Success in Creating a Human Body

A bunch of reckless, audacious people began preparing to create a human body. In the ruins of Heavenly Star Town. Zhang An, who had been in secluded cultivation, was drawn out once more. Qi Yun recognized Zhang An and was somewhat surprised upon seeing him. Having had little interaction in the past, however, Qi Yun still treated him with great respect, bowing politely without saying much. Meanwhile, Li Hao began preparations to forge a human body. First came the physical vessel. Fashioning a vessel was not actually difficult, but quite a few would need to be made this time. The finest material for crafting flesh and blood was the treasure pool in the mineral vein, which had originally been set aside to temper everyone's bodies. Li Hao, however, believed that opening meridians to strengthen the body was far superior. For now, the pool could instead be used to forge physical vessels. *** "Director Wang, do you prefer being a man or a woman?" Li Hao asked. Sitting cross-legged beside the treasure pool, Director Wang felt rather helpless. Only after a pause did he answer, "A man!" "What age?" "...Around thirty." Director Wang let out a sigh. Was that even a question fit for human ears? "Any special requests?" "None!" Director Wang nearly rolled his eyes. What kind of special request did the kid expect him to ask for? "Then let us begin, starting from the basic thirty-six meridians..." Li Hao was rather excited. "This is my first time crafting a human body. It feels a bit like being a creator god. If I sculpt you ugly, Director, do not blame me!" With that, he began drawing upon the Spring of Life, blending various energies, and shaping a human form. The human body was not actually complex. For a powerhouse, forging flesh and blood was no great trouble. The real challenge lay in the Dao meridians—that was the crux. At this moment, the others merely observed without stepping in. Since Li Hao was interested, they let him do it himself. As for Yuan Shuo, he had gone with people to move the machinery and warehouse treasures from the research institute and was not present. Several monster plants gathered to watch, and Black Panther had also emerged from seclusion, sauntering over to observe. Creating a human body—especially one intended to function as a genuine physical vessel—was itself a form of cultivation. Li Hao began kneading the form together... Yet after a while, he frowned and abruptly gave up, shattering the already formed body into pieces. The dispersed energy made Director Wang's heart twitch violently. Watching this kid pulverize a vessel that looked so much like himself felt uncomfortably like watching himself being murdered! How ruthless! Li Hao closed his eyes in contemplation. Moments later, he began sculpting anew. Vital blood surged forth, and under the somewhat astonished gazes of the onlookers, Li Hao stripped and recombined the vital blood, gradually shaping it into a humanoid figure. Zhang An watched, his eyes flickering slightly. The decomposition method recorded in the *Records of Yuanping*. Li Hao did not want to use ordinary methods to forge a crude body. Instead, he wanted to use vital blood recombination to assemble a human form. Such a body would be denser, tighter, and stronger. It would not be riddled with structural flaws. But... could Li Hao pull it off? Li Hao was not overwhelmingly powerful. Could he truly accomplish vital blood recombination and construct a vessel of pure vital blood? Li Hao himself did not know if it would work, but he might as well try. It was his first attempt anyway. For a first try, managing to produce anything at all was already an achievement—why demand perfection? It was a rare opportunity. For a martial master's cultivation, this was also a splendid chance to deepen one's understanding of human anatomy. Soon, a humanoid silhouette emerged. First the torso, followed by the five viscera. Pondering the viscera, Li Hao looked at Director Wang. "Director Wang, draw out some essence blood from your five viscera. If I blend your essence blood into the crafting process, it will achieve greater compatibility!" Director Wang was helpless. Yet for the sake of the grand cause, for the sake of the future... he chose to sacrifice himself. Drop after drop of essence blood was drawn forth. He looked at Li Hao with a pleading gaze: *Don't squander it. I finally managed to restore my physical body, and now it might get ruined all over again.* With Director Wang's essence blood, the five viscera swiftly took shape. All the internal organs were molded into existence by Li Hao. Jests aside, every attempt to craft a body consumed precious treasures. Li Hao treated this with utmost seriousness, worried that failure would result in wasteful depletion. No matter how many treasures one possessed, they could not withstand endless squandering. Once all internal organs were completely structured, Li Hao began preparing for the Dao meridians. The Dao meridians were the key to connecting with the Bright Star Realm. Weapons and origin paths could serve as carriers, but foundational Dao meridians still needed to be constructed now. Li Hao frowned slightly. How should the Dao meridians be constructed? Relying purely on energy construction was possible, but it would be far too fragile. In that case, even if the meridians were opened successfully, they might not be able to draw much energy from the Bright Star Realm, leaving the vessel naturally weaker than others. Li Hao sank into