Star Gate

“If we put down someone else’s name... won’t that cause some trouble?” someone in the crowd couldn’t help but ask. “The Exalted Profound Sky Emperor is a seventh rank and logically speaking, shouldn’t be here. Who is so bold as to pretend...”

“There are certain taboos that must be taken into account when it comes to the powerhouses and high ranks of the chaos,” said the dao chess. “We will avoid sticky situations when possible, unless it is the actual person behind the name!”

One of the exalted emperors within the crowd revealed his true form with a sigh.

“I am indeed Profound Sky... There is no need for pretense here.” He looked up at the stone stele hovering in the air. “I... only made it past 6,200 squares. I thought that I’d be able to make it past 7,000 or even eight and nine thousand...”

He chuckled ruefully with some resignation. So I’d overestimated myself. Does this mean that I haven’t even reached the standard for seventh rank?

That’s so... humiliating.

He wasn’t just a random exalted emperor of an eighth rank world, he was a seventh rank master of dao!

Although he was ranked number one... his score was still an embarrassment. But perhaps he was the only seventh rank present in the secret realm.

A second name flashed just as the thought passed through his mind.

“Fellow Daoist Profound Sky,” someone said wryly. “Why did you have to announce yourself? It makes me feel like I have to do the same thing as well. But thank goodness you were the first one to do so. It gives me courage to reveal my real name!”

“Yu Xiao, six thousand squares!”

The name gave rise to many gasps throughout the crowd. This was another seventh rank, and a dao master at that, from the eastern region. There were two seventh rank dao masters among them!

And the key was, they’d only made it to six thousand squares.

Profound Sky looked at the other speaker. When his features came into view, the latter didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Fellow Daoist Profound Sky has a deeper understanding of the great dao than I do.” Yu Xiao glanced at the man. “Thank goodness you were an example in front of me... I do not feel that much of an embarrassment otherwise.”

“Ah... I’d thought...” Profound Sky couldn’t help but laugh. I thought there were no other seventh ranks here. It turns out there are!

Yu Xiao was a renowned seventh rank dao master and their two worlds weren’t too far away from each other.

Profound Sky was here today because he’d been curious, plus he’d wanted to latch onto a big thigh. He was based in the eastern region, but didn’t dare go to New Martial. He had no way of calling upon New Martial either, so he’d come here.

Who would’ve thought that he would reach 6,200 squares due to curiosity and interest in the dao chess? Only now did he know that 7,000 squares was the hallmark of a seventh rank.

Profound Sky could feel his face burning.

He’d also shown himself to tell Li Hao that he was here and was not an enemy. He had no intention of concealing his identity.

I’m not afraid of letting everyone know the humiliating things about me. And as it turns out, one of my peers is here and even more of an embarrassment.

He reached two hundred fewer squares than me!

“The two of you managed to reach six thousand squares, at least,” someone’s voice traveled out of the crowd. “I am a seventh rank who didn’t even reach six thousand... so I won’t be revealing my name. It’s damned mortifying!”

The two exposed exalted emperors looked into the crowd that was composed of balls of light. The speaker did not reveal their true face because they were utterly abashed.

I’m a dao master too, damn it!

Indeed, a seventh rank dao master.

Making it to only 5,999 squares was humiliating enough, so the seventh rank hadn’t wanted to say anything. But seeing two peers make it to six thousand squares... prompted him to speak up because he wanted to see if there was anyone worse off than him.

With the seventh ranks setting the precedent, names started to appear over various balls of light. Some of the names were real, others were fake. Everyone was letting loose!

With only two seventh rank dao masters making it to six thousand squares, what are we afraid of?

Names began to populate for the top ten—they were almost all fake. Ranking number three to eight all stood at 5,999 squares. Seeing that, the crowd quickly understood that these... were possibly all seventh ranks!

Or perhaps they might be sixth ranks as well. It would be normal for sixth ranks to reach this level in their cultivation.

But only two seventh rank dao masters had made it to six thousand squares in the massive ranking. That caused some general confusion.

“Senior Dao Chess, is there such a gap between strength and dao comprehension?” asked Profound Sky. “While Yu Xiao and I aren’t really premier seventh ranks, if I may, we are not weaklings among seventh ranks either. Why have we stopped at just six thousand?”

“This ranking is based on multiple powerhouses such as Skyward, Hao Moon, and the Human King,” responded the dao chess. “They set the standard. According to the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor, real seventh ranks should possess their own dao domain!

“Only when one comprehends seven thousand dao rules or so is one a true seventh rank in their eyes. It doesn’t mean that you need to wield so many dao rules, but you must understand the daos.”

