A Race Against Time

Time ticked by. Li Hao and his people were also racing against time, seizing control of the relay stations. A race against the clock. *** Meanwhile. Despite the invasion of four nations, Heavenly Star had entered a brief period of peace. Li Hao made no further moves against the four kingdoms. The quadripartite alliance likewise chose to halt their advance. Even the most powerful among them, the God Nation, chose to wait. Everyone, it seemed, was waiting for an opportune moment. In the west. Yang Shan and his wife led thousands of Demon Hunting Army troops. Around them, more and more forces gradually assembled; from across the western provinces, supers had come of their own accord to defend the western border together. At this moment. At the western limit stood a colossal city. The Queen was not resting. At this moment, she stood atop the city wall, gazing into the distance. Two days... no, three days had passed since Li Hao had left this place. For three days, the realm had been at peace. It was quiet to the point of eeriness. That sense of oppression, of suffocation... Though full-scale war had not erupted again, it was not just Yang Shan and his wife guarding the west who felt it; even the Queen felt a creeping breathlessness. What was Li Hao doing right now? He had toured all four directions without launching a large-scale war against any of them, nor had he raced against the clock to crush one side before dealing with the other three. Instead, Li Hao had chosen silence. Something was wrong! The Queen looked at the figure beside her and let out a soft breath. "Destiny, can you see anything?" The Goddess of Destiny. She could see through the fate of others—life, death, triumph, or ruin... Strictly speaking, the Goddess of Destiny's divine ability was somewhat similar to Qian Wuliang's. The difference was that Qian Wuliang peered into the human heart, whereas the Goddess of Destiny read the future karmic luck of individuals. However, luck was ethereal and elusive, far less reliable than the human heart. For the past few days, the Goddess of Destiny had been watching continuously, particularly Yang Shan and the others across the line. Now, she frowned slightly and said slowly, "The future... is unclear! The destiny of these people sometimes seems to soar into the heavens, and sometimes turns pitch-black in an instant, as if they will die very soon." The Queen's brows knitted. What kind of an answer was that? Beside her, another deity said in a low voice, "Perhaps Li Hao is doing something where life and death hang by a single thought!" "Could he be planning to ambush our God Nation again?" What kind of situation would cause Li Hao's side to hover between life and death on a razor's edge? The Queen frowned slightly as well. After a long silence, she stopped questioning them and turned toward a figure not far away, asking coldly, "Black Robe, has there still been no word from your side?" The Queen was never one for pleasantries. At that moment, Black Robe had just received a message. He said softly, "My lord has already made arrangements and sent a reply. He will swiftly dispatch troops to assist us. In addition, an avatar at the Saint Dao level will come this time. My lord also asked me to remind the Moon God to be careful... not only of Li Hao, but also of certain other people." "What do you mean?" "The Moon God should understand to some extent." The Queen frowned, looking far off toward Silver Moon. Only after a long while did she say, "You mean that fellow near the moon?" "Yes." The Queen let out a cold hum, her brow furrowing slightly. "This King has long known that a seal appeared there. If not for that... I should have revived long ago!" She was a deity born of the moon, and the first deity between heaven and earth. By rights, once awakened, she should have been stronger than anyone—stronger even than the Prophet or the Sun God. But now, her true body, the moon, was sealed. It was not sealed specifically for the moon, but because two things existed there: first, the Star Gate; second, a sealed powerhouse. Furthermore, there was also an Eight Trigrams Seal over there, preventing the power of her true body from being transmitted across. Silver Moon was called Silver Moon precisely because the moon was powerful. Thus, the Queen knew something was amiss there. Now she asked directly, "This King wants to know... who exactly is sealed there?" Black Robe fell silent for a moment. After a brief pause, he said, "Many things. First, the Star Gate. Second, a Sovereign from an external world. Third, Sword City." "A Sovereign?" Black Robe nodded. "Back then, when the Sword Venerable and the others departed through the Star Gate, they were ambushed by the Red Moon Great World. The Red Moon Great World... is the universe the Human King sought to conquer. The enemy was immensely powerful... and even sought to attack the main world through Silver Moon. What occurred beyond the Star Gate, we do not fully know. But someone from the enemy broke through from outside the Star Gate..." He paused again before continuing, "In the end, at the critical juncture, powerhouses from Sword City struck, aided by measures left behind by the Eight Main Cities, severely wounding that Sovereign and sealing him near the Star Gate." "A Sovereign..." The Queen repeated the word, murmuring, "So that's how it was! But... for a quasi-Sovereign to break through the defense of the Longevity Sword Venerable and the others... does that mean a horrific battle took place outside the Star Gate?" "Perhaps!" Black Robe remarked. The Queen suddenly sneered. "Not necessarily because the enemy was that strong—your own efforts were surely not insignificant. If I remember correctly, the