Conspiracy

The Great Desolation. At this moment, the Great Desolation was in slight turmoil. Desolate beasts that had never shown themselves in ordinary times had now appeared from all directions, even entering the frontline legions to actively coerce the Dahuang army into expanding toward the eastern continent. These desolate beasts were overwhelmingly powerful, and the Dahuang soldiers dared not resist. At the front lines, Princess Jun sat clad in golden robes astride a white steed, anger and anxiety mingling in her eyes. Desolate beasts had never involved themselves in Dahuang’s internal affairs. Yet now, they had proactively stepped forward, even driving the Dahuang army to advance and conquer new territory. The eastern continent, however, was the domain of Heavenly Star, and Li Hao of Heavenly Star had just crushed the other three nations not long ago. Choosing to attack Heavenly Star under such circumstances was an extraordinarily perilous gamble. Across from them stood over ten thousand troops of the Battle Heaven Army and tens of thousands from other Heavenly Star legions. Powerful Silver Moon experts stood among them, exuding formidable auras. The two sides had already engaged in brief skirmishes. Although the Dahuang army had not collapsed thanks to the aid of the desolate beasts, their overall strength remained inferior. Moreover, stepping outside the Great Desolation drew the wrath of Heaven's will. After only a few clashes, Dahuang had already lost at least ten thousand men. This was a world apart from the rumors of Heavenly Star being utterly frail when facing Dali! Back then, they had witnessed Heavenly Star soldiers taking to the air in droves, with countless Thousand-Battlers among them. Only when they crossed blades did they realize that this army was far more terrifying than imagined, and the murderous aura of their commanders was chilling to the bone! Furthermore, the ranks of the Heavenly Star Army continued to swell as reinforcements arrived without pause. Heavenly Star now retained only a little over one million troops, yet every last one was an elite. For a nation of ten billion people, an army of just one million was an exceptionally small ratio, but for that very reason, those who remained were the finest from every quarter. Princess Jun recalled what her father had said that day. Things she had previously failed to grasp were now crystal clear. The desolate beasts were no longer content to lie low. Her royal father, however, wished to withdraw the troops. Caught in the middle was yet another faction, leaving Dahuang as the weakling with no power to resist. At present, over a hundred desolate beasts had infiltrated the army, and every one of them was arguably a powerhouse at the Sun-Moon realm. Utterly terrifying! In the vast expanse of Dahuang, remarkably few had truly stepped into the Sun-Moon realm. How could they possibly rival these desolate beasts? Resistance was impossible! Worse still, the desolate beasts did not care in the slightest about elite Dahuang soldiers perishing in battle. In fact, they allowed the men to be slaughtered, for each fallen soldier released wisps of chaos aura that contributed to the expansion of their chaotic domain! Across the field, Heavenly Star's forces were equally ruthless. Even though they saw that slaying Dahuang soldiers caused the chaos to spread further, their commanders showed no mercy. Some Silver Moon experts had even joined the slaughter in person. Thus, in this grim, unspoken manner, several clashes had taken place, and in every single one, Dahuang had come out on the losing end. "Venerable Horse!" Princess Jun spurred her white steed and rode swiftly back to the rear. There, a black steed was seated upright like a human rather than crouching or standing, its forelegs acting like arms as it leisurely fed on raw flesh. Hearing Princess Jun's voice, the powerhouse of the desolate beast lineage cast a sidelong glance at her. "Why have you returned instead of commanding the battle at the front lines?" Princess Jun said in a heavy voice, "Venerable Horse, the Heavenly Star Army is too strong, and their commanders are extraordinarily powerful. Silver Moon's Chief Administrator Zhao Shuguang is especially formidable; even our desolate beast seniors are no match for him… I beseech you to intervene in person…" The steed looked beyond the edge of the chaos. Zhao Shuguang. It had indeed seen him, and he was undeniably formidable. Earlier, he had even slain a desolate beast. By the grading system used by Li Hao and the others, the man was on the verge of stepping into the seventh tier of the Sun-Moon realm. Such combat strength surpassed ordinary peak Immortals; even if he was not invincible among Immortals, ordinary Immortals would find him difficult to match. More importantly, Silver Moon possessed an abundance of Sun-Moon powerhouses! And at this moment, some of Silver Moon's pinnacle combatants had not even appeared. The black steed was powerful, but that area was not yet covered by chaos. Once it stepped outside the chaotic domain and faced the targeting of Heaven's will, even with its Saint Dao combat strength, the suppression of Heaven's will outside the chaos meant it might not necessarily overcome the man. "Taking him down… is not difficult," Venerable Horse said indifferently. "Continue expanding. Wherever the chaos extends, these people will crumble at a touch! Where the chaos has yet to reach, Heaven's will targets us. I cannot venture out rashly, or I will suffer severe suppression… Therefore, whether we can overcome them rests solely on your shoulders." A flash of fury appeared in Princess Jun's eyes. How were they supposed to overcome them? By throwing away human lives? These mighty desolate beasts refused to venture out, yet any counterattack required stepping beyond the boundary of chaos. Only when people died—when great numbers died—did chaos aura billow forth to expand their domain. In essence, they were trading human lives for territory. Could Dahuang's million elites endure such a meat grinder? Princess Jun took a deep breath and quickly said, "If you cannot venture out, Venerable Horse… please grant me an audience with my royal