Within the ruins of Heavenly Star Town, energy brimmed rich and thick.
Over a dozen monster plants held court alongside Director Wang, Black Armor, and several other powerhouses, all of whom were currently secluded in quiet cultivation here. Li Hao had not returned to Battle Heaven City to revive anyone else; over the past few days, he had been far too busy to spare the time.
At present, several thousand soldiers and five silver armors also remained in Heavenly Star Town, busy restoring the ancient stronghold and bringing it back online.
Many others were cultivating here as well.
Liu Long and his companions were all present. The immense concentration of energy made it ideal for their cultivation. Toward this initial cohort of the Demon Hunting Army, Li Hao had always shown blatant favoritism, never bothering with so-called fairness or impartiality.
Yet no one grumbled. Everyone had long grown used to it.
Beneath the ruins, the Imperial Guard swayed gently. Right now, the Imperial Guard had grown considerably stronger than before, yet it still fell short of reaching the Immortal Realm. Li Hao still had some immortal wood on hand, which he intended to reserve for its eventual breakthrough.
A small party entered from the ruins and headed straight for the energy lode.
Along the way, Yuan Shuo and the others spotted several missing supernaturals.
Dao Jian and his peers, for instance…
These people were likewise cultivating here. Pure supernatural cultivation demanded vast oceans of energy, and to supernaturals, this place was nothing short of a holy land.
Sky Sword glanced around, noting the sizable crowd.
There also appeared to be captives detained and chained within the depths.
He had heard bits and pieces; these individuals had most likely been brought back from the City of Supernaturals.
Sky Sword and the others merely watched in silence.
A pedantic scholar or rigid conservative might frown upon the sight, but the martial masters of Silver Moon were a rough, pragmatic breed. In their eyes, killing enemies or locking them away made little difference. When it came to ruthlessness, these martial masters were often far blacker of heart than Li Hao.
……
At the mouth of the energy lode, Director Wang was meditating. Seeing Li Hao's group approach, he merely nodded, stood up, and walked away, seemingly reluctant to have much interaction with them.
Yuan Shuo paid it no mind.
Northern Fist, however, muttered under his breath, "No sense of manners."
"……"
Li Hao gave him a sidelong glance. This old man only cared about manners when they favored him; when they didn't, he couldn't care less. Was he displeased with Director Wang?
"Not even a greeting, when you were the one who hauled him all the way from Silver Moon…"
Li Hao laughed wryly. "Each of us seeks what we need, that's all. He's still an elder of the ancient times. Senior Northern Fist… let us show him some courtesy."
Northern Fist looked thoughtful and nodded in understanding.
Li Hao said no more. Old Wang had been in foul spirits lately, so his silence was only natural. Ever since uncovering certain secrets, Old Wang had fallen into a deep depression, which Li Hao could fully empathize with.
Meanwhile, Black Armor was still adjusting to his new physical body, so Li Hao did not disturb him.
As for Li Hao himself, his divine characters had shattered recently and had not yet been reformed. The previous encounter with Ying Hongyue, where he failed to keep him from escaping, left Li Hao with lingering regret; he believed that had he been at peak strength, the man might not have slipped away.
"I invited you seniors to cultivate with me primarily to restructure the martial path from the ground up…"
Li Hao gestured for everyone to sit, and they all settled cross-legged on the ground.
All eyes turned intently upon him.
Li Hao began, "The martial path begins with Ten-Slayer, Hundred-Breaker, and Thousand-Battler. Once a martial master reaches Thousand-Battler and integrates force, they acquire true destructive lethality, making conventional firearms useless. Before the supernatural resurgence, Thousand-Battlers were always hailed as terrestrial immortals.
"The emergence of force was subversive, and it represents one of the greatest differences between us and the ancient civilization.
"The Ten-Slayer realm is merely the surge of inner force; once inner force emerges, one is a Ten-Slayer. The Hundred-Breaker realm involves the external projection of inner force. All of these serve to nurture inner force and temper the physical body…"
Everyone nodded.
