Vengeance to Your Face

Within the Bright Star Realm, the River of Dao Stars surged and churned for a time. Li Hao stepped out from the starry river. The aura radiating from him was noticeably stronger than before. His entire presence had grown increasingly ethereal and detached. His thirty-six Dao meridians had completely fused into a small sword; he had now formally stepped into the first tier of the Dao Integration Realm. In truth, each advancement within the Dao Integration Realm could be subdivided into many minor gradations. Of course, Li Hao no longer concerned himself with such trivial demarcations. It was not merely those thirty-six Dao meridians. During the recent battle, Li Hao had unsealed numerous acupoints. While some had closed on their own afterward, a substantial number of acupoints and Dao meridians remained open. Moving forward, he would need to seek out a second minor cycle, identifying another thirty-six Dao meridians to complete the next stage of his cultivation. Alternatively, he could pursue the grand cycle of 360 Dao meridians, opening the acupoints required for the full circuit. However, completing that grand cycle in one go demanded far too much time and energy. It was far more practical to finish minor cycles first; each completed cycle would grant a small metamorphosis. Neither method was strictly superior to the other, and both augmented one's combat power. It simply came down to personal choice and immediate necessity. For Li Hao at this moment, pursuing minor cycles seemed far more appropriate. Opening a grand cycle yielded a tangible leap in strength only upon completing all 360 acupoints in a circuit, whereas with minor cycles, each unsealed Dao meridian offered an immediate boost in combat prowess. The moment he stepped forward, his eyes shifted slightly, glancing not far off. Li Fuhai and Redwood, over at the perimeter, both appeared to be deep in cultivation. Li Hao turned his gaze toward them, his thoughts stirring. An instant later, Li Fuhai sensed Li Hao's presence. His eyes snapped open, and he vanished on the spot, reappearing before Li Hao. A grin spread across the ox's bovine eyes. "The Marquis has emerged from seclusion? Congratulations!" "Just breaking through a minor threshold, that is all." Li Hao smiled. He had not truly crossed from the Sun-Moon Realm into the Dao Integration Realm from scratch; in reality, he had already wielded combat strength on par with the Dao Integration Realm, so the increase was not overwhelmingly massive. Even so, it was indeed an ascension into a major realm. "The Dao Integration level marks one as an elite powerhouse in any era!" The old ox continued his congratulations, paying no heed to Li Hao's modesty, and added, "Marquis, I see that the physical body path currently has no master. No one specializes in it; they only treat it as an auxiliary discipline. How about I condense a great star of the physical body to stabilize the physical body Dao domain?" "..." Li Hao's thoughts stirred. He had not even brought up the subject, yet Li Fuhai was voluntarily offering to switch paths. After pondering briefly, Li Hao said, "That works… It is just that the physical body is vital—whether for the demon race or mankind, it is of the utmost importance! People might not have a dire need for it right now, but in the future…" "Old Ox understands!" Li Fuhai bobbed his massive ox head. "In the future, I will never restrict others from cultivating the physical body path. A Dao is vast and contains countless stars. Old Ox only wishes to make it my primary focus; I will not monopolize the domain." Li Hao looked at him for a long moment before finally saying, "Suit yourself, then." Li Fuhai chuckled and spoke no further. Securing Li Hao's consent was more than enough. As for the future, that was a matter for later. No one could forcibly strip away his right to cultivate, could they? Who told the rest of them to show up late? Li Hao then glanced at Redwood in the distance, his interest piqued once more. Was that fellow delving into Chaos? Truth be told, Li Hao had only just begun scratching the surface of the Dao of Chaos himself. It was still exceedingly faint and fragile. Picking almost any other domain as a primary focus would yield faster results than Chaos at this stage. Redwood was certainly an intriguing one. Of course, Chaos would hardly turn out weak in the end. It was simply that Li Hao did not specialize in it; he cultivated comprehensively. Once his Dao meridians were opened, he rarely devoted himself exclusively to a single discipline. If someone were to focus wholly on that one path, their achievements would likely be far from disappointing. Redwood's decision to bypass the wood and life paths was rather surprising, though his choice to walk the new Dao was hardly shocking. Without saying more, Li Hao took to the air. A moment later, he descended into Battle Heaven City. Inside the city, the soldiers had returned, as had the various powerhouses. At that moment, the Ninth Division Commander stepped forward, offering a storage ring. "We only recovered some of Zheng Hongyuan's