Star Gate

Those irritated by Lin Hongyu's sudden elevation in status found her idea to be very sound. The people who'd fallen in battle were their friends. It was quite saddening that they were gone without any recognition or anyone knowing their names.

Having a shrine set up so that the people could learn about and remember them would be a kind of worthy death!

"Then... can we be enshrined too if we die in battle?" asked Sky Sword. That question made many eyes shoot wide.

Didn't Silver Moon martial masters fight to leave their name behind when they died? If they could enjoy the worship of descendants to come and be known throughout the land in death, that would have been a life worth living!

They suddenly felt that the woman in front of them knew them all too well. Although Li Hao had once spoken of having their names be known through the ages, he'd yet to embark on that endeavor. It was the source of regret for many, but no one dared speak openly of it.

They were afraid that the young man would fly into a rage because he firmly believed that Yuan Shuo and the rest were still alive. Now that this newly promoted marquise was proposing the idea... it was hard for them not to support her.

If Li Hao was unhappy with this turn of events, he could take it up with his wife!

The tense atmosphere abruptly relaxed and even Director General Zhao said, "This is a great idea, I support it wholeheartedly! Twenty days is enough! It will not take that long if we set supernaturals to the task.

"The shrines don't need to be opulent either, that is not in-line with our style. They can be simple and dignified. If we are able to etch our names in them when we depart from this life, then we will have left our mark on this world!"

Everyone nodded in agreement. Lin Hongyu had abruptly won everyone's approval and acknowledgement. They accepted her as the marquise just from this point alone!Whatever, so be it.

Li Hao had to take a wife sooner or later, anyways. As opposed to going for someone they were completely unfamiliar with or lacked any ability whatsoever and only knew how to randomly interfere, this was better.

While Lin Hongyu possessed strong ambitions, at least she had the ability to back them up.

"Very well, we'll get started right away!" Lin Hongyu smiled. "The world is at peace for the moment, so let's take advantage of it and swiftly complete the construction of our shrines. I wish to pray and present offerings to all of our fallen heroes in twenty days. Everyone in the world can join us for this!"

She didn't mention anything about resurrection. This was a ceremony for remembrance and blessing! Neither did Lin Hongyu say anything about having people attend a wedding or preparing a surprise for it. That would be the product of a mind with limited vision. Proclaiming something like that would not be good for either her or Li Hao. It would demonstrate that their personal desires took precedence over everything.

She'd simply been throwing out ideas to Li Hao before. Now that the pretext was a ceremony for their fallen heroes, it provided a more stately and dignified reason to mobilize the world with. The people would approve of it more easily.

As expected, no one objected to her plans. Only nods abounded through the group.

"The world will still be at peace after twenty days." Commander-in-chief Huang Yu very much endorsed this course of action. "The soldiers will be invigorated and morale increased after such a remembrance! The military will throw its full support behind this initiative. But... is it too much of a hassle to involve everyone? We can just have the soldiers pray..."

"No, that won't do!" Lin Hongyu emphatically shook her head. "The general population does not know what we have suffered and the price we have paid for their peace. They will never know if they do not participate. They must understand how those who have fallen in battle are more than worthy of their love and respect!

"I also hope that we will be listed in the shrine after our deaths and receive the prayers of the world. Perhaps the marquis will be able to find us then and revive us, so that we may march upon the world together once more!"

The group snapped to attention at her response and nods flourished anew. The matter of her becoming marquise was completely set aside. She was worthy of the position, seeing how she valued those who'd fallen in battle!

Off to the side, Gan Wuliang snuck a glance at Lin Hongyu. Although he didn't know the particulars, he inwardly marveled at her methods. She really was something!

Most Silver Moon martial masters were straight-shooters. She'd simply utilized a few words and a casual plan to dispel most of their misgivings. As expected of the once city lord of the City of Supernaturals!

There were others secretly astonished as well. Director General Zhao and the others could tell that the proposed shrines weren't necessarily the key. While they were unaware of the exact details, it was more than apparent that Lin Hongyu was a highly competent woman.

All sides were united in a rare moment of harmony; even recent scuffles were thrown out the window.

"Then everyone will have to work a bit harder over the next couple of days to pacify the people and world," Lin Hongyu smiled. "No one is to be left out in the construction of the shrines! The ceremony will begin when all is ready.

"Let's also advertise it beforehand and print pamphlets that speak of the glorious deeds that our fallen braves achieved! Their exploits of great merit cannot be forgotten! I'll also look to Martial Uncle Hong to temporarily focus on these heroic feats in the curriculum for the literacy classes and martial dao academies..."

Hong Yitang nodded. This was a very important task. He also hoped that Yuan Shuo and the others could be revived. If prayer and remembrance could really produce some ripples and result in power of faith that led to a personal star, then this was a wonderful idea that he had no reason not to support!

