The Moon God had been blasted apart, the Saints utterly wiped out, Zheng Yu had fled, the sword-bearing man was forced to retreat into the Great Dao Universe, and the City of Thunder was completely annihilated.
This battle could well be called an overwhelming victory!
Yet on Li Hao’s side, not a single person had suffered casualties, largely because nearly all of them had merely played supporting roles.
In this battle, Li Hao alone had outmaneuvered every faction.
With his own strength, he had nipped every unexpected variable in the bud.
Even when the God of Early Martial appeared at the final moment, it had still been roughly within Li Hao’s calculations. He was not completely unprepared; it was just that the other party came swiftly and departed even faster, so Li Hao ultimately chose not to gamble everything.
Since the other party was unwilling to meddle, Li Hao had no desire to risk his life in a battle against him either.
That man was terrifyingly formidable.
Moreover, the suppression of heaven and earth barely seemed to hinder him.
He was exceptionally strong!
Even if Li Hao had wagered everything, it might not have worked.
At the edge of the battered Taboo Sea, powerful figures stood filled with excitement and agitation, yet also feeling somewhat apprehensive.
Everyone looked at Li Hao, staring at the young man who had turned the world upside down. At this moment, their awe was beyond words.
Yet Li Hao was as calm as ever.
He silently gazed in the direction where the various figures had fled.
Ying Hongyue had escaped, carried away by the Flying Sword Immortal... Clearly, his guess had been right. The Flying Sword Immortal might indeed be Purple Moon, and as for Purple Moon... whether she was Ying Hongyue’s daughter or his true self in the literal sense remained difficult to discern for now.
The Queen had escaped, and this time she had actually profited. Having absorbed a massive amount of Silver Moon power, she stood a good chance of ascending to the Heavenly King realm—and likely without facing suppression from heaven and earth.
Zheng Yu was gone. He had lost several Saints, but for Hurricane City, the loss in overall strength was not catastrophic.
Li Daoheng had retreated. He was a sword Dao half-Sovereign... His forced withdrawal into the Great Dao Universe was not merely due to the suppression of heaven and earth, but also because he had slaughtered Sword City. After all, this world had been governed by the Sword Venerable of the Li family for countless years.
He had slaughtered the Li family... At this point, if he forcibly stepped into the open, heaven and earth would target him with extreme hostility, potentially even shattering the seal entirely.
Thus, he too had been forced to hide within the Great Dao Universe.
By this point, Li Hao’s enemies were still numerous.
Yet... almost every faction had been thoroughly purged by him.
Virtually all fighting forces below the Heavenly King realm had been swept clean.
Not far away, Zhang An glanced at Li Hao with a sigh of wonder.
This battle... had yielded an outcome no one could have anticipated.
Li Hao had won!
An overwhelming victory!
A triumph far more glorious than anyone could have dreamed.
Zhang An looked at Li Hao for a long time before taking the initiative to speak: "The fighting here has concluded, so we shall take our leave!"
The several Saints were also remarkably polite: "Marquis Li has wiped out a vast host of invaders and traitors in this battle. It is truly worth celebrating. Should the opportunity arise in the future, please come to our Galaxy City as our guest!"
These venerable experts were genuinely respectful.
They had no choice but to be.
On one hand, Li Hao was not their enemy, and he had helped them exterminate many powerful foes. On the other hand, this young man was as ruthless as he was strong, with a mind of fathomless depth. Had he not taken the initiative to show himself and seek out Zhang An, none of them would have guessed how many cards he kept hidden.
Opposing such a person... was exceedingly dangerous.
Li Hao turned around, looked at the crowd, and offered a faint smile. In the next moment, he reached out with one hand, and two pale-gold pills materialized. He said softly, "The seniors contributed greatly to this battle. You rightfully deserve a larger share, but I have greater need of resources... These are two Heavenly King-grade Blood God Seeds! Though they might not guarantee a breakthrough to the Heavenly King realm, they can certainly help one take another step forward along the Saint Dao!"
With that, the pills floated toward Zhang An.
Zhang An hesitated slightly. Li Hao said calmly, "Director Zhang, you may not need them, but the seniors do. They are not traitors; they slumbered for countless years and accumulated numerous hidden injuries. To say nothing of the others, even this senior of the Zhang family still harbors lingering trauma. Otherwise, how could the Zhang family's saber be so frail?"
Two Heavenly King-grade Blood God Seeds!
Zhang An knew that Li Hao had forged three during this battle.
As for the two Heavenly Kings slain earlier... Li Hao had subsequently condensed the one he killed into a Blood God Seed, but the demon tree had not been condensed, or perhaps could not be condensed, leaving Li Hao with a total of four Heavenly King-level Blood God Seeds.
He was giving away half of them in one go.
Of course, had Zhang An not helped in this battle, Li Hao would have found it difficult to succeed.
