Coveting My Body

Li Hao led his people and swiftly departed. Severing his own Dao and weakening heaven and earth—this move had caught everyone completely off guard. *** Meanwhile, on the Eastern Continent. Ying Hongyue's aura was feeble and withered. The two Saints by his side were nowhere to be seen. Blood seeped from the corners of Ying Hongyue's mouth, yet he could not help but chuckle. "Ruthless!" Li Hao was truly ruthless. How many Saints had he entrapped and slaughtered this time? And had that fellow discovered something after all? He had shown Ying Hongyue no mercy whatsoever, unleashing such an indiscriminate assault. If Ying Hongyue had been killed and the seal shattered, was Li Hao truly not afraid? Or had Li Hao known all along that Ying Hongyue would not die so easily? He truly thought highly of him! Glancing at the two corpses beside him, shredded almost beyond recognition, Ying Hongyue laughed. His laughter grew louder and louder until he suddenly tilted his head back toward the sky, red light flickering in his eyes. "Li Hao... it seems you’ve forced that one to leave!" *Li Hao, you really outdid yourself!* *I’ve kept my eyes on that person for ages with no way to handle them, yet today, you seem to have driven them off.* *Did you do all this precisely for this moment?* *If so, your methods are simply peerless!* *If not, you still managed to achieve tremendous merit by accident.* Reaching out, he drew the two mangled corpses into his hands, rapidly draining their energy. Ying Hongyue coughed for a spell, then chuckled softly. With this upheaval, there was no telling how much Zheng Yu had lost. A good thing. He turned to look in a certain direction—the Star Suppressing City ruins. Zheng Yu still had a clone trapped over there. Now that heaven and earth could no longer accommodate the emergence of Saints, that clone would most likely have to stay put for quite a while. That was, provided Li Hao didn't go after him. If Li Hao did... Zheng Yu's clone wouldn't survive either. "Perhaps... I should go pay him a visit." While Li Hao was occupied with other matters and might not immediately move against that clone, Ying Hongyue could perhaps sample the taste of a half-step Sovereign clone. His eyes flickered with calculation, and he swiftly sped off toward the ruins of Star Suppressing City. This time, every faction had suffered catastrophic losses, but that also meant an opportunity had arisen. Li Hao had finally swept away the influence of every side, even flushing out several figures hidden in the shadows. Even Ying Hongyue had to admit that his methods were brilliant. As for how Li Hao would handle things once heaven and earth stabilized again, Ying Hongyue wouldn't bother worrying about it. A man like Li Hao was bound to have cards up his sleeve; otherwise, how could he have acted so decisively? Ying Hongyue flew swiftly toward Star Suppressing City. If he made haste, he might reap an unexpected harvest. *** Elsewhere. The Queen was battered and bloody, in a miserable state. The Silver Moon power across her body had almost completely shattered, and she coughed up blood continuously. Slumped on the ground, she panted heavily for breath. Dark clouds cloaked the sky, and rain poured down. Her aura was exceedingly weak, yet she suddenly laughed. Blood surged from her mouth as she chuckled. Within her body, one Dao meridian after another opened, driving her laughter into near-madness. *Am I the Moon God?* She looked up at the sky. *Am I truly the Moon God?* The moment the moon vanished, she seemed to have sensed something. Combining that with Li Hao's strange actions, peculiar words, how he had deliberately let her go several times, and how she had inadvertently opened several Dao meridians... Along with the bizarre manner in which the deities had revived... She had never considered any of this before. Yet today, the Divine Kingdom's faith had collapsed, the divine power in her body had dispersed, and her Silver Moon power had just been largely severed by the violent shockwaves of heaven and earth. Suddenly, she perceived the essence of her power. Her foundational power... was not the power of faith, nor the power of the Silver Moon, nor divine power. It was... the power of the new Dao! How laughable was that? "Am I... the second-generation Moon God?" Madness, fury, despair, and resentment flickered through her eyes... So many emotions erupted at this single moment! Ever since she was very, very young, flashes of memory had surfaced, telling her she was the Moon God, the greatest deity in the world. From a tender age, she had been the Queen of the Divine Kingdom! The Prophet God and the others had found her, and as a portion of her memories revived, she knew she was a deity—a god of heaven and earth, the most noble deity of the Silver Moon: the Moon God! Therefore, she was born a ruler, an aristocrat! While the twenty-one-year-old Li Hao had still been struggling step by step, she, at the age of six, was already the Queen of the Divine Kingdom. No one had opposed her, for the gods had bestowed a divine oracle! She was born noble! Yet today... everything was laid bare. The facade covering it all had been stripped away. Li Hao thought her foolish, and Ying Hongyue probably thought so too... It was just that they had risen from the bottom and had no idea how effortlessly life had