thought. A moment later, he opened his eyes again. "Director Wang, release some indestructible substance. I'll blend indestructible substance, the Spring of Life, and the treasure medicines from the pool to test forging Dao meridians." Director Wang's expression shifted slightly. Indestructible substance was extremely difficult to regenerate nowadays. If he gave this away, giving too much would ruin his physical body. It had taken the true forms of five Immortal monster plants gathered together for him to successfully restore it. With a sigh, he said nothing more, and a stream of indestructible substance surged forth. Li Hao caught it in his hand, sensed it for a moment, and nodded slightly. The indestructible substance was remarkably sturdy and resilient; using it as the material for the Dao meridians should yield good results. At this point, Li Hao was treating Director Wang entirely as a guinea pig. If it really failed, the worst outcome was that Wang's body would be ruined, and they could just procure five more Immortal monster plant trunks to restore him. Nothing to lose sleep over. *** One Dao meridian after another began to manifest according to the layout in Li Hao's memory. Without the empowerment of the Bright Star Realm, channeling energy posed little problem. Soon, a body endowed with thirty-six Dao meridians was artificially created by Li Hao. Looking at the figure before them, everyone felt a strange sensation. It bore an uncanny resemblance to Director Wang, only younger. However, it lacked any trace of life. Li Hao spoke: "To prevent errors, let us first test this first vessel to see if it can communicate with the Bright Star Realm. If it fails, making more afterward would be a waste." Turning to Director Wang, he added, "For the first attempt, there is no need to be overly solemn. You do not need to sever your origin path, Director, but you will need to transplant spiritual power into it. In addition, you need a powerful weapon to serve as the carrier connecting to the Bright Star Realm." "A weapon?" Director Wang thought for a moment, and a pair of gauntlets appeared in his hands. "I only have these... The city master's seal cannot be used casually." Li Hao glanced at them. They would barely suffice. Better to test them first! Without another word, he took the gauntlets and began tinkering. By now, more people were gathering around. Yuan Shuo had returned, bringing along Hong Yitang and several others. No one spoke; they merely watched in silence, waiting for a miracle to occur. Li Hao worked for a while, using divine character techniques to forcefully merge the gauntlets into the Dao meridians. After some thought, he said, "It would be best to also establish a divine ability meridian to serve as a guide to draw upon the power of the Bright Star Realm. Director Wang, which divine ability power do you prefer?" Director Wang froze. *Which one do I prefer?* *I can even choose?* This was rather intriguing. He pondered for a moment and said, "How about a lightning meridian?" Li Hao smiled. "The lightning element? Its destructive power is certainly not weak. You excel in fist arts, Director Wang, so unleashing lightning-infused strikes... sounds quite fitting." The lightning attribute and lightning meridian corresponded to the Dao meridian of the spine. Without delay, Li Hao crafted a Dao meridian along the spine, though it contained no lightning power within. Li Hao said, "When first establishing the connection, there certainly won't be any lightning power. However, the Dao meridians corresponding to different parts of the human body should connect to different regions of the Bright Star Realm... It should be possible to draw down lightning power." Having said that, the greatest obstacle arrived. Now, Li Hao needed to journey through the Bright Star Realm to help forge the connection. That was the crux. Yet the Bright Star Realm was boundless and vast; how was he to locate the coordinates and punch through? That was the true dilemma! Li Hao fell deep into thought. Moreover, it was easy to become lost in the Bright Star Realm, unable to return... In that case, he would be finished. Just as he was pondering, Yuan Shuo suddenly spoke up: "I'll go!" He looked at Li Hao with a chuckle. "I'll go in and have a look!" He, too, had once wandered the Bright Star Realm. Li Hao's undertaking was not merely to craft a vessel for Director Wang; its significance was monumental. Artificially creating Dao meridians to pierce through to the Bright Star Realm—once successful, it would be a miracle in the history of cultivation. It would also accelerate the exploration of the Bright Star Realm, granting everyone a deeper understanding of the new Dao territory. However, the danger was immense. Li Hao took a deep breath and shook his head. "No, I will go! This time, I will leave the Starry Sky Sword outside to mark the coordinates, anchoring it directly within this vessel. Teacher, you also have a task: coordinate with Director Wang to control this body, circulate the Five Animals Art, and simultaneously run the Wind and Thunder Secret Art! I need to locate it... If the perception is too weak, I might fail to pinpoint the coordinates... At that time, I will need you, Teacher, to bridge the inside and outside, helping me locate the body's Dao meridians!" Yuan Shuo's brows knit tightly. "This is all conjecture. If the internal and external communication fails and you cannot find the coordinates, traveling too far might cause you to become utterly