father. He is powerful and can walk beyond the Great Desolation. If he leads the vanguard in person, morale will soar…" "Your royal father is in secluded cultivation and cannot easily emerge." Princess Jun forced down the fury and resentment churning within her. She knew her father was surely imprisoned, or perhaps already dead… He might still be alive, but she was forbidden from seeing him. Not only him, but even the civil and military ministers were almost entirely inaccessible now. In the royal court of Dahuang, a Saint Dao desolate beast personally stood guard! "Understood… Then I shall return to the front line!" Princess Jun said no more. Spurring her white steed, she galloped toward the front, weaving through the throng of soldiers. Soon, ten thousand elite troops followed in her wake—Dahuang's finest ten-thousand-man legion, charged with protecting the princess. Every soldier possessed formidable combat power, and some were even equipped with Neo-Martial armor. In the rear, Venerable Horse merely glanced after them before continuing to feast on raw flesh. Beside it, a warrior in black armor, who had remained silent all this while, suddenly spoke: "Venerable Horse, neither the King of Dahuang nor his daughter seems willing to accept this decision. Why not pull up the weeds by their roots? Why not imprison or execute Princess Jun as well…?" Venerable Horse replied flatly, "If we kill her, will the Dahuang army be left in your hands? The Great Desolation… belongs not only to us, but also to these mortals. Without them, how can the Great Desolation continue to expand?" It had little warmth in its tone toward the figure beside it. This person hailed from Hurricane City. It was not Hong Chen, but a Saint—a powerful one who had brazenly stepped into this place with his true body directly from Hurricane City the moment the boundary touched the Great Desolation, showing immense audacity. However, the Great Desolation had quickly severed contact with them. The desolate beasts were no fools; they feared that if the connection remained open, even more powerhouses would emerge from Hurricane City. Thus, once a single Saint entered, they promptly severed the chaos coverage in that area. Pausing, Venerable Horse added, "You claimed that Li Hao might come to the Great Desolation in person… Does he have such courage?" "Naturally!" The black-armored Saint nodded. "That man lacks no courage. Boundless City has already fallen to him, and several of its Saints were slain. While other factors might have contributed, he unquestionably possesses the ability to kill Saints! Consequently, he holds little dread for the Great Desolation. Master Hong Chen bade me convey to you all: do not underestimate Li Hao… The best course is still to connect the Great Desolation with Hurricane City, allowing more experts from the city to enter and assist in slaying Li Hao!" Venerable Horse fell silent. When that time came, slaying Li Hao would hardly be their only objective. Killing our Saint desolate beasts, overthrowing the Great Desolation, and forcibly triggering the second resurgence… Wouldn't that also cost you nothing? If you could kill Li Hao and overturn the Great Desolation in one fell swoop, it would kill two birds with one stone. Having endured for countless eras, how could the desolate beasts fail to see through their intentions? Partnering with these individuals was truly bargaining with a tiger for its hide. Yet without cooperation… Li Hao's faction was formidable. Even with several Saint beasts, Dahuang might not easily prevail and could suffer heavy losses—a prospect that worried the Saint Dao desolate beasts. "These past few days… Li Hao has not been seen." "Perhaps he is in seclusion, plotting something, or perhaps… he has already entered the Great Desolation!" "Impossible!" Venerable Horse shook its head, saying calmly, "The people of Dahuang carry the aura of desolate beasts and chaos. Outsiders, like you, can be sensed the moment you step inside. If Li Hao comes, we will detect him immediately!" Beside it, the Saint nodded. Their senses were indeed extraordinarily sharp. Otherwise, when the two territories connected, more than just one Saint would have arrived. But barely after initial contact, the desolate beasts had detected it and swiftly severed the connection between the chaos and Hurricane City. Hurricane City could be moved, but relocation was useless. If the city moved inside and the desolate beasts severed the surrounding chaos aura, the city would fall into an encirclement, trapped inside without the ability to step out. That would be true disaster. The desolate beasts held absolute dominion over the Great Desolation. The only reason they allowed him in was because a single Saint could not overthrow them. The Great Desolation possessed quite a few Saint Dao beasts—six of them, at the very least, and those were only the ones he had seen with his own eyes. Could there be more? Who knew? The Saint from the ancient city mused that taking this opportunity to slay Li Hao would be ideal. If that proved impossible… they would still have to find a way to eliminate Dahuang once and for all, directly restoring heaven and earth. The Great Desolation was invading heaven and earth. Eradicating Dahuang might not only trigger the second resurgence, but also earn them the favor of Heaven's will, granting them far greater leeway. After all, the Great Desolation was currently a cancerous tumor upon the world. ... The two sides remained locked in confrontation. By now, Li Hao had arrived at the scene. He looked toward the opposite side, where dense ranks of Dahuang soldiers stood shrouded in the aura of Dahuang and chaos. Though fearful, they were compelled to launch charge after charge. Each time someone fell in battle, wisps of chaos aura dispersed into the void, followed closely by desolate beasts charging forward to spread more chaos aura across the land. The territory of the Great Desolation was slowly expanding. Left unchecked, it might soon swallow the entire eastern continent. "Marquis!" Several experts hurried over. Director Zhao's aura had grown increasingly formidable. Li Hao glanced at him; perhaps very soon—even in the next