Yet... slaying traitors and slaying the people of the Red Moon were things Zhang An was duty-bound to do anyway.
It could hardly be called a personal favor to Li Hao.
Still, since Li Hao put it this way, Zhang An understood his meaning: you gave your effort, so I provide a return. Neither of us owes the other anything. This was a man who drew crystal-clear lines between gratitude and grievances, entirely unwilling to trade on sentiment.
"Then I shall accept them!"
Zhang An no longer refused. He took the two Heavenly King Blood God Seeds and led the others away in haste.
Galaxy City manifested.
Zhang An entered the city, stood upon the battlements, and cast a glance back toward Li Hao. Galaxy City swiftly vanished into the void.
……
Once Zhang An and his group departed, the others crowded forward, buzzing with excitement.
The King of Dali and Jiang Li, however, were somewhat apprehensive.
At this moment, the skeleton was still present, exuding a formidable aura and immense pressure. But... the skeleton was now nothing more than a skeleton. It might have revived slightly earlier, only to nearly be blown apart by Ying Hongyue.
As if that were not enough, the God of Early Martial had struck it with a punch at the end... obliterating what little residual consciousness had revived.
Li Hao glanced at the King of Dali, then at the skeleton.
Every single bone was the color of white jade.
Every bone pulsed with a powerful aura, carrying a primal, savage breath—or rather, the breath of Early Martial. This had likely belonged to a true Early Martial powerhouse, perhaps even one of the first generation!
If it were a first-generation practitioner... it would be utterly terrifying!
The King of Dali felt uneasy, but Li Hao smiled and said, "In this battle, although the King of Dali did not contribute much, that God of Early Martial contributed immensely. Since that is the case... take this skeleton with you!"
"What?"
The King of Dali was startled. Take it?
All of it?
Previously, Li Hao had said he wanted half, and he had agreed to it.
In truth, he had been worried that he might not even get half.
And now... you are letting me take the whole thing?
Really?
The King of Dali could hardly believe it. Li Hao said indifferently, "It seems the King of Dali feels there is no need to take it all..."
"No, I—"
Li Hao laughed and added, "No matter, take it. However, I have one small request!"
The King of Dali grew nervous; he had truly come to fear Li Hao.
Hearing that there was a request, his unease flared instantly.
"Marquis of Silver Moon... speak freely!"
He struggled to maintain an unbothered facade, but in reality, his mind was racing frantically. Was there a conspiracy?
Was he scheming against me?
Was he digging a pit for me?
In this world, was there anyone Li Hao hadn't schemed against?
Everyone had been tricked by him!
I definitely can't outscheme him!
"I don't actually have much interest in Early Martial... However, on my side, there is a man: Deputy Director Zhou of the General Administration. He cultivates a golden body and has never integrated into the origin Dao, so he can barely be considered an adherent of the Early Martial Dao rather than the origin Dao!"
"His golden body came as a gift from a senior, and he has been reluctant to abandon it, so his progress has been consistently slow. Director Zhou has rendered distinguished service for Heavenly Star. After you take the skeleton, I will have Director Zhou go to Dali. The King of Dali need only help him step into the Dao Integration Realm!"
Li Hao pointed at the skeleton. "If you absorb this skeleton completely, a Heavenly King is within reach! In exchange for giving you a Heavenly King, you return a Dao Integration expert to me. What do you think?"
The King of Dali calculated frantically.
Was it worthwhile?
Of course!
In fact, it was quite reasonable—hardly an excessive demand. He knew that Director Zhou's talent was not poor; it was simply that cultivating a golden body had held back his progress. Strictly speaking, Director Zhou's inheritance and his own shared a common origin.
Both likely had ties to the Tyrant Emperor, or perhaps to that Iron Head Sovereign.
Pondering this, he quickly nodded. "Agreed!"
Exchanging a Heavenly King-grade skeleton for an expert with a golden body currently around the mid-Sun Moon stage to advance to Dao Integration... this trade was exceedingly favorable and entirely fair. An intact skeleton was bound to be vastly superior to an incomplete one!
Having said that, he wanted to say something more to declare his stance—such as promising not to become Li Hao's enemy...
Before he could speak, Li Hao said, "Pass along my greetings to that senior. So long as that senior does not enter the war and does not step foot into the Bright Star Continent, you and I shall be allies for ten thousand generations!"
He left the rest unsaid: if that entity invaded Heavenly Star of his own accord... formidable though he was, Li Hao would fight him!
Even if outmatched, he would not fear him!
The King of Dali turned solemn and nodded. "I will pass the message!"
Li Hao nodded. "Among the four rulers, the Queen has hopes of reaching the Heavenly King realm, and so do you. That Queen is muddleheaded; I don't have much time to keep an eye on her. If you truly manage to advance, keep a watchful eye on her for me when you have time!"
"Understood!"
The King of Dali agreed readily. Even if the Queen reached the Heavenly King realm—or even half-Sovereign... she would still inspire some dread, but one didn't fear a straightforward brute quite as much.
