At the same time.

A massive mental ripple swept through Earth Dragon. It carried a stern tone within it. “Desolate and some of the other worlds have voluntarily joined my world! My world has just risen to seventh rank and happens to be in need of talent. Is anyone interested in joining my world?”

“......” Feng Yan’s expression shifted. Other exalted emperors reacted angrily.

“How dare you devour the worlds around you without the Dragon master’s expression permission! You... you...”

“How childish!” rang the voice again. “Would I dare do this without the Dragon master’s approval?? I notified him before he left that my world was about to ascend. The Dragon master agreed that I can recruit some exalted emperors in order to expand my world’s strength and influence.

“Earth Dragon will be the thirteenth world among the Chaos Alliance! How ludicrous are you guys to think that I would betray the Dragon master??”

The crowd collectively stilled. Was that... true?

Since the matter had to do with seventh and eighth ranks, they did not have the right to inquire further. It was just... had the Dragon master actually agreed to Earth Dragon’s expansion?

Feng Yan was hesitant and suddenly said, “The Exalted Emperor Long Xuan will arrive in five or six days. If Earth Dragon’s words are true... then might we pay a visit to you once Emperor Long Xuan arrives?”

Five or six days?

Li Hao snorted to himself. This little phoenix didn’t keep anything from Panth. Panth already told me through the river that the dragon will be here soon. What five or six days?

Do you think I’m an idiot? That guy will be here in a day at most!

Whatever.

It was because the dragon was almost here that Li Hao behaved with such impunity. He was devouring nearby worlds in plain sight!

“That’s even better!” his dao strength rippled through the world. “But before that, can you guys lend some worlds to me? Earth Dragon needs more than a dao universe to ascend to seventh rank, I also require supplementation from numerous worlds. Seventh rank is attainable when my world can fully expand!”

“......” None of the exalted emperors in the surroundings said anything. They’d come to congratulate Earth Dragon, so they’d prepared some gifts. There were dao crystals and worlds because the various world masters knew that it would require a large amount of world and dao strength for a sixth rank world to set foot into seventh rank.

If things had been as before, they would’ve handed over what Earth Dragon wanted. But now...

The chaos beasts hesitated.

It was further concerning that they hadn’t seen the Desolate master or others even when sixth rank worlds were being devoured. How would they dare just give the worlds and dao crystals to the earth dragon?

Feng Yan was the strongest on the scene and the highest ranked. Seeing that everyone was looking at her, there was nothing she could do but say, “Venerated Earth Dragon... does not need to be in such a hurry. Emperor Long Xuan might preside over your ascension ceremony when he arrives. We will naturally present our humble gifts then!”

No one suspected a thing at the moment—for no reason other than the sheer might being exerted on the scene. It eclipsed that of Feng Yan’s, so they naturally thought it stemmed from a seventh rank.

Who else would it be but Earth Dragon?

They were unfamiliar with Earth Dragon, so they were unable to determine if the other’s presence was the same as before. It was useless even if they could. With the star of time and the river of memories present, it wasn’t too hard for Li Hao to pose as Earth Dragon if he wished.

The young man furiously absorbed the world around him. The minor worlds of his river were being swiftly supplemented.

The amount of strength supplied by a sixth rank world could not be compared to a regular minor world. Li Hao could feel that he was on the cusp of a breaking point. The accumulation of a thousand worlds might lead to a more pronounced change.

It might even be a metamorphosis.

The same went for the dao chess—every one thousand squares was the key to change. The convergence of one thousand worlds and a thousand daos would form a unique and bigger dao domain.

This was why Li Hao was so certain that saturating one thousand worlds would surely enable him to set foot into sixth rank. Quantity would eventually lead to quality.

At the moment, he was unsatisfied. Not with himself—he should have enough to break through to sixth rank. He was unsatisfied that he’d absorbed all of the energy lately, leaving none for Silver Moon.

These guys in front of him might have a lot of treasures on hand. If he could take them... and give those treasures to Silver Moon, then the world might be able to make it to sixth rank as well.

Once they reached sixth rank, the combined efforts of the two dao masters and Panther might be able to delay a seventh rank, if not suppress one. They would be able to work together and harness the power of two dao universes.

That would put them on par with Li Hao, Void, and a pre-ascension Sword Sovereign.

With the two dao universes and three sixth ranks as one, the other exalted emperors could sit in residence at the other branches of great dao. That would definitely give them enough strength to withstand a seventh rank. That meant he would have the equivalent of another seventh rank under his banner!

Hence, Li Hao had decided that he needed to seize the entire group. It was one thing if they voluntarily offered up their goods, but if not... he would kill them all even if a seventh rank did dare join them!

