A Heavenly King Falls

The Great Desolation. With a single coordinated strike, the Saints had executed Venerable Leopard. In the next instant, low shouts rang out once more. A longsword pierced through the heavens and earth within the void, followed immediately by another thrusting straight through. Ninth Division Commander! Two sword cultivators—and sword cultivators excelled at offense. Among the powerhouses present, yet another specialized in the art of slaughter: Li Fuhai, whose true form was a water buffalo. At that moment, his golden physical body erupted with power. Lowering his head, he charged straight forward with his sharp horns like a sacred demon. General Locust's branches tore through heaven and earth, while the Tortoise Guardian transformed into a massive seal that crashed down with suppressive might. His true form was a tortoise shell, yet now he had assumed the shape of an immense seal. It reminded Li Hao of when he had mistakenly taken the Black Tortoise Seal, the City Lord's seal, for the guardian's true body. Evidently, the guardian was not necessarily inept at offense; he was simply modest. As for Li Hao, heaven's will coalesced across the void to bolster him as he pierced through the world. Furthermore, in that fleeting instant, millions upon millions of citizens seemed to prostrate themselves in worship from every direction. "Peerless Demon Sword!" Li Hao traced an arc with his sword. Inside the Bright Star Realm, heaven and earth overturned. A circular river seemed to quiver before merging into the colossal longsword, channeling countless Great Dao principles through the stable passage Li Hao maintained. Five powerhouses against three Saints. Across from them, the expressions of the three Saints drastically changed. A moment later, they roared in unison. Blood essence pierced the firmament as their Daos manifested. Even though the origin path had been severed, traces of origin power still pierced through, causing their auras to surge slightly. Their blood essence erupted, abandoning all attempts to conceal the manifestation of their origin paths and keep their identities hidden. They even unleashed the Blood Saber Art, condensing three crimson sabers that slashed toward Li Hao at the same time! Of the five foes, it was Li Hao who posed the greatest threat of death to them. How could the three dare hesitate? "Die!" Li Hao's fierce bellow echoed across heaven and earth. In the hazy distance, another powerhouse was also locked in slaughter. Across the field, Yu Hai vaguely sensed something was amiss. His expression shifted slightly, and with a harsh shout of his own, he severed Venerable Horse in two with a single slash of his crimson blade! Both sides were locked in frenzied combat! At this moment, both seemed to be racing against time, desperate to conclude their battle early so they could reinforce the other front. *Boom!* A deafening roar shook the world. Over there, a colossal steed instantly disintegrated, and a desolate beast resembling an ape roared toward the heavens. It transformed into an immense Chaos Ape, bloodlust spreading through its eyes as it bellowed, "You aren't on the same side..." *Boom!* An explosive blast rang out. Completely ignoring the cry, Yu Hai sliced Venerable Monkey in two with a single stroke. Including the previously slain Venerable Horse and Venerable Bull, three desolate beast venerables had already perished beneath his blade. The two remaining desolate beasts were plunged into sheer terror and utter shock. This man was a Heavenly King! And far from one who had newly crossed into the Heavenly King Realm. Yu Hai frowned slightly and glanced back. Wu Peng's avatar was still there, but Wu Peng now wore a look of horror. Staring into the distance as if having spotted something, he muttered, "How did they get here?" Yu Hai's brow furrowed deeper. Could it be... Li Hao had noticed something? Was that why he had excluded this Wu Peng? Wu Peng quickly spoke in a grave voice: "My avatar cannot stay any longer. They might already suspect me. Finish these desolate beasts quickly. I will shatter my avatar to alert my true body and see if it is alone in Battle Heaven City. If it is... I will pilot Battle Heaven City here!" Yu Hai's heart stirred. Indeed. The old tortoise and the others had all appeared on the opposite side, yet there was no trace of Wu Peng. Was Wu Peng truly still inside Battle Heaven City? Just then, Wu Peng's avatar shattered. An orange suit of armor soared into the sky, streaking straight into the void. Yu Hai contemplated bringing down his saber to destroy it, but after a second thought, he refrained. Perhaps the armor could return and contact the true body. Wu Peng's true body ought to be alive, right? If he were dead, the avatar would have crumbled long ago. The fact that the avatar had persisted proved that even if Li Hao harbored suspicions, he hadn't actually slain Wu Peng's true body. After all, this avatar had arrived here days ago. Yu Hai had no time to dwell on it. Seeing the two desolate beasts attempting to flee, he sneered and swung his saber! *Li Hao, did you think you could use these desolate beasts to stall me, or even kill me?* *Too naive!* The might of a Heavenly King was far greater than he imagined. Besides, these desolate beasts were crude and barbaric, devoid of martial skills or combat techniques, possessing nothing but brute force. How could such wild beasts hope to kill a Heavenly King? *Boom!* The broad blade fell. The two desolate beasts roared frantically, their cries shaking heaven and earth as they devoured the surrounding chaos, trying to expel it to disrupt Yu Hai. In the sky above, the chaotic aura churned with turbulent instability. The deaths of several desolate beasts had already begun to destabilize the entire Great Desolation. *** Meanwhile, Li Hao and his companions had already clashed—and their blades descended! *Boom!* The void tore open and the firmament shattered. With a single sword strike, Li Hao shattered the three powerhouses' killing techniques, though he staggered back several paces. Right then, the next strike—from Ninth Division Commander—pierced through the chest of one Saint with a sharp crack. In that same instant, Li Fuhai slammed forward with his golden horns. With an earth-shattering crash, the wounded Saint was smashed to pieces, blowing apart mid-air. A phantom figure materialized, eyes cold and teeth gritted. "Die together!" *Boom!* A deafening explosion resonated across the world—a self-detonation! Whenever Neo-Martial powerhouses fought to the very end, almost all of them chose to self-detonate. This was the key to their invincibility; even at the brink of defeat, they possessed the means to drag their foes down with them. Self-detonation was second nature to them. Yet at that critical moment, the immense seal transformed into a shield. With a thunderous boom, the self-detonation rang through the heavens. However, the colossal wave of energy only caused the shield to clang noisily. In contrast, the two neighboring Saints were caught in the blast, coughing up blood and cursing inwardly. *That idiot! The Wang family's Black Tortoise Shield is right there! Your self-detonation didn't harm the enemy at all, yet it severely injured the two of us!* At this point, how could they not realize that their odds today were dire? Still, both cast a glance into the distance. As the army's blood essence peaked and began to wane, the concealment over heaven's secrets was no longer as dense as before. Both witnessed the magnificent spectacle of that figure cleaving a desolate beast with a single stroke. It was him! Their hearts stirred. No wonder the five desolate beasts had failed to take him down and had instead been slaughtered into a rout! There was still a chance. They had to stall! Just as the thought crossed their minds, one of them felt a sharp pain in his chest. Li Hao, who had just been knocked back, materialized behind him out of nowhere. His eyes were entirely calm as he thrust his sword forward, piercing through the man's physical form. The overwhelming force blew the Saint to smithereens! The final remaining Saint's face turned pale with utter disbelief. "You... how are you here?" Li Hao had clearly been behind the shield! He had been defending against the self-detonation! Li Hao said nothing. He merely looked up at the sky. Heaven's will churned in all directions. With the deaths of several desolate beasts, the Great Desolation had begun to tremble, and heaven's will swept across the realm, throwing the entire chaotic expanse into extreme turmoil. *Why am I here?