At the northwestern border, war cries shook the heavens.
The million-strong army of Dali marched out once more, only this time facing a different opponent. Across the battlefield, the believers of the Divine Kingdom charged with manic ferocity under the summons of several deities.
Yet these believers were not the kingdom's elite after all.
The true elites were already dead.
Scepter in hand, the Queen wore a grim expression.
In the next instant, she swung her scepter.
Two deities materialized at once: the God of Misfortune and the God of Disaster.
A chorus of shrill screams suddenly tore through heaven and earth.
Disaster struck!
The earth abruptly cracked open, swallowing tens of thousands of Dali soldiers. Misfortune followed closely behind. Countless Dali warriors tripped, crashed into their comrades, misidentified their targets, and struck down their own allies...
Right then, a sword radiance flashed across the world.
Boom!
A sword cleaved straight through the void.
Moments later, an enormous golden tree bearing wisps of chaotic aura swept across heaven and earth, its countless branches piercing in all directions to slaughter masses of believers.
The Queen’s face darkened. "Just as I thought!"
She had known Dali would not invade the west for no reason.
The moment Li Daozong and Redwood arrived, she knew Li Hao had to be pulling the strings from the shadows. That damnable bastard.
"Prophet!"
Beside her, the white-haired elder closed his eyes for a moment before his expression grew grave. "Be careful, Your Majesty. There are other powerful figures present!"
The Queen nodded.
If Li Hao was orchestrating this behind the scenes, matters would certainly not stop here.
Her heart felt heavy.
"What is Li Hao trying to accomplish?"
What was the point of invading the west?
That fellow was already up to his neck in enemies. What good did attacking the Divine Kingdom do him?
With two massive armies clashing, Dali would suffer heavy casualties as well.
The west was teeming with believers. Although they were no match for Dali, the Dali forces were elite troops; if they suffered devastating losses here, they would face a grim fate as well.
Across the lines, the Prophet God gazed toward the opposing army and sighed inwardly.
Li Hao truly possessed the bearing of a sovereign!
Pitting tiger against wolf!
Even an overlord like the King of Dali was forced to dance to Li Hao’s tune. Even if Dali and the Divine Kingdom butchered each other down to the last soldier, Li Hao likely would not care in the slightest. Just moments ago, when the two Saint-tier deities entered the fray and slaughtered tens of thousands of soldiers in the blink of an eye, Redwood and the Ninth Division Commander had not stepped in immediately.
Evidently, neither of them gave a damn about the lives of Dali’s men.
……
Nearby, Jiang Li's face looked dreadful as he sent a voice transmission: "Your Majesty, their believers fight without fear of death! Many are ordinary followers whose deaths achieve nothing, yet our Dali army is taking heavy losses! Even if we slaughter tens of millions in the west, it will not compensate for the loss of Dali’s million elites!"
From the casualty exchange, the initial clash had wiped out nearly a hundred thousand westerners while Dali had lost just over ten thousand—a tenfold difference!
Yet... was it worth it?
The Divine Kingdom had far too many such zealots.
Trading Dali’s elite troops for these lives was an atrocious deal no matter how one looked at it!
The King of Dali remained expressionless.
Was he willing to do this?
No.
Yet this was the best possible outcome. Had he refused, Li Hao might not have struck immediately, but before long, Dali’s very survival would have been thrown into question.
Surrender?
Those within the nation who worshiped the God of Initial Martial would likely never accept submission.
The King of Dali spoke with utter composure: "It is simple. Let gods deal with gods! Could a God of Initial Martial—a deity from the Neo-Martial era—fail to match the gods of a small world?"
These western deities could also be considered a kind of initial martial deity.
Of course, one side was born of Silver Moon, while the other hailed from the ancient Neo-Martial era countless ages ago.
Jiang Li’s expression flickered at those words.
To speak this way was disrespectful to a god!
Yet he knew that in this era, it was far from just the King of Dali who lacked reverence for deities. Had that rascal Li Hao been standing here, his words would likely have been far harsher.
Jiang Li said in a heavy voice, "Your Majesty, that venerable one has not yet fully awakened..."
The King of Dali nodded. "Even if he has not fully awakened, dealing with a single Saint should pose no problem, correct? If he fully awakened, it might actually be worse, as he might be unable to manifest in the world at all. Am I right?"
There was logic in that.
Jiang Li was left speechless.
The King of Dali continued, "Our Dali has worshiped him for so many years. Now that we need aid, is he still unwilling to act?"
"This..."
Jiang Li could not answer.
At that moment, the King of Dali’s voice rang out like a great bronze bell, reverberating across heaven and earth as his roar echoed in every direction: "Fight! Advance, charge, and annihilate their kingdom! The God of Dali is about to join the battle and will sweep away these false gods! The false gods shall perish! Our god is invincible across heaven and earth!"
"Kill!"
The Dali army erupted with wild fervor.
The God of Dali was about to appear!
