Physical Body Dao Meridian

The agreement reached between Li Hao and the Martial Arts Alliance was not kept secret for long—or rather, there was no need to hide it at all. In fact, the news was publicized deliberately. Ten thousand suits of armor in exchange for a covenant of alliance. No troop deployments, no personnel required, and no need for powerful experts to assist in battle. All they had to do was agree to a few basic conditions: do not collaborate with the traitors, do not aid Li Hao's enemies, do not disrupt the governance of the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office, and abide by the laws of Heavenly Star. For just this much, the Heavenly Star Dynasty was willing to accommodate Neo-Martial. Neither side would provoke the other. The Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office would not single out Neo-Martial experts, and Li Hao was willing to pay a price to secure these terms. Both parties negotiated this alliance and cooperation on equal footing. In truth, it could hardly be called a full alliance. It was merely a fundamental non-aggression pact. Li Hao had also promised that when circumstances permitted, he would aid the Neo-Martial humans in opening the Star Gate and searching for the Neo-Martial main world. Could such terms still be considered excessive? Naturally, in the past, new humanity had lacked the standing to be treated as equals by Neo-Martial. Yet times had changed! Li Hao had already grown nearly invincible in the outside world. Before the ancient powerhouses could fully awaken and step out into the open, Li Hao possessed the qualifications to stand on equal terms with these ancient cities. *** The news spread with tremendous speed. Any ancient city that had begun to awaken possessed its own intelligence channels to some degree, or openly or covertly backed its own experts and factions. No one would simply sit idle and await death, least of all the people of Neo-Martial. Everyone kept a close watch on every shift in the world outside. Thus, word swiftly reached every camp. *** In Silver Moon, near the shores of the Moon Sea, an ancient city stood half on land and half submerged in the waters. At that moment, intelligence reached the main hall of the ancient city. Within the grand hall, an old man coughed, sounding somewhat frail, and spoke. "This Li Hao is a descendant of the Li family and one of the human leaders of this generation. Now that he has reached an agreement with the Martial Arts Alliance, it seems he hopes every faction will swiftly declare their stance. He has certainly adopted a humble posture. "Earlier, in his duel against the King of Dali, he displayed formidable strength despite being barely twenty years of age... It reminds me of the Human King's generation during the early days of Neo-Martial... Every generation produces its own talents. For one so young, provided he survives, his future accomplishments are bound to be extraordinary." As the old man finished, a figure clad in gold armor below said in a deep voice, "Li Hao indeed possesses immense potential—that cannot be denied! However... Li Hao severed three divine weapons, and among them was our clan's divine weapon... That was our heirloom treasure. Shattering the divine weapon severed the legacy behind the stone gate... Such an act went too far! "Furthermore, he broke three divine weapons yet speaks of opening the Star Gate. That is likely nothing more than an empty promise. The Li family can open it, and the Starry Sky Sword can as well, but without the power of a Sovereign, how could it be unsealed? "A Sovereign... In the Neo-Martial era, only the most supreme beings reached the realm of a Sovereign. Li Hao is currently trapped in a small world. Even though a new Dao has emerged, no one knows what its future holds. His talk of opening the Star Gate can only be taken as words of comfort. "Once the Star Gate fails to open, if Neo-Martial wishes to re-emerge in the mortal world, conflict with Li Hao may well be inevitable. This world is divided among five kingdoms, and Li Hao possesses the bearing of a sovereign ruler. When that time comes, would Li Hao truly tolerate Neo-Martial carving up the land of Silver Moon? During the Human King's era, such opposition would have been wiped out long ago! If this Li Hao intends to claim the throne... in my view, he will clash with us sooner or later." These words were not unreasonable. The old man nodded slightly. Given the unyielding nature of the Neo-Martial people, how could they allow another to sleep soundly beside their bed? Even so, the old man remarked, "Yet now, Battle Heaven City and the Martial Arts Alliance have made their stances clear one after another. If we remain silent, won't that invite friction with those two? Setting aside what became of the Zheng family, and setting aside the current state of the Li family, the remaining six families are of one blood, so long as they haven't turned traitor." "Hall Master, a hundred thousand years have passed since Neo-Martial!" the gold-armored warrior said solemnly. "Are the Eight Great Central Cities of today truly the same as the Eight Great Central Cities of old? Can we... truly stand together still?" The old man fell silent. After a long pause, he said, "Regardless of what they think, Neo-Martial remains Neo-Martial... I have no wish to see the people of Neo-Martial turn their blades on one another... It is only a basic pact of mutual understanding. There is