The Light master spent a while sighing to himself before suddenly saying, “Let’s hang on for a few more days. If nothing else comes to mind, then we’ll capitulate! After all, it’s better to join hands with them and march on New Martial than to be destroyed here. At least the dangers of the future are further off!”

Flare Sun remained silent until he said, “What a pity. I met the Human King last time. He’s a nice guy...”

The Light master shook his head silently. I know that too, but there’s no loyalty to speak of in the chaos. I can’t send my world to its grave for the sake of New Martial...

I’m sorry, son. I can’t do anything about this. I may not be able to look over you in the future if you keep running with the Silver Moon king, or even ally with New Martial.

......

Phoenix major world.

There was still a bit of time until the duel with the Thunder master. Phoenix was busy moving itself toward Thunder Region.

Within the city in the sky.

The Phoenix world master was also surprised by the latest news. “So Earth Dragon major world is ascending to seventh rank... and the Foreign Affairs elder that you recruited a while back is already moving there, Feng Yan. It looks like he has a strong network of intelligence.”

All of the outsider exalted emperors serving Phoenix were tracked. Li Hao was aware of this. He’d left the tracker in one of the immaterial worlds.

When Panther returned, it fetched the world. As the dog was traveling without concealing its tracks, heading straight for Earth Dragon major world, its position was naturally exposed.

“It... really is a surprise that Earth Dragon’s the one to break through.” A draconic elder was rather startled. The Phoenix master nodded as well. This was within no one’s expectations.

However, she didn’t have time to investigate. They were about to reach the siege around Thunder World. Not only could she not leave, but neither could the draconic seventh rank and the other phoenix seventh rank leave either.

Only with three seventh ranks were they fully confident of conquering Thunder World.

As for the other major worlds in the vicinity, it was best if none of them made a move. If they did, there would be enormous conflict over who Thunder World belonged to.

“Has that Black Dog refined the sixth rank world yet? He left so quickly. Although there are no restrictions in Dragon Region, that area is directly under Dragon major world at the end of the day. He might cause some issues if he heads over like that.”

The world master had wanted to order Black Dog to capture the human cultivator of faith that the Dragon master had mentioned before, but he’d already run off.

“In that case, Feng Yan, the ascension of Earth Dragon major world is a major occasion for celebration for Dragon Region,” said the Phoenix master. “I don’t have time to visit in person for the moment, so go and convey congratulations on my behalf! Come back after I’ve taken Thunder World.”

It was best to exercise caution when two armies met in battle. Her daughter should sit out this battle. The Phoenix master hadn’t had a good excuse previously. But the ascension of a chaos beast was an immensely joyous occasion in the chaos. It would be safer there, not to mention there would be the seventh rank Earth Dragon present.

Earth Dragon was aware of Feng Yan’s identity of being the daughter of the Dragon master. He would protect Feng Yan well.

Since the foreigner elder Black Dog had headed over, it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for Feng Yan to be present as well. None of the other exalted emperors within Phoenix major world would say anything about this development.

“Royal mother...” Feng Yan was conflicted. They were on the cusp of battle and her mother would be meeting the Thunder master in the field. Wasn’t it desertion if she left now?

“The ascension of the world is a big event. It’s been many years since a new seventh rank world has been born in Dragon Region! The other seventh ranks and I are otherwise preoccupied. Only you can represent Phoenix major world!

“You won’t be the only one. There will certainly be many exalted emperors from other major worlds who will tender their good wishes as well...” the Phoenix master paused. “Since it is the birth of a new dao universe, you can take the opportunity to observe whatever you can. Earth Dragon will not refuse you. There is no need for us to occupy his dao universe.”

Because it’s not good enough for us.

My daughter will break through with dao universe of Thunder World and be the next Thunder world master!

Feng Yan wanted to protest, but the Phoenix master settled the matter. “Go on! This is an important mission. Earth Dragon is a seventh rank, so you can be more polite to him. That will serve to benefit you in the future.”

There were deep undertones to her words.

“Go with peace of mind, Your Highness Feng Yan.” The draconic elder nodded with a chuckle. “Say hello to him for me. He’s a straight-shooter who is easy enough to get along with. There will be opportunities to work together in the future.”

Feng Yan looked at the two and only nodded after a long moment. She was dejected as she’d been ready to participate in the fighting. Peak sixth rank was qualified to take part. Sadly, her royal mother did not agree.

The Phoenix master smiled upon seeing her daughter agree, but quickly frowned again. “Go and warn that Black Dog that he needs to abide by the rules in Dragon Region! Exalted emperors under Phoenix command cannot just cross borders like this!

“Don’t take any of the Phoenix exalted emperors with you on this trip, take some of the ones from Foreign Affairs. They will be your protection detail...”

“Surely there’s no need for that, mother. I’m already a peak sixth rank...”

“You must!” interrupted the Phoenix master. “If it wasn’t for us being limited by the circumstances, I would’ve sent a large sum of mid ranks to protect you and clear the way...”

