Leaving Seclusion, Advancing

Within the seal. Having formed one hundred sword intents and forged his spiritual sea, Li Hao had reaped unimaginable rewards. He prepared to leave. Killing a Sovereign was sheer fantasy. At present, having not yet fully crossed into the fourth tier of Dao Integration, he had zero chance of killing even a half-step Sovereign, let alone a Sovereign. There was no point in daydreaming. Even so, his gains from this venture were beyond measure. He had also clashed with both a Sovereign and a half-step Sovereign, which was immensely beneficial in its own way—if one counted being slapped to death by the Sovereign and pierced to death by the half-step Sovereign as clashes. Before departing, however, there was one more thing Li Hao wanted to do. Driving Sword City, he headed straight for the seal. Since he was already here, and considering he hadn’t greeted the Sovereign upon his arrival, it was only right to bid him farewell before leaving. Otherwise, the Sovereign might think he lacked manners. …… Inside the Bagua seal. Red Moon Sovereign opened his eyes once more. In all of the past hundred thousand years, the recent days had been the liveliest. As soon as one actor left the stage, the next stepped up; not a single one seemed willing to rest. In the distance, Li Hao approached once again, steering Sword City. Red Moon Sovereign watched him in silence. Only when Li Hao drew near did Red Moon Sovereign speak slowly. "Li Hao, those three little fellows seem to have vanished?" Li Hao gave a light chuckle. "Have they? I wouldn't know anything about that." With that, he took the initiative to say, "I've come primarily to bid Your Eminence farewell! I am about to leave this place..." Red Moon Sovereign let out an amused breath. Farewell? How interesting! Li Hao was incapable of leaving through the seal, which meant he intended to exit through the Dao universe. That offered an opportunity to observe a thing or two. "What a well-mannered child!" Red Moon Sovereign chuckled as if humoring a young boy, looking at Li Hao with a faint smile. "It seems your strength has improved. Do you have the confidence to deal with Zheng Yu and Li Daoheng now?" "Not yet." As if engaging in casual small talk, Li Hao shook his head with a sigh. "The gap is far too vast. However... I am confident I can resist them! There is no need for Your Eminence to trouble yourself over such matters. My arrival today serves two purposes: first, to say goodbye; second... I have a modest request, and wonder if Your Eminence might indulge this junior?" "Speak." With an earnest expression, Li Hao said, "Last time, I inadvertently took a drop of Your Eminence’s blood essence, which helped me inflict heavy damage on the Moon God! Today, this junior would like to ask for another drop!" "……" Red Moon Sovereign’s smile gradually faded. He stared at Li Hao without making a sound. What did he mean by that? Begging for a drop of blood essence? How did he propose to ask for it? Li Hao wore an entirely serious expression. "Your Eminence won’t lose out, either. I intend to use it against Your Eminence's enemies, such as Li Daoheng and Zheng Yu... Surely Your Eminence won’t miss a single drop!" "……" Red Moon Sovereign’s tone remained impassive. "Will you come inside to take it?" *Do you dare step inside?* To think Li Hao could speak of this with such calm nonchalance, as if Red Moon Sovereign were merely a lamb waiting for the slaughter. What an utterly brazen little brat. Besides, even if the blood essence were given, would he dare use it? Li Hao murmured softly, "I won’t step inside; I’ll just stay right here! Over these days, I condensed a sword and gathered the Longevity sword intent. I wish to see if I can take a drop of Your Eminence’s blood essence. If I can, everyone will be pleased. If I cannot... I ask for Your Eminence's understanding!" "Bold words. Go ahead and try." Red Moon Sovereign stood up with his hands clasped behind his back, walking to the edge of the Bagua formation. The Star Gate overhead shifted along with him, projecting a boundless aura that permeated the entire world. A mere Saint had the audacity to utter such wild boasts about taking a drop of a Sovereign's blood essence! Without the seal, a single punch would obliterate him without leaving a trace of dust behind. Where did such a weakling find the nerve? Without another word, Li Hao reached out and grasped Sword City. It shrank and transformed into a long sword—the Starry Sky Sword. Upon the blade, strands of Longevity sword intent converged from all around. Leaving this place, Li Hao did not intend to take Sword City with him. The eight major