Song of the Gallant

Within the Great Dao Universe. A great river surged, surging straight through the void. One hundred and eighty great stars illuminated heaven and earth. Yet at this moment, the radiance of these one hundred and eighty great stars began to dim, gradually vanishing into the river of stars. In their place emerged new stars, each pulsing with the keen edge of sword intent. The great stars were being replaced! The divine character for "Dao" that anchored the river of stars faded away, replaced by the divine character for "Sword," which revolved with ten thousand variations. Li Hao was handing over control of the Great Dao Universe to Hong Yitang. Just as outsiders had speculated, Hong Yitang was indeed the most suitable candidate to take charge of the Great Dao Universe. In Li Hao's absence, his succession faced virtually no real impediment. Unlike Li Hao, who had ignited one hundred and eighty stars, Hong Yitang had only barely stepped into the second level of the Dao Integration Realm. He had lit just over seventy stars, far fewer than Li Hao. That alone was not a fatal issue. However, if the one wielding the Great Dao lacked sufficient cultivation, the ceiling of the Great Dao could easily be lowered. While ordinary martial artists might not sense this, cultivators of the new Dao at the Dao Integration Realm and heaven and earth itself could undergo shifts—even experiencing a back-pressure. At the fifth level of the Dao Integration Realm, Li Hao could already rival a peak Heavenly King, whereas Hong Yitang was still far from that mark. At this moment, Hong Yitang had replaced Li Hao in controlling over seventy regions, leaving the rest unattended. If Li Hao withdrew his own stars under these conditions, the Great Dao might partially collapse. Hong Yitang frowned slightly. Just as Li Hao was about to speak, Hong Yitang sighed softly. "My strength falls short of yours, my cultivation falls short of yours, my physical body falls short of yours, and my endurance falls even further short of yours! Forcing a breakthrough won't instantly lift me to the fifth level of Dao Integration..." Li Hao started to open his mouth, but Hong Yitang cut him off. "What if I follow your example? No, not your example. If I merge completely into the Great Dao and become the master of the Great Dao's river, could that elevate the limit?" Li Hao shuddered slightly. Hong Yitang remained remarkably calm. "I can't just take everything from you and expect you to hand me every advantage, can I? I know you might have other methods, but the cost would surely be immense. You're only at the fifth level yourself; forcefully elevating me would be too hard on you! "Why don't I merge straight into the river?" Li Hao stood stunned, silent. Hong Yitang chuckled. "You haven't told me yet—is there any hope in that?" A complete merger with the river meant becoming inextricably bound to the Great Dao, locked to it until the very end! Essence, energy, and spirit—all integrated entirely! This differed from Li Hao's arrangement. Li Hao had not merged completely; he had merely submerged his physical body within it, treating it like a temporary slumber. What Hong Yitang proposed was a total dissolution: henceforth, the river would be him, and he would be the river! If the river perished, he would die. As long as the river endured, he would not die. Transforming a mortal body into an embodiment of the Dao. Li Hao pondered for a while without objecting. He simply said, "Martial Uncle, a complete merger will definitely let you take another step forward! But there is a huge drawback. The greatest drawback is... you will never be able to leave!" Hong Yitang smiled with an odd expression. "How many Sovereigns could never even dream of such an opportunity? Even in Neo Martial, when the Human King and the others became masters of their world, wasn't that also an alternate way of merging into a world, merging into the Great Dao? How many Sovereigns yearn for this very chance? A complete merger... to countless Sovereigns, this is a supreme stroke of fortune. How can you call the inability to leave a drawback? "Do you think everyone is like you?" Hong Yitang's smile grew wry. "Who else in the world would just toss away a brand-new Great Dao Universe the moment they felt like it?" Did Li Hao truly believe this was a sacrifice? It wasn't! Merging completely into the river was an immense opportunity, just like the Cang Emperor and the Human King merging into the Neo Martial world. A blessing so many desperately craved had somehow become a drawback in Li Hao's mouth. Li Hao rubbed his head and smiled. "No... it's just... wouldn't you lose some of your freedom?" He thought for a moment before adding, "I worry that the Great Dao Universe will end up like the origin universe. Once you reach a place where the Great Dao doesn't extend, you won't be able to go there, Martial Uncle! Just like in Silver Moon right now: places beyond the reach of the origin path cannot be reached by the Human King and the Cang Emperor. They would have to find another way." "The universe is vast and boundless. How far do you still want to walk?" Hong Yitang looked at Li Hao. "You haven't even stepped out of Silver Moon, yet how far are you already