unfolded for a born noble like the Queen! At six years old, hundreds of millions of living souls across the Divine Kingdom had prostrated themselves before her, pledging loyalty without a shred of resentment! Protected by deities, blessed with supreme talent! She had traversed countless bottlenecks with utter ease. What were Three Suns and Rising Light, or divine abilities and Sun-Moon? None of them posed any obstacle to her. Wherever the limits of heaven and earth lay, there she stood! Favored by heaven's will, omnipotent. It wasn't until the day they attacked Heavenly Star that she suffered her first slight setback—and even on that first encounter, Li Hao had been the one to lose more... "So... I was nothing at all..." The Queen gritted her teeth and laughed. Her laughter carried a chill, laced with bitter resentment. At this moment, numerous details she had previously overlooked resurfaced in her mind one by one. She finally saw the truth of the world: from the moment of her birth, she had lived in an illusion. Li Hao's words echoed in her mind again, laden with profound meaning! *"As long as she lives, she is the Moon God!"* *As long as I live, I am the Moon God!* The Queen chewed over the significance of those words and suddenly burst into hysterical laughter... *So you saw through it long ago?* *As long as I live, I am the Moon God!* *The true Moon God lurks in the shadows... What if the true Moon God dies?* One thought after another exploded in her mind! A person's transformation could occur in a single instant. In this moment, the Queen, who had never truly experienced adversity, suddenly matured, grew up, and turned manic and extreme. *For twenty-one years, everyone has been lying to me!* *They used me, deceived me, treated me as a puppet, as an idiot, while I... lived my entire life in lies and deceit!* Resentment and fury erupted all at once. Vengeance! A grudge born of twenty-one years of deceit and manipulation ran far deeper than any defeat dealt by Li Hao. In that instant, she understood: Li Hao had never intended to kill her. He, too, had been using her to deal with the true Moon God behind the scenes! No wonder... every time, he had seemed so nonchalant. Every time, his gaze had been so complex, as if saying: *You could be even stronger!* As if saying: *How pitiful you are!* The Queen nearly ground her teeth to dust, a guttural cry of agony tearing from her throat. *Were all of you... treating me as a laughingstock?* *Am I truly that ridiculous?* *You bastards!* "Moon God..." Abruptly, she turned to look northward. To the north, within the seal, the true body of the Silver Moon still existed. Where was the real Moon God? Was she out in the world? Probably not anymore. In the past, the Queen had never felt what she felt today. The sensation was stark: her connection to the Silver Moon's power had suddenly severed... She wasn't stupid; she had simply never thought along these lines before. Now, she pondered intensely. In the past, the Moon God might have stayed right by her side, monitoring her every move. Yet today, as Li Hao swept across the world and slaughtered Saints, the Moon God's control over her had suddenly diminished—or even vanished. That meant the Moon God was definitely not inside the seal; she was right beside her. Where? Where could she be? The next instant, the Queen looked up at the sky, at the ethereal, illusory moon. In the past, the moon had seemed brighter, and she had always believed it was a real, physical entity. She was the Moon God. Previously, she hadn't paid it any heed, but today... why did that moon lack even a trace of Silver Moon power? From childhood to adulthood, all the Silver Moon power she cultivated seemed to have originated from that moon. "She was up there... and today, she vanished!" At that moment, she understood. Previously, the Moon God had resided upon it. But today, because heaven and earth had suddenly compressed in an abrupt eruption, and perhaps because she had shifted the moon away to evade Li Hao in advance... the connection between the moon and the Queen had been cut, and that entity... had not returned! She had been there in the past, yet had not returned today. Where had she gone? Heaven and earth had previously been unable to accommodate Saints, yet she had been present. That meant the moon was actually a ruin. But today, this ruin had vanished... The Dao universe? The thought surfaced. The Queen smiled once more. *Li Hao, it seems you drove her away!* Her gaze shifted northward again... It seemed there was also a Silver Moon inside the seal. Who was the true Moon God? A ruthless glint surfaced in her eyes. Since Li Hao had said that as long as she lived, she was the Moon God... then perhaps she was the real Moon God! *Refusing to show yourself?* *Perhaps this is my chance.* *All these years, I've been enveloped in the power of the Silver Moon and even acquired some of the Moon God's memories. I know the Moon God better than anyone. In the eyes of the Divine Kingdom, in the eyes of the world, and even in the eyes of heaven's will... I am the Moon God!* A puppet? Once the true Moon God was gone, wouldn't she become the real one? "She was in the seal before; how did she come out?" Thoughts flashing, she swiftly flew high into the sky. Wisps of faint Silver Moon power drifted at the edge of heaven and earth. An idea took shape in her mind. *Perhaps... I can enter the seal! Seize the true Silver Moon! At that moment, I will be the Moon God.