flesh, blood, and immortal power… There were no other treasures. His nine-section whip was shattered, and he was not wearing a storage ring. He likely left it behind in the Zhenxing City ruins." Li Hao nodded slightly. That was plausible. Yet… it was not enough. He glanced up at the void and asked, "When we killed Zheng Hongyuan earlier, we did not completely eradicate him. Has his origin path fully fallen silent and dissipated by now?" Earlier, everyone had been pushed to their absolute limits, and Li Hao had lacked the strength to manifest the man's origin path. Now, a question lingered in his mind: having been dead for some time, did Zheng Hongyuan's Dao still linger where he fell? The Ninth Division Commander answered, "When a person dies, their Dao lingers at the site of their demise… However, this is the Bright Star Realm. Whether the realm repelled his origin path or something else occurred, we cannot say for certain." Li Hao nodded. "Let us test it. Against people like him, we must cut weeds down to the roots and eliminate every future trouble!" "I believe… severing his Dao at this juncture might draw the attention of Hongchen—that is, Zheng Yu. Right now, he might only harbor suspicions. But the moment Zheng Hongyuan's Dao is severed, he will know beyond a shadow of a doubt…" As things stood, Zheng Yu might not be certain. He might possess some faint premonition, but nothing definitive. Yet if the Dao were severed—a Heavenly King's Dao, and that of his own father—he would know instantaneously. Li Hao laughed. "Are we afraid he will go mad, force his way out, and cause the Red Moon Sovereign to break free, throwing the world into chaos?" A cold sneer surfaced on Li Hao's face. "Then let him come out! The moment he steps out, he will be the first to die! Hongchen… Zheng Yu! I want that man furious and deranged! If his father's death drives him to walk out, I will be waiting for him!" Every single disaster traced back to those bastards. Yuan Shuo and the others had perished because of him. Had Zheng Yu not relentlessly schemed for a second resurgence, organized the invasion of the four kingdoms, and sought to slaughter heaven and earth just to emerge early, why would Li Hao's faction have been forced to assault Boundless City back then? He harbored no indiscriminate hatred… but Zheng Yu and his cohort were second only to Ying Hongyue, perhaps even surpassing Ying Hongyue, in earning his boundless disgust! Toward the Red Moon Sovereign, Li Hao felt no deep personal revulsion; they were innate enemies engaged in an invasion—a matter of opposing stances. Slaying him would settle the matter, so why waste energy on disgust? But Zheng Yu—Li Hao despised and detested him to the core! If Zheng Yu could not sense this, Li Hao would feel as though killing Zheng Hongyuan had been half in vain. He *wanted* the man to feel it. Li Hao chuckled softly. "Not only will I make him sense it, but I also want him to watch with his own eyes as his father's flesh, bones, and power are entirely devoured by us… I want him to know that his father and his second elder brother were both slaughtered by my hand! And the next… will be him!" Li Hao spoke with utter composure, but the Ninth Division Commander's expression shifted slightly. "Cultivating the Dao requires cultivating the mind…" "My mind is at peace." Li Hao replied calmly, "There is no need to say more, Commander. I know full well what I am doing. In the past, people urged me not to become a slaughtering machine driven by hatred. The truth is, I realized long ago that I will never fall into blind slaughter, yet I require slaughter, I require vengeance, and I require my heart to remain tranquil! I am neither a saint nor a demon; I am a martial master of the jianghu. Blood demands blood. If you have the strength, you take your revenge; if you do not, you let it go. It is as simple as that! Walking the jianghu, one takes life and death lightly. When has there ever been any talk of falling into demonic ways?" He needed no admonition. He knew with absolute clarity what he was doing and would never lose control. Every action he took was deliberate and understood. Yet these words caused the Ninth Division Commander's expression to waver. At this moment… Li Hao sounded so intensely calm that it was terrifying. Ever since Yuan Shuo and the others had fallen, Li Hao had changed. What had he become? His Dao heart was clear and bright, untethered by longing or expectation. Only now did Li Hao exude the merciless detachment of the Great Dao. He was merely a cultivator of the Dao; in this world, aside from vengeance, nothing else seemed worth mentioning. Li Hao had already vanished, his voice echoing outward: "I shall attempt to manifest the Heavenly King's Dao. Everyone, lend me a hand to sever it! Origin energy will surely spill forth. Shanqi and Di Wei rendered meritorious service in intercepting the enemy; though neither are Saints, they may absorb this origin energy. If Shanqi can step into the Saint realm… it will add another Saint to the monster plant faction!" In the distance, Redwood was ecstatic! Severing the Dao of a Heavenly