Chapter 1895: Advancing Side By Side (I)
Gemini.
This was a major world within the chaos, led by two brothers who’d entered eighth rank together. They commanded many seventh ranks and their dao universe was much stronger than the eighth rank dao universes of the four regions.
Unfortunately, the Exalted Sky Yang Emperor had perished not too long ago, alongside two seventh ranks. These days, the Exalted Earth Yang Emperor kept a very low profile.
The unrest within the four regions had delivered a grave blow to Gemini. The two brothers had ventured into the four regions to seize the Skyward dao universe. It would help them enter ninth rank. Even if it didn’t, it would propel them into peak eighth rank.
That would be sufficient for them to dominate the eastern region with. As of the moment, the east lacked an overlord.
All of that was a bygone dream now. And what was more troublesome was that the chaos was starting to grow unsettled as well.
The Exalted Chaos Sky Emperor had set forth on his path of grand conquest after entering ninth rank. Spring Autumn in the south and Five Elements of the north were all expanding their territory. In the east, the Exalted Reincarnation Emperor was formidable. Apart from his world, there were also several eighth rank worlds that vied for supremacy.
Gemini had been part of their ranks before, now it was bottom tier among the eighth ranks.
It wasn’t the worst, but it was a marked difference from what it’d been before. Losing one eighth rank had greatly decreased their competitiveness.
Even self-preservation was an issue now.
The stronger worlds in the eastern region were beginning to expand too. Although there were rumors spreading of Sky Yang’s demise, they were yet to be verified. Once they were... Gemini might be plunged into unprecedented danger.
Earth Yang was contemplating the future. The upheaval in the chaos and Chaos Sky’s breakthrough had broken the balance between the overlords. What should he do now?
He was a bit reluctant to give up the Skyward dao universe, but his brother was dead and there were strong contenders in the four regions. New Martial was formidable, as was the Dragon master. He could not stand against them alone, unless...
His thoughts traveled back to when Chaos Sky extended an olive branch to him.
The seventh rank Cloud Dust had met with him a while back and wanted to recruit him. Could he borrow Chaos Sky’s influence to enter the four regions again and seize Skyward? While this might be consorting with the devil, it was better than his current circumstances.
Earth Yang grew irritated as he considered the possibilities.
There were further rumors these days that Thunder World might have left the four regions. He hadn’t paid attention to them since the Thunder master had only been a seventh rank when he left. Apparently, he’d been harshly oppressed by the Dragon master through the years.
The Thunder master wasn’t even known in the other three regions. What did him leaving the four regions have to do with Earth Yang?
It was just a seventh rank world. Even though Gemini had suffered grievous losses, a seventh rank still wouldn’t be able to challenge it. Not tto mention, Earth Yang felt that he shared no grudge with the Thunder master, so the other had no reason to come for him.
A lithe woman walked into the hall and said softly, “Your Grace, the Exalted Cloud Dust Emperor requests an audience.”
“Hmm?” Earth Yang raised an eyebrow. Here again?
This guy was the spokesperson for Chaos Sky in the eastern region. Although many were aware of that, they didn’t dare do anything about it. Some tried to quietly dispatch him in the shadows, but he possessed ample strength to continue being active and spirited.
Openly meeting the man was not a good idea. The eastern region did not yet belong to Chaos Sky.
“Have him wait outside the world!” Earth Yang said after a moment. He wasn’t going to let the visitor into his home. It would give Cloud Dust a chance to probe into their actual situation. Letting someone else know that his brother had died was not a good idea.
“Understood.” The woman withdrew.
Earth Yang remained in place, weighing up the pros and cons of his current circumstances. When everything was carefully considered, he vanished on the spot.
......
Outside Gemini.
The Exalted Cloud Dust Emperor presented an elegant and dashing sight. He wasn’t concerned about having to wait. He was simply being told to wait and not being thrown out. That was a good sign.
There were sixteen eighth rank worlds in the east—far more than could be imagined and much more than the other three regions. That was due to the lack of an overlord in this area. A portion of the eighth rank worlds had migrated from the other three regions.
Among them, Gemini ranked in the top five. They had two eighth ranks and eight seventh ranks. That was a domineering level of force.
But now, it was hard to say.
Cloud Dust faced the world in front of him and assessed the world gates. There was a seventh rank guarding them!
Under normal circumstances, an eighth rank world wasn’t concerned about invaders at all. They wouldn’t even need a sixth rank at the gates, much less a seventh rank. The world was trying very hard to cover-up something.
Were they worried of outsiders entering the world and detecting something?
It looked like Sky Yang really was dead then.
That was good!