* Looking northward, she thought, *Li Hao, Zheng Yu, Ying Hongyue... do you all look down on me? Then I will show you that I was born noble!* In a flash, the Queen tore through the void. She had an intuition: following the dispersing Silver Moon power, there might be a path that allowed her to slip into the seal unnoticed! That Red Moon Sovereign would probably be more than happy to see her seize the Silver Moon's true body and weaken the seal for him, wouldn't he? Whether she could succeed... might even require this Sovereign's aid! At this moment, the Queen seemed to have awakened completely. Successive blows and the agony of abruptly seeing through the world's illusions hadn't broken her. Instead, after the fury passed, she regained her composure. Now, even the defeats she had suffered at Li Hao's hands multiple times no longer mattered. Because... she wasn't the Moon God. Since she wasn't, but merely an ordinary human, what was so shameful about being defeated by Li Hao, who was hailed as the greatest powerhouse under heaven? *** Li Hao had not anticipated this turn of events. In truth, no one had expected such a shift. The Queen had vanished, but no one cared. Dead or alive, once the faith of the Divine Kingdom collapsed, Li Hao had stopped paying her much attention. Li Hao had looked forward to seeing whether the Queen could bring him more benefits... but he also wondered if she might have perished in this upheaval. He had even worried for her a little! Kind souls like her were few and far between. By this time, Li Hao was heading straight for the Western Continent. Soon, he spotted a heavily wounded Lin Hongyu, along with the puppets and the lingering scent of blood permeating the air. Dispersed power of faith drifted everywhere, accompanied by countless wails of anguish and despair. The people harbored immense hatred for the gods! The deeper their past belief had been, the greater their despair and fury when that faith crumbled! Cursing against the gods reverberated throughout the realm. "Marquis!" Lin Hongyu appeared as serene as ever, as though the version of her who had wielded a blade to slaughter just moments ago had vanished once again, replaced by a gentle, graceful demeanor and a soft smile. "The Divine Kingdom has been secured. It is just... somewhat chaotic." Li Hao nodded slightly and looked at her. "Are you disappointed?" Just earlier, heaven's will had favored her immensely. It had even possessed the potential to forcibly elevate her to the Dao Integration level. Yet because of a single word from Li Hao, she had not only missed out on heaven's favor, but the world now seemed to be targeting her as well. Li Hao, Lin Hongyu, and the Black Panther. All three were currently being targeted by heaven's will. Heaven's will had not vanished entirely. It had merely chosen to lie dormant after suffering severe damage. Had Lin Hongyu refused to obey Li Hao, she might have become the new ceiling of heaven and earth at this very moment. Lin Hongyu laughed softly. "Not at all. The Marquis even relinquished the world that was practically in his grasp; what does a mere fraction of heaven's will matter..." Li Hao chuckled and nodded. "No need to be disappointed. Heaven's will is nothing special. Gathering too much of it isn't necessarily a good thing anyway. Someone is keeping their eye on heaven's will; if you gather too much, you'll become a thorn in their side!" He was referring to Li Daoheng. That man wanted to capture heaven's will, though it would likely prove difficult this time. Earlier, Lin Hongyu's strength had already reached the seventh level of Sun-Moon, making her the second person after Director Zhao to attain that height. Now, while many had reached the seventh level of Sun-Moon, Lin Hongyu had regressed to around the fourth level. And that was only after having recovered substantially; the moment she detonated her Dao meridians, she had dropped nearly to the Mountain-Sea level. Compared to the others... she, who had always led the pack, had fallen far behind. At the fourth level of Sun-Moon, she was currently weaker even than Hong Yitang's daughter, Hong Qing. Even several rising powerhouses were stronger than her now. For instance, Dao Jian and the others recruited by the Inspectorate, or Hu Qingfeng, that flatterer and petty man who had ridden the coattails of the aftermath straight into the middle stages of Sun-Moon. She was in this state, and so was the Black Panther. Apart from Li Hao, the two of them—or rather, one person and one dog—had suffered the greatest losses. "Follow me... Everyone from Yuanping Martial Arts University, go regroup with Jiang Yingli and the others first. Rest in the ancient city for a while. Later, I will forge physical bodies for you all. We don't lack the materials for that now!" That young woman from the Li family, Li Shengzhang, who had once scolded Li Hao for groping her, wore a complicated expression. She acknowledged his command, then asked, "Commander Li, did Teacher and the others... appear in Silver City?" "Yes, they entered the seal." Li Shengzhang asked no further questions, immediately leading the puppets swiftly toward the ancient city. Li Hao glanced at them and said nothing more. He turned to Lin Hongyu