* Heaven's will whispered that by traversing the void, he could appear here—so here he was. He turned his gaze toward the distance, toward the hazy silhouette who had just felled another desolate beast with a single saber stroke. His expression tightened slightly. This Yu Hai was truly formidable—he had already slain four desolate beasts. Unbelievable! It was far too fast! Both sides had struck almost simultaneously, yet Yu Hai, acting alone, had annihilated four desolate beasts in the blink of an eye. Li Hao's side, with five powerhouses working together, had only managed to kill three Saints so far. "Kill!" A fierce bellow pierced the heavens. The five powerhouses struck together. Despair flashed in the eyes of the last remaining Saint, who suddenly turned toward Old Turtle and the others. "I am—" *Boom!* Ninth Division Commander's sword pierced the void, its sword intent and murderous aura shaking the heavens. They knew who he was! The instant the three had unleashed their power, their identities were laid bare. But so what? They all deserved to die! Ninth Division Commander's sword intent was actually sharper than Li Hao's. This strike was even more ferocious than his last. Gathering all the power within his body, he roared, delivering a strike of absolute resolve! The world itself seemed torn in two! *Boom!* Space shattered as the single sword stroke fragmented into ten thousand blades, hurtling toward the target. The last Saint's expression shifted drastically. Marshalling every ounce of strength, he threw a desperate punch. Just then, Li Hao reappeared from nowhere, striking with his sword as well! Simultaneously, Li Fuhai charged like a savage bull, his four hooves trampling heaven and earth. *Boom, boom, boom!* The entire battlefield shuddered violently, throwing everyone off balance! The Saint took the brunt of the shockwave, his mind rattled and vision blurred. Seeing the opening, General Locust immediately thrust countless branches forward. In an instant, heaven and earth collapsed. *Bang!* A colossal detonation rang out. Innumerable wounds lacerated the Saint's body, and within a breath, he was pulverized into dust, his mental power eradicated alongside his physical form. At that moment, Li Hao soared into the air and reached out. The void shuddered, and three Great Daos manifested, with three figures seemingly suspended within them. Aside from Old Turtle letting out an inward sigh, neither Ninth Division Commander, Li Hao, nor Li Fuhai cared in the slightest; not a shred of regret lingered in their minds. The powerhouses vaulted upward and dove directly into the three origin paths. *Boom!* All three Great Daos severed simultaneously, carrying the trio's final agonized shrieks through the void. The severance of their Great Daos! This signaled their absolute demise. Unless Neo-Martial returned and the Human King paid the price to resurrect them, they would never exist again between heaven and earth. At the same time, in the distance, Yu Hai brought down his final strike. With a sharp crack, the last desolate beast fell dead. Yu Hai gasped for breath. His face was spattered with blood. To eliminate the five Saint-tier beasts with such speed, he had paid a certain toll. But compared to felling five Saint-tier desolate beasts, the price was negligible. Both sides had dispatched their opponents with the utmost swiftness. In the span of a few breaths, nine Saint-tier powerhouses had fallen. Yet now, Yu Hai frowned slightly. Why... was the chaos still present? According to his calculations, once the desolate beasts were dead, the chaos should have receded—perhaps even vanishing entirely to be enveloped by heaven's will, triggering the second resurgence immediately. Why was the chaos still here? Was it because other desolate beasts remained? Apart from the Saint-tier desolate beasts, there were still numerous lesser beasts locked in bitter combat with the Silver Moon experts. Could it be because those beasts were still alive? Was that why the chaos had not dissipated? Just as he was about to act on these thoughts, the void shuddered. In a flash, several powerhouses materialized. Li Hao smiled. "Congratulations, Senior. You must have stepped into the Heavenly King Realm by now?" Yu Hai's eyes flickered. He smiled and nodded. "By a stroke of fortune, I advanced to Heavenly King..." With that, he glanced back at the desolate beasts, who were suffering immense casualties. With their Saint-tier leaders slain, the remaining beasts had grown frantic, and many more had died in the blink of an eye. Right then, Li Hao turned and bellowed, "King of Dahuang, assist Heavenly Star in eradicating every last desolate beast!" Over there, the King of Dahuang was utterly shaken. He had known he was gambling, but he never imagined the six Saint-tier beasts would fall so quickly—far too quickly. Even the three Saints from Hong Chen's faction had been slaughtered in an instant. Of course, he understood that Li Hao and the powerhouse who had slain the beasts might not be allies. Perhaps, from the very beginning, neither the desolate beasts nor the Saints had ever been deemed a true threat by Li Hao. At this juncture, he dared not say much, roaring out his command: "Soldiers of Dahuang, we are humans, not puppets of desolate beasts! Join forces with Heavenly Star to slay the beasts!" The million-strong Dahuang Army hesitated in disbelief. Both sides had been locked in a ferocious engagement, incurring heavy losses. At least a hundred thousand Dahuang soldiers had died, and Heavenly Star had lost tens of thousands as well. And now... they were suddenly supposed to turn around and help their enemy slay the desolate beasts? What kind of joke was this! Even though the order came from the King of Dahuang himself, many soldiers were bewildered, enraged, and roaring in defiance. Some simply ignored the command, continuing to slaughter the Heavenly Star troops! Dammit! The King had betrayed Dahuang! Yet at that exact moment, the eyes of every soldier who refused to obey and continued the slaughter suddenly turned blood-red. A frenzy overtook them, driving them to launch suicidal charges against the nearby desolate beasts. *Boom!* Soldier after soldier was instantly butchered by the desolate beasts, yet each managed to leave bloody gashes upon the beasts' hides. In the distance, an eerie aura radiated from Qian Wuliang, suffusing the battlefield. Scores of Dahuang soldiers fell into demonic madness, flinging themselves against the beasts. The Dahuang Army was almost entirely cavalry, and now their mounts went wild as well, detonating themselves in thunderous explosions that caught the weaker desolate beasts in a sea of war, wiping them out on the spot! The King of Dahuang's face drained of color. He glared at Qian Wuliang in the distance and opened his mouth to speak, but a majestic aura bore down upon him. Director Zhao looked at him and said softly, "General Qian Wuliang is assisting Your Majesty in eliminating rebels... King of Dahuang, knowing when to gain and when to sacrifice is the only path to long-term survival!" Weakening the Four Nations had been their consensus from the start. Qian Wuliang had eliminated many of Dali's elites back in Dali, and upon his return, no one had raised an objection; they had only thought, *Well done!* Now, even though Dahuang shared a tacit cooperation with Li Hao, many among the million cavalry remained unruly and arrogant. In that case... let them die here! The King of Dahuang's expression shifted. In this brief span, tens of thousands of his soldiers had perished. Factoring in prior casualties, the Dahuang Army had dwindled to roughly eight hundred thousand. Yet he knew that if he did not comply, the entire army might cease to exist. Suppressed fury raged in his chest, but he forced a tight smile and said nothing more. Turning toward a desolate beast, he charged with ferocious savagery. The old man, who usually appeared frail and scholarly, now fought with the untamed brutality of a wild beast. *Boom, boom!