Integrating the Body into the Dao

Within the Great Dao universe. Li Hao was still searching for the two powerhouses he had lost track of. Neither Redwood nor the Old Turtle had appeared yet. He had no idea what remote corner they had drifted to, and he could hardly get to work without tracking them down first. Stars densely dotted this region, so the two of them should have arrived quickly unless they had been cast too far away. Yet whenever Li Hao tore open the boundary between heaven and earth, the rift normally did not displace anyone to any great distance. Could those two Saints truly be lost? Roaming the starry expanse of the cosmos, Li Hao crossed into a dark zone. The Great Dao universe was simply too vast; he had only ever explored a fraction of it, leaving vast swathes blanketed in darkness. His main concern was wandering too far afield—returning might consume an immense amount of time. "Turtle Guardian!" Li Hao’s voice thundered through the void, causing the cosmos to vibrate. Why were those two running about aimlessly? If they had stayed at the exact spot where he had originally deposited them, he might have found them without trouble upon returning. Yet even when he went back and tore open the void to create a passage, there was no sign of either of them. It was bizarre. Continuing his trek through the void, Li Hao erupted with brilliant radiance, blazing like the descent of the sun and moon. He was lighting the way forward for the two experts, wondering just how far away they actually were. Black Panther was thoroughly bored. Accompanying Li Hao everywhere lately had brought it no benefits whatsoever—only utter exhaustion and misery. The thought that it might soon have to do chores for Li Hao made the beast even more listless. At the moment, it didn't care in the slightest that they couldn't find the Old Turtle and Redwood. Good riddance if they were lost; that would just give it a chance to rest. As it pondered this, Li Hao patted it. "You have a sharp nose. Are they nearby?" "..." *I knew it!* Black Panther twitched its nose in resignation. In truth, it had picked up their scent long ago, but it had simply been too lazy to run around. It had figured that given a little time, the two would pop up on their own. Yet they still hadn't appeared. *Fine, I'll make the trip.* "Woof!" Black Panther barked and bounded through the void. Li Hao kept close behind, silently cursing the hound. That dog was a slippery rogue—it had smelled them long ago and was just slacking off. If their teacher were still around, the beast would have been tossed into a stew pot already! Man and dog pressed rapidly forward. Traversing the void, they passed scattered stars, all dim and faint—evidently uncultivated Dao meridians. After traveling for a long while, faint light seemed to appear in the distance. A moment later, Li Hao arrived at the source of the glow. There he found the Old Turtle and Redwood. However, something was terribly amiss. At that moment, the two stood frozen in the void as if bound by an unseen force—almost like stone statues, completely motionless. Li Hao instantly frowned. "Turtle Guardian?" He called out, but neither turtle nor tree gave the slightest response. Li Hao surveyed the surroundings and frowned once more. Why was this happening? Nothing seemed particularly unusual about this area. Yet the two stood rooted in place, faint light flickering across their forms. His mind raced, and he refrained from stepping closer. Instead, he struck out with a blow from a distance. *Boom!* The void shook, and a ripple spread outward. These two were Saints, while he was currently merely at the seventh level of the Sun-Moon realm. For whatever reason, they seemed completely immobilized; he could not afford to approach recklessly and suffer a disastrous setback. Though he felt he possessed a solid understanding of the Great Dao universe, there was no guarantee unforeseen variables wouldn't arise. What if this had something to do with the Illusory Dao universe? Moreover, he had yet to locate Zhang An's natal star. Who knew whether someone else under the heavens was secretly cultivating the new Dao, keeping their Dao star concealed in the cosmos and lying in wait all along? The void fluctuated for a time, ripples rolling out. A moment later, something seemed to shatter. The tree and the turtle snapped awake simultaneously. Redwood's branches quivered, instantly sweeping in all directions. Only when it sensed Li Hao's aura did it startle in surprise. It hastily shifted into human form and appeared before Li Hao, looking puzzled. "When did the Marquis arrive?" The Old Turtle also manifested beside them, suspicion clouding its eyes. Li Hao frowned slightly, glancing around. "Two days have passed. This place isn't far from the starry river, yet you two seemed completely immobilized and never returned. I came looking for you. Did something happen?" "Two days?" Both powerhouses froze in astonishment. Redwood gasped, "We... we only just entered..." What was going on? The Old Turtle, however, suddenly said, "Two days already? So fast! If the Marquis hadn't awakened us, perhaps... we would have lingered even longer! Shan Qi and I caught sight of a rather peculiar star... With just a single glance, we were ensnared in time, utterly unable to free ourselves!" Li Hao was taken