with a smile. "Come, let's head into the Dao universe!" Without a word, Lin Hongyu followed him. Li Hao tore open the void, and Lin Hongyu stepped through after him. At this moment, the Dao universe was virtually empty. Even Battle Heaven City had been relocated back out to suppress heaven and earth. Lin Hongyu had visited the Dao universe before, but this time, everything seemed clearer. A river of stars lay somewhat fragmented. Many stars were dim and lusterless. The manifestations of Li Hao that had once guarded the various sectors had all disappeared, and the divine characters that had previously unified the starry river were shattered. This time, Li Hao had broken all the divine characters he had previously condensed. The stars gathered in this river seemed on the verge of drifting away. The starry river, which had originally formed a closed loop, was threatening to disintegrate. Lin Hongyu understood that Li Hao had detonated so many Dao meridians that his control over the Dao universe had weakened, bordering on collapse. His losses this time appeared severe indeed. He had clearly slain so many powerhouses... yet Li Hao seemed not to have reaped a single benefit. The loss was simply immense! "Marquis... are all these stars transformed from Dao meridians?" "Yes," Li Hao nodded, then asked, "Do you know why I only brought you inside?" Besides her, there was only the Black Panther. Lin Hongyu shook her head. "I don't. Is it because my strength declined, and the Marquis wishes to grant me some reward?" She wore a smile that seemed innocent and pure. Of course, Li Hao knew this woman was far from simple! From their first encounter and clash to the second meeting where she offered up the City of Supernaturals, transforming from a regional hegemon into his capable subordinate in an instant—how could such a woman be simple? She possessed tremendous boldness! Li Hao didn't elaborate, merely pointing at the river of stars. "Overall, the starry river has grown. This time, quite a few bright stars have emerged, which means people have opened Dao meridians—not just one or two, but very, very many! I didn't make any progress this time, but heaven and earth suddenly erupted with boundless energy. A large batch of Saints died, and a massive amount of Dao power dispersed. There were bound to be people who seized the opportunity to step into Mountain-Sea or even Sun-Moon!" "It is all thanks to the Marquis's selflessness!" Lin Hongyu said softly. "Without you, they would have had no such opportunity. The Marquis truly acts for the people, enabling everyone to flourish like dragons and storing wealth among the multitude!" Was she flattering him? A little. Yet it was the plain truth. Li Hao had never suppressed civilian martial arts; instead, he relentlessly promoted them, tossing out precious treasures without restraint. Today, the number of Dao cultivators across the realm likely exceeded a billion, perhaps even more. With so many people cultivating, geniuses were bound to emerge. Li Hao had never suppressed these talents either; they were all making rapid strides. Opportunities had been plentiful. First came the opening of the Taboo Sea, followed by the revival of heaven and earth, the fall of Saints, the dispersion of energy, the permeation of Dao power... along with martial arts academies everywhere and the chance to earn energy stones simply through infrastructure work... All of this had spurred the development of martial arts as a whole. The new Dao had become the mainstream of the world. "No need to flatter me; none of that matters! Besides, it's just mutual assistance. I gave them opportunities, and they've helped me several times in return. Whether it was slaying Heavenly Kings, dealing with Saints, or striking heaven's will... the people's will was of great use! Of course, that also required your propaganda and myth-making... In truth, none of that was strictly necessary, but since popular sentiment has helped me several times now, I won't be hypocritical about it." Had it not been for the people's will, dealing with those Saints would not have been so easy. In a single battle, twelve Saints had been slain. Without the Dao of the People's Will, how could they have thrown heaven's will into chaos for that critical instant? Lin Hongyu fell silent, merely wondering why Li Hao had brought her into the Dao universe. To bestow benefits upon her? To compensate her? Yet... Li Hao's own Dao had suffered extensive fractures. Rather than rushing to recuperate, what help could he possibly offer her by bringing her here? Amid her racing thoughts, Li Hao suddenly said, "Many people wish to become the Human King, but I have never considered becoming one." Lin Hongyu was taken aback. "I am not cut out to rule the world... Though, of course, martial might reigns supreme in this era!" Li Hao smiled. "Possessing martial might is actually enough; one merely needs to employ people according to their talents! Both you and Director Zhao are individuals I hold in high regard. Reason dictates that Director Zhao should be closer to me, since we are both from Silver Moon." "However..." Li Hao said softly, "Precisely because Director Zhao is also a Silver Moon native, I feel that if he were to rule the world, certain drawbacks might arise. Too many Silver Moon natives might not be a good thing! Moreover, Director