formation composed of the Eight Main Cities was exceptionally formidable; it wouldn't have been breached so easily." Black Robe said nothing. Indeed, it had been a pincer attack from within and without; otherwise, invading Silver Moon would not have been so simple. Of course, there was no need to dwell on that. The Queen frowned. "Then do you intend to unseal him now?" "No." The Queen started, looking at Black Robe. He replied calmly, "We have our own demands! That entity... is the common enemy of all, because he is the strongest!" With that, he added, "Because Silver Moon—I mean the Moon God's true self—served a suppressive role in the seal, their people might come to assassinate the Moon God." "They have other people here?" "Yes." Black Robe nodded. "The Red Moon Great World is somewhat unique. Before the Star Gate was sealed back then, a group of people had already entered the land of Silver Moon. Later, when the battle erupted, even though that Sovereign was sealed, before the world's energy was completely drained, he used a special energy to convert a group of people into members of the Red Moon. Twenty-one years ago, when the first resurgence began, some of his energy leaked through once more, infecting another portion of people..." "Infecting?" the Queen asked with doubt. "Corruptive invasion of energy... However, the seal of the Eight Great Families still holds, so the effect was not very widespread at the time!" Having said this, Black Robe considered for a moment before adding, "The modern spokesperson of the Red Moon Great World is Ying Hongyue of the Three Great Organizations. He previously contacted us as well and serves as a modern bridge of communication between our sides." Black Robe spoke of many things now. Some secrets were no longer great secrets today. However, he needed to warn the Moon God to be wary of an assassination attempt by the Red Moon faction. The Queen frowned again. "Even if I were killed... I could revive once more. I might not truly die, and it wouldn't necessarily affect my true body..." "No!" Black Robe shook his head. "Your Radiance Moon God, if you are killed this time, you may not have another chance to revive! That Sovereign may have already awakened... Once Your Radiance dies, he may find an opportunity to breach your true body and even siphon the moon's energy... using it to break the seal. Your Radiance... might never have another chance to revive." The Queen frowned in silence. By that logic, her situation was hardly better than Li Hao's. Soon, however, she sneered, "Here, even Li Hao, the spokesperson of the Heavenly Dao, can do nothing to this King, let alone those clowns!" It wasn't as if the Sovereign were coming in person. Back in the day, she had fought a Sovereign herself. Yes, the Sword Venerable. Of course, not much of her memories remained, and reincarnated as she was, her awakening was far from complete. Most of her energy remained locked in her true body. And her true body... she knew, was exceptionally difficult to control—not merely because of the seal, but because the Star Gate sat right inside it. It was troublesome! The Sword Venerable had destroyed her spirit, seized her true body, and forged the Star Gate that pierced the realm barrier. It was only because the Sword Venerable had been gone for so long and the Star Gate had sealed itself that she had revived, granting her some measure of control over the moon. In this current world, she could even hold her own against Li Hao, the spokesperson of the Heavenly Dao; why should she fear the lapdogs of the Red Moon world? Thus, she was not overly afraid. Black Robe fell quiet for a moment before adding, "It is still better to be cautious... My lord does not wish for any harm to befall Your Radiance Moon God. Furthermore... since that Sovereign of the Red Moon has awakened, he cannot be entirely unprepared. After all, he is entangled with the Star Gate, the moon, and the seal itself. Perhaps... he has usurped a portion of Heaven's Will, influencing it. It is not impossible that a spokesperson of Heaven's Will like the Moon God, Li Hao, or the King of Dali might emerge from his faction." If such a figure appeared, they would be able to break past the world's limits. As for by how much... for now, it was hard to say. The Moon God's brow furrowed at once. After a long silence, she steered away from the topic and asked instead, "What is the plan for dealing with Li Hao?" "Wait for the King of Dali to return... My lord wishes to hold a five-party conference." Black Robe spoke quickly: "Against Li Hao, any single party that acts alone will suffer grievous losses. My lord understands everyone's misgivings, but if all five parties join hands, the problem will be manageable." "Did you not see that Temple Chief Priest strike earlier?" the Queen said coldly. "Do you truly still hold out hope that the King of Dali will cooperate?" She found it unbelievable! Earlier, Dali's Chief Priest had actually intervened on Li Hao's side. She had witnessed it with her own eyes. "The King of Dali is a monarch in his own right... For now, he merely feels that Li Hao cannot be taken down easily. Moreover, a bit of trouble has arisen within Dali's borders, so it is only natural for him to ease tensions with Li Hao temporarily." "Within his borders?" "Yes. The Three Great Organizations have entered the borders of the Dali Dynasty." The Queen frowned, then asked after a moment, "When will this five-party conference take place? Also... I already know about the Great Desolation. But what is the story with that woman in Shuiyun? Supposedly, after sparring with Li Hao, she also won Heaven's Will's favor? Is Heaven's Will so indiscriminate in its affections this time