aback. What on earth were they talking about? A star? He scanned the surroundings and saw nothing of the sort. Frowning, he asked, "Explain carefully. What did you see?" The Old Turtle pondered and replied, "Earlier... back on that day when we entered this place and the Great Dao universe was sealed, a star suddenly appeared before us. It was brilliantly bright, like a burning sun! Thinking it might be the natal star of some powerhouse, we took a closer look... Next thing we knew, we awoke to find the Marquis at our side." Redwood shuddered in retrospect. "Two days... I felt nothing at all. I thought I was still gazing at that star—just a fleeting instant, the time it takes to turn one's head. How could two whole days have passed?" If Li Hao hadn't come for them, would they have remained staring at it forever? Trapped here indefinitely? Li Hao looked puzzled and solemn. "You mean that even just now, you believed you were still looking at that star, and in the next instant, I appeared before you?" "Yes." "Was there anything unusual about that star?" The Old Turtle recalled the star's appearance, lingering dread rising within him. Only after a long pause did he say, "Nothing overtly strange, except... it was somewhat bright, somewhat illusory, as though it didn't belong to this world at all—fluid, like running water..." Redwood added, "If you ask me, it was like the swift flight of an arrow, a white colt flashing past a crevice. That hazy, fleeting sensation... A single glance made one feel as though a thousand years had passed." Li Hao's tone turned solemn. "Was it cultivated by someone?" Both experts were startled by the question. They exchanged glances, and the Old Turtle shook his head. "Unclear! It's hard to say. In our perception, we merely glanced at it... Oh, right, I... I felt that the star was half illusory and half real, straddling reality and illusion. It was rather strange..." Countless thoughts raced through Li Hao's mind. A white colt flashing past a crevice... half illusory, half real. A star... bright and radiant... A single glance had trapped two Saints in stasis, as if sealed. Had Li Hao not been nearby, they might not have awakened for ten million years. Was that possible? Was it the natal star of a cultivator of the new Dao? Or an innate, primordial star that had existed in the Great Dao universe from the very beginning? Why would such a peculiar star suddenly appear? Li Hao could not fathom it. *Straddling illusion and reality... the illusory and real universes... Could it be the junction of the two Great Dao universes—the cosmic center that Li Fuhai spoke of?* *But... is it mobile?* Li Hao’s heart jolted! If his deduction was correct, this cosmic center was not a fixed location, but a roaming anomaly! Moreover, it seemed exceptionally dangerous. What did this mean? Was it a good thing or a bad thing? If that was the case, bridging the gap between the real and illusory universes would be exceedingly difficult. Even if Li Daoheng was on the other side, crossing over would be nearly impossible for him—and Li Hao would face the exact same barrier. Two Saints had lost themselves with a single glance. Would he fare any better? "Do not speak of this to anyone!" Li Hao said in a low, heavy voice. "A single glance cost you two days. Had I not called you back, it might have been ten thousand years. What I wonder is whether life still ebbs away under that stasis, or if one is frozen in eternity." The two Saints broke into a cold sweat. The Old Turtle was knowledgeable and experienced. He said gravely, "This... might touch upon the concepts of time! Time is the most elusive mystery in heaven and earth. No matter how magnificent your peerless talent, even if you become the master of a world... theoretically, one can live through boundless ages, but in the end, death still claims you! "No matter how mighty an expert is, they will eventually perish. Perhaps they can live for five million years, or ten million... even reaching an unimaginable span. Yet beneath the relentless wash of time, their lifespan will erode, and they will slowly wither away..." He shuddered slightly. "But... could this newborn Great Dao universe already involve such rules and powers? "Time is chaotic in the cosmos; spacetime is profoundly complex. Take a single step in the primal chaos, and a second might pass—or a year, or a decade. Long ago, the Human King nearly lost himself in the chaos. After defeating the Heavenly Emperor and the World Seed, he came perilously close to losing his way within the chaos. When he turned back... several years had already drifted by." It was just like their experience moments ago: they had felt as though they had only taken a single look, yet two days were gone. And that was fortunate, as they had not sunk too deep. With worse luck, had no one awakened them, their next moment of consciousness might have been years, decades, or even longer. Li Hao's brow twitched repeatedly. He looked all around. He had not seen this star. Interlacing illusion and reality, a single glance spanning ten thousand years—could a Dao of Time truly exist? Was it possible? Life and death were unpredictable; the passage of years was merciless. If anything in heaven and earth was truly complex, it was these very things: life, death, and time. Reversing life and death, chasing the footsteps of time... If someone could contest the flow of time, would they not achieve absolute immortality? *I am more eternal than time itself!