The Final Preparations

A single education record held all of life's varied forms and the totality of ten thousand Daos. Struggling against injustice, defying inequality, forging ahead in the darkness—what appeared to be gossip was actually the history of the Neo-Martial people's struggle and sacrifice. Countless sacrifices had been made in exchange for a single cry: "Hail the human race!" Celebrate what? Turning despair into hope after every battle, soothing wounds after every sacrifice, easing the pessimism and despair of the mighty—it was an entire era, an entire epoch's history of blood and tears spent in relentless struggle. In the end, they won. At that moment, Li Hao set down the book. Where others saw gossip, he saw Neo-Martial's refusal to submit to oppression and their courage to resist! "So... this is the true Neo-Martial!" Li Hao murmured. Was it just like himself—standing up and rebelling? *I am fighting back too!* *I am resisting the vicissitudes of fate; I am fighting back as well... Is this something every era must go through?* *I truly underestimated Neo-Martial.* *Underestimated that group of true Neo-Martial people!* *And here I thought... people like Zheng Yu could truly represent Neo-Martial.* Li Hao let out a soft laugh touched with disdain and contempt. It seemed... those people truly did not qualify. Only figures like the Blood Sovereign—those who had personally taken part, rebelled, contended, and defeated mighty foes—could be counted as true Neo-Martial people. Zhang An had also been a participant... but he was rather weak and somewhat indecisive. Having lived through such an era, he still had not learned to be ruthless. Yes, ruthless! Neo-Martial's struggle, from start to finish, answered ruthlessness with ruthlessness and violence with violence. Even the Supreme of the Zhang family, praised by everyone, concealed nothing in the book. For Neo-Martial, he killed enemies, killed his own comrades, killed the ancients, killed later generations, killed heaven and earth... From beginning to end, slaughter was narrated with the utmost breezy, gossipy demeanor! Was such a person benevolent? No, that was true ruthlessness! Compared to his grandfather, Zhang An fell far short. That thick volume was, in truth, an account of blood and tears forged in slaughter. No wonder the Blood Sovereign's saber harbored only boundless killing intent! "Compared to you all... my burden seems somewhat lighter." Li Hao chuckled. At the very least, in this era, neither Zheng Yu nor the Red Moon Sovereign went out of their way to slaughter ordinary mortals, nor did he need to guard against that specifically. Only for a certain period did Zheng Yu hope to achieve the world's recovery through killing. Once the world recovered, that fellow lost interest in ordinary people as well. "Fortunately!" Li Hao murmured, closing his eyes in contemplation. Inside his mental world, stars tumbled and surged like an animated scroll. Li Hao watched for a moment, then smiled as a thought struck him. Being unpredictable did not seem bad either. "The Dao is inherently mysterious and ever-shifting..." Thoughts raced through Li Hao's mind. The next moment, he vanished from where he stood and entered his mental world. Looking up at the sky, he watched the stars wander and play, suffused with wonder. Sword intent drifted out. Below, the River of Time lay like a swimming pool, allowing those stars to ripple and drift through it at will. The entire world underwent subtle transformations, appearing somewhat more vibrant and colorful. Life lay in movement... Suddenly, he felt that the Great Dao Universe lacked a sense of life. Its stars lacked movement and vigor. Only that Time Star was fond of darting about. Wave after wave of enlightenment washed over his heart again. "Disorder... order... both are secondary. What matters is vitality. When a Dao loses vitality, whether it is orderly or disorderly, it becomes a dead Dao!" At that moment, the tangible Dao meridians within his body began to tumble as well. It was as if they longed to join in! A flash of joy appeared in Li Hao's eyes. The opportunity... seemed to have arrived. Let the merging of the Dao be natural! The Dao accords with nature. Now that the tangible meridian stars were stirring, eager to join, this was the chance. The fortune had come. "Open the Physical Body Heaven... The physical body's Dao meridians can serve as the primary Dao for tangible Daos!" At this moment, these ideas formed in Li