Firmament Sword, Spiritual Sea

Deep in the starry sky. Li Hao sat cross-legged and looked at the three Saints. The trio was still trembling with lingering fear. Every single day, they were either clashing with a Sovereign or battling half-step Sovereigns. It was far too nerve-racking! Even counting Li Hao, there were only four Saints among them. Yet their opponents were Sovereigns and half-step Sovereigns! Ignoring their reactions, Li Hao said softly, "Li Daoheng's Illusory Dao universe is similar to our Tangible Dao universe. One is illusory and one is tangible, but in truth, they were never far apart or fundamentally different. "He must also be scheming to seize my Tangible Dao universe, dreaming of controlling both the tangible and the illusory simultaneously! "I don't know what he has planned, but right now, it's my turn to do some scheming!" Earlier, when Li Daoheng appeared to stop him, Li Hao had caught on to a few things. He did not need to enter the Illusory Dao universe; attaching himself to its surface was enough. He looked at the three Saints. "With my power alone, opening a spiritual sea right now might not succeed... This time, I truly need the help of you three seniors." "Speak!" the Sword Tree said solemnly. "If it helps kill Li Daoheng and eradicate that beast, we will do anything!" As guardians of the Li family, the slaughter of their charges was an insurmountable agony in their hearts. To kill Li Daoheng, they were willing to pay any price! Li Hao said softly, "I need you three seniors to suppress the sea for me! Stone as the sea's foundation, Tree as the surrounding ramparts, and Seal as the firmament above! Only you three can accommodate the foundation of myriad Daos, the foundation of myriad swords!" Looking at them intently, he said, "There are many powerful cultivators in this world. The humans are unsuitable, and the demon beasts would find it difficult. Few can endure the Longevity sword intent. You three can truly be called heaven's chosen candidates! You are perfectly suited to help me open my spiritual sea! "None of you can be spared! "Senior Stone will serve as the cornerstone of the spiritual sea! Senior Sword Tree will take root in the barrier of the Illusory Dao universe, bridging my spiritual sea and the Illusory Dao universe. Senior can endure the Longevity sword intent, as well as my Bright Moon sword intent! And Senior Sword Seal, originally the seal that suppressed Sword City, blessed by the Sword Venerable and the Supreme, will now stabilize the spiritual sea, becoming an impenetrable outer shell..." He looked at the three of them. They were truly the most suitable—and the only—foundational materials to open his spiritual sea. The Sword Tree fell silent. After a moment, it asked, "Will we die?" "No!" The Sword Tree exhaled. "Then why do you look so grim? You made it sound like we were about to die!" It had assumed the three of them would perish. They did not fear death! Yet they wanted to live—to live to see Li Daoheng slain! Otherwise, they could never rest in peace. Since they wouldn't die, why was Li Hao being so grave? Li Hao said in a deep voice, "Though you won't die, as long as I cannot breach the Illusory Dao universe, you three will never be able to leave. The moment you leave, the sea will collapse!" "What does that matter?" The Sword Tree didn't care. "It's just being prisoners in a different place! Haven't we been prisoners in Sword City for these past hundred thousand years anyway? Besides... it might even be an improvement. Sword City has now proven to be the Starry Sky Sword, so it's time we changed places... It makes no real difference!" Li Hao had been taking things too seriously. It added, "Helping you... isn't because you're a Li descendant, which you aren't anyway. It's because... you actually made Li Daoheng suffer losses several times. For that alone, even if the three of us truly die, it won't matter!" Li Hao fell silent for a while. Only after a long pause did he say, "You three possess spirits and are sentient beings. You are also seniors of Sword City who bore me no malice, never sought to harm me, and never offended me... You even offered to help me willingly. Now, I ask for your aid. It may be called constructing a spiritual sea, but in truth, I am building a cage to imprison you three seniors!" The Sword Tree wanted to speak, but Li Hao raised a hand. "Don't say you're willing. Nor am I trying to dissuade you. Since I proposed it, I naturally want your help. I, Li Hao, am not one for false pretenses. Once I spoke, I knew you three seniors would not refuse!" A slight smile appeared on his face. "I say this only to make it clear that I, Li Hao, have principles about what I will and will not do. If this succeeds, I will definitely conquer the Illusory Dao universe. Not only that, once the Illusory Dao universe is taken... you three will form a small realm of your own. If I seize Silver Moon, I will surely parcel out a portion of world power to you, helping you become an independent small world!" "No need for that..." None of the three