Chapter 1901: Wolves on All Sides (III) |
“If New Martial… is an eighth rank faction now… then Drifting Life will be in danger!” said Earth Yang. “Have your people come in sufficient numbers for us to ambush them?”
“They’re not here yet, but they will be soon,” Li Hao hastily responded. “We were able to gather only one eighth rank on such a short notice. Some seventh ranks are also on their way over. It will take some time for them to reach us, however. I did not anticipate conflict erupting so suddenly.
“Time will not wait for us. Does the senior wish to wait or take action now? I can summon some more powerhouses if we act now, but it might mean that we miss out on the best timing to take action…
“The chaos is so vast that it is difficult for us to travel quickly,” Li Hao said urgently. “For the moment, we can be certain of being reinforced by one eighth rank and at most three seventh ranks.”
Earth Yang quickly ran some calculations. He would be a second eighth rank on their side and he had six seventh ranks to deploy. With Cloud Dust’s reinforcements, they would be a force of two eighth ranks and roughly ten seventh ranks. That was significant!
As for Drifting Life, the man was too far away for Earth Yang to sense much. “How many people does Drifting Life have with him?”
“Four seventh ranks?”
Earth Yang inclined his head and ran through more numbers. Four seventh ranks and Drifting Life… it wouldn’t be easy for New Martial to take him.
“Are you certain that the eighth rank you called will get here in time?” Earth Yang looked at Li Hao.
“We can delay things until I gather everyone. That will give us a higher chance of success…”
A higher chance of success? How long would that take? This was a very rare chance indeed!
“Are you certain that New Martial is running with Ironeater?”
“Yes!” Li Hao confirmed solemnly. “This is information that Chaos Sky scouts have sent back. It’s certain to be true. Don’t worry, senior, Chaos Sky has set up its networks in the chaos for many years and has paid a great deal of attention to the four regions. We wouldn’t have known about Senior Sky Yang… ahem. We wouldn’t know about the four regions in such detail otherwise.
“Ironeater provoked Drifting Life and voluntarily appeared in the ninth layer, undoubtedly because the Human King is setting up an ambush! Of course, if Senior Earth Yang finds this course of action inappropriate, we can send word back to Reincarnation to have the world master take the field himself…”
Earth Yang didn’t respond to that suggestion. That was nonsense. Why should they notify Reincarnation?
That was a world that all eastern eighth ranks were wary of. It was best if one of their eighth ranks died. That would put them on par with Arctic. Earth Yang would be very happy to see that world lose one eighth rank and four seventh ranks.
Why would he notify Reincarnation?
It was best if they all died!
The most optimal outcome was that both sides ended up heavily injured. Perhaps he could even profit from their actions!
“We can make a move, but… only I can join the fray… and with three seventh ranks at most,” Earth Yang quickly said. He wanted to leave three seventh ranks at home, just in case anything happened.
“Well… that is not out of the question.” Li Hao frowned slightly. “It’s just that, with both the Human King and Ash Emperor being eighth ranks on the New Martial side, as well as their supreme… I can wait. We can act when the timing is right. If not enough powerhouses come on my side, we can wait until next time…”
Earth Yang’s brows furrowed as well.
“Take four people with you and see how things go for now,” he said after some hesitation. “Leave two seventh ranks to hold down the fort at Gemini. If not, any unexpected developments would be difficult to handle. With two seventh ranks present, they would be able to hold on for a while against even an eighth rank. At the very least, they’ll last until I return.”
“Naturally,” Li Hao nodded. “Gemini’s affairs come first. Chaos Sky also wishes that Gemini will be able to stand here for a long time and put down roots in the east. If Gemini is destroyed, that would be the greatest loss of all!
“Then time is of the essence. Shall we set out?”
“Very well!” Earth Yang’s eyes glinted as he looked into the distance. The New Martial Human King??
That was a completely crazed fellow. You’ve just left the four regions, but you dare provoke an eighth rank faction. You’ve got balls!
It’s fine if we don’t end up killing you this time. By then, not only will Reincarnation want your head, but so will I and Chaos Sky’s faction. Even some of the eighth ranks in the eastern region might make a move!
That’s because you’re such an unstable factor, one that destroys stability!
Earth Yang quickly summoned his seventh ranks and instructed, “Come with me and conceal your presence. Exercise caution in all doings!”
He then turned to the two seventh ranks. “Guard the world gates well. No one is allowed in before I return! You will sit in residence near them, one inside and one outside. Adapt to whatever situation develops!
“If anything happens, disturb the dao universe. I will return as quickly as possible! Remember, no one is allowed out. It doesn’t matter if someone shows up to taunt us or what!”
