Star Gate

Li Hao had never suppressed the development of martial dao among the people. On the contrary, he constantly promoted it and shared everything that he learned. There were at least one billion cultivators in the world these days.

When so many cultivated, there were bound to be a few geniuses that appeared. Li Hao didn't seek to keep those geniuses down either. As such .they improved at a rapid pace.

There were many opportunities to be had in the world these days. First, the Forbidden Sea was active, then the world revitalized, then came the demise of Saints and a subsequent dispersion of energy.

Power from the great dao was readily available in the environment as well. Various martial dao academies had been established for a solid education. One could earn energy stones through being part of the infrastructure workforce...

All components of modern society were to facilitate the development of martial dao. The new dao had become mainstream in the world.

"There's no need to pay me empty flattery, none of that's important!" Li Hao smiled. "Not to mention, it's just mutual benefit. I gave them chances and they've also helped me quite a few times. Whether it's to kill Empyrean Kings, Saints, or the heavenly will—the people's hearts can be used!

"Much of it also has to do with you guys spreading my name and feats far and wide, making me out to be larger than life. You don't actually have to do that, you know. But since the people did end up helping me a few times, I won't pretend that those actions didn't help me in the end."

If it wasn't for the people's support, it wouldn't have been that easy to take down these Saints. He'd killed twelve Saints in one battle! Would he have been able to do so if the heavenly will hadn't been thrown into confusion for a split second?

Lin Hongyu said nothing else; she was only confused why Li Hao had brought her to the great dao universe. What were they doing here?

To give her rewards? Or compensation for what she'd lost?

But Li Hao himself had broken so many great daos. What was he doing here with her instead of going into seclusion to recover?

"Many people want to become the Human King, but I've never considered doing that for myself," Li Hao suddenly said as numerous thoughts flitted through Lin Hongyu's mind.

The woman blinked.

"I'm not the kind of person to rule the world. Granted, in this age, martial might speaks the loudest!" the young man laughed. "It's enough to have battle strength. I can just put everyone else where they are needed!

"I think most highly of you and Director General Zhao, you know. Logically speaking, I should be closer to Director General Zhao since we're both from Silver Moon province. However..." Li Hao said softly. "It's because he's from Silver Moon that I think some drawbacks will appear if the director general administers the world.

"It's not necessarily a good thing to have too many Silver Moon citizens in positions of power. And another thing is that the director general... is slightly more senior than the rest. He's respectful enough to me, but it just feels different."

Lin Hongyu didn't say a word. She normally didn't when the topic of conversation was the Silver Moon martial masters.

"Anyway, I brought you into the dao universe because I have several ideas in mind." Li Hao grinned. "My cultivation was too random and scattered before. I want to reorganize the great dao again. I already did so before, but... it's still a mess! We improve too quickly and forget or overlook some things each time we do so..."

"Does the marquis want me to help move the stars?" Lin Hongyu nodded.

Li Hao had mentioned doing this before and many people from Battle Heaven had once helped in a similar task.

"Not that!" Li Hao shook his head. "I want to conduct a large-scale consolidation of great dao! It's not as simple as moving some stars around! I've had some breakthroughs in dao enlightenment lately. Do you remember when we first organized the dao meridians that 360 dao meridians form a sword?"

Lin Hongyu nodded. Of course she remembered that discovery! That was the foundation of the new dao! Who would forget that? Everyone followed that order when they cultivated these days.

"I've had some new thoughts this time!" said Li Hao. "I want to divide the entire dao universe into 360 sectors, mapping each of them to the 360 dao meridians. I also want to fill in some of the unattributed dao meridians with attributed ones..."

Lin Hongyu looked quizzically at the young man. "What does the marquis mean by that?"

Was the current division inappropriate?

"To put it simply, I want to turn 360 dao meridians into 360 foundation points. Each foundation point will be the center of the sector. They will no longer be divided by attributes, but mixed together! The dao meridians will be recombined based on a set order!

"There is one massive benefit to doing so—we'll be able to smoothly integrate all of them together at the end!" Li Hao grinned brilliantly. "I want this river of stars to fully traverse the dao universe. There will be order in the chaos! Of course, I will maintain the current division of attributes on the surface..."

Lin Hongyu hesitated, not sure of what Li Hao intended.

"What I mean is that I want to divide the river of stars into two!" Li Hao had to explain further when he saw that his comrade didn't understand. "The first part will be the sectors we see, the second will be the river's source. They will be the currents of the river and all daos will flow to the same end!

"The entire river will be separated into two levels. The first level is the one of various attributes, which are the sectors we have now of the five elements, wind and thunder, blade, spear, sword, and halberd... The stars are just adornments. Now, I want to create a river of chaos that includes the starry river!"

"Why?" Lin Hongyu started. Why did the marquis want to undertake this task? It was an extreme hassle and a massive project. She didn't understand why Li Hao didn't want to proceed according to the old categories that he'd set up. Why did he suddenly want to reorganize things now?