thinking of going?" "I don't know." Li Hao laughed. "I just feel... merging into it... Well, it's not bad, but... it gives the feeling of losing your freedom. Even if it could blanket the chaos, I would still feel somewhat constrained. But if that is truly your choice, Martial Uncle, then so be it!" Perhaps he was overthinking things. The Great Dao Universe might eventually expand infinitely, so why worry? It was just that... Martial Uncle had chosen this path, but he himself would not. The opening of heaven and earth, the opening of the Great Dao—all of it was meant to pursue strength, longevity, and freedom. If one ended up completely bound to a single Dao in the end, where was the joy in that? When young, he might fancy this path; when old, if he took a liking to the origin path and wanted to play around in it... if the two Daos proved incompatible, wouldn't he be unable to go? What a pity that would be! If the two universes were incompatible or mutually repelled each other, he would never get to meet those Neo Martial powerhouses. Still, for Hong Yitang to make this choice and merge completely... was also a solid path! Li Hao had already laid the foundation for the chaotic river. Now, all he had to do was withdraw his physical body and let Hong Yitang merge completely, saving Hong Yitang all the initial grunt work. With such a complete merger, even if Hong Yitang couldn't reach the fifth level of Dao Integration in an instant, reaching the fourth level would present no difficulty. With a bit more momentum, the power of an entire river would easily suffice to push Hong Yitang into the fifth level. Only... Li Hao still felt like saying a few words. Doing this would bind Hong Yitang even tighter to Silver Moon! Ten thousand stars, ten thousand Daos! This river was converged from the power of the masses. If the masses were destroyed, the river might be extinguished. If someone grew ruthless enough to slaughter the tens of billions of cultivators in Silver Moon, Hong Yitang might perish along with them. Countless thoughts crossed Li Hao's mind, yet he believed Hong Yitang understood all of this just as well. Even so, Hong Yitang had made his choice. Did Li Hao have other ways to help him advance without merging completely into the river? There were a few—for instance, pouring the power of his own great stars into Hong Yitang's stars. But doing so would come at a heavy cost to Li Hao. Evidently, Hong Yitang was well aware of that too. At this moment, Li Hao said no more. Looking at the river, he sighed with emotion. "Then I congratulate you in advance, Martial Uncle, on truly becoming the Dao Lord of this universe! In the past, I liked calling this place the Bright Star Realm. From now on... it's up to you. How about calling it the Sword Realm?" This sword represented Hong Yitang, Li Hao, and the Sword Venerable! This universe had originated from the Sword Venerable and begun with Li Hao. Now, Hong Yitang was effectively its third-generation master. The Sword Venerable might never have seen this universe, nor could he have known for certain that it would be born, but this Great Dao Universe truly traced its origins back to him. Li Hao knew that better than anyone. "Sword Realm?" Hong Yitang murmured the name, then smiled after a long silence. "Doesn't sound good!" He shook his head. "Better to call it the Sword Pond!" Li Hao stared blankly. Did that sound any better? Not at all! "Sword Pond" sounded like some small puddle to anyone who didn't know better. Yet Hong Yitang's face was brimming with smiles. That was the name: Sword Pond! Yes, a pond. Some thought this was a boundless ocean, the center of the universe, the sole pillar of heaven and earth... but it was not. He wanted people to know that this was merely a sword pond. Someone had once discarded a Great Dao Universe that lay within easy reach. In that person's eyes, this was just a pond—a pond that would only restrict him, even if he had yet to succeed and had yet to walk out of the tiny world of Silver Moon. Yet Hong Yitang believed that day would come. There would come a day when even a Great Dao Universe would be nothing more than a pond in Li Hao's eyes. Sword Realm? No, it could only be called the Sword Pond! Beyond this Sword Pond, he believed the young man beside him could go much further. He would step out of this pool, leap free, and achieve true transcendence until the day came when a single thought could open worlds, and a single thought could give rise to the Great Dao. "Sword Realm" was too grand! He was merely following in another's footsteps. How could he call it the Sword Realm? The moment that thought surfaced, it vanished. Hong Yitang seemed thoroughly satisfied. "Sword Pond—a place to wash swords! A place to cleanse all worldly dust! Life is a long journey; one must always stop somewhere to rest their feet. This place before us is just right for a brief sojourn." Li Hao grew thoughtful and said nothing further. Sword Pond it was, then! "Well then, Martial Uncle, let's begin!" Hong Yitang suddenly gave a wry smile. "Merging my body into the river might be a good thing, but I might completely cease to be human afterward. Why are you in such a rush to send me on my way?" "..." Li Hao was speechless! You were