These were basic fundamentals; Li Hao was merely reviewing the basics.
Then Li Hao continued, "Above Thousand-Battler, my teacher defined the next realm as Spirit Accumulation—infusing force into the five internal organs! However, Master's conception of Spirit Accumulation was too narrow…"
Yuan Shuo raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
He watched Li Hao, curious to hear his brilliant insight. Li Hao pressed on, "There are tens of thousands of kinds of force; it is never confined to just one. In truth, supernaturals are martial masters, and martial masters are supernaturals…"
This time, Yuan Shuo frowned, clearly dissatisfied. "You equate supernaturals with martial masters?"
Li Hao nodded. "Supernaturals are uniquely blessed by heaven, born with heavenly momentum!
"I once said that force takes many forms. Comprehending force through martial practice is human force! Comprehending heaven and earth is heavenly momentum… Yet when heaven and earth naturally endow someone with an innate force, that, too, is a type of heavenly momentum!
"Earth-burrowing, wind-riding, flight, true sight, teleportation, explosive bursts, colossal strength… Are these not forms of force?"
The others exchanged glances. After a moment of contemplation, Tyrant Saber spoke gravely, "I believe they are. It's just that supernaturals don't know how to wield them flexibly; they know the effect without understanding the cause. But it is indeed a form of force! Force is fundamentally a degree of control over heaven and earth. Those who can merge into heaven and earth or transform into aspects of nature possess an innate force granted at birth!"
The crowd fell into contemplation.
Li Hao continued, "Therefore, supernaturals and martial masters are fundamentally the same. The only difference lies in the fact that supernaturals have little understanding of force, lack deep comprehension, and possess an innate force without knowing how to use it.
"Modern humans possess supernatural locks, which are actually seals containing force—an innate, natural force."
Yuan Shuo and the others merely listened, refraining from interjecting again.
Li Hao continued, "Thus, these two paths ultimately converge; they are deeply interconnected, differing only in their initial starting points.
"Beyond Thousand-Battler, martial masters enter Spirit Accumulation, while supernaturals become Three Suns. Three Suns and Spirit Accumulation don't share many obvious similarities, but one step higher, martial masters enter Spirit Fusion, while supernaturals become Rising Lights…"
Yuan Shuo raised an eyebrow. "Those two don't share many similarities either."
"No!" Li Hao countered. "On the contrary, they share a great deal in common! A Rising Light has unlocked the supernatural locks in their four limbs, while a Spirit Fusion martial master is saturating the supernatural locks in their four limbs. On the surface, they seem diametrically opposed, but in reality, both represent the complete development and utilization of the four limbs' supernatural locks!"
Li Hao added, "At that point, the two paths have already begun to merge. Taking it a step further, both delve into developing the five organs: martial masters begin unlocking them, while supernaturals also turn to developing them."
The listeners remained rapt.
Li Hao continued, "So an idea occurred to me: if supernaturals are guided to comprehend their own innate force, wouldn't they become pure martial masters?
"Of course, martial masters cultivate the heart and will… Even if a supernatural grasps force, they might not truly be a martial master in spirit, but that is beside the point. Today, we are discussing the development and application of power…"
Yuan Shuo frowned. "Cut straight to the point: what conclusion are you driving at?"
Li Hao smiled. "The conclusion is that the two paths are one and the same. At their core, both revolve around developing the supernatural locks. And as for supernatural locks… who says they must be called supernatural locks? I believe they should be called Dao meridians!"
"Dao meridians?"
A ripple of surprise swept through the group.
Li Hao continued, "Yes, meridians of the Great Dao! The powerhouses of the Neo-Martial era consider modern humans frail, but they are mistaken. The humans of this new era are darlings of heaven and earth! I suspect this is linked to the nascent birth of the world's consciousness. If anything, the humans of our era might be the primal humans born at the genesis of heaven and earth—everyone is born with a Dao physique!"
These words left the gathered figures utterly astounded.
Humans of this era were notoriously frail; compared to Neo-Martial humans, their physical bodies were pitifully weak.
