Star Gate

Joyous prosperity prevailed in Skystar. The battle between powerhouses had nothing to do with civilians. This was an age of fervent infrastructure expansion, a crazed age of education roll-outs, and a confusing age between the old and new eras.

Everyone toiled on behalf of a brighter future. There were many opportunities in this time period.

The four nations were nearly destroyed, the four continents were being unified as one, and Silver Moon world was welcoming its first major unification in the last one hundred thousand years. Apart from Great Li still in the throes of its last struggles, even Divine Nation had been conquered.

The commanders of the four directions led troops to root out troublemakers in various pockets of the land.

The administrative governments were selecting their officials.

The martial academies held open enrollments to candidates regardless of family background. So long as one's potential was sufficient, one could matriculate. Everyone started anew in this age and everything was changing.

Pre-existing hierarchies were broken, but new ones were born. That was unavoidable. The Silver Moon martial masters were the greatest faction in the world, then came New Martial with Battle Heaven at its head. After that was the fringe core faction that was Lin Hongyu, the redwood tree, and Gan Wuliang. Even an antique and snob such as Chen Zhongtian leaned towards the latter.

Outsiders also flocked together. Although strong enemies were still present, everyone worked together for a common cause. At the same time, each faction vied for the best benefits for themselves. They wanted to ensure the greatest chance for more powerhouses to appear among their descendants. More resources and opportunities were also a common point of contention.

These were the issues that powerhouses fought over, concerns that were inconsequential to Li Hao. However, they were very important to those involved. Didn't they fight throughout the world in order to secure a more glorious future?

While there weren't any conflicts between the factions on the surface, they fought each other fiercely under the table.

The chokehold that the Silver Moon martial masters had on everything was almost impossible to break. Li Hao came from Silver Moon and was a Silver Moon martial master himself. He was their most accomplished representative. That could not be changed even though the head of the five commanders was Lin Hongyu and the leader of the plant spirits was the redwood tree.

......

Skystar City.

Large quantities of seventh level Sun and Moon began appearing after Li Hao's crippling of his own cultivation. The powerhouses that'd fallen behind began catching up and started pursuing their own interests in a high profile manner.

Although major differences in opinion were yet to develop, small run-ins had already appeared when it came to the division of resources. Battle Heaven needed them, the newly pledged Martial Alliance needed them, students from Evenround Martial needed them, as did Silver Moon martial masters, the Skystar Commander Office, plant spirits...

Everyone needed resources!

The world may have revitalized and ambient energy was present in the environment, but it wasn't enough to the hordes of cultivators out there.

The mines were yet to recover, so there wasn't enough energy to begin with. Part of the powerhouses were still recovering as well. The Skystar mine had been emptied; just the issue of resources alone was an incredible hassle.

There wasn't enough to go around!

Not only that, but the same went for weapons and armor as well. While many had been collected from the main cities that Skystar had taken down, it wasn't enough. When taking into account new recruits from the Barren Dynasty, the Skystar Army numbered 1.5 million. The soldiers and various Skystar commander offices all needed armor.

The Watercloud navy had enough to outfit their own. However, now that Barren's two hundred thousand cavalry had joined them, they needed armor as well.

Not only that, but the Inspectorate also put in a request for equipment. There were too many in the institution! The army could be pared down, but the number of inspectors could not. One million sets of armor had been collected from the four main cities—that could barely satisfy the army's needs, which left the Inspectorate out in the cold.

This result was a source of dissatisfaction to Chen Zhongtian. He was only requesting one hundred thousand sets! There were a lot of inspectors out on patrol and they encountered danger in their line of duty as well. Although they weren't on the frontlines, it fell to the Inspectorate to keep misbehaving supernaturals in line.

Since there were no wars at hand, it seemed to him that the Inspectorate should be provisioned first.

He was none too happy that the Silver Moon martial masters had occupied a large portion of the battle spoils from the latest engagements. If Yuan Shuo, Hou Xiaochen, and the rest were still present, he wouldn't have the right to fight for anything. But now that they were gone, he had nothing to fear when it came to the other martial masters of Silver Moon.

As a first generation minister of the former nine ministries, his tenure was long and illustrious. He was also part of the first batch of powerhouses to pledge themselves to Li Hao. Chen Zhongtian had fought many battles with Li Hao, including the first skirmish against the plant spirits in the ruins.

When it came down to things, many of the Silver Moon martial masters didn't measure up to him in this regard.

Small-scale confusion stirred Skystar Dynasty in this aspect. It also had to do with how hands-off Li Hao had been lately and that the Skystar Commander Office, being the military branch, was unable to check or balance the civil branch that was the administrative government.

......

Li Hao watched over the happenings for two days. He didn't involve himself or interfere.