moment—the man would officially step into the seventh tier of the Sun-Moon realm. The seventh tier required at least twenty-eight meridians opened. Director Zhao likely had twenty-seven, missing only one or two acupoints for his twenty-eighth. Bright Sword and several others arrived as well, all considerably stronger than before. Bright Sword had not been part of the ten-person core team previously, yet she now possessed the strength of the Sun-Moon fourth tier. As for the members of the original ten-person group who had been forcibly elevated by the Earth Radiance Saint—Hou Xiaochen, Yuan Shuo, and Kong Jie had fallen in battle, while the survivors were now all experts of the fourth or even fifth tier of Sun-Moon. Compared to their battle against Boundless City, the Silver Moon faction had grown vastly stronger. Lin Hongyu and the others had not yet arrived; Li Hao had not summoned them, instructing them instead to keep pushing forward the administrative reforms. At this moment, Li Hao noticed the female general clad in golden robes atop a white steed. He knew who she was. The daughter of the King of Dahuang, reputed to be a valiant warrior in her own right. Surrounding her were ten thousand Dahuang elites who were not a whit inferior to the Demon Hunting Army. Li Hao shifted his gaze farther back. The Great Desolation appeared murky and obscure—not because night had fallen, but because thick chaos aura occluded his vision. "Has the King of Dahuang appeared?" "No," Director Zhao replied, shaking his head. "Up to this moment, aside from Princess Jun, we have not seen a single prominent figure from Dahuang's high command…" He added, "In all likelihood, he has been imprisoned or even slain by the desolate beasts! Slain… probably not, as they still need the Dahuang army to fight, but he is most likely in captivity. "Desolate beasts have personally appeared among the troops, and the army clearly feels coerced. The desolate beasts have likely taken over Dahuang." Director Zhao was an astute leader who had long deduced the situation. He asked, "Does the Marquis wish to contact the King of Dahuang?" He then shook his head. "It would be exceedingly difficult and perilous! Furthermore, the King of Dahuang is largely irrelevant to the grand scheme… The true foundation of Dahuang lies in these desolate beasts. Even if the King of Dahuang has combat power, it is at most at the fourth or fifth tier of Sun-Moon, certainly no higher." Contacting the King of Dahuang held little significance. He did not advise Li Hao to take the risk of entering the Great Desolation to contact him. Li Hao, however, had his own ideas. He asked, "Do you suppose anyone from Hong Chen's faction is currently inside the Great Desolation?" At those words, Director Zhao hesitated briefly before nodding. "It is possible! Their resurgence plan failed previously, and they will not let the matter rest. Targeting the Great Desolation could allow them to achieve resurgence rapidly. Even if they cannot eliminate Dahuang, they would relish seeing us and Dahuang bleed each other dry… This offensive by Dahuang may well have been stoked by them." Nearby, Tyrant Saber grew restless. Stripped of his former composure, only an agitated edge remained as he growled, "Then we fight them! Dahuang may be strong, but they aren't invincible!" Li Hao glanced at Tyrant Saber and shook his head. "People will die. How many deaths are enough? The desolate beasts have at least five or six Saint Dao powerhouses… and Hong Chen's faction is watching like hungry tigers. Even if Silver Moon poured every ounce of strength into slaying a few Saints, the end result… would still be mutual devastation! Everything has only just begun…" "Must we endure yet again?" Tyrant Saber snapped, a frantic restlessness surging as his saber intent leaked out. "When Boundless City fell, the Marquis declared dawn had broken, that Silver Moon no longer needed to hide, endure, and swallow humiliation! Must we… retreat again?" These people were far more aggressive than before. It was both a blessing and a curse. Li Hao shook his head. "Of course we won't endure. Times have changed; I have slain Saints and fear nothing! Why would I sue for peace through endurance? It is simply that catastrophic casualties are not an outcome I wish to see. Rest assured." Sky Sword interjected in a stern voice, "Tyrant Saber, wait for the Marquis's decision! What is your hurry?" Tyrant Saber had once been a quiet man. Yet now, he could not keep still. A tempestuous, world-destroying frenzy simmered in everyone's chest, urging them to slaughter every last enemy without delay. Li Hao fell silent for a moment before asking, "Can we contact Princess Jun? Is there a way for me to slip into the Great Desolation?" "Marquis…" Li Hao raised a hand. "It is fine. Even if I enter the Great Desolation, those creatures cannot deal with me so easily!" Li Hao continued, "The King of Dahuang is surely unwilling to remain a puppet, imprisoned at the whim of the desolate beasts. Nor can he bear to watch his million elite soldiers serve as paving stones for their invasion. The beasts' intention is clear: using the chaos aura released upon the soldiers' deaths to invade the eastern continent. Thus… there is room to negotiate." "Negotiate?" Li Hao nodded with a slight smile. "A mere Dahuang is of little consequence! The crux lies with the desolate beasts, and with Hong Chen's faction…" He looked toward Director Zhao, thought for a moment, and said, "I have a rather risky idea… It requires the cooperation of both armies, as well as all of you. If it succeeds, the benefits will be immense. If it fails… who cares?" Li Hao chuckled. "Victory and defeat are common in war, but should it succeed, the rewards could be beyond imagination!" Director Zhao quickly urged, "Please enlighten us, Marquis." "I need a million troops to erupt with their auras simultaneously, their battle cries shaking heaven and earth to blot out the sky! We will confound the formidable enemies on both sides, leading each to mistake the other as part of an opposing camp…" He spoke somewhat vaguely, yet Director Zhao caught his drift. Pondering it, Director Zhao roughly guessed Li Hao's