Yet Li Hao was asserting that modern humans were more blessed by heaven than those of any prior era.
Li Hao pressed on, "Strictly speaking, we ought to draw a comparison with the Initial Martial era prior to the Neo-Martial era. Everyone can possess a Dao; everyone has the opportunity to ascend to greater heights!
"The birth of a new world made Dao meridians manifest inside everyone, locking our potential within. Heaven bestowed upon modern humans a distinct foundation, rich in untapped depth…"
"Dao meridians…" Yuan Shuo murmured. "Meridians of the Great Dao… shared by everyone. You mean that Dao meridians contain force and energy, which serve as the very bedrock of the martial path…"
Li Hao nodded once more.
"That is why the martial path of this era is called the Primal Martial Dao. If the name Initial Martial weren't already claimed by the era preceding Neo-Martial, this era might well have been called the Initial Martial era!"
Li Hao smiled. "The Neo-Martial era was established countless years after Initial Martial had developed, founded by humans who no longer possessed the primal Dao meridians. They accumulated strength over generations before unleashing it, and Neo-Martial was indeed magnificent and awe-inspiring! Yet in my eyes, Initial Martial inherently held a greater advantage."
No one spoke, only listening in silence.
In the distance, someone else was listening as well.
Director Wang was listening.
Even deeper in the ruins, Zhang An was listening too.
Dao meridians. Initial Martial.
Humans growing alongside a newly born heaven and earth.
Because the world had developed a consciousness, it bestowed greater advantages upon the humans of this era.
What appeared as weakness in their eyes was, according to Li Hao, an immense blessing. Could that truly be so?
At this moment, even the monster plants were listening in silence. Li Hao's voice drifted on the breeze, falling upon their ears. Black Panther also opened his eyes, ceasing his absorption of energy to quietly listen to Li Hao's words.
It was not some profoundly esoteric theory—he had simply given supernatural locks a new name.
And yet… it altered everything completely!
……
"When dealing with Dao meridians, martial masters and supernaturals adopt two different approaches. Martial masters draw energy from the Dao meridians bit by bit, nourishing them and making them stronger. Supernaturals use far more violent methods, ripping energy directly from the Dao meridians without offering any nourishment or reciprocation."
Sky Sword asked in a heavy voice, "According to the divine character cultivation method, everything can ultimately be incorporated into divine characters. Then what exactly is a divine character?"
"A divine character… is a vessel through which Dao meridians manifest into heaven and earth!"
Li Hao smiled. "Dao meridians are innate, yet remain hidden from sight. Force is actually one manifestation of them: martial masters express them as force, supernaturals express them as divine abilities, and now, we express them as divine characters… Where lies the advantage?"
Li Hao continued, "The advantage is that force is intangible, and divine abilities are intangible—they are merely subconscious applications and insights. Divine characters, however, can materialize into physical form, giving substance to the ethereal! This brings an enormous benefit. When something exists purely in theory, it is immensely difficult to realize. But once you have a physical object, even a clumsy imitation can capture a fraction of its essence… This means we can apply Dao meridians directly to the martial path!"
Yuan Shuo nodded. Force, divine characters, and divine abilities had all been grouped into a single category by Li Hao.
Dao meridians encompassed everything.
At that moment, Li Hao let out a light laugh. Before everyone's astonished eyes, the fire-element power within his body suddenly vanished completely. Li Hao said softly, "Perceive this with your force; do not look with your eyes!"
The crowd shut their eyes, and their force unfurled.
In that instant, a breathtaking sight vaguely appeared. Li Hao's heart was pounding violently, and within each beat, all his fire-element energy was compressed and drawn together. Finally, a fierce tiger merged into the fire-element energy.
The next instant, a chain manifested.
A supernatural lock that had previously been shattered was suddenly reformed. Then, the supernatural lock vanished, sinking into his heart, slipping into the void, and entering the Haoxing Realm.
"Did you see that?"
Even Yuan Shuo was visibly shaken. "A supernatural converting into a martial master!"
