Star Gate-Chapter 1573: Fog Mountain (IV)

“I came early, so I can pick up some clues,” Fog Mountain continued. “I might not have seen all of this if I came late. Even if it’s other seventh ranks in my place, the Silver Moon king has still left behind sufficient clues for detection. He just hasn’t realized it. You might not either, but I can locate them.

“However, there won’t be any problems when the others arrive in a few days. They’ll only firmly believe that Skyward’s dao universe has revitalized. As for Crimson Cloud’s death... and those of Dragon Observatory’s... is the crown prince willing to take that on?”

“What does the senior mean?” Void raised a brow.

“You did it!” Fog Mountain said calmly. “If that is the case, no one will care why Crimson Cloud and the others died.”

Void turned over the idea in his mind. I did it?

“This is just a fringe force and Crimson Cloud was only here due to his personal relationship with Dragon. He did not represent Skycloud! Therefore, dead is dead. Although the Light crown prince has killed people, the matter will be settled if Light offers some compensation.”

“The senior speaks an interesting tale!” Void looked warily at the man. “You wish for me to shoulder the blame for their deaths and compensate the parties affected with some baubles. Why does it sound like you want to help the murderer get away?”

This person... sounded like he wanted to help Li Hao? How strange!

If I’m the one who killed those people and the dao universe is real, and if Fog Mountain puts on an act of looking for the dao universe... that will definitely draw Red Moon’s attention. It might even compel the eighth rank to come in person.

But why does he want to do so? What are his goals?

Is he going to say that he knows Li Hao? That’d be complete bullshit!

If the two knew each other, Li Hao wouldn’t have run off.

“Cultivators live for cultivation,” Fog Mountain smiled. “They train for their entire lives and fight day in, day out. Whether it is seventh ranks or eighth ranks, all have their eyes set on Skyward.

“Why? Isn’t it to strengthen themselves? Skyward’s dao universe has fallen silent and no one can access it. Countless measures have been employed over a million years, but no one has been able to make any progress.

“Today, someone has borrowed Skyward’s strength through a unique method and stimulated the universe. But it has vanished once more. It looks like the dao universe will not recover without this Silver Moon king!

“The crown prince’s power of destruction is so immense that you might have set foot into that universe of stillness!” Fog Mountain laughed. “With the revitalization of the dao universe, perhaps the crown prince stands a chance of soaring to the heavens in one step and crossing the seventh rank threshold!

“They say that second generations have a higher start but a lower finish. Of countless imperial descendants from high ranks, masters of the worlds, and masters of great daos—there are fifth and sixth ranks to be found, but never a seventh rank!

“The crown prince of Light forsook the path of light and walks another path. Once a ninth rank dao universe awakens, the combination of emptiness and revitalization might propel the crown prince to seventh rank!”

“The senior... truly is fearsome!” Void breathed out. This really was a terrifying fellow. Fog Mountain!

Void knew of this person and was highly guarded against him. This was no simpleton or brute. He was a renowned high rank from Skycloud. This was also why Void had warned Li Hao and told the young man to run.

This person was different from other exalted emperors, but it was only now that Void truly felt the weight of the pressure that the man brought to bear.

Void was starting to understand and rumbled, “Please be candid, senior!”

“It’s simple!” Fog Mountain began calmly. “I’ve lived so long that the death of a sixth rank does not move me! No matter how strong the Silver Moon king is or how many he might kill, that will not shake me! There are only two points that are worthy of note for me.

“Firstly, the dao that he cultivates is so unique that it elicits a chaos tribulation every time he calls upon it. Secondly, and key, is that he can summon the Skyward dao universe! Because of this, I do not care what his goals are, what he’s going to do, who’s he going to meet, and what he’s scheming after either.

“I don’t even care what it is that has brought out the pressure of a ninth rank. It’s either the Skyward dao universe or the world weapon... dao chess?” Fog Mountain smiled. “I’ve heard of dao chess before. It’s a treasure that helps one comprehend dao, but it’s not that useful to me. It might help those below seventh rank. It’s of limited effectiveness for me.”

Void was growing ever more wary.

“Not to mention, the weapon itself has a soul. I may not be able to seize it even if I wished to...” Fog Mountain smiled with a free, unconcerned air. “Whatever the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor wishes to accomplish, I can help him with a thing or two. I can conceal some things and it will be very easy for him to catch the eye of Red Moon powerhouses if a seventh rank is verifying his claims.

“If I act a bit more nervously or even seal off the world, Red Moon will have eyes for nowhere other than Skyward before long. The Red Moon master will come here to seek his dao.

“What the crown prince needs to do is equally simple—contact Light major world and say that the Skyward dao universe has appeared here. If Light sends a seventh rank, Red Moon will absolutely turn their attention here!”

“What does the senior want?” Void exhaled heavily.

“What do I want?” Fog Mountain smiled. “Isn’t it obvious? The Silver Moon king is very special! He’s so special that the Skyward dao universe seems to open only for him! What I want is simple, I want the Skyward dao universe!”

Void frowned.