For countless eras, Dali had worshiped a God of Initial Martial. The temple’s influence had always rivaled or exceeded royal authority, remaining formidable even today, as Jiang Li’s presence demonstrated.
Even with the King of Dali’s military prowess and statecraft, suppressing the temple had always proven difficult.
Now that the King of Dali proclaimed that the God of Initial Martial would take the field to slaughter the false gods, the soldiers' spirits soared, and their morale reached a fever pitch.
The King of Dali wore a placid expression.
He, too, wished to see who this god they worshiped truly was, what strength he possessed, and how formidable he might be...
If that figure refused to appear after he made such a public declaration, how could he expect the people of Dali to keep revering him?
Whether that entity showed himself or not, it would benefit the king either way.
If he did not show, the divine temple's authority would be eradicated entirely!
Jiang Li and the other priests would obediently submit to the royal court.
If he did appear, it would serve as an opportunity to see how he measured up against those false gods.
The King of Dali was forcing his hand.
Li Hao had only dispatched two Saints to aid him. Faced with the Divine Kingdom’s multiple Saints, the king had little choice. If the God of Initial Martial did not intervene, he and Jiang Li could only manage to hold back a single Saint between them.
……
Across the lines, the Queen and her companions grew grim.
A God of Initial Martial!
A true God of Initial Martial referred to the first generation of initial martial practitioners.
Their descendants did not count. Only those first-generation practitioners who blazed their own Great Daos qualified as Gods of Initial Martial. Dali had always claimed to worship the Sun God, but hardly anyone believed it.
Anyone who truly understood Neo-Martial knew that the Sun God was on par with the Human King and the Cang Emperor.
In the Neo-Martial era, the three supreme powerhouses were the Sun God, the Human King, and the Cang Emperor.
Beneath those three supreme figures stood luminaries like Supreme Zhang, Heavenly King Zhen, and the Earth Sovereign, each commanding their own peak.
Beneath them were numerous Sovereigns: ancient figures of the Nine Sovereigns, the ancient Forging Sovereign, and later-rising titans like the Blood Sovereign and the Iron Head Sovereign.
Further down were other Sovereigns who were slightly weaker, such as the Underworld King and the Battle King.
Only after them came Sovereigns like Shui Li and Li Wuqi.
Evidently, even among Sovereigns, there were distinct tiers. As for a God of Initial Martial... no one truly believed an authentic one resided here. Most of them had been slain by the Human King back then, leaving very few survivors.
Furthermore, those who survived were monstrously powerful.
Even the weakest among them would likely be a Half-Sovereign by now.
How could such a figure remain in a place like this?
Besides, every surviving God of Initial Martial had a renowned name. Who would demean themselves by impersonating the Sun God?
The Queen and her circle did not believe it.
Yet even if it was not an original god, it was bound to be an initial martial practitioner—perhaps a descendant of the second, third, or later generations. Such a being would not be weak.
……
At this moment, the Queen and her entourage were fraught with wariness.
Meanwhile, in the Great Desolation.
A sky screen materialized.
Li Hao was watching the battle as well.
He was thoroughly familiar with the top combatants on both sides, so they did not pique his curiosity much. However, he was deeply intrigued by this God of Initial Martial.
To dare usurp the Sun God’s name meant this person was no ordinary figure.
His audacity was off the charts!
Furthermore, this entity had kept an exceptionally low profile, almost never showing himself. What was he after?
Was he simply fond of sleeping comfortably here?
Or did he fancy the scenery in Dali?
Moreover, all deities typically pursued faith power. Yet Dali presented an oddity: its people worshiped this god, but because he used the Sun God’s name, their worship was actually directed at the Sun God.
As a result, that faith power seemed not to be absorbed by him, but had vanished into thin air.
That was profoundly thought-provoking!
Could the faith power... have been drawn away by the real Sun God across the cosmos?
Li Hao was genuinely curious about this figure. Furthermore, deities typically revived through faith power, whereas this God of Initial Martial had most likely been alive all along. Initial martial practitioners were bound to possess incredible strength in at least one system—whether the physical body, vitality, or spirit.
Yet he was constantly absorbing energy and behaving as if he had only just revived... To be reduced to such a pathetic state, whatever the cause, without revealing his true identity to gather faith power meant the people of Dali were essentially worshiping a phantom.
Li Hao watched unblinkingly.
He wanted to see what would happen, and whether that figure would appear.
Since that entity did not even harvest faith power, he might not care whether Dali worshiped him or not. His behavior was utterly bizarre. Li Hao had not paid much attention initially, but upon returning from the west and comparing it with Dali, his interest in this figure was instantly ignited.
A god who didn't even absorb faith power?
Did he establish a divine temple purely to have a place to sleep?
Naturally, Li Hao was intensely curious about this God of Initial Martial, wondering if he might prove to be a wild card.
Beside him stood several others.