no harm in taking part." The gold-armored warrior considered it for a moment, then replied, "Then we shall follow the Hall Master's wish. However, as the situation remains murky, we must make our preparations. Among the Eight Great Central Cities today, each can only trust itself." The old man nodded. "I understand that much. Send word out and establish contact with Li Hao's side. Let us hope he will not form an alliance in the light only to plot schemes in the dark." "Let us hope not!" *** That day, similar discussions took place across various regions. While they were not overly wary of Li Hao, neither did they wish to engage in a major conflict with him at this stage. With Battle Heaven City and the Martial Arts Alliance having publicly declared their stances one after the other, several ancient cities chose to reach out to Li Hao. As for the predicament Heavenly Star might face—besieged by four foreign nations—none of them paid it much mind. In their eyes, national power meant little; individual strength was all that mattered. So long as Li Hao possessed sufficient might, he was entitled to respect and cooperation. As for the weakness of the rest of his subordinates, that was entirely irrelevant. *** While Li Hao was busy traveling, Across the four quarters of Heavenly Star, Dali in the north had already mobilized its armies. On this day, across the vast eastern desert, dust billowed over ten thousand li of yellow sand. At the eastern horizon, countless cavalry galloped forward with black cloths wrapped over their faces, an endless sea of troops surging toward the Eastern Continent. At the forefront of the vanguard, a white steed soared like a celestial Pegasus, its hooves never touching the earth, its speed seemingly tearing through the void. It led an innumerable host of riders, trampling the desert flat as they charged toward the Eastern Continent. Beside the white horse rode over a hundred powerful golden steeds, each mounted by a warrior. Every single rider radiated an immensely formidable aura. Countless banners fluttered proudly in the wind, emblazoned with the single character: Huang! The Kingdom of Dahuang! Heavenly Star occupied the Central Plains. Northern Dali was separated from Heavenly Star by Mount Cang, where demons lurked and birds struggled to cross. The east was separated by ten thousand li of yellow sand, barren of human life. Ever since the Heavenly Star imperial family unified the realm, contact with the four surrounding nations had ceased. Only a trickle of merchants, willing to brave countless mountains and rivers for exorbitant profits, risked their lives venturing into the peripheral kingdoms. The desert of Dahuang was the natural barrier of the east. Yet today, this natural chasm had been flattened by countless cavalry. The gold-armored warrior atop the white horse at the forefront of the vanguard was not the ruler of Dahuang. In the sky above, eight colossal steeds soared through the void, pulling a massive carriage that resembled a palace. It truly looked like a floating palace. Within it, palace maids and guards could be faintly seen walking about. Silhouettes stood poised throughout the hall. This was the true residence of the Lord of Dahuang. Within the grand hall, an elderly man gazed through the palace walls at the host below, watching the gold-armored general on the white horse at the army's front. He sighed with emotion. "It is good to be young. They say Li Hao, the Governor-General of Heavenly Star, is barely a young man. The King of Dali in the north has not even reached thirty. Dahuang's younger generation is not an embarrassment either, yet what a pity..." The old man seemed filled with regret. "What a pity that A'jun was not born a man..." Below, a scholar stepped forward, smiling warmly. "Your Majesty need not feel regret. Princess Jun carries Your Majesty's demeanor, and is deeply beloved by all the officers and soldiers in the army. Now, the world is in turmoil, the Central Plains are in chaos, and the Heavenly Star Dynasty is decaying. Both Dahuang and Dali have striven diligently for strength... This is a heaven-sent opportunity. Since ancient times, the decline of the Central Plains has always heralded the rise of the peripheral kingdoms! "Heaven has blessed our Dahuang with Princess Jun. She possesses courage unmatched by ten thousand warriors, the might to pluck stars and seize the moon, and the strength to capture dragons and wrestle tigers. Though she is a woman, when has our Dahuang ever cared for conventional secular decorum?" Looking up at the monarch, he proclaimed in a ringing voice, "From what this subject knows, the ruler of the God Nation in the west is also a woman, and the Kingdom of Shuiyun is currently ruled by an Empress Dowager... Since that is so, why should our Dahuang fret over such matters?" Above, the Lord of Dahuang sighed wistfully. "True enough! It is only that..." He smiled and did not finish the thought. Instead, he looked at the speaking minister with a faint smile. "Very well. Though I am old, I can still exert myself for Dahuang and support A'jun a little longer. Still, this Li Hao, and the King of Dali, are not easy to deal with." "This subject understands that chaotic times produce heroes. However, our three allied nations have a fine opportunity! The east of Heavenly Star was originally under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Dingguo. Yet ever since two successive heads of the Xu family were