intentions: both armies clashing fiercely, erupting with aura and blood-vitality to disrupt heaven and earth and blot out the sky. Was this aimed at Hong Chen's faction? To make that powerhouse from Star Suppressing City mistake Hong Chen's forces for reinforcements of the desolate beasts, while making the desolate beasts and Hong Chen mistake that powerhouse for Li Hao's reinforcements? Weighing the matter, Director Zhao said gravely, "It is exceedingly risky. They are all top powerhouses! If either side recognizes the other… it will mean immense trouble for us! A million soldiers erupting with blood-vitality and chaos aura to disrupt heaven and earth… that is viable, but if the two sides make physical contact… or communicate verbally…" Li Hao shook his head. "They will not communicate rashly. It is a gamble! Win, and it is a monumental victory! Lose… and we have a path of retreat." This time, it was no dead end. Battle Heaven City had already been relocated near the passageway, ready to flee at any moment. Li Hao had played dumb with Yu Hai earlier precisely for this purpose. However… it required the cooperation of both sides, specifically Dahuang. Only large-scale warfare disrupting heaven and earth, with a million soldiers releasing surging blood-vitality and cries that shook the firmament, could obscure perception sufficiently. Otherwise… they were all pinnacle powerhouses, even Heavenly Kings. Face-to-face, how could they fail to recognize one another? An eruption from just one side would accomplish little; both sides had to coordinate. Furthermore, Hong Chen's faction was accustomed to working from the shadows. Li Hao was certain that even if they sent people, those individuals would lurk in the rear rather than charge to the front lines. Hong Chen himself was ninety-nine percent unlikely to be within Dahuang. He was definitively a Heavenly King powerhouse. Unless the desolate beasts were completely muddled in their minds, they would never allow a Heavenly King to enter their domain. All of this was Li Hao's deduction—a well-grounded deduction. Therefore, even if Saints from Hong Chen's faction had arrived, there would not be many, certainly not exceeding the number of Saint Dao desolate beasts in Dahuang. Though Li Hao appeared to venture alone… he could summon several Saints at a moment's notice. Perhaps he could seize the opportunity to slaughter several Saints! All of this hinged on the King of Dahuang and the Dahuang army cooperating with him. If successful, a single battle might wipe out a large number of Saints and even eliminate Yu Hai. He would sever their claws and fangs! He had one more concern: if all the desolate beasts were slain, would the shattering of chaos trigger the second resurgence of heaven and earth? For that as well, he needed information and support from the King of Dahuang. That was why he desperately wanted to meet with him. As Li Hao pondered this, Director Zhao hesitated, glancing across the lines before saying, "Our aura clashes sharply with Dahuang. Once inside, we are very likely to be discovered immediately… In that case, our only option now is battle. Marquis, I will personally spar with Princess Jun shortly. My only fear is… that she might turn on us, turning the plan against us to lure you into Dahuang." "It will be fine," Li Hao shook his head. Director Zhao suddenly sighed. "The Marquis should not have sent Qian Wuliang away. If he were here, he could gauge her intentions and determine whether she is sincere about cooperating." Originally, everyone had despised the man. Yet now, they did not resent him so much; at certain times, Qian Wuliang's talents were genuinely indispensable. Li Hao smiled. "He should be back very soon." "Very soon?" Director Zhao was somewhat surprised. Ying Hongyue was no easy target; could Qian Wuliang really resolve the trouble around Ying Hongyue so quickly? "No need to hesitate!" Li Hao added. "Advance and strike. Carry out the negotiations as you see fit; whether they succeed or fail does not matter! If they fail… launch a full assault with the army and sow chaos. If all else fails, lower your expectations and adjust the objective!" "Understood!" Director Zhao nodded. At that moment, Bright Sword spoke up quickly: "Marquis, then… do we attack?" "You are the Eastern Governor; you give the command!" "Understood!" Thrilled, Bright Sword said no more and dashed back to the front lines. The next moment, a bright sword beam lit up the sky, accompanied by her fierce cry: "Attack!" Boom! Hundreds of thousands of troops surged forward in dense formation like a collapsing mountain or an overturning sky, pressing toward the million-strong army ahead. The terrain here was open wilderness and vast desert, with the chaos aura serving as the dividing line. In an instant, the two armies slammed into each other! Boom! The collision erupted like rolling thunder, and battle cries shook heaven and earth. Li Hao watched silently. The Silver Moon army was growing stronger by the day. In the vanguard, the Battle Heaven Army and Demon Hunting Army thrust like a dagger straight into the enemy's heart. Dahuang possessed abundant cavalry and capable warriors, yet against the Silver Moon forces, they were pushed back step by step. Desolate beasts swiftly joined the fray. Silver Moon martial masters leapt in as well, their roaring clashes resounding through the clouds! Amid the battlefield, the female general clad in golden robes and white armor quickly entered the combat. On Silver Moon's side, Zhao Shuguang vanished into thin air, piercing through the void. In the blink of an eye, a massive seal pressed downward, shattering the firmament. Princess Jun possessed only Sun-Moon realm combat strength, barely scraping the middle tier. How could she contend with Director Zhao, who stood on the verge of the late tier? In a flash, her formation was shattered. Had her white steed not been exceptionally powerful and agile, evading Director Zhao's lethal strikes several times, she might have been slain on the spot. Watching this, Li Hao almost wondered whether Director Zhao had bothered negotiating at all or was simply trying to crush her! Soon, several more desolate beasts gathered