The Great Desolation, chaotic zone.
Li Hao began his martial practice.
The Five Animals Art served as the core of this drill, though it contained several adaptations compared to Yuan Shuo's version, blending together inheritances of various other combat arts.
Five animals as the foundation, myriad arts as the complement.
Countless energy stones burned away as Li Hao stood amid the chaos, drawing upon his Dao Integration Realm strength to run through techniques typically practiced by Ten-Slayer and Hundred-Breaker martial masters.
He bounded and leapt like a wild beast.
All things encompass myriad arts, myriad arts encompass myriad Daos, myriad Daos encompass myriad forces...
Like a dragon or serpent coiling, like a phoenix spreading its wings.
A fierce tiger breaks from its cage, its tiger momentum roaring across heaven and earth.
At this moment, Li Hao resembled his past self—a novice martial artist diligently feeling for the rhythm of things, perceiving the force of heaven and earth, comprehending the force of martial arts.
He had set aside the study of force for quite some time.
Yet it remained familiar. With the Five Animals Art as his foundation, he grasped the very essence of perceiving force. His long-dormant breathing technique began to vibrate his flesh, causing Dao meridian after Dao meridian to emerge and currents of grand momentum to take shape.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, Li Hao let out a beast-like roar. A cheetah seemed to materialize in the void, swift and agile, lunging through empty space!
The cheetah condensed into grand momentum, seemingly poised to link with the origin. Deep in the chaos, the void trembled.
At that instant, light flared in Li Hao's eyes. In the far distance, through cracks in the void leading out of Silver Moon into the boundless chaos, he seemed to catch sight of it—the Origin Universe was still there!
It truly remained!
Its presence meant that Neo-Martial still existed and had not been destroyed.
Though he had long anticipated this, the sight provided firmer proof. Neo-Martial had not perished. Of course, it was also possible that Red Moon had seized Neo-Martial without extinguishing the origin path.
Yet as long as the origin path survived, Neo-Martial would not fall. The origin stars of those Neo-Martial powerhouses resided within the Origin Universe; so long as the universe did not collapse and the stars did not dim, Neo-Martial naturally endured.
*Just as I thought!*
Li Hao felt a slight stir in his heart. Seeing the cheetah force sweep toward the depths of the chaos, he grew somewhat concerned that it might link to the origin path.
He had not faced such trouble before, first because he had been too weak, and second because he had been far from the edge of heaven and earth.
He could have chosen to cultivate at a safer distance, but that would greatly slow his comprehension of force—and Li Hao was racing against time.
He felt a prickle of unease.
Yet reality proved he had overthought it.
Just as the cheetah force surged forward with unstoppable momentum, seemingly on the verge of tearing through chaos and universe to connect with the origin... a deafening boom echoed, the world barrier shuddered, and everything dissolved into nothingness.
The wisps of the origin he had just perceived vanished instantly.
The cheetah force shook violently, completely losing its connection to the origin. As if venting its reluctance, it let out a low snarl before slinking helplessly back into Li Hao's body.
Li Hao cursed under his breath.
If it had succeeded, he would have panicked.
Yet failing to connect—falling so short that he hadn't even grazed the Origin Universe—made him feel utterly inept.
What one cannot have always stirs the heart!
If he had truly linked to the origin path, Li Hao would have wept. But failing to touch even a single hair made him feel as though the origin path looked down on him. With his supreme talent, shouldn't that Great Dao universe have actively breached the world barrier to connect with him instead?
"No vision whatsoever!"
Li Hao grumbled aloud, yet a faint smile crept across his face in the deserted expanse.
Forget it!
He didn't care for the Origin Universe anyway.
That Great Dao universe was crowded with titans—the Human King, the Cang Emperor, the Supreme... Neo-Martial experts all cultivated the origin, so why bother picking up their scraps?
Who wanted to be the tail of a phoenix?
He would rather be the head of a chicken!
Even if the new Dao universe was still weak, what did it matter? Here, he was the master. In the Origin Universe, he would just be a lackey... He had no interest in that!
The cheetah force settled into his body.
However, it hesitated, as though uncertain where it belonged.
When force integrated into a Dao meridian, it did so effortlessly if there was natural affinity. But right now, this cheetah force wavered, looking rather lost, as if unaware of its Dao or its element.
Li Hao wasn't surprised.
The force he had just comprehended was purely born of martial technique. Though genuine, it was a shortcut, not something that had welled from the depths of his heart.
Deep down, he lacked that profound resonance.