Black Panther was busy fawning over the white horse. Princess Jun watched the battlefield with curiosity and even a hint of eagerness. She longed for such a clash, but the Great Desolation offered few such opportunities anymore.
Fingering several divine characters, Li Hao suddenly asked, "Is the Sea-Suppressing Envoy still around?"
In the void, Li Fuhai materialized.
Li Hao was asking what he already knew.
How could he not know Li Fuhai was still present?
"Does the Marquis have a matter to discuss?"
"Nothing major. I'm just curious—back when the eight major cities stood tall, why did they allow Dali to exist? Did the Sword Venerable know about it?"
"He did."
"And he didn't intervene?"
"He didn't."
"Did he ever mention this God of Initial Martial in Dali?"
"Never."
Puzzled, Li Hao asked, "Has this figure always been in Silver Moon?"
"Always!"
Li Fuhai pondered for a moment before adding, "He has been here since very, very early times! It's just that... he never showed himself! We paid him no heed, and the Sword Venerable ignored that region as well. Back then, we assumed it was meant to leave a path of survival for Initial Martial.
"Many initial martial deities were slain, and when the Human King later revived the world... he didn't revive many initial martial experts. If not for the Sun God's face, which prompted him to revive a few... Initial Martial would have fared even worse! And precisely out of respect for the Sun God... no one provoked Initial Martial lightly."
The Sun God possessed immense face.
So immense that even the Sword Venerable had to show him deference.
He was an utterly carefree figure who roamed the chaotic universe alone. Li Hao had once heard the Human King mention him in the words 'Battle Heaven'—the Sun God had actually been wounded, seemingly injured by the world master of the Red Moon world.
Yet to only be wounded when facing an invading world master who dared strike against Neo-Martial showed just how terrifyingly strong he was.
After all, an entire world possessed a multitude of Sovereigns.
To escape and deliver a warning under such circumstances spoke volumes of his power.
Li Hao nodded. "Was the temple already around back then?"
"Yes."
"Did it go by the Sun God's name back then as well?"
Li Fuhai looked somewhat unnatural and hesitated before answering, "No. Back then, it used the name of... the Emperor of Tyrant Heaven!"
"..."
Li Hao was stunned.
"The previous incarnation of the Iron Head Sovereign?"
"Yes."
"Such brazen audacity?"
"Because the Blood Sovereign and the others never acknowledged their previous incarnations and chose to live out a second life... unless you deliberately humiliated them, no one cared if you used the name. Even Battle Heaven City took the title of the Emperor of Battle Heaven, and since the Blood Sovereign bestowed the city personally, no one objected."
"No wonder the Emperor of Tyrant Heaven's boxing gloves were over there..."
Li Hao wondered aloud, "Could he truly be the Emperor of Tyrant Heaven?"
"Impossible."
Li Fuhai shook its head. "That can't be! The Emperor of Tyrant Heaven died—truly died. Without their deaths, how could the later figures have come to be? Besides... if he were the real Emperor of Tyrant Heaven, with that terrifying combat strength, he could probably shatter any Red Moon Sovereign with a single punch! Why would he need to slumber here?"
Fair enough.
Still, back when Neo-Martial had not yet been cut off, daring to establish a Temple of the Emperor of Tyrant Heaven... this person was truly out of the ordinary.
Now, Li Hao’s interest grew even keener.
Just as he was thinking this, an illusory figure appeared upon the sky screen. The person’s features were obscured, as if deliberately veiled. The voice sounded calm and distinctly androgynous, making it impossible to tell whether the speaker was male or female.
"Since you wish to witness the power of a God of Initial Martial... you shall have your demonstration!"
The words seemed directed at the King of Dali, yet also seemed meant for Li Hao.
Li Fuhai’s eyes went wide as it stared intently, appearing to search for clues to the figure’s identity—or perhaps it had already recognized him... Yet Li Hao could not tell, for the beast remained silent.
Li Hao watched without blinking.
……
Upon the battlefield, the Prophet God’s face tightened. He and the Goddess of Fate materialized simultaneously, as if foreseeing the trajectory of the oncoming strike. The Prophet God vanished into another area, while the Goddess of Fate murmured softly: "Fate... is ever fickle!"
Boom!
Heaven and earth seemed to flip upside down. In that instant, every person across the battlefield felt their destiny warp beyond reversal, as if they were fated to perish the next moment beneath the shockwaves of the clashing titans.
Panic, dread, terror...
Discipline shattered as soldiers witnessed their own demise and foresaw their doom...
Yet amidst their shivering terror, the illusory figure uttered not a word and simply threw a punch!
The firmament cracked open!
The world tore apart!
Fate fractured into dust. Destiny and foresight proved utterly meaningless. Though the Prophet God had anticipated the trajectory of the fist, he found it completely inescapable. With a furious roar, he thrust his palm forward to meet it!
Boom!
The palm exploded instantly. The Goddess of Fate coughed up mouthful after mouthful of golden blood as a colossal millstone manifested above the God of Initial Martial's head, attempting to grind and reverse his destiny.
