Star Gate

The Watercloud empress dowager was lost in thought at what she heard from Li Hao. Behind her, various Watercloud officials looked at each other with surprise. That was just a random excuse...

It was their first time meeting someone like Li Hao, someone who treated their excuses as real reasons. No, he was doing that on purpose, wasn’t he?

The Watercloud empress dowager also paused, but quickly sighed, “The commander means well, but the migration of hundreds of millions...”

“Aren’t you invading the southern continent for this purpose?” Li Hao asked quizzically. “Is there anything difficult about that? If so, Skystar is willing to lend people for this purpose. You had to do it yourself before, but now I can provide basic living conditions for Watercloud citizens. They won’t be the best, of course, but it’s just temporary accommodations. A new life awaits once we are past this hurdle!”

“......” The empress dowager had no idea what to say.

“Li Hao, you should look to yourself first!” sneered the black robe. If the kid kept talking, the excuse that the empress dowager was so proud of would become Skystar’s reason to back Watercloud into a corner.

Li Hao looked at the black robe and sighed with pity. "You traitors know not the suffering of the people. I am discussing the future of Watercloud nation with the empress dowager, what do you know about that? Are not the lives of hundreds of millions more important than fighting each other?”

“The officials of Watercloud...” the black robe began in terse tones.

“Skystar lacks talent. Anyone who is willing to serve can obtain a position in our government at any time. I won’t shut them out.” Li Hao smiled. “The little emperor is so adorable. If he possesses sufficient talent, why not he be the master of Skystar? If the empress dowager is wise, even a woman can be the emperor. Is this what you wish to speak of?”

The young man’s smile broadened. “If Watercloud is willing to lay down their weapons and join Skystar, then Skystar is naturally willing to treat them with sincerity!”

All was quiet in the vicinity.

“The commander jests, this humble one does not harbor such intentions,” the empress dowager said softly.

“So what of it, even if you do?” The young man’s smile remained as radiant as before. “All within the world can be permitted. This world does not belong to me alone! Watercloud in the south does not have any major conflict with Skystar just yet. Skystar’s navy is also a bit weak. If we can strengthen our navy and take up residence in the four seas, then I highly welcome Watercloud’s addition! We will be able to eliminate the pirates and safeguard the peace of the waters. Why can there not be an additional Watercloud province?”

Watercloud Dynasty was fully backed into a corner now!

Of the one hundred officials, a wizened man suddenly walked out. “We did not expect the commander to be so magnanimous. But there are too many disasters related to water in the south and migration of our people is a difficult matter. There will be no one to protect the people if we disband the navy now...”

“I can send out troops to safeguard your people during this process!”

“The commander may be unaware of the dangers possible when it comes to water. It is difficult for the inexperienced to survive when they enter Watercloud...”

“That’s alright,” sighed Li Hao. “I can send water monster spirits and gather together water supernaturals for the cause.”

“......” Some of the army generals could no longer sit still. “We want territory that belongs to us!”

“You can have that,” Li Hao laughed. “But it’s not convenient to move anyone else right now. I can fill in the sea and create more land. What does the general think?”

“......” Watercloud’s delegation was completely out of responses. If they had to continue, they could only say that they wished to conquer the world. That would render their empress dowager’s previous words a complete joke.

The delegation had previously thought that Li Hao would spring into action as soon as the two sides met, given the young man’s explosive temper. There was news from Great Li of exactly that happening; it was further reinforced when Li Hao livestreamed his counterblow against Divine Nation.

Therefore, the Watercloud delegation had decided on a course of action that involved painting themselves in a weak light and demonstrating how pitiable they were.

What were they supposed to do now that Li Hao really did pity them?

The group grappled with collective headaches, but didn’t want outright hostility on the spot either. Yet, were they supposed to follow Li Hao’s orders if they didn’t flip the tables?

“We appreciate the commander’s kind intentions,” sighed the Watercloud empress dowager. “But the commander is in a great deal of trouble yourself these days. Great Li, Barren Dynasty, and Divine Nation prowl on your borders like tigers eyeing their prey. We cannot impede your great enterprise for Watercloud’s matters.

“This place is a little better than Watercloud when it comes to the general environment. It would not count as setting foot onto the southern continent either. Commander Li, can my people borrow this place for a few months so we can rest and regroup?”

“That is such a bad idea.” Li Hao raised an eyebrow. “This place is poor and destitute, and it’s full of water with no way to disembark. There is the Skystar Sea outside of Skystar City! If the empress dowager does not mind, your million-strong navy can immediately make camp at the Skystar Sea.

“Skystar City is a thriving, prosperous metropolis with tens of millions of residents. It has everything you’d wish for! The city is willing to provide provision for every Watercloud soldier, as well as all daily necessities. We will all be one family when peace reigns throughout the land.” freewebnσvel.cøm

“......”

The Li Hao in front of them seemed to be another person now. He was no longer as domineering as moments before. The young man was now exceedingly gentle and refined.

However... his bearing stuck in people’s sides like a thorn.

Some of the more waspish army officers were finding it difficult to remain calm.

