Star Gate

“I have my own desires...” Li Hao pulled himself out of the mental state of contemplating War and laughed at himself. I have desires. The dao of desire is such a good thing.

What a waste it was for someone like Red Moon to cultivate it. Someone without desire would turn into the next War.

As for me, I have plenty of personal desires left. I want to see the premier existences within the chaos. I’ve yet to meet a single ninth rank and would like to actually spar with some of them. I also want to revive some people. There’s a lot of things that I haven’t perfected yet, including my own dao of time.

Or rather, I should say that I want to achieve the goal of all daos becoming one. The result of that might not be time.

This is what makes me different from War. I haven’t reached his state. He once traveled the past and future, meeting many ninth ranks. He discussed dao with them in that era and even surpassed them when it came to the great dao.

That was why he felt there was no difference if he walked out of New Martial or not. And so he never really made it out.

“War... you were wrong!” Li Hao murmured. You were so wrong because you never took a look around outside. If you had, you might’ve found some things different from what you thought.

“Desire!” The young man looked at his worlds. Almost all of the two thousand were fully saturated with energy. He was about to start on his third set of one thousand.

Li Hao suddenly came to a decision that he would center the next set on desire. He would focus on the daos of emotion and desire!

He wanted to retain his own desire. Otherwise, he would easily lose himself in the great dao and become so jaded that he hated the world. That would eventually put him down the same path as War.

Li Hao was young enough that if he maintained that course for a while, it would lead to his destruction!

“War... did not study too many daos of desire!” Li Hao murmured, then blinked.

Red Moon was near New Martial and had immediately targeted New Martial the moment the latter appeared. The young man suddenly wondered... had it been an accident that New Martial was located near Red Moon?

Perhaps War had known.

He’d known that his lack of desire had contributed to his own downfall, but also hadn’t been able to change that. It was true that he had no desires.

Then that meant it was no accident that New Martial and Red Moon were neighbors.

The humble dao of desire had already shattered Reincarnation’s dao of life and death. The immaterial dao universe in Silver Moon was also a dao of emotion. Emotions and desire were greatly linked with each other.

So that means...

The hypothesis was impossible to dismiss once it formed. Had War discovered the problem or... had some other factors contributed to Red Moon and New Martial becoming neighbors?

No matter what, there had to be a connection between the two.

Li Hao temporarily suppressed these thoughts. He focused back on saturating the worlds and integrating his mental strength into the river of time. The first batch of exalted emperors to visit Allheaven Hall had benefited greatly.

Although it hadn’t been long since the conclusion of battle, word had gotten out. That in turn attracted many other exalted emperors. They traveled through the river to discuss dao in Allheaven Hall.

......

Within Allheaven Hall.

It was immensely crowded, similar to how opening day sales drew crowds of people curious about the new and shiny. Advertising from the first batch of visitors had filled the rest of the chaos with incredible curiosity.

The dao chess’ primary body hovered over Allheaven Hall at the moment—all 9,999 squares. Exalted emperors were walking through it and occasionally exclaimed with astonishment.

Newcomers were out of the loop and grabbed any anonymous shadow next to them. “Fellow daoist, what are they doing?”

“They’re walking the dao chess!” answered the excited visitor. “This is a ninth rank treasure with the strength of an eighth rank. Senior Dao Chess was a heavyweight of the chaos back in the day. The Skyward master left it behind!

“There are 9,999 squares in it that correspond to 9,999 daos. Based on the senior’s explanation, passing through one thousand squares means that you possess the dao comprehension of a first rank. Not strength, mind you, but dao comprehension.

“You can be a third rank without the comprehension of a third rank. But if you have the comprehension of one, then it’s only a matter of time before you reach that level. This is a place to discuss dao!”

The exalted emperor that’d arrived before some of the others grew more excited when they noticed other people’s attention turn to them. “Therefore, walking the dao chess is a chance to organize your own dao and comprehend more!

“The first instance is free, but the second requires payment of dao crystals and some of our own comprehension. Making it past one thousand results in another free chance, which means making it past three thousand will result in three more chances...”

Many newcomers were shaken by this information. A ninth rank treasure! The Skyward master! The eighth rank dao chess! They’d never been so excited in their lives before!

The first newcomer to ask the question was apprehensive, but also excited. “Can all newcomers give it a try?”

“Of course, the first time is free. Well, you’ll have to leave a mental brand on the treasure. It’s alright, that won’t expose your identity. Dao Master Hao Moon once said that only two people will know our identities—himself and the Exalted Myriad Changes Emperor.