Because you are the daughter of the Dragon master! You need this kind of fanfare.

This is also your first visit to Dragon major world and first meeting of their premier powerhouses. We cannot let Earth Dragon think lesser of you. If it wasn’t for dealing with Thunder World being imminent, I would send you with our seventh rank elder!

Only that will elevate your status and demonstrate the strength of Phoenix major world!

It’s already embarrassing enough that we’re sending you with some random outsiders, but it would be even more embarrassing if you traveled by yourself! Thankfully, Black Dog is there. He’s a fifth rank, at the very least, so that will prop up your entourage a little.

Feng Yan thought over her mother’s command and decided to obey. She couldn’t disobey, in any case. She was simply confused why she was being told to set aside Thunder World right in front of them.

It was true that the ascension of a world was a very significant occasion, but... fine. She wasn’t a seventh rank, so her presence didn’t make a difference to the battlefield. But her royal mother was really putting too much importance on some unrelated exalted emperors.

Questions swirled in her heart, but she didn’t say anything.

Feng Yan soon left.

The Phoenix master looked at the two seventh ranks beside her after her daughter departed. “There is word from the Dragon master for us to be careful. He seems to have sent someone to us—it looks like he’s not at ease about our operation to come.”

The Phoenix master was rather resigned. Thunder World had been forced into a corner, why was the Dragon master still concerned? Was he overestimating the Thunder master or think that she was incompetent?

Three seventh ranks was besieging a seventh rank world that’d been cut off from supplies for many years. It was such an underestimation of her if he thought they still wouldn’t be successful.

Not to mention, Thunder World was a sieve. She’d installed many spies among the inner council. Based on the information they sent back, the world was as poor as ever. The Thunder master had not obtained more dao crystals.

......

Large numbers of exalted emperors headed toward Earth Dragon major world. It wasn’t just the ones near Dragon major world, but also exalted emperors from the other members of the Chaos Alliance. Even those very far away sent representatives to congratulate Earth Dragon.

The ascension of a world was different from the ascension of a chaos beast. A world becoming a seventh rank major world meant that they could start building their own faction.

Indeed, faction!

One could nurture exalted emperors after possessing a dao universe. It was very hard to do so without it. Mid worlds could give birth to exalted emperors, but who would want to join a world without a dao universe?

Those worlds wouldn’t be able to recruit true powerhouses! It didn’t matter if the world master was a seventh rank. Only when there was a dao universe would heavyweights, and even sixth ranks, be willing to join a world.

Take Red Moon, for example. Seventh ranks had been willing to swear fealty when its world still existed. Although very few seventh ranks were willing to do so, there weren’t even low ranks who wanted to follow Red Moon now that he was a wandering cultivator.

There was nothing in it for them!

Such was the difference between the seventh rank world and a seventh rank exalted emperor. One could nurture talents, the other was only individually strong.

......

Earth Dragon major world.

The ripples of dao continued to spread outward. The earth dragon shadow still shrouded the world. It was a falsehood created by the earth dragon’s blood essence, bones, and flesh and blood.

No one could imagine that this seventh rank had been quietly killed out of sight. Those with the ability to do so were very apparent in the public eye. There was also a seventh rank residing in the heart of Dragon Region territory. The Thunder Master and the five monster spirit masters were all present at home. New Martial and Blazing Sun were battling in their homes. Who would dare come and kill Earth Dragon at a time like this?

It’d been five days since the ripples of the dao universe spread throughout the region. Ten days had elapsed since the one month deadline set by the Thunder master.

Many chaos beasts hovered around the edges of Dragon major world’s location, but no one dared approach. They simply observed. Nearby sixth rank worlds had arrived even earlier. Even the empty Desolate major world had been dragged over to keep up pretenses.

Silver Moon exalted emperors stood within the world.

“Milord.” Gan Wuliang’s form shimmered into sight. “Twenty-seven world masters have come, some with their worlds. There are 3 sixth ranks, 9 fourth ranks, and the remaining are low ranks!”

It was a high proportion of mid ranks because this was the center of Dragon Region and close to Dragon major world. Hence, the nearest worlds had come first.

Five days wasn’t a wide range within the chaos. Any mid ranks that could make it in this time meant that they were nearby to begin with.

“Fifteen mid ranks and twelve low ranks... No, wait, there might be other exalted emperors within the mid rank worlds. So this means there are twenty-seven worlds in the vicinity?”

“Yes!” Gan Wuliang nodded. This was only a count of the worlds. Under normal circumstances, chaos beasts moved around with their worlds. If not, they might eventually forget where their worlds were.

And if they didn’t carry their worlds with them, any passing exalted emperor might devour it. Would the chaos beast know who’d eaten their world?

Nope.

They’d have no one to complain to. Since they could carry their worlds around, few were those who didn’t. Those who didn’t had other exalted emperors in their worlds, which meant that the Dragon master would intervene if exalted emperors fought each other.

As for those below exalted emperor... no one would care if they all died. There were too many to take care of.