It was people like Li Hao and Ying Hongyue who gave him headaches and left him feeling helpless.
Because you never knew how much they were hiding. You might think you had won, only to realize you had suffered a crushing defeat.
A sudden tremor ran through his heart... Right now, I feel like I've gained a massive windfall. Could I actually be getting cheated?
He had no idea!
Forget it, take things one step at a time. Li Hao's willingness to give him this much face was fundamentally due to that God of Early Martial. Otherwise... Li Hao would never have been so generous.
Without another word, the King of Dali swiftly took the skeleton and departed with Jiang Li in an instant.
He didn't want to linger for a single breath longer!
Once they were gone, Li Fuhai stomped his four hooves, his tone somber: "That was an Early Martial skeleton that very likely belonged to a half-Sovereign... You're just... giving it all to them?"
Li Hao smiled faintly.
He said softly, "Giving it away is fine; that senior is far too strong! Besides... Director Zhou will face considerable difficulty reaching Dao Integration, and I also want to see how Dali helps him advance. Director Zhou can be considered part of the Tyrant Emperor's lineage... If he cannot advance this time... even I will find it hard to help him break through!"
Li Fuhai said no more.
Li Hao glanced around at the others, finally resting his gaze on Vajra Wood, the expert from the Wulin Alliance. He had rarely interacted with him, as this man had pledged allegiance relatively late.
At this moment, Vajra Wood had assumed the form of a burly man, radiating golden light.
His strength was not weak, roughly comparable to General Locust.
In this battle, these experts had all contributed. While the danger was not overwhelming, they deserved undeniable credit for slaying the eight Blood Saints and restraining the skeleton.
Li Hao said little, offering only a slight nod before glancing at the battered Taboo Sea. He smiled and said, "Although Ying Hongyue and the skeleton are gone, treasures and energy still remain within the Taboo Sea! Saints, work a bit harder to compress the Taboo Sea, gather all the treasures within, and take the entire Taboo Sea with you!"
"Tomorrow, pilot the five great cities—Battle Heaven City, the City of Thunder, Dingtian City, Boundless City, and the Wulin Alliance—and come meet me in Heavenly Star City!"
"Understood!"
The Saints took the command with utmost seriousness and hastily responded.
Today's Li Hao... had truly won their complete admiration. In their eyes, both his strength and his scheming had reached an apex. So many formidable enemies, under his machinations, had suffered devastating losses and retreated to their respective corners.
Across this world... even if the Queen and the King of Dali both broke through to the Heavenly King realm, they would not be able to shake Heavenly Star in the slightest.
Now, even if heaven and earth recovered to the Heavenly King level and the Heavenly Kings inside Hurricane City could emerge, with only those few Heavenly Kings... would Zheng Yu truly dare unleash them?
Not necessarily!
Until the day half-Sovereigns could walk the world, Heavenly Star could be said to stand atop the peak of Silver Moon, unshakeable by anyone!
It was not that Heavenly Star itself was so mighty, nor was it that the experts from Neo-Martial who had pledged allegiance were so powerful, but that Li Hao... was simply unfathomable.
……
While the Neo-Martial Saints busied themselves with compressing the Taboo Sea, Li Hao turned toward the Earth-Overturning Sword, then looked at Lin Hongyu, and finally glanced at the Black Panther. He smiled and said, "What are you all still standing there for? Let's go. We're heading back to Heavenly Star City first."
With a wave of his sleeve, a river materialized.
Li Hao stepped into the air and onto it, and the others swiftly followed. The river seemed to traverse the void, leaving Lin Hongyu and the others somewhat astonished. Was this some kind of treasure?
Li Hao, however, pondered for a moment before suddenly asking, "Was that man... truly Li Daoheng?"
"What?"
The Earth-Overturning Sword was taken aback, and Lin Hongyu was equally puzzled. "Does the Marquis mean the person who intervened just now might not have been Li Daoheng?"
How could that be?
Hadn't everyone always said that person was Li Daoheng?
If not Li Daoheng, who else could it be?
Li Hao looked up at the sky, remaining silent for a long time before speaking: "His sword intent was very strong! His power was also exceedingly formidable! Only..."
After a moment's thought, he said, "Is that truly Li Daoheng? The Li Daoheng I envisioned possessed peerless cunning; he shouldn't have been like this... It's true that his combat prowess was formidable, but... it was slightly beneath my expectations!"
Beneath his expectations?
Neither of them spoke. That person had been terrifying. In just a fleeting glimpse, a single sword strike had cleaved open the shockwave from the self-detonation of Sovereign blood essence—and that had been under the suppression of heaven and earth. Had he struck with full power... an ordinary Saint would have been eradicated in a single stroke!
Could this... be considered beneath expectations?
Yet Li Hao continued to turn the matter over in his mind.