around?" She felt an urge to lose her temper! Setting aside Li Hao and the King of Dali—and she herself was an innate deity born of heaven and earth—on what basis did that woman from Shuiyun match Li Hao as an equal? Did Heaven's Will bestow favor upon so many people? Had Heaven's Will... not even developed properly yet? Spawning a whole flock of people favored by Heaven's Will—perhaps the Red Moon Great World even had one too. Just how many people was Heaven's Will lavishing its favor on? Black Robe was at a loss for words as well. Only after a pause did he say, "The specifics are uncertain, but she may have obtained some terrifying legacy... Though whether that is true is hard to say." He added, "The five-party conference will be held as soon as possible. It is not just Your Radiance who is anxious; my lord also does not wish to grant Li Hao too much time." The Queen nodded. Thinking of something, she suddenly said, "Your dread of us—including innate deities like us—does not seem to match your dread of Li Hao! Desolate beasts, deities, Early Martial, even the Red Moon Great World... you are willing to cooperate with all of them. Why not cooperate with Li Hao? Helping them eliminate us might be far easier." With that, she said heavily, "Just because Li Hao discovered a new Dao? But the new Dao... in my eyes, perhaps it appeared years ago. The deities should all be spokespersons of the new Dao; we simply haven't unearthed its true purpose yet. However, when Li Hao revealed the Great Dao universe last time, we made some discoveries of our own... Why are you still dead set on killing Li Hao?" She looked intently at Black Robe. This bunch had great audacity. If they lacked audacity, would they dare betray Neo-Martial? Yet a group this bold seemed terrified of Li Hao. In the Queen's view, Li Hao was... passable, but nothing more. If not for relying on the strength of Neo-Martial remnants, the God Nation could have wiped out Li Hao's faction in that previous battle. Her personal strength was also greater than Li Hao's. She felt quite aggrieved. Even if you have cooperation with Red Moon, shouldn't my God Nation be the one you fear the most? Yet you would rather cooperate with the God Nation to destroy Li Hao than cooperate with Li Hao. Truly bizarre. Black Robe sighed. "Your Radiance must not underestimate Li Hao. Anyone capable of discovering a Great Dao universe is terrifying! In the Neo-Martial era, the strongest of those who discovered Great Dao universes was the Heavenly Emperor, who once unified heaven and earth and ruled the world! That Li Hao could discover it signifies that his talent, luck, and destiny are all peerless. Silver Moon, after all, was ruled by the Li family for many years. His wielding of the Starry Sky Sword signifies a great deal. "Second is the Starry Sky Sword itself. It is a critical artifact, perhaps even the key to ruling heaven and earth... The Sword Venerable presided over Silver Moon for over a thousand years, and the Star Gate is inextricably linked to the Starry Sky Sword. The Star Gate could not be breached even by a Sovereign; you can imagine how extraordinary the Starry Sky Sword is. "Third is the transition between the old and the new. By our estimation, the chosen prodigies of a new era are more terrifying than the old generation... And in this era, the prodigies of the new era are really only Li Hao, the King of Dali, and Ying Hongyue. Your Radiance... does not count." The Queen frowned, but did not dispute it. Did she count? Perhaps she truly did not. "We have lived through such an experience," Black Robe said softly. "In the Neo-Martial era, countless powerhouses of the old generation—even someone as mighty as the Heavenly Emperor—were slain by the Human King! And when the Human King slew the Heavenly Emperor, his age... was not much older than Li Hao's is now. For this very reason, my lord and the rest of us believe that Li Hao's threat eclipses that of anyone else, not only to us, but to all of you! In an era of transition, the old generation is almost always the one cast aside." The Queen said coldly, "Is that even possible? Excluding a few Neo-Martial experts, the strongest in Li Hao's faction is Li Hao himself. In terms of combat prowess, he is at most comparable to current Immortals, or perhaps the Peak Realm of old... Can a single Peak Realm expert overturn all the ancients?" This time, Black Robe looked at the Queen with utter calm. "One cannot look at it that way. Back then, no one imagined that the Human King could overturn the Nine Sovereigns and Four Emperors, yet the result proved... anything is possible." The Queen frowned and spoke no further. Was Li Hao truly that terrifying? To tell the truth, she didn't feel it that keenly. Even if she had suffered a minor setback, in her eyes, it was merely that. Without Zhang An, what was Li Hao? His combat prowess was not weak, but neither was it overwhelmingly strong. He had not displayed any freakish ability to leap ranks and slaughter Saints as an Immortal. Though he possessed many divine abilities, they were mostly ordinary ones. His combat prowess was average, and as for his character, when he lost before, he had nearly broken down mentally. The Prophet had said Li Hao possessed a remarkable temperament, but the Queen felt... it was nothing special. She didn't care to argue further. Instead, she looked out at the vast army in the distance and said in a deep voice, "These ants dare block the eastern advance of the God Nation's legions without Li Hao presiding over them. Courting death!" She was tempted to annihilate them. Yet she feared that doing so would provoke Li Hao into recklessly charging at the God Nation with everything he had, while the other factions