lost in the Bright Star Realm. Let me do it instead!" "No, I will go." Li Hao let out a light laugh. The Starry Sky Sword manifested outside, swimming around him like a small dragon. Li Hao murmured softly, "You are the foremost sword of the current world! You must firmly lock onto the coordinates of this realm and unleash your strongest aura at all times to serve as the beacon for my return... Otherwise, if I become lost in the Bright Star Realm, you will sink into silence once more." The Starry Sky Sword quivered slightly, releasing an aura that was exceptionally sharp. Li Hao could not afford to get lost! If he truly became stranded in the Bright Star Realm, he might not die, but that wandering could span countless ages. The Great Dao knew no years. Once he vanished from Silver Moon into the Bright Star Realm, Li Hao might only emerge tens of millions of years later. At this moment, Director Wang could not help but say, "If it is so dangerous... perhaps we should just forget it..." Becoming lost in the Dao universe sounded terrifying. For a time, powerhouses in Battle Heaven City had actually wondered whether the Human King and his contemporaries had become lost in the Dao universe. Not necessarily the origin path universe, of course. Rather, the enemy's Dao universe! The starry cosmos was vast, but when the Human King led a host of powerhouses out on conquest, they might not truly lose their way in the cosmic void. Yet if the Human King had wiped out formidable foes and sought to eradicate their faith and cultivation paths down to the roots, he might have invaded their Dao universe. In that case... becoming lost was indeed possible. Of course, no one wanted to dwell on such thoughts. Invading an enemy's Dao universe meant uprooting everything and destroying the foundation of their cultivation—a feat far harder than annihilating a world. Would the Human King... really do such a thing? Who knew? Li Hao, however, showed little hesitation. With a soft chuckle, his physical form gradually faded from the spot. Nearby, Zhang An sighed softly. This kid... often left him feeling utterly perplexed. He was reminded of many people. Li Hao resembled many figures, yet did not quite resemble any of them. When he turned ruthless, he was fiercer than anyone; yet when gentle, he was softer than anyone else. Zhang An thought of the Human King from his own era—the Human King had been genuinely callous and unyielding. He thought of his grandfather. His grandfather was benevolent, yet possessed an iron-blooded demeanor and had slaughtered countless foes. Li Hao killed as well. In the past, he had also emulated the Human King, desiring to slay all enemies under heaven. Yet gradually, he had drifted onto a different path. Influenced by someone unknown, he had begun displaying what people called womanly softness; among the million supernaturals in the City of Supernaturals, Li Hao had actually killed very few. Countless thoughts surfaced in Zhang An's mind. He did not know whom Li Hao resembled. Perhaps no one at all. Li Hao was simply Li Hao. Still, every successful figure possessed a unique charisma. Just like now: even though Zhang An was far stronger than him, watching Li Hao venture alone into the vast Dao universe for the sake of the heritage, the Great Dao, and the legacy... Zhang An still felt that he lacked Li Hao's boldness and resolve. *** Within the boundless Bright Star Realm. Li Hao manifested alone. Looking across the expanse, stars glittered with brilliant radiance. A smile touched his lips. He had long wanted to roam the void, but had never dared. This time, he had been granted the opportunity to traverse the starry sky. While ostensibly done to seek a connection for Director Wang, it was in truth a test of his own courage. *I want to see this vast universe!* *What is the Dao universe truly like?* Li Hao was no longer content with being confined to his tiny corner of the world. A new Dao had emerged, yet if its discoverer did not even understand it well, how could he put everyone else at ease? Today, he would explore it first. Li Hao's body transformed into a fierce tiger, pouncing forward in an instant. Unable to perceive the coordinates left by Director Wang's vessel yet, he could only wander aimlessly for the moment. In the starry expanse. Li Hao flew toward the nearest great star. That star resembled a sharp sword. He had always suspected this was Hong Yitang's Dao meridian, but had never been able to confirm it and had not checked before. Now, completely uninhibited, he drifted directly in that direction. The universe was boundless. Even though Li Hao moved at extraordinary speed and the star appeared close, he flew for a considerable time before finally drawing near. It stood in the void like a sharp sword! Riding the tiger, Li Hao approached the sword. Curiosity welled within him. The sword star was densely covered in sword scars—was this... truly Hong Yitang's Dao meridian? As he drew near, the great star suddenly erupted with brilliant sword light. It seemed to be expelling an intruder! *** At the same moment. In the outside world. Hong Yitang suddenly frowned. With knit brows, he sat down cross-legged. In his eyes, a universe seemed to manifest, within which he vaguely glimpsed a fierce tiger. Sword intent unfurled, blanketing heaven and earth! It swiftly drew the attention of the others, all of whom looked puzzled. Hong Yitang opened his eyes instantly, his voice grave: "I do not know if Li Hao has drawn near the region