The God of Initial Martial gave a soft, amused chuckle: "The strong may alter the fate of the weak, but the weak... cannot alter the fate of the strong! To force it is to court your own destruction!"
Boom!
The Goddess of Fate’s body suddenly blew apart.
The Prophet God’s expression turned to sheer horror. At that moment, the Queen charged in, her scepter shattering heaven and earth as her face twisted with unprecedented gravity.
What terrifying strength!
Both were at the Saint tier, yet his power appeared to surpass that of any ordinary Saint.
The God of Initial Martial paid her little heed and threw another punch!
A golden fist smashed through the fabric of the world.
A surging torrent of vitality and blood suggested this was an existence who had honed his physical body to the utmost limit, evoking the aura of the true Emperor of Tyrant Heaven. Boom!
The Queen’s scepter shattered into fragments!
"Deities of faith... are indeed gods, but only the weakest of their kind! A God of Initial Martial does not rely on faith to attain godhood; we rely on ourselves. The heavens gave you a bowl of rice to eat, whereas an initial martial god snatched that bowl from the heavens. Do you understand now?"
Those words cut straight to the core of truth!
The surviving deities blanched.
Given a bowl of rice versus snatching it from heaven!
That was perhaps the fundamental distinction between the two!
The gods of Silver Moon were born powerful, whereas the Gods of Initial Martial began weak. Through brutal struggle, they rose step by step, carving out their own paths of survival, seeking their own Daos, and crowning themselves as gods!
Boom!
As the voice faded, the fist’s aura blanketed the entire battlefield, sending the deities reeling backward in an instant.
Nearby, the Ninth Division Commander and Redwood were filled with shock and prudently fell back.
Just then, the God of Misfortune and the God of Disaster emerged simultaneously to shield the Queen.
Boom!
Punch followed punch.
This God of Initial Martial was terrifyingly mighty, and his voice continued to reverberate across the heavens: "Initial Martial cultivates the self, not the Great Dao—that is what Initial Martial is! Initial martial practitioners who seek the Dao walk the origin! Thus, whether it be the origin path or the new Dao, neither has anything to do with Initial Martial!"
Between the lines, these words seemed spoken not for the fighters before him, but for Li Hao.
*I am not your enemy.*
*You need not test me, nor target me.*
"In this world, the Sword Venerable once held the potential to trace back to the source, transitioning from the origin into Initial Martial to defy fate, integrating myriad Daos into his own flesh. That was why the Sword Venerable could tolerate Initial Martial..."
……
In the Great Desolation, Li Hao wore a solemn expression, his eyes fixed on the screen.
He felt a prick of regret. Perhaps he should have gone to witness it in person!
This world could currently only accommodate early-stage Saints.
Yet this person could fell a Saint with a single blow... He was overwhelmingly powerful!
Li Hao had underestimated this God of Initial Martial.
Beside him, Li Fuhai’s bovine eyes trembled in disbelief. "The Tyrant Fist! Impossible... It cannot be the Emperor of Tyrant Heaven... Could he be the successor to the Emperor of Tyrant Heaven? But the Emperor of Tyrant Heaven left no descendants, no disciples... Could he be the successor to the Iron Head Sovereign? But why claim Initial Martial?"
The Iron Head Sovereign belonged to Neo-Martial, not Initial Martial!
What was going on?
Even Li Fuhai was baffled. Just which initial martial powerhouse was this?
With only the strength of a revived Saint, he had effortlessly routed multiple Saint-tier deities. This fellow was simply too formidable.
"This is the Extreme Dao! Pushing a single path to the ultimate peak—an Extreme Dao expert! His combat prowess is terrifying! His physical body might even surpass mine. What a terrifying individual!"
Li Hao nodded grimly.
Were the Gods of Initial Martial truly this frightening?
……
At Hurricane City, Zheng Yu appeared to have observed this scene as well. Ever since Saints could walk the world, Li Hao’s blockade had weakened. Though communications remained severed, Saint-tier experts possessed numerous alternative methods.
Watching the battle unfold, Zheng Yu’s expression turned grim.
Who was this?
He had known of this God of Initial Martial’s existence, but the man had maintained an utterly negligible presence. He had remained far from the central continent, tucked away at the northern edge in a modest shrine. It seemed that for a hundred thousand years—no, for even longer, ever since they had arrived in Silver Moon—he had done nothing but sleep.
It was as if the sky could collapse without concerning him in the least!
Yet now, he had stepped forward!
Armed only with Saint-tier power, he was nonetheless invincible among peers of the same rank. That was no ordinary feat.
"Who is this person?"
He turned to the powerhouses behind him and asked in a low voice, "Does anyone recognize him?"