With Reincarnation providing a previous example, he was concerned that someone might try the same tactics on him. The two seventh ranks would not be permitted to leave. So long as no one entered the world and grew aware of the situation or that he had left… there was nothing to fear.
As long as nothing happened to these seventh ranks, no one would dare take action against Gemini. They wouldn’t know that he wasn’t present in the world.
Earth Yang once more looked into the distance, at where rampaging presences careened through the void. I’m not as impulsive as Drifting Life! His actions were too high profile! I’m going to keep a lower profile and bide my time from the shadows.
I’ve learned from past missteps. Nothing good comes from being too blatant.
The two seventh ranks staying behind nodded solemnly. They didn’t dare say anything, but neither were they overly concerned. Apart from them, no one else would know that the world master had departed.
There wouldn’t be much of an issue with anything.
“Let’s go!” Earth Yang didn’t waste further time in conversation. Li Hao quickly followed his footsteps.
At present, the young man could only keep up appearances. He was simply posing as Cloud Dust thanks to the river of memories. He could do anything but actually make a move.
Everything would be exposed once he needed to fight.
Li Hao was as bold as he was skilled! He’d been confident that Earth Yang wouldn’t attack him—that was all that was needed. They just needed to lure the snake out of the hole and ensure that Earth Yang wouldn’t stay on guard at his world. The man would’ve been impossible to handle then.
As for heading to the Human King’s side… whether it was Li Hao himself taking down this group of people or the Human King helping dispatch Drifting Life, both sides could adjust to the other.
Granted, the Human King might not know that he was nearby.
But that was fine. Once battle was joined, the Human King would realize soon enough.
The two sides hadn’t conversed with each other, but Li Hao was ready with all sorts of plans. He felt that the Human King was here alone. Otherwise, would the supreme let him run around with such glee right after emerging in the outer regions?
The Human King’s strength was well known. But since he’d just set foot into eighth rank, would he so easily kill Drifting Life and four seventh ranks just like that?
Some major worlds were present in the area as well. The unexpected might crop up once they became involved. Had the Human King considered any of that?
Probably not.
The Human King sometimes didn’t consider anything before he leapt into motion. He might think that he could just run if he couldn’t beat his opponent. None of these external factors were a concern for him. Sometimes, one’s confidence would suffer if too many reservations were kept in mind.
Li Hao rippled the river of time—some other powerhouses held immaterial worlds.
“Follow me, but keep your distance,” he transmitted. “Come out when I tell you guys to. Senior Fog Mountain must conceal your presence well!”
He observed Earth Yang at the same time and was reassured to find that the other was unmoved. That weakling!
The man hadn’t sensed the ripples of time, which made him a weakling. These were just Li Hao’s random thoughts, since only the Dragon master had sensed the ripples of time thus far.
That was the greatest problem of all!
……
At the same time, outside Reincarnation.
Within the void.
Two figures hovered in and out of sight. The Dragon master’s expression was remote.
“I knew that things wouldn’t remain peaceful, that Reincarnation was bound to clash with them. I just hadn’t expected that it would be the Human King instead of Li Hao!”
Indeed, judging from what was taking place, the Human King was behind the latest development! This was not Li Hao’s style.
It made things rather interesting.
The Dragon master had emerged in the outer regions as well, and made straight for Reincarnation because he felt that a clash was inevitable.
Reality proved him both right and wrong. Ironeater had fallen in with the Human King!
But that was just as well.
He smiled and took out a mask, a unique one that masked one’s presence. He tossed it at Red Moon with a leer.
“We wait! We wait for Drifting Life to be in danger and for Reincarnation to send more eighth ranks to support him. We’ll kill the eighth ranks that come out! Brother Red Moon, I trust you implicitly, so I hope you don’t let me down.
“You’ll keep one eighth rank preoccupied for me, or it might not be one of their eighth ranks that die this time!”
“……” Red Moon wanted to curse everything in sight! This was a threat! A blatant threat!
If I don’t stop one of their eighth ranks, he’ll kill me instead of them! Damn it! This is a bunch of bastards, crazies, and animals!
Reincarnation was such an enormous faction, but as it turned out, everyone was eyeing it up. The Dragon master wanted to kill its powerhouses as well!
The Dragon master wore an aloof expression on his face. Of course he wanted to kill his enemies. Reincarnation was a threat to the dragons emerging from the four regions. If he could eliminate some of their eighth ranks and leave only the world master, that threat would be defused!
The opponent may not be as strong as him, but having four eighth ranks made them an enormous issue. Since the opportunity had presented itself, why should he pass it by?
The Dragon master laughed meaningfully. As he expected, expelling New Martial and Silver Moon from the four regions had been the right move to make. It had been the very right move!
All of Reincarnation was very quiet. The world didn’t know that many pairs of eyes had focused on it, as if hungry wolves!