King would undoubtedly unleash a vast torrent of origin power. Even if it paled in comparison to ancient times, and even though Zheng Hongyuan had nearly exhausted his reserves, a Heavenly King remained a Heavenly King, while Redwood was merely an Immortal. Truly, the gamble had paid off. The opportunity had arrived. If he could ascend to the Saint realm today and then switch paths, he might soon cross into the Dao Integration Realm as well. Redwood swiftly appeared on the former battlefield. Li Hao surveyed the area, lost in thought. Great Dao power converged from all around, scouring the void. The Heavenly King's Dao had not completely shattered; whether it still remained here was uncertain. He would search first. After searching for a while without finding a trace, Li Hao frowned. Was it not here? Had it vanished? He did not understand origin paths thoroughly. For instance, when a practitioner of the new Dao died, if their Dao meridians were unbroken, would those meridians linger on the spot? Who could say? They might remain, or they might sever their connection to the Bright Star Realm; even now, Li Hao could not say for sure. "Perhaps… it was repelled outside… outside the Bright Star Realm, toward the Zhenxing City ruins…" Li Hao's thoughts stirred. Perhaps the moment the man died, he had been repelled outward. When Wu Peng was slain earlier, the man had only just died, so his Dao had remained on the spot. With this thought, Li Hao used himself as a conduit, tearing open a passageway and vanishing from the area. The others followed him out in succession. At that moment, in the lands of Dahuang, the Chaos was receding. However, it had not vanished entirely; though somewhat diminished, it still lingered, merely thinner than before. Above the Zhenxing City ruins, Li Hao and his companions materialized. Li Hao probed heaven and earth, silently sensing his surroundings. Suddenly, his eyes shifted, and a faint smile appeared on his face. In the next moment, he waved his hand. Great Dao power diffused outward in all directions, and gradually, a colossal, heaven-spanning path seemed to manifest before their eyes, extending into the boundless, unending darkness—its far end likely leading to the origin universe. Yet that origin universe… had severed its connection to them. Even if one walked to the very end of the path, there lay only endless void and darkness, with no way to return to the origin universe. Witnessing this grand path, everyone drew a sharp breath. The Old Turtle said in a deep voice, "It is fortunate that the origin universe has vanished. Otherwise, given the sheer resilience of this fellow's Dao, he could have likely stepped into the late Heavenly King Realm…" Alas, there was no origin power to amplify him anymore. Otherwise, his combat strength would have been even more terrifying. Just then, atop the flickering path, a figure seemed to materialize. The silhouette was faint and illusory—none other than Zheng Hongyuan. Zheng Hongyuan was dead, but only in the conventional sense. His Dao remained… If the origin universe could be reconnected, or if someone were willing to expend a tremendous amount of origin power, as long as the Dao endured, this man could still be revived. Severing his Dao meant only a World Master could resurrect him. In other words, once his Dao was broken, the only beings capable of reviving him would be the Neo-Martial Human King and the Cang Emperor. But… how could that ever happen? Li Hao smiled! At that moment, the phantom atop the Dao possessed no strength to resist. It seemed to awaken from the ethereal haze, catching sight of Li Hao and his group. An otherworldly voice drifted through the void: "Both my flesh and spirit have perished… Must you slaughter down to the very last trace?" The manifestation of the Dao and the awakening of the imprint was no fortunate omen. Though it granted a fleeting moment of lucidity, it signaled that his enemy had no intention of sparing him. Li Hao said nothing. A small sword materialized in his hand as he strode step by step into the void. At this moment, his voice was tranquil: "I once promised certain people that regarding Neo-Martial powerhouses, so long as they were not traitors, even if they opposed me, I would do my best to preserve their Dao. However… that does not apply to you!" "Li Hao… you are unleashing the demonic nature of a Quasi-Sovereign! If you sever my Dao, my son will never—" "Laughably childish." Li Hao let out a light laugh. "Zheng Yu? I… am waiting for him! We have never met face to face, which has always been a great pity. I hope… to see him today." With those words, he struck with his sword! *Boom!