Hao's mind. With the Time Star as the anchor, penetrating within and without, linking the internal and external. Thought after thought surfaced—dividing into tangible and illusory halves, bounded by the Time Star. Gathering the power of the stars into a single point! The Heart of Time! Sitting cross-legged, he relaxed his physical body. The positions of the 360 Dao meridians began to shimmer with faint radiance. Li Hao pondered as he looked toward the void. He was still short one hundred and eighty stars; otherwise, merging 360 Dao meridians with 360 kinds of sword intent would be the true, perfect integration. However, right now, there was no time to open so many. Opening all 360 tangible Dao meridians would place him at the peak of a half-step Sovereign, just one step away from the Sovereign realm. If it were that easy, he would have opened them long ago. If he reached that level, would he even need to fear these people? "Tangible and illusory 360... Merging half this time, I dare not claim to match a Sovereign, but matching the seventh level of the Dao Integration Realm should be no issue, right?" The seventh level of the Dao Integration Realm was already entering the half-step Sovereign tier, only slightly weaker than the top half-step Sovereigns. Li Daoheng and Zheng Yu were among the top tier, but by then, he would at least stand on the same plane. Thoughts flashed through Li Hao's mind. This time, he carried 360 stars from the Great Dao Universe and also had 180 stars in his mental universe. His energy reserves were sufficient for the moment. For now, everything was prepared. The three Saints could each withstand the Longevity Sword Intent; they should be able to bear the Dao integration. Yet the location... where should he choose to do it? Opening the Physical Body Heaven did not have strict requirements for location; he could open it anywhere he wished. However, if he wanted to capture the Time Star... doing so inside the Great Dao Universe would be best. "Perhaps I must still open the Physical Body Heaven within the Great Dao Universe... But if I do, it leaves a flaw: it makes it easy for others to invade the Great Dao Universe..." If it were in the past when everything was under his control, that would have been fine. Now... if he opened it there and something went wrong, Hong Yitang had already fully merged into the Great Dao Universe. It might implicate him and even shatter the Great Dao. With this thought surfacing, Li Hao grew reluctant to open it there. Yet if he did not open it in the Great Dao Universe, how could he lure the Time Star? "Open it in the Illusory Dao universe?" Wouldn't that be courting death? Right now, three full half-step Sovereigns were gathered there. If he entered the Illusory Dao universe, those three would beat him to death without holding back in the slightest. As for leaving the Silver Moon world, that was even more impossible. Or within the world barrier? Could the Time Star even emerge there? One idea after another came to mind. Where to merge the tangible and illusory to open his Physical Body Heaven became a real problem. He calculated and pondered relentlessly, weighing every possible mishap: if the Time Star truly appeared, how should he capture it? And if the ambient energy rose during that period, allowing a half-step Sovereign to emerge into the world, how should he handle it? The three half-step Sovereigns were gathered in the Illusory Dao universe, and they seemed to have stopped fighting. Were they scheming together to deal with him? Where was Heaven's Will? Would that Queen, who accomplished nothing but spoiled everything, cause any unforeseen problems? He had to consider all of this. A single misstep could lead to catastrophe. During this window, could the seal and suppression maintained by the eight main cities completely restrain the Sovereign's true body? If the Sovereign's true body emerged, how should he deal with it? Were the people around him, like Qian Wuliang and Dao Jian, mere pawns, or were they truly chosen by heaven? Would that fellow in the northern realm of Dali cause any unexpected variables? Myriad thoughts left him feeling somewhat melancholic. Truly difficult! At this moment, he felt a twinge of envy toward the Neo-Martial Human King. Perhaps he still lacked a Dao Protector—someone who could help him fend off external variables at critical moments. Yet right now, the strongest person by his side was Hong Yitang. However, Hong Yitang might also be a piece