Zhao... is somewhat older. While he holds a fair amount of reverence for me, he lacks a certain quality." Lin Hongyu remained silent. Whenever the Silver Moon martial masters were mentioned, she generally refrained from speaking. Li Hao smiled. "Enough of that. I brought you here because I have a few ideas. My previous cultivation was too disorganized, and I want to reorganize the Great Dao. In truth, I've reorganized it several times, yet it remains chaotic!" "Because we advance so quickly, we inevitably overlook or forget things along the way..." Lin Hongyu nodded and asked softly, "Does the Marquis wish for me to help you move stars?" Li Hao had mentioned this before. Previously, many people from Battle Heaven City had helped him move stars as well. "No!" Li Hao shook his head. "I want to carry out a comprehensive, large-scale reorganization of the Great Dao! It won't be as simple as just moving stars!" Li Hao continued, "I've gained some insights recently. Do you remember back when we mapped out the Dao meridians, we discovered that 360 Dao meridians form a sword?" Lin Hongyu nodded. Of course she remembered! That was the foundation of the new Dao! Who could forget it? Furthermore, everyone currently cultivated according to that very sequence. As she pondered this, Li Hao spoke again: "This time, I've come up with a new idea! I want to divide the entire Dao universe into 360 sectors, corresponding to the 360 Dao meridians. Furthermore, I want to infuse elemental Dao meridians into the non-elemental Dao meridians..." Lin Hongyu looked at Li Hao, puzzled. "What does the Marquis mean?" Was the current division unsuitable? Li Hao explained, "To put it simply, I will use the 360 Dao meridians as 360 anchor points, with each anchor point serving as the center of a sector. Rather than separating the various elements, they will be... blended! The various Dao meridians will be mixed, not in a disorderly fashion, but through an orderly blending and restructuring!" "This offers an immense advantage... In the end, they can be smoothly fused!" Li Hao smiled brightly. "In other words, I want to thread the entire starry river together, transforming it into orderly chaos! Naturally, on the surface, I will still maintain the current elemental divisions..." Lin Hongyu hesitated, unable to fully grasp Li Hao's intentions. Seeing this, Li Hao could only elaborate further: "Simply put, I want to divide the starry river into two layers! The first layer will be the sectors we currently see. As for the second layer... I want to create the source of the starry river, the current within the starry river! All Daos returning to the source!" "The entire starry river will be divided into two layers. The first layer will consist of the current elemental regions—the Five Elements sectors, the Wind and Thunder sectors, the blades, spears, swords, and halberds... with the stars serving as embellishments. Meanwhile, I will create a river of chaos encompassing the starry river!" Lin Hongyu was startled. "Why?" Why do such a thing? Not only would it be extraordinarily troublesome, but it was also a colossal undertaking. She couldn't understand why Li Hao wouldn't simply proceed according to the previous divisions. Why conduct such a reorganization out of the blue? Li Hao explained again, "All Daos returning to one! When I devoured the Great Desolation's domain earlier, I gained some comprehension. Chaos is very complex! The Great Desolation seemed somewhat disordered because it was disorderly chaos. Orderly chaos and heaven and earth should be capable of nurturing all Daos! They can even nurture worlds and universes!" "I called you in here partly to compensate you, but secondly, I need you to do something for me..." "The Marquis need only command!" Lin Hongyu responded hastily, somewhat bewildered. *What could I possibly help you with?* Li Hao had no shortage of Saints under his command now. Her strength had plummeted; what could she possibly assist him with? Li Hao smiled. "You're very skilled at managing public sentiment, and adept at bewitching the people... Cough, inciting public sentiment... No, that's not it, mastering the people's will... That's not right either. What I mean is... you're eloquent and persuasive..." Lin Hongyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. *How am I supposed to respond to that?* Li Hao smiled. "I have the concept for reorganizing the Great Dao, but it's too difficult and requires your assistance! That's where you come in." "Marquis, how... how can I help?" Li Hao hesitated briefly. "The difficulty is enormous! Reorganizing and fusing the Great Dao requires the cooperation of the common populace, yet... it cannot be too obvious, lest someone discern my purpose! In short, it's exceedingly intricate! For example, when I need to extract fire-attribute power, I might need ten thousand or a hundred thousand cultivators with opened Dao meridians to erupt their fire meridians simultaneously and shift along with me... Neither more nor less, while cultivators of other meridians remain still..." "When I need wind-attribute power, I might need the wind-attribute cultivators to circulate their power alone..." "In short, it requires a reorganization coordinated by the entire populace!" Li Hao explained, "I'm only giving a simple example; in reality, it's far more complex. I need the cooperation of the people and the balance of all Daos to form orderly chaos. It could technically be done without their cooperation, but the result would be extremely fragile!" "If I want a stable, enduring river, I need everyone to be of one mind. The margin for error is razor-thin!" "I thought it over. Qian Wuliang might be able to pull it off... but his methods wouldn't quite fit, and he can only control a fraction of the people. He cannot govern the entire realm!" "You, on the other hand, have governed Heavenly Star for some time. The public is familiar with you, knows you, and trusts you deeply... When the time comes, I will oversee the reorganization within the Dao universe, and I can only rely on you to direct things from the outside!" Lin Hongyu was stunned. *Direct the entire populace?