Empyrean Kings would be able to walk out of the ruins and wreak havoc in his absence.

Only after his return would he officially advance a cultivation level and permit Empyrean Kings to emerge from hiding. At that time, he would kill every single one he saw!

"Seniors, we've succeeded!" Li Hao grinned. If it wasn't for the three spirits' wholehearted support at the risk of their own lives, he wouldn't have found the success that he did!

However, he received a feeble reply only after a very long time.

"We need to sleep and stabilize this small world..." It was the seal. "We need to make preparations to endure your future stroke of one thousand and ten thousand moves! Li Hao... you must kill Li Daoheng..."

"Of course!" Li Hao nodded affirmatively.

The three spirits had expended too much effort in this attempt and also had to stabilize the mental sea. They did need to rest for a while. This was a good thing, it would better prepare them for his next blow of one thousand moves.

Li Hao turned his gaze to Sword City in the distance. The ancient city didn't seem to be willing to come near Li Hao anymore. It was furious that the young man had attacked it!

"Sword City... Stellaris!" Li Hao laughed. "The Sword Sovereign's personal sword! I've used the name Stellaris for a very long time and the Firmament Sword stems from Stellaris. They were one to begin with. Why don't you... integrate back into my Firmament Sword when I complete the move of one thousand sword daos?"

He didn't need the city to do so at the moment. It wasn't a good idea for the sword to be too powerful.

The current Firmament Sword could contain his blow of one hundred moves and even kill Empyrean Kings without too much strain, but it was still a ways off from handling half step emperors or exalted emperors.

He should be able to do so once he integrated Sword City into his weapon.

The ancient city ignored him and hovered in the void. The young man had nearly robbed it blind with his visit. Only the sword still remained. There was nothing else left in it apart from the small residence that belonged to the Sword Sovereign. There wasn't even rubble from the city's remains!

Li Hao grinned brilliantly and set foot into the residence. "I need to collect some more Eternal Sword intent. I'll leave soon! You... should stay here. It may not be a good idea to bring you outside and you're too big of a target!"

There was no corresponding reaction from Sword City; it permitted Li Hao to gather more sword intent.

......

Galewind.

Zheng Yu suddenly lifted his head up at the sky and said slowly after a while, "Li Hao... seems to have improved... Empyrean Kings will be able to walk freely in the world after a while!"

The Empyrean Kings by his side were surprised. So fast!

This was happening much faster than the natural revitalization of the world. How long had it been? Their freedom was imminent!

However, the Empyrean Kings weren't as delighted or eager as one might think.Even if the world can tolerate our presence now... can we stand against Li Hao?

Wouldn't this just be going to our deaths?

Zheng Yu didn't say anything. If the world could hold Empyrean Kings, that meant Li Hao was likely fourth level Fused Dao. If he was that cultivation level, could these guys in front of him handle the young man?

It was highly unlikely!

Perhaps... they really would be heading to their deaths.

......

Great Li, the divine temple.

The god of Initial Martial looked up at the cosmos, deep in thought.

Sword City was still within the seal. If Li Hao had entered it to seize Stellaris, then this was not a good development. Once the diagram of the eight trigrams was destabilized and the young man took the sword, then... the plan to nurture the cat with the eight sections of the world might be interrupted.

His head hurt!

Close by, the Great Li king's presence steadily grew stronger. The Initial Martial god regarded the man with resignation. There was no helping it!

"King of Great Li!"

The king jerked out of his meditation with surprise and looked toward the divine temple.

"You are assimilating that skeleton too slowly," came a voice from the temple. "I will help you fully integrate it within three days so that you can ascend to Empyrean King! In return, you... must do something for me."

"What is it?" By now, the king felt it more prudent to fully understand everything that was asked of him.

"Stand guard over the Tranquil Star ruins and don't let anyone inside!"

"......" The king was speechless. "That's Li Hao's territory!"

You want me to stand guard over there and refuse entry to everyone who comes... I'll be beaten to death, won't I?! Although I'll be an Empyrean King then, Zheng Yu, Li Daoheng, and Li Hao all seem to have their eyes set on that spot.

"Do you agree? We can forget it if you don't. You can go back to working on it yourself and take at least three more years to succeed!"

Three years? Surely not.The king was immensely resigned. "What if... Li Hao and his people attack the ruins?"

I can't take them!

"Defend to the death and don't venture out!"