cities were unique; Sword City was perhaps better off staying here to sustain the seal’s continuous existence. Taking it outside might cause unforeseen anomalies. In that case... to prevent Li Daoheng from entering again and seizing the Starry Sky Sword, it was better to expend all the sword intent within it. Even if the sword remained, Li Daoheng would no longer gain any significant advantage from it. Even if he forged another sword, there would be no great fortune left to reap. None of it could be squandered! Li Hao wanted this Sovereign to take the gathered Longevity sword intent head-on, so he could also witness just how formidable the Longevity Sword Venerable truly had been. At this moment, Li Hao’s blood and qi surged. A burst of sword intent spilled forth. Dao meridians continuously manifested within his body, circling his form until 144 Dao meridians appeared, faintly completing three major cycles. He was on the verge of stepping into the fourth tier of Dao Integration! Not only that, his spiritual sea churned, and his Bright Moon sword intent merged into the Starry Sky Sword as well. The power of time flowed as the Longevity sword intent surfaced. Red Moon Sovereign remained entirely calm. In this era, he was an invincible being. Neither Li Daoheng, Zheng Yu, nor Li Hao possessed the certainty to deal with him at their present stage. If they had, he would have died long ago; why would he have lasted until today? No matter how much external power Li Hao borrowed, even wielding the Sword Venerable's personal weapon and amassing his sword intent... he was still not the Sword Venerable himself. To kill him was utterly impossible. It was not even possible to wound him. Even Li Daoheng's sword dao avatar, possessing the strength of a half-step Sovereign, had only managed to leave slight nicks on his fist, to say nothing of taking a drop of blood essence. Li Hao was far too arrogant! Yet at that very instant, Li Hao's power continued to erupt. His blood and qi grew increasingly ferocious as his essence, energy, and spirit aligned as one. Above his head hovered two large characters: "Battle Heaven." At this moment, those two characters also seemed to radiate waves of energy. The entire Bagua formation trembled faintly. Li Hao closed his eyes. What echoed in his mind was not the Sword Venerable’s sword intent, but that day when the Blood Sovereign had cleaved the world in two, dividing heaven and earth into eight! That had been the very first time he witnessed a supreme existence strike in an illusion. It was also the most terrifying technique he had ever seen to date. The Sword Venerable’s phantom had also displayed sword intent capable of piercing the heavens, yet it lacked the sheer, visceral shock of that single saber strike. Right now, supported by the two "Battle Heaven" characters, Li Hao stood directly before the grand formation left behind by the Blood Sovereign. Crucially, this grand formation was intricately connected to the eight divine weapons; in fact, the weapons and the formation were linked as one. This formation had absorbed countless stores of energy. Where had that energy gone? Li Hao had a vague inkling. It had gone into the saber! To resurrect that cat! Therefore, the far end of this formation was connected to that blood saber. Demanding the Sovereign's blood essence was merely an excuse. Even if he wounded the man, he might not succeed in taking his blood essence. Li Hao simply wanted to test whether he could mobilize a fraction of the eight major cities' power to draw forth that blood saber. In that split second, the Starry Sky Sword in his hand shuddered. The formation trembled! Not only that, within the Dao universe, the five major cities under Li Hao's control also seemed to quiver slightly. At that precise juncture, the space above Li Hao’s head split open. The vault of the sky cracked apart, revealing the Dao universe within. Just like Li Daoheng, he feared being pinpointed by the Sovereign, but revealing it for a brief moment posed little threat. The five major cities suddenly radiated faint halos of light, projecting beams that shot straight toward the Bagua formation. Within the seal, Red Moon Sovereign frowned slightly. The Qiankun Bagua formation! This single formation had entangled him for a hundred thousand years. At the same time, Li Hao’s momentum reached an absolute peak. In the next instant, his figure blurred as if possessed by the phantom of the Sword Venerable. In truth, the Sword Venerable’s phantom did vanish in that fraction of a second, appearing to merge completely into Li Hao's body. Six beams of light flared across the Bagua formation. Only