around Director Zhao to assist Princess Jun. Li Hao looked closely, his brows arching slightly. A golden glint flashed in his eyes. These desolate beasts… seemed less focused on protecting the princess than on guarding the white steed. Did this white horse possess an extraordinary background? He observed for a brief moment, then turned his attention back to the Dahuang soldiers. Soon, he reached out with his hand, drawing faint wisps of chaos aura creeping up from beneath his feet. Though he had spoken of negotiating… Li Hao would never sit idly by, pinning his hopes on it. He was seeking his own way to infiltrate the Great Desolation. Chaos aura! He absorbed a wisp of it into his body and frowned slightly at the faint resistance. "Chaos is also a Dao; all things belong to the Dao… Chaos must surely correspond to a Great Dao as well…" Chaos should not be rejected. Otherwise, when future cultivators of the new Dao ventured into the cosmic starry sky, would they too suffer rejection from chaos? Thus, the Dao of chaos had to have a corresponding Dao meridian. Li Hao quietly observed and sensed within himself. After a moment, his eyes stirred. Somewhere within his body, faint tremors arose. Li Hao quickly drew in more chaos aura. The once-repelled energy vanished instantly upon making contact with that spot inside him. Li Hao's eyes lit up. Indeed! I knew it—all things possess a Dao, and chaos cannot lie outside its bounds. In that case, things become much simpler. In an instant, he absorbed even more chaos aura. At that moment, the two sides were locked in fierce combat. Numerous soldiers were falling, and several desolate beasts were slain, releasing plumes of chaos. Li Hao swiftly siphoned this dispersing chaos aura. ... In the Great Desolation. Venerable Horse was manipulating the spread of chaos when a look of doubt flickered in its eyes. Many people had died, and several desolate beasts had fallen, yet… the extent of the chaos's spread had not met expectations. It seemed as though a portion had vanished into thin air. It was puzzled and perplexed. Only desolate beasts could absorb chaos aura. As for the human race of Dahuang, they had coexisted with them for ages and possessed traces of desolate beast bloodline within them, which was why they could accommodate it. No one else could contain or absorb it. If so… where had the chaos aura gone? Just as it wondered this, fluctuations of Heaven's will surged from the opposite side, vibrating through heaven and earth. Venerable Horse came to a sudden realization and cursed under its breath. It was the targeting of Heaven's will again—this will of Heaven was growing stronger and stronger. It could even obliterate a portion of chaos now. If they waited any longer and Dahuang failed to expand, Heaven's will might take the initiative to eradicate the chaos entirely. They could delay no longer. ... Meanwhile. Within Li Hao's body, streams of chaos aura vanished, and soon, a Dao meridian took shape. A slight smile curved on Li Hao's lips. A chaos Dao meridian! It felt immensely powerful… Setting all else aside, he began unlocking it bit by bit. Before long, a faint wisp of chaos aura radiated from his body as well. The next instant, Li Hao vanished into thin air. At this time, Princess Jun was locked in a bitter struggle. The desolate beasts that had rushed to her aid were no match for Director Zhao; two had even been slain. Director Zhao's might was truly terrifying! Princess Jun understood more than ever why her father had refused to march to war. Heavenly Star was so strong… Even mighty desolate beasts were being slaughtered, so how could they invade? As for the voice transmissions Director Zhao had sent her, she was weighing them… yet she also feared that the man was merely trying to distract her. If he genuinely desired cooperation, why strike with such merciless savagery? Boom! With a deafening crash, the white horse was knocked flying backward. Astride the steed, Princess Jun coughed up mouthful after mouthful of blood, her face pale as paper. He was simply too strong! In the rear, Venerable Horse seemed to sense this. A terrifying might descended upon heaven and earth in an instant, its voice booming: "Withdraw the troops!" Rumble! The army pulled back, and the desolate beasts retreated in succession behind the boundary of chaos. Seeing this, Director Zhao did not pursue. In the distance, Bright Sword barked an order: "Halt!" Once the enemy retreated into the chaos, there was no need to pursue. Though Heavenly Star's forces numbered only a third of the opposing army, they had still beaten the Dahuang forces into a near rout. ... Princess Jun spat blood continuously, her complexion deathly pale. Behind her, soldiers rushed forward with expressions of deep concern. At this moment, no one paid any heed to an extra mounted soldier appearing at their side. In the chaotic fog of battle, where even desolate beasts were slain by Director Zhao's thunderous strikes, who would notice one more soldier or one fewer? Li Hao observed Princess Jun briefly before shifting his gaze to the white steed. Its injuries were mending with astonishing speed. Chaos aura continuously seeped from its body, healing its severe wounds in mere moments. Li Hao's eyes flickered. This desolate beast was either the offspring of an apex powerhouse or possessed some extraordinary secret. Furthermore, the moment it was injured earlier, a Saint Dao desolate beast had visibly panicked. That Saint Dao beast had chosen to call a retreat not because of the heavy casualties suffered by the Dahuang army, but because… the white horse had been injured! "Interesting…" Li Hao mused. He turned his gaze toward the rear, where he could faintly discern a black steed. A moment later, his eyes glinted again—beside the steed stood a warrior clad in black armor! Li Hao's sword eyes were razor-sharp. In an instant, he caught a transient flash of a potent aura. That was… a Saint! Just as expected! Hong Chen's faction had already made contact with this side. However, neither side had reached a formal pact or established genuine trust, or there would not be only a single Saint present. "Only one?" Li Hao thought. That was far too