* *How... how could I possibly guarantee that?* *You must be joking!* She couldn't help but say, "Marquis, this is far too difficult. If things spiral out of control... I... I cannot shoulder such responsibility!" *Stop fooling around!* "Marquis, the common folk are weak. Wouldn't it be better to find powerful cultivators and control them instead? If we gather them, even a million cultivators would suffice..." "That won't do!" Li Hao flatly refused, shaking his head. "I want to become the strongest cultivator and forge the mightiest starry river. Can a million cultivators compare to one or two billion? Even those who haven't opened Dao meridians have opened acupoints, and acupoints can influence the Dao universe as well... I need all cultivators to be of one mind..." *What... what are you thinking?!* Lin Hongyu's head felt ready to explode! Was this a reward, or was he sending her to her death? Li Hao tempted her: "If you pull this off for me, I can grant you an unparalleled opportunity! You think Qian Wuliang's Dao is formidable? Petty tricks! If you accomplish this for me, I will forge a new Dao for you—the Dao of the Multitude!" Li Hao cajoled, "It's essentially a miniature version of the Human Sovereign's Dao! I will weave your Dao throughout the starry river... At that time, while I control the river, though you won't control it entirely, you might well become the number two figure in the Dao universe... I haven't offered such an opportunity even to my closest companions, yet I'm offering it to you, Lin Hongyu. See how highly I value you!" Lin Hongyu was left speechless. *Value me?* It sounded tempting indeed. However... Aching with a headache, she said, "Marquis, the human heart is fickle! Under normal circumstances, it's manageable, but asking hundreds of millions of people to suddenly unite as one and do whatever you command... These are living human beings, cultivators, not machines, programs, or puppets... I have no confidence in pulling this off. Perhaps if you gave me three to five years..." "One month at most!" "..." Lin Hongyu nearly broke down, utterly dazed. Only after a long pause did she say, "One month at most?" "In fact... it might be even less! I must seize this one-month window, because after that month, certain people will emerge. Once they do, whatever I do can no longer be hidden from them!" Li Hao said seriously, "I cannot beat them as I am! In terms of strength and preparation, I am inferior to them! My only choice is to blaze a new trail, which is why I acted so decisively this time, insisting on locking them away! Just one month... If I miss this opportunity, everything about me will remain under their control, including this starry river of the Great Dao!" "Right now, there is no one inside the Dao universe!" "Right now, there is no one monitoring me from the outside... Moreover, I worry that people like Qian Wuliang might be secretly controlled by others! You, on the other hand... have kept a low profile, steadily advancing with the aid of Redwood... which is actually a blessing." Li Hao added, "Only if you help me accomplish this will I have a shot at success! Not only must it be done, but we must also ensure no one suspects a thing..." Lin Hongyu's head throbbed with a splitting pain! "Marquis, I... I cannot do it." It was truly impossible. Li Hao frowned. "How could you not? You have plenty of ideas! Every single time, you've found a way. Look at how swiftly the City of Supernaturals was brought to heel. Every time, you turned the situation around, effortlessly steering public opinion and sentiment. When the Taboo Sea revived, you managed to frame it as my gift to the world. You can turn black into white and bring the dead to life... Qian Wuliang is loathed by the Silver Moon martial masters, yet you managed to please both sides; the Silver Moon martial masters think well of you, and even Qian Wuliang gravitates toward you... Compared to Qian Wuliang, you're far better suited to being a mastermind behind the curtain!" "..." *Was that praise or an insult?