The Great Battle Erupts

The Great Desolation. Chaos spread across the land. Suddenly, a desolate beast emerged. Gazing into the distance with a hint of perplexity, it spoke: "There is an unusual disturbance ahead, likely a Neo-Martial ruin. Do we bypass it, or roll right over it?" Neo-Martial ruins were not particularly rare. So long as it was not one of the Eight Main Cities, the desolate beasts did not care. Even among the Eight Main Cities, unless it was the one harboring Hong Chen, the beasts were not necessarily afraid of them. Now, with Li Hao relocating the population and cities, the Great Desolation's invasion had progressed rapidly. Although Heavenly Star still resisted, the intensity was far weaker than before, expanding the territory where the Saint-tier desolate beasts could freely operate. "Look!" Just then, someone shouted. In the distance, an army of hundreds of thousands emerged from all directions, dense and blotting out the sun. The four Area Commanders had all arrived. Bright Light Sword, Jade Light Sword, Qin Lian, and Northern Fist each commanded an army of one hundred thousand, bringing the combined forces of the four Area Commanderies to four hundred thousand men. Dense ranks converged from every quarter. Silver Moon experts swiftly appeared one after another. Sky Sword, Tyrant Saber, Qian Wuliang, Director Zhao... All of them materialized. Several desolate beasts grew puzzled. Previously, Heavenly Star's resistance had been lukewarm, allowing the Great Desolation to sweep forward unopposed. Did Li Hao intend to hold his ground today and retreat no further? Some beasts glanced toward the King of Dahuang. Yet the king said nothing, merely looking toward the few masked figures in black armor. Toward the desolate beasts, he looked down on them intellectually, but currently, experts from Hurricane City accompanied them. Those people were quite shrewd. The King of Dahuang could see that Li Hao intended to turn this place into a battlefield, and Hong Chen's subordinates had undoubtedly deduced it as well. Only the desolate beasts, single-mindedly fixated on expansion, truly believed Li Hao was helpless and imagined they could sweep through the world on their own. The King of Dahuang said in a heavy voice, "Li Hao has been constantly relocating people merely to stall for time. Right now, he has likely assembled his armies and gathered his experts. Battle Heaven City or another ancient city might be nearby, ready to join the fray at any moment! Li Hao intends to wage a fight to the death with us right here!" Among the desolate beasts, there were many Saint-tier experts. At this moment, the black steed spoke once more: "I just sensed the aura of a Neo-Martial ruin. Could it be... that experts are concealed inside as Li Hao's trump card against us?" Only then did the others realize what was happening. Evidently, this ruin was unusual. Venerable Monkey bared its fangs and grimaced. "Isn't Li Hao afraid we will simply skirt around this place and deny them any chance of contact?" The chaos aura could easily detour around it. The King of Dahuang murmured, "We could... but Dingbian is the core of the Eastern Continent. Bypassing it would leave a gaping hollow within the territory of the Great Desolation. This position is vital... Li Hao is certain we will not go around. Are you Venerables... willing to bypass it?" Of course they were not! Leaving aside Dingbian's prosperity, its strategic value was immense as the heart of the entire Eastern Continent. Bypassing it would only cause endless trouble later. Yet they also guessed that Li Hao's helpers might reside within that ruin. They did not know how many experts there were. Nor did they know who they might be. Were they experts from Battle Heaven City, or from other ancient cities? Several desolate beasts turned to the Saints from Hurricane City. One black-armored Saint remarked softly, "Li Hao possesses the ability to relocate experts. Over these past days, he has likely been preparing. That ruin ahead might truly harbor numerous experts. It is also the only large ruin situated between the Great Desolation and the east, ideal for them to unleash their full power. It is entirely logical for Li Hao to choose this spot as the battleground for a decisive confrontation." Logical though it was, they recalled the instructions from Lord Hong Chen. Do not act rashly! This was Star Suppressing City... the ruins of Star Suppressing City might possess unique traits. Although it was not the genuine Star Suppressing City, Hong Chen had repeatedly stressed caution before they set out, convinced that Li Hao was plotting something underhanded. They had to ascertain the situation before making a move. This time, Hurricane City had deployed three Saints; any more, and the Great Desolation would have objected. Meanwhile, the Great Desolation boasted six Saint-tier desolate beasts. Nine Saint-tier experts in total! Even if a Heavenly King appeared, they could strike him down! With such strength, they had little reason to fear the enemy. The real concern lay between themselves: the Great Desolation feared a betrayal by Hong Chen's faction, while Hong Chen's faction worried the beasts would turn on them. This mutual wariness was their true anxiety. Apart from the Sovereign of the Red Moon, the Silver Moon world had no Sovereigns. Nine Saints could live comfortably wherever they went. Even encountering a Heavenly King would not leave them trembling in terror. At this moment, the King of Dahuang spoke: "Seniors, should real danger arise in the coming clash, I hope you can advance hand in hand and put aside your differences. I know Li Hao well. Though he rose to prominence only recently, his ability to crush