where I reside, but I faintly sensed a fierce tiger approaching..." Yuan Shuo's eyes shifted. Without another word, he let out a low bark, and the newly forged vessel erupted with brilliant light. He shouted, "Director Wang, infuse your spirit and circulate the Five Animals Secret Art! Quickly!" Director Wang dared not delay, hastily pouring his spiritual power into the new body. Controlling this vessel for the first time, he was not yet proficient. However, he knew the Five Animals Secret Art; when everyone had discussed it previously, this secret art had been made public. This technique no longer focused exclusively on unlocking the five viscera, differing somewhat from the past. Director Wang circulated the art, while Yuan Shuo assisted in guiding the flow. *** At the same time. In the Bright Star Realm. That great star suddenly shifted through a thousand transformations, turning into a golden star one moment and an earthen star the next. Li Hao was startled, then overjoyed. It truly did seem to be Hong Yitang's Dao meridian. The meridian of a myriad transformations! "Fascinating... So that's how it is!" Li Hao felt a stir in his heart. What would happen if one destroyed another's Dao meridian here? Back in the origin universe, that had supposedly been possible. Destroying someone's origin path would cause them to perish entirely. Would the Bright Star Realm be the same? However... there was no way to distinguish friend from foe unless the Dao meridian was highly recognizable like Hong Yitang's. Otherwise, reckless actions might end up killing one's own allies. "The Great Dao is truly fascinating!" Li Hao chuckled. Saying nothing more, he turned and departed. He wandered through the surrounding void. Yet he failed to sense any presence of cultivation arts sharing the same origin. Li Hao felt a slight headache. In this boundless void... how was he supposed to find it? In that instant, an idea struck him. Li Hao suddenly manifested a divine character, brilliant as a star, gathering myriad Daos like a blazing sun. A great star appeared in the void. *Dao!* The *Dao* divine character was revealed, instantly radiating boundless, immense power, transforming into a sun that illuminated the nearby void. At that exact moment, the great star rippled slightly. Without a word, Li Hao circulated the Five Animals Secret Art. Soon, Li Hao's silhouette appeared atop the great star. As the Five Animals Secret Art circulated, it began to ripple and tug, actively probing for resonance from the same origin. After an unknown length of time, Li Hao snapped his eyes open, divine light flashing in his gaze. In an instant, the great star shifted. It drew near a certain direction. As he flew, a thought occurred to him: *The Great Dao is far too scattered; finding anything is an ordeal. It should be properly organized. The lightning Dao should be in the lightning Dao region, while metal, wood, water, fire, and earth should all be demarcated. That way, things would be easy to find!* *The Bright Star Realm was likely born not too long ago. For a Dao universe, tens of millions of years might only be the beginning... Right now, it appears utterly disorganized... If I have the time and strength in the future, I ought to help bring order to the Great Dao!* Of course, if the Bright Star Realm could not be reorganized, he should at least reorganize his own Dao. Clearly classifying the Great Dao would make cultivation far easier. Otherwise, with the Daos jumbled together, cultivation would be arduous. Just like now, locating Director Wang's vessel was exceedingly difficult. Even so, Li Hao could faintly sense something different. Perhaps because very few people could perceive the Bright Star Realm right now—only those who had grasped force could sense it—the entire universe was exceedingly quiet. This gave Li Hao his chance. The great star shifted! It sped through the void toward that direction. *** Outside. Time trickled by. One hour, two hours, three hours... By now, even the Starry Sky Sword seemed anxious and restless. Having lost contact with Li Hao, its aura grew turbulent. Everyone remained dead silent. Director Wang, his spiritual power lodged inside the new vessel, wore an increasingly grave expression. Li Hao had ventured alone into the Bright Star Realm to seek a path and forge a new body for him. If Li Hao truly became lost and unable to return... he dared not even contemplate the thought. Yuan Shuo, on the other hand, appeared remarkably calm, saying in a low voice, "Do not let your minds wander. Keep circulating the Five Animals Secret Art! Guide Li Hao's path... The universe is vast; searching takes time. What are a few mere hours?" Though his words sounded confident, anxiety gnawed at his heart as well. After several hours, if any deviation occurred... who knew where Li Hao might have drifted? Could he truly find his way back relying solely on the Starry Sky Sword? Amid the mounting unease, Yuan Shuo suddenly raised his brows. "Do you feel anything?" Director Wang looked skeptical. *Feel what?* Yuan Shuo asked solemnly, "Fluctuations from a cultivation art of the same origin—do you feel them?" There were none. Even though Director Wang felt nothing, he forced himself to say, "It seems... there is a little..." He said it to comfort himself as well as the others. Meanwhile, Yuan Shuo closed his eyes and sensed quietly. He felt it—perhaps Li Hao had arrived. He had found it! In that unfamiliar Dao universe, he had truly managed to track them down. *** In the dark universe. Li Hao halted in a stretch of void. Nothing existed here—no stars, no force, only darkness, an endless expanse of darkness. Yet now, the dark void seemed to ripple. The *Dao* star was also rippling gently. The two fluctuations shared the same origin. *Right here!