on the board. For him not to appear now was best; once he showed himself, it might trigger even greater upheavals. What a headache! Moreover, Hong Yitang had only just merged with the Great Dao Universe. Though his strength had increased rapidly, he was still far from the half-step Sovereign level. Having him serve as a Dao Protector... would be sending him to his death. Finally, Li Hao thought of his nominal wife. A nominal wife in the truest sense—Li Hao had not touched a single finger of hers. When he opened the Physical Body Heaven this time, should he take her Great Dao star with him? Thoughts surged like a rising tide. Hard! The entire situation spelled out a single word: hard! A slight miscalculation, and he was doomed to fail. Yet since he had chosen this path, even if he had to crawl on his knees, he had to see it through. He was reluctant to use uninvolved people. Otherwise, opening the heaven in northern Dali would actually be a decent choice. Perhaps he would have to find life in the face of death right in Silver City, closest to the seal—or even actively release the world's suppression, shatter the seal, and let the two half-step Sovereigns deal with that Sovereign! Would those two choose to deal with him, or deal with the Sovereign? Since he had no clean option... he might as well treat that as a trump card. Seven of the eight main cities were outside. They needed suitable, obedient hands to take charge of them, and he also had to be careful that they were not struck down and routed, which would cause the eight main cities to spiral out of control. "I still don't have enough trump cards!" Li Hao thought to himself. It was still unsafe, his hand not strong enough. He had to prepare some trump cards... things that could contend with a half-step Sovereign at a critical juncture, even if only for a brief moment. He had to make use of the power of time again! Summon his future self once more? He was already facing one fatal crisis anyway; why fear a second? Of course, using it twice in succession before surviving the first crisis might bring about certain death. Yet using it could grant him an extra lethal trump card. "Rewind thirty seconds..." Li Hao suddenly murmured. He could rewind time by thirty seconds—not by summoning a figure, but truly bringing someone back from the dead for thirty seconds. Perhaps this could be utilized. If there was no Dao Protector, he would protect his own Dao. If there were no trump cards, he would create them himself! It was nothing! Asking nothing of others—what was so bad about that? It would only bring greater freedom in the future. Suddenly, Li Hao thought of something else, and a smile instantly spread across his face. ... The King of Dali was rushing about. Tianji had assigned him several tasks: capture Heaven's Will, collect the bloodlines of the eight families, borrow the two characters "Battle Heaven"... In any case, there were plenty of tasks. Lately, he had given up all ambitions of contending for supremacy over heaven and earth. All he wanted was to complete a few tasks so that when everyone started fighting, that senior might offer Dali some protection. He had no choice. He had advanced by leaps and bounds, thinking that by killing the skeleton—especially when that good-natured Li Hao had even taken the initiative to give him the entire skeleton—everything was wonderful. As a result, his strength had indeed skyrocketed. He had even stepped into the Heavenly King Realm! Yet in the blink of an eye, the world's situation shifted drastically, and a large batch of Heavenly Kings were slaughtered by Li Hao... At this point, he felt there was no point in struggling anymore. He simply could not struggle. Forget it, he would just lie flat! After all that struggling, he still had not surpassed Li Hao. He might as well just sit back and watch. Just as he was searching everywhere for Heaven's Will, someone appeared. The person who brought him agony and helplessness had shown up. Li Hao! Following Li Hao had its ups and downs. The upside was that he was now a Heavenly King; the downside was that he had been duped by Li Hao several times. If Tianji had not intervened, just the matter of Zhou Chuan reaching the Dao Integration Realm would have made it impossible for him to complete his mission in this lifetime. What a tragedy! So he dreaded seeing Li Hao. Whenever Li Hao appeared, he always felt nothing good would come of it. He was better off hanging around that God of Primal Martial; at least that senior could not be bothered to scheme against him. Besides, that senior was also someone who preferred to lie flat, so he would hardly scheme against him. Fortunately, Li Hao was powerful now and might not need him for anything. "Long time no see!" Li Hao wore his usual brilliant smile. The King of Dali felt like rolling his eyes. *Has it been that long?