slain by Li Hao, the east has fallen into chaos. Provinces have rebelled and laid siege to the Xu family... Panic has gripped the populace. The east is exceptionally fertile and prosperous. If we can seize the Eastern Continent, face the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office across the sea, and refrain from rushing an assault into the Central Region, Dahuang can win over the people and establish a firm foothold... It is by no means an impossible prospect!" The Lord of Dahuang nodded once more. He then looked toward a figure in the corner of the hall, draped in a black robe and exuding an air of mystery. Smiling slightly, he asked, "What assessment does the envoy have of Li Hao?" The black-robed powerhouse spoke in a flat voice, "A genius, an exceptional talent. Were he not, there would be no need for all four nations to march simultaneously! However, when Wen Yue suggested establishing a firm foothold in the east and awaiting an opportunity... that is sheer foolishness! "What a genius like Li Hao lacks most is time. Once you grant him time, he will inevitably turn heaven and earth on their heads! Since ancient times, such people have always been this way; given enough time, reversing the tide is as easy as turning over their palm! "Therefore, in my view, if you can deliver a thunderous blow, strike with thunderous force! Even if this realm is shattered and life is devastated... at worst, it can be rebuilt afterward! But if you hesitate now, hoping to become the ruler of a flourishing golden age... the chances of success are slim!" The Lord of Dahuang pondered this deeply, speaking slowly, "The envoy means to say... we should swiftly crush the Eastern Continent, advance directly into the Central Region, slaughter across the realm, throw Li Hao's faction into chaos, stir up unrest on all fronts, and deny him any peace? Uniting the four quarters to crush him in a joint assault?" "Precisely!" the black-robed figure said quickly. "This is the only way! A man like Li Hao must never be granted time... Otherwise, in the end, none of you will escape defeat!" At these words, the minister who had spoken earlier frowned slightly. "The envoy's proposal... is no different from placing Dahuang in opposition to tens of billions of common folk. Heavenly Star has a population of ten billion, while our Dahuang has barely five hundred million—a mere twentieth of Heavenly Star's!" He believed that acting according to this ancient city expert's proposal would make it difficult to unify the realm even if Li Hao were defeated. Appeasement and conciliation were the only way! He added swiftly, "There is no need to forcefully conquer the Eastern Continent. On the contrary, we can reach out to the Xu family, form an alliance, or even offer them enfeoffment as kings! In Heavenly Star, the Xu family was merely a ducal house. If they are willing to join Dahuang, what harm is there in granting them a princely title? The Xu family has ruled the Eastern Continent for two hundred years. If Your Majesty permits, I will personally visit the Xu family to negotiate... That way, Dahuang can quickly establish a firm foothold in the east!" The black-robed envoy wanted to object further, but the Lord of Dahuang coughed lightly. "Wen Yue, your words make sense. However... the envoy's point is not without merit either." He looked at the black-robed figure once more. "If the envoy is willing to provide Dahuang with sufficient backing—having the demon plant within your city supply our grain and provisions, having your city's experts lend their hands in battle, and providing our Dahuang with another hundred thousand suits of battle armor... we could also follow the envoy's advice and pursue a swift resolution!" The black-robed powerhouse cursed internally! Not a single one of these rulers was easy to handle. Fortunately, the man was still willing to deploy his forces; otherwise, it would have been difficult to report back. He answered quickly, "I will do my utmost to secure these for Your Majesty. However... as Your Majesty knows, every ancient city is currently facing great difficulties..." "I understand. Doing your best will suffice," the Lord of Dahuang chuckled. "Otherwise, a forced assault carries too heavy a cost. Dahuang has small territory, a modest population, and few experts. A bloody war of attrition with the Central Plains would be unsustainable for us." The black-robed figure said no more, leaving everything for his master to decide. These people never released their falcons until they saw the hare. Without benefits... it was simply too difficult. He wondered how the other fronts were faring. He could not communicate with the other sides, though news from Dali had filtered through, confirming that Dali had dispatched its armies—though things seemed somewhat less than ideal there. *** Likewise, At this moment, movements stirred in both the west and the south. In the south, upon a vast river, countless warships clustered densely across the southern waters, advancing toward the Southern Continent. Aboard a colossal warship, Empress Dowager Shuiyun held court behind a pearl curtain. Outside, the King of Shuiyun, merely a young child of a few years, played merrily. From behind the curtain, the Empress Dowager's voice drifted out: "Our Kingdom of Shuiyun possesses a formidable navy, but our land warfare capabilities are limited, and our nation's powerhouses are few in number... This time, we can only pin down