* Li Hao's heart stirred. But... how was he to breach the Bright Star Realm? *Identical arts, identical resonance—perhaps I can punch through!* Li Hao thought to himself. It should work, right? This was his first time doing this, and he was far from proficient. After some deliberation, as the *Dao* star shone, other great stars emerged one after another. Divine character after divine character transformed into astral bodies. *Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth*, along with *Wind* and *Thunder*, all presented themselves. In the next moment, a surge of sword intent emerged. Each great star transformed into a figure of Li Hao, all beginning to circulate the Five Animals Breathing Art. Li Hao took a deep breath. What he drew into his body was entirely special energy, but he could no longer concern himself with that. Remaining here for too long had made him aware of certain dangers: with so much time elapsed, his faint connection to the outside world was growing increasingly tenuous. If he stayed too long, he might be assimilated by the Great Dao, losing all chance of return. Multiple stars shook the void in unison. Tremor after tremor rippled outward, hoping to draw the other party's Dao meridians across through the shared resonance of their arts. *** "It's here!" This time, Director Wang sensed it. Joy broke across his face. "Something seems to be calling me!" Yuan Shuo said solemnly, "Li Hao found it. However, this vessel is not a natural Dao body, so it does not naturally pierce through to the Bright Star Realm. It can only be broken through acquired effort... This will also be a problem for human cultivation in the future... If one cannot naturally connect to the Bright Star Realm, one can only develop it bit by bit..." Taking a deep breath, he added, "Director Wang, accelerate! Circulate the art with all your might and open the Bright Star Realm through resonant vibrations!" "Understood!" *Boom!* Vital blood soared to the heavens as the newly formed body greedily drew upon the surrounding energy. All thirty-six Dao meridians were operating. Along the spine, the lightning Dao meridian commanded the others, surging with powerful waves of energy. *Thump, thump, thump!* Like the beating of a heart, ripples surfaced across the new vessel, shaking the void! *** At the same moment. In the outside world. Heaven and earth seemed to be breathing as well. Trembling faintly, ripples spread in all directions. At this moment, people outside looked toward the sky and vaguely seemed to glimpse a second sun. *** In a distant western land. Within the Divine Kingdom. Among the entities sealed inside the ruins, someone suddenly opened their eyes, bright as stars, and looked toward the heavens. In a murmur, they said, "What... is that?" A second sun seemed to have appeared! When anomalies arose, demons were sure to follow. Who was stirring such changes across the entire land of Silver Moon? Over these past days, such shifts had occurred more than once, yet each time brought a different upheaval. *** In the land of Silver Moon. Within a colossal ancient city, someone also opened their eyes and looked outward. Even within the ruins, an image of heaven and earth seemed to surface: a star blazing like a sun, surrounded by pulsating, dimmer stars. The person who opened their eyes murmured, "Is the Great Dao shifting? Has a new Dao emerged?" How bizarre! Why would such a peculiar phenomenon occur? The person asked softly, "Has there been any upheaval outside?" A voice soon drifted in: "Reporting to Your Excellency, there have been no major upheavals recently. Heaven and earth have stabilized somewhat, and origin avatars of certain individuals have ventured forth, though the world is still insufficient to accommodate the true bodies of powerhouses..." "What of the humans of this era?" "In this generation, there are likewise no peerless figures. However, Li Hao, a descendant of the Silver Moon Li family, may have obtained great opportunities. It is said he has already stepped into seven-element divine ability power... rivaling the Peak Realm!" *A member of the Li family?* The speaker fell silent for a moment before saying slowly, "Send people out to sever their origin and wipe out Li Hao!" "Understood!" Soon, several figures soared into the air and vanished. The one who had spoken closed their eyes once more. *Li Hao... seven elements... did he cause this?* *Probably not.* *Perhaps the emergence of heaven's will is stirring the winds of change.* *Regardless, eliminate this person first.