* "Li Hao, I was just looking for you..." "The two characters 'Battle Heaven' have already been returned to Battle Heaven City. Besides, they aren't needed for the moment; some of the essence inside has already been absorbed by that cat." "Really?" Hearing that, the King of Dali felt somewhat relieved. That was good—it spared him a very troublesome task. Li Hao suddenly smiled. "Want to become stronger?" "..." *Not this routine again!* "No!" "..." Li Hao was taken aback and looked at him. After a long pause, he said, "That answer makes it hard for me to continue. You, the dignified King of the North, have actually... chosen to lie flat?" The King of Dali said helplessly, "What else can I do? Right now, it's a clash between half-step Sovereigns and Sovereigns. I finally managed to absorb that seemingly invincible skeleton, and what happened? You kill Heavenly Kings like stepping on bugs! Both the Western Queen and I are pathetic... We scavenged scraps all the way to the Heavenly King Realm, and it still amounts to nothing!" What else could he do? "You don't want to become a half-step Sovereign, or a Sovereign?" The King of Dali rolled his eyes. "What do you think? If that were possible for me, you would have reached it long ago. When would it ever be my turn?" Li Hao laughed and rubbed his chin. "I just love your straightforward nature! How about a chat? I can't be bothered to beg the ancients, but I don't mind discussing the future with a fellow cultivator of our era..." "Not interested!" "Are you truly resigned to lying flat?" The King of Dali hesitated. To say he was resigned was impossible. Yet... he was already a Heavenly King! *You coming to find me most likely means you have no good intentions.* "Just speak plainly. What do you want me to do?" "Fight half-step Sovereigns, fight a Sovereign!" "Farewell!" The King of Dali cupped his hands and turned to leave. *Stop joking around; joking is useless. I'll just pretend I never saw you.* "If it succeeds, the benefits will be immense!" The King of Dali sneered. "And if it fails?" "Then we die!" Li Hao's face was calm. "However, didn't it work out back at the Forbidden Sea? You stepped directly into the Heavenly King Realm; otherwise, it would have taken you a lifetime! From the middle stage of the Sun Moon Realm all the way to the middle stage of Dao Integration—honestly speaking, without me, could you have reached this level in a mere six months? Every time I seek you out, it's perilous, but the harvest is just as grand!" The King of Dali rolled his eyes. *Heh!* *Damn it, look how dangerous it was!* "Afraid of death?" Li Hao smiled. "Don't want to take another gamble?" The King of Dali turned back to look at him, frowning. "What you say is unrealistic! Those two half-step Sovereigns even have the possibility of advancing to Sovereign. The God of Primal Martial said that if trouble arises this time, it might evolve into a battle of Sovereigns!" Li Hao nodded. "It's true those two might advance to Sovereign. But as long as we succeed, it will be hard for them to break through!" "Not doing it!" The King of Dali still wanted to leave, while Li Hao said nothing more. He watched in silence. After walking a few hundred meters, the King of Dali suddenly stopped. He turned around and glanced at Li Hao. "You... aren't going to force me?" Li Hao smiled. "No, go ahead. Besides you, I can naturally find someone who isn't afraid of dying!" "..." The King of Dali was torn, gritting his teeth in indignation! He was utterly unreconciled! He marched back, gritting his teeth. "Speak! How do we do it?" "Not running away anymore?" The King of Dali snorted. "This King was merely testing you. Fearing death? Do you think that's possible? But... there must be a chance of success—at least fifty percent!" "Not even ten percent." "..." The King of Dali cursed inwardly. *Would it kill you to tell a lie?* *Not even ten percent?* *Fuck!* *This bastard used to bother spinning a few lies, but lately he can't even be troubled to deceive people!