Li Hao nodded. "Correct. That is how certain supernaturals were able to transition into martial masters before. In reality, the two are fundamentally linked, so they can naturally transform into each other…"
Yuan Shuo frowned. "No, no, no. Their conversion wasn't like this. How did you manage to reverse it so effortlessly?"
Li Hao smiled. "The Haoxing Realm! In my view, the Haoxing Realm is a relative universe, the ultimate destination of every supernatural lock, and the universe of the Dao. Here, supernatural locks can enter, and force can enter as well… In that realm, one can easily accomplish the conversion of energy and the interweaving of force and supernatural locks.
"Because both are the Dao!"
Tyrant Saber was dazed, as if an epiphany had struck him. A universe of the Dao.
Force and supernatural power…
Gradually, a trace of supernatural energy surfaced around him, resembling mental strength. Soon, this power transformed into pure force, fluctuating back and forth between force and supernatural energy.
All without relying on a divine character.
A moment later, a divine character materialized in his palm—*Saber*!
Immediately, both supernatural power and force vanished from sight.
Li Hao continued, "So now, I wish to return myself to a primal state, becoming an ordinary mortal once more!"
With that, chains of supernatural locks, which had all been shattered, began to reconstitute themselves.
Under everyone's stunned gaze, the supernatural locks steadily reformed, integrating into his five organs and four limbs before fading from sight.
The aura radiating from Li Hao's body vanished completely, leaving him looking no different from an ordinary mortal.
At this moment, even the experts observing in secret were astonished.
Could one truly conceal their aura so thoroughly… or had Li Hao genuinely reverted into an ordinary person?
Yuan Shuo watched in silence for a long while before asking, "Beyond concealing your aura, what benefit is there in returning to this primal state?"
Li Hao smiled and nodded. "A tremendous one! Master, by doing this, I can begin cultivating anew from the level of an ordinary mortal."
Yuan Shuo frowned. What purpose did that serve?
Li Hao stood up. "Master, let me demonstrate it for you. Watch closely!"
With that, he began leaping about like an ape, absorbing streams of energy that nourished his physical body. Inside him, strands of inner force suddenly dispersed, further tempering his flesh.
Li Hao swiftly became a Ten-Slayer realm martial master.
Inner force was born.
Yuan Shuo still failed to see what was so remarkable about this. Right at that moment, a supernatural lock emerged within Li Hao's heart and suddenly dissolved. A divine character slowly materialized, gradually forming the shape of a fierce tiger.
Yuan Shuo frowned, as did the others, still bewildered.
What did this signify?
At this point, Li Hao wished he could carve his heart out to show them. Seeing them fixated on his force, he said helplessly, "Seniors, don't watch the force—watch the changes in my heart! After becoming a Ten-Slayer martial master, I shattered a supernatural lock. Didn't you notice that after shattering it and converting it through the divine character, all of its energy poured directly into my heart, strengthening it?"
The group blinked in realization and looked closer.
Sure enough, Li Hao's heart was beating rapidly.
It was actively absorbing the energy from the supernatural lock as well as drawing in inner force.
Yuan Shuo frowned in thought for a good while before murmuring, "Inner force… supernatural power… You mean that if we start as ordinary mortals, first practicing martial arts to bolster our inner force, manifesting the supernatural lock, then shattering it to cultivate both martial arts and supernatural power concurrently using divine characters as the foundation… we can strengthen our five organs and physical bodies while still at a weak stage?"
Li Hao nodded. "Exactly! Interwoven progression! Inner force can nurture the physical body. In fact, I've realized that inner force isn't solely generated naturally by the human body—it also contains energy from the secondary universe… At that juncture, when inner force is born, we shatter the supernatural lock. In the past, supernatural power would rampage and swallow inner force whole, but if we enclose the supernatural power within a divine character and release it gradually, that won't happen… allowing both to coexist! Shattering a supernatural lock opens up the secondary space, while inner force can absorb even more energy to strengthen ourselves!"
"A brand-new method of cultivation!"
Yuan Shuo murmured, "Cultivating supernatural power and inner force together… But there's a problem: doing so will drastically increase the difficulty."