Everyone was cheerfully united in a common goal. Whether it was soldiers or civil officials, everyone looked ahead to the ceremony to come.

Lin Hongyu heaved a sigh of relief to herself. This was a fantastic outcome! She smiled as she looked at everyone interacting in a friendly manner, then turned to look at a specific spot. Had Li Hao really gone into closed door cultivation? Or was he secretly observing from somewhere?

It was too late for him to change his mind!

......

Li Hao was indeed holed up somewhere, observing the happenings in the outside world. He caressed Panther's back after a long while and murmured, "What an incredibly competent woman! I knew she could have achieved it in another way, so she really did just want my body! You see, it didn't have to be that complicated. A simple shrine would've solved everything. But instead she said..."

"Arf arf arf!" Panther barked in protest.Enough of that! Could anyone have forced you into what you did if you really didn't want to do it? Obviously, you weren't that opposed to the idea! You're being so shameless!

Li Hao laughed and stroked the dog again. "Let's just leave it at that, this is just as good. She's... really something! I knew that before, but now that she has a status to back up her abilities, I think Ole Zhao and the rest will be hard pressed to win against her."

Still laughing, the young man stood up and ripped through the void, vanishing from the world. "Let's get to work, Panth! We need to establish a foundation in twenty days. The real work starts after that!"

"Arf arf!"

"You're so trash that you still can't talk... Watch me forget about you after I have a wife..."

"Arf arf arf arf arf arf!!" Panther's barking grew much more insistent. A young man and a dog vanished from the world.

......

The aftershocks of Li Hao's announcement continued to ripple through the world. Zheng Yu was completely stunned in Galewind.

Getting married atthistime? Li Hao... seriously loved to do the unexpected! What was he trying to do now? Or did he really want to get married?

What a weird guy!

But this was a good thing. There was nothing Zheng Yu wanted more than for the kid to get married and have children. Li Hao was completely without reservation after Yuan Shuo's death. He was a berserk, emotionless demon. It would be a good thing for all of his enemies if he got married now!

Lin Hongyu could not be permitted to die and it was best if she bore children. Otherwise, the young man was running all of his enemies into the ground.

......

The dao universe.

Li Hao searched for the two powerhouses that he'd thrown into the Hao Cosmos. There was no hint of the redwood tree and old turtle to be seen. Where had they gone? He couldn't start his work without locating them first.

He was situated in a dense cluster of stars, so these two should have arrived very quickly. The exception was if he'd thrown them too far—but he'd ripped through the void in such a haste that he shouldn't have been able to throw them that far.

Had he actually lost two Saints?

Li Hao entered a patch of darkness as he wandered through the dao universe. The Hao Cosmos was too big and he hadn't explored sufficient sectors. Many places were still dark. His main concern when it came to exploration was if he wandered too far off. A long time may have passed when he next rushed back to his starting spot.

"Guardian Turtle!" Li Hao's voice reverberated through the universe, shaking it. Where had those two gone?

If they'd stayed where they'd been thrown in, he might've been able to find them by retracing his steps. But when he returned to the site of his hasty passageway, he found no sign of them. This was very strange!

Li Hao continued to travel through the void, erupting with radiance so brilliant that it was like he was a sun. This was also to point out the way for the two powerhouses. How far away from him were they?

Panther was a bit bored; it'd gained nothing from running around with Li Hao these days and just exhausted itself instead. This was such a pitiful life! Therefore, it drooped even more when it thought of how it might have to work for Li Hao in a bit.

The dog didn't care that they'd lost two Saints. So those two were lost, that was great. The dog could rest.

"Your nose is so keen, are they around here?" Li Hao patted it just as Panther wanted to settle in for a nap.

"......"I knew it!The dog was highly resigned. Its nose twitched, having picked up a scent long ago. It just couldn't be bothered to run after it. It'd been thinking that perhaps the two would appear by themselves after a while. But since they hadn't... fine, it would make a trip.

"Arf!" Panth barked as it set out through the void.

Li Hao was hot on its heels and cursed to himself.This damned dog!It'd picked up a scent a long time ago, but was slacking off! Too bad his teacher wasn't there, or Panth would be turned into dog stew!

One dog and one young man sped through the dao universe, passing by scattered stars that were very dim. Those looked to be unopened dark meridians.

After traveling for a long time, some light appeared up ahead. When Li Hao reached it moments later, he found the old turtle and redwood tree. However, there seemed to be something different about them.

The two seemed to be held in place by something—they resembled sculptures as they stood in the void, unmoving.

Li Hao frowned. "Guardian Turtle?" he called out. The two were right in front of him, but they didn't respond.

The young man's frown deepened. Why was this? There didn't seem to be anything special here, but the two were frozen with some faint light shimmering over them.

Given his confusion, the young man didn't approach.