He never underestimated any enemy, not even Zheng Yu, who currently appeared foolish... Was Zheng Yu truly that stupid?
Could someone so foolish truly become a half-Sovereign?
Zheng Yu might well have his own schemes and calculations.
As for this Li Daoheng... according to the Ninth Division Commander, even at a tender age, he had been able to read the human heart and twist a group of companions around his little finger. For such a figure, after a hundred thousand years, to perform like this in this battle... In truth, Li Hao had prepared far more.
The Sovereign blood essence was merely the first layer.
The second was the Great Dao Universe!
He had even considered that if Li Daoheng intervened, he would find a way to summon that star once more. On the reverse side of the star might lie the Void Dao Universe, and he could use the long river to attempt an attack on the Void Dao Universe, forcing Li Daoheng to retreat...
That had been his true plan!
Detonating the Sovereign blood essence directly and blasting the Moon God into a cripple... frankly speaking, in Li Hao's view, had Li Daoheng truly possessed peerless cunning, pulling that off should have been nearly impossible!
Could a man so astute, who schemed against everything, truly not have known that the City of Thunder possessed Sovereign blood essence?
Yet... it had succeeded!
This was precisely what puzzled Li Hao. It had gone far too smoothly. Although his preparations had been thorough, driving Li Daoheng into a corner so effortlessly left Li Hao somewhat disappointed!
Wits against wits, valor against valor—competing against men was an endless joy!
In his first clash against this Li Daoheng, Li Hao had gained the upper hand so easily... He was not happy; rather, he felt a twinge of disappointment, and even suspected that this person might not be Li Daoheng at all!
Or perhaps... he was not Li Daoheng's true body. Could he be an avatar?
Yet... could an avatar possess the power of a half-Sovereign?
Of course, if Li Hao had an avatar, why couldn't Li Daoheng?
There was another reason he judged the other to be an avatar.
The new Dao!
That sword-bearing man bore very little power of the new Dao. Yet Li Hao was certain that Li Daoheng must have cultivated the new Dao, and perhaps had even grasped the Void Dao Universe...
"Could he be like me, or perhaps slightly different—preserving his original strength inside this man's body, while his true body remains cultivating in the Void Dao Universe? Cultivating the new Dao... And for the new Dao, currently, breaking through to Dao Integration is exceptionally difficult... Beyond Dao Integration, even I haven't sorted out the path; he shouldn't be much faster than me..."
It was entirely possible!
If so, this sword-bearing man might merely be a vessel for the old Dao!
Not just this man... Zhang An might be doing the exact same thing.
Zhang An had not displayed much new Dao power either.
Among the five Saints of Galaxy City, one was deeply mysterious... Could that one be Zhang An?
Li Hao suddenly chuckled.
How intriguing!
Preserving the old Dao while accommodating the new Dao, holding both paths at once, perhaps waiting until the combat power of both paths reached parity before merging them, breaking through barriers in a single bound... Was Li Daoheng scheming for the seat of a Sovereign?
And Zhang An... was he aiming for half-Sovereign?
Thought after thought, speculation after speculation, surfaced in his mind.
It had been just a single sword strike, something outsiders would overlook, but to Li Hao, there was far too much to deduce. Judging from personality, strength, trajectory of action, and methods of operation, that sword-bearing man was formidable, but not necessarily shrewd!
……
He said no more on the matter; it was enough that he understood it in his own heart.
Speaking too much would only invite needless worry.
Regardless, he had achieved an overwhelming victory in this battle—perhaps the greatest and most glorious triumph across all the battles he had fought so far.
The group swiftly entered Heavenly Star City.
Inside the Commander's Manor, everyone was waiting. Seeing them return, thunderous, exhilarated cheers erupted immediately: "Congratulations to the Marquis on displaying your divine might, slaying Saints and eradicating Kings, spreading your renown throughout heaven and earth!"
They already knew the outcome of the battle.
In truth, many had waited near Mount Cang for the results. In a battle where none beneath the Saint realm could participate, they had still prepared themselves for any eventuality.
Yet in the end, there was no need for them to fight bitter battles.
In a single stroke, Li Hao had resolved every enemy by himself, leaving them utterly electrified with excitement!
Li Hao offered a faint smile and looked around. "When did you all learn to flatter like this?"
At that moment, Director Zhao stepped forward, beaming broadly: "Marquis, this is no flattery! This battle... was simply too invigorating! We suddenly feel that half-Sovereigns are not to be feared, and Sovereigns are not terrifying. It has thoroughly shattered the fear that the human race of the new era held toward the powerhouses of the old era!"
"Enough. Half-Sovereigns are terrifying, and Sovereigns are even more terrifying!" Li Hao chuckled and strode into the grand hall.
The crowd followed him inside. Li Hao sat directly upon the high throne. Seeing Lin Hongyu standing, he pointed to his left: "Hongyu, sit here!"