took his promise seriously, but Li Hao remained solemn. "These are my thoughts. It doesn't mean they will certainly come to pass, because... I might die before that day ever comes. I only mean that if it is possible, I will carry it out! This isn't to comfort you three seniors, but to comfort myself!" He smiled. "Silver Moon martial masters cultivate the Dao and the heart. Only when my heart is at peace can my Dao be at peace! You three need not say more. It is still just a moon reflected in water, not an accomplished fact!" Hearing him say that, the trio fell silent. That was true enough! Even if he said it now, it hadn't happened yet. If it truly succeeded... they could talk about it then. Having convinced himself, Li Hao smiled. "In that case... I will not hold back! With three top Saints stabilizing my sword intent, I dare say that even three Heavenly Kings would not be as suitable as you seniors!" A tree, a stone, and a seal! Most importantly, all three could withstand the Longevity sword intent. How tyrannical was the Longevity sword intent? If they could withstand that, then forget a hundred-Dao sword—even if it were a thousand-Dao or ten-thousand-Dao sword, the three of them might well bear it. Even if he failed to seize the Illusory Dao universe, as Li Hao cultivated along the way, he would never have to worry about his sword intent growing too strong for his physical body to handle. This was the ultimate foundation to stabilize his spiritual sea. On this journey to Sword City, the presence of these three was actually far more crucial than the city itself. At this moment, the stone spoke up with delight: "I... I still want to ask one thing. If... if this spiritual sea world succeeds, what... what will happen to you?" Li Hao smiled. "Peak of dual Saints!" What good was that? The trio felt a wave of disappointment. Li Hao chuckled. "If the spiritual sea succeeds, though my Illusory Dao will still remain at the Saint level, completing a hundred-Dao sword will be just around the corner! Once the hundred-Dao sword is formed, my offensive might will be peerless! I wouldn't dare claim I could battle a half-step Sovereign—that would be too arrogant—but beneath the half-step Sovereign realm, I, Li Hao... will fear no one!" Truly? The trio could hardly believe it. Once the hundred-Dao sword was formed, he could sweep across Heavenly Kings? In that moment, the three were filled with disbelief. Li Hao, however, looked resolute. If he forged the hundred-Dao sword, his physical body would surely open 144 Dao meridians, reaching the peak of the third tier of the Dao Integration Realm, not inferior to an ordinary Heavenly King. With the addition of the hundred-Dao sword, if he still couldn't sweep away the current Heavenly Kings... did they think all his recent provocations against Sovereigns and half-step Sovereigns had been a joke? He had died dozens of times, and every single death was real. Having paid such an enormous price, and using three Saints as the foundation, if he succeeded, he would unquestionably sweep through the Heavenly Kings! In that instant, the three mighty beings were immensely thrilled. "Then... it will be well worth it!" The three Saints rejoiced! At this moment, they felt no reservations whatsoever. Even if they truly died, it would be worth it. Li Hao smiled as well. "Then let us begin. The process will be somewhat painful, but... you three seniors can endure the Longevity sword intent without dying, and can even absorb it. If we succeed, you might also absorb my Bright Moon sword intent. In the future... your prospects will be boundlessly bright!" With those words, he produced the small starry sky sword—not the real Starry Sky Sword. At this moment, the sword in his hand suddenly dissolved into a great river that coiled between heaven and earth. Li Hao looked at the three of them. "Stone as the base! Senior Stone, I must... carve you to forge the foundation of the sea, stripping away impurities as time scours you and myriad Daos temper you. Senior... can you endure it?" "I am a spirit born from an unyielding stone, tempered by all manner of heaven-and-earth powers. Bring it on!" Li Hao said no more. In an instant, the great river surged around them, and sword intent manifested. The torrent scoured heaven and earth! A massive boulder plummeted into the river. At first, nothing seemed amiss, but gradually, the outer layer of impurities was washed away, exposing a crystal-clear core. Pain! Agony beyond words! Even though the stone was naturally robust, possessed peerless defense, and had even been honed by the Starry Sky Sword, it could still barely withstand this. Suddenly, a wail of misery tore from the rock: "It hurts so much!" The waters of the river raged and scoured without mercy! The Sword Tree was startled and quickly yelled, "Aren't you embarrassed? Stop screaming!" "Ahhh!" The pained cries rose again. "It really hurts... like ten thousand arrows piercing my heart! Sword Tree, Sword Seal... it hurts so bad!" The agony was simply unbearable! Li Hao's expression remained calm, though