* The firmament shook violently. A colossal sword cleaved through heaven and earth, and a bloodcurdling shriek echoed from the void across the four directions. At this moment, several Neo-Martial powerhouses felt the tremors. *** Hurricane City. Suddenly, Hongchen opened his eyes. In the next instant, Hurricane City vanished. *** Wulin Alliance. The Second Elder's eyes snapped open, and the Seventh Elder's expression flickered as they looked into the distance and up toward the void. Outside, the partially revived guardian monster plant also murmured, "The Great Dao is trembling… A powerhouse's Dao is shaking… What has happened?" The last time they had experienced such a sensation was during the unrest at Boundless City. Back then, Li Hao had merely slain a Saint and severed a Saint's Dao, so the resonance had not been nearly as pronounced as it was now. When Zheng Hongyuan died earlier, the disturbance had not been particularly noticeable—only heaven and earth had trembled faintly. But now, as his Dao origin was being systematically severed, they could all sense it. Suddenly, a voice echoed from outside. A figure strode directly into the Wulin Alliance, carrying a sky screen treasure mirror that he suspended in midair. His voice rang across the entire city: "By order of the Marquis of Silver Moon, a sky screen is delivered!" "Right and wrong, truth and deceit, are all displayed upon this sky screen! The Zheng family has committed treason. The Marquis has executed the Zheng family patriarch, Zheng Hongyuan, and is now severing his Great Dao. Zheng Yu, operating under the alias Hongchen, may or may not show himself… Powerhouses of the alliance, fend for yourselves!" With those words, the messenger vanished. At that moment, the image of Li Hao materialized upon the sky screen. One strike, two strikes, three strikes… The entire city looked up. In the void, an incomparably thick, heaven-spanning path was revealed to all. Atop it, an illusory silhouette struggled frantically, yet impotently, as strike after strike severed portions of the Great Dao. "Patriarch Zheng…" The elders turned pale with horror! That Dao… a Heavenly King! Indeed, that man had stepped into the Heavenly King Realm! Yet… a Heavenly King, how could he end up in such a wretched state? Disbelief seized the crowd! Someone roared in anger, "Li Hao… this is… Does he have proof? How dares he slaughter indiscriminately? How dares he execute a Neo-Martial Heavenly King… Who is he to execute Patriarch Zheng…" Yet no one echoed his outrage. The crowd stared blankly, completely stunned. How could this be? That was a Heavenly King! Wretched screams seemed to echo incessantly. The Great Dao shuddered violently, showing signs of complete collapse, yet it had not entirely snapped. Everyone was utterly astounded. At this moment, not only the Wulin Alliance, but also the Zhang family's Dingtian City was broadcasting this exact scene. *** Above the Zhenxing City ruins. Sword strikes fell one after another. The Dao fractured continuously, yet a thread of it remained intact. At that very instant, the void trembled. In a flash, a colossal city materialized directly within the void. A figure manifested atop the great city. Very young. Very cold! Hongchen's avatar had appeared. He looked toward Li Hao, who stood between heaven and earth, his voice eerily calm: "Li Hao, name your conditions!" He knew Li Hao had refrained from severing the Dao completely because he was waiting for him. Since that was the case… he had come. His second elder brother, Zheng Gong, had died quickly, his Dao snapping in an instant. Hongchen had not arrived in time to save him, and with Zhang An's interference, Zheng Gong had perished entirely. Now, he watched his father's Dao fracturing before his eyes. As long as it did not snap completely… there was still hope. Once the Star Gate opened, or once he became a Sovereign, he could revive him. But if the Dao was utterly destroyed… could he count on the Human King to resurrect him? What a joke! Standing in the void, Li Hao looked at the newcomer. This was the first time he had laid eyes on Zheng Yu, the first time he had seen Hurricane City. A faint smile graced his lips. "There are so many people under heaven. You do your work, and I do mine; why were you so bent on killing me? Even the Red Moon Sovereign still lives. What would killing me have accomplished for you?" Hongchen clasped his hands behind his back, standing tall atop the great city as he looked down at him. "You are an anomaly in this new era. Were you in my position, you would have done the exact same thing. What use is there in speaking of this now? State your terms!" Li Hao's smile widened brilliantly. "What could you possibly give me? A prisoner who dares not even step out in person—tell me, what could you offer me? Energy stones? Divine weapons? Something else? I want you to commit suicide in exchange for preserving your father's Dao. Would you agree?" "No," Hongchen replied calmly. "I would only seek vengeance!" He continued, "There is still much I can offer you: energy stones, the Spring of Life, divine weapons, martial skills, combat methods, including origin power and immortal power. Whatever you desire, I can provide. He has already fallen and poses no threat to you…" Li Hao smiled. "Do you know why I waited for you to arrive?" Hongchen frowned slightly, looking at Li Hao. "Must you insist on this?" "Yes!" Li Hao nodded and chuckled. "I want you to experience what I experienced… to witness this with your own eyes! Of course, you might not care. If you care, all the better; if you do not… that is fine too, as long as it brings me satisfaction." "You will pay the price for this." Hongchen merely stared at him, his tone remaining flat. "Slaying him was a testament to your capability. But severing his Dao—severing it right before my eyes—is a deliberate provocation. You will pay a far heavier price than before! Li Hao… doing this will only make others perceive your vision as petty. A true king… does not act like this…" *Boom!