the three kingdoms proves he must never be underestimated!" Solemnly, he added, "If the ruin ahead can be avoided, it would be best to steer clear... We could encircle the entire Eastern Continent first, leaving this place stranded in the center..." "Out of the question!" Before he could finish, Venerable Horse snapped in irritation, "The terrain here is unique, situated right in the core. Unless we isolate it from an immense distance, they could easily burst out and strike us from the rear! You are supposed to be a king, yet you speak with so little thought!" The King of Dahuang's expression flickered slightly. "Venerable, we should avoid their sharpest edge—" "Shut up!" Venerable Horse barked a rebuke! Avoid their sharpest edge? This King of Dahuang was growing increasingly cowardly. Had the man not ruled the Great Desolation for years and guided the rapid spread of the chaos aura over these past few days, the beast would not have bothered humoring him in the slightest. Leaving a ruin unaddressed in the core region was far worse than resolving the threat now, while Hong Chen's Saints were present. What did this King of Dahuang know? Once the Great Desolation swallowed the east, its advance would slow. At that point, they would expel Hong Chen's Saints or even turn against them. To come back and tackle the troubles of the Star Suppressing City ruins afterward... wouldn't that be inviting misery upon themselves? If it had to be resolved, the desolate beasts preferred to resolve it now! The King of Dahuang hesitated, then finally replied, "Then I shall obey the commands of the Venerables! However, remain wary of Li Hao. He is full of cunning tricks. The fall of the three kingdoms and the slaughter of the Divine Kingdom's Saint-tier deity all demonstrate that he possesses the power to slay Saints..." "Silence!" This time, the other Venerables joined in the rebuke. This man was annoying! With a great battle at hand, pouring cold water on them again and again was intolerable. To the desolate beasts, Li Hao was insignificant; only those Neo-Martial fellows were a nuisance. In the Origin Era, desolate beasts had indeed been no match for Neo-Martial powerhouses. Yet things were different now! The Origin path was destroyed! Or rather, it had vanished. And while the desolate beasts were somewhat weaker than in their prime—primarily due to insufficient chaos aura and prolonged suppression—among peers of the Saint rank, the desolate beasts of today were decidedly stronger than those Saints. They had no reason to fear these people. Beside them, a black-armored Saint remarked softly, "Battle Heaven City currently houses several Saints: General Locust, Turtle Guardian, and Reserve Guard Commander Wu Peng. Even if all of them came... but they wouldn't all come. If they did, Battle Heaven City could not be operated. Two is their limit! As for the other main cities, Li Hao is unlikely to convince their Saints to aid him. Which means the enemy probably conceals two Saints... Adding Li Hao, who may possess Saint-level combat power himself, that makes three..." After a pause, he continued, "However, their camp contains numerous Sun-Moon experts of decent strength. Working together, they might barely hold off a Saint, bringing their total to four..." Four Saints ought to be about right, wouldn't it? The King of Dahuang pushed back once more: "Not necessarily! Li Hao knows we possess multiple Saint-tier combatants. Naturally, instead of launching a direct assault, he opted to dig in and wait, which suggests he is slightly weaker than us. But I doubt the gap is vast. Perhaps... they have more Saints—even six or more is possible!" The black-armored Saint glanced at him and gave a slight nod. "Your reasoning makes sense, but where would he find six or more Saints? We understand the present situation far better than you. Of the Eight Main Cities, Boundless is destroyed, Sword City is sealed, Hurricane is in our hands, and the remaining five are the Zhou family's Xinghe, the Zhao family's Martial Forest Alliance, the Zhang family's Dingtian City, the Hong family's Thunderstorm City, and the Wang family's Battle Heaven City. Aside from his close ties with Battle Heaven City, it is nearly impossible for him to rally Saints from the others to fight on his behalf..." "What about Zhang An?" the King of Dahuang asked with a frown. "Do not forget him!" The black-armored Saint paused, then nodded. "Perhaps. However, Zhang An's relationship with Li Hao is not that intimate... Still, even if he comes, they would have four or five at most..." The King of Dahuang reiterated solemnly, "Prudence is warranted. I believe the enemy has prepared at least six Saint-tier powerhouses." "Rest assured!" The black-armored Saint grew impatient. "There aren't that many. We grasp the reality far better than you!" Certain main cities would never send anyone. They were all too certain of this. Even if someone did come... heh, Li Hao would be the one needing to watch his back. Their confidence stemmed from insider knowledge. Unless Li Hao had physically hauled all the other ancient cities here, facing nine Saints was nothing short of a pipe dream! From the start, they had not worried much about Li Hao; their primary concern was whether they could eliminate several desolate beasts. They almost hoped Li Hao's side would field a few more Saints—even in defeat, killing two or three beasts would give them the opening to overrun the Great Desolation and crush both sides in one stroke! After repeated warnings from the King of Dahuang, Venerable Horse finally lost patience. "Enough, King of Dahuang! Go to the front lines and direct the army against those little bugs! Slay fewer of them if possible; they