the Southern Continent. Shuiyun holds no ambition to unify the realm; we seek only to occupy the Southern Continent so that we may relocate some of our people here, for our lands suffer from excessive floods... "I have heard that in the Neo-Martial era, armies were peerless in battle! That Battle Heaven City deployed ten thousand troops for Li Hao, holding off a million-strong host from Dali! It is even said that those Battle Heaven soldiers were mere lingering wills of the dead. I wonder if the Venerable One might dispatch some ancient soldiers to assist our humble kingdom of Shuiyun?" Outside the pearl curtain, a black-robed figure felt utterly helpless. From the moment he entered her kingdom, this Empress Dowager Shuiyun had done nothing but plead hardship, poverty, and weakness. If she truly had no intention of deploying troops, she would have expelled him long ago. She clearly harbored no small ambition, yet insisted on wringing benefits from him first. He had no choice but to say, "Empress Dowager, on this matter... I cannot make the final decision..." "The Venerable One is too modest... Naturally, once we enter the Southern Continent, I must ask the Venerable One to put in a good word. We are a small nation with a sparse population, my son is still young, and we are but a helpless widow and orphan. If our losses are too heavy, it will be difficult to suppress the opposition within our kingdom..." "I shall do my utmost!" The black-robed figure said no more, resolving to let his master deal with this headache. This Empress Dowager Shuiyun was certainly no pushover. He had a faint premonition that this woman might also possess some extraordinary legacy. In the Neo-Martial era, there had been far too many experts. The Kingdom of Shuiyun possessed extensive water networks; perhaps someone had left behind a powerful legacy there. He even suspected whether it might belong to that particular figure skilled in sword arts. The power of water... It was said that the Chen family of Neo-Martial possessed a certain affinity for it. There were many surnamed Chen in Neo-Martial, but those skilled in swordsmanship, particularly the Stream Sword... were exceedingly rare. The most renowned was naturally the one who had followed the Human King all along and ultimately became the Human King's consort. Yet he could not fathom: had that esteemed figure ever visited the land of Silver Moon? Had he not sensed a faint trace of sword intent on this woman and recalled water-attribute swordsmanship, he would never have dared think in that direction. Of course, it might not be that person. In the Neo-Martial era, there were also many at Demon Martial who practiced the Stream Sword. All of this could only be confirmed once she displayed her skills. *** Both Dahuang and Shuiyun treated their black-robed envoys as honored guests. Yet at this very moment, in the west, a colossal city drifted through the air. Within the city, inside the grand hall of the God Nation, Another black-robed emissary from an ancient city held no high status at all. They had not even bothered to maintain superficial courtesies. Above the dais sat only a dignified young woman. Yet her speech carried the majesty of a deity, looking down upon the black-robed figure with a voice that was not cold, merely detached: "Once the God Nation reaches Heavenly Star, if your master still does not show himself, our cooperation ends immediately! Sneaking about in the shadows hardly befits Neo-Martial! Long ago, your Neo-Martial powerhouses slaughtered our gods with unmatched arrogance; today, however, you act like thieves—it is truly disgraceful!" The black-robed figure opened his mouth to speak several times, yet the woman continued to gaze down upon him, radiating a terrifying aura as she stated indifferently, "No reasons, no excuses! If you think a mere origin clone is enough to make my God Nation bleed for you, you have taken things far too lightly! Today, the gods of our realm are reviving, favored by Heaven's will, and taking command of the Heavenly Dao. Even without your arrival, our God Nation is destined to unify the world! If Neo-Martial has no champions left, we shall wipe out the remnants of your Neo-Martial army along with the rest!" The black-robed envoy's aura fluctuated slightly. Only after a long silence did he manage, "It is merely that the world has not fully recovered. Once it does..." "If it has not recovered, that only proves your own incompetence!" "..." The black-robed figure was rendered speechless, finding it utterly exasperating to deal with these people. In this God Nation, deities were revered above all. Long ago, Neo-Martial had slaughtered their gods, so these people harbored deep hostility toward ancient figures like him. Were it not for the need for cooperation, he likely would have been struck down the moment he arrived. He had truly drawn the short straw being sent as an envoy to the God Nation. *** On this day, the grand armies of the three nations advanced in formidable waves, steadily closing in on Heavenly Star. Silver Moon. Silver City. Outside the city walls, shouts of slaughter shook the air. Small-scale clashes continued unabated, with tens of thousands of troops clashing daily without pause, leaving the battlefield strewn with corpses and heavy casualties. Before the battle lines, generals engaged in single combat. The earth trembled and the sky darkened as officers fell over the past few days. Both sides kept the