* *A glance from you, and ten thousand years slip away.* How terrifying! Li Hao snapped out of his daze and quickly said, "Let us not dwell on it or meddle with it! This is the Great Dao universe, after all; there are bound to be things beyond our comprehension. For now, we lack the strength to explore them." Shaking his head, Li Hao chose to put the matter aside, though he etched it deeply into his memory. He looked at the two Saints and said, "You two should leave as soon as possible. Heaven and earth outside cannot yet accommodate Saints, so I will send you to an ancient city! The Great Dao universe is no place to linger." The two powerhouses did not argue. Deep down, they were thoroughly unsettled. They had previously thought the Great Dao universe was commonplace and devoid of danger. Li Hao traversed it constantly, and as Saints, they had felt entirely unthreatened. Who could have imagined they would nearly meet their end here? Li Hao led them swiftly away from the area. Only when they returned to the vicinity of the starry river and saw the familiar expanse did the two finally relax a little, still nursing lingering fear. Saying nothing more, Li Hao swiftly opened a cosmic passage. After a brief wait, an ancient city appeared before them—Battle Heaven City. The Ninth Division Commander was stationed inside. Seeing the two Saints return, he breathed a deep sigh of relief. He had worried they might never come back! Thank goodness! The two Saints quickly entered the city. The Ninth Division Commander spoke to Li Hao. "The four main cities previously absorbed a great deal of worldly energy. The energy within the cities is fairly rich right now..." "Have the Demon Hunting Martial Guard Army garrison one of the cities!" Li Hao instructed. "As for the remaining three main cities, let Lin Hongyu decide who is best suited to enter!" The Ninth Division Commander nodded. He hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Lin Hongyu..." "I am about to enter seclusion. If there are matters of state to discuss, consult her." "This..." Before the Ninth Division Commander could say more, Li Hao closed the passage to the Great Dao universe and vanished. The Ninth Division Commander shook his head helplessly. Redwood looked puzzled and couldn't resist asking, "Commander... you mentioned Hongyu just now... What happened?" The Ninth Division Commander glanced at it. In truth, he wasn't particularly fond of these beings. He said indifferently, "Nothing much. Li Hao publicly announced earlier that he will wed Lin Hongyu in the coming days. That's all." Redwood froze. Its heart thudded violently. Was that real? There had been no warning whatsoever! How had such a development suddenly occurred? Its mouth went dry. Lin Hongyu was the very person it had been backing all along. How had this happened so abruptly? "Commander... are you joking?" The Ninth Division Commander couldn't be bothered to elaborate. Though he was perplexed himself, things had already reached this point, and strictly speaking, it was Li Hao's personal affair. He had no place to pry. Seeing Redwood's mixture of disbelief and barely concealed ecstasy, he said coldly, "Fellow Daoist Shan Qi, you are sinking too deep. If things go awry in the future... you won't have any retreat left!" It might not be a good thing for Redwood. Redwood suddenly laughed. "Does the Commander think that having come this far, one still needs a path of retreat?" Li Daozong underestimated it! At this stage, what was the use of a way out? The Ninth Division Commander said nothing more. Perhaps so. For Redwood, staking everything on a single throw might indeed be the only way forward. Battle Heaven City vanished on the spot. Li Hao had gone to great lengths to move Battle Heaven City into the Great Dao universe, only to move it back out recently. Now that the Great Dao universe could be opened again, he refused to let Battle Heaven City enter once more. It was strange, but the commander held his tongue. The present Li Hao had many thoughts of his own. He was no longer the obscure newcomer who had first entered Battle Heaven City requiring their guidance and promotion. Even at the seventh level of the Sun-Moon realm, the threat Li Hao posed was in no way inferior to that of a Saint. Back when they assaulted Boundless City, Li Hao might not have been as formidable as he was today. *** Within the Great Dao universe. Li Hao stood above the starry river, gazing into the distance with a faint frown. An illusory star... The cosmic center? With the two Saints present earlier, he had held his tongue. Now, with only Black Panther beside him, Li Hao spoke softly: "Black Panther, tell me: what lies at the end of the cosmos? What is the culmination of the Great Dao? Among the myriad paths of heaven and earth, which Dao is the strongest? Is the master of a world mightier, or the master of a Great Dao?" Black Panther remained silent. *I'm just a dog—an ignorant dog that’s followed you around. You don't even know, yet you ask me? How could I possibly know!* *Besides, I'm a bachelor dog, which is even more miserable. You said you'd leave the white horse to me, but then its chaotic intent detonated and the horse was gone. How pitiful is that?