* Punch after punch landed until he beat an Immortal Realm desolate beast to death with his bare hands! Meanwhile, the Dahuang Army continued its suicidal charges. Corpses carpeted the plains! *** Throughout all this, Yu Hai made no move to intervene, nor did he attack. He simply watched in silence. He was waiting as well. Waiting for all these desolate beasts to die. Perhaps once they were eradicated, the chaos would disperse entirely. At that moment, heaven and earth would undergo an immediate resurgence. Since the Great Desolation had encroached upon a vast portion of the world, once that chaos reverted to normal territory, spatial stability would surely be restored in an instant. He was waiting! And Li Hao and his companions were waiting as well. They had positioned themselves around him, forming an encirclement, while the void overhead trembled continuously. The five powerhouses looked grave. This man was simply too strong. Even after felling five Saints, his aura remained overwhelmingly fierce. By now, Old Turtle and the others had vaguely deduced his identity, though they still found it difficult to believe. *This man... was here?* *Then who is Hong Chen?* They were bewildered, but their vigilance only deepened. This was a veteran Heavenly King! Desolate beasts were slaughtered one after another, their agonized cries resounding across the sky as their carcasses turned the battlefield into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. Dead bodies lay everywhere! Heaven's will swept across the surroundings as if rejoicing, driving back the chaos. The chaotic aura was steadily receding. A faint smile appeared on Yu Hai's face. Once the second resurgence began, things would become far simpler. When that time came, if no one else, Zheng Yu would definitely show himself. *** Meanwhile, within Hurricane City. Zhang An frowned slightly and turned to look into the distance once more. The Great Desolation was transitioning from darkness to light; the chaos seemed on the verge of dispersing, and the world appeared more stable. Had Li Hao not anticipated this? Inside the city, Hong Chen also furrowed his brows, harboring little hope. He was somewhat privy to the true nature of things. Chaos would not disperse so easily. On the other hand, the world was returning to its state before Boundless City had begun siphoning worldly energy. Just as the thought crossed his mind, an immense pulling force radiated from all directions—Boundless City had resumed its absorption. However, if the chaos dispersed entirely, it wouldn't matter how much energy Boundless City absorbed. The energy supply might diminish, but spatial stability would be restored, allowing them to march out even without ambient energy. *** Yu Hai sensed it as well, but paid it no heed. What difference would absorbing a bit of energy make? When the final desolate beast was slain on the field, Yu Hai waited in silence... but soon, his expression grew peculiar. Looking at Li Hao and the others, he suddenly remarked, "Little friend Li Hao, it seems you aren't worried about the second resurgence beginning immediately?" Li Hao nodded. "I am not. Senior might not be aware, but the chaos will not disperse so easily..." "Does it have to do with these human inhabitants of Dahuang? Is it because their chaotic aura persists?" Seeing Yu Hai's eager demeanor, Li Hao smiled and shook his head. "No. It is because of the will of chaos. As long as the will of chaos remains, standing parallel to heaven's will, the chaos will not disperse." "So that's how it is!" Yu Hai nodded with a trace of regret. "In that case... that white horse... No wonder those desolate beasts were so desperate earlier, fixating on that young girl and demanding her return. It was because... that white horse embodies the will of chaos, does it not?" This man possessed sharp discernment as well. Li Hao nodded. "Senior's vision is keen!" Yu Hai sighed. *So that's the truth of it.* *No wonder!* *In other words, slaughtering the desolate beasts accomplished nothing toward lifting the chaos.* *Still, learning this now is not too late.* *Once I kill these few and slay the white horse, the second resurgence will naturally begin. This world will still belong to us.* Yet around them, the chaotic aura had already begun to thin. Li Hao was continuously siphoning the surrounding chaotic aura. Gradually, a clearing formed in their vicinity. Yu Hai's expression shifted slightly, and he looked at Li Hao with a touch of surprise. "No wonder you weren't in a hurry and chose to wait here. You can actually absorb the chaotic aura..." Once the chaotic aura dispersed completely, Yu Hai would either have to retreat into the ruin or slay them all before that happened. Li Hao smiled. "Senior... please return. If the chaotic aura dissipates entirely, Senior's presence will likely rattle the world. If the seal shatters, everyone will be finished together." "Return?" Yu Hai laughed. "At this stage, do you honestly expect me to believe that? You calculated all of this just to kill me, didn't you? And now you're willing to let me walk away? Li Hao, you are young, yet full of schemes. But in the end... everything still hinges on strength!" At this point, all pretenses were completely abandoned. Old Turtle spoke up as well, his tone filled with wistful melancholy. "I truly never expected that you would be Zheng Hongyuan. That makes me wonder—who is the current rebel leader, Hong Chen? Could it be... your third son, Zheng Yu? If so... your Zheng family is truly brimming with talent!" Zheng Hongyuan! Previously, everyone had assumed that Hong Chen was the head of the Zheng family. Yet as it turned out, he wasn't. The real patriarch had been scheming away near Star Suppressing City all along. And he had been a Heavenly King since ancient times. Yet now, everyone knew that Hong Chen was also a Heavenly King—a top-tier one at that. This meant the Zheng family possessed not just one Heavenly King, but two. Yu Hai smiled as well. "At this stage, what meaning is there in dwelling on such matters?" He looked at Li Hao, then at the steadily receding chaotic boundary. Raising an eyebrow, he said, "Knowing I am a Heavenly King, you still dare to remain here rather than flee. Are you... worried that I will instantly slaughter the others present?" He gestured toward the distant armies and smiled. "Or... are you still set on killing me, refusing to give up even now?" Li Hao said nothing. Suddenly, the firmament cracked open, and he vaulted directly into the sky, his voice tranquil: "If Senior does not wish to be compressed back into the ruin, why not come up for a chat?" Yu Hai's expression shifted. He gazed at the heavens, and after a long silence, he marveled, "So that's how it is... That's how it is! The Great Dao Universe! You came in through the Great Dao Universe... Incredible!" It was truly astonishing! No wonder! He looked at Li Hao, and Li Hao met his gaze with absolute serenity. "If Senior wins, you will not only eliminate your troubles, but also seize the Great Dao Universe. Once that is done, even the Red Moon Sovereign will no longer be someone to fear! Even if something was left at the boundary point, Senior might not be able to claim it easily—perhaps only the Eight Families united could retrieve it. But Senior is already a Heavenly King; if you obtain the Great Dao Universe on top of that, you might truly be able to face the Red Moon Sovereign!" Yu Hai watched him, a hint of wariness in his eyes. Li Hao remained nonchalant. "Whether Neo-Martial or Silver Moon, we are ultimately one entity. When all is said and done, Red Moon is the true outsider, the true threat! The presence of a Sovereign threatens everyone. If we emerge victorious, we will naturally find a way to deal with him. If you win and claim the New Dao Universe, as long as the New Dao endures, you will eventually be able to confront him..." "Are you serious?" Li Hao smiled. "If I die in battle, naturally, it will all become reality!" Yu Hai—or rather, Zheng Hongyuan—found it hard to believe. Yet Li Hao appeared entirely sincere. Could he enter the Great Dao Universe? If he didn't, and delayed any longer, these people would simply enter and depart, leaving him no choice but to retreat into the ruin and await another opportunity. However, his identity had already been exposed. Next time would likely be far more troublesome. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He looked toward the cosmic starlight... Should he enter? As he hesitated, the others leaped across the void one by one, vanishing into another universe. Li Hao's voice echoed once more: "If Senior does not come, the next time we appear, it might well be Senior's death! In this battle, we have slain nine Saints and reaped an enormous harvest. We haven't had the chance to digest the spoils yet, but once we do... Senior will likely have no chance left!" "It seems you truly wish to kill me..." Zheng Hongyuan laughed. After weighing his options for a moment, he made his decision: enter the Great Dao Universe! Once victorious, he wouldn't merely eliminate these threats; more crucially, he could claim the Great Dao Universe for himself. He could not resist such temptation. Had he not schemed all this time precisely to seize the Silver Moon world? Yet a single Silver Moon world paled in comparison to a Great Dao Universe. The opportunity lay right before him, a prize far more precious than anything he had plotted for over a hundred thousand years. Even knowing the danger... why not fight for it, why not take the gamble? In a flash, Zheng Hongyuan shattered the void and stepped through the passage. The six of them now moved like old friends reunited after years apart, strolling leisurely as they entered the Great Dao Universe. They did not linger near the passage, nor did they clash there. Everything would be settled inside. Below, the Silver Moon martial masters all watched with somber expressions. Could Li Hao and the others win? Director Zhao and the others had wanted to enter as well, but Li Hao had not taken them along. Clearly, he had no intention of letting them join this battle. Director Zhao's expression shifted repeatedly before he barked, "Clear the battlefield and secure everything! King of Dahuang, rein in your troops, lay down your arms, and await instructions!" The King of Dahuang's expression changed. Yet seeing the murderous intent burning in the eyes of the surrounding Silver Moon martial masters, he frowned and ultimately chose submission. He barked an order: "Drop your weapons!" The Dahuang soldiers hesitated, bewildered. Terror and anxiety gripped them all. Especially after so many of their comrades had gone mad and suffered catastrophic casualties, leaving perhaps only seven hundred thousand survivors. Under such circumstances, with their King surrendering, what will did they have left to resist? Soon, the clatter of weapons striking the ground rang across the plains. Countless blades were discarded. Cavalrymen dismounted one by one, standing in fearful unease as they awaited their fate. Further away, Boundless City materialized directly. Within the city, Lin Hongyu and her companions welcomed Princess Jun inside with radiant smiles, while Princess Jun's expression fluctuated constantly. They framed it politely as an invitation to be a guest in the ancient city. However... the moment she entered, she was swiftly separated from the white horse. The elite guards who followed her were immediately surrounded by tens of thousands of armored warriors. An unease settled over Princess Jun; she felt as though she had escaped the tiger's den only to enter the wolf's lair. Furthermore, these people felt far more terrifying than the desolate beasts! Lin Hongyu smiled warmly, like a friendly neighborhood sister. "Princess Jun, rest assured. Once the Marquis slays our formidable foe, the King of Dahuang will have rendered no small service in this campaign. The Marquis is clear-cut in meting out rewards and punishments; he will certainly reward him. Dahuang will no longer need to endure hardship, but can instead enter the prosperous Central Region and become an integral part of Heavenly Star..." Princess Jun's complexion paled slightly, but she remained silent. Move to the Central Region... For a people accustomed to the frontier, once they relocated to the Central Region, their cavalry advantage would vanish entirely... not to mention whether the cavalry would even be permitted to exist by then. Still, at this moment, she had no room to worry about such things. Lin Hongyu's voice echoed across the land: "All forces, enter the city immediately! To guard against enemy ambushes... withdraw from the Great Desolation and await the Marquis's orders!" In an instant, vast waves of troops began converging toward Boundless City. The colossal ancient city hovered between heaven and earth. This was the first time in a hundred thousand years that a main city had formally manifested before the world. Neither Hurricane City nor Battle Heaven City had ever revealed themselves so openly to the populace. The armies rapidly assembled. Filled with unease and trepidation, the Dahuang Army, led by their King and officials, filed into the ancient city. Lin Hongyu and the others paid little heed to them. Dahuang was merely a minor ailment! The crux of everything lay with that Heavenly King! If they could slay the Heavenly King this time, it would be a resounding victory. If they couldn't... even if they wiped out Dahuang and killed several Saints from Hong Chen's faction, it would be of little consequence—a minor affair, not a decisive factor. Just as everyone contemplated this, another great city seemed to materialize in the distance. It was only a fleeting glimpse, as if observing the situation, before vanishing entirely. Lin Hongyu's expression tightened. "Hurricane City!" Right now, the world was slightly more stable than before. Although Hong Chen might not be able to walk out in person, he could likely send an avatar out just as he had in the past, given that a significant amount of chaotic aura had dissipated from the Great Desolation. They had to exercise caution. Lin Hongyu considered attempting to track it, but ultimately abandoned the thought. If the Marquis won, these fellows wouldn't be able to run; if he lost, tracking them would be utterly pointless. Everyone wore worried expressions. Yet no one voiced it aloud. *** Meanwhile. Within the Bright Star Realm. Zheng Hongyuan surveyed his surroundings and suddenly chuckled. "Little friend, you aren't very honest. Is the Great Dao Universe truly this dim? It feels as though everything is an empty void..." Li Hao remained silent. Instead, Ninth Division Commander's voice rang out, laced with cold detachment: "Zheng Hongyuan, I want to ask you one thing. Did the Li family or Neo-Martial ever mistreat your Zheng family? Others might rebel out of a sense of injustice or grievance, but your Zheng family is one of the Eight Families, and you are a Heavenly King. Why betray us?" Zheng Hongyuan smiled faintly. "Li Daozong, what reason is needed? In the transcendent world, doesn't everything boil down to a single cause? The Human King and his circle blocked our path forward; they refused to give us a future. It is as simple as that! If we lacked the capability to become Sovereigns, that would be one thing. But the Human King severed all hope for Heavenly Kings to step into the Sovereign realm. The realm was divided into three: the Human King and the Cang Emperor claimed one share, the world's Sovereigns claimed another, and the remaining myriad living beings shared the last... There was no longer any room for newcomers to rise! "The predecessors monopolized the path ahead—what else could we do? Since my Zheng family produced a Heavenly King, we naturally wished to become Sovereigns... Yet the Sword Venerable possessed a minor world that he refused to refine, while being equally unwilling to bestow it upon others. Tell me, how was that fair?" Zheng Hongyuan offered no excuses, merely adding with a laugh, "Is it wrong to seek power? To cultivate an entire lifetime, to reach this pinnacle, only to be trapped at this level forever without a shred of hope—do you think anyone