stood by watching the show, leaving the God Nation to suffer catastrophic losses. That was another source of her discontent. After a brief silence, she said, "Convene the five-party conference swiftly! If you fear Li Hao so much, dragging your feet like this hardly befits your status as Neo-Martial people. Were Neo-Martial people not always famed for swift efficiency?" She sneered. "When the Sword Venerable dealt with us back then, he was terrifyingly fast, sweeping all four directions in the blink of an eye. Now... with the Sword Venerable gone, you dawdle endlessly. No wonder you struggle to achieve anything great!" Black Robe had no answer to that. If the second resurgence had begun, there naturally wouldn't be this much trouble. But who could have foreseen that at the very last moment, complications would arise and the second resurgence would be cut short? *** On this day, Great Desolation and Shuiyun were both observing movements from all quarters. And on this day, within Dali's borders. Mountains and dense jungles stretched far and wide. Countless tribes were scattered in all directions, yet Dali also had a dynastic center—the largest tribe, the domain of the Temple: a colossal city crouching at the northern limit. At this moment, golden light radiated from the King of Dali. Frowning, he stared coldly at several figures fleeing in the distance. Beside him stood Li Hao's avatar. Its aura was not very strong. This avatar had been formed from Li Hao's "Mountain" divine character, a branch of the Earth-type divine characters. Its strength was mediocre, at best around the Mountain-Sea level. Seeing the group fleeing into the distance, "Li Hao" asked curiously, "Why does the King of Dali not give chase?" The King of Dali shot him an annoyed glare and said coldly, "Not only is this avatar of yours exceedingly weak, but its intellect is also utterly dim-witted! They are nothing more than bait to lure me away. Can you not even see that?" "Li Hao" didn't mind. He nodded. "It is indeed somewhat dim. Mainly because my original self only allocated a bit of power to me and didn't spare much brainpower. It's just a simple circulation of spiritual energy, incapable of deep deduction or analysis." It was merely a receiver that, upon returning, would relay everything seen and heard back to the original self. As for brains... what were those? Evidently, this avatar had none. The King of Dali frowned. "These scoundrels... Ying Hongyue must be nearby. Not only that, I suspect the source of the Forbidden Sea is near here! These people might be trying to detonate the Forbidden Sea... What a bunch of bastards! Just as you said, those scoundrels only want to stir up chaos. Bastards!" He was furious as well; he had somewhat underestimated the Three Great Organizations. They had played hide-and-seek with him for days. Although he had killed quite a few, he hadn't caught a glimpse of Ying Hongyue and his core personnel. He was certain they were hiding in secret, plotting somewhere. Perhaps... they would soon act just as Li Hao warned, breaking open some of the world's shackles to unleash more powerhouses and raise the power cap for ancients emerging into the world. That was not an outcome he wished to see either! Yet he simply couldn't find Ying Hongyue, which left him thoroughly exasperated. Over these past few days, he had killed hundreds of members of the Three Great Organizations, yet none of them knew where those core leaders were hiding. He turned to glance at "Li Hao," feeling somewhat aggrieved. If Li Hao's true self were here, they might have brainstormed together. But he had left behind a dunce of an avatar that could do nothing except ask occasional questions. Its combat strength was equally pitiful. Had he known earlier, he wouldn't have brought such a thing along. To think Li Hao had talked it up so extravagantly, claiming the avatar was formidable—and look at it now! Had I known, I would have brought Jiang Li back instead. At least with the Temple Chief Priest here, he might have used special techniques to locate those rascals. Just as he was thinking this, several phantoms suddenly materialized before him. The King of Dali's brow furrowed. He recognized them. All of them wore black robes. Appearing abruptly, one of them said in a heavy voice, "Your Majesty King of Dali, my lord hopes that Your Majesty can temporarily set aside trivial matters. My lord has ordered us to seek out the Three Great Organizations and persuade them to leave Dali's territory... Whether it is the Three Great Organizations or the four surrounding nations, everyone's target at this moment should be Li Hao." Saying this, he glanced at the somewhat gormless Li Hao, recognizing it as Li Hao's avatar, but paid it no heed. "We will ensure that Ying Hongyue departs Dali... Please, Your Majesty, do not ruin the grand plan over petty matters!" The King of Dali said coldly, "Petty matters? Ying Hongyue's bunch dared enter my Dali, and you call that a petty matter? Dali was attacked! You must understand, this King is not your servant! Ying Hongyue is in league with you, yet you dared invade Dali while this King was away..." "Your Majesty misunderstands!" The black-robed figure said deeply, "Ying Hongyue is not one of ours; there is merely simple cooperation between us. He is the spokesperson of the Red Moon Great World... and with us, there is only basic collaboration." He added, "My lord also does not wish to sour relations with Your Majesty over this matter. We will expel Ying Hongyue as soon as possible... My lord hopes to convene the five-party conference quickly to reach a consensus. At present, only the King of Dali is unable to attend..." After that, he continued, "We also ask Your