a sharp glint flashed in his eyes. "If you cannot endure it, your spirit might collapse, turning you entirely back into a lifeless rock... Since we have begun, I don't want to give up, and I doubt you seniors want to give up either... In that case, you can only endure! If Senior fails... Senior Sword Tree and Senior Sword Seal will likely fail as well, and we might as well abandon the attempt!" "I... I can take it!" The boulder roared again in torment. "It's just pain! I've weathered the shifting of seas into mulberry fields. I was once nothing but a crude rock, yet the Sword Venerable granted me life and bestowed me with strength. If I could endure the Longevity sword intent, how could I fail to hold your Bright Moon sword, Li Hao?! "Do you think... you are more talented than the Sword Venerable?! "Do you think... you can compare to the Sword Venerable?!" The stone shrieked in agony! Under the relentless scouring of the river, the boulder began to deform, looking like a stone being bludgeoned flat by brute force! As Li Hao continuously washed over the stone, he said in a heavy voice, "I need to grind you down into a foundation base, Senior. Which means... you must keep enduring until your shape is like flowing water, spreading across the riverbed! This... is only the beginning!" "Ahhh!" Another scream of anguish echoed. It was hard to tell whether it was from the sheer pain or from hearing Li Hao say this was only the beginning—that it had to be flattened into a pancake. Yes, the stone understood. It had to be scoured until it was as flat as a cake! "Does it really hurt that much?" Seeing how wretchedly it screamed, the Sword Tree couldn't help asking. Li Hao said, "Senior may extend a root to touch it..." A test couldn't hurt. The Sword Tree extended a branch toward the river. An instant later, a piercing shriek rang out through heaven and earth: "Ahhh! It hurts!" Seeing this, the Sword Seal was surprised and hesitant. It gingerly dipped a corner into the river water. In the next moment, it almost shrieked out loud, but quickly swallowed it back down, muttering stiffly, "Really... really... no endurance at all! Such... such a tiny bit of pain. We endured the Sword Venerable's sword intent for a thousand years without breaking... Really, you..." It didn't finish its sentence. By the heavens, it hurt! Stone was having a miserable time! Could we... really endure this? Just touching a tiny bit was already this agonizing. Wails of torment reverberated throughout the void. Even the stone, belonging to the Stone Clan, was suffering this terribly. It was easy to imagine just how unbearable it was. Li Hao's brow furrowed slightly. This process was primarily about scouring. He didn't actually know exactly how painful it was. Was it... truly that hard to bear? Moved by a sudden thought, he leapt into the air and plunged into the river. Instantly, an excruciating pain lanced through his body. Li Hao grunted, realizing he had underestimated the scouring power of the chaotic water! If this continued, could the stone truly withstand it? Submerged in the river, he sensed the unimaginably fierce scouring force within the water. It was like knives and swords slowly slicing away at your flesh piece by piece, an agonizing whittling rather than a clean death from a single strike. It was even more painful than enduring the Longevity sword intent. Suppressing a groan, Li Hao said in a low voice, "It slightly exceeded my expectations, which is also due to Senior's formidable defense. A weaker scouring force would never cleanse Senior's true body. Only this level..." He caught his breath slightly. "Only this can succeed!" The stone gave a pained whimper. "You... get out. I can do it!" Li Hao exhaled, then said, "No need. I must personally perceive the shifts in the river's scouring force to prevent any imbalance of power that you might not be able to withstand, which would ruin the forging process! "This is suffering, but it is also... a tremendous opportunity! Senior, you were, after all, just an ordinary stone... not a naturally born spirit stone, but a relatively common rock. This time, all impurities within your body will be washed completely clean! It will lay the foundation for Senior... to attain an invincible bearing!" Li Hao let out a breath. *Damn, this really hurts!* *Still... I'm a man who cares about my dignity. Even if it hurts, I can't scream!* *When no one's around, sure.* *Right now, in their eyes, I'm practically a second Sword Venerable. How could I lose face?* *To a Silver Moon martial master, face is greater than the heavens!* *For the sake of pride, one can throw away one's life!