Chapter 2164: A Peerless Swordsman! (II)

The dao chess smiled when he saw that Skyward was unmoved by his actions. “It’s actually... not that comfortable being a weapon spirit. Skyward, what you refer to as starting over was never a fair concept. Weapon spirits are also living beings!”

Fair concept?

Skyward didn’t respond.

Fairness didn’t exist. Weapon spirits existed to serve him. What talk of fairness was there?

Did one create a treasure not to use, but to treat it fairly? How did that logic even work? Li Hao wouldn’t think this way either.

You’re being too childish, dao chess!

The dao chess didn’t care about what Skyward thought. Fog Mountain was also playing on the pillars of light in front of him. Calamity finally couldn’t take it anymore and howled, “You guys are too much!”

All of you take from only me!

First it was Su Yu extracting the strength of calamity, then it was the Thunder Emperor absorbing the energy of thunder and lightning. And now, this Fog Mountain was utilizing the power of fate!

They went too far!

Dao strength emanated in all directions as Calamity was hemmed in by Skyward. It wouldn’t be concerning if these eighth ranks absorbed some of it, but them coming one by one was an extremely uncomfortable situation!

You guys are all extremely afraid that I won’t die quickly enough, is it?!

Fog Mountain ignored the squawking man. He splayed his fingers across the pillars of light that were the dao of fate. As wind howled through the void, his fingers crumbled away. Fog Mountain switched to his other hand, but that one’s fingers fell apart as well. Both of his hands were completely decimated!

He didn’t say a word.

When he returned his strength to Skycloud, he’d thought that would be the end of him. That even if he survived the day, he would eke out a pathetic living for the rest of his life.

But after the dust settled, he discovered to his great surprise that he’d been rescued! And an entire major world had gone to nurturing him!

It was a state of happiness that he’d never experienced before.

In the countless years that he’d spent serving Skycloud, he’d only wanted to leave after thoroughly exhausting himself and giving all that he could give. Fog Mountain just wanted to enjoy a period of quiet and the taste of freedom.

And yet, that had been beyond his grasp!

But that person, a person he wasn’t familiar with and had only conversed through the air a few times... That person who’d only threatened and used him... No, they’d used each other...

That person had paid an incredibly hefty price to help Fog Mountain recover everything.

From that day forth, Fog Mountain understood that the chaos wasn’t as dark as he thought. Although friends were hard to come by and true confidantes even rarer, the friendship between gentlemen was placid and enduring. It was not affected by consideration of profit or personal interests.

Li Hao was coolly composed, but that did not mean he was heartless. He was someone with the spirit of hero within him, even though the chaos viewed him as a demon.

To Fog Mountain and the rest, the person that everyone else considered a demon was a friend and confidante in their eyes.

Li Hao and Fog Mountain didn’t exchange too many pleasantries in ordinary times nor were they too enthusiastic about each other. There was a large gap in their ages, but they were true friends regardless. Fog Mountain didn’t know what Li Hao thought about their friendship, but this was what he thought.

Perhaps the young man had never cared for him, but what did that matter?

Fog Mountain’s hands had shattered and a layer of black blanketed the pillars of fate. The ninth rank’s eyes seemed to be covered. Black had come over his eyes!

Fog Mountain was playing the dirge of fate!

Muffled sobs sounded in the void, as if bemoaning the departure of this ninth rank. Meanwhile, the ninth rank in question snarled and smashed down the thunder and lightning over his head!

Void punched, enveloping him with the power of emptiness. Spring Autumn’s cicada croon accelerated the flow of seasons in the worlds.

Above them, squares of a chessboard crumbled away. Beyond that, the phenomena of hell enshrouded everything. Orchid Forest was as quiet as usual, but he was also so sternly forbidding that he seemed ready to drag the ninth rank into hell!

These powerhouses outside Silver Moon’s system were the few friends that Li Hao had made over the years. They were the only ones by his side since leaving the four regions. This circle had been present all this time and mutually supported each other, enabling the young world to make its way to present day.

In a spot nearby.

Gan Wuliang melded Silver Moon’s dao stars together. He looked over with a complicated expression. They weren’t doing this for Silver Moon’s sake, but for Li Hao.

The young man did not care about background or future when he made friends. He only cared if they got along. He had very few friends and treated those he did have with great sincerity. He didn’t include them in his plots or schemes, just simply traveled together if they were heading the same way.

Whether one left or stayed, there was never much regret or reluctance from him. He simply looked forward to their next meeting.

And today... these friends of his did not let them down.

A couple of feeble eighth ranks were holding off one ninth rank and played the dirge of fate for him!

Gan Wuliang looked back, fixing his eyes on Li Hao in the distance!

The young man... simply frowned with a little bit of pity. He didn’t demonstrate much sorrow. Gan Wuliang smiled ruefully.

Is there really all that is left of you? This isn’t you!

You’re not a heartless person. When I first got to know you, I said that we should just forget about everyone in Silver Moon. You weren’t willing to do so.

I’ve given you a lot of suggestions in my time. You always turn down the ones that harm people!