* *** On this day, a second star seemed to have appeared over the land of Silver Moon. Innumerable martial masters who had comprehended force felt a faint resonance. They looked up at the sky in bewilderment, feeling that the star was hanging in the heavens, yet also... within their hearts! Indeed, an extraordinarily unique sensation. As if it were a sun residing in their souls. *** Such was the impression of others. Yet at this moment, within Silver Moon's Tiger Wing Army. Someone was also looking up at the sky. Hu Dingfang and his wife were both gazing upward, circulating their technique—the Five Animals Breathing Art—as their auras steadily climbed. Hu Dingfang murmured, "This star... appeared so abruptly. It is no small matter. But... why does it feel connected to the Five Animals Sect?" Beside him, Chen Yuhua took a deep breath. "I do not know, but I feel it as well. Perhaps it has something to do with Master, or... with my little junior brother." Hu Dingfang frowned slightly. "How could that be... This star suddenly manifested like a blazing sun..." Even though they felt the connection, how could such a thing be possible? *** In another location. Director Zhao was also looking at the sky, watching in silence. His brow furrowed, his smile fading. When anomalies arose, demons were sure to follow. Crucially, when he closed his eyes, he seemed to behold a god! Yes, a deity! That figure sat cross-legged atop a great star, surrounded by a ring of lesser stars like the sovereign of heaven and earth—an awe-inspiring sight. Even though it was merely a fleeting vision, it left him thoroughly shaken. Why... did that person look so much like Li Hao? How could that be? Wasn't Li Hao still in Heavenly Star City pursuing his grand project of paving roads for the entire populace? Director Zhao shook his head repeatedly, telling himself it was only an illusion. To think that the emergence of this great star could induce hallucinations even in him. His figure flickered, and before long, he entered an ancient city. Figures were stirring within the city. Seeing him arrive, someone said in a heavy voice, "Director Zhao, why have more changes occurred outside? Do you know what happened?" Director Zhao shook his head. "I was hoping to ask all of you." Right at that moment, from the center of the city, a towering ancient tree radiated a faint glow, and a feeble voice drifted over: "A great star reflecting heaven and earth... This may herald the emergence of a new Dao! The opening of a heritage, the vanishing of origin, the shifting of heaven and earth—a new era... is upon us!" An illusory figure coalesced, resembling an ancient, wizened woman holding a cane. She gazed up at the sky and murmured, "Who could possibly open a new Dao after countless ages? Or could it be that heaven and earth have shifted, spontaneously giving birth to a new Dao?" Director Zhao asked in a deep voice, "Venerable One, what do you mean?" "The emergence of a new Dao... The primordial martial era of a new age is about to arrive, or perhaps... the era of the Heavenly Emperor is descending! From this day forth, opportunities and fortune may abound between heaven and earth. Whoever can seize them will ascend to heaven in a single stride! Alas, those of us walking the origin path likely have no chance... But starting today, the new humans of this new era will all have an opportunity!" Director Zhao raised his brows and smiled. "Not necessarily, right?" The old woman said nothing, looking up at the sky once more before speaking after a long silence: "What a pity... Still, you may have a chance. Have you sensed anything different?" Director Zhao thought for a moment. "Nothing in particular, except that cultivation seems to have been going a bit smoother lately." "Then that is it!" the old woman said in a low voice. "The new Dao may be connected to martial masters!" Director Zhao's heart stirred. Saying no more, he replied promptly, "Since none of you know either, I shall go outside to take a look. Additionally, heaven and earth have grown increasingly stable, and with the rich energy of late, even the Venerable One has awakened naturally... It seems the powerhouses of each faction will soon awaken as well! Once the world stabilizes, I hope you all will lend a hand to Silver Moon!" "Naturally!" The old woman nodded slightly and added, "By the way, some days ago, we sensed that several of the Eight Divine Weapons may have suffered mishaps, making it difficult to reopen the Star Gate... Have you uncovered any clues or news?" "A little. Ying Hongyue and Li Hao clashed, and both sides detonated divine weapons, which may have blown up the Eight Divine Weapons." Director Zhao chuckled. "Both are ruthless characters, not to be provoked... We can only wait until everyone emerges from seclusion to discuss further." With that, he cupped his hands. "I shall take my leave!" Once he vanished, the guardian monster plant murmured softly, "This one... does not seem to trust us." "That is only natural," a golden warrior said in a deep voice. "He has been suppressing the pace of our revival all along. Even General Huai of Battle Heaven City, which opened later, awakened long ago. Had it not been for the recent resurgence in worldly energy, the Venerable One would likely still struggle to awaken... This man... sigh!" There was little else to say. The group fell silent, and the ancient city sank back into quietude. *** Meanwhile. Within the ruins of Heavenly Star Town. A brilliant light blanketed Director Wang's new vessel. At this moment, Director Wang let out a low roar as a universe seemed to manifest behind him, displaying several great stars! Zhang An swiftly appeared. Seeing the phantom manifestation behind him, his expression shifted: "Quickly, manifest your origin path! First stabilize the passage, using the gauntlets as the outer shell of the origin path..." A pained look crossed Director Wang's face: "This... is only the first test vessel..." "Don't worry about that now! Manifest your origin path first to stabilize the Dao universe..." "Fine!" Director Wang wasted no more words, and a Great Dao materialized. At the same time, Zhang An manifested his own Dao to help stabilize the other's. "Di Wei, suppress it with the Imperial Palace!" Beside them, the little tree did not utter a word, instantly projecting the phantom of the Imperial Palace. At this moment, Director Qi and Yuming appeared, hauling a massive piece of machinery. Director Qi flashed a smile: "Director Wang, while the Dao is being stripped to stabilize the passage, we will help integrate your spirit into the flesh, ensuring a tighter fit..." Horror showed on Director Wang's face! *Damn it!