He had to contemplate it thoroughly to truly make it his own.
"Cheetah... fast, agile, razor-sharp claws and fangs... like an assassin of the night..."
These concepts flashed through Li Hao's mind. The Five Animals Art formed the foundation, while the technique that birthed the cheetah force came from the Night Killing Art, an inheritance left behind by a little-known Silver Moon martial master.
Assassins favored such secret arts.
Li Hao's thoughts drifted, and the cheetah force inside him stirred as well, as if agonizing over where it belonged.
"Speed... wind is freedom and speed... cheetah..."
Burst!
An instantaneous burst?
The metal element was also known for explosive power; its force possessed immense destructive burst. But a cheetah's burst lay in a single fleeting instant—striking once and retreating if it missed, precisely matching an assassin's style.
"Is a burst also a kind of force?"
If it was, which Dao meridian would it belong to?
In that moment, Li Hao put Dao meridians out of his mind and opened his consciousness to merge with the cheetah force. That power of instantaneous explosive momentum ought to belong to the force of burst.
Soon, the cheetah force seemed to acknowledge Li Hao's realization.
Gradually, the force settled into his body.
At that moment, Li Hao drew in vitality, life force, and Great Dao power, blending them with the force. In the blink of an eye, a divine character began to take shape, hovering within his flesh.
"Bao!"
Burst—as in an explosive burst of momentum, not a detonation.
The divine character took form!
Li Hao's aura receded slightly, growing ever more restrained, like an assassin lurking in the dark. Suddenly, he threw a punch. The metal force and the burst force fused in an instant, and boom!
The chaos shattered!
Delight flashed through Li Hao's eyes. It was done.
The first one had taken longer.
He had needed to experiment with various factors, which slowed the process, but having forged the first, the rest should come much faster.
"As expected, force is a peculiar byproduct of being unable to connect to the origin, yet force can link to the new Dao... This means the new Dao and the origin are still intimately tied."
With that thought in mind, Li Hao resumed his cultivation.
For now, he paid no heed to anyone else. He didn't care what Ying Hongyue and the others were up to. He focused entirely on himself, not even worrying whether those figures would emerge to slaughter their way across the realm.
Li Hao genuinely didn't care.
He knew only one thing: if he could master the Great Dao, he could resurrect all who had died, just like the Human King.
And if he couldn't... he wouldn't be able to protect everyone forever anyway.
Life and death simply had to be viewed with detachment.
The crux lay with himself. Besides, the goal of Zheng Yu and the others was not to destroy the world, but to rule it. Mass slaughter served no purpose for them.
Furthermore, everyone cultivating right now helped more experts step forth, so Zheng Yu likely had no interest in wanton killing either.
With this new divine character, Li Hao now possessed twelve in total.
Yet twelve was far from enough to construct a domain.
Li Hao had surveyed the Great Desolation. To envelop the entire region, even if he compressed a portion of the chaotic aura, he would need at least twenty divine characters, if not more—ideally thirty-six.
***
At the far edge of the Great Desolation, Li Hao concentrated entirely on his cultivation.
He ignored the affairs of the world.
Yet the world at this moment was entering an era of unprecedented prosperity, the likes of which had not been seen in ten thousand years.
Millions of supers were furiously completing infrastructure projects. Vast highways were cutting across the entire Heavenly Star continent.
Across the Four Seas, powerhouses hoisted ancient cities upon their backs, marching through the waters.
Saints could now step forth.
Not just the Saints of Hurricane City, but those from other regions as well.
City after city was carried aloft.
Filling in the Four Seas!
At the same time, changes were underway in several other ancient cities.
The Hong family's Thunderstorm City, the Zhou family's Galaxy City, the Zhang family's Dingtian City, and the Zhao family's Wulin Alliance.
Movement stirred within these four main cities.
Outside the Wulin Alliance.
Now that Saints could emerge, the Demon Hunting Martial Guard Army led by Liu Yan could no longer enforce the blockade.
Yet the other side seemed reluctant to force an open rupture.
The reason was simple: Li Hao's deterrence.
Not long ago, the sky screen had broadcast Li Hao and his companions slaying Heavenly Kings. Right in front of Zheng Yu, Li Hao had killed Zheng Hongyuan, striking down a Heavenly King with such cold ruthlessness that even Neo-Martial Saints were shaken.
At this point, the Second Elder stepped out in his true body. As a Saint of the Wulin Alliance, he revealed his true visage to Liu Yan.