the sections corresponding to Hurricane City and Galaxy City showed little reaction. Li Hao let out a fierce shout, and between heaven and earth, a faint silhouette of a blood saber seemed to emerge. At that exact instant, Li Hao’s roar shattered the heavens! "Kill!" The sword radiance fused with the phantom of the blood saber, tearing through the void in an instant! Red Moon Sovereign frowned slightly. Without a word, he raised his hand and punched! This fist strike was incomparably ferocious! The sheer pressure alone cowed the cosmos! The Star Gate overhead flared with light once more, suppressing heaven and earth. The Sovereign used his power to suppress two fronts at once, withstanding the Star Gate's weight while delivering his punch! It occurred in absolute silence! The fist silhouette collided with the sword radiance, instantly sweeping the surroundings with devastating power. An overwhelmingly ferocious counter-force shattered Li Hao’s physical body on the spot. No matter how mighty Li Hao was, he could not withstand this rebound! Yet at that very instant, the Sovereign’s fist silhouette also shattered. A streak of sword radiance—not of Longevity sword intent, but of Bright Moon sword intent—erupted from within the collapsing sword energy, piercing into the Sovereign's fist in the blink of an eye. *Crunch!* The Sovereign retracted his fist. A faint streak of blood had appeared on his knuckles. He looked up toward Li Hao, seeing a great river stretching out like a dragon into the Dao universe. Li Hao reappeared, stepping through the void. In his hand was another sword—not the Starry Sky Sword, but the Firmament Sword! Faint traces of golden blood lingered upon the blade. It was the blood left behind from that single strike piercing into the fist. Red Moon Sovereign frowned slightly, watching in silence. Without looking back, Li Hao sighed softly. "To think Your Eminence is truly this formidable. Fusing the intent of both the Sword Venerable and the Blood Sovereign only barely left an imperceptible scratch on your fist... Your Eminence’s might is truly despair-inducing!" Red Moon Sovereign watched him step into the Dao universe and suddenly murmured, "Knowing full well I desire to probe the Dao universe, you still dare take a wisp of my blood. Li Hao, are you boldly ignorant, or... do you harbor some other purpose?" Li Hao’s sword had carried away a tiny wisp of blood, not blood essence. That trace of blood was of little practical use, but Li Hao knew he wished to invade the Dao universe. Why take it, then? He had come here specifically, perhaps solely for this bit of blood. What was he plotting? This young man was no fool; he clearly had an objective. As for the difference between this blood and the previous blood essence, the greatest distinction was its freshness; it retained a trace of his fist intent, though that was of minimal consequence. Did Li Hao wish to comprehend his Dao? That would be an utter joke! As the Dao universe was about to seal completely, Li Hao turned back to look at Red Moon Sovereign, then glanced at the Starry Sky Sword left behind. He smiled. "Your Eminence, I harbor no malice. I merely wished to test whether this wisp of blood might leave behind an heir for you, so that after Your Eminence perishes, you won’t have spent a hundred thousand years in this world without leaving any bloodline behind!" Red Moon Sovereign gave a faint chuckle. The Dao universe sealed shut completely! *Leaving an heir?* What an amusing fellow. All that talk of heirs was nonsense. He didn't know what Li Hao was plotting, but to dare carry away a wisp of his fresh blood right under his nose, opening the Dao universe right before his eyes... *Do you realize I could very well lock onto the entrance of your Dao universe?* *If I truly lock onto it, you will be in dire trouble!* …… Inside the Dao universe. Thunder began to gather. The Firmament Sword trembled slightly, as if preparing to undergo baptism by lightning. That wisp of blood was bound to contain boundless Red Moon power! Moreover, upon entering the Dao universe, the blood seemed to show signs of coming alive. At this moment, Li Hao chuckled. Suddenly, his spiritual sea churned, and a hundred sword intents erupted, causing a small world to manifest within the cosmic starry sky. *Will that star come?