scale of combat within certain bounds, yet the casualties remained severe. Nonetheless, both armies were visibly in far better condition than before. They deployed without confusion and faced battle without fear. Even among the millions of ordinary soldiers, a batch of elites had been selected to form a new army and sent onto the battlefield once—though the casualties had been gruesome. Thirty thousand men had been selected, all considered elites, yet the enemy deployed only ten thousand troops and swiftly routed the new army, nearly driving them to complete collapse. In that single clash, thirty percent had fallen, terrifying the survivors out of their wits. Fortunately, replacements were quickly brought in, and hundreds of men were selected from the Demon Hunting Army to serve as officers at every rank, finally steadying the new recruits. *** Behind the Dali encampment, The King of Dali watched the battlefield. After observing for a while, he shifted his gaze toward the distance, looking in the direction of Silver City. Five days had passed since the last great duel. Over those five days, both armies had clashed repeatedly. Dali's losses had been minimal, and since they consisted primarily of tribal levies, the King of Dali did not care much. On the opposite side, at least ten thousand had perished over the same period. The King of Dali could not help but admire Li Hao... The man was ruthless enough! He threw raw recruits straight into the meat grinder against hardened elites. Had the King of Dali not harbored concerns about provoking the experts of Silver Moon into a full-scale slaughter by killing too many, those ten thousand troops would have been more than enough to butcher the thirty thousand raw recruits to the last man. Even with some restraint, the other side had lost a great many soldiers. As he watched, Jiang Li appeared and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, word has arrived. The movements of the three nations have been spotted; they are not far from the three continents. Li Hao will not be able to drag things out here with us for much longer!" The King of Dali subtly shifted away. Why did this Jiang Li have to stand so close whenever he spoke? Jiang Li noticed the movement and frowned slightly. What was wrong with the King of Dali lately? Where had he offended him? The King of Dali did not say much, only murmuring in a low voice, "With the three nations invading, how do you think Li Hao will choose? Will he abandon this front to rescue the three continents, or will he pour everything into a decisive battle against us to crush us... before going to their aid?" He truly could not comprehend Li Hao's thought process. Li Hao was exceedingly young, barely twenty years old—ten years younger than himself. Yet Li Hao lacked the fiery impulsiveness of youth, nor did he display much overbearing arrogance. To the King of Dali, Li Hao often seemed entirely nonchalant. Yet to say he did not care about Heavenly Star was also untrue. If he truly did not care, he would not have involved himself in these affairs. Yet he continued to manage everything. Word was that the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office was currently recruiting troops across the Central Region to prepare reinforcements for the three continents, and had even mobilized massive fleets of ships to continuously evacuate civilians across the four seas. All of this indicated that Li Hao and his followers were striving with all their might to save themselves. Yet... what about Li Hao himself? Aside from rumors a few days ago that Li Hao had reached an agreement with the Martial Arts Alliance and secured ten thousand suits of armor, the man had vanished. Over the past few days, the King of Dali had probed several times, but failed to detect Li Hao's presence. Now, he felt hesitant. Li Hao's elusive secrecy made him uneasy instead. He grew somewhat irritated. "This Li Hao is truly infuriating! Either march out in force, or make it clear what he wants! Tying down my Dali here just to train troops—what in the world is he after?" Ten days had passed since Dali entered this region. Over those ten days, aside from that initial massive battle, Li Hao had strictly adhered to their prior agreement: soldiers fought soldiers, and generals fought generals. Even when Dali slew a member of the original Demon Hunting Squad—one of Li Hao's founding companions—during a duel of generals two days ago, Li Hao's camp showed no reaction whatsoever. Had the same happened to the King of Dali, losing several of his Divine Guards would have grieved him deeply. Yet Li Hao... was colder than he was! The man had not even shown his face. *** At this moment, the King of Dali was not the only one feeling anxious. The experts of Silver Moon were equally on edge. Reports were arriving from the three peripheral continents confirming that the three foreign armies were drawing near. Chen Zhongtian, overseeing the Inspectorate, received continuous streams of intelligence and wished to report directly to Li Hao, yet Li Hao remained nowhere to be found. Without Li Hao's orders, no one dared deploy their forces rashly. Li Hao had previously vowed to defend the three continents, yet now that the enemy was on their doorstep, he had gone silent. Leaving things like this could easily cause morale to collapse. *** Yet at this very moment, Li Hao was not in the mortal realm; he had entered the Bright Star Cosmos. Within the cosmos, A figure