* For a moment, Lin Hongyu had no idea how to respond. Li Hao said solemnly, "This matter is of paramount importance; the future hinges upon it! Everything I did today was to trap my hidden enemies for a month, severing their control and awareness of me! Within this month, I must undergo a massive transformation to turn the tides! Not just them—even the Red Moon Sovereign won't have the luxury of meddling with anyone this month... Heaven's will has gone into hiding as well. It's fair to say that this is the cleanest, clearest state heaven and earth have ever seen!" Only one month! After a month, heaven's will might resurface. Li Daoheng, the Moon God, Zheng Yu, Ying Hongyue, the Red Moon Sovereign... that entire crowd might appear once more. He wasn't joking. Everything he had done was for what would come in a month's time. During this period, he had to completely overhaul himself, ensuring that everyone lost their grasp and understanding of him. When that time came... whoever still treated Li Hao as the Li Hao of today would suffer bitterly. As for seeking out Lin Hongyu... he truly had no other choice. Just as Li Hao had said, aside from himself, this woman wielded the greatest influence over the realm. Cold sweat was nearly beading on Lin Hongyu's forehead. After a long silence, she finally spoke: "Marquis, it's too difficult! The timeframe is far too short, and you mentioned the margin for error is razor-thin... It puts me in an impossible position!" She gritted her teeth, paused for a moment, and said, "Marquis, if you want me to do this, I have a condition... and I hope you will agree to it!" "Speak!" "I... The Marquis must enter seclusion to heal his wounds! Meanwhile, I will play the villain. I will... publicly claim to seek a way to resurrect Professor Yuan and the others!" She looked at Li Hao and said in a deep voice, "The Marquis must first announce your seclusion for healing and transfer all authority over the world to me! That includes control over the major ancient cities and command over the Saints—they must all obey me!" "And I... will claim to want to give the Marquis a surprise. While the Marquis is in seclusion, I will mobilize the populace to resurrect his teacher and the others... Though, of course, that's actually impossible!" Lin Hongyu continued, "I also require full authority over the realm's resources, to allocate as I see fit, along with official ranks and titles... If anyone opposes me, I... I want the power to punish them, including... the Silver Moon martial masters!" She added, "Even all of that is not enough! I still need a title..." "Speak!" "The wife of the Marquis of Silver Moon!" Li Hao froze. Lin Hongyu kept her head bowed. "I am merely an outsider; why would the Silver Moon martial masters listen to me? If the Marquis enters seclusion, would they truly care about me? That includes the Neo-Martial powerhouses—they fear the Marquis, and they respect the Marquis... Unless I can genuinely represent the Marquis, who oversees the Dao universe. While the Marquis is in seclusion, I must hold the authority to govern heaven and earth!" Li Hao stared at her blankly. Lin Hongyu lowered her head even further. "I... I need the Marquis to make a public announcement that the Marquis... will take me as his wife. I will be both the Governor-General of Heavenly Star and the wife of the Marquis of Silver Moon. Thus, during the Marquis's seclusion, in order to prepare a grand surprise for the Marquis so that Senior Yuan Shuo and the others may attend the wedding... I will spare no expense to resurrect them. Only then will there be a sufficient pretext!" Li Hao opened his mouth. For a long while, he was struck dumb! *Give me a break!* *I merely asked you to help me reorganize the Great Dao, and you want to become my wife?!* He was utterly bewildered. Only after an eternity did he manage to say, "How about... I... I take you as my disciple?" "..." Lin Hongyu kept her head down. "Does the Marquis think... anyone would believe that? Only... becoming the Marquis's wife grants sufficient authority! A disciple represents nothing; in fact, it would seem like a cover-up!" "Whereas the Marquis marrying me... aligns with everyone's expectations and reasoning. It would be seen as winning over myself and Senior Redwood, a Saint, as well as appeasing powerhouses from the City of Supernaturals like Qian Wuliang... It would balance the Silver Moon martial masters against outside powerhouses, which aligns perfectly with imperial statecraft!" "It would solidify the Marquis's rule. After all, now that... the Marquis's strength has declined, marrying me to consolidate power would perfectly fit your motives! Concurrently, I would have a legitimate pretext to notify the populace and declare to the world that during the Marquis's seclusion, I am preparing a monumental surprise for him... resurrecting several senior figures!" Li Hao remained silent. Lin Hongyu gritted her teeth. "Marquis, it is merely in name... Only in this manner can we... have any hope of success! Otherwise, the Marquis must publicly disclose your true intentions; there is no other way to accomplish this! The people trust the Marquis, not Lin Hongyu! The Silver Moon martial masters and Neo-Martial powerhouses trust the Marquis, not me. I am merely the Marquis's representative; I don't actually possess the ability to manipulate hearts at will!" Li Hao scratched his head, displaying the restless awkwardness of a young man for the first time. He looked Lin Hongyu up and down, then asked after a long pause, "You... don't harbor any designs on me, do you?" Lin Hongyu said hastily, "The Marquis misunderstands..." Li Hao frowned. "No designs? And here I thought every woman in the world would be captivated by my charm. After all, I'm currently the most powerful man under heaven!" "..." Lin Hongyu felt like vomiting blood. *What kind of answer do you actually want? If I said I did have designs on you, would you find fault with that too?!