* The stone screamed incessantly, stammering, "Can I... can I really achieve an invincible bearing?" Li Hao was also distracting himself from the pain, using the river to scour his own body and comprehend the myriad Daos. He forced a smile, though it looked somewhat strained. "Of course! Scoured by the power of myriad Daos, which is the core power of Silver Moon, gathered from all its people..." Pausing to catch his breath, he continued, "It is equivalent to... using a Great Dao Universe to lay a foundation for Senior! Once it succeeds, Senior will be a naturally born spirit stone with the foundation of a world. In the future... you may very well become a World Master... With the universe so vast, where could you not go?" "Really?" "Truly!" "B-but... ahhh... it hurts so much!" "Only by enduring hardships beyond hardships can one rise above all others..." Li Hao answered, his voice growing somewhat strained. *Damn it, it hurts too much! Why didn't I notice it before?* Inside the river, strands of black dust were continuously driven from the massive stone. Li Hao had not lied; being washed by the power of myriad Daos was an opportunity that rarely came by. Of course, the prerequisite was that you could survive it! This power was strong enough to wash away and disintegrate even a Sovereign's blood essence. One could imagine its potency. Seeing that the stone's screams were growing weaker and weaker, Li Hao suddenly shouted, "Senior Stone, did you know that I once grasped time?" "Wh-what..." "Within the Great Dao Universe, I saw the future..." "What..." "In the future... there is a stone that suppresses heaven and earth! With a single strike of that stone, heaven falls and earth shatters, worlds break apart... I can perceive the past and the future! In the future, there is a Stone Venerable who is invincible in the chaos, traversing the chaotic universe unhindered! "And that stone... bears quite a resemblance to Senior!" "R-really?" "Of course!" Li Hao burst into laughter, though it sounded somewhat ragged. "I saw that stone shatter the Red Moon universe with a single strike! I saw that stone suppress all realms! I saw that stone... open its own universe and become its own world... It was simply incredible! "I once wondered where such a future could have come from. There are no stone demons in Silver Moon, so that future had to be false! But when I saw Senior, I began to wonder if it was real. In the future... could Senior truly be that formidable?" The stone shrieked, "Was it really that strong? Then... was it stronger than the Sword Venerable?" "A bit stronger..." "You're lying to me..." "I am not... The Sword Venerable might not have been within my scope of observation. Judging from what I saw, you were a bit stronger... The Sword Venerable will grow stronger too, after all!" "..." The man and the stone kept conversing, Li Hao spinning tales to bluff the rock. Not stopping with the stone, he added, "It's just that... back then I was a bit puzzled, but now I understand. On that stone, I actually saw a tree growing within the rock! I just didn't see Senior Sword Seal... Thinking about it now, perhaps Senior Sword Seal was nurturing the world within the stone!" On the perimeter, the Sword Tree and the Sword Seal glanced at each other. *Could this be real?* *The three of us smashing the Red Moon universe with a single stone strike?* *Who are you trying to fool!* Li Hao laughed heartily. "If you don't believe me... I will show you... Look at me... extending time, peering into the future, and plucking the fruit of tomorrow!" Within the great river, the power of time suddenly surged! Li Hao reached out as if warring against heaven and earth. With a thunderous boom, the world trembled, and the river churned violently. In the next moment, as though peering into another world, a vision of the future truly seemed to manifest. A colossal stone abruptly struck and shattered a crimson moon! "The future?" The three Saints were flabbergasted. On that stone, they could faintly make out the shape of a tree! Incredible! *Bang!* The phantom shattered, and Li Hao instantly looked thoroughly exhausted. "Didn't I say... it would succeed? Senior Stone, did you see it?" "I-I saw it!" "Hahaha!" Instantly, the massive boulder in the river erupted with dazzling radiance, turning into a flowing liquid in the blink of an eye! "In the future, I will be invincible beneath the heavens... Li Hao, I want to forge an invincible foundation!" *Rumble!* The melted stone flowed within the river, seemingly merging into one with the water, the stone still yelling with wild excitement. At this moment... did it even matter whether it was real or fake? Though the three Saints were slow-witted, they were not fools. Could Li Hao... truly pluck the future? Whether they believed it or not... having seen it, they treated it as real. *I believe it!* The Sword Tree and the Sword Seal also roared with abandon, as if affirming that in the future, they would still be together, still invincible! A faint smile appeared on Li Hao's face... *Did they believe it?* *I don't know.* *Still, no matter what, we are all striving forward, aren't we?