few. A single Saint was hardly what he was aiming for. At present, Battle Heaven City was anchored in his vicinity. The Old Turtle, Ninth Division Commander, Li Fuhai, General Locust, plus himself, along with the Battle Heaven Army and those demon plants… While taking on six or seven Saints might be a stretch, handling three would certainly pose no issue. Only one was far too few. Of course, desolate beasts might accompany him. With these thoughts in mind, Li Hao sent a transmission through his armor: "Director Zhao, continue exerting relentless pressure on them shortly, focusing on slaying desolate beasts. If a Saint Dao beast appears, retreat immediately! Press the desolate beasts hard and inflict grievous losses upon them… entice more powerhouses to enter Dahuang!" "Understood." "Furthermore… if Qian Wuliang returns, have him join the battlefield at once. Tell him to don my golden armor, impersonate me, and infiltrate the territory of Dahuang!" "..." Right at that moment, a voice echoed through the armor: "Marquis, I have just returned." It was Qian Wuliang! Indeed, he was back. Daring to return meant he had accomplished his mission. Li Hao had known of his return, but had not proactively contacted him. His previous words had been addressed to the senior commanders on an open channel. "Who did you kill? Yama or the Flying Sword Immortal?" "Yama! Ying Hongyue took the others, along with roughly a thousand elites, and fled Dali…" Li Hao was not surprised. Among the four leaders, Ying Hongyue could not be killed so easily. The Haotian Mountain Master was exceptionally powerful, likely a cut above both Yama and the Flying Sword Immortal. Thus, Qian Wuliang could only have slain one of the other two. Between the Three Great Organizations and Haotian Mountain Villa, their combined supernatural forces had previously numbered nearly a hundred thousand, yet they had escaped with a mere thousand elites… This, however, came as a slight surprise to Li Hao. So many had died? "How is Dali?" "The King of Dali was heavily wounded, and Jiang Li suffered a broken white jade bone. Dozens of Divine Guards and temple priests were killed, along with tens of thousands of elite Dali soldiers…" "The King of Dali didn't kill you?" "Well… with the Marquis as my backer, how would the King of Dali dare kill me?" Having just returned, Qian Wuliang spoke with an ingratiating, sheepish tone even though he could not see Li Hao. Dali had suffered grave losses. Several generals of their army had fallen, and both the King of Dali and the High Priest were injured. The King of Dali had truly harbored the intention to murder this bastard Qian Wuliang, because at the critical moment, Qian Wuliang had controlled over ten thousand Dali troops, driving them forward fearlessly and even forcing them to self-detonate to delay the organizations' flight. The casualties were horrific! Had the King of Dali not feared Li Hao, he would have erupted in fury long ago; his heart had nearly burst with rage. Fortunately, after forcefully executing Yama, Qian Wuliang declared his departure. Had he lingered any longer, the King of Dali likely would not have held back from butchering him. "Yama is dead… Well done!" Li Hao continued via voice transmission. One of the Three Great Organizations had finally been wiped out; this was news he could share with Liu Yan later. Qian Wuliang was indeed capable. Li Hao had predicted he could pull it off, but had not anticipated it would be this swift. Moreover… returning so quickly made the timing impeccable. "You have just completed your mission, and I should not ask you to risk your neck again. However, ordinary people can hardly impersonate me… Are you willing to take another risk?" "I obey the Marquis's every command!" "Then… disguise yourself as me, carefully infiltrate the Great Desolation, and exert some pressure on them. I have only one requirement: I want more powerhouses from Hong Chen's faction to come, and I want the desolate beasts to feel pressured… In addition, it would be best to let the desolate beasts learn that I am seeking reinforcements—extremely powerful reinforcements… These tasks are quite difficult. Can you manage them?" "I can!" Qian Wuliang answered without hesitation, delight blooming in his heart. At last, he had smoothed over their past friction. Rushing back without rest and thoroughly offending the King of Dali and Jiang Li had been the right move after all. If the King of Dali was displeased… let him be! Weakening Dali only served to make Heavenly Star safer. He was certain Li Hao would not fault him. When the King of Dali marched home with a million elite soldiers, what did losing a few tens of thousands matter? The King of Dali would not dare openly break relations either. "Then it is settled… We shall discuss your merits after the matter is concluded." "I dare not claim merit!" Qian Wuliang answered swiftly, then added, "Marquis, Ying Hongyue fled, likely heading toward the western Divine Kingdom region. However, he seems to have left behind arrangements in Dali related to the Taboo Sea…" "Understood." Li Hao did not elaborate further, and seeing this, Qian Wuliang said no more. Soon, he departed from the Heavenly Star Army's encampment and disappeared from sight. ... A short while later, Venerable Horse's eyes suddenly flickered, and it looked toward a certain direction. Beside it, the black-armored powerhouse's gaze shifted as well. "Venerable Horse, have you found something?" Venerable Horse said placidly, "Someone may have slipped inside… I will go take a look…" With that, it vanished instantly. Arriving at the previous spot, Venerable Horse vanished once more, tracking the intruder while its eyes shifted continuously. Was it Li Hao? The intruder… was remarkably skilled. They seemed to have detected its pursuit, shaking it off several times. No wonder even those Neo-Martial traitors dreaded him so deeply. Soon, the black-armored Saint caught up and asked, "Does Venerable Horse require assistance?" "No!" Venerable Horse was displeased; these people clung like dog-skin plasters. Utterly bothersome! Seeing this, the black-armored Saint said nothing more, yet he did not leave, continuing to follow