sat cross-legged in the void, allowing waves of energy to wash over him as points of light flickered across his body. Before him floated a bone white as jade. After a long time, Li Hao opened his eyes and picked up the jade-like bone. This was an Initial Martial divine bone. According to Ninth Division Commander and the others, from the Initial Martial era to the present day, the one with the strongest physical body was not necessarily the Human King, but perhaps the Tyrant Emperor. The Tyrant Emperor had been an Initial Martial body cultivator. In the Neo-Martial era, there was the golden body cultivation method, but even a golden body could not match the Tyrant Body. The Tyrant Emperor had begun cultivating the physical body before the origin existed, achieving an unfathomable level of power! No expert of any subsequent era could definitively claim to surpass him in physical cultivation. As for the era Li Hao lived in, it was merely at its beginning, far from comparable. Setting aside the Tyrant Emperor, human bodies today could not even match those of Neo-Martial cultivators at the same realm. Li Hao and his companions had originally thought that with energy feedback from the Bright Star Realm, their physical bodies would continuously strengthen, eventually achieving dual supremacy in both physical form and divine abilities. Yet... Li Hao now realized that while this made the body relatively strong, it was far from extraordinary. It merely reached the standard level of ordinary Neo-Martial humans! It lacked true uniqueness! It was only when he encountered Jiang Li, who wielded an Initial Martial divine bone, that Li Hao realized the problem might lie within the bones. He knew that war was imminent across the three continents. Yet he still had a problem to resolve. Sharpening the axe would not delay the cutting of firewood; this was not something to rush blindly. "Could it be because the basic 360 acupoints haven't all been opened, so no qualitative metamorphosis has occurred? But if all 360 acupoints must be opened before a metamorphosis happens, that would require at least the power of thirty-six meridians. Isn't such a metamorphosis far too late?" For Neo-Martial cultivators, the eighth rank golden body corresponded roughly to the third or fourth level of the Mountain-Sea Realm, at most the fifth or sixth level. At that stage, their physical bodies would undergo a metamorphosis. Yet according to Li Hao's initial theory, if 360 acupoints were required for a metamorphosis, the people of Silver Moon would have to cultivate to the ninth level of the Sun-Moon Realm before their bodies transformed. Currently, not even Li Hao had opened 360 acupoints, let alone anyone else. "This approach is definitely flawed. An unaligned Mountain-Sea or Sun-Moon cultivator without the amplification of divine abilities possesses a body that is hardly unique, offering no advantage against Neo-Martial or Initial Martial cultivators... Must one rely solely on divine abilities?" Li Hao took the bone and examined it carefully. He then looked out into the vast cosmos. Within this universe, was there truly a Great Dao unique to the physical body? Or rather, did the human body possess a singularly special Dao meridian that, once opened, would cause the physical body to advance by leaps and bounds? Or directly trigger a metamorphosis? If it existed, where was it? The defining feature of modern humans was their Dao meridians. They did not necessarily have to walk the ancient path, but even if such a Dao meridian existed, it had to be discovered first. Up to now, he had not found any meridian that, once opened, could rapidly strengthen the physical body! During his prior battle against the King of Dali, Li Hao had recognized his own shortcomings. He had numerous methods and divine abilities, and it was only because the King of Dali's brute power had not reached absolute perfection that Li Hao had the chance to deploy them; otherwise, absolute strength would overcome all technique. Despite having an arsenal of methods, he had only fought the King of Dali to a draw. Both were figures who had broken the limits of heaven and earth, so strictly speaking... Li Hao and the King of Dali were at the same realm. Yet at that same realm, he was not invincible. Although his teacher had said one did not have to pursue invincibility within the same realm, To Li Hao, he had encountered tremendous fortune. He had even been the first to discover the Bright Star Realm! Yet he could not even thoroughly suppress someone in the same realm—could that still be considered invincible? Which invincible powerhouse did not slay foes of higher realms? Yet here he was, nearly having his physical body battered to pieces! Ninth Division Commander had claimed that all Li family members were like this... but Li Hao refused to accept it! "Modern humans must have their own unique Dao meridian that can strengthen the physical body..." As the thought crossed his mind, Li Hao's body suddenly cracked open. In that instant, he appeared as though dissected, his bones exposed, his five viscera laid bare, and his Dao meridians revealed one by one. The Initial Martial bone floating before him suddenly fractured slightly, and a unique power began to circulate. Li Hao did not absorb it, merely observing quietly. This bone was exceptionally strong. A unique power was embedded within it. He wanted to see whether any Dao meridian within his body would take the initiative