It was highly surprising that the princess of Phoenix major world had so easily shown herself to meet with a stranger. As strong as fifth rank were, they didn’t merit a meeting with a peak sixth rank. Especially one of this status.

Are there no other sixth ranks in Phoenix? Li Hao regarded the situation skeptically. And that dao agreement to serve for ten thousand years... might be a test. But how about that, I’m not afraid of chaos tribulations!

So what if I break it?

“Um... eh... I don’t have half the resources either. How about... I work for Phoenix for twenty thousand years? Will that be sufficient for a sixth rank world?” Li Hao responded eagerly. “If that won’t work, then... how about thirty thousand years? I can do thirty thousand years at most and sign a dao agreement with the major world.

“If I break the agreement or renege on the terms, then... I... can endure a fifth rank tribulation...”

The Phoenix princess blinked. This guy... was probably not the Heavenly Dog. He was also trying to profit without investment. Can a fifth rank chaos tribulation even kill you?

“Apologies, Phoenix only signs treaties with seventh rank tribulations as the penalty!” smiled Feng Yan. Even if you’re the Heavenly Dog, dare you sign up for a seventh rank tribulation? I’ll smite you to death if you betray us!

“And to be honest, we have many fifth ranks like the fellow daoist who are fully dependent on us to supply them with a sixth rank world. Those we need to test and assess their strength, great dao, and others before the master of dao decides whether we will recruit them or not.”

Seventh rank?

Li Hao cursed to himself. Damn, that’s vicious!

Even a seventh rank exalted emperor would pause at the sight of a seventh rank tribulation. And for a sixth rank world? Something that would make a seventh rank yelp with anguish would undoubtedly kill a fifth rank!

Of course, signing the agreement was a voluntary act. Phoenix major world would not pressure him into entering a contract. It was impossible to force an unwilling party to sign.

In addition, a price was required to sign a dao agreement. Bringing the chaos tribulation into the contract was an enormous hassle. Major worlds were usually unwilling to take this option unless whatever was being discussed was highly valuable.

Panther paused, looking immensely conflicted. A seventh rank tribulation and serving for ten thousand years! Was that worth it for a sixth rank world?

“We naturally do not sign an agreement with the intention of breaking it,” said Li Hao after a long pause. “Whether it is a fifth or seventh rank tribulation, it’s all the same. That doesn’t matter! However, I’m just a fifth rank. One sixth rank world might not propel me onward!

“How about this? If the alliance we’re proposing can ensure that I ascend to sixth rank and have Phoenix major word be responsible for all expenditures... then I think it is worth a try. That will, either one of us will be subject to a seventh rank tribulation if we break the terms of the agreement!”

“Ah... the fellow daoist is putting me in a difficult position. Every chaos beast is different, after all. It’s not out of the question for ascension to always be out of reach for some...” The Phoenix princess shook her head. While it was nice to recruit a fifth rank, she was no fool.

Who would agree to these terms?

In addition, she was aware of some of what’d happened to Red Moon. The Red Moon master had suffered gravely for his haphazard agreement to a dao alliance.

“Then... how about this,” Li Hao proposed hesitantly after some thought. “I don’t need your penalty to be a seventh rank tribulation as well. But if I really pledge my allegiance to Phoenix, can you also give me a portion of territory within Dragon Region? The bigger the better, so that it can absorb a large sum of chaos strength!

“In addition, it’s best if I have absolute authority over the mid and minor worlds in that territory. I won’t devour them, of course, but might have them pay a tribute of dao crystals...

“I am at Phoenix major world’s beck and call whenever you need me! If this arrangement is unacceptable, I will have to try my luck at Dragon major world. Perhaps only Dragon will have the assurance to agree to such an arrangement. I am a fifth rank, so while I am less than a seventh rank, I will be the lord in my own right if I enter sixth rank...”

A dao treaty was such a very good construct! Sure I can sign one, if they really give me my own territory and jurisdiction over several hundred worlds. Damn that’d be sweet!

The Phoenix princess sunk into deep thought. Was this a worthwhile tradeoff?

It wasn’t a hefty price for them, anyhow. Powerful worlds naturally exercised authority over weaker worlds. In Dragon Region, the Dragon major world oversaw the entire region. Seventh rank worlds had their own sphere of influence. Any worlds within that sphere were to offer tribute to the strongest world.

All of this was very normal!

The only abnormal part of the equation was that a fifth rank wanted a large portion of territory.

“Fellow daoist, how much territory do you need?”

“It’s best if it covers one thousand worlds!”

“......” The Phoenix princess suppressed at eye roll at this insatiably greedy guy’s overestimation of himself. He has no idea how much he’s worth, does he? “There are 626 worlds within Phoenix major world’s sphere of influence. Of them, 68 are mid worlds and the rest are low ranked worlds...”

Li Hao snapped to solemn attention; these people knew their territory like the back of their hand. That was terrifying! None of the other three regions could say the same.

“That’s it?” he asked.