Many experts stood gathered here, including figures from the Zhou and Liu families. Yet all of them shook their heads. One said with grave uncertainty, "He might be the successor of that Sovereign from Jingwu... but the details don't match! If he were that venerable one's successor, there would be no reason to claim the mantle of Initial Martial. This person possesses a terrifying physique and unparalleled vitality... He may very well be an authentic expert from the Initial Martial era."
Zheng Yu cursed under his breath!
Why did another complication have to arise?
This person had kept a profile so low it bordered on maddening!
Yet here he was, suddenly leaping onto the stage. Zheng Yu was certain that even if his own avatar stepped out, it could at best achieve this level—and he was a Half-Sovereign!
Judging by this performance, the man was at least a Heavenly King.
Right now, it was impossible to tell whether this was an avatar or his true body.
Infuriating!
His agitation mounted. Lately, he felt as though events were spiraling beyond his grasp. This was merely a small world; the Sword Venerable had departed, and nearly all the powerhouses of the eight families had left as well.
Yet such a minor world felt increasingly out of his control.
Why?
He had believed that once the resurgence began and he seized control of this small world, his only true rival would be the Red Moon Sovereign. Yet powerful figures kept springing up one after another, thoroughly souring his mood.
……
If he felt sour, the Queen felt infinitely worse.
She was knocked backward again and again, tumbling through the air until she felt ready to vomit blood in sheer frustration!
Why had it come to this?
Ever since her defeat at Li Hao’s hands, it felt as though anyone she encountered could beat her.
Zheng Yu, Li Hao, Ying Hongyue, the God of Initial Martial... They emerged one after another. This time, she had revived four Saint-tier deities, giving her a force of five experts, yet all of them had been swept aside.
The God of Initial Martial seemed disinclined to pursue the fight further. His voice was calm: "Fall back and withdraw your troops. Otherwise... you shall die! Dali demands half of the Divine Kingdom’s territory..."
"You are dreaming!"
Boom!
Another punch descended. Heaven and earth shattered, sending the deities stumbling back in defeat. The Prophet God’s face twisted in panic, and he shouted hastily, "Retreat!"
With those words, the deities fell back in haste.
The punch had torn the sky apart, opening countless spatial rifts, yet the God of Initial Martial allowed them to flee without giving chase.
Below, the Dali army cheered with wild excitement. Even the King of Dali’s expression shifted slightly. So strong!
"Charge!"
Without another word, the King of Dali roared and took the lead, driving his army forward to butcher countless believers and seize the territory of the Divine Kingdom!
As the Dali army claimed victory and expanded their lands, a faint wisp of heaven’s will drifted across the world, growing noticeably denser.
The illusory figure looked up at the heaven's will, glanced at the King of Dali, and vanished from the spot in an instant.
The Ninth Division Commander and Redwood had intended to step forward to test his intentions and greet him, but he had already departed.
It was as though the entire display had served only one purpose: to prove that the God of Dali still existed, remained formidable, and was not to be trifled with.
……
In the Great Desolation, Li Hao’s eyes gleamed with interest.
Fascinating.
Incredibly strong!
"Sea-Suppressing Envoy... how do you assess his strength?"
"Formidable! The world's constraints make it impossible to gauge precisely, but... he is certainly no weaker than I am."
Li Hao nodded slightly.
A troublesome opponent.
Dali was truly full of surprises.
"Dali... 'Li' corresponds to fire in the Bagua... Did Initial Martial have a Fire God?"
"They did, but he died long ago!" Li Fuhai answered solemnly. "He perished extremely early. Does the Marquis suspect he is the Fire God? That seems impossible..."
"Has the name Dali been around since ancient times?"
"This... I believe so?" Li Fuhai said with slight uncertainty. "Back then, there were no separate nations; they were all territories under Neo-Martial. But it seems... it seems it was indeed called Li."
Li Hao nodded. "Li should correspond to the south in the Bagua, yet Dali lies in the far north of Silver Moon... Perhaps I am overthinking it."
Still, Bagua alignments did not always match physical reality and could sometimes be inverted. In that case, being in the north could still make sense.
Who was this person?
Why had he remained nameless all this time?
Why build a divine temple?
Why refuse to use his true name?
It was not just now that he concealed his identity; he had done so from the very beginning. His actions carried an air of secrecy, or perhaps deliberate obscurity... As if to say: *Cause whatever ruckus you want, I will simply stay in Dali.*
Bizarre!
Li Fuhai was equally mystified. After a long pause, it said, "I cannot say for certain. The Marquis need not dwell on it too much. As he said earlier, Initial Martial cultivates the self, so he may have no ambition to devour the world! The Sword Venerable refrained from devouring this small world back then, perhaps out of similar thinking. According to that figure, the Sword Venerable traced back to the source and walked the path of integrating myriad Daos into his own body... so he had no interest in consuming Silver Moon. For this person to understand that so thoroughly shows he is extraordinary!"
Li Hao shook his head. "Regardless, we cannot afford to disregard him!"
Still, there was no need to investigate excessively for now.
It was enough to know of his existence.
At the very least, he was aware such a figure walked the board.