* Feeling conflicted, he still asked, "What do you want me to do? How do I do it? And once it's done, how do I claim the benefits?" "What you need to do is very simple... When I need you, you appear at a moment's notice, and I will rewind past and future for you... Of course, it's hard for you to succeed on your own, but if I rewind your gauntlets, you will have a shot at successfully rewinding or summoning." Li Hao looked at his gauntlets. "This item... whether it belongs to Emperor Batian or the Iron Sovereign... can serve as a vessel to guide the projection! Only treasures of this caliber can bear it! You cultivate the fist as well, so even if you have no future..." "What do you mean by that?" Li Hao explained, "You might not survive to the future, or your future self might be very weak, so wouldn't that be useless? Therefore, to be safe, I might as well rewind the gauntlets. Regardless, Emperor Batian or the Iron Sovereign were invincible experts. Even if a fraction of their presence manifests, it will be enough to make you formidable!" Li Hao continued, "However, when your strength surges, it will be fleeting and can only last for a few minutes... During those few minutes, I need you to hold off at least one half-step Sovereign for me! Choose one among Zheng Yu, Li Daoheng, or the Red Moon Sovereign's clone! Of course, you might be beaten to death... the probability is quite high, so it depends on you. And if I haven't finished after those few minutes, you are one hundred percent dead!" At this point, he added, "Aside from the immediate danger, your future will also become perilous beyond measure. You could be slain at any moment, suddenly losing your power at that moment, right in the middle of battle..." The King of Dali felt a dull ache in his teeth. "Why look for me?" "The gauntlets!" "..." The King of Dali grew somewhat exasperated. "Just because of the gauntlets?" Li Hao nodded. "The gauntlets are extraordinary. Furthermore, only a weapon of this tier can bear the past and future! Aside from you... there is also Empress Dowager Shuiyun. I am currently considering whether to approach her. Her strength is a bit weaker, so the boost she receives might not be as great as yours. You should be able to summon a future at the half-step Sovereign level, right?" Li Hao scrutinized him up and down, looking somewhat uncertain. "Hard to say! But with the gauntlets, it shouldn't be too big of an issue." The King of Dali was utterly speechless. He asked, "Are you planning to stir up trouble again?" "No, I am going into seclusion to cultivate. They might come to disrupt me." *What kind of talk is that?* *When the rest of us cultivate, the half-step Sovereigns don't interfere, but the moment you cultivate, they come to cause trouble?* "They can't come out right now, can they?" "True, but once I start cultivating, they might be able to." "..." "And the benefits?" The King of Dali still pressed the question. Li Hao thought for a moment and said, "First, you get an advance experience of what it feels like to be a half-step Sovereign. The insights of a half-step Sovereign, even if illusory, are real comprehensions! Second, you experience the sensation of time. I will also impart the technique of time to you... That is no ordinary art; it is my natal method, something I wouldn't pass on to just anyone!" The King of Dali rolled his eyes. *What kind of benefit is that?* Of course, what Li Hao said was also true. He thought it over and asked, "Anything more practical?" *More practical?* Li Hao racked his brains and said, "If luck is on our side... and I mean if we get lucky and beat a half-step Sovereign to death, the physical body is yours, and the origin is yours. How about that?" *Fuck!* *Beat a half-step Sovereign to death?* *I...* "Why don't you ask that senior in the temple?" Li Hao shook his head. "A person of Silver Moon should seek help from another person of Silver Moon; there is no need to turn to the ancients! Moreover, he is content to lie flat and has the qualifications to do so, whereas you do not! Risking one's life stems from desire; he is free of desires, but you still have them!" The King of Dali rubbed his head, feeling that this task was practically hanging his head from his belt, ready to fall off at any second! The benefits Li Hao promised... were not particularly concrete either; they could not instantly elevate him to a half-step Sovereign. Just as he thought that, Li Hao remarked faintly, "If it could make someone ascend to heaven in a single step, I would have approached my friends. Why would I come looking for you?" "...Can you see through my thoughts?" "It's written all over your face!" "Why didn't you go to Empress Dowager Shuiyun first?" "Women are less reliable in handling matters than you." "Really?" "Of course!" The King of Dali nodded slightly; those words sounded pleasant enough. Then Li Hao added, "Besides, her skin is tender, while your hide is thick and tough—you can take a beating!" *Go to hell!