“Since the commander is so generous, why not lend the southern continent to us so we can live there for a period of time!” one of them said through gritted teeth.

“See, you guys keep pushing for more when I agree to your requests!” sighed Li Hao. “Human desire is never satisfied. I said I’ll help you migrate, give you a camp site, form a province, and take up residence in the Skystar Sea...

“I’ve agreed to all of this, but you’re still not satisfied! Call a spade a spade, this is an invasion! Why dress it up in fancy words and make yourself out to be something?”

“The commander truly is... Forget it! We don’t need to speak of this,” sighed the empress dowager when the conversation began dissolving. “Have you come to demand our retreat? If that is the case, then we will withdraw.”

“There’s no hurry for that,” chuckled Li Hao. “The other three nations have their own basis of confidence, so they refuse to withdraw no matter what. I am curious only about Watercloud now. I’ve already said all that I can, so can it be that Watercloud also possesses ambitions to hold sway over the world. My question then would be... what is your source of confidence?””

The empress dowager raised her head and smiled at Li Hao. “The ancient city is willing to lend us a hand... Does the commander find that to be enough?”

“No.”

The empress dowager ignored the blunt response and turned to the black robe. “Revered one, Watercloud is weak and Commander Li is here in person today... We do not possess valiant generals to meet him, so we ask that the revered one demonstrate your might to expel them from the premises. Watercloud would find it difficult to proceed otherwise.”

The black robe cursed to himself! His companions hadn’t encountered anything like this with the other three nations! Yet when it came to him, Watercloud constantly whined about how weak they were and how they needed support from the ancient city. If they didn’t receive any, they wouldn’t be able to defeat Li Hao’s side and would withdraw.

Never in a million years would the black robe believe that Watercloud didn’t have any aces up its sleeves. But with the entire nation’s executives watching him, wouldn’t it appear as a demonstration of weakness if he didn’t take a stand?

At the same time, he knew that he wouldn’t defeat Li Hao since he was just a replica. The black robe was caught between a rock and a hard place.

If he made a move, he stood a ninety-nine percent chance of dying to Li Hao’s hand. If not, the ancient city would seem to be completely incompetent.

This black robe suddenly envied the envoys to the other three nations. Look at what easy lives they led! Over in the west, their queen outright led the divine spirits into battle. On the eastern front, desolate beasts had been sent out. In the north, although a number of people had died, the Great Li king was also personally in the field alongside his main priest.

When it came to the south... was he supposed to take the toddler emperor into the battlefield?

“Revered one, Watercloud had sent out our navy simply to enhance the revered one’s might.” The empress dowager bent at the waist. “But now with Commander Li so overbearing, we request that the mighty one demonstrate your formidable strength!”

“We request the revered one to demonstrate your valiance and kill the enemy!” spoke the officials.

The black robe thought it over—he was an Apex at the end of the day. Although modern Apexes were the equivalent of seven or eight elements, he was still... barely a Sun and Moon according to the modern martial dao, no?

Although Li Hao had seemed to be very strong in the sky canopy, what if the black robe could put up a fight? The caveat was that Watercloud would about-face and return home if he didn’t fight. He wouldn’t be able to shoulder the consequences of that outcome.

If he died, it was just a replica that died.

The black robe feared nothing when his thoughts traveled here. His presence exploded and he grimly gathered all of the core origin energy in his replica. Even if he couldn’t claim the final victory, he would show Watercloud that just a replica was sufficient to stop Li Hao for a while.

There was no need to be afraid of anything!

“This seat is just a replica... I am less than one-tenth of my primary body and less than a hundredth of my prime in New Martial...” Having mentioned all of the exceptions to his strength, it would mean far less if he really was defeated later.

He flew out, finding the world shifting around him as soon as he did so. The void overturned and a great aura came down on him. A tremendous surge of sword intent erupted in the void!

A sword stabbed forward without sound or presence. The black robe jerked with dismay and howled; tinges of red appeared within the shadow. Domineering mental strength erupted, but was dismantled by a single sword stroke!

Li Hao struck once more the next second—he punctured the black robe with the sound of breaking a water balloon. The black robe exploded; Li Hao reached out with a hand and collected all of the core origin, molding it into a ball.

“Nourish yourself with this, Deputy Zhou.” He tossed it to the deputy standing behind him.

“......”

The surroundings were eerily quiet. All of the Watercloud powerhouses were dumbfounded by the sight. The enormously powerful revered one... Everyone had known that he was unlikely to defeat Li Hao. They just wanted him to probe the young man. But now, he was dead after one move!

Although the black robe had only been a replica, he was still formidable beyond belief!

Fear dawned on some faces. If Li Hao was so domineering, could Watercloud truly stand against him?

There were powerhouses among their nation as well, but based on the current martial dao system, they were ninth level Mountain and Sea at most. Some of their greatest generals were barely this level. The greatest commander-in-chief of the navy... was probably just a first level Sun and Moon?

He was the equivalent of the black robe at most. How were they supposed to stand against Li Hao’s group with this level of battle strength?

Everyone panicked!