are elites and will make fine warriors for the Great Desolation once the chaos takes hold!" "A'Jun can command them. I..." As the King of Dahuang tried to speak, Venerable Horse turned cold. "Do you intend to disobey? Silver Moon martial masters are no weaklings, and your daughter cannot handle them alone. Go to the front and direct them!" "..." Helpless, the King of Dahuang gave a soft sigh and nodded. "Then please be careful, Great Venerables... Take care of yourselves. So long as the Dahuang army stands, those fellows will make no headway!" With another sigh, he mounted a desolate beast and roared, "Soldiers of the Great Desolation, hear my command! In this battle, I shall lead from the vanguard, shatter Heavenly Star's defenses in one strike, and claim Heavenly Star!" "Ten thousand victories to our King!" Boom! The million-strong army roared and cheered. Previously, when the King of Dahuang had been imprisoned, they had been fraught with worry. Now that their king had appeared in person on an imperial campaign—having led them to conquer half the Eastern Continent in ten days—the soldiers were wild with excitement. The king's voice rang out again, surging with passion: "If we triumph in this battle and destroy our formidable foes, an open road lies ahead! Warriors, when the crucial moment comes, burn your blood and unleash the chaos to fight them to the death! The enemy possesses many experts, but once our Venerables slay their champions, they will come to our aid! A mere Heavenly Star can be crushed with ease!" "Ten thousand victories!" The thunderous cries erupted once more. In the rear, the Venerables and the Saints of Hong Chen's faction nodded slightly. A million soldiers were genuinely not as formidable as the four hundred thousand on the other side. Once Heavenly Star's forces formed battle arrays, they could pose a nuisance; enough ants could bite an elephant to death. Moreover, the Battle Heaven Army was mixed among them, wielding methods to counter powerhouses. It was best if the Dahuang army kept them pinned down. That way, nothing would disrupt the battle of Saints! As for heavy casualties, burning blood, and unleashing chaos... let some die. Once the invasion succeeded, would they ever lack people? Though previously displeased with the King of Dahuang, Venerable Horse now gave a soft laugh. "For a king, he is a bit timid, yet when backed into a corner, he still dares to fight!" The Dahuang army, once lifeless, was now brimming with fervor, putting the Venerables in good spirits. With this, several of the enemy's experts would be occupied. "His presence does spare us some trouble... still..." Beside them, a leopard-like desolate beast said coldly, "Still, this fellow has defied us time and again! Once things stabilize, it will be time for him to abdicate!" The King of Dahuang had performed well enough, but he had too many ideas of his own. His earlier warnings had been well-intentioned, yet to the desolate beasts, a weakling continually talking up Li Hao's side and spouting alarmist nonsense was utterly grating! "Mm." The Saints nodded in unison. They would settle it after the battle. *** At the front line, the King of Dahuang glanced back, his expression blank. From beginning to end, every word he had spoken had been entirely sincere. Anyone with eyes could see that if Li Hao dared to fight a decisive battle here, he had to have made preparations. Without the confidence to handle six or more Saints, why would he choose to fight here? Could he truly have run out of options? Thus, the King of Dahuang had spoken up; staying silent would have been suspicious. Yet... none of them had listened. They all assumed Li Hao could not summon so many Saints and had no way to harm them, believing this showdown was merely a dying struggle. Without another word, the King of Dahuang roared, his voice shaking heaven and earth: "Ignite your blood! Unleash the chaos! The Great Desolation... ten thousand victories!" Boom! Vast surges of blood essence erupted, blotting out the sun. Chaos aura surged forward, warping the colors of heaven and earth. He had not waited for the critical juncture as Li Hao instructed; instead, he unleashed it immediately to obscure the workings of fate. Whether Li Hao could seize the opportunity was Li Hao's business! As a sovereign, adapting to changing circumstances was paramount. Li Hao made it sound simple to ignite it in the midst of battle... but it was never that easy. Once the fighting began, issuing commands became a nightmare. Had Li Hao ever commanded an army of this scale? At this moment, the King of Dahuang felt a distinct sense of superiority. Li Hao had no experience leading large armies. Did he think a million men moved as one? That they could erupt on command? Preparations were mandatory! Sure enough, even after the King of Dahuang bellowed several times, it took a while before the army finished detonating their blood essence, spreading the chaos aura. Had they followed Li Hao's plan to detonate abruptly in mid-clash, it might have been entirely too late. *** Watching this unfold, Li Hao nodded slightly. He realized he had miscalculated. With so many people, variations were inevitable. Still, the King of Dahuang had managed to seize command so swiftly, proving his capability. Li Hao sent a transmission: "Soldiers, unleash the power of the Great Dao! Let the power of the new Dao blanket heaven and earth... Fight to the finish!" "Understood!" A sky-shattering roar erupted. Under their respective commanders, the four hundred thousand troops rapidly executed the order. The aura of the Great Dao surged forth, transforming the heavens as the Will of the Heavens stirred! In this battle, the Will of the Heavens