* *This was only a first trial run—are we really doing this already?* The two paid him no mind, grabbing him and shoving him directly into the colossal machine. Director Qi said excitedly, "Unifying essence, energy, and spirit, and shifting the Great Dao—once stabilized, he can transition into a human of the new era..." Yuming was equally thrilled: "To think... I would live to see the day of spiritual transference and the switching of the Great Dao!" It was simply exhilarating! Director Wang struggled for a moment, and in the next instant, let out a bloodcurdling scream: "It hurts... Martial Uncle, what are you doing?!" In the void, a book appeared in Zhang An's hands, projecting a figure wielding a massive blade that was severing the origin path. Zhang An was rather excited as well: "Don't worry, I am helping you sever the Dao. Bear with it. Pain is inevitable... It is equivalent to dying once... But rest assured, we will preserve your life!" With that, he barked an order: "All monster plants, infuse the Spring of Life to stabilize his vital signs! Regiment commanders of the Heavenly Star Army, coordinate with the Silver Moon martial masters to hold him down—do not let him struggle..." In an instant, several silver-armored warriors appeared, followed by a horde of Silver Moon martial masters who pinned him firmly in place. Director Wang roared in agony, screaming, "It hurts so much!" *Heavens!* *These people are going to kill me!* His Dao was being sliced, his body pinned, and his spirit forcefully merged into the flesh, causing excruciating agony. His body felt on the verge of exploding, and a peculiar power flooding through the phantom behind him pushed him even closer to bursting. He howled in searing pain: "I don't want to convert anymore... Martial Uncle, let me go... Aaaagh..." The sensation of slicing flesh with a dull blade was agonizing beyond measure. A moment later, he screamed, "Martial Uncle, stop sawing at it! Cut it in one stroke... Sawing away stroke by stroke... I can't take it!" Zhang An suddenly turned to look at him: "You asked for it. I was worried you couldn't endure it..." With that, the blade came crashing down! *Crack!* The Dao snapped, and in that instant, a bloodcurdling shriek erupted before falling dead silent, as if he had completely perished. The Imperial Palace suppressed the Great Dao, preventing it from crumbling. Zhang An's Book of the Great Dao manifested, supporting Director Wang's Dao and forcefully driving it toward the endless void. *** Meanwhile. In Battle Heaven City. Several powerhouses suddenly felt their hearts shudder. Division Commander Nine materialized instantly, while the two elders had already appeared, all looking up at the sky with solemn expressions. "Wang Ye... seems to have died!" Division Commander Nine said with immense gravity, "Has he... fallen?" The two elders remained silent. At this moment, they vaguely sensed it as well. The Old Turtle was silent for a while before saying slowly, "He may be dead... His Dao may have shattered. The origin power I left behind has completely lost contact with me... His Dao origin has also... vanished." The powerhouses fell into silence. Dead! Wang Ye had gone out to protect Li Hao. If Wang Ye was dead, what about Li Hao? Very few people in Battle Heaven City had awakened. Wang Ye had guarded Battle Heaven City for countless years; even if they had not been well-acquainted in the past, he was now one of their few remaining comrades. Today, heaven had shifted, and Wang Ye seemed to have died! At this moment, grief gripped the three powerhouses. On the city walls, thousands of soldiers suddenly pounded their chests. Several regiment commanders shouted in profound sorrow, "Farewell, Director Wang!" Another had departed! *Boom, boom, boom!* It was like the beating of war drums! A murderous intent spilled forth, causing Battle Heaven City to tremble. The director of the Security Bureau, who had guarded the inner city for countless years, was dead. At this juncture, Division Commander Nine roared in fury, "Those who slay our Battle Heaven people, who murder a chief commander of our city—this blood debt must be repaid! Slaying my comrade, slaying my colleague, is unforgivable! I shall sever an avatar to venture forth. Battle Heaven soldiers, march with me!" "Understood!" A thunderous crash echoed as armor clattered! In the next instant, a set of golden armor materialized over Division Commander Nine. Holding a longsword, he barked, "Leave the city! The guard army converts to the vanguard army—march!" *Rumble!* Armor clanked as thousands of soldiers appeared, their murderous aura shaking the heavens. The two elders wished to dissuade him, yet found no words to do so. In the next moment, the golden warrior led the army charging toward the exterior of the ruins! *** In an instant, at Cross-Cut Gorge in Silver Moon, a force of several thousand Battle Heaven soldiers manifested. The guarding Night Patrol members were utterly aghast! A golden warrior's voice resounded through heaven and earth: "Those who slew the director of our Battle Heaven City Security Bureau shall pay this blood debt! To the traitors of yesteryear, Battle Heaven City shall wipe you all out! Eight major cities, unite against the foe—consider yourselves warned!" *Boom!