to connect with it and merge, or whether any star within the Bright Star Realm would be drawn to this energy. If it could... that might well be where the physical body Dao meridian lay. "A frail physical body... Even after discovering the Bright Star Realm, it remains so, laughed at by everyone..." Li Hao muttered to himself. Only in this place did he reveal some of the youthful vigor of his age. He refused to admit defeat! Back then, when Zhang An said that new humanity had bodies too frail for him to look upon, Li Hao had felt disgruntled. Later, when the King of Dali claimed that Heavenly Star's people possessed mediocre bodies, and that even Li Hao was merely ordinary... he was even more displeased! Who were they looking down on? We are naturally endowed with Dao bodies—how could we be inferior to you? It was only that we discovered it too late and have not yet uncovered the physical body Dao meridian. Once found, an unaligned expert of the same realm who opened this physical body Dao meridian could kill you with a single punch! Li Hao would never utter such words outside. Here, however, he spoke freely, muttering to himself, "It must exist, I know it does... Once I find it, I'll turn around and punch the King of Dali to death!" *Boom!* The Initial Martial divine bone shattered further. He still did not absorb the energy, allowing the formidable power within to disperse into the void. Had Jiang Li witnessed this, he would have likely detonated himself in sheer agony. This was an Initial Martial divine bone! Had Li Hao absorbed the power, he would not have felt as pained, but Li Hao was letting the energy bleed away—it was practically a crime. As the divine bone shattered and energy erupted, a formidable force drifted through the void. Some of the energy brushed against Li Hao's body and was absorbed, but... in the end, Li Hao realized with frustration that his "Dao" divine character was absorbing it. He knew the "Dao" character might encompass this physical Dao, but that was not what he sought. What he wanted was a physical body Dao meridian that everyone could cultivate! He continued drifting through the void. As the dissipated divine bone energy drifted along, a distant, massive star suddenly flickered faintly. Li Hao's eyes flashed. The paper-thin form of Li Hao vanished instantly, and the next moment, riding a great star, he arrived at the location. There stood a star as well, though exceptionally dim. At that moment, having absorbed some of the unique energy, it flickered faintly. Li Hao's eyes gleamed as he murmured, "Could it be... that someone among the humans of today has opened this Dao meridian, but hasn't cultivated it and no one has noticed, yet the meridian is open... and the energy of the Initial Martial divine bone resonated with it?" Yet... every human today possessed Dao meridians. Whose in the world was this? It certainly wasn't his own! Li Hao felt a headache coming on. Should he punch through this spot? If the person had not actively cultivated the meridian and was very weak, punching through the Bright Star Realm recklessly might cause them to explode on the spot. Yet across an entire universe, it was difficult to determine the person's identity. Li Hao's headache deepened! Whose Dao meridian was this, after all? Having finally found a lead, he could not simply let it drop. After agonizing over it, Li Hao manifested several divine characters, ringing them around the massive star, and then brought forth his "Dao" divine character, Enveloping the great star entirely! Feeling that this was still not secure enough, Li Hao gritted his teeth and forcefully merged a portion of the "Dao" divine character into the dim star. Li Hao exhaled sharply. "This serves as a rough marker. From now on, so long as I travel the world, if I encounter a familiar aura or someone who feels intimately familiar, they might be the bearer of this Dao meridian!" This way, he would avoid putting the person in mortal danger and accidentally killing them. He could have chosen to pierce the meridian right now, which might have revealed the person's identity... but he feared they were too weak and would collapse instantly. Worried that this might not be enough to pinpoint the person, Li Hao considered for a moment, then squeezed out a drop of blood that gleamed like starlight, sinking directly into the dim star. "That should do it... If I meet someone who feels like Director Wang, like my own son... that must be the master of this star!" Satisfied, Li Hao swiftly traversed the void, preparing to depart. As for the Initial Martial divine bone, its energy was nearly exhausted, but he no longer cared. It was just a piece of bone! If this attempt failed, he would rob Jiang Li again next time, seize a few more bones, and use them as bait to trace the energy. *** Soon, guided by the Starry Sky Sword's beacon, Li Hao pierced the void and returned to the mortal realm. The next instant, someone sensed his presence. Yuan Shuo materialized instantly. Seeing Li Hao, he let out a sigh of relief. "Don't go running inside alone, it's very dangerous... News has arrived: all three nations are deploying their troops and are about to breach the three continents. Everyone is waiting for your orders!" Li Hao nodded. "No rush. Recruit the troops first and make preparations; I will handle it!" He then asked, "The King of Dali hasn't made any reckless moves, has he?" "None." "Good!" Li Hao chuckled and added, "Master, I'm