“Therefore... don’t expect to fully conceal yourself. Of course, the dao master won’t care who we are.”

The dao chess suddenly rippled and the treasure’s shadow appeared in the air.

“More than ten thousand exalted emperors have entered Allheaven Hall!” he boomed. “The Dao Ranking will be established today! Anyone who makes it past one thousand squares will be put on the ranking. The more squares traveled, the higher the ranking. Those ranked in the top one hundred can walk through the dao chess for free an unlimited number of times!

“Those ranked in the top ten for a month straight can designate which seventh rank they would like to converse with for one day!

“The top three can discuss dao with this seat, Fog Mountain, Thunder Emperor, Myriad Changes, and other eighth ranks for a day!

“The top ranked that maintains their ranking for a month can converse with the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor for three days!”

The realm shook at this announcement and general fervor rose. This...

The Dao Ranking!

It was something that would induce madness! So long as their ranking was high enough and they got far enough in the treasure, they would be able to exchange dao with seventh and even eighth ranks. The legendary wielder of time would be available to them as well!

Dao Master Hao Moon had killed the greatest heavyweight of the east—Reincarnation.

No one could sit still and some called out without regard for manners, “Senior Dao Chess, is this ranking based on the number of squares we’ve cleared?”

“That’s right!” the dao chess answered in a resounding voice. “The further you walk, that means the deeper your understanding of the great dao and the more dao you grasp. If you reach seven thousand squares, that means you will certainly become a seventh rank so long as the time is right!

“The Exalted Hao Moon Emperor asked me to pass on a message. When you walk the dao chess and study a myriad of daos, that is also when you are incorporating your dao into Allheaven Hall.

“He will study it in turn. This is an arrangement of mutual benefit! If anyone is worried about revealing the secrets of their great dao, then they should abstain from the dao chess. Otherwise, revealing some of your own dao is inevitable when you enter the treasure. I will learn of it, as will the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor!”

That gave rise to some consternation, but many quickly snapped out of that reaction. Some low ranks were even completely uncaring. “Would the dao master be interested in my dao at all? It will be my honor if he is!”

That brought the rest to their senses. That was true! What were they worth? They were just low and mid ranks. The Exalted Hao Moon Emperor was being forthright with them in describing how much they could gain from the dao chess and how their own dao would leak out.

Only the strong would be on guard against the weak from peering into their dao, since when would the weak be worried about the strong?

The apprehensive cultivators quickly realized the truth of the situation. That’s right! What are we afraid of? We’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain! The Exalted Hao Moon Emperor created Allheaven Hall and went on this crazy fight with the Exalted Reincarnation Emperor. He’d be a saint to not want anything after that!

“That’s not a problem if the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor thinks that highly of us, Senior Dao Chess. It’s just that... we are weak. It’ll be hard for us to enter this ranking, no?”

Some were conflicted as it didn’t matter if they didn’t make it onto the ranking, but those benefits did! They were envious!

“Cultivation doesn’t necessarily come down to strength,” laughed the dao chess. “This place focuses on the dao heart and one’s comprehension. Of course, those stronger will have an innate advantage, but so will those weaker. They will progress faster and the dao chess itself is a treasure for dao comprehension!

“In other words, those weaker have a greater chance. But you are not to lose yourself within. Only the greatest of heavyweights can grasp a myriad daos. The rest of you, however, can absolutely broaden your vision and gain more knowledge!”

“Then... will the ranking be public, senior?”

“It will, but you can give whatever name you’d like. There’s no worry of us finding the wrong person since the name will be connected to mental strength. But you can always give up the opportunity if you don’t wish to discuss dao.”

The dao chess trembled as a stone stele descended from above.

The Dao Ranking!

Balls of light shimmered over it.

“Only one thousand names will be recorded for now. Anyone who enters the ranking will be connected to it via mental strength. You can leave a name behind. Your specifics will not be revealed, but the squares that you walked will be revealed!”

Names suddenly winked into place on the ranking. There were ten thousand exalted emperors on the scene and thoughtful expressions crossed some of their faces. A voice had rang in their ear to ask them if they wished to leave a name or remain anonymous.

Everyone else looked at the ranking.

“Profound Sky, 6,200 squares!”

The crowd blinked. There was a name in the number one ranking as well as their number of squares. That wasn’t noteworthy. What was surprising was that... many people knew of this person!

“The Exalted Profound Sky Emperor is here?? Senior...” someone gasped. That was a seventh rank and a world master! How could he have only walked 6,200 squares?

And he was using his real name!

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