also intervened. With the Great Desolation's continuous encroachment, the Will of the Heavens had developed a degree of consciousness, recognizing that its domain was being invaded. Over these past days, it had actively resisted the incursions. Now, the Will of the Heavens, the new Dao, the power of chaos, and the blood essence of millions exploded together, plunging the entire world into murky darkness. "Kill!" Amidst roaring battle cries, both sides slammed into each other along the boundary line. Rumble! A colossal roar echoed through heaven and earth. *** Simultaneously. Chaos began to spread forward. Upon the small tree in Star Suppressing City, a figure steadily solidified. Yu Hai's form materialized. Looking up at the sky, he revealed a faint smile. At last... he could emerge! After scanning his surroundings, seeing that the avatars of the powerhouses remained, he felt displeased but kept it hidden, saying softly, "Fellow Daoists, when will your true bodies descend? I worry these creatures will prove difficult to handle..." With that, he glanced at Wu Peng. "Wu Peng" said heavily, "Senior, there is no need to fret. Battle Heaven City has been activated and is approaching, but we must guard against sudden mishaps first. That requires a bit of time." "Battle Heaven City... has started moving?" "Yes!" Wu Peng nodded. "Senior will be able to sense it shortly..." Turning to the old turtle, he added, "Turtle Guardian, Senior does not belong to the main city and might not perceive its arrival. Give him a token so that when the city draws near, he can sense it in time and coordinate with us to slay the beasts..." The old turtle froze, hesitating. "This... Senior is not of our main city. Commander Wu, this is inappropriate! Once the token is handed over, the location of Battle Heaven City will be exposed..." Wu Peng frowned. "At a time like this, unity is paramount! The Sea Suppressing Emissary does not belong to the main city either. If we can give one to him, why not to Senior?" "I..." As the old turtle hesitated, Yu Hai said, "It matters not..." Seeing this, the old turtle had no choice: "It is not that we harbor petty suspicions, only... never mind!" With that, it retrieved a small tortoise shell and handed it to Yu Hai. "Senior Yu, as soon as Battle Heaven City appears nearby, you will quickly sense its fluctuations..." Yu Hai nodded with a smile. He knew the workings of the main cities well. This object could indeed pinpoint the city's position, provided it was close enough. Besides... a main city's movement caused massive disturbances. As a top-tier powerhouse, he could have sensed it without the token, but having it made tracking everything even more convenient. *** At the same time. Boundless City. People were stationed inside the city as well. Director Wang and Lin Hongyu had not joined the battle outside. Tense and waiting for orders, their task was simple: the moment Battle Heaven City descended, or the moment Li Hao opened the Bright Star Realm, they would activate Boundless City and approach Dingbian Province. On one hand, it would deter Hurricane City; on the other, it would mislead Yu Hai. The timing had to be precise. They had to merge the two auras—fusing the presence of Battle Heaven City with that of Boundless City. For this battle, Li Hao's side had prepared thoroughly. The ten-day window had not merely served to relocate cities; it had refined their previously incomplete plan, minimizing enemy suspicions. Strategists like Director Zhao and Qian Wuliang had participated in formulating every detail. At this point, success relied partly on luck. Yet fighting the Great Desolation within Silver Moon offered an advantage: the Will of the Heavens was on their side. It would disrupt fate's workings. Heaven's timing, earthly advantage, and human harmony were all aligned with Li Hao. *** At this moment, Li Hao drew a deep breath. Clad in armor, he charged out alongside the army. High in the distance, Qian Wuliang—encircled by giant dragons and clad in golden armor—let out a shout that matched Li Hao's voice perfectly: "Attack! Slay the enemy! Destroy the Great Desolation!" "Kill!" Boom! The entire army committed to the battlefield. Rumbling sounds of clashing armor, the roars of mounts, and surging energies shook the world! Concurrently, an aura erupted from the rear of the army. The Saints of the Great Desolation exchanged glances and nodded. They felt it. As expected, the enemy's experts were inside the ruin. At that moment, a massive turtle manifested between heaven and earth, faintly visible past the armies—a gargantuan creature blotting out the sky. Seeing it, the black-armored Saint remarked, "Battle Heaven City's Turtle Guardian." Next, a colossal tree branched into the void, its shadowy canopy sprawling. Without him needing to speak, everyone recognized General Locust. The aura was somewhat murky due to the vast interference of the armies. Yet it proved that Saints had indeed arrived. The desolate beasts glanced at each other, then toward the black-armored figures. "What say you?" A black-armored Saint murmured, "You Venerables should strike first... If you can handle it yourselves, that would be ideal. If not... we will join the fray! Our true bodies have emerged this time. Unless we wipe them out entirely, exposing our identities will hinder our future plans..." The desolate beasts cursed inwardly! In plain terms, they wanted to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight. Venerable Horse did not bother to argue, saying in a deep voice, "Just do one thing for us... Should they attempt to flee, help intercept them. And at the critical moment... help us sever their origin paths. We are desolate beasts attuned to