Li Hao shook his head. "No, quite the contrary—it will be far easier! As long as one masters the technique of forming divine characters, it becomes simpler. They complement each other, making cultivation smoother. Force will naturally fall under your command, meaning everyone can wield force! Even if you don't know how to manipulate force directly, as long as you master divine characters, you master force… Force is too elusive, as are divine abilities. Both can be replaced by divine characters!"
Li Hao continued, "In this manner, a person only needs to learn two types of arts: one secret art to cultivate inner force, and one secret art to condense divine characters. Mastering these two allows for the complete development of oneself!"
For a cultivator, learning two secret arts was hardly excessive.
Yuan Shuo asked gravely, "Does that mean that from now on, a martial master's strength—or the strength of any cultivator—can be judged purely by the number of divine characters they possess? A single path leading straight to the supreme pinnacle?"
"Quantity is only one factor!" Li Hao clarified. "There is also quality!"
"Quality?"
Everyone looked at Li Hao. Up until now, they hadn't perceived any notable difference in the quality of divine characters.
"The quality of a divine character is directly related to the supernatural lock!" Li Hao explained. "Supernatural locks vary in strength. Locks of different strengths condense different divine characters. The reason you haven't felt a difference is that you all saturated your supernatural locks before condensing your characters, so the disparity in quality naturally isn't noticeable."
At this, Li Hao smiled. "However, after manifesting countless supernatural locks, I was able to observe that the strength of supernatural locks varies drastically!"
"……"
The others listened in silence.
Li Hao expounded his theories.
He possessed many ideas, though they had not yet coalesced into a fully fleshed-out system.
Yuan Shuo and the others chimed in frequently, raising questions or offering suggestions.
In the end, Li Hao summarized, "All in all, the difference from before is that one can dual-cultivate both paths prior to the Divine Power Realm. Once the Divine Power Realm is reached, the two paths merge into one, achieving complete unification!
"Martial masters must replenish their force, while supernaturals must internalize their power!"
Northern Fist massaged his temples. "This division still sounds far too troublesome. For many people, dual cultivation isn't an appealing prospect… Isn't there an easier way? Whether martial masters or supernaturals, people generally prefer a simpler, foolproof method of cultivation."
Li Hao was taken aback.
Upon reflection, he realized that made sense.
He sank into deep thought once more.
This time, he pondered for a long while.
Ordinary people could neither see nor perceive supernatural locks.
However, supernatural locks connected to the secondary space; each supernatural lock functioned like a cavern.
And that cavern could be faintly sensed.
Whenever a devouring force emerged, careful observation could detect a trace of it. Thus, as long as one could connect to the secondary space, it was viable—just like the Five Animals Breathing Art!
Recalling some of his earlier experiments, Li Hao suddenly spoke, "There is a very intuitive approach. Behind every supernatural lock lies the secondary universe, teeming with boundless energy and connected to the human body. A supernatural lock is essentially a cavern… Once a secret art is circulated to draw out energy, a devouring force is produced.
"If we treat this cavern as part of the human body and designate it as an acupoint… equivalent to the seven facial apertures, then it becomes one acupoint per meridian, one acupoint per lock! Piercing through a single acupoint will produce a palpable surge in strength!
"Inner force, vital blood, force, divine characters… all of them reside within these acupoints."
Li Hao took a deep breath. "If we do this, there is another advantage: we can divide a single supernatural lock. Through certain methods, a single lock can be segmented into multiple stages of cultivation. For example, opening nine apertures along a single lock to extract a fraction of its energy at a time will prevent any danger of the body exploding. Initial cultivation will be much gentler and far easier to begin!
