The exalted emperors residing on Phoenix major world seemed to be leading comfortable lives. They could freely partake from the major world’s dao strength. While this strength might not be as pure as that from dao crystals, it was more comfortable to cultivate on the world than as a wandering cultivator.

This must be dao strength directed from Phoenix’s dao universe. Li Hao sank into deep thought. Dragon major world... should know that Phoenix has recruited this many exalted emperors, right?

Has Phoenix and Dragon major world become one entity? There’s a seventh rank dragon powerhouse sitting in residence here, after all. That’s incredible in itself. A seventh rank master is strong due to the basis of the dao universe and world.

To permit a seventh rank to sit right in the heart of the world... he’ll be able to shatter it anytime. Things would get very dicey for Phoenix then.

“This way, senior!” Phoenix Mountain gestured. “The Foreign Affairs Office is just a place for lower ranked exalted emperors. Powerhouses like the senior have other arrangements and don’t typically stay here for long.

“The senior can choose some low ranks to go with you when you leave for your territory. You can do that so long as they’re willing. Of course, some payment of dao crystals will be required, or they might not want to leave.

“I brought the senior here partially so that you can meet these exalted emperors, but you don’t have to. The primary reason is that there is a heritage crystal here that contains some of the information, intelligence reports, and secrets of Dragon Region that the exalted emperors outside cannot enjoy.”

Li Hao understood now.

The two quickly arrived at a building without powerhouses in residence. All of the exalted emperors that made it this far were privileged to enjoy this perk, so there was no need to set a guard. There was only an aged phoenix with a declining presence perched on a specialized structure. It looked like it was spending the rest of its days here, basking in the dao strength.

Phoenix Mountain flared his presence to identify himself, which enabled him to lead Li Hao into the building.

There was only a fiery red crystal sitting in the entire structure.

“We know that chaos beasts aren’t interested in puzzling out text or learning knowledge. Therefore, the tack we take is forceful instillation of knowledge,” laughed Phoenix Mountain. “This is not classified information, but it’s best not to speak of it outside the Foreign Affairs Office.”

Li Hao moved Panther’s head in a nod. This was simple enough. He wasn’t really interested in whatever knowledge was offered here, anyhow. There was no time to waste.

There were pros and cons to such a heritage. The biggest advantage was that it was easy and convenient to share. The greatest drawback was that this was a one-way dump of information. Anyone who truly wished to learn would be hard pressed to garner anything useful. Those who didn’t want to learn wouldn’t even bother to flip through what they gained. It would just be wasted effort.

“The senior simply needs to touch the crystal.”

Li Hao moved forward in accordance with the instructions. A wave of mental ripples washed over him. The young man’s eyes widened!

He’d thought this was a simple matter of receiving a heritage. There was nothing profound about a heritage, just some compressed knowledge that was relayed in the form of a mini movie. One could watch whichever section they wanted.

However, he sensed a unique mental ripple as soon as he encountered the mental wave!

Others might not be familiar with this attribute and think it part of the compressed mental strength, but Li Hao identified it as soon as he came in contact with it. This... was a trace of dao origin from a powerhouse, very possibly the Phoenix world master’s!

What was its purpose?

There didn’t seem to be much—its major purpose was probably to... lock onto the cultivator in question! Hone in on their position!

Surveillance?

No, that would be too obvious. It was just a simple location targeting mechanism. The world master would be able to sense wherever the bearer was.

Fuck!

Were they still on guard against him even now? Had he signed the dao agreement for nothing?

But Li Hao quickly understood. It wasn’t that they were targeting him, but targeting all recruited exalted emperors. He was just along for the ride. This was probably one of the major functions that the crystal was equipped with.

Since the other exalted emperors hadn’t signed a dao agreement, there must be other measures in place to limit them. When it came to supplemental targeting from a major world’s dao origin, it was hard for exalted emperors to detect it unless they reached seventh rank.

Meanwhile, Li Hao had seen too many dao origins in his time!

That of Silver Moon, the star of time, and those of the four worlds...

He might have more experience with dao origins than those seventh and eighth ranks. After all, they only saw it when they conquered a world.

The dao origin of Phoenix major world... 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Li Hao promptly locked onto the presence as a multitude of thoughts flurried through his mind. The mental strength was rushing toward Li Hao’s dao origin and about to become one with it. A minor world shot out of the young man’s river in response.

The dao and world of attachment!

The dao origin within the mental strength wished to latch onto Li Hao, whereas the dao of attachment functioned in a similar way. The two energies came together and melded as one in great harmony.