“......” So we’re all fake seventh ranks?

“The dao domain... one can create it with one thousand dao rules, right?” asked Profound Sky.

“Correct. You can coalesce a dao domain then. Dao comprehension is dao comprehension, domain formation is domain formation. Take the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor, for example, he understands countless daos.

“When he walked the dao chess, he reached eight thousand squares. But that doesn’t mean he commands eight thousand dao rules. I can only say that he has hope of wielding so many in the future. For the moment, he’s still forming his own set of three thousand!”

“......” Is it appropriate for you to reveal the Silver Moon king’s strength like that?

Granted, no one believed the dao chess. Go to hell! Can someone kill Reincarnation with just three thousand dao rules?

No one was familiar with how strong the Reincarnation master had been, but they knew that general eighth ranks possessed at least two to three thousand dao rules. Strictly speaking, the weakest of eighth ranks—newly ascended ones—should wield at least two thousand. That was the standard.

One was not an eighth rank if they did not reach that level.

If the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor only had three thousand dao rules, then what had killed Reincarnation? A dog?

But they understood the dao chess’ meaning. Only through coalescing the dao domain did one really count as a seventh rank. So that... made them all fake seventh ranks!

What the hell!

“Are there... very few people who can reach seven thousand in this day and age?” asked Profound Sky.

“Probably,” responded the dao chess. “It also depends on one’s strength as well. If an eighth rank tries the chessboard, they can brute force their way to seven thousand squares even if they don’t fully understand the dao. Hence, the dao chess is a combination of strength and comprehension!”

Profound Sky understood. He also didn’t have to officially take a stand or announce anything, but having revealed his true face and introduced himself here, everyone else present understood his intentions.

Profound Sky major world was indicating that they accepted the Silver Moon king as the overlord of the eastern region!

As for the danger involved with such a declaration?

What was there to talk about?

What wasn’t dangerous, considering the upheaval in the chaos these days?

“Allheaven Hall welcomes all fellow daoists to come and discuss dao,” concluded the dao chess. “Anyone can freely share dao and enter the dao chess. You can also occupy the dao ranking. One month is not a long time for exalted emperors. We will take time to visit and share our dao as well...

“This is not limited to just the eastern region. If the overlords of the other three regions wish to come, then they are very welcome as well! There is no need to worry about identity exposure or the associated ramifications. So long as people do not damage Allheaven Hall, this will be a sacred land for dao!”

Any region was welcome and anyone could come. Those who wished to discuss dao could do so however they liked.

Many exalted emperors were moved by this announcement. This was an all-encompassing and tolerant proposal. All chaos exalted emperors were welcome and even the three overlords were permitted to visit.

The seventh ranks were immensely shaken by how arrogant the Exalted Hao Moon Emperor was. Well, one could also say that he was immensely bold and resolute. It was incredible that he dared make the dao chess freely available to all. The treasure contained spatial dao!

Seeing that the dao chess was about to leave, Profound Sky set his jaw and asked, “Senior... please wait for a moment. I have another question or two I’d like to ask.”

“Speak of it.”

“It’s said... that Dao Master Hao Moon wields the dao of time. Do we... have the chance... to study time as well?”

The dao chess mulled over its response, as if it was asking someone else how to answer.

“You do!” it said to a sea of expectant gazes. “The Exalted Hao Moon Emperor has said that anyone who exceeds eight thousand daos can go to him anytime to discuss dao.”

Eight thousand!

Many promptly wilted. That would have nothing to do with them then.

“This isn’t a soft refusal, but that it would be meaningless to study dao if one does not have the ability to reach eighth rank. It’s a similar case with the spatial dao within the chessboard! Only when one reaches eighth rank might there be any gains from studying this dao. It has to do with the dao rules!”

Dao rules?

Some people shook without the crowd. Dao rules!

One more or less had some understanding of the great dao when they reached seventh rank. Mid and low ranks didn’t know anything, but high ranks did.

“Dao rules?” asked an agitated Profound Sky.

“Correct!”

“Eight thousand...” murmured a dazed Profound Sky. “So this means that we need to reach eighth rank before we can contemplate dao rules. So time has to do with dao rules!

“I once heard a senior mention this, that all of the overlords have grasped some dao rules. That also includes the ninth ranks from a million years ago. Does that mean... that we... we have a chance... of touching upon some dao rules too?”

This was hope!

At least they could see a bit of hope.

Profound Sky couldn’t believe it. Was the Silver Moon king crazy? How did he dare... discuss dao rules with others? Those were the hallmark of an overlord!

So had he reached those heights as well?

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