* As the stone erupted with an intense will to survive, the great river trembled, and droplets of stone liquid blended into the water, gradually blanketing the entire riverbed. The stone's utterly frail voice drifted over in fits and starts: "Just a little pain... Without enduring hardship, how can one grow strong... I am the Stone Venerable! In the chaotic universe... the Stone Venerable shall reign supreme!" Seeing this, Li Hao exhaled and shouted, "Senior Sword Tree! Take root in the river!" The Sword Tree manifested at once, revealing its true form. Countless roots plunged into the river. The sheer agony made its root fibers spasm and shudder, every single strand trembling violently. At that moment, Li Hao suddenly unleashed a formidable sword intent, like a blade ripping through the firmament! Li Hao said softly, "Today, I forge a spiritual sea to house my Bright Moon sword! I will certainly break open the Star Gate, step into the chaos, and pierce the firmament with my blade! This sword... is no longer the Starry Sky Sword. This is... the Firmament Sword!" *Boom!* Heaven and earth trembled; the universe shook. Today, I will no longer use the Starry Sky Sword. The blade in my hand exists solely to shatter the firmament! The firmament was torn asunder! A Great Dao Universe seemed to emerge before them, flickering indistinctly, on the verge of being breached! Li Hao roared once more, "Root into the barrier! Senior Sword Seal... envelop the surroundings, seal heaven and earth, leaving only... a single root passageway..." The Sword Seal instantly transformed into a massive seal, suppressing heaven and earth, encompassing all directions, and enclosing the great river. At that moment, the river water surged and churned furiously along the perimeters of the Sword Seal. All three Saints wailed in sheer agony! "Pain!" That heart-wrenching torment battered them ceaselessly, putting them through agony unlike anything they had ever experienced. Yet they did not shatter, for they had once endured the Sword Venerable's sword intent for a thousand years. That was their greatest confidence and asset! Only they could contain this river; no one else could bear it. ... At this moment, within the Bagua formation. Faintly, pained wails could be heard. The Red Moon Sovereign perked his ears slightly, catching only the faintest, almost imperceptible screams. *What's happening now?* *Ever since this Li Hao entered, trouble never stops.* *Not a single moment of peace all day long!* *Could it be... that fellow is dealing with those petty Saints?* *Is he eating them?* *Or something else?* He wanted to take a look... but he couldn't leave the formation, and his power couldn't penetrate outward. Forget it, better not to look! ... Within the Illusory Dao universe. The sword-carrying man was repairing several stars. A bright moon had been mostly restored by his hand. Suddenly, his brow furrowed slightly. He cast a glance in one direction and instantly teleported deep into that part of the universe. After observing quietly for a while, he frowned. *A disturbance?* *Has someone invaded the Illusory Dao universe?* *The Red Moon Sovereign?* *Or Li Hao?* *Or someone else?* He waited silently, but... there was only the trembling of stars and the churning of Great Dao power. Nothing else out of the ordinary appeared. He was tempted to tear open the void to check outside... but he worried that if the other party hadn't pinpointed his location, tearing space open might actually allow them to invade. In that brief hesitation, the universe seemed to calm down. He watched in silence for a while and memorized the location. Just as he considered tearing open the space later to inspect it, Dao power suddenly began to leak from numerous places, surging chaotically. ... Meanwhile. Li Hao shouted, "Don't root into a single spot! Senior Sword Tree, disperse! Take root across the various barriers to avoid being detected by the enemy! Once rooted... conceal the root fibers within the barrier!" *Boom!* The Great Dao Universe seemed on the verge of vanishing. Li Hao drew his sword and slashed once more! The void cracked open again! Li Hao shuddered all over. In the next moment, he flew out, gritting his teeth. "Now... I will take this spiritual sea into my mental realm! You three... do not shake. Maintain maximum stability, or else... I face the danger of falling!" "Come!" "Do it!" "Rest assured!" The three great Saints roared in unison. Li Hao said nothing more. Above his forehead, a Dao character manifested, resembling a cinnabar mark. Li Hao let out a fierce shout: "Open!" A patch of darkness instantly appeared within his forehead! Directly opening the mental realm! In that instant, Li Hao expanded his body without limit until the black hole on his forehead was large enough to accommodate the entire spiritual sea. Li Hao reached out and caught it, forcibly pulling the spiritual sea into his mental realm. "Seal!" The "Dao" character trembled violently. One hundred and twenty-two giant dragons emerged, coiling around the character to lock it down and forcibly encase this world within! *Rumble!