the one who asked for it. "Then... forget it, Martial Uncle..." "Aren't you cutting off my future now?" "..." This time, Li Hao gave a helpless, wry smile. "What do you actually want, Martial Uncle?" Hong Yitang chuckled with a meaningful look. "Li Hao, across my entire life, I don't have many regrets. Now, I might cease to be human. I can take care of Hongxiu myself, but I still have a daughter... Taking in one is taking in, and taking in two is taking in just the same... Herding one sheep is herding, and herding a flock is herding too..." "..." Li Hao stared at him woodenly. Hong Yitang sighed with deep feeling. "A person's whole life is spent striving and struggling, but in the end, it's all for the sake of future generations! I won't worry about those far down the line, but she is my only daughter... Li Hao, consider this my final regret as a mortal human!" Li Hao said flatly, "Martial Uncle, you are cultivating the Dao, not committing suicide or courting death. I'm gifting you an entire Great Dao Universe! Once you become the master of the Great Dao, Hong Qing will be the daughter of the Great Dao, holding an incomparably noble status. Why would she need to worry about such things?" "It's not the same!" Hong Yitang sighed with a world of emotion. "Hong Qing has seen little of the world, and there are even fewer capable young men around her... Now she is one of the five commanders of your Demon Hunting Martial Guard Army. With your help, she has reached the ninth level of Sun-Moon, with Dao Integration right before her eyes!" In this world, how many people could even catch her eye? And while I may not be an invincible powerhouse, if I truly become the master of the Great Dao, how many people could catch my eye? You don't care anyway, so why not... marry another? Li Hao smiled wryly. "Lin Hongyu was an expedient measure! Why must you be like this, Martial Uncle? Besides, romance should be free, not bound by feudal ways. Things like parents' orders and matchmakers' words are all outdated feudal customs. We are martial artists pursuing freedom..." "What does that matter? As if Qing'er wouldn't agree!" Hong Yitang waved a hand grandly. "Qing'er won't have any problem with it; it all comes down to what you think!" "..." Li Hao felt a headache coming on. What was this about? We were supposed to be handling serious business. I treat you like a brother, and you want to become my father-in-law? That won't do! "Martial Uncle, we have serious business to attend to. We'll talk about this later!" "I—" Suddenly, Li Hao's entire body trembled. The great river shook violently as he urged frantically, "Martial Uncle, stop chatting! I'm withdrawing now; the river can't hold out much longer. Hurry up!" "...You rascal!" Hong Yitang felt helpless. What a pity. To be honest, he had genuinely hoped to persuade Li Hao right then and there. What a magnificent son-in-law! He was practically the only candidate in Hong Yitang's heart. In the future, if his daughter really brought home a son-in-law, who else could possibly satisfy him? After seeing Li Hao, after witnessing Li Hao's peerless brilliance... he could barely stand the sight of himself, let alone others. Could anyone in heaven and earth surpass him? Hong Yitang thought to himself: there probably isn't anyone more outstanding than me either. So... if he had to choose, it had to be Li Hao. As for the Neo Martial Human King or the Supreme... they were either already married or far too old, older even than himself. Even if they were peerless, he had zero interest. Pity, what a true pity! Pushing the thoughts aside, he took a step into the river. At the same moment, a figure stepped out from the river. It was also Li Hao. At this instant, Li Hao completely stripped away the power of the river, and his incomparably formidable physical body walked out step by step. It began merging with the Li Hao on the outside. There was no longer any need for a clone! Clones carried too many drawbacks. Even though this place had merely housed his physical body, Li Hao was unwilling to divide himself again. Physical bodies merged into one! At that moment, stars in the sky were extracted by Li Hao and drawn directly into his Dao meridian acupoints, like embedding stars straight into his flesh—an awe-inspiring sight. In this instant, Li Hao seemed coiled by a giant dragon. The power upon his body surged continuously! Three hundred and sixty stars—one hundred and eighty of them blazed brilliantly, while the other one hundred and eighty were slightly dimmer. The remaining unopened Dao meridians all resided within his body. On one side, Li Hao's twin bodies converged. On the other, Hong Yitang stepped fully into the river. The power of the ten thousand Daos washed over heaven and earth, washing over Hong Yitang. Layers of flesh and blood dissolved in an instant, laying bare stark white bones! Hong Yitang uttered not a word. His natal stars manifested one after another, beginning to merge into the river—a total integration. His way of commanding the Dao was somewhat different from Li Hao's! Now, star after star sank into the river, melting directly upon contact. The agony was excruciating! Li Hao's expression shifted slightly. "Martial Uncle..." Hong Yitang's voice