His face was somewhat pale, his hair withered and gray.
Over the endless years, he seemed to have depleted so much energy that his physical body had to be freshly reforged.
"General Liu! The world can now accommodate the emergence of Saints. Though the second resurgence is not yet complete, it is not far off. We know the Zheng family has rebelled, and we will never collude with them..."
The Second Elder spoke with utmost courtesy. "Not just the Zheng family, but the Liu and Zhou families as well—we will be on high guard against them and abide by the laws of Heavenly Star. Might the blockade around the Wulin Alliance be lifted?"
Being guarded outside the city amounted to imprisonment.
They had not stepped into the outside world for countless years.
Now that the world had revived enough for them to walk forth, staying cooped up any longer would drive the inhabitants mad. Had they not harbored genuine wariness toward Li Hao, they would have turned hostile long ago.
Liu Yan's face remained frosty.
Just as she was about to speak, prepared for a clash, a figure drifted over with a radiant smile. Qian Wuliang said, "Seniors of the Wulin Alliance, please do not fret, nor take offense. The Marquis acted only for everyone's safety... Previously, the Marquis feared the Zheng family might assassinate you. Now that Saints can walk the world, his worries have eased considerably.
"Everything the Marquis has done was to protect all of you, to protect our Neo-Martial seniors..."
The Second Elder replied with equal courtesy, "Then please convey my gratitude to Marquis Li."
"Of course, though the Marquis seeks no thanks..."
Qian Wuliang beamed. "It is just that the Marquis worries traitors might still lurk within the main cities... Of course, not that there definitely are, only that it is a possibility!"
He added softly, "The Marquis means that anyone who wishes to leave is free to do so! Walk forth as you please... so long as you abide by the law, there is no issue at all."
Liu Yan's expression turned grim.
The Second Elder was somewhat surprised.
Then Qian Wuliang continued, "However... just in case, the Marquis wishes that the City Lord seals and the main cities themselves remain untouched!"
"What do you mean?"
The Second Elder froze, his brow furrowing.
Qian Wuliang smiled. "Once a main city is activated, it can easily upend heaven and earth. Moreover, your energy reserves are depleted, making activation difficult anyway. Leaving them where they stand is for the best!
"To stabilize the world, to stabilize Silver Moon... Of the eight main cities, Hurricane City is confirmed to be occupied by the Zheng family, and Sword City remains sealed. Of the other six, Battle Heaven has entered the Bright Star Universe, and Boundless is patrolling the realm. Thus, the remaining four cities must not be moved. Any further disruption will court disaster."
Reaching this point, Qian Wuliang lowered his voice. "Furthermore, the non-traitor cities lack energy and would struggle to move regardless! The Marquis sent me to negotiate with you seniors: the people may leave, but the city stays. And if you leave... everyone must walk out!"
The Second Elder's expression shifted slightly. "Everyone walks out?"
"Yes!"
Qian Wuliang nodded. "The Marquis also harbors one concern: if traitors still lie in wait without showing their hand, what happens once the experts depart and those traitors use hidden energy to activate the city? Wouldn't that spell disaster? Therefore... complete evacuation! Leave behind only an empty city!"
Before the Second Elder could speak, someone snapped furiously, "Just come out and say you want to seize the city! Impossible! As long as we live, the city stands!"
Wasn't Qian Wuliang's beating around the bush merely an attempt to take their city?
Li Hao wasn't overly concerned about the Saints and Immortals of the eight main cities right now, but the cities themselves... he would not allow them to be moved.
Once activated, a main city possessed formidable power.
If several Saints oversaw an ancient city and brought it to bear at full power, its defense and offense were terrifying. Moreover, the main cities truly bore the responsibility of anchoring the world; if all eight descended into chaos, heaven and earth would unravel.
Many within the Wulin Alliance had revived by now, and upon hearing this, their fury flared.
This city belonged to them.
Li Hao's stance was unmistakable: either everyone left and surrendered the city, or no one left at all.
The Seventh Elder, who had dealt with Li Hao before, spoke up: "Is this not somewhat improper? The main city is the root of our heritage. We live and die with the city. We were the caretakers left behind back then; if we abandon the city, how are we any different from traitors?"
Qian Wuliang smiled and nodded. "I understand your dilemma, seniors, but you must also understand the Marquis's painstaking care! The Marquis understands your desire to leave, which is why he is willing to let you go... But if you depart and a mishap occurs within the city, it will become a catastrophe for the entire realm."
