Li Huang stood on the shore, his gaze filled with satisfaction as he observed the massive kill points he had earned from this battle. The unexpectedly high count stemmed from his altered plan, for which he owed thanks to the current Dragon Emperor, Shi Long.
Earlier, Li Huang's strategy had taken shape after receiving critical information from the Dark Shadow Secret Unit. They had probed the spirit of a captured manta ray, a sea beast at the Saint King level, caught by Zhi Yuan in battle. Through this spirit search, Li Huang learned of Shi Long's intended assault, which allowed him to craft his own counter-strategy. He ordered the Dark Shadow Secret Unit to disguise themselves as manta rays and escort the poison-ridden green-robed man directly to the Dragon Dynasty.
Li Huang intended to spread the rainbow poison within the Dragon Dynasty, aiming to weaken their forces. By deploying the poison in the palace, he hoped to eliminate some of the sea beasts in the dynasty, thereby stirring turmoil within their ranks.
Li Huang dared to make this move because of a crucial piece of information he had obtained from the spirit of a servant of the Heavenly Origin Sect. It revealed that the world was on the brink of a great transformation, advancing to a Level 9 world. This shift would cause a vast increase in spiritual energy, unlocking new levels of cultivation. As a result, high-ranking forces were hesitant to engage in open conflict, knowing that the conflicts and even survival of their species were secondary. Those who were powerful understood that if they could endure this period, they would be able to rebuild their forces to even greater heights in the future.
However, Li Huang's entire plan had to change when the current Dragon Emperor, Shi Long, led his ministers to view his hidden army, taking along the Dark Shadow Secret Unit agent disguised as a stingray. Li Huang received all the information through the special skill Celestial Vision, allowing him to perceive through the agent's perspective. This unexpected insight immediately altered his strategy. Realizing that the rainbow poison planted in the Green-Robed Man and the disguised agent would not be enough given the vast number of sea creatures, Li Huang decided to deploy 99 additional agents from the Dark Shadow Secret Unit, each carrying rainbow poison within them. With one agent already inside the cave, Li Huang used the system's power to transport the other agents precisely to the cave where Shi Long hid his army.
Once inside the cave, the Dark Shadow Secret Unit spread out to different locations and detonated themselves, releasing the rainbow poison with the aim of exterminating all life within.
As Li Huang pondered whether to use his newly amassed kill points to enhance his cultivation or bolster his army's strength, the winds began to stir violently. A howling gale swept toward the Star Continent, casting the sky into an inky blackness reminiscent of a moonless night. Dark storm clouds gathered swiftly, ominously signaling an impending disaster. Li Huang observed the scene with sharp eyes and a chilling smile.
"If I were you, I'd summon a massive wave to crash onto the continent or send poisoned sea beasts to spread the toxin across other continents…" Li Huang muttered thoughtfully, then paused. "But I suppose our perspectives differ. You see things I don't, just as I see things you can't."
With a faint laugh, Li Huang sensed the formidable power within the dark clouds yet showed no fear. He decided to rise and meet the clouds to gauge their scale and energy more closely.
After assessing them, he began to extract certain toxins from within the clouds, creating a new cloud infused with rainbow poison. The clouds he crafted shimmered in vibrant rainbow hues, appearing as if they were merely beautiful.
"Zhi Yuan!" Li Huang commanded swiftly. "Order the entire army to eliminate every living thing within a hundred-thousand-mile radius of this spot. No one must approach."
Zhi Yuan knelt to accept the order. "Yes, Your Majesty!" He then turned to the Golden Throne Army and the Dark Shadow Secret Unit, commanding them to carry out the orders with absolute precision. The soldiers fanned out, ready to execute any life that dared approach.
Li Huang continued to generate more and more rainbow-colored clouds, allowing them to expand and cover the Star Continent and beyond, intending to let the rainbow poison clouds eventually blanket the entire Purple Moon Emperor Continent.
As he was steadily creating the poisonous clouds, the system suddenly spoke up.
[Host, aren't you concerned that these poisons might affect your own people?]
Li Huang smirked slightly, replying nonchalantly, "I can control these toxins whenever I please—whether to activate or deactivate them. The choice is mine alone. No matter how quickly or slowly they act, everything depends solely on my will."
He paused briefly, glancing at the beautiful rainbow-colored clouds forming in the sky. Strong winds continued to carry them swiftly toward other continents. Li Huang then added,
"At first, I thought about using the Emperor's Book to have everyone write their names in it, as a safeguard against betrayal and to affirm their loyalty. But I soon realized... that would take far too much time. Fortunately, someone 'helped' me by conjuring this poisonous rainstorm, casting themselves as the villain so that I could play the hero," Li Huang mused, a sly idea forming. "With this, I can swiftly control the entire population and manage everything at once, while the blame falls entirely on the Dragon Dynasty. Even so, I still plan to have everyone record their name in the Emperor's Book for identification—like an official registry in my land."
[Do you distrust your own people that much?] the system asked after a brief silence.
Li Huang smirked, his voice cold as he replied, "Have you ever heard this saying? 'When a cripple can walk again, the first thing he discards is the crutch that once supported him…'"
The system fell silent after hearing his answer.
Li Huang continued, "Their loyalty may never waver, but I can't afford any risks. I need assurance for myself… and I must always be prepared if any of them think of betraying me."
The system seemed to nod in agreement, and as Li Huang finished speaking, he looked back at the mesmerizing rainbow-colored clouds, still forming and spreading beautifully across the sky.