* This was something entirely novel! The spiritual sea emerged! At that exact instant, as if encountering such a novelty for the very first time in the Dao universe, a star leaped through the void from the far reaches of the cosmos. It was the Heart of the Universe, the Heart of the Dao. As this star appeared, the entire universe seemed to fall silent. Even the spiritual sea—this man-made world, an external object—froze completely in that instant! Not only that, the trembling Firmament Sword in his hand froze as well. The wisp of blood on the blade, which had felt as though it was about to transform into a living person, halted instantly. The distant major cities also quieted down, entirely devoid of movement. The world fell into stillness! The star manifested, circling the spiritual sea world like a curious child before suddenly diving straight inside. Joy flashed across Li Hao's face! This was precisely what he wanted! Last time, when this star rolled around in his river of time, he had comprehended some of the power of time. This time, the star had indeed taken an interest and plunged into his spiritual sea world. With this, the Time Star within his spiritual sea would likely grow even stronger in the future! At this moment, Li Hao shifted his body as the "Dao" divine character surfaced. He struggled, walking forward. He needed to get closer to that star! The star was half-tangible and half-illusory. Presently, it seemed intrigued by the spiritual sea. Li Hao forced himself forward, inching along. In his hand, the Firmament Sword shimmered with faint brilliance as a subtle stream of time power flowed gently. Treading cautiously, Li Hao tossed the Firmament Sword lightly forward. Carrying that wisp of blood, the sword drifted toward the star. Li Hao held his breath. The Firmament Sword drew closer inch by inch. Perhaps because the blade also carried a trace of time power, the star playing in the distance showed no reaction and displayed no repulsion. It allowed the Firmament Sword to draw near, until they made contact. Against the illusory half of the star, the Firmament Sword suddenly applied a gentle thrust, seemingly piercing into its interior. That wisp of blood vanished in an instant, plunging into the illusory half of the star. As if startled, the star vanished from the spot in a flash. At this moment, the world remained silent. Holding his breath, Li Hao stood motionless, watching quietly. After a long while, he exhaled a long breath, caught the Firmament Sword, and inspected it, suddenly breaking into a smile. This star definitely did not only appear on his side. It also appeared on Li Daoheng’s side! The tangible half connected to this side. The illusory half connected to that side. He just didn't know whether this wisp of the Sovereign's blood could cross into the other side. If it could... Li Daoheng was in for a treat, and that Sovereign would probably be quite thrilled as well! Perhaps the Sovereign could lock onto the coordinates of the Illusory Dao universe. A smile crept onto Li Hao's face. Exhaling softly, he knew this was a gamble. If it failed to connect to the other side and remained here, the star carrying that wisp of blood might allow someone to pinpoint his own location. However, if it was carried over to that side, Li Daoheng would have a good show to watch! Looking back into his spiritual sea, the transparent star suspended above seemed to have grown considerably. Li Hao smiled once more; sure enough, it had absorbed more power of time. However, stabbing the star with the Firmament Sword had startled it. Would it dare show itself next time? The real issue was that he had already revealed the spiritual sea. What novel thing could he possibly use to lure it out next time? Li Hao looked around; the entire world seemed frozen in time. He drifted forward without making a sound. In an instant, he landed atop one of the major cities. Within the city, soldiers and cultivators were trapped in an eerie stillness, as if time itself had frozen. Saints were stationed here, yet even they were completely immobilized. Perhaps only a Heavenly King could barely resist the power of that star, and even then, they would still be frozen for a time before breaking free on their own. Without causing any disturbance, Li Hao entered the sea of stars in the Dao universe. Countless billions of stars hovered there. Among them, several stars were exceptionally powerful. Li Hao ignored those, instead selecting familiar stars and beginning to move them. The spiritual sea world opened! One by one, he relocated these stars into his spiritual sea. These were not the stars of the Earth-Overturning Sword, Lin Hongyu, or his other trusted allies. Rather, they belonged to people whose allegiance he could not guarantee. Such as Dao Jian’s star, the Queen's star, and several unfamiliar yet remarkably potent stars... Li Hao didn't even know who some of these natal stars belonged to. He didn't care! He shifted these stars one by