the chaos system and know little of the origin path..." "Of course!" "Venerable Leopard, stay with our fellow Daoists. The rest of you... we have not fought in years. Let us see how formidable these Neo-Martial powerhouses truly are!" "Very well!" In an instant, five colossal desolate beasts blotted out the sky, tearing through the void and vaulting past the opposing armies directly toward their target. In the rear, Venerable Leopard watched with displeasure, casting a cold glance at the Saints. These fellows not only refused to help, but were also making things difficult. Soon, however, it paid the matter no mind. Far in the distance, the gold-armored Li Hao strode through the air directly toward them. His voice echoed across heaven and earth: "You cowardly scoundrels, do not let me discover your identities! The sky screens are pointed right at you. The moment your auras are exposed, I will broadcast them to the other ancient cities! I want to see if anyone recognizes you!" Concealed beneath their black armor, the three Saints grew solemn. Scanning their surroundings, they said nothing, merely drifting slowly toward Li Hao. Sky screens? Broadcasting? Once they killed him, the problem would be solved! *** Opposite them, beneath the golden armor, Qian Wuliang's face was deathly pale, drenched in cold sweat. Careful, he had to be careful! Impersonating Li Hao to tie down several Saints was Li Hao's direct order. Lately, every assignment he had received was fraught with supreme danger. He knew this signified Li Hao's reliance on him, though it undeniably carried a trace of petty payback. The Marquis was not generous-spirited. Once this matter concluded, the previous grievances would likely be settled for good, without further retaliation. Naturally, it was also because of his own competence; Zhao Shuguang was not even qualified to compete with him for this task. Success or failure hung entirely on today's battle. Nine Saints! Factoring in Star Suppressing City, there might be nine Saints and a Heavenly King! If they could wipe them all out in one battle... it would be an unparalleled victory for Heavenly Star. Could the Marquis handle them smoothly? Those three might be acquainted with the one in Star Suppressing City. Once exposed, it could trigger a chain reaction. At this moment, Qian Wuliang felt the gamble was far too reckless. The Marquis was betting that those three dared not unleash their auras fully, preventing Yu Hai from recognizing them. He was also betting that Yu Hai dared not act too brazenly, perhaps fearing his own true identity would be uncovered. If either side dared to reveal their aura completely, it could spell disaster. A million-strong army caused immense chaos, but that could only interfere at a distance. Once they drew too close, exposed auras could no longer be masked. Suppressing his racing heart, Qian Wuliang sneered again, "Think you can kill me? It won't be that simple! You lurking rats, Battle Heaven City is nearby! I want to see how you plan to take my life!" With that, he soared into the air, fleeing straight toward the edge of the chaos! The three Saints exchanged glances and looked toward Venerable Leopard. The beast's eyes were chilly. "Leave him to you three. Surely three Saints can handle a martial master of the new era?" At those words, the three chuckled. "In that case... Venerable Leopard, just watch. He cannot escape!" With that, all three vanished simultaneously, giving chase toward the periphery! Seeing this, Venerable Leopard followed silently, keeping its distance and waiting for them to strike. Further away, a ferocious battle seemed to have erupted. Venerable Leopard glanced over... and caught sight of the five desolate beasts engaging their foe. Yet... the enemy did not seem as numerous as anticipated. *** Boom! A deafening explosion rang across heaven and earth. The five desolate beast Venerables were taken aback! There was only one opponent! The figures that had appeared earlier were merely avatars, currently hiding in the rear, while their sole enemy stood alone! A peak Saint? At this moment, Yu Hai's aura was indeed only at the peak of the Saint realm, yet it was overwhelmingly formidable. Fighting five desolate beasts single-handedly, he spoke not a word, striking ruthlessly the moment they met! Rumble! The five beasts could not afford distractions; this man was exceedingly strong! They had never expected Li Hao to enlist a peak Saint. It was entirely unforeseen! Yu Hai's eyes burned with excitement, though beneath it lay irritation. The avatars of the old turtle and the others were watching, making it inconvenient to unleash his full power or reveal anything—unless their avatars were destroyed! Of course, he did not need to destroy them all. Leaving Wu Peng's avatar alive to bear witness would be perfect, wouldn't it? One man against five beasts clashed instantly, chaos aura billowing across the void and obscuring the heavens! The great battle erupted! The five desolate beasts fought with ferocious savagery. This man had to die, and thankfully, he was alone—a fortunate turn of events! As for where the experts from Battle Heaven City had gone... they assumed they were biding their time to ambush Hong Chen's Saints. That suited the beasts just fine; their only task was to slay this man! Otherwise, had several Battle Heaven City powerhouses arrived together, things would have been troublesome. "Kill him quickly! If Li Hao had placed Battle Heaven City's experts alongside him, we would have been at a disadvantage... but now, luck is on our side!" The beasts exchanged excited mental transmissions. A stroke of fortune! Li Hao was far too foolish! Boom! The sky tore apart and the earth fractured. Fighting