* The army set out on conquest, marching straight toward Heavenly Star. At this moment, unrest rippled through several ruins across the land of Silver Moon. The director of the Battle Heaven City Security Bureau had been killed? Could the upheaval in the heavens be related to this person's death? Crucially, how had he managed to leave? Where had he been killed? The figure leading the charge appeared to be Li Daozong, the fierce general of Battle Heaven City from days of old. He had slaughtered countless foes, his Changsheng Sword carrying the true legacy of the Li family. Even though worldly restrictions meant only an avatar had ventured forth, it still represented invincibility within the same realm! A peerless slaughtering general had actually led an army out of the city today! Far away in White Moon City, Director Zhao was left utterly dumbfounded. *It's over!* *What is going on?* *Battle Heaven City has mobilized its army directly!* Battle Heaven City, sealed away for countless ages, had dispatched thousands of spirit soldiers under the lead of a division commander to march out into the world. This was an unbelievable turn of events. How could those soldiers... retain their consciousness after leaving the city? *** Meanwhile, Director Wang was oblivious to all of this. He had only a single thought: *Just let me die!* Endless agony washed over him. And this was merely the beginning. The origin path extended toward the Bright Star Realm. Within the Bright Star Realm, Li Hao was also swaying unsteadily, wracked with pain. It was difficult to stabilize! What should he do? Punching through was possible, but... stabilizing the connection was a massive problem. At that moment, the Bright Star Realm seemed to be in turmoil as well. Perhaps because Li Hao had breached it, the realm felt unsettled and repelled Li Hao, attempting to squeeze the origin path out. Gritting his teeth after careful thought, Li Hao left the great star anchored in place. With a low roar, he seized the origin path and tethered it directly to the star. *To hell with it!* *Stabilize the passage first!* *Boom!* Brilliant phantoms flickered across the *Dao* star, and the star itself shook violently. Li Hao was rattled senseless, but he could no longer afford to hesitate—it was time to return. He could not linger any longer! Unfortunately, he could not exit through the passage Director Wang had opened; otherwise, taking that route would have been far easier. With that thought, Li Hao opted to leave the *Dao* star behind, transforming into a fiery tiger that vanished instantly. Traversing the void! After an unknown amount of time, with a low shout, a punch was thrown, and a small sword pierced the void. Following the path opened by the Starry Sky Sword, Li Hao vanished from the Bright Star Realm in a flash! When Li Hao reappeared, Director Wang had already been dragged out of the machine, his face ashen. The agony had rendered him numb. *I am dead!* *Nobody bother me!* Li Hao glanced at him, a faint smile touching his lips. He sensed an aura belonging to himself on Director Wang—the aura of the Dao star. The passage had stabilized successfully! Right at this moment, the origin aura on Director Wang rapidly transformed, gradually shifting from origin aura into the aura of the Bright Star Realm. Director Wang seemed to regain his senses. He looked at Li Hao and murmured, "Father..." "..." Li Hao froze. In the next instant, Director Wang snapped fully awake and flew into a rage: "What did you do to me? Why do I feel like I'm looking at my father when I see you?!" *Damn it!* What had Li Hao done to him? This was utterly intolerable! Li Hao pondered for a while before answering, "I left my Dao star behind to serve as your anchor point. So... you are temporarily tethered to my *Dao* divine character. Once you stabilize, I will withdraw it... That's why, during this period, you... will likely feel an intense fondness toward me!" Director Wang froze, and in the next moment, wailed in grief toward the heavens! *Damn it!* *No wonder!* *I was wondering why looking at Li Hao felt like looking at my own father. So that was it!* In the void, Zhang An gave Li Hao a peculiar look. This method of switching Daos... was truly bizarre. And Li Hao was audacious indeed, leaving even his own *Dao* divine character behind. The others, however, cared nothing for that, erupting into ecstatic cheers. "It worked!" It was actually possible! The origin path had truly breached the Bright Star Realm. At this moment, even the monster plants felt a stir of longing. What if their origin paths were also grafted onto the Bright Star Realm? Director Wang's physical body, however, was beginning to crack. Disregarding everything else, he stared at his fracturing flesh, then looked at Li Hao, speaking only after a pause: "It seems... I can't quite hold up..." Li Hao nodded. "That is normal. This vessel is not overly strong, but the passage opened by your origin path is relatively formidable, so the infused energy is too overwhelming for you to endure. Don't worry, this is only the first attempt. We will continue forging different bodies for you to test..." In that instant, Director Wang wished he were truly dead. This... was only the beginning.