one, moving all of them into his spiritual ocean. With these stars newly positioned in the sky above his spiritual ocean, Li Hao paused in contemplation for a moment before channeling his Dao techniques. The "Dao" divine character also dived into the ocean. In an instant, the spiritual ocean transformed as stars manifested, both illusory and real! Meanwhile, within the Dao universe, gaps were left behind where those stars had vanished. After a moment of thought, Dao meridians suddenly surfaced within Li Hao's body, transforming into stars that mimicked the originals to fill the vacancies. Only then was everything complete. He vanished from the spot in an instant. Only after putting a great distance behind him did Li Hao erupt with brilliant sword intent that shook heaven and earth. A hearty laugh resonated across the void: "I have returned!" "Hahaha!" Li Hao’s laughter rattled the skies! The frozen flow of time instantly resumed. No one noticed anything amiss; even the Saints merely felt as if they had experienced a momentary daze, immediately followed by the sound of Li Hao’s voice. A black dog bolted out of the city, utterly thrilled! Li Hao was back! Many people were present in the five cities, some having entered through the opened channels. All grew excited; the Marquis had returned. Only a handful looked up toward the starry river in the sky, somewhat puzzled. They were accustomed to the myriad stars, so nothing appeared out of the ordinary, yet a few individuals felt vaguely uncomfortable. Originally, they shared a connection with one of the billions of stars. Now, that connection felt somewhat intermittent. Of course, as Li Hao approached, that sensation quickly vanished. It had appeared and disappeared in a flash. Looking at the void, there were no visible changes, so it failed to arouse any suspicion. At this moment, Saints flew out from the city. Redwood quickly assumed human form, beaming with delight. "The Marquis has returned... Congratulations, Marquis, on taking another step forward and mastering your divine arts!" "……" Li Hao almost suspected Redwood actually knew he had made progress, but judging by its demeanor, it was most likely pure flattery! Li Hao chuckled. "Thank you for your kind words, Senior Shan Qi. My gains this time were indeed not small! Pass down the order: today, I shall advance to the fourth tier of Dao Integration, stepping into a realm comparable to a Neo Martial Heavenly King... The world may stabilize further and formally accommodate the movement of Heavenly Kings! Warn all factions to stay vigilant and keep a close eye on Hurricane City..." "Congratulations, Marquis!" At this moment, Shan Qi was no longer the only one; congratulations rang out continuously across the city. The fourth tier of Dao Integration! How long had it been? Although Li Hao had been away for a long time—this was his longest absence yet, nearly four months—he had previously been only at the second or third tier of Dao Integration. Today, he was about to cross into the fourth. At this level, advancement was excruciatingly difficult! Yet Li Hao was about to take another step forward! Everyone was overjoyed. Li Hao smiled and said, "My thanks to you all. It is also thanks to everyone’s full support that I was able to progress so quickly. Enough said—I am about to advance!" With those words, 144 giant dragons soared forth! The sky blazed with stars! These 144 dragons swam into 144 of the 360 designated regions. Within them, 144 colossal stars suddenly flared with brilliant light! Everyone looked up, utterly awestruck! All 144 regions shone with radiance! Li Hao’s voice shook heaven and earth. "The fourth tier of Dao Integration, four major cycles fully formed! With thirty-six Dao meridians per major cycle, today... I enter the middle stage of Dao Integration!" *Boom!* The 144 stars shuddered violently, projecting colossal pillars of light. Groups of thirty-six pillars linked together, gradually forming four complete, major cycles. The aura on Li Hao's body churned as waves of Dao power swept over him! …… At this moment, whether inside or outside the Dao universe, all cultivators of the new Dao felt something different. The entire world seemed to rejoice. Heaven and earth revived a degree further. Countless energies began to seep out from unknown origins. Even streams of Dao power spilled forth, and new Dao cultivators, sensing opportunity, began cultivating in earnest. …… Inside Hurricane City. Zheng Yu looked toward the sky and said softly, "He truly advanced!" The fourth tier of Dao Integration! Behind him, several Heavenly Kings remained dead silent. *Don't make us go out!