rang out: "You commanded the river of stars with stars; I merge the river of stars with stars! I am the Dao, and the Dao is me! As each star opens, each star dissolves; when I open ten thousand stars and merge ten thousand Daos, I shall become the Great Dao itself!" Hong Yitang's voice was serene. "Since I've chosen to do it, I might as well do it thoroughly! Why keep anything in reserve, holding onto stars just to await a way out? Countless people yearn to become a master of the Great Dao. Li Hao, do I really need to preserve any hope of escape?" Boom! The river surged, taking in his blood, his flesh, his essence, energy, and spirit, his stars, and his Dao meridians... Compared to Li Hao, Hong Yitang was far more absolute! If I choose not to do it, so be it; but if I do, then henceforth, the corporeal Dao universe will be me, and I will be the corporeal Dao universe. At that moment, a star seemed to twinkle in the distant void. This time, the Time Star actually made an appearance! Even Li Hao's expression changed! That thing was drawn here already? Trouble! With no Time Star to chase, would those three fellows charge out? Furthermore, Hong Yitang merging his true body into the river had actually drawn out the Time Star... That was somewhat unexpected. It meant that in the eyes of the Time Star, this was an exceedingly novel and momentous event closely tied to the Great Dao. Yet at this moment, the star seemed somewhat bewildered. It also seemed to catch sight of Li Hao, hesitating over whether it should draw near. After hovering in the distance for a brief spell, it suddenly darted away! Clearly, it felt that the temptation was still slightly lacking. Having just been pursued, it saw no absolute necessity to visit this place. Hong Yitang witnessed this as well. He had not been frozen in time! After merging into the river, he seemed to possess far more resistance than before. Seeing the star depart, he felt a twinge of regret. "What a pity... It seems that even with my true body merging into the river, I was only worth a glance to it, not an absolute must." "Martial Uncle, being able to draw it here is already remarkable. If Li Daoheng could draw it out, they would have caught it long ago. Why be disappointed?" "Your comforting words are worse than no comfort at all!" Hong Yitang laughed. At this moment, his smile was terrifying, for only half of his skeleton remained. The river shook! The water, which had once been murky, now turned a vivid blood-red, as if it had truly become living blood. Ten thousand stars sparkled! The Great Dao trembled faintly. The river had found a new master. And this Great Dao Universe was about to change hands. Had Li Hao's grasp over it not been relatively shallow, such an exchange of masters would have inevitably shattered heaven and split the earth! …… Even though the handover took place inside the Great Dao Universe, changes rippled through the outside world. The heavens shifted! The firmament abruptly turned crimson, as if to mourn something, yet not quite reaching that threshold. The entire sky was dyed blood-red, yet no rain of blood fell, nor did any other anomaly appear. Between heaven and earth, sword intent seemed to brim with vigor! That sword intent had existed before, and intensely so, but previously it had felt ethereal and fleeting. Today, however, it carried a grand, majestic heft! This was the changing of the Dao Lord! Though both were swordsmen, subtle differences existed between them. Such differences were nearly imperceptible; Li Hao also practiced the Earth-Overturning Sword, and Hong Yitang shared many of the sword intents Li Hao possessed. At this moment, unless one was a supreme powerhouse, it was virtually impossible to detect. …… In northern Dali. Tianji looked up at the sky, his brow furrowing slightly. What was going on? A shift in the heavens? Had something unexpected occurred in the Great Dao Universe again? Was it the corporeal Dao universe, or the Illusory Dao universe? Was Li Hao cultivating, or were the three powerhouses fighting over the Time Star? Beside him, the King of Dali was also gazing at the sky. After watching for a while, he remarked strangely, "Senior, do you feel that the murderous aura has lessened a bit?" "Hmm?" The King of Dali explained, "Earlier, it felt quite stifling. When Li Hao summoned the Great Dao into this realm, I felt... uncomfortable! My hairs stood on end the entire time; the killing intent was simply too heavy, probably because his murderous heart was so fierce when he drew the Great Dao Universe down. Now... it feels much better. Has he made another breakthrough and smoothed out the killing intent in his heart?" That was indeed possible. Was the killing intent too heavy? Tianji hadn't felt it that deeply. Yet sensing carefully now, the air did indeed feel somewhat gentler than before. The sword intent remained intense, so that was no issue. A breakthrough? Possible. As for anything else... he racked his brains and could think of nothing. As for the Great Dao changing masters... how could that be possible? Unless Li Daoheng broke through the Illusory Dao universe and stormed the corporeal Dao universe, how could a change of masters occur? In this era, within this world, few opportunities