The Second Elder said softly, "What if only a portion leaves, while I remain behind to oversee things? With my strength, even if a traitor truly exists..."
"Even Commander Wu Peng turned traitor, and even the head of the Zheng family turned traitor—who can say for certain?"
Qian Wuliang murmured, "Presently, under normal circumstances, each city is overseen by at least two to three Saints: the guardian demon plant, the military commander, and an administrative director. Unless all three stay, the moment even one departs... the balance is easily broken!
"If the Zheng family planted traitors, they would have at most one Saint in an ordinary city... If they had more, they wouldn't have waited until today; they would have seized the city long ago!
"Therefore, these three factions of Saints must either all depart, or... none may leave!"
The Second Elder's expression grew solemn.
Qian Wuliang's words were not without reason, but... if the Saints did not leave and only sent out Immortals and Peak Realm experts, it would be far too dangerous.
Moreover, Saints needed recovery, needed opportunities and fortunate encounters.
Stepping out now might grant them a chance.
Remaining here indefinitely might truly mean waiting for death.
Just as they were caught in this dilemma, the void suddenly flickered. A figure stepped forth, causing Qian Wuliang and his companions to stiffen.
Not only that, another presence manifested in the void—Li Fuhai, whose bovine eyes turned grave.
Nearby stood a figure clad in black armor, the very attire of the Dean of Academic Affairs.
Zhang An looked at both sides with a calm expression, his voice quiet yet carrying clearly to every ear: "Has the Wulin Alliance rebelled?"
The Second Elder and his companions blanched. The Second Elder bowed hastily. "The Wulin Alliance will never rebel! Director Zhang, please see the truth!"
Zhang An glanced at him and spoke slowly: "Neo-Martial has already faded. If you no longer recognize Neo-Martial, make your own choices freely, but cease flying its banner! If you still acknowledge Neo-Martial, lead your people out of the city now and follow me."
"Director Zhang!"
Before the Second Elder could respond, Qian Wuliang said softly, "Senior Zhang, you intend to take them away?"
Zhang An glanced at him and replied quietly, "May I not? Does Li Hao not want the city? If we leave the city behind and I take them with me, is that not permitted?"
Qian Wuliang frowned slightly.
Li Fuhai suddenly grunted in a muffled voice, "Zhang An, you lack the presence of an overlord, the courage of the Human King, and the cunning of the Supreme... You'd be better off staying put and joining me in aiding the Li family to regain glory! Why bother meddling in this rotten mess..."
Zhang An looked at it, utterly composed. "Li Fuhai, a fine bird chooses a sturdy branch to roost upon. How you choose is your own affair; I will not interfere, nor do I blame you. Those who betrayed Neo-Martial deserve death, and I pay them no heed. But some, in the end, have not betrayed us and still hold Neo-Martial in their hearts. You are of the demon race and can afford not to care, but I... am of the human race!"
Li Fuhai fell silent.
It understood Zhang An's meaning.
A portion of the Neo-Martial survivors refused to surrender or compromise. If things continued like this, they would eventually run into trouble—and quite possibly be slain by Li Hao!
Li Hao had little time to deal with this matter right now.
Yet sooner or later, he would address it.
And it wouldn't be long!
Not only Li Hao, but the Zheng family would act as well, either subjugating or killing them. In short, those who clung to Neo-Martial and refused to submit would meet no pleasant end.
And Zhang An... intended to lead away precisely these people.
Li Fuhai had come to oversee the Wulin Alliance as a precaution. Seeing Zhang An step forward, it pondered for a moment before speaking: "Then don't make things difficult for me either! You may take the people, but the city stays. And not just the city—all buildings, factories, reserve armors, and military facilities within must remain!"
Zhang An looked at it for a moment, then turned to Qian Wuliang.
Seeing this, Qian Wuliang broke into a smile. "The Sea Suppressing Envoy's wish is my wish... The Marquis commanded that we follow the wishes of our seniors in all things."
At these words, Li Fuhai seemed much more satisfied.
Zhang An said nothing more and turned back to the Second Elder. "And you? Will you come with me, or... continue negotiating with Heavenly Star, or perhaps... contest the matter with force?"
The Second Elder fell silent.
Contest the matter?
True loyalists were by no means a match for Li Hao. Even Saints had not fully recovered. Anyone capable of contesting Li Hao in battle was no ordinary slumbering Neo-Martial survivor.
The Second Elder sighed softly. "We will follow the Director... It is only... in this vast world, where shall we go?"