There was no point in him being here if Sky Yang wasn’t dead. The powerful eighth rank worlds didn’t show him any face at all. But now, even if Sky Yang was dead, there was still a great deal of possibility to this world.
It had once produced two eighth ranks, after all. It could produce another.
“Fellow Daoist Cloud Dust is a rare visitor to Gemini.” Earth Yang appeared with a frown and an aloof expression. “My world is crude and not a convenient place to host the fellow daoist...”
“That is of no concern!” smiled Cloud Dust. “Please don’t misunderstand, Senior Earth Yang. I am here because I have some information to share. I happened to obtain some reports that have to do with the senior. That is why I am here.”
“Oh?” Earth Yang retained a calm expression. Puzzlement brewed within him. What information?
“It’s from the four regions, so the veracity cannot be confirmed at the moment,” smiled Cloud Dust. “It says that within the four regions, New Martial Light, Silver Moon, and Thunder World have all been defeated. The Dragon master of the chaos beasts have conquered them all!
“Of the chaos beasts, Black Tiger has entered eighth rank. Red Moon has sworn fealty. The Dragon master killed Blazing Sun, Skycloud, and an unknown eighth rank. Ah, no, Blazing Sun died to the New Martial Human King.
“The dragons have temporarily united the four regions. New Martial and Light have retreated from the four regions and entered the outer regions. Other information points out that Thunder World and Silver Moon have all come to the outer regions.
“The Thunder master may have entered eighth rank. The rest of my information points to Silver Moon and New Martial being of one family, that they originate from the same world...”
He shared all of the intelligence that he knew. This was openly known in the four regions. However, Earth Yang had not received any word of the four regions after he left. Emotion flickered over his face before he quickly regained calm.
As expected, his brother was dead.
He’d known this before, just not who his brother’s murderer was. Now it was revealed to be the Dragon master.
The New Martial group had withdrawn from the four regions. He’d fought one of their powerhouses before and formed a bit of a grudge from that encounter. He further had a death feud with the Dragon master!
And since Silver Moon and Thunder World were working together, and Silver Moon was connected to New Martial, that meant all of the eighth ranks in the four regions were his enemies!
An unpleasant look entered Earth Yang’s eyes.
He also knew that the Light master’s son was on Silver Moon. New Martial and Light had jointly withdrawn, Red Moon worked for the dragons now, and Fog Mountain was also with New Martial...
This meant that after their trip to the four regions, he lost his brother and gained all of their eighth ranks as his enemies!
Cloud Dust closely observed the other’s expression after he shared this information. He smiled inwardly. Success was at hand.
If there was no threat, Earth Yang might not join any faction even after losing a Gemini eighth rank. But now that New Martial was out of the four regions and an eighth rank world with two eighth ranks... And Light, and the Thunder master with Silver Moon...
Are you afraid, with so many eighth ranks as your enemy?
“Ah, I’ve also heard that Reincarnation and Arctic are stirring to action these days,” Cloud Dust added, afraid that Earth Yang needed more of a push. “They’ve recently descended a few levels to capture more worlds. I’m afraid unrest is coming to the east.”
He looked on worriedly, as if concerned about the future to come.
Earth Yang narrowed his eyes and glared at the man. Are you seriously saying that? Would this be happening if Chaos Sky hadn’t started down his path of conquest? This is all your fault! The chaos was at peace for so many years!
So... Reincarnation can’t sit still anymore, huh?
That made sense. Given the general state of affairs, no one could remain unmoved when the tides of momentum shifted.
However, he would be in some trouble if things broke out here. As an eighth rank world ranked in the upper echelon, he would draw a lot of attention. Others would either want to recruit or eliminate Gemini. That was to be expected.
He wouldn’t have feared anything before since he sat in residence with his brother. It didn’t matter that Reincarnation had four eighth ranks! Apart from the world master being slightly stronger, the other three were of no concern.
Since Gemini would hold home world advantage in a battle, Reincarnation would have to be truly desperate before marching on them.
But now...
“It’s not out of the question for me to join the Chaos Sky dao universe,” he said, no longer playing coy. “But I am situated in the east and Chaos Sky is in the west. You are very far away. It will be a long time before you take the east!
“I might be in a bit of trouble before then, unless... I can enter the four regions and seize the Skyward dao universe. That will propel me to ninth rank, or at least peak eighth rank. In that case, I will be able to stay here and coordinate with the Exalted Chaos Sky Emperor.”
“Ah...” frowned Cloud Dust. That was a tall order. “The dragons occupy the four regions and have two eighth ranks, as well as several dozen seventh ranks...”
This would not be easy. Would they have to send their ninth rank in person to bring in an eighth rank world? But once he was away from his world and surrounded by eighth ranks, that would endanger Chaos Sky.