Majesty to slay Li Hao's avatar so as to prevent information from leaking!" The King of Dali sneered, "Flush Ying Hongyue out first! Otherwise... any five-party conference is nothing but bullshit!" Just as they spoke, a figure appeared in the distance wearing a red robe, smiling as bright as sunshine. "The King of Dali... truly misunderstands me. Hongyue came here merely to admire the scenery, with no..." BOOM! The King of Dali struck instantly, his punch shaking the heavens and tearing the earth. Yet Ying Hongyue vanished in the blink of an eye. When he reappeared, several more black-robed figures stood beside him. He offered a slight smile. "Why must Your Majesty be so irascible? Since a momentous matter is afoot, Hongyue is not tactless. If Your Majesty wishes to drive us away... then we shall depart." The King of Dali stared coldly at the phantoms and said in a deep voice, "You dare obstruct this King?" The black-robed figures exchanged glances. Soon, the one who had spoken earlier said again, "Your Majesty, prioritize the greater cause! Leader Ying has already agreed to leave... With the five-party conference imminent, Your Majesty surely does not want Dali, alongside Heavenly Star, to become the target of all other factions..." "Are you threatening this King?" "We would not dare!" the black-robed figure murmured. "It is no threat, merely... compared to the general trend of the realm, the dispute between Your Majesty and Leader Ying is a trifling matter." At this moment, Ying Hongyue smiled as well. "Why must Your Majesty King of Dali insist on exterminating me? My enemy is also Li Hao... Everyone's enemy is Li Hao." The King of Dali looked at him and said abruptly, "Li Hao said you intend to breach the Forbidden Sea and undo the world's restrictions..." "Your Majesty overestimates me." Ying Hongyue chuckled. "How could that be?" "This King didn't believe it either... but now, this King is inclined to believe it!" He stared at Ying Hongyue. "Your strength seems greater than anticipated." "Your Majesty flatters me." "How about this... If you can take three punches from me without dying, I will merely expel you and return to attend the five-party conference. How about it?" Ying Hongyue frowned slightly. "Your Majesty is the master of a realm, a hegemon of the world, while I am merely the leader of a regional organization. The difference between us is like heaven and earth. Three punches from Your Majesty... wouldn't that take my life?" The King of Dali replied coldly, "You have no choice... If you refuse, then as long as I fail to kill you, I will not attend that so-called five-party conference for a single day. I will wait for Li Hao to come and kill you!" Ying Hongyue chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Your Majesty... truly... sees right through me. Li Hao... harbors an extreme hatred for me; I truly worry he might hunt me down." With a sigh, he said, "Then Your Majesty's word is as good as nine cauldrons... If I survive three punches, you will pursue me no more?" "On the condition that you leave Dali!" "Naturally!" "Then take this!" The King of Dali gave a low roar. Abruptly, golden light erupted as he threw a punch, cracking open the void. Ying Hongyue sighed and suddenly flung out a weapon—a spear. The spear traversed the air, radiating an incomparably powerful glow. When the King of Dali's punch struck, the spear boomed with a deafening crash and was hurled backward. The King of Dali's expression shifted slightly. Opposite him, Ying Hongyue spewed a mouthful of blood. Pale-faced, he smiled. "The first punch has been taken." "One of the Eight Great Divine Weapons?" "Indeed, Your Majesty has sharp eyes!" The spear of the Zhou family! The King of Dali's eyes flickered. In the next instant, he let out another low roar. This punch was even more terrifying, the golden radiance around him growing richer. As the blow struck, Ying Hongyue cast out another weapon. It was a chain-like weapon: the nine-section whip of the Zheng family. BOOM! Another thunderous blast rang out. The nine-section whip went flying, vanishing instantly as if its spirituality had been extinguished. Ying Hongyue coughed up blood again and flew backward, his face ashen, yet his smile remained brilliant. "The second punch, I have also endured!" The King of Dali stared at him coldly. "Of the Eight Great Divine Weapons, it is said that Li Hao destroyed the Zhang family's saber, the Hong family's hammer, and the Liu family's boots. Li Hao wields the Starry Sky Sword, and the Wang family's shield is reportedly still in Battle Heaven City... In that case, besides the Zhou family's spear and the Zheng family's whip, you should still have the Zhao family's gauntlet? "Since the Zhao Family Fist is renowned across the world... why don't you don the gauntlet and clash with this King for a punch? How about it?" "How could Hongyue compare to Your Majesty?" Ying Hongyue smiled, but the King of Dali smiled too. "This King wants to see it... If you refuse, everything before this is null and void! This King would even gladly invite Li Hao's true self into Dali to match skills with you!" Ying Hongyue laughed helplessly. "Your Majesty is truly... Very well, Hongyue shall overstep his bounds. Please show mercy, Your Majesty!" Saying so, a pair of gauntlets materialized in his hands. At that moment, a gauntlet materialized on the King of Dali's hand as well, and he revealed a grin. Ying Hongyue's expression shifted slightly, and he whispered, "Rumor has it that this was left behind by the Overlord Emperor... whether true or false, the Zhao family cannot compare to the Overlord Emperor." Both were gauntlets, but one was left by a Sovereign from the era of the Nine Sovereigns and Four