remained. The Great Dao Universe was the greatest opportunity of all, the very foundation for attaining the Dao! No one would ever give it up! If Li Daoheng had truly stormed the corporeal Dao universe, a world-shaking battle would have erupted long ago. Pondering this, Tianji said nothing further. Sensing the surroundings once more and confirming that heaven and earth had indeed softened, he said, "Your senses are sharp. Have you finished absorbing the skeleton's power?" "Yes!" The King of Dali nodded slightly. "Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I suppose I can be considered a Heavenly King now? Across the world, my ranking should be in the top five!" "..." Tianji stared blankly. The King of Dali continued in all seriousness, "Red Moon Sovereign, Li Daoheng, Zheng Yu, Li Hao... If we count you, Senior, then I am sixth; if not, I am fifth! You don't care for empty fame, Senior, and as for that woman in the west, this king certainly doesn't fear her!" "..." Tianji gave him a strange look. "Does it make a difference whether you're fifth or five-hundredth?" The King of Dali thought for a moment and nodded. "A higher ranking makes me feel better inside!" At that, he smiled. "Senior, the Star Suppressing City ruins are gone, and that saber... you took it back yourself. Does that mean I don't need to stand guard there anymore?" Excellent! Thanks to Li Hao's recent stunt, I'm off the hook! Tianji nodded. "No need to go there anymore. Nothing is left, so what would you do there? I have another task for you... to replace the previous one." "What is it?" "Go into the seal and suppress Sword City! Of the eight main cities, seven are out here and one is inside. I worry someone might destroy it. I will send you inside the seal. Though your strength is average, you at least possess the power of a Heavenly King now. Unless those ranked ahead of you act in person, no one can destroy Sword City... Go garrison it, lest just anyone wreck it." The King of Dali was at a loss for words. "Senior, does that even make sense? Anyone capable of destroying it is someone I can't beat! Anyone I can beat couldn't destroy it whether I'm there or not! So whether I go or stay makes no difference whatsoever. Why must I go?" Can't you stand seeing me with nothing to do? He had a point! Yet Tianji truly could not bear seeing this fellow idle. Owing someone a favor was intensely frustrating; why should this guy be completely carefree? By what right? You owe me a favor, so of course you must repay it! "What you say makes sense, but as an overlord and king contending for dominance in an era where Silver Moon could be shattered by these people at any moment... my own task is not yet complete. I still need a few supplementary items, and you will resolve these minor matters for me!" "Please instruct me, Senior!" Tianji maintained a calm facade. "Go find Li Hao and ask him for the two characters of 'Battle Heaven'! Then go to the eight main cities and draw upon their power. After that, I still need a portion of Heaven's Will. You possess some strength now; I don't care what methods you employ, you must capture some Heaven's Will for me!" The King of Dali's mouth dropped wide open, leaving him speechless for a long time. Holy crap! Never mind the rest—just asking Li Hao for those two characters back... isn't that deliberately making things impossible for me? Tianji frowned. "A trivial matter, that's all. Ask Li Hao, and he will give them to you! Can't you even handle such a minor thing? The real challenge is that Heaven's Will is in hiding and hard to capture; you'll have to figure that out yourself! Once you're away from me, Heaven's Will might take the initiative to contact you! The faster the better. I have an ominous premonition that... an earth-shattering battle might erupt very soon!" The King of Dali was startled. "An earth-shattering battle? Li Hao fighting several powerhouses, or those three slaughtering each other? But Li Hao lacks sufficient strength right now, and heaven and earth cannot accommodate half-step Sovereigns. Could it be a Sovereign breaking through the seal?" Tianji frowned. "Unclear. For now, it seems... there is still a bit of time. For heaven and earth to accommodate half-step Sovereigns, at least one more major upheaval must occur!" "By the way, Senior, why are you able to..." The King of Dali wanted to ask: if heaven and earth cannot accommodate half-step Sovereigns, why have you been able to exist here all this time? Tianji rolled his eyes. "Nonsense! As long as heaven and earth exist, I exist! After heaven and earth were divided into eight, I fell into slumber within this world. Heaven and earth recognized me as one of its own; I am part of heaven and earth... Why shouldn't I be able to exist here?" The King of Dali froze. Was that how it worked? "Isn't it because of your Early Martial background, Senior? Because your physical body is strong enough to endure it?" "Enduring it is one thing, but if I merely endured it... wouldn't heaven and earth push back?" Tianji said exasperatedly, "What kind of pig brain do you have? Others figured this out long ago, yet you still haven't realized that I became part of heaven and earth ages ago... Understand now?" What Early Martial