currently searching for the physical body Dao meridian, and I seem to have made a breakthrough. If I can discover it, locate it, and open it... that will be a true, lasting achievement! So... I'll go look for it first. With my current strength, traveling through the void to scan all four directions is very fast... So wait a little longer!" Yuan Shuo frowned. "Opening 360 acupoints will inevitably trigger a metamorphosis..." "That's too late!" Li Hao shook his head. Yuan Shuo was left speechless, feeling that such a metamorphosis was fine so long as it applied to top experts, and that Li Hao was straying off course by obsessing over a physical body Dao meridian. Of course, his disciple now possessed countless ideas of his own, and Yuan Shuo had no way to dissuade him. "Then make it quick... Don't waste too much time on this!" "Understood!" Li Hao nodded and vanished in an instant. *** At that moment, Li Hao expanded his perception to the utmost, drifting through the sky to sweep across the four directions, his formidable force blanketing heaven and earth. He cast his senses outward in every direction. Thus, on this day, countless people caught sight of Li Hao. Though he only flashed past without lingering, he frightened many into trembling dread, leaving experts across various provinces on high alert. Only after Li Hao drifted past and vanished did everyone breathe a little easier. Yet Li Hao's frown only deepened. He had first swept across the Northern Continent, but detected no connection whatsoever. Aside from Director Wang, no one shared that sense of intimacy with him. Left with no alternative, Li Hao quickly entered the Central Continent. Only someone with his formidable power and boundless vitality could undertake such a needle-in-a-haystack search. After a moment of silence, Li Hao plunged into the Bright Star Realm once more. He gauged the direction. Even though bearings in the Bright Star Realm were not entirely accurate... he disregarded that for now, resolving to scour every direction. Thus, as the three foreign nations closed in, Li Hao was sprinting relentlessly, scouring the world to find the bearer of the physical body Dao meridian. Heading all the way west, Li Hao grew increasingly excited as he faintly sensed that... the person might be in the west! On that day, Li Hao flew across the sky, leaving the experts of the Western Continent shivering in fear, Dreading that Li Hao had come to annihilate them! Li Hao traveled through the void, crossing the Western Continent and traversing range after range of great mountains, until finally coming to a halt in one direction. Ahead in the distance, a colossal city resembling a divine realm floated through the air. Li Hao's jaw dropped, leaving him speechless for a long while. How could this be! He faintly perceived that... the Dao meridian was actually within this city. The western God Nation! Did they possess Dao meridians? Turning the thought over, realization struck him. Gods naturally possessed Dao meridians, so why wouldn't the people of the western God Nation possess them? Strictly speaking, perhaps the people of the God Nation were the true native inhabitants. "So that's how it is!" Li Hao murmured. From the distance, someone barked coldly, "Who dares spy upon our God Nation?" Li Hao stood motionless, watching as illusory silhouettes manifested in the distance, overwhelmingly powerful, as though deities were awakening. Li Hao watched for a moment, then watched a little longer, before suddenly breaking into a smile and turning to leave. At that moment, a touch of madness and fierce excitement gleamed in his eyes. He would... destroy the God Nation first! That Dao meridian seemed to reside at the very center of the God Nation, seemingly belonging to a prominent figure. It would be difficult to capture them or examine their Dao meridian directly, but he could wipe out the God Nation and unlock the physical body Dao meridian for everyone. *** Within the grand hall of the God Nation, the Queen gazed toward the east, her brow furrowed slightly. Who was that? Why... did she feel a strange sense of closeness? It was a powerful expert! At that moment, an illusory silhouette materialized, speaking in a grave tone, "The one just now was likely Li Hao of Heavenly Star. He traveled through the void, his aura fierce and domineering, descending like the will of Heaven as the Great Dao manifested. Even we felt shaken..." "Li Hao?" The Queen paused slightly. "Water God, why has he come here?" "Unknown." The Queen remained silent for a moment, keeping her impressions to herself. Li Hao? Why would this man suddenly appear in the west? To scout the situation? Yet what could Li Hao accomplish alone? Many gods had now awakened within the nation, and her own combat strength was unmatched. If Li Hao had lingered, he would never have left alive. Yet... she remained puzzled. She had never met Li Hao, so why had she felt, from such a distance, a bizarre sensation... as though her father had arrived? The Queen shook her head slightly at the bizarre sensation. This Li Hao was truly extraordinary! And rather terrifying! *** At the same time, Li Hao was brimming with excitement, countless thoughts racing through his mind. Could it be a deity? There were myriad gods, making it highly likely that one possessed a unique Dao meridian. If that was the case... he would show no mercy! He would show the world that within the land of Silver Moon, he remained supreme!