“Very well!” Li Hao said impatiently, but didn’t lose his temper. “And what do I transact with if I see something I like?”

“Anything from worlds to dao crystals, foundation crystals, or imperial weapons!” responded the phoenix. “If you have exemplary two-legged beasts... such as their powerhouses, youngsters with strong potential, or those of exceptional beauty—they can be transacted with as well.

“But the senior can forgo regular food, their level is too low! Human exalted emperors can also be traded. Ah, I must notify the senior that there are certain human exalted emperors that cannot be attacked...”

“Oh?”

“They are easy to identify. A portion of the human exalted emperors will have a golden dragon on their forehead. That is an indicator that they cannot be captured or killed! It represents that they are a subject of Dragon Region and have received the acceptance of Dragon major world. They have been bestowed a portion of the great dao’s strength!”

The phoenix was dutiful as it went into a detailed explanation.

“Although these exalted emperors are humans, they have rendered meritorious service to Dragon Region and won the Dragon master’s approval. Under such circumstances, they cannot be treated as transaction targets.

“They cannot be attacked either, or that would be an act of aggression against the Dragon master! These humans can be viewed as chaos beasts. And if the senior does not agree with this decision, you cannot openly display your dissatisfaction. That would be a challenge of the Dragon master’s authority!”

Li Hao understood!

Perhaps a portion of chaos beasts did not agree with the Dragon master’s actions, but the latter executed his plans nonetheless. Clearly, the Dragon master had great ambition and aspirations. He likely wanted to assimilate the human race through instilling human leaders that answered to him.

Li Hao immediately saw through some of the Dragon master’s intentions. The more he understood about the Dragon master through an oblique manner, the more difficult this opponent seemed.

“Humans... fine, I understand!” Li Hao couldn’t help but add, “Will I be killed if I eat some of them?”

“It’s best if the senior does not entertain this thought. There is much food to be had out there. One big piece of dao crystal can purchase thousands of two-legged beasts on Phoenix major world. Therefore, do not think of touching the ones with a golden dragon on their forehead!

“They have been bestowed the Dragon master’s approval and some of them even hold a world of their own. They are talents that the Dragon master wish to develop, so the senior... should refrain from antagonizing the Dragon master!”

Li Hao raised an eyebrow, well aware of the Dragon master’s plan. World masters!

Well well, so the Dragon master had supported some humans to the point of gaining control of a world. That... was not a good thing. Humans knew humans the best. This would enable the Dragon master to better control humans.

Wariness was starting to creep into the young man’s heart, but he said, “I understand. What a bother.”

There was nothing else for the phoenix to say. It faced a fifth rank, after all. Just going over the rules once was enough. If the other refused to listen... there was nothing it could do about that. It would be no fault of the guards if Dragon world powerhouses killed the visitor.

.....

Panther quickly padded through the world gate. Li Hao’s eyebrows rose as soon as they entered Phoenix airspace. There was a massive city hovering in the distant sky, one that seemed to be built on the branches of an enormous tree. The city perched in the tree’s canopy!

Phoenixes flew in fiery fashion over the city; some dragons could be glimpsed as well. The sight of Dragon troops on Phoenix major world was a startling sight.

Li Hao breathed deeply. Did this mean that the Dragon master exercised absolute control over these seventh rank worlds? Otherwise, it was highly unusual that powerhouses from another world would be in residence on Phoenix.

Dragon Region seemed more daunting than he’d realized prior to this visit.

Void could sense the presence of dragons as well. “Phoenix major world... has a notable dragon presence on it? What is its world master thinking?”

They were crazy, weren’t they?

An alliance was understandable, but permitting another world’s heavyweights to establish a permanent presence on Phoenix? That didn’t indicate a simple alliance, but complete submission!

“The Dragon master is frightening!” Li Hao transmitted back. “He might be much more competent than we’d imagined. He is able to compel a seventh rank to voluntarily bend the knee.

"It’s not hard for an eighth rank to control a sixth rank world, but a seventh rank world? Keep in mind that Red Moon had extreme difficulties taking Orchid Forest. This is much harder than eliminating a world.”

“That’s right.” Void nodded solemnly. “Light also has some vassal worlds, and some sixth ranks among them. However, we have no seventh rank subordinates! Seventh ranks have a high chance of fending off an eighth rank if they are in residence at their own world and equipped with a dao universe.

“If an invader is unable to fully suppress or restrain their target, they will have to pay a hefty price to capture that world. Under normal circumstances, seventh rank masters of the world can maintain their independence. They would not easily bow their head to an eighth rank.