* A deafening explosion rang out, accompanied by a blood-curdling scream that reverberated across heaven and earth! A sword pierced through heaven and earth, severing the Great Dao! Zheng Hongyuan's agonized wails swept frantically through the void. The firmament warped as the origin was sundered, and a torrent of origin power was instantly absorbed by Redwood and Di Wei. Meanwhile, Li Hao looked toward Hongchen in the distance with an utterly serene expression. Hongchen's illusory figure trembled slightly; he said nothing, merely staring at Li Hao in silence. Li Hao tilted his head, looking at him with a smile. "What a pity you were not present when Zheng Gong died; you did not get to see it! What is vision? What is a king? Hongchen… no, Zheng Yu: your father is dead. Are you happy?" Li Hao's smile broadened. "Your father claimed you possess the demeanor of a great emperor, that killing him would release the demon in your heart… I truly look forward to it. I look forward to the day… you and I cross swords!" With that, his longsword struck out, cleaving through the firmament! Hongchen's avatar grunted coldly and threw a punch, causing heaven and earth to rupture. The realm had recovered somewhat, making his avatar formidable. Yet in a flash, the longsword pierced through, shaking the heavens, and a colossal city descended to suppress him. Hongchen's expression shifted, and he vanished from the spot. Hurricane City vanished with him in the same instant, Hongchen's voice echoing back: "Li Hao… you will pay the price!" "Coward!" Li Hao did not pursue him, merely letting out a cold sneer. "If your true self dares not step forth, you are unworthy of my respect! Your father was slaughtered right before your eyes, yet out of dread for a Sovereign, you dared not step outside… What price could a coward like you ever make me pay? If I possessed your strength and someone dared slaughter my father or my master before my very eyes, I would make you wish you were dead even if heaven and earth shattered! Zheng Yu… you dare call yourself a demon? No wonder you can only scurry about in the Silver Moon realm. Someone like you does not even deserve to be called a demon; this is as far as you will ever go!" Standing proudly in the void, Li Hao laughed derisively. "Possessing immense might, your true self could step forth and slaughter me as easily as reaching into a pocket. I wagered my life, betting that you would come out. Had you done so, you might have been considered a figure of consequence!" Alas, he had not. A Quasi-Sovereign had watched his father's Dao be severed with his own eyes. Had he been willing, stepping out for a single instant would have allowed him to slaughter Li Hao and halt the destruction of his father's Dao. The only cost would have been the risk of shattering the seal and allowing the Sovereign to emerge. Yet a Sovereign sealed for so many years might well… be far diminished. Even so, the man had not dared to gamble. At this moment, the onlookers felt a profound mix of emotions. Indeed! Zheng Yu… had not dared to step out. And Li Hao was terrifyingly bold. Just now, had the other party been willing to emerge, Li Hao might not have even had the chance to flee back into the Bright Star Realm. That man had truly staked his own life on the gamble—and in the end, Zheng Yu had not dared to emerge. He had merely spat a few empty threats. Li Fuhai muttered under his breath, "I told you… a fellow who could not win in a hundred thousand years… is not worth a fart!" Had the man possessed true resolve, he would have stepped out. It was not reckless folly… His father had been right before him, poised between life and death. When a weaker foe slaughtered your father to your face and you still lacked the courage to step forth, how could you ever hope to attain the Dao? At worst, you could kill Li Hao first, then find a way to battle the Sovereign who broke free… After being sealed for so many years, who knew if that Sovereign was even stronger than him? "Is this what passes for a Quasi-Sovereign?" Li Hao's laughter echoed in all directions. He looked up at the sky, his smile radiant as he turned toward the sky screen, his triumphant expression broadcast to the world. "The Zheng family committed treason, so I executed Zheng Hongyuan on your behalf! Zheng Yu has stepped into the Quasi-Sovereign realm… but it seems… he is nothing more than this! I would truly love to witness how powerful a genuine Neo-Martial Quasi-Sovereign is; a Quasi-Sovereign like Zheng Yu brings utter shame to the title of Sovereign!" "Seniors of Neo-Martial, you must view this as a disgrace! When your father is slaughtered before your very eyes, you