Star Gate-Chapter 1639: Impending Storms (III)

Li Hao received a message as soon as he rejoined the outside world, one from Yan Fang.

“Exalted emperors are soon to arrive from Red Moon! They’ve sent three, led by the sixth rank Soul Eclipse! The other two are fifth ranks, respectively Spirit Terror and Life Cling!

“A sixth rank from a major world will be very, very strong! Soul Eclipse stands a chance to make it to seventh rank through this operation! Red Moon has lost three seventh ranks lately, but their great dao still has sufficient strength to produce a new seventh rank.

“They also have many sixth ranks! There are more than nine just from those operating in the open. There could be a dozen more in hiding or in closed door cultivation, wanting to set foot into seventh rank!

“These sixth ranks are looking for opportunities to achieve deeds of merit and obtain their world master’s favor. That will catapult them to the heavens in one go!”

There was an exceedingly large gap between sixth and seventh rank. It was akin to setting foot in the heavens if one wished to move from sixth to seventh rank. Yan Fang’s message was also telling Li Hao that the enemy sixth rank would show absolutely no mercy in his quest to become a seventh rank. He might even attack Orchid Forest exalted emperors in critical moments.

Li Hao furrowed his brows. One sixth rank and two fifth ranks. That was a strong showing indeed. It was just...

“Senior Yan Fang, since Red Moon sixth ranks are in the battlefield, is it possible that their seventh ranks or even eighth rank world master will come to Orchid Forest?”

“Not for the moment!” Yan Fang quickly responded. “New Martial’s whereabouts are unknown as of now. With Clarity being killed earlier, it’s possible that they’re still hiding nearby. Thus, those two high ranks will not easily leave Red Moon!

“They will also return quickly even if they do. Therefore, unless Red Moon can be certain of conquering Orchid Forest in one go and seizing the dao universe, they will not easily send their people to Orchid Forest!

“If we resist and end up miring them down here, even for a moment, they’ll be in grave trouble if New Martial ambushes them then! In addition, they need to consider the attitudes of the other major worlds.

“Red Moon needs allies at the moment, so the Red Moon master wants more of us to feel the pressure and surrender as a result. Otherwise, they will easily elicit wariness from the other three major worlds if they use force.”

That meant to say that the seventh and eighth ranks would not easily leave their home unless they had no choice to, or were convinced that New Martial was no longer around.

When Clarity died, Supreme Zhang had pulled off a sleight of hand with his replica and Number Two. He’d posed as his primary body and Big Cat, inducing extreme trepidation in the other. It made the Red Moon master think that New Martial was in Red Moon territory. The Sword Sovereign and others wouldn’t have been able to make their escape otherwise.

One had to say, this supreme of New Martial had quite the skill up his sleeve, even if his cultivation level remained unknown. Just one trick had caused the eighth rank to be too cautious to take action.

He wouldn’t easily leave his world unless Red Moon could produce another seventh rank or two.

“I understand! How long until they reach Orchid Forest?”

“They’re traveling very quickly and should be here in half a day at most!”

Then they really were close at hand.

Not only did Orchid Forest have these intelligence reports, so did powerhouses in nearby worlds receive word. In the distance, the six exalted emperors at the barrier crack jointly overseen by three major worlds waited for something.

Red Moon had sent people again! There were three mid ranks this time with a sixth rank Soul Eclipse in the lead. Myriad Dao’s group was done for unless Orchid Forest took action.

Once Yan Fang joined the fray, that might draw some factions out of the shadows and force the Orchid Forest master to show himself. When the Orchid Forest dao universe materialized, that might prompt the Red Moon master to come in person!

Tensions ran high in the major world.

......

In another locale.

There were a lot of exalted emperors at the wandering cultivator fissure. Some mid ranks looked at the sixth rank wandering cultivator near the barrier crack, waiting for a reaction.

The youthful sixth rank sighed softly when he looked at the group. “We... stand a very low chance of seizing the dao universe. I rather wish that the Orchid Forest master has a bit of a backbone and outright detonates the Orchid Forest dao universe if the Red Moon master comes in person. We would be able to benefit then.”

“......” Everyone was speechless. Was that possible?

They wouldn’t have been able to take part of this world if the Orchid Forest had so much of a backbone. He would’ve been ready to go down with his enemies from the very beginning.

“Senior Yu Xiu, should we go for a share of the spoils since Red Moon has sent people?” asked a wandering cultivator as he looked into the distance with stark greed. “There’s a dozen exalted emperors with Myriad Dao’s group!”

“I hear that Orchid Forest rewards them with bounty for each exalted emperor they kill. They probably have more dao crystals than we can imagine!”