"There will always be a place to settle,"
Zhang An said calmly. "I will not interfere with those who wish to stay. Battle Heaven City has already submitted to Li Hao; if any of you wish to do the same, you may remain! Each person has their own path. Neo-Martial vanished a hundred thousand years ago, so there is no need to bind yourselves to me... I seek only to lead away those unwilling to walk with Li Hao. This may also be an opportunity—he is the master of the new Dao, the leader of a new era. With heaven and earth freshly reviving, starting from scratch holds chances for all... The choice is yours!"
Inside the city, powerhouse after powerhouse fell silent.
Now, their choices were either to follow Zhang An or remain and submit to Li Hao.
There was no third path.
As for turning to the Zheng family... that was an option, but one that most found utterly intolerable.
After a long pause, the Second Elder said, "I will go with the Director... As for the rest... choose freely!"
"I will go too!"
"Count me in!"
"..."
One powerhouse after another made their decision.
Yet after waiting a long while, the Second Elder looked toward the guardian demon plant in the city—that Saint-tier tree—with a trace of bitterness.
It... remained silent.
It wished to stay.
Zhang An looked at it as well, not particularly surprised. As a demon plant, its attachment to Neo-Martial was far less profound. Following Zhang An now offered no clear destination.
Moreover, the recovery of demon plants was far more difficult.
Could Zhang An provide what it needed to revive?
"To those who remain... when we meet again in the future, there will be no need to speak of old ties!"
Zhang An said softly, "A hundred thousand years of standing guard is enough to repay everything!"
With that, he turned to Li Fuhai. "Fuhai, as for those who stay... discern them carefully for yourselves. I hope you will not disappoint them!"
Having spoken, he vanished with his followers in an instant.
Li Fuhai merely watched without a word.
Zhang An had shown himself!
This was his first public appearance since the destruction of Boundless City.
And upon appearing, he had taken away a portion of the Wulin Alliance's powerhouses.
Not many had revived in the Wulin Alliance—roughly thirty in all. There were Saints like the Second Elder, Immortals like the Seventh Elder, and a handful of officers and directors whose consciousness remained intact.
Nearly a third chose to stay behind, predominantly demon plants.
Zhang An took the Second Elder and the others, but left behind the Wulin Alliance's army. Many of those soldiers were mere remnant wills; taking them away might mean their death, while staying behind offered a chance of resurrection.
At this moment, Liu Yan couldn't help saying in a low voice, "We just let him take those people away?"
Qian Wuliang chuckled. "General Liu, less trouble is better than more! This is for the best. Otherwise, conflict might have erupted. Though we have nothing to fear, it would put Daoist Jiang Yingli and the others in a difficult spot, and trouble the Sea Suppressing Envoy as well... For now, this is perhaps the best outcome!"
Zhang An leading away those powerhouses averted bloodshed.
Presumably, he would visit the other main cities as well.
Next, the remaining personnel across the Neo-Martial main cities would likely be divided: some staying behind, some leaving with Zhang An, and some... perhaps going nowhere, taking their cities and aligning with Hurricane City.
Qian Wuliang deduced that the Zhou family's Galaxy City had almost certainly been seized by the opposition.
He didn't dwell on it. Turning toward the massive tree in the city, his smile broadened. "Senior Guardian's willingness to stay is a blessing for Heavenly Star! The Marquis is occupied today and unable to attend, but once his business concludes, he will surely come in person to welcome Senior into Heavenly Star to forge grand undertakings together! General Locust, General Redwood, and the others must be eagerly anticipating Senior's arrival!"
Gaining another Saint seemed quite beneficial.
Moreover, the Wulin Alliance's city had fallen into Heavenly Star's hands. Though its energy was depleted and it could not be activated, the city was secured—who cared about that bit of energy?
What mattered were the armaments and equipment inside.
Qian Wuliang knew that the division of Neo-Martial's remnants would soon reach its conclusion.
He had not expected Zhang An to surface.
Yet his appearance provided an amicable exit between Heavenly Star and Neo-Martial. That was a good thing; otherwise, war would have been the only option, and given Li Hao's current mindset, he would never have let those Neo-Martial experts walk away easily.
***
On this day, while Li Hao cultivated, Ying Hongyue and his companions trained, the Queen resurrected deities, and shifts began rippling through Neo-Martial.
Just as Qian Wuliang predicted, the Zhou family's Galaxy City appeared directly above Silver City, having been fully activated.