one against five, Yu Hai was pushed back repeatedly, yet he was never broken. This shook the old turtle and the others to the core. A Heavenly King! Yu Hai was definitely a Heavenly King. And an exceptional one at that; otherwise, unleashing merely peak Saint combat power would never have allowed him to hold off five opponents at once. If he went all out, he would be vastly more terrifying than he appeared now. The old turtle's group felt their hearts leap into their throats, only to ease slightly. Had Li Hao acted without careful planning, disaster might have struck. But now, with five desolate beasts in the mix, even if they could not overcome Yu Hai, they would wear him down considerably. Wu Peng watched intently—which meant Li Hao himself was watching. Having infiltrated the Great Desolation's territory, Li Hao was inwardly astonished. This man was truly formidable; Yu Hai was undoubtedly an experienced Heavenly King! Judging by Yu Hai's behavior, he seemed intent on destroying the avatars. Otherwise, post-battle analysis might allow others to deduce his true identity. At this moment, Li Hao had been running alongside the other Saints. The battlefield was utter chaos, battle cries shaking the sky! Down below, Li Hao darted through the frantic crowd, blending in among countless others doing the exact same thing. Ahead, Qian Wuliang had halted. He desperately hoped Li Hao would appear immediately to deal with these monsters; otherwise... he was about to wet himself, facing four Saints alone! He was only in the mid Sun-Moon realm, with combat power comparable to an Immortal. Let alone four, even one could casually swat him to death. Facing four at full strength, a single strike would send him to Yama. The Saints, however, were exceedingly cautious, guarding against contingencies. In their minds, Li Hao would not rush in to die. He surely had preparations and schemes. They sensed the surrounding fluctuations, watching for hidden experts, for the presence of an ancient city, whether Battle Heaven City was near, and whether Zhang An had arrived. Consequently, they did not strike with full lethality right off the bat. Venerable Leopard was impulsive and considered swatting the insolent brat dead, but on second thought, it seemed better to leave him to the three Saints. It chose to hang back and merely observe. *** Meanwhile, Li Hao traded blows with several Heavenly Star soldiers, putting on a convincing show while keeping his eyes peeled. He had to wait! He had to wait for the opportune moment, when Yu Hai's clash reached its absolute zenith. Only then, with fate tangled and everyone unable to look away, would he strike to eliminate these Saints in one fell swoop! Four Saints... Old Turtle, Sea Suppressing Emissary, General Locust, Ninth Division Commander, himself, and multiple demon plants. Could they resolve this quickly? They had to! At the frontline, the King of Dahuang was teaming up against Director Zhao, his heart burning with frantic anxiety. The blood eruption had a time limit. With Li Hao failing to act and no movement occurring—save for the distant ripples of Saint battles—they could not sustain this much longer! Did Li Hao actually have a plan? Nine Saints! Once their blood essence waned and the chaos dissipated, what chance would Li Hao have left? The King of Dahuang was panicked! In his panic, anger flared. They had agreed to cooperate, so did Zhao Shuguang know? Why were his strikes so venomous? Every move was lethal! Could he genuinely be trying to use this chance to kill him? *** Everyone was waiting for an opening. What was missing was a single spark. Across the vast battlefield, powerhouses harbored their own schemes, while the armies of both sides, oblivious to it all, fought and bled in a frenzy. The weak were mere pawns here. Meanwhile, the powerhouses played their game of chess, seeing who possessed the superior move! *** Further away. Hurricane City. Hurricane City sat far from the Great Desolation's borders. Because of the Great Desolation's expansion and Li Hao's relocation of surrounding cities, Hurricane City could not draw too close. Within the city, Hong Chen frowned repeatedly. He held a sky screen projecting the scenes of the battlefield, though it was murky and indistinct. "Star Suppressing City..." "This person... taking on five at once... a Heavenly King?" His brows furrowed deeply. Battle Heaven City's forces had not appeared, nor had the city itself arrived. Li Hao was on the battlefield, so where were the people from Battle Heaven City? He knew Li Hao had a scheme. Yet he still could not discern where the hidden trump card lay. As for trump cards, they amounted to nothing more than those fellows from Battle Heaven City. "Does Li Hao... know about Wu Peng?" A sudden thought crossed his mind. If he did not know and brought Wu Peng along, any schemes he harbored would be neutralized. Li Hao's side would lose a Saint, while his own gained one—a swing of two Saints capable of reversing the battle in an instant. At that very moment, his brow twitched. "A main city is approaching... Hurricane City, retreat!" In an instant, Hurricane City vanished. He had sensed the vibrations of an approaching main city. Was it Battle Heaven City? Li Hao also controlled Boundless City. However, Boundless City lacked powerhouses. Piloting an ancient city here would burn astronomical energy for little purpose, so it had to be Battle Heaven City. Which meant... Battle Heaven City was rushing to the battlefield! Those fellows from Battle Heaven City had truly submitted to Li Hao with utter devotion, willing to pilot an ancient city into battle on his behalf. *** Simultaneously. Above the chaos, the sky fractured faintly. Suddenly, a