* Li Hao didn't seem to expect an answer anyway. After a long pause, he muttered to himself, "The Great Dao is far too vast and intricate. Right now, I've barely scratched the surface. A pity... a great pity that there is no longer anyone to discuss the Dao with me. Everyone harbors their own schemes. People like Zheng Yu and Ying Hongyue chase only profit, not the true Dao! When Teacher was alive, he felt I had surpassed him and no longer needed his guidance. Only after Teacher departed... did I truly understand loneliness!" He pointed toward the starry river and murmured, "The river of stars remains, yet today, only you and I can linger here! The land of Silver Moon is merely a small world, yet it is tangled in countless problems... The troubles of Silver Moon must be resolved quickly! Though time may not flow at the same pace, whether Neo-Martial or the Red Moon World emerges victorious, Silver Moon will inevitably have to face one of them!" He looked down at Black Panther and whispered, "If Red Moon defeats Neo-Martial, we simply fight Red Moon again! But if Neo-Martial defeats Red Moon... tell me, where should I turn? Silver Moon originated from Neo-Martial, and the ancient experts of Battle Heaven City hail from Neo-Martial. Are we, the Silver Moon martial masters, supposed to hand over our new world on a silver platter? The Neo-Martial Human King is domineering beyond measure. Would he tolerate an independent realm right beneath his nose? If it were you, would you agree?" He looked far ahead, his thoughts already reaching into the distant future. Black Panther had never considered things on such a scale. Li Hao murmured, "I have no ambitions for conquest, yet... I refuse to let Silver Moon live under someone else's roof. One hundred thousand years have passed here. Perhaps only a few years have elapsed on their end, but Silver Moon has indeed severed many of its ties with Neo-Martial. I have no wish to oppose Neo-Martial, but... what if Neo-Martial insists on conquering Silver Moon? "Silver Moon came from Neo-Martial. If the Sword Venerable held dominion, Neo-Martial would raise no objections. But if I rule it, will the Human King have none? Silver Moon and Neo-Martial might end up waging war against one another. Even if I harbor no such intent, and the Human King harbors none... the inherent relationship between the two realms may make conflict inevitable! "Do you know why I am realigning the Great Dao universe? I must study this chaos, this cosmos, this Great Dao, this world... to prepare for the future. In truth, I have no desire to swallow Silver Moon. My thought is that if Neo-Martial wins, I will take those Silver Moon people willing to follow me, and open a brand-new world in the primal chaos! "A world is not unique! Silver Moon was able to grow on its own to this day using some of Neo-Martial's energy... Everyone wants to devour the world's intent, but I... I wish to plant the seed of a world. Fighting tooth and nail over a solitary world, losing one's Dao heart in the process... It shouldn't be like this!" Black Panther wore a bizarre expression. *Isn't that... looking a bit too far ahead?* In truth, Li Hao was not speaking to the dog, but to himself. He was telling himself that if Neo-Martial won and their paths crossed, and they demanded Silver Moon back... he would yield it to them. Because it had originally been born of Neo-Martial. Yet he would still need a territory of his own to lead away those willing to follow him. If Neo-Martial fell... and the Red Moon Great World descended, Li Hao was more than willing to fight with all his might. Victory or defeat, he feared nothing! His heart churned with countless thoughts—how could an outsider ever comprehend them? Whether Li Daoheng or Zheng Yu, all they sought to conquer was a small world... but that was never Li Hao's aim. *Alas... even if I spoke these words aloud, how many would believe me?* Li Hao gave a self-deprecating laugh. Grand ambitions meant nothing when he remained constrained by others, did they? "Back to work!" Li Hao smiled. "It has been a long time since I gained fresh insights into the Great Dao. I hope this time brings something new!" The starry river trembled. Countless stars stirred. Li Hao began to realign the river of stars. As myriads of stars shone brilliantly, he did not merely shift them into place this time. Instead, he peeled away strands of stellar power, thread by thread—exceedingly faint and delicate. From countless stars, he drew out tiny slivers of the Great Dao's power. He himself inhaled and exhaled the power of the Great Dao, gathering it here. He intended to forge a true river, placing the stars within it so that it resembled a mighty torrent. The stars would serve as embellishments, while the river formed the foundation. Then, he would conceal the river... That way, even if a powerful foe discovered it and breached the Great Dao universe, he would still possess the power to fight. From that day onward, Li Hao embarked on a new chapter of cultivation. Countless strands of astral energy surged into his body. One divine character after another manifested once more. Only this time, there was a subtle difference. The starry river was re-partitioned. Each non-elemental Dao meridian formed an acupoint, and 360 non-elemental Dao meridians