The crowd's eyes flickered, but none spoke.
Lin Hongyu said nothing either, taking her seat on the upper left.
The others took their respective seats.
On the upper right, Director Zhao insisted that Hong Yitang take the seat. Hong Yitang declined, and after a round of polite deference between the two, Director Zhao ultimately sat there.
Li Hao merely watched without comment.
Once everyone was seated, Li Hao skipped the pleasantries and said directly, "Presently, heaven and earth have revived to the point where they can accommodate Saints, even peak Saints! I once said that I do not wish for any of you to be left too far behind by me!"
"Everything I did today was solely to minimize their interference with our Heavenly Star land!"
"In this battle, a total of twenty-nine Saints, five Heavenly Kings, and over a hundred Immortals were slain..."
The crowd gasped!
Although they knew Li Hao had taken down the City of Thunder, hearing that five Heavenly Kings had been slain still left them utterly shaken, their faces draining of color.
They had known Heavenly Kings were likely killed.
Perhaps one, perhaps two...
Yet they had never imagined it would be five!
Heavens!
It was simply unbelievable!
Ignoring their reactions, Li Hao continued, "Currently, there are two Heavenly King Blood God Seeds, twenty Saint Blood God Seeds, and a hundred Immortal ones... In addition, we seized some miscellaneous items of minor value, which are of little consequence!"
"A Heavenly King Blood God Seed will not allow you to reach heaven in a single bound and become a Heavenly King... But for those at the Sun Moon stage, devouring one and opening numerous meridians might allow you to complete your first cycle and enter Dao Integration. I believe the probability is high!"
In other words, two Dao Integration experts could likely be born.
At this moment, many hearts stirred.
Currently, Lin Hongyu and Hong Yitang had both successively stepped into the Dao Integration Realm due to fortuitous encounters. But among the rest, there were many at the seventh layer of Sun Moon, and even eighth and ninth layers, yet not a single one had achieved Dao Integration naturally.
The time had simply been too short.
Li Hao continued, "These two Heavenly King-level Blood God Seeds must be allocated carefully. For now, raw combat strength is not necessarily the top priority. I need those who, upon being elevated, can immediately serve a vital purpose! Strength is merely the foundation laid for future progress..."
He swept his gaze around the room and looked at the crowd. "Who among you do you think should take these two Heavenly King Blood God Seeds?"
Director Zhao spoke up immediately: "Everything is at the Marquis's discretion! In this battle, we rendered not an ounce of merit! If the Marquis finds it difficult to allocate them, it might be better to let Commander Lin and Dean Hong decide."
Li Hao smiled.
He looked at him. "You get one!"
Director Zhao said hastily, "I—"
"However, if it is given to you, you have a task to accomplish."
Director Zhao's heart stirred. "Awaiting the Marquis's orders!"
He naturally desired advancement.
Dao Integration!
He had already stepped into the eighth layer of Sun Moon, even approaching the ninth layer, but crossing into Dao Integration was still an arduous hurdle.
"It has been half a year since universal education was launched, and martial arts across the realm are flourishing. The ninety-nine provinces have now gained two more, surpassing a hundred... The situation across all of Heavenly Star is highly intricate... I don't even know most of the governors!"
Li Hao said slowly, "What you need to do is simple enough! Reorganize the whole of Heavenly Star, including administration, law, education, finance, and the four estates of society... I want a thorough, comprehensive reform! Including changing Heavenly Star's name, and even inaugurating a new calendar!"
Li Hao said softly, "The time has come! Now is perhaps the best moment, the calmest moment. This time, all factions have suffered heavy blows, and I want to subject the entire Heavenly Star Dynasty to a grand transformation... a grand revolution! It must be fast, very fast... Calling it simple is only relative; in reality, conquering the world is easy, but governing it is hard... If you can take on this task, one of the two Heavenly King Blood God Seeds is yours!"
Director Zhao fell silent, lost in thought.
It truly was not simple!
Taking on this task... was extraordinarily troublesome!
Currently, the realm was a mixed bag. Although powerful experts were scarce, sometimes the problem went far beyond powerhouses alone. A comprehensive reform affecting ten billion people... countless interests to balance...
It might even offend a massive number of people... This Heavenly King Blood God Seed was not easy to claim!
And Li Hao's intention was clearly not for him to suppress the world by force, but to sort out and reorganize it. This...
His head throbbed, and only after a long pause did he speak: "I..."
"Can you not do it?"
"I... can take it on. However, I will need the cooperation of many people..."
"Hongyu will cooperate with you fully! Military backing will be provided... If anyone truly stirs up trouble, simply suppress them!"
Director Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. That was good.
"Then I... accept!"
Li Hao nodded, then turned his gaze back to the crowd: "Among the rest of you, who believes they can take the final Heavenly King Blood God Seed?"
He looked at one person—none other than Qian Wuliang.
Qian Wuliang was naturally tempted!