* It was truly frustrating. Although there wasn't just one Heavenly King, but six or seven, if they really went out, would six or seven Heavenly Kings be guaranteed to win? Zheng Yu did not bring up the matter, merely watching in silence. Heaven and earth were reviving so rapidly. Soon, it would accommodate Heavenly Kings. Li Hao was no longer suppressing his cultivation realm; or rather, feeling confident he had nothing to fear from Heavenly Kings, he had actively chosen to advance. "Fourth tier of Dao Integration..." Zheng Yu murmured, waving his hand to dismiss the others. Soon, another Zheng Yu appeared, his aura also climbing rapidly. The new-Dao Zheng Yu said softly, "Many people are advancing right now. With billions of stars in the Great Dao, so long as it isn't too obvious, it will be hard for them to distinguish each one!" Zheng Yu nodded slightly, his voice gentle and devoid of agitation. "Just follow closely behind. Do not draw too much attention. If I'm not mistaken, I'm not the only one doing this." The new-Dao Zheng Yu nodded faintly. Neither said anything further. Winning early did not guarantee ultimate victory for Li Hao; it all depended on the final outcome. …… At this moment, Li Hao paid no heed to anyone. His Dao meridians spanned the river of stars, his aura constantly swelling. Concurrently, waves of Dao power surged into his spiritual sea, pouring into the relocated stars. Since the Dao shook everywhere else, how could this place remain calm? Moreover, stars were flaring with light here as well, mirroring Li Hao's advancement. *How many people in this world are another's avatars or hidden pawns? I don't know.* *However, so long as I don't know you well enough, moving your stars here is sufficient.* *If you try to strike me a vicious blow... the moment you twitch, I'll deliver an even nastier blow to you!* Thinking this, a faint smile appeared on Li Hao’s lips. …… Elsewhere. Within the seal. Red Moon Sovereign sat cross-legged, quietly sensing something. After a long while, he frowned slightly and looked up at the sky, puzzled. Just moments ago, he had seemingly lost all connection to his blood, but soon a faint, subtle link was restored. Extremely faint! *What is Li Hao doing?* *He didn't destroy my blood?* His brows furrowed. He was certain his blood remained inside the Dao universe, though its precise location was currently difficult to determine; the connection was far too dim and weak. However, given enough time, he might be able to lock onto the location completely! "Intermittent... as if shielded by something, not merely the barrier of the Dao universe..." He murmured in bewilderment. Of course, he didn't know enough about the Dao universe to be certain of the reason. …… Inside the Illusory Dao universe. The man carrying a sword on his back frowned slightly, glancing at the gradually recovering Moon God before him, then looking out into the endless void. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being led by the nose lately—by Li Hao, for instance. Earlier, the universe had trembled. Today, there was another strange anomaly. He knew Li Hao was advancing to the fourth tier of Dao Integration, but could his breakthrough interfere with this place? Or did it mean that once he advanced, he would eventually connect the two Dao universes? "I can see through that fellow less and less!" The man murmured softly, then quickly smiled. Could his years of meticulous scheming truly be inferior to a mere child's efforts? If so, it would be laughable. Looking at the mostly recovered Moon God, he spoke. "Staying here has indeed caused us to lose some control. Now that you have recovered, step out early. The Second Generation possesses considerable strength now and is living quite carefree." The massive star condensed into a silhouette, and soon a bright moon emerged. The Moon God stepped out slowly, aloof and haughty as ever, though a trace of murderous intent now tainted her eyes. Last time she stepped out, Li Hao had ambushed her, nearly blasting her to death. It had taken considerable time and a heavy price to barely recover. She could fuse with heaven and earth, and contained within her was a swordsman at the half-step Sovereign level... yet she had been outplayed by Li Hao. "He advanced?" "Yes." "The faster he advances, the faster he dies!" The Moon God was brimming with killing intent, genuinely enraged. She gave another cold snort. "Does that fool of a Second Generation truly think that absorbing a bit of Silver Moon's power allows her to replace me?" Without another word, a bright moon tore through the Dao universe. Soon, a luminous moon manifested in the sky, and the divine temple reappeared within it. The Moon God turned into a statue, and the sword-bearing man followed closely behind. They had emerged once more. …… At the same time. In the north. The Queen looked up at the sky and snorted. *They dare come out again!