"Once all nine apertures are pierced, the entire supernatural lock will be fully unlocked, releasing all of its energy…"
Li Hao grew more animated the more he spoke. "Take the Five Animals Secret Art, for instance. It can develop five supernatural locks, such as those in the five internal organs. But opening them all at once is certain death, and opening even one at once is hard to endure. If we break one lock down into ten apertures, opening one aperture at a time, opening all ten means a supernatural lock has been completely developed! The only trouble during this process is how to partition it…"
Yuan Shuo offered suddenly, "It's actually not hard to partition. A divine ability character doesn't necessarily have to devour the entire supernatural lock to take form all at once. It can be outlined stroke by stroke. For example, as soon as a fraction of a supernatural lock is pierced, a stroke is drawn to serve as a seal blocking the supernatural lock's breach!"
Li Hao considered this and nodded. Without another word, he tested it on himself.
He attempted to pierce a tiny fraction of a supernatural lock and sketched out a small portion of a character. It proved entirely feasible.
A divine ability character could indeed plug the breach.
Moreover, it could naturally release energy.
With that… Li Hao became increasingly thrilled. This proved that cultivation could be thoroughly compartmentalized.
Tyrant Saber spoke up, "Not all supernatural locks contain force, such as the locks in the limbs. In my view, the Dao can be divided into two categories: one of pure physical power, and one containing force and divine abilities."
Li Hao nodded again. "True, but… is there any need to separate them?"
"Yes!" Tyrant Saber shook his head. "It is absolutely necessary! Even if they eventually merge, they can be separated during the process, forming two distinct systems: one dedicated to non-elemental locks devoid of force, which will be much simpler, and another dedicated to locks carrying force and elemental affinities, which will be somewhat harder!
"You'd best categorize these two types of supernatural locks completely…"
Li Hao's head nearly exploded!
He stared at Tyrant Saber, grimacing in dismay. "Senior Tyrant Saber, you must be joking. How… how could that be possible? There are so many supernatural locks—am I supposed to map them out one by one?"
"Of course!" Tyrant Saber replied with absolute gravity. "The path of cultivation allows for not a single misstep! Since you proposed this new system, you naturally must see it through. You must locate every single supernatural lock, regardless of strength, and categorize them: how many have elements, how many are non-elemental, where each one is situated, how to open them, how to connect them to the secondary universe… All of this must be done!"
He added, "Naturally, we will help you."
Li Hao felt a splitting headache coming on. He had only intended to draw a rough outline that was good enough in broad strokes, but Tyrant Saber insisted that wouldn't do.
Yuan Shuo nodded in agreement. "Li Hao, practicing martial arts can cost lives at any moment! What Tyrant Saber says makes a great deal of sense. Break them down bit by bit. Otherwise, if you don't resolve these issues now, no one else will be able to solve them in the future. As the discoverer and founder, if you don't chart out the broader framework, others won't be able to figure it out either.
"Non-elemental energy strengthens the physical body, while elemental energy strengthens divine abilities… This way, cultivation can broadly split into two paths in the future: those with great talent and strong divine abilities can take the divine ability path, while those with mediocre talent or simpler minds can take the physical path."
Yuan Shuo paused, then added, "No matter how clearly you explain force and divine characters, there will always be people who don't get it. Some brutes just love smashing things with their fists!
"No matter how much you preach to them, they won't understand. What then?"
He smiled faintly. "Then they don't cultivate divine characters; they cultivate the body and acupoints, focusing purely on these low-difficulty supernatural locks!"
Li Hao drew a sharp breath.
This was a gargantuan undertaking!
Over the past few days, he had contemplated many things, but he had never entertained the notion of categorizing every single one.
Yet now, these Silver Moon martial masters wished for nothing more than for him to locate, map out, and categorize every single supernatural lock. Dammit, was that even a task meant for a human being?
Just as Li Hao hesitated, a voice drifted out from the depths of the energy lode. "You can manifest all the supernatural locks within your body first, and I will help you build a model!"
A figure stepped through the air. Black Armor said calmly, "I will construct a model of the human body, shaping it from the void to pinpoint the supernatural locks. Of course, relying on one person might cause discrepancies, so the others can help refine it to see if the locations align. First, let us lock down the positions of all supernatural locks!"
At this moment, Black Armor was remarkably proactive. He continued, "Once locked down, we can categorize them by their attributes. The path of cultivation always follows certain principles; it is never practiced haphazardly!