assembled into a sword. Indeed—the river of stars would no longer encircle the universe. It would... become a sword! The tip of the sword pointed straight toward the boundless, endless reaches of the cosmos! A circular river was well and good, but Li Hao made adjustments, taking the 360 Dao meridians as the core to forge a sword-shaped circulating river. In this way, the cycle remained intact. Yet the river of stars had transformed into a sword. The edges of the sword were the domains of the stars. At the center lay a blank expanse. This empty space was reserved for Li Hao himself, and prepared for bridging the two sides of the cosmos in the future. It was a monumental undertaking! Countless powers of the Great Dao swirled between heaven and earth. As the sword-shaped river steadily took form, the entire cosmos seemed to undergo another transformation, trembling faintly. Compared to the circular river before, it felt far more stable! Because the 360 Dao meridians were, in essence, a sword! The moment the 360 meridian domains were mapped out and completed, the cosmos shook violently, generating a resonance that rippled across the universe! From the depths of the cosmos, a wave of Great Dao power suddenly surged forth, washing over the entire river of stars! A flash of delight crossed Li Hao's face! Indeed, true success lay in alignment. Before, he had merely forced things into place; it had not truly resonated with this Great Dao universe. Yet... Li Hao murmured, "Heaven's will is a sword, the Heavenly Dao is a sword, the Dao meridians are a sword, everything is a sword!" "Sword Venerable... is all of this truly just a coincidence?" He muttered to himself. Leaving aside heaven's will and the Dao meridians, now even arranging the Great Dao river into the shape of a sword had garnered the acknowledgment of the Great Dao universe! Back then, the Great Dao universe hadn't even existed. When the Sword Venerable departed, there was no Great Dao universe. Why... why did even the Great Dao universe agree that a sword-shaped starry river was better suited to the Dao? "Why?" Was it the lingering influence of the Sword Venerable, or some other cause? According to legend, during the era of the Neo-Martial Human King, the Sword Venerable was merely a third-tier Sovereign. The first tier comprised the world masters like the Human King; the second tier included the Supreme, the Earth Emperor, the Heavenly Dog, and the Blood Sovereign; and the third tier was where figures like the Sword Venerable stood. "Could a third-tier expert like the Sword Venerable truly influence the Great Dao universe one hundred thousand years later?" At that moment, Li Hao suddenly felt that the Sword Venerable... was extraordinary. His ancestor... perhaps he truly was. Had he really been just a third-tier Sovereign? All paths returning to one... It was said he had forged a new path, to the point where he had no need to consume Silver Moon—a world coveted by countless experts, one that the Human King had even offered him, yet he had declined. Could such a powerhouse truly have been nothing more than a 'one-sword hero'? Li Hao's interest was piqued. He murmured, "Perhaps... the Sword Venerable didn't consume Silver Moon simply because he had no need for it! People say the Li family excels at swift strikes but lacks endurance, yet that was only the Sword Venerable in the early days of Neo-Martial! The Sword Venerable once visited another universe, and their world master personally escorted him out... He didn't even take his own sword when he departed on campaign, setting forth entirely empty-handed..." For a swordsman to leave his sword behind was truly peculiar. Either he no longer needed it, or... he felt the sword had become a shackle. The Great Dao universe trembled faintly. In that instant, countless stars from all directions were drawn toward them, pulled by the greater attraction of the sword-shaped river. A faint pulsing, like the beating heart of the cosmos, reverberated through the void, beckoning stars to converge. Just as Li Hao fell into contemplation, his expression abruptly shifted. Far in the distance, a star—dazzlingly bright, half illusory and half real—seemed to have been drawn in as well. Breaking through barriers at an impossible speed, it flashed across heaven and earth, hurtling directly toward them. *The star that the Turtle Guardian and the others saw?* Li Hao’s heart hammered against his ribs! He dared not look. He feared falling into its thrall—ten thousand years in a single glance would spell doom! The star arrived in an instant, plunging directly onto the sword-shaped river of stars! Like a living creature peering down upon the realm, it surveyed heaven and earth with apparent curiosity, sweeping over the great sword. In that instant, every star seemed to freeze in place, completely motionless. All the stars that had been drawn in halted their motion. Li Hao shielded his eyes. Beside him, Black Panther tilted its head upward, staring blankly into the sky, frozen solid just as the two Saints had been. Li Hao felt an invisible, suffocating pressure! Yet he remained conscious! At that moment, the battered divine character *Dao* within his mind shimmered with radiance. It was not his closed eyes that had spared him; rather, this divine character was shielding him, preventing him from sinking into eternal stillness. Li Hao's heart stirred. This character, condensed by the universe itself, had nearly shattered completely last time. Who could have thought it possessed such an effect? *In that case... can I observe this star that suddenly flew here?