"All daos are one in the end!" Li Hao explained once more. "I've reached new understandings and realize that the chaos is very complicated! The Barren wasteland appeared disordered because it was a disordered chaos. An orderly chaos and world should be able to nurture a myriad of daos! They should even be able to nurture the world and universe!

"I've brought you here for two things—one, to compensate you a bit, and two, I'd like you to do something for me..."

"Please speak of it, my lord!" Lin Hongyu quickly responded with surprise.What can I help you with?

There were plenty of Saints under Li Hao's banner these days. Her own strength had decreased from before, so what could she help with now?

"You're very skilled at public discourse and manipulating the people's sentiments," Li Hao smiled. "Ahem, I mean directing the people's opinions. Er... how about controlling the people's heart? That doesn't sound any better... I mean persuasion and influence..."

Lin Hongyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What was she supposed to say after that kind of opener?

"I have an idea about organizing the great dao, but it's too hard, so I need your help!" the young man laughed. "This is where I need you to lend me a hand!"

"How... how can I help, my lord?"

"It'll be very difficult!" Li Hao paused. "I need the cooperation of the people if I want to reorganize and integrate the great dao, but... it can't be done in a conspicuous manner. I can't have anyone detecting my goal!

"Anyways, it's very complicated. For example, if I want to extract some power of fire, I might need ten thousand or one hundred thousand cultivators to call upon their fire dao meridian at the same time. That will facilitate the shifting of those dao stars. Meanwhile, those of the other dao meridians cannot move...

"When I need wind energy, I need those of the wind attribute to operate independent of the rest... It's going to be a rearrangement that results from the coordination of all cultivators in the world!" Li Hao explained. "I'm just giving a simple example, it'll be more complicated in practice. I need synchronization from the people and balance between a myriad of daos to form an ordered chaos.

"Well, it's not a requirement for the people to participate, but that means the final product will be very fragile! I need all hearts to be as one if I'm to craft a stable river. The room for error is too low!

"I've given it some thought and perhaps Gan Wuliang would be able to do it, but this wouldn't be how he would do it. He would only be able to control part of the people—his command wouldn't extend to everyone in the world!

"You've administered Skystar for a period of time and the people are familiar with you. They know you and trust you. I'll be organizing the great dao within the Hao Cosmos and will depend on you to direct everything outside!"

Lin Hongyu paused. Direct all cultivators beneath the world??How... can I guarantee that? You're joking!!

"This is too hard, my lord," she couldn't help herself. "I won't be able to shoulder the responsibility if anything rages out of control!"

You've got to be kidding!

"My lord, the people are too weak. Why don't you name some stronger cultivators and gather them together. One million cultivators will do..."

"No, they won't do!" Li Hao immediately declined. "I want to be the strongest cultivator and craft the strongest river of stars. Can one million cultivators measure up to one or two billion cultivators? Even those who'd only cleared acupoints and not opened dao meridians are able to influence the dao universe. I need all cultivators to be of one mind and one heart..."

What... what are you thinking of?!

Lin Hongyu's head was about to explode.Is this compensation for my losses or telling me to court death??

"I can reward you an unparalleled opportunity if you accomplish this for me!" Li Hao said enticingly. "Don't all of you find Gan Wuliang's dao to be very impressive? It's just a small dao! If you complete this for me, I'll craft a new dao for you, one of the people!

"It would be a smaller version of the human emperor dao! I'll thread your dao through the river of stars. While I would be the one in control of the river, you would be the second most important character in the dao universe!

"This is a chance that I haven't offered even those closest to me. I give it only to you! See how much I value you, Lin Hongyu!"

The woman didn't know what to say.How much you value me? It... sounds enticing enough, but...

"My lord, the heart is hard to predict!" she said with a brewing headache. "It's fine enough in regular times, but suddenly wanting the people to be of one heart and take the same action... They are people and cultivators, not machines, programs, or puppets. I'm not confident of achieving this task. Give me another three to five years..."

"You have one month at most!"

"......" Lin Hongyu wanted to have a mental breakdown. "A month... at most??"

"Your actual timeline may be even shorter! I want to make good use of this month because someone's coming out after that period of time. Whatever I do then will not go unnoticed!" Li Hao said seriously. "I can't out fight them, I'm less than them in terms of strength and preparation! I can only build another road, which is why I had to be so decisive in imprisoning them elsewhere this time!

"We only have a month. If we miss out on this opportunity, then everything I am will fall under someone else's control. This river of stars is actually under someone else's grasp as well!

"There is no one in the dao universe right now and no one surveilling me from the outside. I'm also concerned that Gan Wuliang and the rest have been secretly controlled by others! It's you who's quietly risen to your station because the redwood has been helping you all this time. This is actually a good thing!

"I have a chance of succeeding only if you accomplish all of this for me. Not only must we succeed, but we need to do so in a way that arouses no suspicion..."

"My... my lord, I am unable to accomplish this!" Lin Hongyu's head pounded! She really couldn't!