dare not lift a finger… How utterly laughable!" At that moment, several ancient cities fell dead silent. A profound lethargy seemed to wash over them. A Neo-Martial Quasi-Sovereign… No… a true Neo-Martial Quasi-Sovereign was never like this. At this moment, a single thought consumed their minds: Zheng Yu of the Zheng family had utterly humiliated Neo-Martial. Even as a traitor, he was an embarrassment! A Quasi-Sovereign powerhouse had watched his father be slain by someone walking the Saint's path, right before his eyes—a single step forward would have stopped it, yet he had held back! He truly deserved death! What a bastard! *** Meanwhile, Li Hao's smile grew even more brilliant as he laughed uproariously. "Indecisive and cowardly! If you had no intention of saving him, you should never have come! Yet you wanted to preserve some shred of face, showing up to watch with your own eyes while lacking the courage to step forth… Had you stayed away entirely, cutting off all emotion and attachments, you might have possessed a sliver of the demonic heart… Both hypocritical and craven—what a pathetic… waste!" Li Hao laughed aloud! At this moment, he felt that neither Quasi-Sovereigns nor Sovereigns were truly terrifying! These ancient relics of the Silver Moon world… just as Li Fuhai had said, very few of them were worthy of fear. They were all cowards! No wonder nothing had changed even after a hundred thousand years. And yet, it was precisely such a pack of cowards who had caused the deaths of his parents, his friends, and his master… It was truly… infuriating! Just then, heaven and earth trembled faintly behind him. The commotion was notable, though not overly vast—nowhere near as immense as the severing of the Heavenly King's Dao earlier. Yet when Li Hao turned back, a smile surfaced on his face. At that moment, Redwood had reverted to his true form. His trunk expanded several times over, his aura surging. In that instant, Li Hao tossed out countless energy stones, which the tree absorbed ravenously. Within breaths, his aura stabilized somewhat. Though still slightly weak and somewhat inferior to the Ninth Division Commander, he had barely crossed into the Saint realm. Having lingered at the peak of the Immortal Realm for ages with no means to advance due to the severed origin, today's absorption of a Heavenly King's origin power had allowed him to scrape his way into the Saint realm. His breakthrough produced no grand phenomenon and little conspicuous transformation, yet he had arrived nonetheless. Overjoyed, Redwood did not even wait for his realm to fully stabilize before hastily assuming human form, bowing deeply in utmost deference. "Many thanks to the Marquis for your grace!" "You earned it yourself!" Li Hao smiled and glanced at Di Wei nearby. Golden light shimmered across Di Wei's body. Having once been merely at the Peak Realm before advancing to the early Immortal Realm during their recent exploits, he now appeared to have progressed further. By current estimates, he was roughly at the mid-to-late Immortal Realm, possessing the strength of a fifth- or sixth-tier Sun-Moon practitioner. At that moment, a massive city drifted over through the void. Within the city, powerhouses revealed themselves one by one, roaring in unison: "Congratulations to the Marquis on advancing to the Dao Integration Realm!" Boundless City. They had all arrived. Li Hao smiled, his voice carrying far and wide: "We should celebrate together! You have all made progress as well… However, now that I have entered the Dao Integration Realm, the limit of heaven and earth has risen accordingly. You must all strive to reach the Dao Integration Realm as quickly as possible to battle external enemies alongside me!" With his advancement, even if they could not immediately achieve Dao Integration, they could advance toward the ninth tier of the Sun-Moon Realm. Regrettably, to this day, only Director Zhao had reached the seventh tier of the Sun-Moon Realm. The stronger among the rest, such as Lin Hongyu and her peers, were only now pushing toward the sixth tier, still a fair distance from the seventh. At that moment, Li Hao spoke again: "Where are the spoils from slaying the nine Saints earlier?" Lin Hongyu flew over instantly. She cast a glance at Redwood in the distance, a flicker of joy passing through her eyes, though she kept it concealed. Swiftly, she handed a storage ring to Li Hao. Li Hao took a deep breath. "Today… we share the fruits of victory! With the remnants of nine Saints, I hope you all seize the chance to advance further! Furthermore, today we shall revive Fellow Daoist Jiang Yingli and the others—the time has come! Everyone… seize this opportunity. The natural resurgence of heaven and earth is accelerating. Once the Chaos completely recedes, the second resurgence will arrive in an instant, and we may well face Zheng Yu's frenzied vengeance!" The remnants of nine Saints! Li Hao was distributing them to everyone. Instantly, the crowd was filled with boundless joy. In the next moment, Li Hao vanished from the spot. While the others were still bewildered, the firmament