* Li Hao was anxious... even terrified! Yet having come this far, turning away without a glance left him unwilling. Perhaps this star was the very cosmic center he had been seeking all along. When a seeker of the Dao finally laid eyes upon it, would he play the hypocrite who feigned love for dragons only to cower when one appeared? If one feared danger, why seek the Dao at all? He possessed the character *Dao*, an opportunity scarcely found under the heavens. How could he abandon it? Li Hao opened his eyes. He saw it! It was a dazzling star, shifting between reality and illusion, beating like a heart as if drawing breath. Its every pulse seemed tethered to the entire universe. It appeared to take a liking to the sword, circling above the sword-shaped river for a time. Time itself seemed to freeze before it. The entire cosmos fell into a silence so absolute it was suffocating. Even the river of stars ceased to ripple. A peculiar fluctuation radiated across heaven and earth. Li Hao’s body was locked in place, and even his thoughts grew sluggish. He could only stare blankly at the star. Then, his gaze shifted toward its illusory facet. He froze! Within that illusory facet, countless stars seemed to exist on the reverse side of this celestial body—yet they felt entirely unreachable. "The Heart of the Great Dao!" An epiphany struck Li Hao. This... was the center of the Great Dao universe! Its reverse side was the Illusory Dao universe—the realm where the Moon God and the others resided. There, he seemed to glimpse brilliant stars. He seemed to see a bright moon! And he seemed to see... another sword! It was as if a swordsman had condensed his spiritual sword there, forging his natal star. "Li Daoheng..." Li Hao thought to himself, then closed his eyes, quietly sensing everything. He absorbed the faintest traces of the peculiar Great Dao power, perceiving and comprehending this unique fluctuation. The fluctuation of the Dao! In his mind, memories seemed to blur and tangle. In a trance, he seemed to see his past self—a young child... and then he seemed to see his aged self, waiting for him in the distant future. *Time!* Li Hao murmured inwardly. Could time truly be reversed? In the void, the star hovered for a while longer, then seemed to lose interest. The sword-shaped river had only piqued its curiosity for a fleeting moment. Flashing with light, it vanished from the spot. The world returned to normal. The stars resumed their drift. Black Panther, however, remained staring blankly, as if trapped in deep slumber. "Black Panther!" Li Hao barked softly. Black Panther snapped awake, looking at him in confusion. Why was he yelling? To the hound, only a single instant had passed! Li Hao's heart leaped. How much time had truly elapsed? He had felt only a brief spell... but could it have been far longer? In an instant, Li Hao vanished. He remanifested in the Silver Moon world. Listening closely, he instantly picked up countless voices. His expression changed, and he muttered, "I felt only a dozen seconds, yet seven days have passed... Incredible!" He had remained conscious the entire time! Yet seven days had still slipped by. It was terrifying. That star was truly extraordinary. Reentering the Great Dao universe, he looked at Black Panther and said softly, "That brief moment you froze... seven days passed!" Now Black Panther was genuinely stunned. *Are you kidding me?* It hadn't felt a single thing! Li Hao was equally shaken. Glancing back at the sword-shaped river, his eyes flickered. "The river has stabilized considerably! Incredible... I had merely arranged it into the shape of a sword, but it wasn't very solid. That thing's brief appearance seemed to help me anchor the sword-shaped river!" A surge of excitement washed over Li Hao, as if he had found a new pursuit. "Black Panther, tell me: if that star becomes the core of my river... does that mean I could control time?" Black Panther shook its head, utterly clueless. All it knew was that standing still for an instant had cost seven days. The sheer horror of it made its fur stand on end! Li Hao, however, laughed aloud. A faint ripple began to emanate from his body, radiating outward through the divine character *Dao*. Black Panther stared blankly at Li Hao, then slipped into a trance. This time, without Li Hao calling out, Black Panther snapped back after roughly seven or eight seconds, looking at him in bewilderment. Li Hao's eyes gleamed. "Did you... feel anything just now?" Black Panther shook its head, puzzled by the question. *I just looked at you, what was I supposed to feel?