* The King of Dali cursed under his breath, thoroughly irritated. Li Hao smiled and said, "Well? To be blunt, if you proceed step by step, you won't reach half-step Sovereign in this lifetime. As for becoming a Sovereign... you might as well just dream about it; you lack the conditions and qualifications!" The King of Dali exhaled. "Your words are truly grating. Why can't I reach the peak of half-step Sovereign or Sovereign?" "Your talent is mediocre, and you don't dare to risk your life. How could you reach the top?" *Tch!* The King of Dali hated hearing it, yet he had to admit it was the truth. If becoming a Sovereign were that easy, why would Zheng Yu and Li Daoheng have needed to scheme for so many years? He pondered carefully and said, "I have one more condition!" "Speak, I agree to all of them!" "..." The King of Dali was furious. *You're being too perfunctory.* Li Hao said seriously, "If we succeed, any condition of yours is a trivial matter. If we fail, both you and I will be dead, so what will it matter? Even if you asked to become a Sovereign... that would just be talking in your sleep!" Li Hao sighed with emotion. "So, propose something realistic now, and I might help you achieve it. Anything unrealistic... can only wait until after we succeed!" "..." *That actually makes a lot of sense.* "Can I really summon the past and future just like you?" "I don't know. Want to give it a try right now?" Li Hao urged, "Just to be safe... why not try right now? It might succeed." "Try once, and get a crisis of life and death?" "Yes." "Heh!" The King of Dali sneered. *Do you take me for an idiot?* *No way I'm trying!* "Then let's just wait. If it fails when the time comes, that's your problem. If it fails, at worst I'll retreat back to Dali. I'm just a Heavenly King who didn't join the fight—who's going to bite me? If it succeeds, I'll consider whether to participate!" Li Hao smiled and nodded. "Fine, then it's a deal. In a few days, when I need you, come over! Don't tell anyone... not even the senior in the temple!" The King of Dali nodded, saying indifferently, "Of course. This King makes his own decisions; do I need to care about what others think?" "Good!" With that, Li Hao moved to leave. Seeing this, the King of Dali hurriedly said, "Don't rush off! You haven't said what specifically you're going to do!" "Cultivate!" *Nonsense!* Helpless, the King of Dali asked in a roundabout way, "If your cultivation succeeds, can you become a half-step Sovereign?" "There's hope... though even if I succeed..." Li Hao calculated briefly. "I would only be a weak half-step Sovereign—stronger than the peak of the Heavenly King Realm, but weaker than Li Daoheng and the others... Of course, the potential is vast. If I can successfully seize a certain item, I won't be weaker than them." He was referring to the Time Star, but the difficulty was immense! The King of Dali clicked his tongue. *Damn!* *Can progress really be that fast?* *Just casually becoming a half-step Sovereign like that?* Suddenly, he felt that his own cultivation was worse than a dog's! "But... there are currently three half-step Sovereigns. Even if I can hold off one, what about the remaining two?" What then? *When the time comes, three against one... am I supposed to block them with my skull?* "That's why I still need to ask Empress Dowager Shuiyun... Though of course, she might not be willing. She's a woman, after all. Now that Shuiyun has integrated into the Heavenly Star Dynasty, she doesn't face much pressure anymore. She might not want to take risks or stake her life!" The sword of the Queen of the Human King was in her possession. Even if one wanted to channel the past and future, a formidable vessel was required. Otherwise, bridging time and space to merge would be nearly impossible. At present, only these few weapons possessed that capability. The King of Dali was speechless once more. This fellow... Whatever, let him be. If there was no hope, he certainly wouldn't go out to seek death. The King of Dali soon took his leave. He kept feeling that running into Li Hao was