closely. If he could locate and slay Li Hao… it would be an immense achievement. Yet after tracking for a while, Venerable Horse grew solemn. It could sense someone fleeing incessantly, but… every time it drew close, the person detected it in advance and slipped away like a loach. At every turn, the quarry stirred up trouble. Not only that… battle cries echoed from the outside once more. The Heavenly Star Army had launched another offensive! Moreover, Venerable Horse quickly sensed an expert crossing the border. Damn it, was this a diversion to aid Li Hao's infiltration? With a thunderous crash, it saw a desolate beast slain, followed by Zhao Shuguang smashing his seal toward Princess Jun once again, injuring the white horse in the process. Venerable Horse's heart shuddered. The white horse could not be allowed to perish. It embodied the chaos intent. For various reasons, the venerable desolate beast lords were unwilling to let any single beast monopolize it. Thus, this white horse was the key to chaos. Furthermore, the expansion of chaos required the chaos intent as a vanguard; having it serve as Princess Jun's mount was merely a cover to deflect suspicion. Yet now… it had become Zhao Shuguang's primary target. Because Princess Jun was the supreme commander of the army. What a nuisance! With a thought, a powerful aura rose in the distance. A monkey-like desolate beast soared up from the rear, hurtling straight toward Zhao Shuguang and his companions. Simultaneously, a figure emerged as Director Wang's voice shook heaven and earth: "A Saint Dao desolate beast? Do you truly believe yourselves invincible under the heavens? Do not provoke a war of the Saint Dao! Otherwise… within days, Battle Heaven City will mobilize, and the Saints of the Battle Heaven Army will descend upon this battlefield… Can a bunch of savages withstand a single strike from our Battle Heaven Saints?" The monkey-like desolate beast sneered coldly, "Battle Heaven City? After slumbering for so many years and leaving the main city desolate, how much combat strength do you have left?" "Laughable! Ignorant! The Heavenly Star Great Mine fell into Heavenly Star's hands long ago. With the mine intact, Battle Heaven City can easily mobilize and march here to annihilate you savages! A mere handful of Saint Dao desolate beasts, yet you dare fancy yourselves invincible? Withdraw voluntarily, and you may yet retain a sliver of hope… Otherwise, Dahuang shall be destroyed, and your beast kin exterminated! "Heavenly Star could conquer the main city of Boundless, and it can surely obliterate you all! The grandson of the Supreme will arrive here in days… Heaven's will favors us, while Dahuang is forsaken by Heaven. You dare dream of usurping heaven and earth? The world will not tolerate it!" His voice shook heaven and earth. At this moment, Venerable Horse remained silent, its expression turning solemn. Would Battle Heaven City… truly mobilize and march here? If so… it would spell immense trouble. Beside it, the black-armored Saint's eyes stirred, and he sent a voice transmission: "Battle Heaven City does indeed possess several Saints… Li Hao seized the Heavenly Star Great Mine, shattered Boundless City, killed several Saints, and plundered abundant Immortal power and origin power. Those Saints may well have fully awakened… I know the venerable lords are fearless, but if a true battle erupts, the casualties will surely be severe. Why not let us help you eliminate them while they remain unaware of our presence?" If several Saints of Battle Heaven City had revived, combined with Heavenly Star's experts and Li Hao… they would indeed be difficult to deal with. Venerable Horse found itself torn. Should it cooperate with these people? Yet… cooperating with them was also fraught with peril. They could not be allowed to grow too strong, or the desolate beasts would suffer. Still, letting a modest number of reinforcements enter was acceptable. "I will discuss this with the other venerable lords… However, our desolate beast lineage is fully capable of suppressing them. Even if you bring reinforcements… no more than three Saints are permitted. Otherwise, you had best stay in Hurricane City!" Three Saints? The black-armored Saint was intrigued. That was not a bad compromise. Li Hao might have other tricks up his sleeve, but once the two sides truly clashed, three Saints would be enough to tilt the balance significantly. "Very well! However, the enemy possesses many Sun-Moon cultivators who rival Immortals. As for the desolate beasts…" "No need for concern!" Hearing this, the black-armored Saint said no more. He had hoped to bring in some Immortals as well, but the desolate beast refused. The next moment, Venerable Horse vanished once again, irritation gnawing at it. Had Li Hao truly broken in? It likely was him; otherwise, who else could be so elusive that several tracking attempts had failed to corner him? With the frontline requiring a Saint Dao desolate beast to hold the fort and Li Hao infiltrating their territory, Venerable Horse sent a quick notification. Soon, another Saint Dao desolate beast appeared. Together with Venerable Horse, it joined the hunt for Li Hao. ... Meanwhile, Qian Wuliang's expression was grim beyond measure. One misstep meant certain death. Multiple Saints were hunting him! Li Hao truly valued him as always—assigning him such an arduous task at the very first opportunity. He was truly favored… Comforting himself with this thought, he mused that it was his own choice after all, wasn't it? ... Not far off, Li Hao clicked his tongue in admiration. Qian Wuliang was indeed capable! Being hunted by multiple Saints, yet managing to elude them all—choosing him to impersonate himself and throw the Great Desolation into disarray had indeed been the right call. Looking back, the Saint Dao desolate beast previously stationed at the Dahuang royal court was now gone. Furthermore, the white horse was definitely extraordinary; both times Director Zhao assaulted the position and targeted it, a Saint Dao desolate beast had been drawn out. "Continue attacking!" Following Li Hao's transmission through the armor, intense fighting erupted once again. Amid the utter chaos, Li