This meant the Zhou family had either rebelled or been overpowered by traitors.
The Wulin Alliance was split in two.
The Zhang family's Dingtian City suffered violent upheavals. Rumblings shook the city for a long time before a handful of powerhouses emerged, departing with Zhang An when he arrived.
When Qian Wuliang and the others entered Dingtian City to inspect it, they were deeply shaken.
Inside, the guardian demon plant had been torn to pieces!
Zhang An retrieving the survivors suggested that the guardian demon plant had turned traitor and clashed with the Zhang family inside. Yet the intact guardian demon plant had actually been defeated and slain on the spot!
From this, one could see the terrifying combat prowess of the Zhang family.
By now, among the eight main cities, only the Hong family had yet to appear.
It seemed to have vanished entirely.
***
Of the eight main cities, some were sealed and others partitioned.
At this stage, the situation across Silver Moon had become completely clear.
Li Hao, Zheng Yu, the Red Moon Sovereign, and Zhang An—these four factions all possessed substantial powerhouses.
As for Ying Hongyue, he was a lone operator.
On the Queen's side, though she commanded five Saint-tier deities, Li Hao knew her foundation and did not take them seriously.
***
At the far edge of the Great Desolation.
Li Hao received word as well, a faint smile touching his lips.
Interesting!
Zhang An had appeared.
He had even led away a faction of people—the ones who truly represented Neo-Martial.
*Zhang An...*
Li Hao murmured softly. In the end, Zhang An had chosen not to join him, still placing his faith in Neo-Martial. That wasn't wrong, of course... so long as he didn't interfere.
This was fine too!
Battle Heaven City was comprised of Neo-Martial people after all. If forced to suppress those Neo-Martial experts, they might feel conflicted even if they complied.
Thus, Neo-Martial was split three ways.
He claimed a portion, the Zheng family claimed a portion, and Zhang An led away a portion.
At this moment, Li Hao's aura surged violently.
Around him, divine character after divine character circled.
He glanced back at the Great Desolation. It was time to act. Over the past few days, the migration efforts had continued unabated; everyone had their own tasks, and progress was swift.
He looked up at the sky, where the Silver Moon hung suspended.
*Li Daoheng...*
*Do you know what I am about to do?*
*Or do you know, yet cannot stop me?*
*Or... do you simply not care, perhaps even wanting to see me open the skies of the Great Desolation?*
*If so... you truly are formidable.*
Yet before reviving the heaven and earth of the Great Desolation, there was one more thing he needed to do.
In an instant, Li Hao vanished.
As for how many divine characters he had condensed, no one knew.
***
Dali.
Shuiyun and the Great Desolation had been integrated into Heavenly Star one after another, and the Divine Kingdom's deities had suffered heavy casualties. Dali alone had escaped major losses, remaining prosperous.
The royal palace of Dali.
Magnificent and grand!
It held no golden splendor, only a vast, imposing atmosphere touched by a hint of barbaric wilderness.
The King of Dali was cultivating when his expression abruptly shifted, and he threw a punch.
Boom!
A domain shrouded the void. The King of Dali's punch slammed into it, setting the domain rippling. His expression darkened as he growled, "Li Hao!"
Li Hao materialized out of thin air.
He glanced at the King of Dali, smiled, then looked around and nodded. "A fine place!"
The King of Dali stared at him blankly, saying nothing.
Li Hao gazed into the distance, his vision piercing through all obstacles to behold a colossal hall. "Which God of Initial Martial Arts does Dali actually worship? Don't tell me it's the Sun God... That's impossible."
"I don't know."
"What?"
The King of Dali frowned. "I don't know which one! It's a God of Initial Martial Arts regardless. The entity has never shown its face, so how would I know?"
Fair enough.
"Then you worship blindly?"
"Not blindly. A God of Initial Martial Arts is a God of Initial Martial Arts; worshiping any of them is the same!"
Li Hao chuckled, rendered speechless.
He didn't dwell on it. Looking toward the hall, he vaguely sensed a majestic aura, though exceedingly faint—the entity was likely still in deep slumber. He paid it no further heed and asked, "Your Majesty King of Dali, aside from bitter cultivation lately, have you had no other thoughts?"
Compared to when they withdrew, this man had grown stronger.
Moreover, with the Forbidden Sea reviving from this region, energy here was extraordinarily dense. Several powerhouses could be seen frantically drawing on it to cultivate.
This power spilling from the newborn world and the Forbidden Sea seemed especially suited for the Initial Martial lineage.