He quickly added, "No matter who he is, as long as he doesn't cross me, it is fine! Those who truly need to worry are not me, but the others!"
With that, he turned to Princess Jun. "As for the people leaving, has all their chaotic aura been absorbed?"
Princess Jun nodded. "It has!"
Li Hao glanced at the white horse. Feeling his gaze, it shifted restlessly. Li Hao said nothing, turning instead to Black Panther. "Black Panther, are you ready?"
Black Panther nodded.
"Have Redwood return. Doesn't it cultivate chaotic aura? With its roots, it can help anchor the new heaven! Consider it an opportunity for it..."
Li Fuhai could not help asking, "Would the Marquis not prefer to summon Di Wei instead?"
Such an opportunity seemed more suited to Di Wei.
"Use each according to their strengths! We are only fashioning a mock heaven, not a true one. We are not creating living beings, merely carving away a sliver of Silver Moon. Di Wei walks the path of life and has no need to create life here; bringing it would serve no purpose!"
Li Hao smiled. "If the day ever comes when I possess the capability to open a true new heaven within the chaos, I will certainly call upon Di Wei to create life—for that alone is true genesis! Today, we are merely stealing a small parcel of land from Silver Moon. Calling it 'opening the heavens' is just putting a fancy gloss on a sleight of hand."
Li Fuhai chuckled.
Put that way, it made sense.
Yet Li Hao was likely the only one who would dare speak of it so lightly.
Even performing such a sleight of hand was beyond the capability of ordinary men.
"If the Marquis can truly step beyond Silver Moon and forge a new heaven, I believe... it will be well within your grasp."
"Then let us look forward to that day! I have yet to fully unravel Silver Moon itself."
Li Hao laughed, then quickly grew serious. "Never mind them. I must begin the preparations! Furthermore... there may be unexpected shifts this time. I fear no one else, only that... someone will be displeased that I have carved away a piece of Silver Moon's heaven and earth!"
Li Fuhai said gravely, "We shall protect the Marquis!"
"No... there is no need."
Li Hao shook his head. "Gathering here would only draw attention! You need only do one thing for me. Right now, Boundless City, Battle Heaven City, the Wulin Alliance, and Dingtian City are all in our hands. I need four Saint-tier experts to oversee these four cities and stir the world!"
"Battle Heaven City must also descend into the world... Activating each major city is an arduous task... General Locust will control Battle Heaven City, the Wulin Alliance will be overseen by its guardian demon plant, Boundless City will be entrusted to you, and Dingtian City... let the Ninth Division Commander handle it!"
Presently, he had few Saints on his side.
The Old Turtle was still garrisoning the ruins of Star Suppressing City.
Each of the four major cities required a Saint. With Redwood coming here, and counting the Wulin Alliance’s guardian demon plant, all six Saints were assigned their duties.
He wanted to stir the world, disrupt the firmament, and disturb heaven’s will.
That included distracting the Zheng family, Li Daoheng, and the others.
Whether it succeeded was another matter; the attempt had to be made.
Li Fuhai frowned with concern. "In that case, only the Marquis and Redwood will remain here with Dao Integration combat strength! If... if this draws the attention of the Zheng family, or... or Zhang An... the danger will be immense!"
Li Hao even wanted Battle Heaven City to descend, which increased the risk exponentially.
If someone intruded here, safety could not be guaranteed.
Li Hao remained silent for a moment before replying, "It matters not. Fortune favors the bold! Relying on conventional methods, how could one hope to pursue a Half-Sovereign or contend with a Sovereign? Only by taking risks time and again does an opportunity arise!
"Carry out your duties! Furthermore, when chaos transforms into a world, a massive eruption of energy should occur! At least... I have never witnessed it myself, but that is my conjecture. Therefore, I will bring the others along to see if they can reap some benefits. This time, the Saints will not be included. Does the Sea-Suppressing Envoy think this will breed discontent?"
"Not at all!"
Li Fuhai replied immediately. "The Marquis may proceed as you see fit! If our side can gain a few more Dao Integration experts, it will only enhance our chances..."
Li Hao spoke of Saints, yet Li Fuhai used the term 'Dao Integration.'
Dao Integration was Li Hao’s designation.
Saint was the terminology of Neo-Martial.
One had to admit that Li Fuhai was extraordinarily astute; this great demon was sharper than most humans.
Who wouldn't appreciate such a demon?
Li Hao smiled. "Today is merely testing the waters, stealing heaven and swapping the sun. When the time comes for me to truly forge a new world... that will be the true fortune! When that day arrives, I will not forget any of you!"
Li Fuhai nodded and said no more.
That was still a distant prospect.
There was no rush.
"Then... proceed as I instructed!"
"Understood!"
Li Fuhai vanished quickly. Its intrinsic power actually surpassed the current limits of the world, yet when its true body stepped out, it faced few restrictions because a strand of heaven's will had been accompanying it—manipulated by Li Hao, though how he managed it remained a mystery to the beast.