* Li Hao's head shook violently! Suddenly, bursts of sword intent erupted from his brain, bursting through his sea of consciousness and staining the void with blood. Li Hao was in excruciating pain! Forcibly suppressing all the countless sword intents, he roared once more, "I am fusing the sword intents to stabilize the world. You three... hold on!" ... Within the man-made world inside his mind, a surge of sword intent suddenly manifested. A sword intent beyond the ten sword intents! It was an insight Li Hao had gained from contemplating the Longevity Sword. Previously, his physical body hadn't been strong enough to safely manifest such powerful sword intent. Today, however, it emerged instantly, turning into an aura of destruction. *Boom!* A long sword pierced the void and crashed against the Sword Seal's barrier with a thunderous impact. The Sword Seal let out a muffled groan! Pain! And this was merely the first one. Gradually, one sword intent after another emerged: destruction sword intent, shattering sword intent, void-severing sword intent, life sword intent... One after another, sword rays gradually merged into one, flowing into the river. The sword intents converged! In the sky, stars began to emerge, corresponding to each sword intent... These stars also began to merge with one another, gradually centering around the time sword intent, surrounded by countless smaller stars! A long sword swam through this world as if having found its true home, inspiring overwhelming awe! Thirty, fifty, seventy... After a long while, the hundredth sword intent took form. At that very moment, a hundred Daos converged; a hundred stars gathered! "The hundred-Dao sword is complete!" A grand voice echoed through this universe. With an earth-shattering boom, a long sword swallowed the star of time and slashed out. Amid continuous explosive sounds, the pained cries of the three Saints rose once again! "As long as you're alive, it's fine!" Li Hao's voice boomed like a bronze bell. "As long as you live... we are close to success! It's merely a hundred-Dao sword. If you can't even withstand this, how can you bear my ten-thousand-Dao sword intent! Seniors, today, we... have manufactured a world!" *Boom!* The miniature world trembled violently. A great tree brimmed with sword intent; beneath it, the translucent foundation shook wildly, and the surrounding walls shuddered endlessly! A man-made world! The three great Saints were ecstatic, thrilled. A man-made sword-dao world! A man-made spiritual world! Unprecedented! ... In the outside world. Li Hao trembled continuously, blood bleeding from his seven facial orifices, seemingly still struggling to bear this man-made miniature world. He relentlessly suppressed the sword intent, reinforced his physical body, and absorbed all kinds of power to replenish himself! Suppress it! As long as he could suppress it, success was guaranteed. This had been the most critical objective of his journey into the seal. He hadn't planned on doing this beforehand, but with the three great Saints present, it would have been a waste not to make use of them. "Just a hundred-Dao sword!" Li Hao grinned fiercely. "A mere hundred-Dao sword thinks it can overturn the heavens? What's more... you are my own sword intent!" *Boom!* Sword intent surged, tearing the firmament! In that instant, a sword appeared in Li Hao's hand. He chuckled softly. "Firmament Sword... today... battle the starry sky!" He swung the blade! Slash! *Boom!* Ahead, Sword City was struck squarely. A formidable burst of sword intent erupted from it, seemingly bewildered. *This person is slashing me?* "Kill!" The Firmament Sword integrated a hundred sword intents, with time at its core. As the strike lashed out, heaven collapsed and earth shattered. Sword City had originally felt an affinity toward Li Hao, but now it flew into a rage, unleashing a terrifying sword intent to battle him in the depths of the universe. Sword intent pierced heaven and earth! After a long time, the distant Sovereign caught glimpses of the struggle, feeling rather surprised. *What is Li Hao doing now?* *Fighting Sword City?* *Does that mean this guy truly swallowed those three little Saints?* *True enough... those three little fellows seem to be gone!* *This fellow is ruthless indeed.* "His strength seems to have increased quite a bit again!" He faintly saw Li Hao wielding another sword, actually suppressing Sword City under a torrential wave of sword intent. The two sides engaged in fierce combat! ... Battle! Ceaseless battle. From heaven to earth, a savage melee raged! Two sword intents continuously clashed and shattered in the void—one was the Bright Moon sword intent, and the other was the Longevity sword intent. The Longevity sword intent was stronger, but here there was only a sword, with no master. The Bright Moon sword intent was weaker, but with its master present, it could erupt without limit! For a time, they fought to a standstill! Within the mental realm, the sword intent continuously poured outward, easing the pressure on the three great Saints and giving them ample time to adapt to this Bright Moon sword intent. Meanwhile. Inside the spiritual world, the hundred stars in the sky shifted continuously, seeming to reorganize and adjust themselves as Li Hao refined his sword techniques. With every strike, the sword moves were never entirely