Emperors, while the other was merely left by the Zhao family. The Zhao family's ancestor had only been a quasi-Sovereign; the difference between them was vast. "Try it, and you will naturally know!" The King of Dali struck. With this punch, heaven and earth completely changed color, leaving even the surrounding black-robed figures uneasy. At this very moment, Ying Hongyue took a deep breath and threw a punch as well! As his fist shot forward, a phantom materialized upon the Zhao family gauntlet, letting out an enormous roar. Furthermore, a streak of red light surfaced over Ying Hongyue's body! BOOM! A world-shaking crash erupted. The King of Dali paused for a brief instant, while Ying Hongyue was hurled backward. His arm ruptured on the spot, blood spurting from his body as his bones cracked and snapped, coughing blood continuously. "The King of Dali... is formidable indeed!" The King of Dali's expression shifted slightly. That strike had been delivered with his full power, yet he hadn't managed to kill the man. This Ying Hongyue... was strong. According to the intelligence he previously gathered, Ying Hongyue should only have possessed roughly seven-element combat strength. Yes, everyone was advancing, but... it made no sense for him to advance this fast. Li Hao represented the Heavenly Dao, but what was this man? Why could he progress so rapidly as well? Such power had likely reached what Li Hao called the second or third tier of Sun and Moon, had it not? At the very least, it was equivalent to sixteen meridians or more in combat strength. Why was this? He could not fathom it! Li Hao had said that Ying Hongyue could not be underestimated. He had not underestimated him; the three-punch agreement had been both a probe and a genuine attempt to beat the man to death. Yet utilizing the Eight Great Divine Weapons, the man had actually blocked his lethal blow! At this moment, he wanted to strike again. As for the three-punch promise... if he killed everyone present, it would naturally be nothing more than a joke! Who would know he had gone back on his word? When dealing with someone like Ying Hongyue, killing him on the spot was the best outcome. Just as he was about to punch again, Ying Hongyue's expression shifted slightly, and he said in a low voice, "Your Majesty... someone is coming. The three punches are done; I take my leave!" "Thinking of leaving?" The King of Dali was about to strike when his expression flickered. He turned to look. In the distance, a powerhouse with an illusory face materialized out of thin air, gazing toward them. Looking at Ying Hongyue fleeing, that figure said softly, "Ying Hongyue... you are quite bold. But I will not kill you. Breaking the seal by killing you is not worth it; there is no need to fear." Ying Hongyue's voice drifted back from afar: "My lord misunderstands. I merely do not wish for my lord to clash with His Majesty the King of Dali on my account!" With those words, his figure vanished completely. And the King of Dali saw all the black-robed avatars look astonished, rushing over to that figure and coming to a halt beside him. At this moment, he guessed the identity of the newcomer. "You are the leader of that ancient city?" The phantom gave a light chuckle. "You may simply call me Hongchen." "Hongchen?" The King of Dali raised his eyebrows. The phantom chuckled, cast a glance at Li Hao's avatar, and nodded slightly. "Somewhat interesting, though... it's a pity this avatar isn't very sharp." With a chuckle, he waved his hand. At that instant, heaven and earth seemed to invert. Even an expert like the King of Dali, who had shattered the world's limit, grew solemn and retreated swiftly. Li Hao's avatar had no time to flee; in practically an instant, with a deafening rumble, it was crushed and exploded by the very weight of heaven and earth! The King of Dali's face darkened slightly. The phantom chuckled. "There is no need for him to run back and deliver messages to Li Hao." The King of Dali paid no attention to that, instead saying deeply, "What formidable control. Your power is only around twelve meridians, yet you made even this King feel pressure..." "My realm is slightly higher," the phantom chuckled. "After all, I have lived for quite a few more years. Having lived long, even if my talent fell short of reaching the Sovereign realm, I have gained some measure of control. In the Neo-Martial era, the Human King and the Blood Sovereign selflessly passed down some of the Emperor of Battle Heaven's past combination arts to strengthen humanity's mastery. Over time, people like us have reaped a few gains as well." The King of Dali remained shaken. Twelve-meridian strength was the peak of Sun and Moon Tier One. Yet... the combat power he unleashed could even reach roughly Tier Three. Were these the powerhouses of Neo-Martial? "Since your avatar is so powerful... why not act against Li Hao yourself?" The phantom laughed softly. "The King of Dali possesses greater combat power than my avatar, yet you could not take him down. This is, after all, merely an avatar. If it truly fell into Li Hao's hands, my identity being exposed would matter little, but if he managed to extract some secrets of the Heavenly King Realm... that would be a major disaster!" "Heavenly King!" The King of Dali's heart stirred. It was not entirely surprising. It was said that some top powerhouses back then were at the peak of the Saint Realm; over so many years, it was understandable that he had stepped into the Heavenly King Realm. "Are you the family head of the Zheng family of the Eight Main Cities?" "Is the King of Dali so curious?" The phantom chuckled. "Is who I am truly so important?" The King of Dali sneered. "Sneaking around, not daring to