Meanwhile, Li Hao began swift preparations.
One divine character after another vanished from where he stood.
Across the Great Desolation, divine characters sank into the earth in all directions.
Gradually, unique powers surged forth like an array formation, beginning to envelop the entire Great Desolation, though the construct remained precariously unstable.
Only when Redwood rushed back and sank its countless roots deep into the Great Desolation to anchor the domain did the perimeter hold firm.
The divine character for 'Dao' hovered at the center of heaven and earth.
Strands of Great Dao power, akin to chains, locked down the Great Desolation.
Within the territory, the white horse remained visibly restless.
It seemed to sense what lay in store for it.
Beyond the domain, heaven's will gathered slowly.
Li Hao rationalized the situation and stepped outside the Great Desolation, allowing heaven's will to converge upon him.
Not only that, he sat cross-legged in the void and began to cultivate.
Great Dao power radiated in all directions.
A passage manifested above.
Colossal dragons coiled around Li Hao, and even cosmic star rivers seemed to whirl about him.
The sheer commotion drew breathless attention.
As he unleashed such a disturbance, heaven's will coalesced in ever greater volume.
Zheng Yu received the report shortly after, wondering what Li Hao was up to now.
Kicking up such a fuss in the Great Desolation... Could he be trying to eradicate its chaotic aura?
If so, that would be wonderful news!
Once the chaos dissipated, the world would certainly experience another resurgence. Even if it could not support a Half-Sovereign, allowing a Heavenly King to walk out would be more than enough.
……
High above upon the moon.
The moon hovered over the Great Desolation, seemingly settling here with the passage of time. The Great Desolation marked the eastern edge—the place where the sun rose and the moon set!
Heaven's will surged as the Great Dao stretched across the expanse.
Upon the moon, the sword-bearing man murmured, "Forty-eight Dao meridians unsealed! A true prodigy of the ages! To attain such achievements after merely a single year of cultivation... he is truly the chosen one of this era!"
Behind him, the statue said softly, "What is he trying to do? Dispel the chaos of the Great Desolation? If Heavenly Kings are permitted to walk the world... Hurricane City must possess one, correct? Not only Hurricane City, but the Red Moon side... likely has one or two Heavenly Kings hiding elsewhere as well."
When that time came, Li Hao would be in grave peril.
He surely could not be so foolish.
After all, he had paid a steep price earlier just to forestall the second resurgence.
The sword-bearing man pondered for a moment before speaking slowly: "The Great Desolation... Dao meridians... chaos... domain... heaven's will..."
"Let us watch. There may be a novel harvest. Li Hao grows more intriguing by the moment. I suspect... he intends to steal heaven!"
"What?"
The sword-bearing man chuckled. "A sleight of hand to steal heaven and swap the sun! Let us watch a little longer; I cannot be entirely certain yet. Let us wait and see if the King of Dali comes here..."
"Does this concern the King of Dali?"
"The King of Dali also enjoys the favor of heaven's will..."
At that, he added with a hint of regret: "The one we chose... seems... rather lacking! After all, she has experienced fewer trials and hardships, creating quite a gap between her and those who climbed to the top purely on their own grit! Still, she retains some gathered heaven's will... Find a way to transfer some memories to her, or have the Prophet God divine a glimpse of the future to see if she can pick up some scraps..."
The statue was somewhat surprised. After a moment's thought, she asked, "I think I grasp your meaning. But... are we not going to stop him? Even if the second generation comes and claims a few scraps, it will only be dregs. Perhaps we could seize it ourselves..."
"There is no rush. It is merely a speck of territory. His doing this will work to our advantage! Furthermore, I want the second generation to come not merely to scavenge scraps—you misunderstand!"
The sword-bearing man explained, "If Li Hao truly acts as I anticipate and shears away a portion of heaven's will, the remainder of heaven's will will despise and oppose him! At that point, anyone who opposes Li Hao will receive the blessing of heaven's will! The remaining will will choose specific figures to empower... such as the second generation, or Ying Hongyue's cohort. Ying Hongyue is clever and would not dare! Thus... it will most likely fall upon the second generation!"
He cared nothing for picking up table scraps.
They were useless.
He wanted the Queen to go not to contest whatever burst of energy Li Hao released, but to secure the blessing of the remaining heaven’s will.
How large was the Great Desolation?
A mere speck!
When the King of Dali, Li Hao, and the others entered the Great Desolation, heaven's will would turn hostile. If you carved flesh from heaven's will, how could the remainder fail to turn against you?
Would it not seek someone to attach itself to?
The Moon God finally understood. "You... truly possess the intricate mind of a pure human!"
She had assumed he wanted the second generation to go merely to scavenge the leftovers Li Hao discarded.
As it turned out, he had instantly calculated how to usurp the remaining heaven's will.
His mind moved so swiftly she had almost failed to keep pace. Before the boy had even made his move, this man had already planned the next step.