"Perhaps special traits will reveal themselves in the end, allowing us to determine whether any errors were made. Regardless of the path, cultivation always advances along underlying principles…"
Li Hao was taken aback. "Director, why have you come out?"
Zhang An replied calmly, "I simply find what you said rather intriguing! Exploring new paths is something everyone aspires to do. In the past, what my grandfather loved most was exploring new paths… What you are proposing isn't actually that complicated! In ancient times, the previous incarnation of the Blood Sovereign, the Emperor of Battle Heaven, tested billions of combinations just to assemble battle arts, secluding himself for thousands or even tens of thousands of years… All you are doing now is locating the initial positions of some supernatural locks. Could they truly be infinite? There is bound to be a set number—ten thousand? A hundred thousand? It is merely a matter of spending time."
Li Hao shook his head. "It isn't time, but energy. It will take an astronomical amount of energy to manifest them all."
"Are you lacking in energy?"
"My physical body isn't strong enough…"
"Then during the process, you can draw upon the energy of what you call the secondary universe to temper your flesh simultaneously."
Li Hao laughed wryly. This man was even more enthusiastic than he was.
Zhang An, however, was deadly serious. "This is an opportunity. Earlier, you mentioned that Dao meridians were born alongside the consciousness of heaven and earth. That concept alone is fascinating, and very likely true! I should not have looked down upon the humans of this era. Perhaps you are right: you are all born with Dao physiques!
"If so, in an era where everyone possesses a Dao physique, if you can also bridge the gap between your Haoxing Realm and this world… shattering the barrier between the two, Li Hao, you will have boundless prospects!"
At that moment, Director Wang floated over, chuckling. "Li Hao, aren't you going to thank Martial Uncle? Martial Uncle is a powerhouse at the Heavenly King level; having him build a model and construct an internal universe for you will yield extraordinary results! This is an invaluable opportunity for you to perfect your system. Martial Uncle was originally a teacher, so he is exceptionally skilled at guiding students."
Director Wang added, "Seize this moment to construct a human body model for the new era's humans. Gather a cohort of powerful martial masters and supernaturals, including those with unique abilities, to refine the entire blueprint. Once that is accomplished… you will be the founding ancestor of a new path!"
Li Hao possessed the conditions and the opportunity right now.
Wait any longer, and the chance might slip away.
Li Hao looked at Black Armor, then said after a pause, "I can give it a try. Thank you, Director. It's just…"
Black Armor said indifferently, "There is no need for 'just.' Once you have an idea, carry it out. I, too, am curious to see what will happen if the humans of this era reach their absolute pinnacle. Will it truly surpass Neo-Martial, as you claim? Even Initial Martial fell; I find it hard to believe you can surpass Neo-Martial in a mere small world…"
Li Hao smiled. "A world's size doesn't matter, as long as it is complete! A newly born world is actually better: the Great Dao is more distinct, and because the world's consciousness is newly awakened, many things are far more intuitive. Years from now, this opportunity might no longer exist."
"As long as it is complete?"
Black Armor looked thoughtful. Suddenly, he asked, "Is this world complete?"
Beside him, Director Wang replied, "I don't know, but if it can sever all ties with the main world, it might become complete! But… has it been severed?"
"The formation of the eight cities has been broken, and the Star Gate is sealed, so there is hope for a clean break…"
At this point, Black Armor raised an eyebrow slightly. "However, there is another prerequisite: natural growth. The world of Silver Moon was originally a projection of the main world; many of its features merely imitated the main world… without possessing true form and spirit!"
Director Wang nodded repeatedly.
Li Hao asked curiously, "What qualifies as possessing true form and spirit?"
Black Armor explained, "For instance, Mount Cang exists in this world, and it also exists in the main world. But the Mount Cang of this world lacks spiritual energy; it was merely compiled and traced! The entire world is like that—all an imitation. The same applies elsewhere; for example, the Forbidden Sea in this world is merely a reflection, not the true Forbidden Sea. A genuinely born Forbidden Sea is an entirely different matter…"
At that moment, Li Hao froze, suddenly remembering something he had forgotten.