would accept that? Knowing a path lies ahead, yet having it severed before your eyes..." It was truly that simple. There were no complex motives. Everyone knew that in the late Neo-Martial era, after the realm was divided into three, becoming a Sovereign had become virtually impossible! To some, having their path severed was an irreconcilable blood feud! What other reason was necessary? At these words, the powerhouses fell silent. They were merely Saints who had not reached the Heavenly King Realm; they could not fully grasp that sensation. Perhaps when they reached the Heavenly King stage and stood on the precipice of the Sovereign realm, they too would harbor such thoughts. Toward its twilight, the Neo-Martial era had indeed developed flaws... It seemed it really had severed the path forward for certain individuals. Right then, Li Fuhai spoke up: "Zheng Hongyuan, stop looking for such grand, high-sounding excuses! You were simply afraid to die! Others might not know, but could you be ignorant? The Human King once decreed that should anyone seek to advance to Sovereign, as long as they passed the trial, they could make the breakthrough..." Zheng Hongyuan laughed. "That was merely dangling a sliver of false hope..." Li Fuhai sneered. "You simply believed you couldn't pass the trial yourself, which only proves you lack the capability of a Sovereign!" In no rush to strike, Zheng Hongyuan shook his head. "No, no, no, you don't understand! Someone tried before, and what happened? They were obliterated into ash! The Human King actually used the Good Fortune Jade Plate in tandem with the God Casting Envoy's lightning tribulation to test living beings... Absolutely ridiculous! In early Neo-Martial, even during the Origin Martial era, there was never any Sovereign Tribulation. Yet in the era of the Human King, after they became Sovereigns, they concocted a world-ending Sovereign Tribulation... Was that not a deliberate scheme to execute anyone who posed a threat?" Li Fuhai retorted coldly, "That was because the Human King felt that latecomers had never experienced the great wars of Neo-Martial. Their temperaments were lacking, their tempering insufficient. Advancing smoothly to the Heavenly King Realm was already a blessing; if they wished to become Sovereigns, they naturally had to endure trials... Should he have simply allowed latecomers to stroll into the Sovereign realm unimpeded? Neo-Martial would have plunged into utter chaos long ago!" Latecomers still had a chance. All they had to do was survive the tribulation! Every single Sovereign from early Neo-Martial could have survived it even if made to undergo it again. It was not a targeted execution. Rather, in late Neo-Martial, cultivation advanced too quickly, and without powerful enemies pressing on them, everyone's foundations were flimsy. Even setting aside the severed origin, today's Saints could not compare to those who had fought in the early wars of Neo-Martial; they were simply not on the same level! Thus, the Sovereign Tribulation served as a trial for all powerhouses of the late Neo-Martial era. Evidently, after entering the Heavenly King Realm, Zheng Hongyuan had learned of this and concluded that he had no hope of surviving the tribulation. That was why he had chosen another path, believing it offered better odds! Li Fuhai suddenly laughed, mocking him: "You're just inventing excuses for your own incompetence! You knew you couldn't survive the tribulation and would only perish, which is why you chose betrayal and colluded with Red Moon... And yet, even after colluding with Red Moon, you never expected the Stargate to be completely sealed and the origin paths severed, trapping you beneath the seal for countless years... "Nor did you foresee that every revival method you prepared in advance would be dismantled time and again. A hundred thousand years, and you are still an utterly incompetent piece of trash! A weakling like you dares think himself worthy of wielding the Great Dao Universe, governing the Silver Moon world, and becoming a Sovereign?" Li Fuhai's tongue was venomous. Though he appeared honest and simple, his words carried zero warmth. He continued mocking: "You've been probing all this time—have you discovered anything? Have you adapted to this place? Guess what: if you haven't attacked because you wanted to adapt to the environment, why haven't we attacked? What do you think we've been waiting for?" Zheng Hongyuan's expression shifted slightly. He had refrained from striking precisely to probe his surroundings and acclimate to the environment. He hadn't been in a rush, more than willing to waste time bickering with them. Then why had Li Hao and the others held back? What were they waiting for? At that exact moment, the void shuddered, and a massive formation enveloped the area. Scores of monster plants manifested in all directions, anchoring the array. On the perimeter, tens of thousands of Battle Heaven Army soldiers encircled the space, led by a powerhouse clad in orange armor. In the distance, that orange-armored figure, his aura slightly diminished, projected his voice: "Reporting to the two Guardians: the Monster Plant Division and the Battle Heaven Army have locked down the perimeter. Zheng Hongyuan has nowhere to run!" Zheng Hongyuan's eyes flickered. *Wu Peng?* *Is this person Wu Peng?* At this moment, he couldn't be entirely certain. Concurrently, Li Hao's figure manifested. He glanced upward. Zheng Hongyuan couldn't see it, but Li Hao could perceive deeper into the void. The formation was not meant to trap and kill Zheng Hongyuan! It was a protective array! Its true purpose was to hold back the lightning power churning beyond—the Great Dao Lightning. Li Hao wanted to gather the Great Dao Lightning! Zheng Hongyuan was thoroughly steeped in Red Moon power; judging by its concentration, he had interacted heavily with people from the Red Moon universe, resulting in deep corruption. Yet up until now, no lightning had descended because Li Hao had been barring it from entering. Individual bolts of lightning possessed weak lethality against a Heavenly King. However, if held back and concentrated until a pivotal moment before being unleashed all at once... that qualitative shift might inflict severe wounds with a single blast! Zheng Hongyuan assumed Li Hao was using the formation to trap and kill him... which was a complete misjudgment. Li Hao knew very well that the chances of that were slim. A cohort of monster plants without a Saint to lead them, coupled with tens of thousands of Battle Heaven soldiers, could never hope to eliminate a Heavenly King. Engaging him directly would only result in catastrophic casualties. While Li Hao was reluctant to see Silver Moon natives die and cared little for Neo-Martial casualties, he would never intentionally send them to their deaths. These monster plants and the tens of thousands of soldiers were all positioned to prepare for the release of the array. As for the Wu Peng incarnated from armor... he served little functional purpose beyond providing a pretext to dismantle the formation and draw down the lightning. If Zheng Hongyuan bought into the ruse, it would be a pleasant surprise; if he didn't, it mattered little, merely reducing the element of surprise. Zheng Hongyuan sighed. "So this is what you had waiting for me? It seems Battle Heaven City has entered this place as well. The Battle Heaven Army, monster plants... a formation... You wish to trap and kill me? Is this the entirety of your trump cards?" He chuckled! After waiting all this time, this was the sum total of Li Hao's hidden strength. Not bad! Scores of monster plants, tens of thousands of Battle Heaven soldiers, and several Saints made for a formidable force indeed. In the current era, fielding this much power was likely their absolute limit. It even exceeded his expectations! And yet... it was not enough. He smiled faintly. "You... do not understand what a Heavenly King truly is..." "Bah! You idiot, without your origin, you're just a slightly stronger Saint! I've seen a pile of Sovereigns in my day—who do you think you have the right to mock?" Li Fuhai spat in disgust, unable to stand the arrogance! Who lacked worldly experience here? Except for Li Hao, who among them hadn't met legendary powerhouses? *My grandfather was a Sovereign, my ancestor was a Sovereign, and my ancestor's close friend, the Southern Emperor, was a Sovereign—and an exceptionally powerful one at that! Who are you calling inexperienced?