The sword-bearing man laughed softly. "This is merely the standard range of human thought. I can only say... you lot lack the capacity for independent contemplation. Think more... Ah, never mind. It is fine not to think as well. The Cang Emperor never liked pondering such things; being strong enough is all that matters. Thinking too much is rather exhausting!"
The Moon God did not pursue the topic, asking instead, "What of Dali...?"
"Pay it no mind. I know that fellow’s thoughts... As long as we do not interfere, he will not meddle in our affairs. There is no major conflict between our interests at present!"
The Moon God’s heart stirred. "Is he very strong?"
"Exceptionally strong! However... in short, there is no need to worry about him for now."
"Understood."
The Moon God said no more on the matter.
After a pause, she suddenly remarked, "Lately, that fellow from Red Moon has made very little noise, quietly cultivating in seclusion."
"Him? He is a Sovereign after all, not to be underestimated. He is likely seeking an opportunity to break the seal! Ying Hongyue is currently absorbing the inheritances of the eight families and may stand a chance of stepping into the Heavenly King realm. For the Sovereign, a strengthened seal is undesirable, yet... a stronger Ying Hongyue will make it easier to establish contact with him... A double-edged sword!"
Pondering for a moment, the sword-bearing man said, "A Sovereign remains formidable; one must never treat him as a corpse or a trapped beast! That fellow may have deduced something long ago. Test him once more using the power of Silver Moon to suppress him!"
"Very well... However, the Red Moon power he radiates lately has dwindled... It has become difficult for me to extract large amounts of it."
"No matter. It seems he truly has caught wind of something. Still, taking so many years just to realize it shows his wits are hardly sharp. Pay him no heed."
After conversing a while longer, the sword-bearing man smiled. "Things have grown far more entertaining now! If it were only people like Zheng Yu throwing their weight around, it would be utterly dull! Without any amusement, it would also mean... the Silver Moon world possesses negligible potential! If it cannot even mount a counterattack, how could it advance further? The greatness of a world is measured by whether it can nurture sufficiently peerless prodigies..."
"Yet that introduces endless variables," the Moon God noted with concern.
The sword-bearing man shook his head. "No, no, no—you still do not understand! Competing against a pack of mediocre fools will only drag you down into mediocrity! Only by weathering trials can one hope to scale greater heights! Were the chaos not so perilous and our strength not so modest, heading into the chaos to contend against world masters and Dao masters would be the true path forward! Yet we have not even learned to run; flying is further still! If we succeed this time, we shall finally take wing!"
He smiled again. "Contending against true geniuses makes you stronger if you win! If you lose... it simply proves you were no genius to begin with, and you must accept your fate! My only regret is that this era possesses too few peerless talents; the only one who has truly made his mark is Li Hao! Still, that young fellow possesses a mind far too deep for his age—he alone can match several others. That is not bad at all!"
The Moon God had never asked before, but today she inquired, "What about Zheng Yu?"
"Him?"
The sword-bearing man thought for a long while before smiling faintly. "Decent."
Decent?
The Moon God’s heart stirred. She had expected him to call Zheng Yu trash, utterly beneath notice. For a man so proud to describe Zheng Yu as 'decent' was surprising.
As if reading her thoughts, the sword-bearing man chuckled softly. "He is indeed decent! Reaching the peak of the Heavenly King realm with little difficulty proves his talent is first-rate—that much is beyond dispute! His intellect... is actually passable! At the very least, he knows how to formulate schemes that appear nearly impossible... His only flaw is that he lacks courage!"
His appraisal of Zheng Yu was evidently not low.
He merely felt the man was too timid.
The Moon God processed this for a long time before asking, "Between him and Li Hao, whom do you consider more likely to become a future adversary?"
"A fifty-fifty split!"
The sword-bearing man gave a light laugh. "Aside from those two... there is another nuisance. Zhang An has been searching for me relentlessly and may find me soon. That fellow truly has too much time on his hands!"
"Then kill him..."
"Not so simple. Though he has barely scraped the pinnacle of the Saint realm and is not even a Heavenly King... that fellow... is not easily provoked! Previously, he was single-mindedly waiting, knowing that only a few years had passed in Neo-Martial, so he was in no hurry. But Li Hao has risen too quickly. Now Zhang An must worry that Li Hao will swallow Silver Moon and flee, leaving him with no chance of reuniting with Neo-Martial. Thus, he has grown anxious to cause trouble for me... What an impatient soul!"
He smiled and concluded, "Enough of this; let us wait! Present-day Li Hao remains far too green. For now, that Sovereign poses the greatest threat. No matter how formidable the others become, or how sharp their minds may be, nothing overcomes sheer, overwhelming might!"
The Moon God said nothing further, turning her thoughts instead to how she might steer that foolish second generation toward seizing this opportunity. Constantly lagging one step behind everyone else was growing thoroughly tiresome.
Chapter 370