tortoise shell on Yu Hai's person began to glow and vibrate. Yu Hai's heart leaped. Was Battle Heaven City... about to join the fray? A moment later, he sensed faint ripples rolling in from afar—the subtle disturbances caused by a colossal ancient city traversing space. Only an expert of his caliber could detect it from such a distance. Battle Heaven City... was entering the battlefield! Behind him, the avatars appeared thrilled. Wu Peng shouted, "Senior, hold on..." It was like a signal! The next instant, Yu Hai's aura exploded violently. With a ferocious roar, he drove a fist forward. With a resounding boom, a Saint-tier desolate beast was sent hurtling backward as titanic force swept across heaven and earth! Rumble! The colossal power spilled outward in an instant. Yu Hai roared, "Careful, I cannot suppress them—" Boom! The old turtle's avatar was blown to pieces instantly as the immense force washed over them. The others retreated frantically, yet several were still shredded by the blast. Only Wu Peng, shielded by his armor, weathered the shockwave. Seeing this, delight flashed through Yu Hai's eyes. The next moment, an even more terrifying strength erupted from him. Another punch struck out. The remaining four beasts had managed to hold their ground, but with this blow, Venerable Horse was sent flying, coughing up blood that splattered everywhere! How could this be? The desolate beasts were horrified! Yet a cold light gleamed in Yu Hai's eyes. Glancing back and seeing Wu Peng nod in tacit understanding, he knew... it was done! He gave a faint chuckle. "Battle Heaven City... is nearly here!" With that, a fearsome weapon materialized in his grip, shimmering with faint crimson light. It was a saber, slashing toward one of the desolate beasts in an instant! He wanted to eliminate several beasts before Battle Heaven City arrived, leaving him the time and energy to deal with those fellows from the city. Heaven was truly aiding him! There were desolate beasts further off, but their auras were scattered and obscured. Battle Heaven City would likely appear over there first... giving him an enormous window of opportunity. "Die!" Yu Hai bellowed. A saber slash cleaved the firmament, sending chills through the desolate beasts. "A Heavenly King..." Boom! The crimson blade descended, striking Venerable Bull, whose reactions were a beat too slow. With a single cleave, Venerable Bull was split in two. The eerie saber hungrily devoured its shattered flesh. "Watch out... this man is a Heavenly King—" The beasts were terrified. But would Yu Hai give them a chance to transmit warnings? With a cold laugh, his aura enveloped the area, cutting off transmissions. It was too late! Utterly shaken, the beasts scrambled to withdraw their chaos aura. Down below, however, Princess Jun was riding a white steed, charging straight into the distance... They wanted to withdraw the chaos, yet it continued to spread! The beasts were panicked. Damn it! Why had the intent of chaos surged so far? Everywhere the white steed rode, chaos followed, preventing them from pulling back. "Halt!" Venerable Horse roared furiously toward Princess Jun in the distance. "Fool, why are you charging so far ahead?" Down below, Princess Jun urged her white steed forward, eyes fixed ahead, never looking back! It was her father's command: charge forward without stopping! Ignore whoever tries to block you. At this moment, Princess Jun felt a deep sense of dissonance. Along the way, she had encountered numerous Silver Moon experts, yet... they seemed not to see her, allowing her to ride straight through the battlefield, plunging forward! A large contingent of elite troops followed her charge, and no one tried to stop them. What was happening with Heavenly Star? What was happening with her father? What was the purpose of her charge? *** Meanwhile, just as Qian Wuliang was terrified out of his wits... Li Hao glanced into the distance and smiled. Yu Hai could hold back no longer. The next instant, Li Hao emerged, slashing his sword toward one of the black-armored Saints. The three had remained constantly vigilant; sensing the eruption in the rear, they felt somewhat relieved instead. Here it comes! They had known Li Hao would never face them alone, though... this newcomer seemed to be a new Dao powerhouse as well? A sword-wielding powerhouse of the new Dao? Was there a second expert comparable to a Saint in the new Dao besides Li Hao? This was the true shock to the trio! Ahead, Qian Wuliang's eyes lit up. He bellowed, "Die! Battle Heaven City has arrived!" In the distance, the earth trembled. An ancient city seemed poised to charge straight into the area. At that moment, Venerable Leopard sneered. The chaos suddenly receded from the edge. With a sinister look, it thought, Are these people idiots? If Battle Heaven City wants to enter, it must enter the chaos. If I withdraw the chaos, how will you get in? As a Venerable, it could accomplish this easily, as there was no independent intent of chaos here. In an instant, even Qian Wuliang was pushed outside the chaos. Venerable Leopard's reasoning was simple: kill this ambusher in the rear first, then expand the chaos again. Slaying one extra Saint was a gain... None of these fools would escape! A black-armored Saint laughed heartily. "Brilliant, Venerable Leopard!" The chaos was within their control. Ambushes were a joke. Li Hao had underestimated them. Yet at that very moment, the true Li Hao slashed his sword—not to launch a sneak attack, but to cleave heaven and earth asunder! The sky seemed to crack open, revealing a spatial corridor. He did not even bother humoring them. Who didn't know they could manipulate chaos? Did they think he was