physical body... I stopped cultivating Early Martial long ago! Who told you I was Early Martial? He couldn't be bothered to explain further. He truly felt an ominous premonition. The battle for Silver Moon was likely about to erupt completely, and not far in the future—much faster than anticipated, all because Li Hao kept breaking convention over and over again. "Move quickly and gather these things for me... Otherwise... once the grand battle erupts, this world might see a clash between four Sovereigns!" "Half-step Sovereigns?" "Sovereigns!" The King of Dali froze again. "Isn't there only one Sovereign?" "Nonsense! Can't others advance?" Tianji found the King of Dali exceedingly foolish and grew rather irritated. "Li Daoheng and Zheng Yu have prepared for one hundred thousand years. It's not as if they made zero progress! At the crucial juncture, both might attain Sovereignhood. The reason they haven't done so yet is to maximize their benefits! Once the critical moment arrives, four Sovereigns clashing is very likely!" "But that's still only three..." Tianji was nearly pushed to tears of frustration. "Get lost!" "I'm serious, Senior. The fourth Sovereign you mentioned... you can't mean Li Hao, can you?" His teeth ached at the thought. "Li Hao is certainly talented, gifted, and even peerlessly brilliant, but if you claim... he can become a Sovereign anytime soon, I still find it somewhat hard to believe!" "Go do your job!" Tianji snapped coldly. "Cut the nonsense! Besides, attaining the Dao and becoming a Sovereign is hardly unprecedented; what's so hard to believe? Furthermore, the Sovereigns here are far inferior to those of Neo Martial... Even that fellow from Red Moon can't be considered a true Sovereign anymore. He was ground down for one hundred thousand years, lost his connection to the Red Moon Great Universe, and lost the backing of the Red Moon Great Dao... He is technically a Sovereign, but far below normal ones!" Fair enough! The King of Dali said no more, though he still found it hard to believe. Could Li Hao really attain Sovereignhood so quickly? It seemed rather unbelievable! No matter how weak a Sovereign was... they were still a Sovereign. For a small world to produce even one was incredible, yet according to this senior, several of them had a chance of becoming Sovereigns? How terrifying was that? "Senior, if they become Sovereigns, won't we be in grave danger?" "You will be in danger; what does that have to do with me?" Tianji snorted coldly. "Get lost!" The King of Dali felt a flash of resentment, but said nothing more. This fellow... was truly discourteous. Without another word, the King of Dali vanished in an instant. Work still had to be done; otherwise, this elder would resort to violence. Lately, he had noticed this senior had grown somewhat irritable. In the past, he had cared about nothing, but recently he seemed eager to meddle, perhaps because he had been lonely for far too long. Tianji paid him no mind and continued observing. Sensing quietly, he felt a flicker of doubt. The King of Dali's perception was quite keen. Tianji hadn't paid much attention before, but checking again now, heaven and earth... truly had softened somewhat, lacking the murderous, violent, and ruthless aura Li Hao had previously exuded. Li Hao seemed easy to talk to, but at his core he was cold-blooded to the extreme—likely stemming from the slaughter of his entire family. Back then, bent entirely on killing Ying Hongyue, he was ruthlessly chilled to the bone. Had killing Ying Hongyue caused some shift in him? Tianji felt suspicious, but thought no further. Thinking too much was exhausting. …… Meanwhile, within the Great Dao Universe, star after star shattered completely, merging into the river. The river began to fluctuate, resembling a sword yet also a human body. Blood vessels seemed to emerge, and a face faintly materialized within the rushing waters as massive waves surged! Beams of light connected with the river of stars above. The river of stars shone brilliantly, reflecting into the river below. Hong Yitang's voice resonated: "From this day forward, I advance and retreat alongside the people of Silver Moon and the Dao of Silver Moon! When the Dao lives, I live! When the Dao thrives, I thrive! When the Dao rises, I rise!" Boom! The great river shook violently, and in the next moment, it coalesced into a human form. Hong Yitang's aura grew increasingly formidable as he strode toward Li Hao step by step. In this instant, ten thousand stars blazed. Hong Yitang suddenly tilted his head back, opened his mouth, and inhaled the ten thousand stars into his belly, countless stars tumbling endlessly down his throat. "You are unwilling to be bound... but I welcome it gladly. Since that is the case... the river of stars enters my belly, and I become the father of Silver Moon..." Li Hao smiled leisurely. "Swallowing ten thousand stars into your belly makes you look pregnant. How could you be the father of Silver Moon? You'd have to be the mother of Silver Moon!" Hong Yitang chuckled, and in the next moment, lightly slashed a sword toward Li Hao. Boom! With a resounding blast, Li Hao actually took a step back, while Hong Yitang remained motionless. "Know your elders and mind your