Star Gate-Chapter 1556: Killing Fiend (II)

There was a person standing inside the intangible form of Daoist Flamefire—Li Hao.

He openly displayed himself to everyone, but no one discovered him and no one dared do anything brash.

The dao notes were real and the teachings of dao were also real. The stronger a cultivator was, the more they would understand how real, ancient, and useful a seventh rank’s dao was. Given that, who would dare attack the shadow?

No one dared!

Even those who did not cultivate the dao of fire wished to partake in these dao remnants. It was a good thing to listen to a seventh rank discuss what they knew of dao.

That was why Li Hao wasn’t worried in the slightest that these people would rush in and discover him, or kill him.

So long as I hide myself well, no one will dare or can discover me.

Indeed, dare.

Judging from Crimson Cloud’s condition, he would kill anyone who barged in and destroyed the shadow!

Daoist Flamefire’s form wavered, as if indicating that he would fade away if anyone touched it. Under such circumstances, who would dare enter the dao foundation site to conduct an investigation?

Did they want to cause the collapse of the figure and incite the mad fury of a sixth rank from a major world?

......

Within the shadow.

Li Hao’s voice boomed majestically, but in sputtering starts and stops. It was aggravating that one couldn’t clearly make out its words. The voice also grew much softer at critical points.

Crimson Cloud was beside himself. It was like one reaching the climax of a show and then... the show stopping. It was such a maddening feeling that he itched to smash the shadow to pieces.

He carefully, gingerly moved a bit closer to the shadow. His face brightened with joy when he realized that seemed to make the voice a bit clearer.

The shadow fluctuated when he wanted to draw even nearer, like it was about to break apart. Crimson Cloud jerked to an abrupt halt and made his movements much smaller, creeping a bit closer. He breathed out easily when he saw that the shadow no longer flickered.

He continued inching closer as he listened, moving so delicately and taking much more care than when he served the Skycloud master.

The Skycloud master was an eighth rank and stronger than when this seventh rank had lived. However... he was not a fire cultivator and neither would he disseminate dao for no reason at all. At their heights, they very rarely taught someone else.

......

The cultivators beneath didn’t dare draw closer. However, they’d cocked their ears and joyfully lost themselves in the experience. One person proved to be an exception—Yu Chen!

He was slightly confused—not about the dao echoes since they seemed to be real. They were unable to be faked and unless they were faked by a seventh rank, they would not cause such a reaction in Crimson Cloud.

What he was baffled about was the fact that White Light and a few others were cultivating here. Why was there no sign of them after these dao remnants had appeared? Logically speaking, they should be present along with this phenomenon.

Or had they run away out of fear and worry because they’d sensed Crimson Cloud’s presence?

The man was confused, but no one else was paying attention to this point or cared about it. There was a sixth rank from a major world here. Even if a third or second rank was hiding nearby and had certain thoughts in mind, what use was that?

None at all!

“Should we notify the Exalted Void Emperor that dao remnants have appeared at the volcano?” someone transmitted.

“Are you an idiot? Do you want to die? Void is the crown prince of Light. And who is the Exalted Crimson Cloud Emperor? An exalted emperor from Skycloud!” another cursed at him.

If this was during normal times, even the faction leader would hesitate and wonder if he needed to notify Void. But since the sixth rank of a major world was here, and from a world that was enemies with Light...

The only reason Void was alive was because Crimson Cloud couldn’t afford to provoke him.

Summon the guy here to listen to dao?

If Crimson Cloud learned of what they’d done, he’d kill them! So he couldn’t kill the Light crown prince, but could he not kill a low rank?

“That’s true...” the first speaker trailed off. He’d just wanted to curry favor with Void, but quickly came back to his senses. Dragon Observatory was backed by Skycloud. Wasn’t notifying Void to call a truce with the enemy?

They thought nothing more and settled in to listen with peace of mind. This was a rare opportunity!

It was evident that these dao notes would not last for long. They could listen as much as they could and memorize what they didn’t understand.

Crimson Cloud continued to approach the shadow. He’d discovered that he wouldn’t affect it if he kept his movements small. Each advance brought the dao notes into closer hearing. His delight grew when he realized he wasn’t just hearing more clearly, but that... there seemed to be a dao universe hidden within the shadow. A dao universe of great dao!

It was a marvelous feeling!