tore open not long after. Li Hao returned, escorting several members of the Demon Hunting Martial Guard Army. Seeing this, the onlookers said nothing, though they felt a touch of envy. Those soldiers had been far away; Li Hao had clearly used the Bright Star Realm to tear through the void directly and bring them over. Just as Li Hao prepared to divide the spoils of victory, his eyes suddenly flickered. In the distance, the void shuddered. A genuine smile suddenly appeared on his face. Everyone paused. It had been a long time since they had seen Li Hao smile so sincerely. Though he had smiled frequently of late, it had always felt somewhat forced. Yet at this moment, his smile was entirely genuine. The void continued to tremble violently. A large black dog came tearing frantically through the void. Its aura seemed formidable, yet upon closer inspection, it was roughly at the third or fourth tier of the Sun-Moon Realm—not overwhelmingly powerful. "*Woof, woof, woof!*" The large black dog twitched its snout, having crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, bounding toward them in boundless excitement. Li Hao looked in its direction, waiting quietly. A moment later, the hound burst through the void. In a flash, it pounced straight onto Li Hao. With a dull *thud*, the dog nearly cracked its own skull, staring at Li Hao in bewilderment. Li Hao's body was remarkably tough! Li Hao burst into hearty laughter, his mirth so grand it seemed capable of upending heaven and earth! "That dog nose of yours… is sharp indeed!" "I just finished slaying some Saints and was about to share the spoils when you showed up… Black Panther, you finally emerged from seclusion!" "*Woof, woof, woof!*" Black Panther was ecstatic as well. It had remained in seclusion for a very long time, but it had reaped immense rewards: it had uncovered the Dao meridians of the demon race in this new era and opened several of them. Otherwise, it could never have possessed the power of the Sun-Moon Realm. The demon race had long struggled to locate their Dao meridians. Black Panther had stayed by Li Hao's side and accompanied Yuan Shuo's group; no one had ever kept secrets from it. The hound had been in seclusion for ages, and now it had finally emerged. "*Woof, woof, woof…*" Li Hao was overjoyed, as was Black Panther. After barking for a while, the hound looked around, confusion evident in its canine eyes. Had it really been in seclusion for that long? Everyone had grown so formidable! But… why were certain people missing? Li Hao had few people close to him, and the hound had even fewer. Aside from Li Hao, there was Liu Long, and then Yuan Shuo. Liu Long had been the one who introduced it to martial arts, essentially serving as its teacher. To this day, it had continually cultivated Liu Long's *Nine Refinements Force*. In the path of the Nine Refinements Force, Black Panther was perhaps the strongest practitioner alive. It glanced around continuously. Understanding its thoughts, Li Hao patted the massive dog head with a faint smile. "They… have gone to sleep." "*Woof…*" Black Panther froze, seeming to grasp the truth. In the next instant, it threw its head back and howled toward the sky, unleashing a wolf-like roar that seemed intent on devouring heaven and earth! A terrifying suction force erupted from within its body, swallowing the void. Its howls were laced with pure killing intent, roaring again and again! In the distance, several powerhouses felt their hearts stir. The Heavenly Dog lineage excelled in the Dao of Devouring. Whether it was the Heavenly Dog Sovereign or the Demon Suppressing Emissary Jiao, both were supreme masters of the Dao of Devouring. Now, this black dog, despite its mixed bloodline, possessed an extraordinary devouring power that exceeded all expectations. Could another top-tier great demon be on the rise? Li Fuhai sighed inwardly. *That lineage… is the eternal nemesis of my Water Strength clan! Damn it, I thought this mutt was dead. Why has it popped up again?* Fortunately, the dog specialized in devouring, so it would not compete with him for the physical body path. After howling for a time, Black Panther nudged Li Hao with its head, falling silent. Its earlier joy had completely evaporated. From now on, it would never go into seclusion again. Li Hao smiled and patted Black Panther's head. When he had walked out of Silver City, he had taken this dog with him. To this day, only this dog remained. His teacher had always joked about stewing it, yet in the end… his teacher had been the first to depart. "Into the city! Time to advance!" Li Hao stepped into the city in an instant, and the other powerhouses followed suit. Before long, powerful auras shook the ancient city. Li Hao shattered the Saints' corpses, releasing their concentrated powers. Among them, the aura of Chaos was the most dense; Li Hao devoured it directly, while Redwood, overjoyed, absorbed it voraciously as well. The group vanished from sight. Li Hao was in no rush to enter the Zhenxing City ruins; there might be further benefits awaiting him there, but digesting their recent gains took