manners! The Sword Pond is my domain! Now, you are the outsider!" Li Hao laughed, looked him up and down, and nodded. "You're right, Martial Uncle. It seems your gains this time are immense—you possess the power of the fifth, perhaps even the sixth level of Dao Integration. A thousand li in a single day!" The advancement was terrifyingly swift, but the price paid was equally steep: he had completely dissolved his physical body and fully merged into the ten thousand Daos. From now on, he was bound irrevocably to Silver Moon's ten thousand Daos. "Perhaps... this is the true Path of the Human Emperor!" Li Hao suddenly mused, "Water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it! Martial Uncle, Silver Moon's legacy may truly have to rest upon your shoulders. Otherwise, if no one in Silver Moon cultivates this Dao anymore, your strength will gradually wither." Hong Yitang smiled and nodded without elaborating. "Then I shall transform back into the river. As before, you may come and go as you please... but I will no longer step outside!" He could leave, but doing so now would easily allow top-tier entities to detect that something was amiss. From this day forth, he would not leave the Great Dao Universe. Moreover, he remembered Li Hao mentioning a tribulation that might strike during a confrontation with half-step Sovereigns or full Sovereigns, causing Li Hao to suddenly lose his power. Hong Yitang needed to cultivate and grow stronger so he could shield Li Hao from that crisis at the critical moment. Inside Li Hao's body, Dao meridians were currently tangled and stars were churning. Hearing this, he nodded. "Good! I also need to make some preparations. The Dao meridians have entered my body, but for now, a few things are still missing... At the very least, I must condense one hundred and eighty sword intent stars to mirror each other, blending void and reality!" Currently, he had condensed nearly one hundred and forty sword intent stars in his mental realm. He had comprehended far more than one hundred and eighty types of sword intent, but he required supplementary aid to rapidly condense them into form. "Do you need my help?" "No need!" Li Hao shook his head. "The spirit forms the force; once the force is established, success follows! I must make a trip to Dali to see that senior and borrow the blood saber. By drawing upon the Blood Sovereign's force, I can establish my own! It will also allow him to repay the favor, saving him from carrying that mental burden." "What?" Hong Yitang was stunned once more. "You..." Borrow the blood saber to settle the debt of favor? This... To Hong Yitang, that senior was of immense strategic value. At a crucial juncture, because he owed Li Hao a favor, Li Hao could make use of him—perhaps even to eliminate one of the three powerhouses! Li Hao shook his head. "Why bother? There's little point. He already helped me deter the Red Moon Sovereign once. Borrowing his saber this time to forge my force settles the score completely! Scheming against him was never my true intent; it was merely an expedient to intimidate the Red Moon Sovereign back then... If I succeed this time, having his help or not won't matter!" "I owe no one favors, and no one needs to remain forever indebted to me... It is best that we are even!" Hong Yitang considered it and nodded. "Follow your heart, then!" "Indeed!" Li Hao laughed. "Following one's heart is everything! He's probably quite annoyed right now. Honestly, when owing a favor, someone with thick skin wouldn't care at all. If he's annoyed... it just means his skin isn't thick enough! Actually, he's quite an interesting character. I've realized that the Neo Martial Human King truly had great vision; the powerhouses left behind from that era are all fascinating people. If I ever manage to step out of Silver Moon, I'd like to get to know them!" Hong Yitang gave a wry smile. "Aren't you afraid he might cleave you in two with a single saber stroke? Word has it he is terribly short-tempered and fiercely protective of his own. You've killed quite a few Neo Martial people." "What kind of talk is that!" Li Hao replied with an innocent look. "I kill according to my heart, and I only kill those who deserve to die. You underestimate that Human King, Martial Uncle; anyone who reached such heights is no ordinary man! Anyway, enough talk—I'm off!" With those words, he vanished. Hong Yitang shook his head slightly. Then, recalling something, he suddenly scolded with a laugh, "That boy runs fast. You haven't even taken the 'Dao' divine character with you—no wonder you can traverse this place at will..." Crack! Just as he spoke, the Great Dao divine character in the void abruptly shattered! Hong Yitang's face changed drastically! At that moment, the divine character dispersed boundless power of the ten thousand Daos, which flowed directly into a new character. Within the river, a character for "Sword" suddenly flared with brilliance, devouring the immense power of the Dao character. In that instant, the entire Great Dao trembled once more. It was as if the earlier handover had been incomplete, and only now had the transition truly finalized. Hong Yitang looked grim, gritting his teeth. "Was that really necessary?" Do you truly want none