Hao vanished from where he stood. Speeding along while the monkey Saint beast was diverted to pursue Director Zhao, he dashed swiftly toward the royal court of Dahuang. Outside the court, three desolate beasts stood guard, each possessing power equivalent to the Immortal Realm. However, they failed to detect Li Hao's movements. Flashing by like a phantom, Li Hao audaciously slipped straight into the interior of the royal court. The three desolate beasts seemed to sense something, glancing around before their attention was drawn away by the battle cries in the distance. All three felt thoroughly annoyed. These humans were infuriating—attacking again and again, fleeing again and again, didn't they ever tire? ... At that moment, inside the royal court's grand tent, the King of Dahuang sat in his chair with a languid aura, saying not a word as he brooded in silence. Around him, various civil and military officials appeared equally dispirited and gloomy. Just as the King of Dahuang was lost in thought, Li Hao's voice sounded directly in his ear: "When Dahuang's invasion reaches Dingbian, do you, King of Dahuang, have the capability to make the million Dahuang soldiers erupt simultaneously, their blood-vitality blotting out the sky and chaos blanketing heaven and earth…? If you do, then do it; if not, forget it! If this succeeds, I shall preserve the Great Desolation; if it fails, Dahuang shall cease to exist!" The King of Dahuang showed no change in expression. Yet inside, shock surged like tidal waves. Under such circumstances, Li Hao… could actually contact him! He was speaking directly into his ear! Heavens! It was simply inconceivable. Several Saint Dao desolate beasts were lurking nearby. The next moment, something seemed to appear in his hand. "This is a military armor. Bind it with a drop of your blood to contact me! Only you can contact me and communicate directly! I must take my leave now; if I don't, I will lose one of my top generals!" Li Hao's voice carried a hint of amusement: "Furthermore… that white horse is extraordinary; I hope the King of Dahuang can enlighten me on its background. Also… your daughter has fine potential. Finally… help me find out how many powerhouses from Hong Chen's faction have arrived… As the lord of a realm, if you lack even this capability, there is no need to speak of anything else." The King of Dahuang maintained his impassive composure, marvelling inwardly at Li Hao's sheer audacity. At this very moment, a single shout from him might ensure this man stayed here forever! How did he dare? This was reckless beyond belief! There were numerous Saints in the vicinity. Naturally, he would not shout. Yet the shock lingered, alongside a lingering question: why was Li Hao so certain he would side with him? He was, after all, the Lord of Dahuang! "King of Dahuang, remember this: the Silver Moon world can only be governed by the people of Silver Moon. The Great Desolation is, in truth, also part of Silver Moon… Whether it be desolate beasts, Neo-Martial, or Red Moon, none of them have the right to rule this realm! That is all I have to say. I am leaving now; I await your good news!" In an instant, a subtle breeze seemed to brush past. The King of Dahuang knew Li Hao was gone. After a brief pause, he stood up. Outside the grand tent, a desolate beast poked its head in and cast a cold look. "Do not wander about…" The King of Dahuang replied placidly, "My blood-vitality felt sluggish, so I merely walked a few paces. With you lords watching over me, could you possibly fear what I might do? Furthermore, my stance remains unchanged: beware of Hong Chen's side. Deep cooperation with that man is impossible; he will surely find every way to plant powerhouses within Dahuang… Once more than three Saints enter, it could spell catastrophe! I hope you lords will convey this to the venerable lords! Moreover, please convey to them that the Great Desolation's expansion is far too slow. Continuing like this may well portend disaster. Among the humans of Dahuang, my body holds the densest chaos aura, and my civil and military officials carry the next densest… "Since matters have come to this, I ask that the lords permit us to join the war to spread the chaos and accelerate the annexation of the eastern continent. Otherwise, at this rate, what year will it be before we conquer the eastern continent?" Hearing this, the desolate beast was slightly taken aback. This man had previously refused to march, yet now he was willing? If he was willing, that was naturally ideal. The only worry… was that this fellow might flee! The King of Dahuang said calmly, "Lord, you need not worry… Dahuang is my homeland, and I am the Lord of Dahuang. Now that war with Heavenly Star has begun, what retreat is left to me?" "I will convey your words to the venerable lords…" The desolate beast said no more. If these people joined the fray, it truly might speed up the expansion; the current pace was indeed too slow. The King of Dahuang nodded slightly and seated himself once more. Inwardly, countless thoughts swirled through his mind. Li Hao… this king shall gamble once! Hong Chen's faction and the desolate beasts possessed many Saints. Can you… truly stop or crush them? To think Li Hao had discovered the anomaly regarding the white horse so quickly—the man possessed an exceptionally sharp eye. Various thoughts surged, bringing a sudden rush of apprehension and thrill. Desolate beasts were invincible; Neo-Martial powerhouses were invincible… Such were the ingrained assumptions. Yet now, he was conspiring with Li Hao to plot against these powerhouses. Could it… truly succeed? At this moment, the Lord of Dahuang felt as though he had returned to the days when he unified the Great Desolation—thrilled, apprehensive, restless… with a lingering edge of fear. ... Meanwhile, Li Hao had already departed the Great Desolation. A moment later, Qian Wuliang appeared, drenched in sweat and trembling from head to foot. Seeing Li Hao, his trembling finally eased. Just now… he had nearly been surrounded and cut off by two Saints. Fortunately, Li Hao's order had come in the nick of time, allowing him to pull back. Living like this… was truly thrilling!