show your true face even now... Cooperating with you, this King cannot help but worry!" "There is no need to worry about anything." The phantom did not particularly mind. "To put it bluntly... all I care about is the Master of the Great Dao, the Sovereign, and Heaven's Will—not... the King of Dali!" The King of Dali's expression shifted. He was being looked down upon! "This world, after all, no longer belongs to our era. Even if we win, we might still need a ruler, right?" The phantom smiled again. "Therefore, there is still a foundation for cooperation." With that, he said softly, "The King of Dali has wasted a great deal of time. For Li Hao, time is everything. In three days, we will meet in the Great Desolation. One cannot easily emerge from the Great Desolation, nor can Li Hao's faction easily step inside... We shall gather there to convene the five-party conference. Hopefully, there will be a good outcome." "Three days?" The King of Dali frowned. "So soon?" "Three days is not fast," the phantom murmured. "Any slower, any more delay, and unforeseen variables may arise." The King of Dali still frowned, but after pondering for a moment, he nodded. "Fine." "I hope the King of Dali... will not get too close to Li Hao," the phantom added once more. "Even if you have deduced something, Li Hao is equally aware of it in his heart. That is why he did not wipe out all four directions. But if you delay too long, cooperating with Li Hao is truly playing with fire. Without our restraint, perhaps... Dali would have been destroyed long ago!" Hearing this, the King of Dali remained silent for a moment, not denying it. Dali was no match for Li Hao's faction. That Li Hao did not exterminate them was indeed connected to these people. It was merely that all sides were using one another. "This King knows!" "Then I shall await Your Majesty's gracious arrival in the Great Desolation!" With those words, the phantom vanished, and the black-robed avatars vanished alongside him. Only after they were gone did the King of Dali frown. He glanced in the direction where they had vanished, then turned back toward the direction where Ying Hongyue had disappeared, feeling deeply irritated. Ying Hongyue was strong. Not only had three punches failed to kill him, but he might have even held back. When Hongchen appeared, it was Ying Hongyue who had sensed him first. And that newcomer was immensely powerful as well. Merely an avatar that had not even broken past the world's limit, possessing only twelve-meridian strength right now, yet he had effortlessly killed Li Hao's avatar right under his nose. Damn it! This situation was slipping further and further out of control! "Three days..." The King of Dali frowned and vanished from the spot in an instant. *** Meanwhile, far away, Ying Hongyue fled all the way, his expression fluctuating. That fellow was powerful! His aura was not overly strong, nor was his energy, but... before he even arrived, a suffocating pressure had descended. Was this a top powerhouse? Terrifying! As for the King of Dali, though also formidable, he lacked that suffocating aura of absolute suppression. *Did he see through me? Sharp eyes indeed... Seeing through it is fine; it actually makes me a bit safer.* Ying Hongyue thought to himself. Since the man saw through it, he would not kill him lightly. Then the two sides had a foundation for cooperation. *It seems I need to ease off. If this person unleashes combat power of fifteen or even eighteen meridians right now... practically no one in the present world could match him!* He had originally planned to make some small moves, but now he abruptly abandoned them. He couldn't make a move! At least, while no one could restrain that person, he couldn't act rashly. Otherwise, he had truly wanted to stir up some trouble here around the Forbidden Sea, but the appearance of that person had burdened him with indescribable pressure. *** At the same time. Li Hao captured the seventh relay station. Frowning slightly, he looked toward the north. His avatar had shattered. Though it wasn't very strong, it had been accompanying the King of Dali. The King of Dali had no reason to kill it. If it was killed right under the King of Dali's nose, it was either Ying Hongyue's doing or... another unforeseen event had occurred. In this world today, few could match the King of Dali. Himself, the Queen, the Empress Dowager of Shuiyun... Aside from them, Ying Hongyue had the potential. As for anyone else... unless it was the avatar of a top powerhouse, or the King of Dali had entered an ancient ruin. Yet if he had entered a ruin, the avatar's shattering would not have been so clearly sensed. Therefore... it happened outside a ruin! The Queen and the Empress Dowager of Shuiyun wouldn't have acted; it was at the northern extreme. Which meant, if it wasn't Ying Hongyue, then an avatar of a truly supreme powerhouse had emerged. Perhaps... someone even stronger than Zhang An? Even Zhang An's avatar might not have been able to kill his avatar right under the King of Dali's nose. Li Hao took a deep breath, his expression turning solemn. "Complete full coverage of the nine relay stations immediately... The remaining two must be taken today!" Those people were likely about to make a move. The greatest possibility was joining hands. They would need a brief negotiation to allocate forces and divide benefits, which would still take a little time. Before that happened, he had to complete the strike against an ancient city to seize the initiative. When that time came... even if the four nations joined hands, he would dare stake everything on the fight! "Is there word from Qian Wuliang's side?" "Reporting to the Governor-General, there is news. Qian Wuliang has