of it? Not even a shred kept in reserve? You are only at Dao Integration, not a Sovereign! By keeping the Dao character, you could have returned, retaining the hope of taking back control. You reckless brat! He felt a wave of fury! Retaining the Dao character had been agreed upon beforehand, proposed by Li Hao himself. By keeping it, Li Hao would have had a chance to reclaim the Great Dao; if Hong Yitang fell in battle, Li Hao could smoothly take over once more! Yet now... Li Hao had severed his own path of return! "Bastard!" At this moment, Hong Yitang was genuinely angry. Why go so far? Did you think I would worry about that? You gave me an entire Great Dao Universe; would I harbor resentment over a single character? …… Outside the Great Dao Universe, Li Hao stepped into the open air. He looked up, chuckled, and though his face was slightly pale, he let out a light laugh. Since it was handed over... it should be handed over completely. Why leave a back door? I have no interest in creeping through back doors! As long as the divine character for "Dao" remained in his grasp, Hong Yitang would never truly be the Dao Lord of the corporeal Dao universe. That "Dao" character was a reward bestowed by heaven, earth, and the Great Dao when he first comprehended the Dao! It was the genuine key to the Great Dao Universe! Now, having given the house to someone else, keeping the key for himself—especially when Hong Yitang couldn't even change the lock—would make giving it away no different from keeping it, wouldn't it? "This world is mine to roam! Riding fast across the rivers and lakes!" Li Hao began humming a tune. Silver Moon martial artists occasionally liked to hum a few lines: I brought nothing into this world, and I shall take nothing with me; alone I walk the Jianghu, drawing my blade where injustice reigns, seeking no gratitude, asking only for a clear conscience! Teacher, perhaps I am still that same Silver Moon martial artist. The Jianghu is vast, and Silver Moon can no longer contain me! …… In Dali. When Li Hao spoke the words, "Lend me the blood saber for a time, and the debt for the power of the eight bloodlines is settled in full," Tianji was dumbfounded. Inside the grand hall. Li Hao sat with legs crossed, sipping potent liquor. Before a dazed Tianji, he spoke again with a bright laugh, "Senior, lend me the blood saber for a time. I swear I will not disrupt that cat's revival; I seek only to borrow the Blood Sovereign's force to assist my comprehension! My word is as good as gold—there is no deceit!" Tianji stared at him in disbelief. "You... say we'll be completely even?" "Naturally!" "Are you serious?" "Completely!" Tianji stared blankly at him. "Why?" "No particular reason. I need the blood saber's help, and that is reason enough! If I need it, it is worth everything! If I don't, it is worth nothing!" "Do you realize I never owe favors lightly?... If you name a target—Zheng Yu, Li Daoheng, or the Red Moon Sovereign's clone—I guarantee I will slay one of the three, even if it costs me my life here!" His voice rang with utter conviction! At this moment, the supreme powerhouse felt somewhat insulted. I may hide and bide my time, but you cannot insult me! "No need!" "You think I can't do it?" "Not at all!" Li Hao shook his head. "I simply want to borrow the saber for comprehension. As for killing people, I can do that myself! Senior, why try to force me?" "..." Damn it! Tianji was furious. What kind of talk was that? Was that something a sensible person would say? Just borrowing a saber for comprehension—am I, a living powerhouse, worth less to you than a damn saber? He had spent days on edge, constantly fretting over how this little bastard would scheme against him... and then in the blink of an eye, the fellow shows up, telling him not to flatter himself: I don't want you indebted to me, I'm cashing it in right now, and we're even. Why... why was that so infuriating? Tianji said with suppressed anger, "Are you sure? Don't play any reverse psychology games with me; it's pointless. Speak now, and no matter how difficult, I'll handle part of it for you... If you change your mind later, I won't care!" "Just the saber!" "You..." "Will you lend it, Senior?" "I lend it!" The blood saber manifested, and Tianji roared in fury, "Get lost!" Li Hao smiled, reached out, and grasped the saber. The long blade erupted with violent fluctuations, Sovereign might sweeping across heaven and earth. Tianji suppressed it in an instant, utterly enraged. "Get lost!" Li Hao smiled again, snatched the suppressed saber, and vanished on the spot. Only after he had truly left did Tianji fly into a frantic rage. "Bastard!" He's going to drive this old man to death! My debt of favor is just a fart to you, isn't it? Li Hao, is that what you mean? Damn your ancestors! Forget it—if he really has ancestors, one of them would be the Sword Venerable's grandniece. Scratch that. At this moment, Tianji was beside himself with fury, yet couldn't even pin down why he was so furious. The debt of favor was gone, repaid; he should be happy, shouldn't he? Why was he so angry? Yet... it felt suffocating, so stifling he wanted to kill someone, so frustrating he couldn't sleep, so maddening he felt like losing his mind.