never a good thing—it felt like he had been swindled again. He wondered whether agreeing to this was a harbinger of walking into his own grave. ... Meanwhile, after some thought, Li Hao decided to go and ask. If Empress Dowager Shuiyun refused, so be it; he wouldn't force the matter. ... Beyond the Haoxing Continent, the Four Seas encircled the land. Now that numerous cities had relocated and filled in the original Four Seas, the new Four Seas encircled the periphery of the former continent. This was the garrison of the Shuiyun Army. Empress Dowager Shuiyun appeared delicate and frail. As numerous experts broke through to the Dao Integration Realm, she—having originally been quite formidable—now stood only at the ninth level of the Sun Moon Realm, just one step shy of Dao Integration, because she remained on the periphery. She neither contested nor grabbed. Content and at peace, she led the Shuiyun Army on patrols across the Four Seas without the slightest impatience. She was considered a Neo-Martial cultivator, yet her physical body had not been transformed, making her a Silver Moon cultivator as well. Currently, she was cultivating the new Dao, practicing both the new and old paths simultaneously. All the energy of her origin path derived from that sword. Now, cultivating both the new and old Daos, she stood at the ninth level of the Sun Moon Realm, yet her combat prowess was by no means weak—scarcely inferior to an ordinary cultivator of the Dao Integration Realm. Yet... Dao Integration merely marked entry into the Saint tier. In an era where even Heavenly Kings had lost their decisive influence, her strength, even within Li Hao's camp, was hardly conspicuous. ... Aboard a massive vessel. Empress Dowager Shuiyun appeared incomparably delicate. After hearing Li Hao state his purpose, she pondered for a moment and said, "Holding off a half-step Sovereign... I'm afraid that is beyond my ability." Li Hao was not disappointed. He nodded and prepared to leave. Empress Dowager Shuiyun added, "Fending one off is one difficulty. Secondly, the Marquis now has an abundance of talent under his command. I am somewhat reluctant to get involved and become a target from all sides. From what the Marquis has described, as long as the sword is present, it can serve as a vessel... correct?" Li Hao raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly. "Even if one does not possess the inheritance of the Queen of the Human King, they should still be able to use it..." She said softly, "How about I lend this sword to the Marquis, and the Marquis finds someone else?" She looked toward Li Hao. "I am merely at the ninth level of the Sun Moon Realm. I cannot predict what the future holds, and I would hate to jeopardize the Marquis's grand undertaking!" Li Hao raised an eyebrow slightly. "Lending the sword? Although this matter is perilous, the benefits are not small. If we truly fail, neither you nor I will escape. The King of Dali has someone protecting him, so his danger is smaller; I wasn't surprised when he hesitated. But for you to decline... if I fail, you die as well! By offering to lend the sword, it shows you aren't unwilling—do you have some misgivings?" Empress Dowager Shuiyun appeared exceedingly frail. "The Marquis speaks the truth. However... I feel that Governor Hongyu might be more suitable." "Oh?" Li Hao raised his brows. Empress Dowager Shuiyun said softly, "She has stepped into Dao Integration; that is the first reason. Second, she practices the saber, and saber and sword share common principles, so she can utilize the sword. Third... she is more driven and resourceful. Everything she has today was bestowed by the Marquis, so to protect the Marquis, she will be all the more dedicated! Fourth, if we truly succeed, and I gain the hope of becoming a half-step Sovereign while she does not... wouldn't it be difficult for us to get along in the future?" "..." Li Hao felt a headache coming on. "Why is the way you women think so vastly different from the way we do?" *What I am considering is how to succeed!* *You, woman, are considering whether there will be infighting after success?* *Give me a break!* *It isn't even certain whether we can succeed.