identical. Some were stronger, some weaker. At times, a self-destructive recoil would explode, tearing his body apart and staining the sky with blood. Those were moments when an adjustment had failed and the combination was flawed. Only at this moment did Li Hao truly carve out a style of his own along the path of the sword. Though he was still borrowing from and mimicking the Longevity Sword, he had formed the Bright Moon Sword with time as its core! The Great Dao had ten thousand paths; comprehending the Dao was easy, but creating one was hard. On this day, Li Hao drew upon all his accumulated foundation, continually perfecting his sword technique in the boundless universe as he battled Sword City, the relic left behind by the Sword Venerable. Gradually, the sword in his hand stabilized. Within the spiritual sea, the hundred stars also gradually settled. At that very moment, Li Hao roared, "Bright Moon!" *Boom!* With this strike, a hundred swords merged into one. A bright moon rose into the sky, a great river manifested, and the blade slashed toward Sword City! *Bang!* With a colossal boom, Sword City was knocked backward. The Sword Venerable's personal weapon was repelled by Li Hao for the very first time, scattering Longevity sword intent in all directions! Li Hao stood in the void, panting heavily! On Sword City, a sword scar had appeared. He laughed with wild abandon. *I left a mark on the Starry Sky Sword—the true Starry Sky Sword!* *Only today have I finally reached this step.* Li Hao looked up at the starry sky, a brilliant smile spreading across his face. The hundred-Dao sword was complete! The spiritual sea was formed! With the gains of this day, everything he had previously perceived and comprehended was fully integrated. At this moment, Dao meridians opened inside his body one after another—the 123rd, the 124th... A strike that unified essence, energy, and spirit had unlocked even more Dao meridians. Li Hao was advancing toward 144 Dao meridians. After a long while, the unlocking of meridians came to an end. 144 Dao meridians unlocked! The third cycle was not yet completely finished, leaving him at the peak of the third tier of the Dao Integration Realm, merely one step shy of stepping into the fourth tier to formally claim the title of a Neo-Martial Heavenly King! Li Hao halted his breakthrough. He had not yet returned to the world; if Heavenly Kings emerged right now, Silver Moon would be in grave danger. Only when he returned could he officially make the breakthrough and allow Heavenly Kings to emerge unimpeded. When that time came... he would kill every Heavenly King that stepped forward! "Seniors... we succeeded!" Li Hao grinned. If not for the selfless assistance of these three, risking life and limb, how could he have attained today's success? However... only after a long time did a faint, feeble voice sound from the Sword Seal: "We need to sleep to stabilize this small world... so that we can endure your thousand-Dao and ten-thousand-Dao swords in the future! Li Hao... you must kill Li Daoheng..." Li Hao's heart stirred, and he nodded. "Without a doubt!" The three of them had expended too much energy and needed to stabilize this spiritual sea, so they indeed required a period of dormant rest. That was just as well; it would prevent them from being overwhelmed when the thousand-Dao sword emerged. Li Hao looked at the distant Sword City. The city seemed unwilling to come near him now, apparently angered by his attack. Li Hao chuckled. "Sword City... Starry Sky Sword! The Sword Venerable's personal weapon! I used the name Starry Sky Sword for a very long time, and the Firmament Sword originated from the Starry Sky Sword. They are one and the same... How about this: when my thousand-Dao sword is formed, you can merge into my Firmament Sword?" For now, he had no need of it; a weapon that was too powerful was not necessarily a good thing. The current Firmament Sword was sufficient to accommodate his hundred-Dao sword and could even slay Heavenly Kings without much difficulty. To deal with half-step Sovereigns or Sovereigns, however, it was still somewhat lacking. When that time arrived, merging with Sword City might just suffice. Sword City ignored him, merely hovering in the void. On this visit, Li Hao had practically stripped Sword City bare, leaving behind only this single sword. Inside Sword City, apart from that small courtyard, nothing remained. Not even a speck of wreckage could be seen! With a radiant smile, Li Hao stepped into the courtyard and chuckled. "I'll condense a bit more Longevity sword intent before heading out... You'd best stay here. Taking you outside wouldn't necessarily be wise; you're far too conspicuous a target!" Sword City showed no reaction, letting Li Hao gather more Longevity sword intent as he pleased. ... Inside Hurricane City. Zheng Yu suddenly looked up at the sky. After a moment, he said slowly, "Li Hao seems to have made some progress... Soon, Heavenly Kings will be able to walk the world!" Beside him, several Heavenly Kings were surprised. *So fast!