* Li Hao's heart pounded furiously. It truly hadn't felt anything! Black Panther was in the middle stage of the Sun-Moon realm, yet a single glance from him had frozen it for seven or eight seconds. This was incredible! He had touched the very core of the Great Dao universe. Li Hao took a deep breath, a broad smile spreading across his face. "Fascinating. The character *Dao* is extraordinary! The sword of the starry river is extraordinary, and so is that star—the Cosmic Heart, the Heart of the Great Dao... Absolutely fascinating!" Li Hao was thrilled! Over ten days had passed in the outside world, added to the days he had spent earlier. The time for Lin Hongyu and the others to act was fast approaching. Li Hao drew a deep breath. "Back to work! More stars have joined the fold! I'll forge this starry sword to be even mightier! Furthermore... I may have to make a slight change. Black Panther, keep watch over me so I don't die here!" Black Panther looked at him warily. *What are you trying to pull now?* In that instant, Li Hao's form expanded wildly—a thousand meters, ten thousand meters, a hundred thousand meters... He swelled to an unimaginable size! The next moment, 360 Dao meridians surfaced within his colossal body. Most were unopened; only a small fraction had been opened. Taking another deep breath that whipped up a hurricane across the void, Li Hao spoke with a voice like a bronze bell: "I shall... enter the river with my own body!" Before Black Panther could make sense of it, the colossal Li Hao took a stride and stepped directly onto the river of stars. He slowly lay down, his 360 Dao meridians aligning with the 360 domains of the river. One meridian corresponded to one domain, whether opened or not. The opened meridians merged directly with the natal stars in their respective domains. As Li Hao slowly dissolved into the river, he murmured, "I shall merge into this river, using the flow of my own blood as its bedrock! The Dao is me, and I am the Dao..." "Woof! Woof! Woof!" Black Panther panicked! As Li Hao integrated into the river, his physical body seemed to dissolve, sending Black Panther into a frenzy of worry. What kind of madness was this? This was taking things way too far! Integrating the body into the Dao! Li Hao’s voice echoed once more: "Black Panther, I am taking another gamble! I will be an absolute, unrepentant gambler! Let myriad Daos converge in my flesh; let my body become heaven and earth! The Great Dao shall be wielded by me, and all living things shall be born of me! "Without doing this... how could I, Li Hao, ever surpass those who came before? "Black Panther... I can win, can't I?" "Woof!" Black Panther barked anxiously, filled with worry and tension. Colossal dragons manifested above the starry sword, rapidly fusing with each domain. The dragons roared, but several unopened Dao meridians could not bear the strain and began to fissure! Without opening the meridians first, merging with heaven and earth was no simple feat. Yet Li Hao ignited the acupoints along each meridian, turning them into points of light that inhaled and exhaled the energy of heaven and earth! The divine character *Dao* suddenly appeared. A moment later, it vanished and reappeared directly above Li Hao's forehead, condensing into a crimson dot imprinted upon his brow. In that instant, Li Hao took on a bewitching, demonic aura. Even so, several Dao meridians showed signs of bursting. Right then, a faint, peculiar fluctuation radiated from within Li Hao. The power of the Great Dao instantly calmed, gradually adapting to his physical vessel. Within the cosmos, all that remained visible was a towering titan lying in the dark expanse of space. And beside him, only an infinitesimally tiny hound. *** In the outside world, affairs were proceeding in full swing. Yet in an instant, heaven and earth were plunged into total darkness. Absolute, pure blackness! Countless people panicked. It had been broad daylight just moments ago, and in a single breath, night had fallen! Why? It was as if someone had swallowed heaven and earth whole! In that very moment, countless sky screens lit up, and Lin Hongyu's voice resonated across the realm: "The Marquis is purging impurities from heaven and earth and purifying the world's environment. This will take only a brief moment. Let no one panic!" Unbelievable! Everyone was deeply shaken. Could he plunge the entire world into darkness in an instant? Had the Marquis reached such heights? He was too powerful! Panic quickly turned into exhilaration, excitement, and awe. The Marquis seemed to be growing ever stronger! Yet Lin Hongyu and her inner circle looked grim. Many turned their gazes toward her, but her expression remained steady. "Remain calm. It will only take a moment. It is not about purifying heaven and earth; the Marquis is capturing the true body of the Moon God, and Silver Moon has been shrouded... It will pass shortly." Was that true? Though it sounded fantastic, they had no other explanation for why the world had suddenly gone black. Fortunately, the darkness did not last long. After roughly a minute, light returned to heaven and earth. *** At that moment, within Hurricane City, Zheng Yu frowned deeply. Darkness had fallen! The entire Silver Moon world had been plunged into darkness for a full minute. Why had that happened? Such a phenomenon had never occurred before! Broad daylight had turned to pitch-black night in the blink of an eye. "Damn it... Why does it feel like things are slipping out of control?" He muttered to himself. Beside him, the new-Dao Zheng Yu said softly, "Slipping out of control is an understatement. I don't know whether it was Li Hao's doing or Li Daoheng's, but being able to accomplish this makes them far more troublesome than we anticipated! They must be doing something within the Great Dao universe..." Zheng Yu frowned. "Can you penetrate deep into the Great Dao universe?" "No. I haven't found an entry point yet; I can only sense vague impressions." Zheng Yu fell silent. Everything seemed to have changed. After a long pause, he said, "The other clone has vanished as well, most likely devoured by Ying Hongyue! By now, he has probably entered the second or even third level of the Dao Integration Realm. In a few more days, Saints will be able to emerge... Do you think he will change?" "Hard to say." Zheng Yu fell silent once more. In truth, this was merely him talking to himself—a conversation with his own reflection. *Ying Hongyue... you better not disappoint me!