precedence. *** Hurricane City. Hongchen stood motionless. All around him, numerous powerhouses materialized, row upon row. None dared utter a word; the silence was suffocating. This time, they had lost three Saints. What was worse, that lunatic Li Hao had provoked him, humiliated him to his face, and personally slaughtered the patriarch of the Zheng family before his very eyes. At this moment, no one dared to breathe loudly. After a long silence, Hongchen's gaze turned chillingly sharp as he looked at the gathered crowd. He asked in a low voice, "Tell me, had I stepped out just now, would I have slain Li Hao first, or would the Red Moon Sovereign have broken free first?" Below, no one dared answer. After a tense silence, a Saint gathered his courage and said, "My Lord need not heed Li Hao's provocations. As long as you take control of heaven, earth, and the Great Dao… the old patriarch will surely have a chance at resurrection! Stepping out at this moment would unleash the Red Moon Sovereign, bringing devastation to all living beings and plunging Silver Moon into destruction. My Lord held back for the sake of the entire Silver Moon…" Hongchen remained silent. Another person spoke cautiously, "The resurgence of heaven and earth is accelerating. As long as the realm stabilizes for a time, Saints will be able to walk out of Hurricane City. When that time comes… we can slaughter everyone in Li Hao's faction…" Hongchen offered no reply. After a long pause, he said, "Li Hao… has gone mad! I remain lucid, but he has lost his mind! Now that heaven and earth have recovered somewhat, Immortals can venture forth in their true bodies. Send people west to locate Ying Hongyue… and protect him!" "What?" "Ying Hongyue is in grave danger!" Hongchen seemed to have regained his composure. "Both he and the Moon God are vital keys to the seal! Once heaven and earth recover enough for me to step out, if Li Hao finds himself unable to contend with me, he will surely kill Ying Hongyue and the Moon God to unleash the Red Moon Sovereign! There is also the seal at Silver City… Hurricane City must relocate there! Li Hao has gone completely insane; he actually tried to force me out of Hurricane City…" Seeing that he did not dwell on the earlier humiliation, the crowd breathed a sigh of relief. Yet… would Li Hao truly dare to deliberately release the Red Moon Sovereign? Hongchen spoke again: "His Dao universe has actually incorporated Battle Heaven City! Battle Heaven City can accommodate tens of millions of people. That man may harbor intentions of dragging everyone down with him, evacuating his people into Battle Heaven City so that even if the seal breaks, the Red Moon Sovereign will not easily trace the Great Dao Universe… He is becoming increasingly dangerous!" Everyone's hearts trembled! That made sense! Hongchen added suddenly, "Li Hao sought to shatter my Dao heart, unaware that he has exposed his own foundation! What he relies on is that Dao universe… If we can infiltrate it, it will mark his doom! As for the gods… we can consider cooperating with them." With that, he looked into the distance, his gaze turning ever more frigid. *Li Hao… do you truly believe I have no way to deal with you?* *You killed Zheng Gong and slew my father, only solidifying my Dao heart. Perhaps… it is time I had a talk with that Red Moon Sovereign.* In a flash, the ancient city vanished from the spot. Within the city, the powerhouses felt somewhat reassured. Their ranks were deep and their Saintly auras dense, yet they could not help feeling a sense of helplessness. A Hurricane City so mighty, yet incapable of dealing with Li Hao—it was truly suffocating. *** At the same time. Zhang An traversed heaven and earth, seemingly unfettered by suppression. Shuttling through the void, he arrived at Silver City ahead of everyone else. Standing beneath the seal, he looked up at the sky, seeming to perceive the presence of the barrier. He stared upward for a long time. In his eyes, faint red threads seemed to appear—threads visible only to the descendants of the Eight Great Families. At this moment, they manifested before his gaze; even the Eight Great Families were bound by the Supreme's restrictions. After a moment's contemplation, Zhang An elevated his spiritual intent, tracing along a red thread to ascend rapidly. Soon, a vast, starry expanse surfaced in his vision. In an instant, a formidable entity opened its eyes, looking toward him. Zhang An merely glanced at it, paying it little heed, and scanned his surroundings. Before long, he spotted an ancient city deep within the void. Sword City! That ancient city appeared utterly lifeless. Zhang An observed it for a time, light flickering in his eyes. Moments later, as though understanding something, his spiritual intent vanished in an instant before the Sovereign could speak. The Red Moon Sovereign, on the verge of speaking, frowned slightly. *Gone?* *Who… was that?* Beneath Silver City, Zhang An frowned slightly, looked around, and vanished from the spot once more. As he departed, gravity and doubt still lingered in his eyes. Sword City… might be completely empty!