* It seemed they hadn't suffered enough last time. However, now that Li Hao had advanced again, she dared not venture rashly into the Central Region, lest Li Hao emerge and deal with her. Glancing at the distant moon, she also transformed into a bright moon, hanging in the sky and illuminating the land. At this moment, two bright moons hung over the land of Silver Moon—one in the south, one in the north—shining in mutual defiance, as if provoking one another. …… Li Hao paid no attention to any of them. Soon, having completed the four cycles of 144 Dao meridians, a tremendous transformation occurred in his aura. The faint pressure emanating from him was already suffocating. Opening the Dao universe, he stepped out. A figure manifested between heaven and earth. Soon, silhouettes flew in from all directions. Everyone had been on edge, and only when Li Hao appeared did they breathe a slight sigh of relief. Heaven and earth seemed capable of accommodating Heavenly Kings now. Yet on the Silver Moon side, the only one possessing the combat strength of a Heavenly King was Li Hao. Hurricane City had multiple Heavenly Kings. The Queen was also a match for a Heavenly King, and with the second moon appearing in the sky, everyone knew that Li Daoheng and the true Moon God had emerged; they, too, could unleash the power of a Heavenly King. Without Li Hao showing himself, everyone remained uneasy. "Marquis!" "Congratulations!" "……" Voices rang out one after another. Li Hao nodded slightly and looked around, noticing quite a few people were missing, though he didn't know where they had gone. "Not bad!" Li Hao looked at the crowd with a smile. "Everyone has made progress to varying degrees. Seeing this after several months is truly delightful! There are more Dao Integration cultivators than before, and the same goes for Sun-Moon... It seems none of you have squandered your time!" With that, he declared, "Assemble all Dao Integration and Saint cultivators. Since I have advanced to the fourth tier of Dao Integration today, let's see if we can slay a few Hurricane Heavenly Kings to liven up the mood!" "……" The crowd was speechless. *You... are truly fearless!* Li Hao turned his gaze toward the northern region, where many experts were currently gathered. Killing Heavenly Kings was secondary. This time, he wanted to stir up trouble once more, forcing out everyone’s avatars, pawns, and puppets alike! Not only that, he wanted to seize the remaining two major cities. Hurricane City was troublesome! A half-step Sovereign resided within it; perhaps... He looked up at the sky and chuckled. Two bright moons hung there, one housing Li Daoheng. What if Zheng Yu moved his residence to stay with the Queen? Of course, that would be difficult! Yet it wasn't entirely hopeless. If Zheng Yu moved out, Hurricane City could be reclaimed. …… At that exact instant, the Queen hanging high in the sky suddenly felt uneasy. She knew Li Hao had appeared. He hadn't hidden his presence in the slightest; his aura was immensely powerful, with sword intent soaring into the sky. Utterly arrogant! Still, she shouldn't be his primary enemy right now, so why was she feeling this unease? Perplexed, she suddenly felt that the north was unsafe... or rather, nowhere within Silver Moon was safe. …… Even farther away, near the very edge of the world, Ying Hongyue gritted his teeth, looking toward the Central Region. *Li Hao, you truly advance fast!* *However... I am not slow, either.* Beside him, Flying Sword Immortal wore a silent, contemplative expression. Seeing this, Ying Hongyue said in a deep voice, "Do not overthink it. With father and daughter joining hands, no matter how much of an upper hand Li Hao holds right now, he will die before either of us!" Flying Sword Immortal remained silent. Ying Hongyue frowned slightly and said nothing more. At present, he needed to expel the Red Moon power and had no energy to waste on chatter. Ever since Li Hao breached parts of the seal, that Sovereign’s infiltration had grown stronger. While he could resist it previously, doing so now was exceedingly difficult. The bloodline power of the eight families was also far weaker than before. Ying Hongyue exhaled softly, feeling somewhat helpless. *Li Daoheng, Zheng Yu, are you two simply going to ignore that fellow and do nothing to rein him in?* *Be careful, or you'll both end up tripping over your own feet in the end!*