Yet... at this moment, he hesitated. He had the ability, but Li Hao had stated that combat prowess was not the criterion. He too possessed the power of an eighth-layer Sun Moon expert, and reaching Dao Integration was a dream he yearned for.
However, Li Hao was staring intently at him right now.
Clearly, he was prompting him to step forward.
His mind raced: why was the Marquis having him step forward to vie for this Blood God Seed?
Just to reward me?
Absolutely not!
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Seeing a trace of impatience appear in Li Hao's eyes, Qian Wuliang steeled himself, walked forward, and said in a deep voice, "This subordinate wishes to vie for the remaining one!"
"What can you do?"
Li Hao smiled. At this moment, he seemed slightly more relaxed, leaning back against his chair. "Give me a reason!"
Qian Wuliang hesitated for a moment before speaking rapidly: "This subordinate is willing to gather the Divine Kingdom and strive to integrate it into the Bright Star Dynasty as well!"
"Not enough!"
Helpless, Qian Wuliang added, "This subordinate can also resolve the chaos surrounding both the White Saint Sect and the Kuishan demon clan, bringing about the great unification of the Bright Star Continent..."
"Not enough!"
"..."
Everyone clicked their tongues in secret. Even that wasn't enough?
Those were already tremendously troublesome tasks!
What kind of outcome did the Marquis truly want?
Qian Wuliang struggled internally for a long time, finally speaking with a bitter edge to his voice: "This subordinate... is willing to cast my spirit into the Void Dao Universe, serving as the vanguard for the Marquis to conquer it!"
Was this the answer you wanted?
Li Hao looked puzzled. "You can enter the Void Dao Universe?"
Qian Wuliang truly felt like weeping... Facing this man, even though he could read the hearts of others... the other party was truly playing with people's minds.
He felt that whenever he faced Li Hao... he was always thoroughly outmaneuvered!
Whether I can or not... don't you already know?
Qian Wuliang gritted his teeth. "It is... possible! I can attempt it. When I advance to Dao Integration, I might be able to establish a connection with the Great Dao Universe and instantly leap across with my spirit. If... if I am discovered, I will surely die. If I am not discovered, I am willing... to serve as a beacon, pinpointing the location of the Void Dao Universe for the Marquis!"
Li Hao frowned. "Too dangerous!"
"This subordinate is not afraid!"
Qian Wuliang gritted his teeth. "For the Bright Star Dynasty, I will dedicate myself unto death!"
Li Hao smiled. "Truly not afraid?"
"Not afraid!"
"Good. The final Heavenly King Blood God Seed is yours!"
"Thank you, Marquis!"
"You earned it!"
At this moment, the crowd remained utterly silent. Envious though they were, those two seeds... were truly not easy to take!
Qian Wuliang hadn't even wanted to take it... At this moment, his heart was trembling. I knew it—if I want to advance, I must pay a heavy price. Sure enough, this... is truly too dangerous.
Right then, Li Hao added, "Rest assured. Right now, that Moon God is grievously injured and her great star is dim; Li Daoheng is busy saving her! The situation in the Void Dao Universe is uncertain... You might not run into trouble. Even if something does happen, once I conquer the Void Dao Universe, I will resurrect you!"
"Thank you, Marquis!"
Li Hao continued, "Furthermore, the Heavenly King Blood God Seed is merely one of the rewards. If you can truly pinpoint the location of the Void Dao Universe for me... once the deed is done, there will be a tremendous reward!"
"This subordinate will spare no effort, even at the cost of life and limb!"
Qian Wuliang bowed in gratitude, secretly gritting his teeth. Then... he would gamble!
If he didn't gamble a few times, how could a nobody like him swiftly become the third or fourth person after Li Hao to advance to Dao Integration?
It was worth it!
There was no helping it. Looking at the current Dao Integration experts, one was Li Hao's nominal wife, and the other was half a master to him. As for Director Zhao, he was the head of civil administration for the entire realm. For him to surpass everyone else in one fell swoop, wasn't it precisely by staking his life?
Li Hao nodded slightly, and in that instant, the two Blood God Seeds flew out.
Catching them, both experts felt their hearts tremble violently.
Such dense Great Dao power, such concentrated unique energy! These items were truly extraordinary. Holding them in hand, they felt their physical bodies breathing; a single whiff made their blood surge!
"The remaining twenty Saint-grade Blood God Seeds, though they may not help you advance to Dao Integration... can still allow everyone to take a step further!"
Li Hao looked at the crowd: "However... in this battle, our Neo-Martial comrades from Battle Heaven City and the other cities contributed greatly. Half will be distributed to them, and the remaining ten shall be allocated by Hongyu!"
Lin Hongyu's heart stirred, and she nodded. "Understood."
Li Hao casually tossed out a storage ring. Within it lay not only those Saint-grade pills, but also many Immortal-grade ones—all valuable treasures.
"Uncle Hong!"