“They also have a very powerful weapon!”

Yu Xiu was the sixth rank’s name. “That’s not out of the question, but the caveat is that the seventh rank behind Myriad Dao is forced into the open. Or perhaps we can confirm that the seventh rank is dead or unable to come in person. Are you willing to take the risk otherwise?”

His words were a bucket of cold water doused over their heads, extinguishing some of their greed. That was right! They couldn’t be certain at the moment who was the seventh rank behind Myriad Dao. Was that person here or close by...? 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

They had to wait until Red Moon forced Myriad Dao’s trump cards into the open. They could take their chances if no seventh rank was forthcoming then! That was a dozen exalted emperors, after all!

The wandering cultivators were suddenly champing at the bit.

“If the exalted emperors from Red Moon make a move and this side has no corresponding plan of action...” someone cackled. “Senior, there’s enough for all of us if we take down a dozen exalted emperors. The exalted emperors of the major worlds don’t care about these people, whereas we don’t care who our targets are. It’s tough to survive in the chaos!”

“I’ve heard of something that I haven’t verified yet. Apparently Orchid Forest gave Myriad Dao a mid world when he killed two Red Moon fourth ranks!”

“Seriously??”

“I don’t know, but it’s probably true.”

“Damn...” Immense greed dawned in some people’s eyes.

A mid world was the stuff of dreams to some exalted emperors. For a third rank, they stood a high chance of setting foot into fourth rank if they swallowed a mid world. However, they did not have the ability to conquer a mid world.

Masters of mid worlds were typically fourth ranks. There were a few third ranks, but they rivaled fourth ranks when situated in their world.

Perhaps there was an opportunity now!

The sixth rank didn’t say anything after casting a glance around the group. Who couldn’t profess to some ambitions? They wouldn’t be here on Orchid Forest otherwise.

It was just...

He looked on sternly. There might not be an opportunity this time, it could be dangerous. Once high ranks appeared and battle was joined at that level, he stood a chance of perishing, even though he was a sixth rank.

Just what kind of background did Myriad Dao’s group have? Would their patron show themselves? And what did the Orchid Forest master have in mind?

Was he going to keep supporting Myriad Dao in killing Red Moon exalted emperors? Wasn't he concerned that the Red Moon master would throw caution to the wind in his wrath and just attack Orchid Forest?

New Martial...

Who knew if New Martial was nearby or not? At the very least, the Human King wasn’t. Did a New Martial without the Human King have the ability to launch an offensive at Red Moon?

Yu Xiu could not be certain. Another point that was unknown was how many sixth ranks were hiding on Orchid Forest. They must be like him, here for the dao universe.

He was just out in the open first, but certain there must be more sixth rank around, including some masters of mid worlds.

They were just waiting for the right timing.

......

Within the dao universe.

The Orchid Forest master was refining the dao universe at a furious pace. A cold glint appeared in his eyes. Had Red Moon sent people again?

He looked around, frowning at the dao universe that was almost his. His efforts came up a little short. The demise of the dao master had caused much of the dao universe’s accumulated strength to disperse!

The Human King’s blow had been a very tough one to endure.

“I’m a little short... I should have enough with a few more sixth ranks! Myriad Dao... I don’t care who you are. If you can kill Soul Eclipse, that might mean Red Moon will send more sixth ranks...”

Even if Red Moon didn’t, the other sixth ranks wouldn’t be able to sit still!

Did the fourth rank Myriad Dao have such abilities?

Not very likely!

But what if Orchid Forest helped him?

Various thoughts came to mind; the Orchid Forest master’s lips curved into a smile. Defense and offense would both be viable once he set foot into seventh rank. The only point now was the most critical one—hopefully, the hidden New Martial would be able to intimidate the Red Moon master for a longer period of time!

He could only pray that New Martial wouldn’t surface in any other area for the moment. Once it exposed its movements and was certain to not be around Red Moon, enormous trouble would come for him then!

New Martial’s continued hiding among the chaos was the biggest restraint on Red Moon. It made one suspect that they’d been looking for opportunities all along to target Red Moon. Otherwise, with New Martial’s bloodthirsty tendencies, how could they keep themselves concealed for so long without any sign of their whereabouts?

New Martial’s secret campaign against the major world of extreme yang misdirected people into thinking that they were still hiding in Red Moon Region. That became Orchid Forest’s saving grace.

Everyone awaited the arrival of Red Moon’s exalted emperors. Meanwhile, Li Hao’s group abandoned their barrier crack. The young man disappeared on the spot with his people.