* *Saying that to anyone else might work, but to me? Who are you looking down on?* Zheng Hongyuan's face darkened, and he vanished from his spot. *You talk too much!* The Waterpower Ox clan had merely ridden the coattails of opportunism. Shui Li and Li Wuqi, two utterly mediocre old oxen, had managed to become Sovereigns through pure, blind luck! Meanwhile, his Zheng family had produced genius after genius; he, his eldest son, and his third son were all peerless prodigies. Yet the Human King had insisted on instituting that Sovereign Tribulation, shattering their hopes of ascending. Now, hearing Li Fuhai's shameless boasting, his rage ignited. In an instant, thunderous detonations shook heaven and earth! *Boom!* Li Fuhai instantly reverted to an immense, golden bull of staggering strength. With a colossal boom, his four hooves stomped through the void! At the same time, the surrounding formation bore down on Zheng Hongyuan with suppressive force, though to a Heavenly King, it amounted to little more than an itch. He hardly cared, not even bothering with the monster plants. Li Hao and the others struck immediately, two massive swords sweeping across the expanse! The clash began in an instant. The moment blows were exchanged, Zheng Hongyuan smiled. If this was all they had... then today, not only would he clear away these stumbling blocks, but the Great Dao Universe and Battle Heaven City would both be his! *Crack!* A segmented whip materialized and lashed out, slicing through the void and instantly shattering Ninth Division Commander's sword intent. The Zheng family's nine-section whip was renowned across the world, and now Zheng Hongyuan no longer concealed anything. His terrifying aura erupted completely. Disappearing from view, he struck with thunderous ferocity. Reaching out with a hand that ripped open the void, he seized a thick branch and snapped it to splinters with a crisp crack. General Locust groaned in pain. The others were deeply shaken. This man had traveled quite a distance along the Heavenly King path; he was far from a novice. Even after his earlier skirmish with five Saint-tier desolate beasts had weakened him, he remained overwhelmingly powerful. Those five beasts had barely inflicted any lasting damage or depletion upon him. Inconceivable! "Hahaha!" Zheng Hongyuan threw his head back and laughed, releasing the frustration built up over countless years! "Did you truly think five barbaric wild beasts could exhaust me? Slaying five beasts consumed barely a fifth of my power... The rest is more than enough to wipe you all out!" *A fifth!* Old Turtle was visibly shaken. "You... are in the mid-to-late Heavenly King Realm?" How else could he be this formidable? Without origin enhancement, his expenditure from slaying five Saints had been that negligible. Did that mean killing him would require dozens of Saints? "Hahaha!" Zheng Hongyuan offered no reply, throwing a punch that rattled the void. Li Hao, who had slipped into the shadows, was forced out by the shockwave, his eyebrows lifting slightly. *Formidable indeed!* The six powerhouses clashed incessantly, weaving back and forth! Old Turtle focused on defense while the other four spearheaded the attack, their strikes rattling the void. Yet the group repeatedly suffered setbacks. With a savage roar, Zheng Hongyuan shattered Li Fuhai's golden horn with a single, brutal punch! *"Moo!"* Li Fuhai let out a pained bellow, writhing in agony! This time, they had suffered a massive loss. None of them had expected this man to be so terrifyingly strong. A Heavenly King was supposed to be roughly equivalent to an ancient Saint. Having been Saints back then, they knew precisely what a Saint was capable of... But this foe was clearly not at the entry level of the Heavenly King Realm. That was why they had been caught off guard. He was at least at the mid-to-late stage! The powerhouses unleashed their full might. Li Hao brandished his greatsword, piercing the void as countless stars gathered around him. Sword strikes rained down in succession. At this point, his combat strength matched Li Fuhai's, surpassing Ninth Division Commander and General Locust—at least in terms of destructive capability! The greatsword spanned the heavens, delivering strike after strike. Various divine abilities detonated in tandem, unleashing mountains of blades and seas of fire upon their foe. Yet Zheng Hongyuan's smile only broadened! Excellent! Clashing with Li Hao helped him gain deeper insight into the Great Dao and the New Dao. A wonderful development! *Boom!* The two sides collided incessantly, six silhouettes darting through the firmament, shaking the entire universe with their blows! On the perimeter, Hong Shanmu and the other powerhouses were under immense strain! Outside the formation, ten thousand bolts of lightning had gathered. Right now, they had only one duty: stabilize the array and wait for the lightning to amass. Zheng Hongyuan was drenched in Red Moon power, and since the Great Dao Universe could not easily purge it, the lightning would only grow denser. This might be the sole deciding factor in this battle! Hong Shanmu and Di Wei understood with absolute clarity: if they succeeded... even without fighting on the front lines, they would be heroes of tremendous merit. But if the formation broke prematurely and the accumulated lightning proved insufficient to slay or cripple Zheng Hongyuan... they would be the sinners of this war. "Hold the line!" Hong Shanmu frantically sent mental transmissions to the monster plants: "We must endure the pressure and accumulate more lightning power! If we successfully slay this man, our Monster Plant lineage will achieve monumental merit! When the world opens anew, we monster plants... can produce Sovereigns as well!" One monster plant voiced anxious concern: "Lord, what I fear is... before enough accumulates, the... the Saints won't be able to hold on!" Hong Shanmu startled and quickly looked toward the center, just in time to see the whip lash out and crack a tortoise shell. Terror gripped him! That was a top-tier divine weapon whose spirit was a Saint. Yet a single strike from the whip had fractured its physical form. If this continued, Li Hao and the others would be finished long before enough lightning could gather! *Is he truly this strong?* *** At this moment, Li Hao was frowning as well. Too powerful! They couldn't go on like this. The lightning had not gathered enough force, yet continuing this brawl would spell doom for them all. His expression shifted. Taking a deep breath, divine characters suddenly materialized around him. The five elemental divine characters flew in from the distance; he could no longer afford any hesitation. As for whether Liu Yan and the others might be slain because their divine characters suddenly vanished... he had no leeway to care. *They shouldn't be...* He thought to himself. In the next moment, divine characters manifested one after another. Even the vanished "Dao" character resurfaced. The five elements, the Dao character, wind, lightning, light, and darkness all blazed into existence. Li Hao's aura surged instantly. Still not enough! Just then, countless fragments materialized throughout heaven and earth, swiftly converging with the divine characters to form a longsword in the blink of an eye. "The Starry Sky Sword?" Zheng Hongyuan was taken aback. *The shattered Starry Sky Sword?* The Starry Sky Sword healed rapidly, brimming with raw energy and various divine abilities. Acupoints lit up within Li Hao's body. In an instant, 360 acupoints manifested, forming the shape of a miniature sword. Immediately after, more acupoints flared to life, but this time only a hundred and fifty or so were ignited—still far from the 360 required for the second cycle. During the ten days spent moving cities, Li Hao had opened numerous acupoints, but not enough to initiate the second cycle of Sword Dao divine abilities. Just as Zheng Hongyuan sent Li Fuhai flying with a punch, Li Hao gritted his teeth and swallowed the longsword whole! In the next breath, acupoint after acupoint ignited: 200, 240, 260... Yet a gap remained before reaching 360. Not enough! Without completing the second cycle of Sword Dao divine abilities, even opening 359 acupoints would fall short of triggering a transformation. Zheng Hongyuan's eyes shone brightly. *What a magnificent divine ability and Dao method!