* Helpless, she said, "Marquis, what do you think of... my proposal?" Frowning, Li Hao squeezed the Black Panther's head, causing the dog to bare its teeth in pain. Li Hao scratched his head again, clearly ill at ease and unaccustomed to this. "You mean... I have to make a formal announcement to the world?" "Naturally! Furthermore... we must specify the wedding date, ideally exactly one month from now. That way... everyone will truly believe that I made such a demanding, labor-intensive, and resource-draining decision during your seclusion solely to give you a surprise..." Li Hao scratched his ears and cheeks. "Is there really no other way?" Lin Hongyu shook her head. "The only other way... is for the Marquis to make a public announcement that you intend to counter powerful enemies by secretly reorganizing the Great Dao into something entirely different, and that you require everyone's cooperation." *Nonsense!* *If I did that, what would be the point of all this effort?* Li Hao, who had always remained calm and detached, now squirmed awkwardly. After a long while, he said, "This... I'm only twenty-one. I... I've never even dated anyone. I've spent all my time fighting and preparing for revenge... If I... suddenly announce that I'm taking a wife... will... will anyone even believe it?" Lin Hongyu said calmly, "Why wouldn't they? A month from now, heaven and earth will revive, and the Marquis will face immense peril. Before facing potential death, taking a wife to carry on the family lineage, making arrangements, and enjoying life a little... why shouldn't you? Of the three unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest... Perhaps the Marquis wishes for an heir to carry on the family line. Heavenly Star is still very traditional: establishing a family and building a career... First establish a family, then build a career! With the Marquis's great undertaking unfinished, establishing a family first will actually reassure people and project stability!" Li Hao's headache intensified! Why... was this so abrupt? He had merely asked her to help reorganize the Great Dao, not to psychoanalyze him into taking a wife—and marrying her, of all people! "How... old are you again?" "Marquis, that is beside the point!" "No, no, no!" Li Hao shook his head. "It is very much the point! Tell me first: how old are you? I forgot. I think someone mentioned before that you were around thirty? Or even older?" Lin Hongyu's brows twitched slightly. Only after a long pause did she say, "Twenties!" "Impossible!" Li Hao shook his head. "Impossible. How many years has the City of Supernaturals existed? You took control of it very early on!" Lin Hongyu stared at him blankly. *Do you have any idea... if you weren't the Marquis of Silver Moon, I might have killed you right this instant!* Her scimitar was nearly bursting from its sheath! After a long pause, she gritted her teeth and said in a low voice, "Thirty-one!" "That old?" Li Hao was startled. "You're ten years older than me!" "..." Lin Hongyu remained completely silent, her fists clenching tight! *That old?!* *Is that old?!* *In the era of supernatural powers, am I old?!* *Is thirty-one... really that old?!* *This is the supernatural era!* *Powerhouses easily live for a hundred thousand years, and you don't complain about them being old. Am I truly ancient at thirty-one?!* Li Hao felt deeply conflicted, muttering, "Thirty-one years old... ten years older than me. You've governed the City of Supernaturals for over a decade; back then, I was still in elementary school, or maybe even kindergarten!" "..." Lin Hongyu could barely hold back any longer, forcefully suppressing the fury in her heart. "My parents died early, my teacher is gone, and my brothers are dead too... There's no one left to stop me, but still... sigh!" He sighed repeatedly. At this moment, even the Dao universe seemed to frown in sorrow. Li Hao muttered, "Must I pay such a terrible price for the sake of my ambitions and success?" "Marquis!" Lin Hongyu's voice grew considerably shriller. "This is merely a proposal for the sake of your grand undertaking! It doesn't mean I actually want to marry you!" Li Hao smiled wryly. "But once I announce it to the world and make it public, a falsehood becomes truth. If word spreads later that I cast you aside, wouldn't... wouldn't the entire world spurn me? Do you think I don't understand that? By then... wouldn't I bear eternal infamy?" "..." *You sure overthink things!* Li Hao sighed and waved his hand. "You head out first. Let me think it over and consider it before I give you an answer. I need to reflect on... whether it's truly worth gambling my lifetime of happiness on the success of this endeavor..." Lin Hongyu spun around to leave, but quickly turned back to look at Li Hao, suppressing her temper as she said in a low voice, "Marquis, the passageway!" "Oh, right, right..." Li Hao quickly opened a passage, and Lin Hongyu vanished in an instant. Watching her departing figure, Li Hao stroked the Black Panther for a long time before letting out a sigh. "Black Panther, tell me... is she truly out of options, or is she just coveting my body and status?" "..." The Black Panther wagged its tail and shook its head. *Don't ask me. I'm just a dog; how should I know!*