The King of Dali had likely reached the seventh level of the Sun and Moon Realm by now.
Perhaps even stronger!
One had to remember that when he left, he was only at the fifth or sixth level. Director Zhao and the others had paid a heavy price just to advance to the seventh level.
"What thoughts?"
The King of Dali had no idea what Li Hao wanted and remained highly vigilant.
Li Hao smiled. "What if I grant Your Majesty an opportunity?"
"Speak."
"Initial Martial is best suited for cultivating when heaven and earth first open, yielding rapid progress... correct?"
Nonsense!
Initial Martial referred to the first wave of cultivators who emerged when chaos birthed heaven and earth; in such an environment, progress was naturally swift.
Why tell him what he already knew?
Li Hao continued, "What if I create a new world for you?"
"What?"
"Opening a new world... a mock world, replacing the old sky with a new one!"
Li Hao said placidly, "The price you must pay is tiny... You enjoy the favor of heaven's will; just give me that heaven's will!"
With the domain enveloping them, Li Hao had no fear of eavesdroppers. He smiled lightly. "In return, I will provide the optimal cultivation environment for you! Right now, the Western Queen, Ying Hongyue, and the rest are all about to step into the Dao Integration Realm, while you remain at the seventh level of the Sun and Moon Realm... far too weak. With some luck, reaching Dao Integration will not be difficult for you."
The King of Dali frowned.
He looked at Li Hao for a long time before asking, "Without the favor of heaven's will, what do I lose?"
Li Hao chuckled and shook his head. "You lose nothing. Because... even with the favor of heaven's will, you could never become master of heaven and earth! Thus... to you, it makes no difference. The only real change is cutting off a few wishful thoughts."
The King of Dali cursed inwardly!
Those words cut straight to the bone.
Li Hao might as well have said: *Whether you have it or not is useless, because you aren't up to the task anyway!*
The King of Dali frowned. "Can you banish heaven's will?"
"More or less."
"How will you create an environment suitable for Initial Martial cultivation?"
"Do you truly wish to know?"
Li Hao gave him a profound look. "If you want to know, I will tell you!"
"..."
The King of Dali felt sheepish, pausing before muttering, "Never mind!"
Li Hao smiled.
Yet the King of Dali still felt uneasy. "Is it very dangerous?"
"Do you fear danger?"
"This king naturally fears nothing, but throwing my life away for nothing is out of the question!"
Li Hao nodded. "There is bound to be some danger. As for how much, I cannot say; we will know once we try. Furthermore, once it succeeds, you must do one more thing for me."
The King of Dali's brow furrowed deeper.
Demands were piling up!
"What thing?"
"We will speak of it after it succeeds."
The King of Dali agonized for a moment before asking, "Then... can Jiang Li come along?"
"..."
*Just as I thought!*
Li Hao wore an expression that said *I knew it*. The King of Dali recalled what Li Hao had said that day, and his face twisted into an ugly grimace.
This bastard!
What was he thinking?
Li Hao smiled. "He can. Jiang Li may even bring the Initial Martial Bone. If the opportunity arises, integrating it might yield even greater rewards! As for you, you had best bring your pair of gauntlets... Those are fine treasures!"
Pausing, he added, "Does Jiang Li need his physical body reforged?"
"Li Hao!"
The King of Dali's expression turned chillingly cold. "You are the lord of a realm—do you not find speaking like this shameless?"
What a detestable fellow!
Li Hao chuckled. "Don't be angry, why get worked up? I was merely asking. If you don't want to change it, forget it! Besides, you have lost a considerable amount of heaven's will lately. It seems heaven's will deems you useless and is reluctant to favor you. Go stir up some trouble and gather more of it. The north isn't too far from the west; lead your army to attack the Western Divine Kingdom... The Queen has resurrected several Saint-tier deities, and I will dispatch people to lend you a hand... Whatever territory you conquer will be yours."
The King of Dali frowned.
He had no desire to deploy troops!
From the north to the west... it wasn't unimaginably far, but marching across such distance to conquer the Western Divine Kingdom—what use was that to him?
Seeing his hesitation, Li Hao said softly, "The Divine Kingdom's million-strong army was wiped out, all of them elites! Shuiyun's million-strong force was mostly disbanded, leaving only two hundred thousand to guard the Four Seas! The Great Desolation boasts countless cavalry, but only a fraction will be retained as a mobile force. King of Dali, I have never been one to drive people to utter ruin! Yet... beside my sleeping mat, even if I pay no heed, others will."