* This was far faster than the natural recovery of heaven and earth. How long had it been, and it could already accommodate Heavenly Kings? Yet the Heavenly Kings felt none of the anticipated joy... Previously, they had been impatient to emerge, but now... even if the world could accommodate them, could they... deal with Li Hao? Wouldn't they just be throwing their lives away? Zheng Yu said nothing. If the world could accommodate Heavenly Kings, Li Hao would most likely step into the fourth tier of the Dao Integration Realm as well. Once he reached that stage, could these few before him... handle a monster like Li Hao? It would be harder than scaling the heavens! Perhaps going out would simply be courting death. ... In Dali. Inside the divine temple. The God of Early Martial looked up at the starry sky, pondering in silence. Sword City remained within the seal. Li Hao had entered the seal. If he had done so to seize the Starry Sky Sword, that would be bad news. Once the balance of the eight cities was shattered and the Starry Sky Sword was taken, perhaps... the plan of having the eight directions nourish the cat would be disrupted. What a headache! Nearby, the King of Dali's aura grew increasingly formidable. The God of Early Martial felt a wave of helplessness. Truly... there was no other choice. "King of Dali!" In the distance, the King of Dali, who was deep in cultivation, suddenly jolted awake and looked toward the temple. From within, an aloof voice called out, "Your fusion speed is too slow. I will lend you a hand, allowing you to completely integrate the power of the skeleton within three days and advance to the Heavenly King level! In return... you must do something for me." "What is it?" The King of Dali felt he had to ask clearly. "Guard the ruins of Star Suppressing City! Let no one take a single step inside!" "..." The King of Dali was left speechless. Only after a while did he say, "That's Li Hao's territory!" *You want me to guard that place and let no one enter... Won't I be beaten to death?* Even if he reached the Heavenly King level... Zheng Yu, Li Daoheng, and Li Hao all seemed to have their eyes on that spot. "Do you agree? If not, forget it. Without my help... it will take you at least three years to fuse it on your own!" The King of Dali felt helpless. Three years? Surely not? After pondering for a long time, he asked, "What if... what if Li Hao and the others launch a full-scale assault?" He might not be able to defeat them! "Defend to the death without stepping out!" "..." The King of Dali gritted his teeth. "Fine, I agree. But... if I truly can't hold it, don't blame me!" The God of Early Martial couldn't be bothered to say more. A giant hand manifested, snatching the skeleton in an instant. In the blink of an eye, the incomparably durable skeleton was crushed to powder, and a surge of power was funneled directly into the King of Dali's body. The King of Dali cried out in agony. The God of Early Martial didn't even spare him a glance. What was this bit of pain? Body tempering was meant to be like this! How could one become strong without enduring a little hardship? He forcibly drove the power into the king's body, causing the King of Dali's aura to surge dramatically in an instant. After considering the situation, the God of Early Martial suddenly looked toward a golden-glowing figure in the distance. "You are Li Hao's subordinate. I shall help you advance to the Dao Integration Realm, granting you the power to battle a Heavenly King! The Nine-Forged Golden Body! Tell Li Hao... the eight cities must not be broken—at least, not for now. I have no conflict with him, but... if he breaks the eight cities, I will have no choice but to intervene. I do not wish to do so, but long ago, I made a promise to someone..." "Senior..." Just as Director Zhou was about to speak, an immense force suppressed him. The God of Early Martial's voice sounded again: "Accept it first! Whether Li Hao agrees... can wait until you deliver the message. Before you speak to him, nothing is settled!" With that, a powerful force surged into Zhou Chuan's body. Director Zhou gave a muffled grunt, thoroughly awestruck! *This person... is terrifyingly strong!* *A half-step Sovereign?* Offending an Early Martial half-step Sovereign right now would not bode well. *The eight cities must not be broken?* He turned the thought over in his mind, then stopped dwelling on it. Being forcibly suppressed and forcibly upgraded... since he couldn't resist, he might as well endure it. As for how Li Hao would respond, he had no idea. ... On this day, stirrings arose across various factions once more. Heaven and earth seemed to have undergone another revival. Heavenly Kings would soon be able to traverse the world freely! Meanwhile, within the seal, Li Hao was also preparing to take his leave. He had taken everything he needed to take. Slaying a Sovereign right now offered little hope, but his gains inside the seal had met his expectations. Once he went out, he would find a way to finish off those Heavenly Kings under Zheng Yu first.