* He saw right through it! If Li Hao could ignite a second cycle of 360 acupoints, he might not rival him, but he would certainly be vastly stronger than he was now, and would not be so easily crushed. A fine divine ability, a marvelous technique! Unfortunately... the boy lacked sufficient foundation. Even forcefully devouring the Starry Sky Sword was not enough to ignite the second cycle. What a pity! He even felt a twinge of pity on Li Hao's behalf, his smile widening. "It seems... it isn't enough!" Li Hao stared at him coldly, then suddenly smiled. "Perhaps... it is?" Zheng Hongyuan froze. Right then, an unimaginably dense wave of blood essence erupted from Li Hao, surging through acupoint after acupoint. A faint silhouette materialized upon his body. A man bearing a blood saber at his waist and a longbow on his back. "The Blood Sovereign..." The powerhouses gasped! At that moment, the characters "Battle Heaven" emerged. The remaining seventy or eighty unlit acupoints in the second cycle of 360 were instantly ignited by those two words. Battle Heaven! In the distance, Battle Heaven City shuddered slightly. On the perimeter, the blood essence within several revived Battle Heaven soldiers vanished, pouring straight into Li Hao. Li Hao threw back his head and roared, *Boom!* The entire second cycle of acupoints flared to life! "Die!" The two characters "Battle Heaven" had completed the forced ignition for him; otherwise, he never could have achieved it. The longsword pierced heaven and earth! A sword of the Great Dao! As the sword struck, wind, fire, thunder, and lightning surged violently toward the foe. The other combatants rejoiced. He had actually succeeded! "Kill!" The powerhouses bellowed in unison. Where they had previously been severely suppressed, Li Hao now took center stage, his strength instantly eclipsing even the mighty Li Fuhai. When his sword struck, even Zheng Hongyuan was forced to give ground, his flesh lacerated by sword qi! "Impressive!" Zheng Hongyuan snorted, lashing out with his whip. *Boom!* The sword qi shattered, only to reform into even more blades a heartbeat later. The embattled group finally caught their breath. However, Li Hao knew that even with two cycles of Sword Dao divine abilities, he was still no match for a Heavenly King. They were still far off! At best, they had merely halted his previously unstoppable momentum. If that onslaught had continued, they would have been thoroughly destroyed. Zheng Hongyuan bellowed, cracking his whip again and again! *Crack, crack, crack!* The powerhouses were repeatedly hurled back. Old Turtle's shell was riddled with fractures, General Locust was stripped almost bare, and Li Fuhai's golden horns were broken, his body covered in gore. Ninth Division Commander, being the weakest, had his newly reconstructed flesh pierced by the whip, nearly half his body pulverized. This man was simply too terrifying! A bitter, grueling struggle! The group clung to survival through sheer grit. Li Hao erupted repeatedly with staggering lethality, yet he could not escape severe injury either. Struck by the whip time and again, his flesh was torn to shreds. Meanwhile, Zheng Hongyuan had suffered only surface wounds, his aura dipping slightly without sustaining critical damage. Zheng Hongyuan laughed! Formidable indeed! Yet unfortunately for them, they had crossed paths with him. Had he been a novice Heavenly King, he might have been in dire straits, but he was far from a newcomer. As the fierce battle raged within, the perimeter formation buckled violently. Scores of monster plants were bent double under the strain. Yet with no order from Li Hao, they held on desperately. They had no choice but to endure! While the battle raged within, the orange armor on the perimeter emitted a faint fluctuation: "Patriarch Zheng... I will shatter the formation in a moment. Step outside first! Battle Heaven City has not yet unleashed its might; Li Hao plans to strike you with thunderous force. Leave the formation first, or you could easily be wounded by the city's eruption!" Zheng Hongyuan's heart stirred. In truth, he didn't entirely trust this fellow. Something felt off. Still... if the man moved to break the formation himself, it wouldn't disrupt his plans. A broken formation was fine, and if it stayed intact, it hardly mattered. These monster plants posed little threat to him anyway. Of course, Battle Heaven City had not yet joined the fray. If the city truly unleashed its full power, the might of a main city was nothing to scoff at. If Wu Peng genuinely broke the formation and let him step outside, that would be ideal. As he pondered, the orange armor outside suddenly moved. It drove a punch into one of the monster plants with a loud bang, sending it reeling as its aura plummeted. "Wu Peng!" Li Hao roared in thunderous fury! It was a signal. As for whether the enemy would believe it... Li Hao harbored little expectation. If Zheng Hongyuan believed it, the lightning would strike him with full force; if he didn't, the difference was minimal. Still, every scrap of advantage counted. At that moment, "Wu Peng" shattered another monster plant with a fist, roaring, "Break!" *Rumble!* The formation began to collapse. Monster plants spewed golden blood one after another. Hong Shanmu materialized, his expression filled with terror: "You... damn you..." Even Zheng Hongyuan was startled, but then burst into wild laughter! He had actually broken the formation! The collapse did not look feigned. This was an unexpected windfall. Stepping outside the array was naturally the safer choice. He vanished instantly, reappearing beside Wu Peng, poised to step through the breach. Getting outside offered greater security. Across from him, Wu Peng knocked another monster plant aside. A massive gap tore open in the array, and the remaining monster plants coughed up copious amounts of blood—real blood, mingled with their origin power. It wasn't Wu Peng's doing; rather, the lightning was simply too overwhelming. They could no longer hold it back, and the immense pressure had crushed the array. Zheng Hongyuan stepped forward. Just as a smile touched his lips, his expression twisted in horror. In that split second, the combatants behind him charged with full fury. From the heavens above, a pillar of lightning as thick as a celestial pillar crashed down with boundless wrath! Though this was a newborn Dao within the Great Dao Universe, the Red Moon power had provoked it for far too long without being purged. The Great Dao Universe was furious! It was determined to annihilate this intruder! *Boom!* The colossal lightning descended. Zheng Hongyuan's face turned pale; mistaking it for the formation's power, he tried to evade, only to find that no matter where he shifted, the lightning remained locked onto him. *Rumble!