After a long pause, he stammered, "Um… Earlier, when I was at the North Sea, I heard a descendant of the Demon Suppressing Emissary say that the subterranean Forbidden Sea of Silver Moon now spans heaven and earth, showing some strange disturbances…"
Black Armor froze, then stared at Li Hao. "When was this?"
"Recently, I think…"
"Why didn't you mention it sooner?"
"I know nothing about the Forbidden Sea, nor had I ever seen it. I only saw a pit where a Heavenly Gold Lotus was growing, so I didn't pay it much mind…"
"A Heavenly Gold Lotus was growing there?"
Black Armor was stunned again and stared at Li Hao. "How could a projected Forbidden Sea grow a Heavenly Gold Lotus?!"
Li Hao was bewildered and looked at Director Wang. *I'm pretty sure I mentioned this to you!*
Director Wang was also taken aback, stammering after a long moment, "Well… isn't it normal for Heavenly Gold Lotuses to grow in the Forbidden Sea?"
Black Armor said flatly, "That was in the past! Now that the Star Gate is sealed, how could it grow? Without origin energy, and without the main world's power reflecting over, the Forbidden Sea right now ought to be nothing more than a foul drainage ditch! How could a Heavenly Gold Lotus grow there? He doesn't understand, but don't you understand either?"
"……"
Director Wang's face changed. "You mean…"
Black Armor sighed softly. "The world… has opened! It has completely broken away from the main world!"
Director Wang's body trembled as he murmured, "Then… doesn't that mean we can never return?"
The small world had likely drifted entirely beyond the main world's sphere of influence.
Otherwise, this would never have happened.
Yet they had previously overlooked these clues without realizing it.
Black Armor said calmly, "Perhaps! For us, this is a catastrophe, but for Li Hao and his people, this is a brand-new opportunity. The world has truly been reborn! A complete new world has emerged, and everything is beginning anew… Li Hao, this is your chance!"
A trace of bitterness crept into his tone as he murmured, "From here on, this world will likely birth countless natural treasures and immense reserves of energy, because the world's consciousness will actively siphon energy from the universe! This is equivalent to the genesis of a new world, mirroring the era of the Nine Sovereigns and Four Emperors. A crop of supreme powerhouses will emerge… It is indeed an opportunity."
Li Hao swallowed hard, remaining silent.
After a long while, he asked, "Then… will there be other trouble?"
"Of course!"
Black Armor said dispassionately, "Immense trouble—though primarily for you! The second resurgence will spin out of control, and the Forbidden Sea will completely upend the entire continent. Certain deities of the Silver Moon world that were once wiped out might seize this chance to revive. Ancient entities will awaken, and countless experts will rise with the wind… The world's consciousness is newly born, and everything starts over. Li Hao, if you fail to seize this chance, you will be reduced to cannon fodder in this new era!
"With the dawn of a new era and the birth of a new world, there may arise a Lord of the World, a Lord of All Creation, a new Human King, new Monster Kings… Everything is starting from scratch!"
He looked up toward the heavens. "Neo-Martial… has been thoroughly severed from this world!"
In an instant, turbulent thoughts swirled through everyone present.
Black Armor, the monster plants, and Director Wang were all deeply unsettled.
Neo-Martial was completely cut off.
Black Armor closed his eyes in silence. Was this an accident, or an inevitability?
Or had the architects behind all this been waiting for this precise moment all along?
Before breaking away, Silver Moon was merely a subsidiary world.
Once severed entirely… it became something else altogether: a brand-new world. Even if it was fragile, it was newly born, carrying an entirely different significance.
No wonder a secondary universe of the Great Dao had appeared within the human body. As it turned out… this world was forging a new path.
A truly new path—not the trivial path of a small world, as he had previously assumed, but the path of a brand-new universe.
At this moment, thousands of thoughts raced through Black Armor's mind. *Where… do I go from here?*
Chapter 298