* His clone had been trapped in Star Suppressing City; he had known it would never return and had prepared for the worst. If Li Hao and his allies had moved in for the kill, the commotion would have been massive. But if it was Ying Hongyue... even if Ying Hongyue lacked the strength to slay a Saint-level clone, the clone would have willingly yielded to him. The sudden anomaly moments ago made Zheng Yu increasingly uneasy. At this moment, the power of a half-step Sovereign seemed almost useless. *If I weren't a half-step Sovereign, perhaps I could have walked out... But because I am, only my clones can leave, which only amplifies my sense of crisis!* Glancing at the powerhouses in the city who remained oblivious, he scoffed coldly. "Those fellows from the late Neo-Martial era who betrayed us so easily... they truly are a bunch of trash! None of them count as true Neo-Martial warriors—they merely fed on the scraps of Neo-Martial's legacy. Otherwise... how could Neo-Martial Saints be slaughtered en masse so easily?" He felt helpless, yet there was nothing he could do. Trapped for so many years, these people had been forcibly elevated in the late era; they were inferior to genuine Neo-Martial Saints, and he could not change that. "If my true body steps outside... tell me, will the seal truly shatter?" The new-Dao Zheng Yu said nothing. *I don't know.* *Perhaps it will, perhaps it won't... But do you dare take that gamble?* *** Meanwhile, within the Great Dao universe, Li Hao had completely vanished. Only a sword remained in the entire cosmos—a colossal starry sword! "Woof! Woof! Woof!" Black Panther's barking echoed incessantly. *Li Hao, where are you?* *Why... is there no sound from you at all!* Its frantic barks reverberated through heaven and earth, growing more and more mournful. *Did even you disappear?* Just as Black Panther stood helpless and distraught, an illusory figure suddenly emerged atop the great sword in the distance. Li Hao stepped slowly out of the starry river, condensing into human form in an instant. The power of the Great Dao converged, reforming Li Hao in the blink of an eye. Yet compared to before, he seemed subtly transformed. Li Hao smiled and looked back. "The foundation is laid! My body is the Dao. Black Panther, if this succeeds, I'll strike it rich! I'll open a hundred Dao meridians just for fun!" Black Panther rolled its eyes. *You scared the life out of me!* *Couldn't you be a little more reliable?* Always taking reckless risks—it was enough to give a dog a heart attack. Li Hao's smile grew even brighter. After this, who would ever truly understand him? Perhaps only Black Panther, who had witnessed it all. *I... have hidden my true body!* *As long as the starry river is not destroyed, I will not easily die. Zheng Yu, Li Daoheng—let us see who prevails in the days to come!* The void cracked open, and a message was transmitted outward. *** A moment later, Lin Hongyu’s heart stirred, and she spoke briskly: "Prepare the blessing ceremony! Everyone, hold your posts and await my orders! The four ancient cities are to move immediately to the vicinity of Hurricane City and suppress Star Suppressing City, preventing any Immortals within from emerging!" The four ancient cities soon received the command. Had it not been for her status as the Marquis's betrothed, they might have ignored her. But given her position, the Saints said nothing and acted on her instructions. At that moment, the sky screens illuminated once more. Lin Hongyu's voice resonated through heaven and earth, tinged with solemn sorrow. "To honor the heroic spirits of those who fell in battle, the Haoxing Continent will hold a blessing ceremony for our fallen heroes in one day's time! Tomorrow, all across Haoxing, there will be no labor. Those who offer sincere prayers stand an immense chance of receiving the blessing of the heroic spirits, allowing them to cross cultivation realms in a single day and reach the pinnacle of the Mountain-Sea and Sun-Moon realms! To carry on the unfulfilled ambitions of our martyrs, the cultivators of Haoxing shall remember them for eternity!" As soon as the proclamation went out, heaven and earth were shaken. People were already willing to pray for the fallen, but... to receive such tremendous benefits in return? Could it be true? It didn't seem impossible—the Heavenly Star Governor-General's Office had never deceived them! At that moment, Lin Hongyu sent private messages to several individuals. Whether real or feigned... tomorrow, new Mountain-Sea and Sun-Moon experts would certainly emerge. Looking up at the sky, she felt a trace of trepidation. Would this truly succeed?