already entered the Liu Family Ancient City... Negotiations are underway, and results should come soon." Entered the Liu Family Ancient City? Li Hao took a deep breath. "Understood... Starting now, we race against time. Swiftly secure control of communications!" "Understood." No one dared delay, quickly seeking out the eighth relay station. Deep in Li Hao's eyes, a trace of anxiety surfaced. The death of his avatar signified a great deal. He hoped it was caused by Ying Hongyue, rather than the avatar of a top expert emerging. If an expert's avatar stepped out right now, who else could it be but the one from the traitorous ancient city? If that person had stepped out... it meant the five factions were likely to reach a swift agreement. As for his own simple verbal pacts with the King of Dali and the Empress Dowager of Shuiyun, wouldn't they be easily shattered? As long as the other side offered sufficient benefits, tearing up such informal verbal agreements would be nothing to them. *** At the same time. Qian Wuliang and his party walked out of the Liu Family Ancient City. Qian Wuliang glanced back, frowning slightly, but soon smoothed his brow. He looked toward Yuan Shuo. Yuan Shuo gently shook his head. Not this one! Qian Wuliang let out a breath of relief. That was good. Soon, his transmission jade fluctuated. He examined it for a moment, then looked at Yuan Shuo. "The Zheng Family Ancient City... has been found." Yuan Shuo's expression shifted slightly! Of the three ancient cities, this was the one most likely to have turned traitor as an entire city. Going there... would truly be braving nine deaths for one chance of survival! The Hong family's had not been found yet, but the Zheng family's had been located first. Frowning slightly, he eventually nodded after a long silence. "Let's go have a look!" Qian Wuliang took a deep breath as well, nodding. "Then let us go see... Professor Yuan... you can wait for us to enter first, and then..." "No need!" Yuan Shuo sneered. "Do you think I'm afraid? In my past years, I excavated countless ruins. What manner of danger haven't I faced?" Qian Wuliang said no more. With Yuan Shuo inside, it would be easier to negotiate and talk. If he didn't go, his own danger would be immense. The group wasted no more words and hurried in another direction. Not long after, Yuan Shuo checked his transmission jade. Having read it, he swiftly crushed the jade and said, "If the Hong Family Ancient City still cannot be found... it's a choice between two!" Qian Wuliang's heart shook violently! So impatient? Clearly, this was likely a transmission from Li Hao. He didn't say much, merely nodding slightly. Looking back, he said in a low voice, "This side... can serve as an alternative!" "Mm." Yuan Shuo said nothing more. The Liu family had made no mention of signing an agreement; they had merely conversed briefly, stating that they would not intervene in the conflict. As for an exchange agreement, they had not agreed to it, only saying that since the city lord had departed, the city lord's seal could not be utilized. They were relatively polite... but... that was not the outcome they desired. If the Zheng family proved exceedingly dangerous... then the Liu family would be the prime choice! The group exchanged no further words, departing swiftly. Li Hao had sent a transmission specifically asking about the situation; he was clearly growing impatient. Yuan Shuo knew his disciple well: if Li Hao could delay for time, he would wish nothing more than to drag it out to the very end. Yet since he was unwilling to wait any longer... it meant another unforeseen variable had likely cropped up. He was cursing inwardly as well: *If they just gave us a little time, why would it come to this!* Ancient cities were not easy to deal with. Even with the Liu family, he had sensed that the guardian monster plant had awakened! It was definitely a Saint-level existence! Moreover, there might not be just one in the city. Over at Battle Heaven City, both General Huai and the Old Turtle were currently at the Saint level; perhaps the Liu family... had two as well? If so... that would be terribly difficult to handle. More than just difficult: if Zhang An did not join the battle, he had no idea how Li Hao could deal with it. And Li Hao seemed to harbor no intention of having Zhang An participate; after that one probe earlier, Li Hao had never brought it up again. Evidently, he was determined to take down an ancient city relying solely on Silver Moon's own strength. "Damn it, rather than this... we might as well... destroy the four nations first, let the second resurgence begin, and let all these old bastards come out together... Chances are they'd slaughter each other for a while before even bothering with us." Yuan Shuo thought to himself, yet he also worried that Li Hao would become the target of all. Otherwise... if the second resurgence happened, so be it; those figures wouldn't necessarily care about them. At this moment, he glanced at the sky. Li Hao probably couldn't handle two Saint Dao powerhouses. If he himself could enter the Bright Star Realm, swallow a massive amount of the Five Elements Great Dao energy, and feed it back into the thirty-six Great Daos, perhaps... he could forcibly open thirty-six meridians! However... the risk was immense. He kept these thoughts to himself, showing nothing on the surface as he swiftly flew toward the Zheng Family Ancient City with Qian Wuliang and the others. *Don't overthink it. If the Zheng family is the city of traitors, the key now is to play our part well.* *** Meanwhile, the various factions, still restless, soon received a message. In three days, assemble in the Great Desolation! The Five-Party Conference!