The King of Dali fell silent.
He understood Li Hao's meaning.
*If you do not submit, I will not force you.*
*Yet Dali commands millions of formidable troops—far too many.* Qian Wuliang had come earlier to whittle down their numbers, and now Li Hao had arrived, demanding he march against the Divine Kingdom. Seizing heaven's will was one purpose, but weakening Dali was another.
The Divine Kingdom still harbored countless zealots.
If a brutal war erupted... coupled with several Saint-tier deities...
The King of Dali looked at Li Hao and said in a heavy voice, "After Yuan Shuo and the others fell, your methods grew far more ruthless!"
Li Hao smiled and shook his head. "No, I have grown softer! You do not understand me, so do not pretend you do. Back when I dealt with Dali, I intended to bury those millions of troops alive within Mount Cang... At that time, my master urged me against it. Now that my master slumbers, it is simply that... no one remains to counsel me."
*You think you understand me?*
*Laughable!*
The King of Dali's heart shuddered violently!
No one remained to counsel him!
He understood Li Hao's words. This was Li Hao's true nature—not a shift brought about by Yuan Shuo's death, but rather that... not a single soul was left who could rein him in.
The King of Dali took a deep breath. "How many Saints can you send from your side?"
"Saints are in short supply... The Ninth Division Commander can go."
The King of Dali's expression twisted. "Just one?"
"Not enough?"
The King of Dali raged, "They have five Saints! You send one, and even if Jiang Li and I can hold off another, what about the remaining three? Li Hao, do you want my Dali destroyed?"
Li Hao smiled. "You underestimate my Ninth Division Commander?"
The King of Dali fumed, refusing to speak.
Seeing this, Li Hao chuckled again. "Just a joke... I'll have Redwood come along as well; two will suffice! If that still isn't enough... won't your God of Initial Martial Arts lend a hand? If not, Dali seems to possess no foundation to speak of. In that case... if it falls, let it fall!"
With that, Li Hao rose into the air, dispelling the domain. Facing the distant divine hall, he bowed slightly and laughed. "Senior must have revived somewhat. They say the Gods of Initial Martial Arts are peerlessly mighty, so I wish Senior triumphant success!"
His voice then dropped into the King of Dali's ears: "Make haste. I will act in ten days. The stronger your heaven's will, the greater your opportunity! If you can conquer the Divine Kingdom, heaven's will will surely smile upon you, and you might even break into the mid or late stages of the Dao Integration Realm! As a monarch, ten thousand bones must bleach for a general to achieve renown... My entire family was wiped out before I reached where I am today... King of Dali, learn to part with what must be spent!"
With those words, Li Hao vanished completely.
The King of Dali cursed under his breath!
Bastard!
This fellow simply wanted to weaken Dali and force the God of Initial Martial Arts to act. Just as Li Hao said, if the God of Initial Martial Arts couldn't even deal with a Saint, what purpose was there in Dali's continued existence?
If it posed no threat, wiping it out directly would be simpler!
The King of Dali took a deep breath and reflected on Li Hao's words. Li Hao rarely went out of his way to deceive.
Since he spoke of it, it meant... such an opportunity truly existed.
With that thought, the King of Dali barked an order: "All tribal chieftains and military commanders, report to the palace immediately for council!"
Conquer the Divine Kingdom!
If they took it, perhaps heaven's will would grow far denser.
Moments later, everyone assembled swiftly. Behind Jiang Li, a faint shadow seemed to materialize. The King of Dali saw it, but said nothing.
Evidently, that God of Initial Martial Arts had indeed awakened.
And now, it had come to listen.
***
Following the council, speed was of the essence. Before long, the Dali army set out once more. Hearing that this expedition was aimed not at Heavenly Star, but at the Divine Kingdom, the Dali soldiers breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Who feared the Divine Kingdom?
Heavenly Star was the one they couldn't afford to provoke with Li Hao there. Their King was wise—attacking the Divine Kingdom sounded like a splendid idea!
Soon enough, word reached the Divine Kingdom.
Dali... was swinging from the northern reaches toward the west, marching straight for their lands!
When the news arrived, the Queen was consumed by fury.
It was one thing to be unable to provoke Li Hao, but even the King of Dali dared to invade her Divine Kingdom?
War hung by a thread.
Meanwhile, Li Hao returned to the Great Desolation with a bright smile. *Fight to your hearts' content. In ten days, I shall open the mock world!*
Chapter 369