* A tremendous roar shook the universe. Zheng Hongyuan shrieked in agony as countless fissures ripped through his flesh. Utter shock filled his eyes. What was this? It wasn't a formation! It carried the distinct flavor of the Sovereign Tribulation. Beside himself with rage, Zheng Hongyuan glared toward Wu Peng... but Wu Peng was nowhere to be seen. The orange armor had already wrapped around another figure—Li Hao. In truth, Li Hao had merely been testing the waters. Success or failure had never truly mattered. At most, Zheng Hongyuan had simply taken a more direct, concentrated blast of the lightning. Li Hao barked coldly, "Kill him!" With that, he soared straight toward the heavens without striking. The other four charged Zheng Hongyuan with abandon. As for Li Hao? He went to absorb the Dao power! Such an enormous pillar of lightning was unprecedented; he needed to absorb that power and furiously open his Dao meridians to strengthen himself, securing a higher chance of slaying the foe. He plunged into the remnants of the lightning. After the lightning savaged Zheng Hongyuan, all that lingered in its wake was pure, untainted Dao power. This was the first time Li Hao had encountered such an astronomical volume of pristine Dao energy. He absorbed it madly! Acupoints opened rapidly within him, and those he had previously forced open were instantly stabilized. At this moment, he didn't care whether they were neutral Dao meridians or not; whatever he could see, he opened. One, two... Dao meridians were illuminated in rapid succession. Below, Zheng Hongyuan screamed in torment as he fought desperately against the lightning. The Red Moon power cloaking him was steadily burned away; once that power was gone, the lightning would cease. He had no attention to spare for anything else, while the other four assaulted him with wild abandon. They left bloody lacerations across his body, yet felling a Heavenly King remained agonizingly difficult. His resilience was so terrifying that the Saints began to wonder if he had stepped into the late Heavenly King Realm. This was far too arduous! *Boom!* Explosions resounded ceaselessly across heaven and earth. Zheng Hongyuan screamed in agony, yet continued to hold his ground, bellowing curses: "You cannot kill me! To think mere lightning could end my life—delusional fools!" His charred flesh regenerated rapidly. The wounds inflicted by the Saints were constantly healing as well. Above, Li Hao said nothing, continuing to open meridians. The Dao power carried by the lightning was simply too vast. Three, five... Li Hao ignored everything else. Even when he felt his body was nearing its breaking point, he kept opening them, pushing forward until he lost count. By now, the lightning had significantly weakened. Below, Zheng Hongyuan was still alive. Hurling Ninth Division Commander away with a lash of his whip, he laughed maniacally: "You think yourselves worthy of killing a Heavenly King?" Despair crept into their hearts! Even this couldn't kill him? Ninth Division Commander let out a feral roar, his aura surging in a clear omen of self-detonation. He had been pushed beyond his limits. Five Saints united, plus the five desolate beasts from before—ten Saints in total, augmented by Great Dao Lightning comparable to a Heavenly King's strike. An entire Heavenly King's worth of power and ten Saints had battled this monster for so long, yet he still wouldn't die... *Then I'll blow you to hell!* Just as he prepared to detonate himself, heaven and earth shook violently! All concealment in the surroundings vanished. A long river manifested. It was the circular river of stars. A greatsword emerged, absorbing countless stars into its blade. Above, Li Hao had absorbed so much Dao power that he, too, was on the verge of bursting. A colossal sword materialized out of the cosmos. Li Hao bellowed with all his might: "Extinguish Common Lives!" The sword intent of the Longevity Swordsman! At that moment, Zheng Hongyuan's expression drastically changed. It was as if a buried memory had resurfaced, as if he were looking back upon the era when the Sword Venerable held dominion over Silver Moon. "No..." With a terrified shriek, he turned and fled. Though his injuries did not appear fatal on the surface, his power was near total depletion, and his physical body had been ravaged by the lightning. This sword strike was vastly more terrifying than anything before it. Cracks spiderwebbed across Li Hao's flesh, yet he ground his teeth tight. *Flee?* *Where can you run?* "Battle Heaven City, lock onto him!" In an instant, Battle Heaven City manifested, anchoring the world. The characters "Battle Heaven" descended upon Li Hao like an immense weight. With a thunderous boom, the Battle Heaven Army sealed the surrounding void. Zheng Hongyuan's face turned ashen as he roared, "If you kill me, my son will have no more reservations and will certainly slay you! My son has hope of becoming a Sovereign! Li Hao, how dare you!" He was referring to Zheng Yu. Li Hao snorted coldly, cleaving downward with his sword as heaven and earth collapsed! *Your son becoming a Sovereign?* *Sovereign my ass!* *Before he can become a Sovereign, I'll butcher him first!* Every ounce of strength within his body merged into this single strike—a supreme, peerless stroke! A sword piercing the void! The power of ten thousand Daos erupted! *Boom!* A deafening roar echoed across the world. Pinned in place, Zheng Hongyuan roared in fury, throwing punch after punch in a desperate bid to defend. Sword qi swept across the expanse, obliterating the Great Dao. In an instant, his arms were wiped out and his flesh disintegrated as his power was worn down to nothing. His body regenerated, was pulverized, regenerated again, and was pulverized once more... This man was more than ten times harder to kill than a Saint! *Boom!* Finally, with an earth-shattering blast, the greatsword swept through the realm. Utter silence fell upon heaven and earth, and the space where Zheng Hongyuan had stood fell completely still. The sword light dissipated! The world went quiet. Five Saints, scores of Immortals, and tens of thousands of soldiers collapsed into the void, utterly shaken. Yet Li Hao's expression twisted in horror as he screamed, "Kill!" A faint glint of sword light erupted instantly. Within the void, a phantom silhouette materialized. Zheng Hongyuan was caught off guard—*How did he know...?* Li Hao cursed inwardly! *You haven't died yet! Every dead Neo-Martial powerhouse makes one last desperate move, self-detonating or screaming curses. You didn't do any of that, aside from barking that your son would kill me... You're definitely not dead!* *Damn it!* *This bastard is truly hard to kill!* Zheng Hongyuan gathered his mental power. Though he wasn't dead, he was weakened to the absolute extreme. But the others were in no better shape, entirely drained of strength. As he coalesced his form, a sneer touched his lips. *Want to kill me? Not so easy!* Just as Li Hao and the others prepared to unleash another desperate strike to extinguish his mental form, the void trembled. Deep within the cosmos, a great star manifested. In a flash, it surged forth, shimmering into the likeness of a book. The star transformed into a tome that brought suppressive might crashing down upon the world. With an immense boom, Zheng Hongyuan cried out in horror, "Impossible..." *Boom!* The great star detonated, instantly shattering Zheng Hongyuan's mental form. In the next breath, Li Hao and the others descended, their strikes shaking the heavens. Zheng Hongyuan's agonizing shrieks reverberated through the cosmos! The battered star vanished in the blink of an eye. Li Hao's expression shifted slightly as he glanced toward where the star had been, confusion flickering in his eyes. The others were equally bewildered. *What... was that?* *Boom!* An explosive roar echoed as immense origin power, Heavenly King power, Immortal Realm energy, and boundless mental power dispersed throughout the universe. A Heavenly King had finally been ground to death by Li Hao and his allies! *** At the same time. Outside Hurricane City, Zhang An looked up at the sky and coughed up a mouthful of blood, which instantly dissolved into ash. He shook his head and paid it no further heed. Inside Hurricane City, Hong Chen's face drained of color as he muttered, "Utterly impossible!" How could that be? Li Hao's faction lacked the strength to kill a Heavenly King. Even if they did, it would only suffice against a newly ascended one. If his deduction was correct, that had been his father—a powerhouse in the middle, if not late, Heavenly King Realm. There was no way these people could have killed him! *No, that can't be right. Perhaps... I guessed wrong?* *Yet... why did I feel that bond of shared bloodline sever?* *Impossible!* His expression shifted wildly, terror gripping his heart for the very first time. How could this have happened? At that moment, heaven and earth trembled as if rejoicing. Heaven's will swept through, and Great Dao power scattered in all directions. Across the entirety of Silver Moon, the world seemed to shake. A Heavenly King had fallen!