oblivious? Only an idiot would think that way! In an instant, several figures emerged from the corridor. The old turtle and the other Saints materialized almost instantaneously. Without a single word, Old Turtle, Li Hao, Ninth Division Commander, Li Fuhai, and General Locust—five Saint-tier combatants—struck simultaneously, this time targeting Venerable Leopard! This beast could control chaos; killing it first was paramount. Five Saints! They had assumed the enemy was inside the ancient city, yet they suddenly materialized right beside them. With Venerable Leopard standing some distance from the three black-armored Saints, its eyes widened in sheer terror! How? How could they appear here? It had already isolated the ancient city! How could they arrive out of nowhere? There was no time to think. The next moment, a colossal roar shook the heavens! Boom! The massive leopard was sliced into pieces in an instant. The three black-armored Saints blanched as an explosion rocked the firmament! Li Hao's sword annihilated everything of the beast, while the other Saints displayed their divine techniques, blotting out the sky and sealing the surroundings. Venerable Leopard was obliterated on the spot before it could even utter a dying shriek! The three Saints paled in horror. "How could you appear here?" Impossible! Then what had that ancient city fluctuation been just now? And this person seemed to be Li Hao, so who had been confronting them a moment ago? Furthermore... who was the one fighting the five desolate beasts over there? Where had so many powerhouses come from?! In an instant, countless questions flooded their minds. But murderous intent flared in Li Hao's eyes as he shouted, "Kill!" Boom! Everyone struck simultaneously. In an instant, eight Saint-tier powerhouses clashed in a battle that tore the heavens and shattered the earth! In the distance, Qian Wuliang fled for his life. With eight Saints clashing, the shockwaves alone could instantly obliterate a mid Sun-Moon martial artist like him. Across the battlefield, savage clashes erupted on both flanks. Counting the fallen Venerable Leopard, fourteen Saints and a Heavenly King had joined the fray. The blood essence of millions erupted, chaos spilled outward, and heaven and earth plunged into murky darkness. War cries shook the firmament! Li Hao, having plotted for days, began to reap the fruits of his labor. *** At this moment, within Hurricane City, Hong Chen's expression shifted slightly. The sky screen before him shattered instantly, but in that final glimpse, he had seen enough. His face darkened. He gave a cold snort. "So that's it... Li Hao... has actually grasped the Great Dao Universe..." He had known Li Hao could enter the Great Dao Universe, but hiding people within it was an entirely different revelation! Which meant the city moving past earlier, even if it was Battle Heaven City, had no experts stationed inside? Moreover, regarding the expert fighting the five desolate beasts... he had an inkling of who it was. He had harbored suspicions before, without being certain. Now, he was positive. "Who triumphs and who falls has yet to be decided!" With a cold face, Hong Chen spurred Hurricane City to vanish, rushing straight toward the Great Desolation. Perhaps he could still arrive in time to participate. Li Hao, a momentary victory is not the final victory! Yet at that very moment, Hurricane City trembled violently. Rumble! Hong Chen's expression tightened. Looking up, he saw a book descend, covering Hurricane City in an instant. "Zhang An!" Hong Chen's face turned icy. "You still dare come!" Zhang An's gentle voice drifted down: "The realm cannot restrict me, yet it can restrict you. If you are unwilling to submit, come out!" "Do you think I dare not?" "Do you dare?" Zhang An chuckled softly, his voice reverberating through the ancient city. "Though I possess only the strength of a pseudo-Saint at present... alas, you cannot come out! As for going to the Great Desolation... forget it!" "You are forcing me to slaughter the other main cities!" Zhang An sighed again. "If you must do so, there is nothing I can do. Even if you don't, Li Hao will wipe them out sooner or later. If you kill those who remained behind, it will clear any lingering guilt when Li Hao destroys their cities." "You..." "Zheng Yu, until the second resurgence begins, even if you wield the power of a half-Emperor, it is of little use. Wait patiently for the second resurgence!" "Hmph!" Hong Chen snorted coldly. The second resurgence—always the second resurgence! After plotting for countless years, it was continually disrupted by this damnable bunch! Still... this time, Zhang An had miscalculated as well. He might not have made it in time anyway; Li Hao and his allies had struck with terrifying speed. Whether he went or not made little difference, especially since Li Hao's group had mastered a way to contract the chaos aura! The true crux... did not lie with him. Zhang An, since you have chosen to entangle me here... I will grant your wish. Hong Chen suddenly smiled. It was fine. Otherwise, had Zhang An gone there early, he might have recognized the one from Star Suppressing City. But with him absent, the others were unlikely to identify him. That was where the real amusement lay. "Zhang An, then I shall play with you for a while!" Boom! The ancient city shook violently as hurricanes swept across heaven and earth. Outside the city, Zhang An struck repeatedly, suppressing the howling winds. Raising an eyebrow slightly, Zhang An wondered: why was Zheng Yu no longer in a hurry? Glancing toward the distance... could this battle achieve its goal? Even he could not be certain. Yet right now, he had no room to worry about anything else.