Some light shimmered out of the world of attachment.

......

Phoenix Mountain watched silently, smiling when he saw Black Dog touch the crystal. This was his only goal in coming to this location—to personally watch these exalted emperors touch the crystal.

His mission was complete.

As for what purpose the crystal served, all Phoenix powerhouses knew a thing or two. Even though no one mentioned it, the world master always quickly knew what these outsiders did or where they went.

Hence, the crystal’s function was clear.

He also felt that Black Dog wouldn’t care. The newcomer had already signed the dao agreement, this was just one more layer of insurance. It might even save his life instead. Phoenix major world would be able to find him when danger came for him.

......

Li Hao didn’t have any effort to spare for this line of thinking. He relaxed only when he confirmed that the mental strength had become part of the world of attachment. If necessary, he could leave it behind when needed. The world master wouldn’t be able to find him then. But for now, he would carry it with him.

Thank goodness for this dao!

He’d be in a bit of trouble otherwise. It wasn’t that he couldn’t dispel the mental strength, but that meant exposing his discovery of it if he did. What ordinary fifth rank had the ability to notice the dao origin of a dao universe?

All his painstaking effort to conceal his identity would be wasted!

The mental strength disseminated some information that flashed across his eyes like illusions. It was nothing too important, but what came next sent Li Hao into utter delight. It was a map!

It was a complete map—not of Dragon Region—but of Phoenix major world’s sphere of influence. All minor and mid worlds were clearly labeled, with some stars showing details of the world master’s strength, race, and origins...

Such information was insignificant to Phoenix major world. Since these worlds were part of its jurisdiction, it only made sense for it to know the number and strength of powerhouses they contained. However, it was a treasure trove to Li Hao!

This was precisely what he needed. They had so thoughtfully and conscientiously labeled each world’s strength, population, and races. The only detail left unspoken was the world master’s dao attribute as that had to do with one’s privacy. That was information that couldn’t be easily shared.

It also didn’t matter much to Li Hao. The young man was completely overjoyed. Just this map alone made everything worth it!

Phoenix’s allies and rivals were also listed. Their allies didn’t indicate other monster spirits or humans, but the Chaos Alliance.

There were twelve participants in the alliance, if including Dragon major world. Although they presented a united front, there were internal conflicts within. Outsiders that joined Phoenix needed to be aware of these differences.

For example, Phoenix did not get along with another seventh rank world—Cloudsnake. Its world master was another female seventh rank that’d once clashed with the Phoenix world master. It hadn’t worsened since the Dragon master clamped down on it. Yet if the two factions came across each other elsewhere... conflict was sure to erupt, if not deaths.

A variety of information came to the fore, including some next that shocked Li Hao. What followed were overviews of major worlds such as New Martial, Red Moon, Light, Skycloud, and Blazing Sun, as well as their powerhouses, appearances, levels...

There was information on some other seventh rank worlds, but not much on those below seventh rank.

Li Hao grew increasingly grave the more he read. If Phoenix knew so much, what about Dragon? How had they collected it? By themselves?

Why did a seventh rank world care so much about the four regions? Not even Light cared so much about the rest of the four regions.

He then saw some information about himself.

“Silver Moon vanished from the chaos roughly fifty years ago in self isolation. It was suspected to be the Sword Sovereign’s territory and born from energy drifting off from New Martial. The new king of Silver Moon goes by the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor and is a fifth rank. He allied with the Light Crown Prince Ming Tang, currently using the moniker the Exalted Void Emperor, on Skyward to kill the Exalted Waterpeak Emperor. Waterpeak was a seventh rank...

“He possesses the strength of a sixth rank and is skilled at sword dao. Equipped with the qi of life and death, he can combine the five elements. He possesses a dao domain and a mid rank imperial weapon...

“The Silver Moon king entered the Red Moon dao universe when Red Moon major world was toppled. The Red Moon master’s divestiture of his dao universe seems to be the work of Hao Moon...”

A variety of reports spoke of what Li Hao had exposed in Skyward. Skyward was very far away from here. Although many seventh ranks had been present when it all went down, it was still incredible that Phoenix had collected so much, so quickly.

And this was just public information. They might know more in private.

Li Hao looked on with increasing gravity. The reports and his overview were one thing, the key was that there was a bounty on his head, just like Red Moon had placed on him. They wanted him and most especially, Silver Moon!

Silver Moon could be used to lock onto New Martial. But could it really?

That was what everyone thought, since Silver Moon had been born from New Martial. Surely it could be traced in reverse since they were from the same origins.

But in reality, it could not!