“People at my height want very little,” Fog Mountain said calmly. “First, they wish to ascend. Second, they do not wish to be at the behest of another. Ask any high rank if they’re willing to depend on someone else for a living!

“It’s a pity that I do not have the ability to create my own dao universe, and neither do I wish to start from the beginning again. In that case, seizing a dao universe is my only goal.

“We do not think much of regular seventh rank dao universes. In that case, we might as well stay within our eighth rank dao universes. In this way, the only dao universes that catch our eye are the unique seventh rank, eighth rank, or even ninth rank dao universes!

“Since only Hao Moon can access the Skyward dao universe, I naturally do not wish for anyone to capture him. If Red Moon kills him, won’t that crush my hopes of opening the dao universe again?”

Void took another deep breath. This fellow was... terrifying.

He wished to break free of Skycloud since he was a seventh rank—not in terms of betrayal, just that a liege lord hovering over his head was most uncomfortable. This liege lord could strip him on his dao strength at any time because he was the master of great dao.

Why were powerhouses of eighth rank dao universes so willing to slave away for those masters of dao? Seventh and eighth ranks were high rank exalted emperors. It was fine to ignore each other if there was a chance encounter in the chaos, but on the main world, one might be stripped of their power if they weren’t the master of dao.

It was the liege lord that was the master of dao, not them!

That was why Fog Mountain said that those of his level all sought to set forth on their own. That wasn’t a false declaration. No one was willing to answer to another at their level of strength.

“Senior, all of this is your speculation!” Void said calmly.

“That’s right, speculation!” Fog Mountain nodded with a smile. “But that’s all that’s needed. Is evidence required at our level? We just need that speculation!

“I may not be able to find the Silver Moon king since he’s probably run off, but do you think I’ll find him if I seek out Celestial Pole? Celestial Pole and the Pagoda King’s whereabouts are known! Even if New Martial has laid some plans, do you think the Silver Moon king will be getting away if another seventh rank is thrown into the mix—and more than one at that?”

“......” Void looked on with resignation. It was true, no evidence was needed. What evidence?

My guess is the truth!

These high ranks were so full of themselves that they didn’t care if anything verified their words or not!

“So can the Light crown prince contact the Silver Moon king?” Fog Mountain chuckled. “If you can, please pass on my sentiments to him. I want the Skyward dao universe!

“Of course, the crown prince can cultivate within it for the dao you need once it awakens. Whether it is stillness, revitalization, life, or death, all is freely available to the crown prince!

“In addition, has Silver Moon given birth to its own dao? If it has... There does seem to be another unique dao in the surroundings. It’s not from Skyward, so it might be from outside. That also means that Silver Moon world is nearby. It is so big that the Silver Moon king wouldn’t have taken it with him!

“If he can’t take the world with him and the crown prince has visited the Skyward dao universe to comprehend the dao of emptiness... and this person is the one to open the dao universe... Then is Silver Moon world hidden within the Skyward dao universe?” Fog Mountain theorized.

If the Silver Moon king had brought the Silver Moon dao universe with him, that was not an existence that could be easily moved. It must be tied to the world. But since the king had gone on the run, he could not be fleeing with a world.

Therefore, Silver Moon was still nearby!

Where was it?

The only possibility was within Skyward dao universe!

That also proved that Hao Moon could truly access the dao universe. Fog Mountain’s smile broadened. “How very bold to hide Silver Moon under everyone’s noses! But I have to say, that makes it very safe! No one else can access it apart from him, which makes it safer than anywhere else!”

Void didn’t know how to respond. This one was turning out to be thornier than expected.

“I cannot make the decision in this!”

“I understand,” Fog Mountain nodded. “And in reality, the Silver Moon king must be running toward Celestial Pole. If I wanted, I stood a great chance of capturing him. Why do you think I did not do so?”

“Because the senior can’t leave,” Void said after some thought. “If you do, everyone will think that the dao universe is not real. Otherwise, as a seventh rank, why would the senior give up a chance to study a dao universe?”

“That’s right! It’s good that you understand. I’m not going after him so I can facilitate the success of his plan and have the Red Moon powerhouses give up on chasing the small fry that is Celestial Pole. He needs a chance. If not, his chances are slim!

“So you tell me, should one good turn deserve another after all that I’ve done for the Silver Moon king?”

“It should!” Void nodded. “But I must be frank that I’m just friends with him. I am not him. I can only relay my opinions and not make the decision for him.”

“Naturally,” Fog Mountain smiled. “There is Light and Skycloud within Skyward Region. However, the existence of two large factions is not a balance. The factions would be in balance if there was another Fog Mountain faction!

“Of course, I can also promise that I will not march on Light with Skycloud. If the crown prince does not believe me, you can take advantage of the opportunity to become a seventh rank. I can most likely reach eighth rank, but probably not ninth rank. With the crown prince’s achievements, you may not be afraid of me!”

Void paused in thought and didn’t say a word.

“The crown prince can now contact him,” Fog Mountain urged when Void didn’t make a move.

“I don’t have a way of getting in touch with him.”

“Ah, the crown prince jests.” Fog Mountain first blinked, then chuckled.

“I’m not!” Void shook his head. He really did have no way of contacting Li Hao.