“This seat needs to enhance my world strength and fortify Earth Dragon major world!” Li Hao’s voice rang out. “Everyone, you may present your gifts! If you think you can ignore me, Feng Yan, just because you have the support of Fellow Daoist Phoenix, then try me!

“Thunder World is much more of an issue than I am. Give me what you brought. I can wait for Long Xuan to arrive since I’ll need some time to digest the energy. I’ll need at least three days. Long Xuan will be here then, no?”

The rest of the group tensed. Were they being forced into handing over what they’d brought? What in the blazes was going on?

Feng Yan frowned and said softly, “Venerated Earth Dragon, these were gifts for you to begin with. Of course we can give them to you if you have need. It’s just... does the venerated one mean that... you will stop us if we wish to leave now?”

There had been some clear threatening notes in his words.

“That’s right!” Li Hao boomed. “To prevent misunderstandings and rumormongering, you mouthy fellows must stay here! I will naturally release you when Long Xuan arrives and all can be explained.

“If I let you go now, rumors might soon develop in Dragon Region that I have betrayed the Dragon master in devouring four dao universes. I will be hard pressed to explain myself then. Therefore, I can only keep you here for now and make a decision when Long Xuan comes!”

That set the group more at ease. They weren’t being confined, just asked to stay here for a while. As for whether or not Earth Dragon bore them ill will... Long Xuan would arrive in a day at most. All would be clear then.

“Your Highness Feng Yan, we should keep Earth Dragon in check for now. We will not settle for this humiliation. Even though the Phoenix master can descend in person at the moment, Thunder World is much more important.

“We can give him the dao crystals and worlds. He’ll need some time to absorb them. Perhaps that will create enough of a buffer for Emperor Long Xuan to reach us!”

Feng Yan swiftly thought things over and nodded without further protest. “We naturally have no opinions if the venerated one has need!” 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

She waved a hand and summoned various worlds, as well as countless dao crystals. “These are the gifts from Phoenix to congratulate the venerated one on your ascension. There is one mid world, five minor worlds, and one hundred million dao crystals! Please receive them well!”

Was that a lot?

Not that much.

It was only two or three hundred million dao crystals to a seventh rank, but significant as a congratulatory gift. They wouldn’t empty their coffers for an occasion like this.

Phoenix was rich. It was very, very rich. That made this kind of gift... mediocre.

Perhaps there was more, but Feng Yan was keeping it in reserve. After all, she might be supplying the enemy with her actions. But one or two hundred million dao crystals was fine. That was just a token expression without being meaningful help.

It would take more than that for a world to set foot into seventh rank.

Exalted emperors from the other ten worlds took out their gifts. There were twelve worlds in the Chaos Alliance, representatives had come from each of the others. A seventh rank with a world about to join the ranks of seventh rank major worlds was a significant occasion.

The rest of the group produced five mid worlds and twenty-one minor worlds. There were even more dao crystals, numbering eight hundred million. It totaled 1.5 billion dao crystals.

......

Li Hao clucked his tongue. This averaged out to one hundred million dao crystals from each representative. Chaos beasts certainly stood on ceremony! Just take a look at humans, no one offered anything when the Orchid Forest master broke through!

Damn, that’s sad.

Granted, human forces tended to be spread out and no one was part of a bigger faction. There was naturally no consideration of bringing presents for others. When it came down to it, chaos beasts were part of a major faction.

They all ate out of the same pot. Hence, no one was being miserly.

When he thought of how conflicted the Thunder master had been over one billion dao crystals... Li Hao felt a moment of sympathy toward the man. Just look at chaos beasts! They easily received more than one billion in presents when they elevated their world.

And this was with Dragon major world being absent. If not, the grandmaster of the region would definitely offer more gifts.

Li Hao sent his river surging outward and churned all of the presents away. The envoys looked sternly at the sight.

A river of dao?

Although... they were unfamiliar with a newly ascended dao universe, they more or less knew that it should be very disorderly. It would be very hard for a dao river to form that quickly.

Had Earth Dragon advanced swiftly, or had the dao universe come into being earlier?

Suspicions deepened, but there was nothing they could do about it for now. What could they do against a seventh rank? Almost all of the exalted emperors present were sixth ranks. Although Feng Yan was a peak sixth rank, there was a world’s difference between sixth and seventh rank in their eyes!

A dozen sixth ranks might not triumph over a seventh rank.

Feng Yan said nothing. She simply agitated her great dao, hoping to send out word through her dao universe and let her mother know that something was amiss here. Perhaps Earth Dragon really had turned traitor?

Who knew?