You might not be a good leader or supervisor, but you do have the heart of a hero!

The weaker someone is, the more your compassion, pity, and sense of justice is highlighted. So why is it that you only frown slightly when your friends are dying for you?

“Meld!” shouted Gan Wuliang. “The auras of Silver Moon will integrate with my dao. The great dao is not heartless!”

Emotions and desire erupted in this moment!

Your Lordship, what people wish to see is not who you are right now. We want to see the old you. Even if you are stronger this way, we would rather not see it!

New Martial is willing to die for the Human King. Myriad Realms is willing to die for Emperor Su. We, Silver Moon, have even outsiders willing to die for us!

You should be more successful than them!

A sigh echoed in the four corners. The furiously aggregating worlds shuddered. Skyward and Calamity still exchanged blows, but both of them suddenly looked sharply at the depths of the chaos!

Everyone looked solemnly at the four regions. There, a ray of sword intent filled with resignation, the passage of time, and desire burst through the world and the cardinal directions!

Eyes widened!

Countless worlds began to sparkle with radiance. All of the despair was spontaneously absorbed and a wry chuckle rang out helplessly. It was also tinged with regret and sentimentality as it rang through the void like the shaking of great dao.

“I’d planned out everything... so why the need for this... By what right and virtue do I, Li Hao, have to deserve all this? I am not the Human King or Su Yu, I do not need others to die for me. I just want to be me!”

The voice admonished with pride and an unspeakable melancholy. “So this is the martial world! There are endless enemies and innumerable friends. What a pity that there is no alcohol today. We should drink to this!”

The worlds changed color and the surroundings shook! Time seemed to reappear in the span of a breath!

Great daos passed through the worlds and surfaced in the void. An overwhelming presence drew together and stretched along the daos. It came and left with the wind!

“Li Hao!”

“Li Hao!”

“This isn’t possible!” gasped Calamity. Skyward merely frowned slightly, as if coming to a new understanding.

Void’s gray eyes snapped to a certain point in the distance!

There, a person walked out, their robes as white as snow!

The sword at their waist was an unbounded darkness. It was even darker than the Human King’s blade! Despair, resignation, and desire swirled within it.

The person strode through the void, like it was pavement. His sword swung free before he arrived, sweeping through space to point at the combatants!

The Li Hao that was fighting the three ninth ranks breathed out.

“You said... that it would only be a little bit...” he complained mournfully.

The three ninth ranks looked askance at each other!

Meanwhile, the Human King blinked with surprise, whereas Emperor Yu heaved a sigh of relief.

“I knew that this was off!” he mumbled with a smile.

Black Scale!

That was the spirit of desire born in Myriad Realms and the dao of desire that’d been placed within the Star Gate. It was also the dao of emotions that Li Hao had installed himself. It hadn’t died in the ultimate battle of a myriad realms!

Su Yu had let him go that day!

Indeed, he’d let Black Scale go.

In that final battle, Su Yu had killed Demon Flame, the entity that’d devoured some of the core origin of the universe. However, he’d released the spirit of desire because the two did not form a grudge in that conflict.

Su Yu had been well aware that Black Scale’s only desire was to leave and breathe in fresh air again.

“We meet again, Black Scale!” Su Yu laughed. I thought something was wrong all this time! Since the strength of desire originated from Li Hao, this is why Black Scale disappeared!

Since Li Hao hadn’t given off any presence of desire this time, Su Yu had thought that Black Scale had run off or died. It looked like that was far from the case!

It’s just...

Su Yu suddenly sighed. The Human King understood as well and cursed, “You came out early!”

That was right, too early.

Li Hao had been biding his time all along.

In actuality, the Human King had sensed it as well. Although Big Cat, the long blade in his hand, hadn’t said anything, it’d tried to run toward Li Hao a few times. Fang Ping hadn’t paid that impulse much attention, but now it made sense.

That wasn’t Li Hao, it was Number Two!

Why show up now if you decided to bide your time?

Li Hao strode through the air, smiling with his customary dashing flair. “I know that I’m out too early. I know that I can resurrect everyone who dies in battle today so long as I kill Skyward.

“I know all that!

“I kept telling myself to not be in a hurry, to take it slow, that I need to be the last to make a move so I can kill Skyward and be the strongest in the world. Reason tells me that it’s not wise to make a move now.

“But...” Li Hao threw his head back with laughter. “But my friends, my emotions, my desires, and my martial world tells me that my friends are dying. My teacher is dying. My people are dying. And they’re doing so to awaken my conscience!

“They seem to think that the current me is not me. They’re too perceptive!” The young man hooted with mirth. “They still remember me and think of me. I feel that they won’t be satisfied if I don’t come out to see them. It wouldn’t be a satisfying death!

“Right or wrong, success or failure, it all boils down to nothing in the end. Why care about that?” Li Hao continued to laugh. “I rise with the wind and fear gilded cages at the top. What else is left without friends, my master, seniors, my fellow daoist, and the martial world?

“Nothing at all!”