It was good that there was competition. If everyone had a complete lack of desire, then where would the drive to improve come from? What would they make of their future if there was no motivation?

But competition needed to be controlled within a certain range and kept within healthy parameters. A negative feedback cycle could not be permitted to develop. That would easily cause a host of different issues.

However, as the main combat force against their various enemies, he could not expend all of his attention on matters like these. He was short on time these days and didn't have enough of it.

Gan Wuliang, Zhao Shuguang, Lin Hongyu, Zhou Chuan, Chen Zhongtian...

Li Hao ran through a list of candidates and quickly eliminated Chen Zhongtian and Gan Wuliang. These two were capable, but not expansive enough in their style and didn't take the bigger picture into account often enough. They rather gave off the feeling of being narrow-minded and having limited vision.

He didn't approve of the others that much either. Meanwhile, Deputy Zhou was yet to switch to the new dao after all this time. Hence, he wouldn't possess sufficient authority when administering the world of the new dao. Li Hao eliminated him as well.

When it came down to it, only Zhao Shuguang and Lin Hongyu were the most suitable. As for Lin Hongyu's suggestion, Li Hao was still considering it.

It didn't sit that comfortably from an emotional and mental level, but this was just a matter of familiarization. To Li Hao, marrying and having children seemed to be just another mission to him.

Love was too much of a luxury in this age. He possessed neither the time nor the energy for it, and he wasn't confident of actually being able to maintain a relationship.

Those who pursued dao and a grand enterprise didn't have the time to think of women. Granted, his teacher was an exception—or not one since he'd never married or had children either. It wasn't until late in his life that he pursued Jadelight Sword.

"An identity, is it?" Li Hao thought it over. Was Lin Hongyu more suitable, or Zhao Shuguang? It wasn't that he wanted to marry Zhao Shuguang, just wondering who was more appropriate for the job.

Both of them had their strengths and both of them had their weaknesses. Lin Hongyu had ambition. While Director General Zhao's ambition was slightly smaller, it was still there.

One used to lead a city of one million supernaturals, the other led the disorderly Silver Moon province.

Both were seventh level Sun and Moon, so their strength was similar.

One had the backing of Silver Moon martial masters, the other had the backing of outside supernaturals and martial masters.

However, Silver Moon martial masters were more widely known. Everyone in the world knew that Li Hao came from Silver Moon province. Another point was that Silver Moon province was situated on the northern continent, whereas Lin Hongyu came from the central contingent.

'Northern barbarian' was a nickname that had never been fully forgotten. The other continents, including the central region, had a much lower tolerance of the north.

The more he thought about it, the more he found that perhaps Lin Hongyu was more suitable. As for her gender being female... Who cared about that in an age of superhumans?

After weighing up the advantages and disadvantages, Li Hao found Lin Hongyu more suited to the task. Whether it was her accomplishments and capabilities, she possessed those in spades. Silver Moon martial masters should also accepted her to a large degree.

Should I give her the title of my wife?Li Hao ran through numerous concerns. He was thinking about a lot, but none of his considerations contained personal emotion.Does a natural lone wolf like me need relationships?

Those that I had relationships with are all dead with no exception!

There is only if she's suitable or not, nothing else. I was just caught off guard when she first raised the idea, but from the bigger picture of things, she speaks correctly!Making her his wife would also balance all sides. The redwood would adequately counter New Martial.

The redwood tree was the leader of the plant spirits and a newly ascended Saint. The plant spirit army involved General Pagoda and the newly pledged guardian spirit of Martial Alliance...

That also gives her sufficient reason and motivation to help me complete the organization of the great dao!

Li Hao thought through everything in this moment. The only mental hurdle he couldn't get past was the one in his heart.I am destined to be alone, will she die if she just has an empty title to her name?

I don't believe in destiny, but I've been struggling all this time for my own life. I know that I'm the thorn in many people's side. Does Lin Hongyu understand that this title might give her greater power, but it might also cause her death earlier...

Li Hao's wife...

Everyone in the world can live but Li Hao's wife! The wife of a sovereign is too laden with meaning!

No one said a word when Li Hao seized Skystar Dynasty, killed the Skystar king, executed large sums of royal powerhouses, and nearly slaughtered all of the royal family. One generation's royal family was the next dynasty's subjects. How many ruling members of the previous dynasty ever met with a good ending?

"She's a smart person, what wouldn't she understand?" Li Hao laughed softly. Lin Hongyu should know the implications of what she proposed, but she suggested it anyway. This woman had quite the ambition!

There are half step emperors and an exalted emperor in the world these days. Li Hao was just seventh level Sun and Moon. He wasn't a shoo-in to be the overall winner at a time like this.