"......" The king set his jaw. "Fine, I agree. But... don't blame me if I really can't hold my own against them!"

The Initial Martial god couldn't be bothered with more conversation. He waved the skeleton into his hand and crushed the bones to dust. A surge of power drifted into the king's body, making the man yelp with pain.

The god didn't understand the reaction. What was this little bit of pain worth? This was as things should be when it came to cultivation! How could one become a powerhouse without enduring some hardship?

He nearly forced the power into the king's body, making the man's presence dramatically swell tenfold.

The god contemplated for a bit, then looked at a sparkling golden figure in the distance. "You are Li Hao's subordinate, but I will help you ascend to Fused Dao so you can fight Empyrean Kings! You will complete the nine turns of your golden body! In return, tell Li Hao that he cannot break the eight cities at present, not yet.

"I have no conflict with him, but if he breaks the eight cities, I will be forced to take action. I do not wish to do so, but I made a promise that year..."

"Senior..." Deputy Zhou was interrupted by a surge of force.

"Just accept the power!" commanded the god. "Whether or not Li Hao agrees can wait until after you bring it up to him. Everything is up in the air before you do so!"

A powerful current of strength flowed into Zhou Chuan. The deputy grunted, astonished by what he was experiencing. This person was... so strong!

Was he a half step emperor?

It might not be a good idea to offend a half step emperor from Initial Martial. So the eight cities were to be left alone, was it?

Deputy Zhou put these thoughts out of his mind after a while. Since his cultivation level was being forcefully raised and there was nothing he could do about it, then he could sit back, relax and enjoy.

As for how Li Hao would respond to the demand, he had no idea.

......

On this day, there was movement from the various sides again. The world seemed to be awakening once more. Empyrean Kings could step outside now!

Li Hao prepared to depart from the seal. He'd taken everything he could collect and didn't stand much hope at present of killing the exalted emperor. The harvest within the seal had reached his expectations. When he left, it would be time to figure out how to kill Zheng Yu's Empyrean Kings.

......

Within the seal.

The move of one hundred sword daos was complete, as was his mental sea. Li Hao had benefited handsomely from this trip into the seal. He was ready to leave.

To kill an exalted emperor at his current level of accomplishment... that was a bizarre flight of fancy. He was yet to fully set foot into fourth level Fused Dao. It was beyond his abilities to even kill half step emperors, much less exalted emperors. One could set that idea aside.

Even without that achievement, his gains from this trip were so great that they could barely be imagined. Fighting with a half step emperor and an exalted emperor was enormously beneficial as well.

Well, he called that fighting, but they'd both killed him in one move.

Li Hao wanted to do one more thing before he left. He steered Sword City in the exalted emperor's direction.

He hadn't tendered his greetings when he arrived, so he definitely needed to do so when he left. It would be too rude otherwise.

......

Within the seal of the eight trigrams.

The Red Moon exalted emperor once more opened his eyes. Life was certainly lively these days, one act followed another on stage. This was the busiest he'd been in one hundred thousand years.

Li Hao approached him with Sword City from a far off distance. The exalted emperor watched him silently. It wasn't until the young man was close that he addressed Li Hao.

"Those three little guys seem to have disappeared?"

"Have they now? I'm not sure," Li Hao chuckled. "I'm here to bid the exalted emperor farewell! I'm going to be on my way..."

The exalted emperor burst out laughing. Farewell? How interesting! Li Hao could not leave through the seal, so he would have to do so through the dao universe.

This would... provide the exalted emperor a chance to observe the dao universe.

"What a well-mannered child!" smiled the exalted emperor, as if truly speaking to a child. "It looks like you've improved. Are you confident of taking on Zheng Yu and Li Daoheng now?"

"Not for the moment." Li Hao shook his head, as much at ease as if they were discussing domestic affairs. "The gap between me and them is still too big. But... I'm confident that I can defend against them! I won't trouble the exalted emperor with these affairs. I'm here to bid you farewell and to make the tiniest request. Will the exalted emperor satisfy a junior?"

"Speak of it."

"I accidentally took a droplet of the exalted emperor's blood essence last time," Li Hao said with all sincerity. "It helped me grievously injure the Moon God! So today, this junior would like to request another drop."

"......" The smile slid off the exalted emperor's face. He looked at Li Hao, not making a sound.

What did the young man mean by this? Wanting a drop of blood essence? Why?