Hong Yitang swiftly looked toward Li Hao. Li Hao spoke: "Uncle, you oversee the education of the realm. You cannot simply manage it; you must bring forth the new from the old! Cultivation methods must be innovated and made practical; one single technique cannot serve the entire world... You must take this matter to heart!"
"Understood!"
Hong Yitang nodded. Li Hao added, "The realm has been in turmoil for some time, with constant warfare, leaving many displaced and destitute. Establish orphanages and homes for the elderly. The Sword Sect had experience with this in the past... Please devote effort to this, Uncle. I do not wish for anyone to starve to death or be forgotten in some dark corner during this extraordinary era!"
"I will do my utmost!"
Li Hao nodded slightly, then looked at the crowd once more: "The cultivation of the Great Dao lies in the heart! When the heart is strong, the person is strong! I once said that since I wield the Great Dao, I hope you all can become Dao masters of various paths. I repeat those words today: do not forget your original heart, and do not forget the domain you were originally adept in! Heaven Sword walks the sword Dao, Tyrant Saber walks the saber Dao—even though you cultivate a mental saber, it is still a form of saber Dao... Attribute-less Dao meridians can be cultivated, and must be cultivated! However... you must not forget the domain in which you excel!"
"Only by possessing your own distinct character can you attain a unique future!"
"Tomorrow, the five great main cities will assemble... I will move them into the Great Dao Universe to suppress the Dao, making heaven and earth more accommodating. Perhaps... it will soon be able to accommodate Heavenly Kings!"
"Today, the number of cultivators across the world has multiplied countless times over. The existence of the ancient cities no longer stabilizes heaven and earth; rather, it somewhat restricts it. I will further accelerate the recovery of the entire world... If your strength cannot keep pace..."
Li Hao said slowly, "Then on this road, though I do not wish to leave anyone behind, you will sooner or later fall behind on your own! I cannot wait for you in the same place forever, nor will the situation permit me to keep waiting! Silver Moon is merely a small world within the vast universe, not the entirety of existence... Even here, there are Sovereigns and half-Sovereigns. How magnificent is the wider world? Are our entire lives to be trapped here, fighting forever against those decayed, wretched remnants abandoned by the era?"
Li Hao spoke with immense ambition!
Yet the crowd merely listened in silence.
Perhaps... Li Hao wasn't just speaking big words.
Back then, who would have believed that in a single battle, he could slay multiple Heavenly Kings?
He was a man adept at creating miracles!
After a long silence, Li Hao waved his hand: "That is all I have to say. Everyone may disperse now, and reflect carefully on this. In addition... if anyone wishes to enter the Great Dao Universe to study the Dao, I grant permission! Tomorrow, you may enter alongside the ancient cities! In the future, I may establish a dedicated pathway for you to travel to and from the Great Dao Universe in search of your true self! So long as you do not intentionally harm the stars, you may come and go as you please!"
The crowd's expressions shifted. Lin Hongyu frowned slightly: "Marquis... this... is somewhat improper..."
It was too dangerous!
Li Hao smiled. "The Dao does not belong to a single person. Just like this time, my advancement was made possible by the united hearts of the people! Entering the Dao to cultivate helps them, but it also helps me!"
In that instant, complex emotions welled within everyone's hearts.
Li Hao, who controlled the Great Dao Universe... was actually... allowing them to enter and leave it freely? This... was extraordinarily bold, a display of boundless magnanimity!
It was as if he did not fear anyone sneaking into the Great Dao Universe to plot against him.
What a terrifying man!
Even his enemies would be shaken to the core if they learned of this!
The crowd offered their thanks one after another, spoke no further, and took their leave.
Once the others had departed, only the Dao Integration experts remained.
Hong Yitang smiled. "Should I leave as well?"
Li Hao chuckled. "What is Uncle teasing about?"
Hong Yitang felt a bit awkward; the young man wasn't fazed in the slightest, and when he didn't feel embarrassed, the embarrassment fell entirely on Hong Yitang.
Glancing at Lin Hongyu, he saw she was equally composed...
Hong Yitang could only sigh inwardly. It was good to be young; they showed not a shred of awkwardness or shyness... Very well, he stopped joking and resumed a serious demeanor.
Only then did Li Hao speak: "This battle was merely a minor victory! It appears glorious, but in truth... it was only ordinary!"
"Not a single one of the true core forces has been destroyed!"
"Presently, Zheng Yu, Li Daoheng, the Red Moon Sovereign, and the God of Early Martial are the four strongest beings in this world! Our objective is to eradicate them... or, like the God of Early Martial, achieve peaceful coexistence!"
"Even if I count the God of Early Martial as a half-Sovereign, that makes three half-Sovereigns and one Sovereign... Setting aside the God of Early Martial for now, among the remaining three, the Red Moon Sovereign is the strongest, Li Daoheng is the most mysterious, and Zheng Yu is the most overt... Only by resolving these three can we truly claim victory!"