The princess stopped short in her response. Was that not a lot?

One had to know that there were several dozen major worlds in all of Dragon Region. Apart from the human Thunder World with no sphere of influence, there would be tens of thousands of worlds in the region if all of the major worlds oversaw hundreds of other worlds!

There weren’t that many worlds in the region and monster spirit worlds had a very small sphere of influence. Phoenix’s sphere was big, but even so, there were only a few thousand worlds in Dragon Region. Minor worlds numbered the most, as well as some desolate backwaters.

Meanwhile, this guy started off with one thousand worlds. Did he not know how to count?

However, it was a relief that he was willing to sign an agreement with a seventh rank tribulation penalty.

“Then... I want territory that contains one hundred worlds.” Li Hao took a step back while the princess grappled with her reaction. “Perhaps my demands are higher than most, but I am unable to cultivate if I do not join the Phoenix major world. Your world’s powerhouses do not require tribute from other worlds, only outsiders require that.

“If Phoenix major world does not have many powerhouses from off world, then... I think... it’s only worth it for me to sign the agreement with a seventh rank tribulation if I receive this much.”

“Well... I cannot make the decision in this. If the fellow daoist truly is interested, you can spend some time here. I will notify the dao master. We can discuss this further if there is room for negotiation!”

It was true, Feng Yan could not agree to these terms on her own. However, the process was going quite smoothly. The fifth rank only wanted territory, not outright worlds. The territory would remain under Phoenix ownership, so they were simply gaining a territory manager.

But when it came down to it, the price was steep for this fifth rank. He wanted one sixth rank world and a large piece of territory. At the same time, there was wiggle room with the second term. Not to mention, this was Dragon Region. Everything belonged to Dragon major world. No matter what the fifth rank did, he wouldn’t dare take the worlds for himself. That would be courting death!

He also wouldn’t demand too much tribute, for fear of the worlds rebelling.

The princess sank into deep thought. A fifth rank that could make it to sixth rank... It was rare to recruit sixth ranks that did not demand a place in the dao universe and was willing to serve them for thirty thousand years.

Under normal conditions, sixth ranks would not consider joining a seventh rank world. They would not be able to ascend to seventh rank. That was possible only if they joined an eighth rank world.

Hence, seventh rank worlds were limited to fifth ranks in their scope of recruitment. This was the only way that fifth ranks could enter sixth rank.

Phoenix major world had accepted many outsiders over the years, but not that many fifth ranks. They only gained four fifth ranks, each of which came with a steep price. They had some local fifth ranks and numerous sixth ranks, but most of them were of the phoenix race.

It was difficult for outsiders to join the dao universe. And while they’d paid handsomely for the fifth ranks, none of them made it to sixth rank.

“Ah, my apologies, I forgot to ask what the fellow daoist’s name might be?”

“Black Dog!”

“......” How crass!

The princess sniffed to herself. What a blunt name! These chaos beasts from outside the region were truly vulgar. The Dragon master had continuously spread draconic culture over the years, resulting in chaos beasts that were long-term residents of Dragon Region to be much more cultured than those from outside.

However, that wasn’t important.

“Then Fellow Daoist Black Dog can stay here in the meantime. I will come to you again when I have a response.”

“Alright!” an excited Li Hao agreed wholeheartedly. The sixth rank world didn’t mean much, the important factor was the territory!

If I get a piece of the region to call my own... then it’ll soon become my nursery! I’ll raise all of my minor worlds in it! I’ll be rich!

But I have to be prudent and stipulate in the agreement that no one can enter without my express permission.

Li Hao’s mind flitted through various possibilities. Phoenix major world was a massive opportunity for him! Everyone was afraid of a dao treaty, but he was unaffected. This might be his greatest chance yet!

As powerful as a seventh rank chaos tribulation was, there shouldn’t be much difficulty for him if he coordinated with Void and Number Two.

The young man was already prepared to break the agreement. It was also out of the question that he really worked for someone else for thirty thousand years.

“I might be spending some time in Phoenix major world after this,” Li Hao transmitted to Void when the princess was gone. “It’s comfortable to converse with civilized chaos beasts. The more I think about it, the more I feel I can get used to this place!”

It would be a thornier problem to tackle if strength was the sole deciding factor.

Void didn’t say a word, he just shook his head. Phoenix major world... was so brave! They really did dare recruit Li Hao. If they accepted his friend, they might lose their entire home for it!

That Phoenix princess seemed shrewd, so why was she so easily bamboozled?

Well, if he put himself in her shoes...

If the Light crown prince recruited a fifth rank and signed a dao agreement for it, there... seemed to be nothing to fear either? Would the fifth rank really court death in the face of a seventh rank chaos tribulation?

Even seventh rank world masters would be afraid of this construct!

He held a moment of silence for Phoenix major world. If they truly gave Li Hao a swathe of territory, then one hundred minor worlds might all become his friend’s. All that remained to be seen was if Phoenix agreed or not.