But he didn’t dare delve too deeply into it; he simply found this place completely incredible. As the exalted emperor of a major world and a sixth rank at that, he knew and had seen much. He was well aware of the profound mysteries of a dao universe. That hazy feeling of great dao was the same as when he usually meditated over Skycloud’s dao!

Could it be that Skyward’s dao universe was about to revitalize? Right here? Right now?

Oh my heavens!

He was gleeful even as a sixth rank! If that was the case, then he wasn’t far from seventh rank.

How hard was it to set foot into seventh rank from sixth rank! The ponderous Skycloud had existed for untold years and the world master was at least one million years old. He might not even be the first generation world master!

Crimson Cloud was unfamiliar with events prior to one million years ago, just that there were only five high ranks left of Skycloud in modern days.

The world master was an eighth rank; the remaining seventh ranks were veteran exalted emperors. They were nearly from the same generation as the world master and more than one million years old.

No high ranks had appeared in the last one million years. Such was the difficulty of reaching those levels!

There was also another reason in that the world master was yet to reach ninth rank. Hence, the dao universe was unable to support the birth of another seventh rank.

No high ranks had been produced in one million years! Would he have a chance to reach those august heights today?

Crimson Cloud thought of another myth, that high ranks who ascended in Skyward had a chance of becoming the Skyward master. However, the caveat was that they weren’t exalted emperors of major worlds.

Of course, this was just a legend. Why could exalted emperors of major worlds not ascend here?

If I truly discover Skyward’s great dao, I can even break off from Skycloud!

A multitude of thoughts popped into Crimson Cloud’s mind. Although dao notes continued to reverberate in his ears, his mind was drifting elsewhere. There were too many exalted emperors here. If the dao universe really did appear, would they join hands against him despite their lack of strength?

What wouldn’t exalted emperors do in the pursuit of opportunity?

There were sixteen exalted emperors here!

Although they were all low ranks, he himself wasn’t a high rank, after all. He would have a tough time if they decided to work in tandem. And if the battle grew so noticeable that it attracted other exalted emperors, the situation would be very troublesome then.

Killing intent was starting to rise in his heart, and all of this had to do with Li Hao.

A weak dao universe hovered inside the shadow. A face could be vaguely made out from it—Gan Wuliang!

There were very faint tendrils of desire enveloped within the dao notes. They bewitched the heart!

It would be for the best if Crimson Cloud could be bewitched into outright killing the other exalted emperors. And if he suffered some injuries for it, it would be easier to take him out.

It was also fine if he wasn’t bewitched. Luring him closer would give Li Hao a chance to immediately take him out.

Li Hao continued to disseminate dao and Crimson Cloud continued to approach! Even the exalted emperors behind him were cautiously moving forward. Crimson Cloud’s face darkened at the offense, but he didn’t display it.

These guys well deserved death!

Do you have the right to listen to a seventh rank’s dao? Can you understand it even if you take it in?! What a waste of opportunity!

Perhaps the dao echoes here will fade away because of these guys. Can these bastards shoulder that responsibility??

They piss me off the more I think about them!

I really just want to kill them!!

......

At the same time, the southern gates.

A bored group of guards was on duty. It was normal for no one to come for several months or even years. After the departure of the Dragon Observatory leader’s group, no one had approached the southern gate in the meantime.

It was very quiet!

Those left behind were cultivating or whiling away the time until their next visitor. Their duties weren’t to obstruct anyone from entering, but to identify exalted emperors that could be recruited. Li Hao was one such example. Big Claw had shown him such hospitality because they hoped for him to join Dragon Observatory.

The transportation formation trembled, prompting a look from the guards. No one really cared.

Transportation formations could be used at will in Skyward, so long as one didn’t break them. There were several cultivators below exalted emperors on duty at the formation as well, but not exalted emperors. Exalted emperors didn’t have that much time on their hands, and nor were they that cheap.

An exalted emperor was a master in Skyward, no matter how lowly ranked. No master would stand guard at the door.

The guards tilted their heads to see a familiar face. One of them laughed to see Big Claw.

“What are you doing here, Big Claw?”

“Are you preparing to make a run for it?” one of them joked. “It’s the chaos out there, Big Claw. You’re not an exalted emperor, so you’re better off just staying on Skyward. Only death will come to you if you run! Didn’t you get a mission to serve those from Drift Light Region? How do you have the time to go elsewhere?”

It was indeed Big Claw.