Both of them looked solemn. That would be no easy feat.
The weakest among them was a half-Sovereign!
"Do you remember the saber in the Star Suppressing City ruins?"
Li Hao said, "That saber... cannot be easily disturbed. The God of Early Martial may have some connection to it. He certainly didn't remain here on a whim, and in this world, aside from the world itself, the most critical element is that saber... His presence here might be tied to it!"
The two nodded slightly, waiting for Li Hao to reveal his plan.
Li Hao tapped lightly on the table and continued, "Zheng Yu won't be easy to deal with either. For a hundred thousand years, it seems as though he laid no arrangements, but nothing can be said for certain... Could a man who reached half-Sovereign truly be that foolish?"
"On the other hand, that Sovereign..."
"What?"
The two were startled. Li Hao smiled faintly: "That Sovereign is an outsider who has been sealed away for ages. He has been tangled up with Ying Hongyue for years without gaining much advantage. In fact, in my view, setting aside raw power and looking purely at scheming, he is actually the easiest to deal with!"
The teeth of both listeners ached with tension!
Li Hao continued, "I intend to enter the seal... with my true body! However, once I leave, others might track my movements... Hongyu, after I depart, there is one thing you must do."
Lin Hongyu's expression shifted slightly. "Speak."
"Your stellar Dao was integrated by me into the Natal Star River... blending ten thousand Daos. Now, aside from myself, you and Uncle can also open the Great Dao Universe, provided I grant you the authority. Including bestowing the 'Dao' divine character upon one of you, you will certainly be able to open it smoothly..."
He looked at the two of them. "Who can wield the 'Dao' divine character? Who is willing to help me draw the gaze of those powerhouses?"
Hong Yitang's expression changed. "Let me do it..."
Lin Hongyu frowned. "Better that I do it! Uncle still has momentous tasks ahead; education is no small matter. Universal cultivation affects the strength of the entire Great Dao, and touches on countless things... Moreover... if Uncle commands the Great Dao Universe, traveling to and from it will not be convenient. On the other hand... I am, after all, the Marquis's wife; entering and leaving the Great Dao Universe will not arouse suspicion."
Hong Yitang gave a wry smile. Well... that did make sense.
Still, he remained somewhat worried.
Furthermore, Li Hao was actually planning to enter the seal and find a way to deal with the Sovereign... This... was simply terrifying to contemplate, enough to make one dread sudden death at any moment.
Li Hao smiled. "Then let it be Hongyu!"
He looked at Lin Hongyu with deep gravity. "This matter is of the utmost importance. Aside from the few of us, not a single word must leak! The slightest misstep, and the Great Dao Universe will lose control, and I will die as well..."
Lin Hongyu said in a deep voice, "If I betray you, I shall—"
"Enough!"
Li Hao interrupted, saying no more on the subject. Remembering something, he casually tossed out a storage ring. "These are the fruits from the Heavenly King fruit tree. As for their exact effects, what the other party claimed might not be true; judge for yourselves... Whether you wish to give them away or use them yourselves is up to you!"
"In addition, I may need to make a trip to Sword City..."
At this point, Li Hao pondered for a moment before saying, "Sword City remains within the seal to this day, which may not be simple. Even if no one remains inside, it is not necessarily useless! The Sword Venerable lived there for many years; there may still be secrets left behind... I also need you to do one more thing: if there is an anomaly in the seal... no, not if an anomaly occurs... starting today, hunt down Ying Hongyue! Drive him to the point where there is no door to heaven and no path into the earth! The moment the seal stirs, immediately launch an all-out assault against Ying Hongyue!"
"On one hand, this will divert attention for me; on the other, it will make people think the anomaly was caused by the assault on Ying Hongyue! There is one more matter: keep a close watch on that idiot Queen. This time, she devoured a massive amount of Silver Moon power, which may not necessarily be a good thing. Beware that she might be controlled at any moment... That woman's mind is deficient; she might easily be played to death!"
Thinking up to this point, Li Hao considered things carefully and nodded. "That is all. As for Senior Zhang An and the others... for now, do not concern yourselves with what they do. He has his own ideas, and I will not interfere. If a critical turn of events arises, you may ask them for assistance!"
Having arranged everything properly, Li Hao spoke no further. Seeing this, the two prepared to withdraw.
The Black Panther, however, was reluctant to leave. Li Hao frowned: "You go as well... Following me will be useless! Over at the seal, I cannot take you across... You are too weak!"
The Black Panther was speechless.
It crouched in place for a moment, wagged its tail at Li Hao, and departed in slight disappointment.
……
Once everyone had gone, Li Hao exhaled softly.
This was all he could do.
I am walking too fast... will you all be able to keep up with me?
Closing his eyes to cultivate, he cleared his mind of stray thoughts. Perhaps... in the end, will I still walk alone?
Chapter 385