“Dragon Region is more complicated than the other regions realize. Dragon major world is so deeply rooted that it’s almost incredible. It won’t take that many more years for the region to be able to expand externally!

“What a pity that my father and the rest think that New Martial is the true threat. It looks like they have a one dimensional view of the grander picture. I’m thinking that it’s Dragon Region that’s the bigger issue!”

New Martial was a human faction at the end of the day; they didn’t treat humans as food. But a different species was in charge at Dragon Region!

Granted, they were all enemies in the eyes of powerhouses.

Void looked on solemnly. Dragon Region was the bigger threat, one bigger than New Martial. While New Martial had many seventh ranks, they were not worth mentioning compared to Dragon Region.

Dragon Region had only one eighth rank on the surface, but more than twenty seventh ranks. And that was only according to the census of the major worlds. There were more than that in actuality!

“Let’s take a look at the city first!”

Panther swiftly flew toward the massive city in the sky.

......

At the same time.

A tiny palace floated over the sprawling metropolis. It was tiny only relatively speaking. It, too, was enormous.

A woman in red leaned against a chair and lazily regarded the city beneath her.

“Royal mother,” said the young blonde girl behind her. “A newcomer has entered the world. They are fifth rank and from an external region. They look to be a dog beast based on their form. For the moment, we are unaware of their exact species and they desire to join Dragon major world!”

“Mm, I see,” the woman drawled.

“Dragon major world has sent word that Silver Moon might have entered Dragon Region,” continued the girl. “The Red Moon master brought that news. We do not know if that is true or false!”

“Mmhmm.” The woman didn’t say anything else.

“Dragon has also sent word for us to keep an eye on dog beasts!”

“Oh?”

“It’s said that New Martial possesses a dog called the Heavenly Dog! It is peak sixth rank and stands shoulder to shoulder with the Ash Cat. We must be on guard against New Martial infiltration as the newly arrived dog beast is a fifth rank...”

The woman in red nodded. She knew about this.

The Heavenly Dog!

All chaos beasts were very interested in the Ash Cat and Heavenly Dog. The two seemed to be chaos beasts, yet not chaos beasts. It was difficult to say. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Ash Cat could easily move around a seventh rank world in a manner more convenient than the Dragon master. One had to keep in mind that a seventh rank world was mammoth in size. It also came with a dao universe.

Not even the Dragon master could sprint around with his world and not send a single ripple of their presence. He would’ve done so long ago if he could. The Dragon master could travel with his world, but his speed would decrease. That put him on a very uneven footing compared to his peers.

Therefore, premier chaos beasts were all very interested in these two New Martial major monster spirits. They wished to capture the cat and dog for close study.

“Dog beasts... the New Martial Heavenly Dog should be in Blazing Sun Region, correct?” asked the woman in red.

“It should be,” nodded the blonde girl. “But it’s hard to say that it hasn’t entered Phoenix either! We need to keep an eye out and make our rounds. It’s best if the newcomer isn’t the Heavenly Dog. If it is... we should capture it for research!”

“Mm,” nodded the woman. “We can send someone to investigate. Apparently, the Heavenly Dog is so unbridled that it talks back to even the Human King!” She chuckled with amusement. “It’s so overweeningly proud that it should be easy to provoke.”

She seemed to be very familiar with New Martial!

The blonde girl appeared young and innocent, but was highly experienced as well. “I understand! If the visitor is not the Heavenly Dog, then we can try and recruit a fifth rank. If they enter sixth rank, they will stand a chance of becoming a seventh rank after seizing a dao universe...”

“You think too much,” laughed the woman. “How is it that easy to reach seventh rank? It’s very hard for chaos beasts to reach that cultivation level. If it wasn’t for the Dragon master being so extraordinary and seizing large numbers of seventh rank dao universes to shelter us, we would not improve so quickly either...”

Her veneration of the Dragon master was easily detected in her speech.

“Let’s speak of other matters. We can just test the visitor. Even if it really is the Heavenly Dog, that doesn’t matter! Feng Yan, how is our proper business?” [1]

“We’ve captured many more human geniuses with great potential and unique daos!” the girl responded promptly. “We’ve accomplished a portion of the transfer and transported them to various lands. But... royal mother, sending so many humans elsewhere and to other regions... setting aside how the humans will react, if Dragon major world finds out...”

The girl was worried!

She’d often fretted as they conducted their operations over the years. They hadn’t been so bold before and transported a limited amount of humans. But these years, they sent out a steady flow of brainwashed or specially trained humans to all corners of the four regions!

The disturbance from their efforts was too great!

Her royal mother was growing even bolder lately and some of the Phoenix major world elders had seized a few worlds by force!

1. The feng is the feng for phoenix. ☜