* Empress Dowager Shuiyun merely smiled delicately. "The Marquis is bound to succeed! If the Marquis does not succeed, Silver Moon has no hope left! By lending this sword to Governor Lin Hongyu, I can also foster good relations for the future!" Li Hao nearly rolled his eyes. "You truly... think far ahead!" "Without planning for the future, how can one secure a foothold in the world?" Empress Dowager Shuiyun took it as praise, her smile soft and delicate. "Besides, I know my own limits! What my future holds, I cannot say. But if the Marquis succeeds, Governor Lin Hongyu's future will certainly not be bleak! Even if one summons the past and future... there must be a future to summon. Last time, the Marquis was able to summon his future self, which means the Marquis's future still exists. That being the case... those close to you will naturally go further." Those words did seem to carry some truth. Yet... Li Hao furrowed his brows slightly, remaining silent for a long time before speaking. "Fine. Regardless of how many reasons you give, let us borrow the sword! Do you have any requests?" "I do." Empress Dowager Shuiyun did not stand on ceremony. "If the day truly comes when we walk out of Silver Moon... the Marquis is destined to become a towering figure. When that day arrives, if the Marquis encounters the mighty figures of Neo-Martial, I wish to seek further study under the Queen of the Human King." *That works too?* Li Hao froze for a moment, then could not help but laugh. "You truly think far ahead!" *She even thought of that.* Empress Dowager Shuiyun laughed softly. "One must take things step by step. If that day truly comes and the Marquis agrees, it will be my fortune! Otherwise, an insignificant figure like me—even if I stumbled upon this sword, what could I do? The great figures of Neo-Martial stand high above; how could I ever approach them? I am no Marquis. But if the Marquis agrees, I will naturally have that chance!" Li Hao seemed slightly put out. "What, am I definitely inferior to the Neo-Martial Human King?" Empress Dowager Shuiyun smiled. "That is not so. If the Marquis can defeat a Sovereign... your future will surely be boundless, beyond my ability to fathom! As a subordinate of the Marquis, I would naturally reap some rewards. However... for someone like the Marquis, once you truly step out of Silver Moon, could you ever be confined to a single place? For women like us... a figure like the Marquis is free and unfettered, yes, but... it would also be a life of turbulent upheavals. I fear I could not endure such turbulence. Better to find a sturdy backer, stay dutifully in the rear, and watch the Marquis and the others display their might across the myriad heavens!" Fascinating! Li Hao laughed and said nothing more, nodding in agreement. Even though that day still seemed very distant. Still... what harm was there in agreeing? The sword fell into Li Hao's hands once more. He sensed it briefly; it should be able to bear the burden. It was, after all, the sword of the Queen of the Human King. Although it was said... that this Sovereign was somewhat weaker, inferior to the Blood Sovereign and the others, she was still a Sovereign and the wife of the Human King. Backed by the Human King, no matter how weak she might be, she could not be too weak. Between heaven and earth, there should be one more weapon capable of bearing it. The Starry Sky Sword! In other words, Sword City. However... Sword City was inside the seal, making it difficult to retrieve. Still, it could serve as a backup... If the seal truly broke, or unraveled somewhat, what if he let Hong Yitang wield Sword City? As for the sword of the Queen of the Human King, should it be given to Lin Hongyu? She was not a swordsman. Li Hao sank into deep thought. As for swordsmen... the Ninth Division Commander would actually be a good fit. However, Li Daoheng was, after all, his brother. Additionally, there was another person in the world of decent strength: Zhang An! Of course, regarding Zhang An... Li Hao was rather reluctant to seek help from the Neo-Martial people; it was too troublesome. "The Queen?" At that moment, he thought of someone. Speaking of bearing the past and future, the Queen's Silver Moon body might also work. The Silver Moon was the core of heaven and earth. However... the Queen was too deeply entangled with Li Daoheng, and furthermore, she was a terrible teammate... easily leading one to ruin. Forget it! He would set the Queen aside for now, though she could serve as an alternative option to exploit. ... Li Hao began rushing about. He started refining his plan bit by bit, preparing backup measures one after another. Without a certain level of confidence, he was unwilling to rely entirely on luck; too much reliance on luck would leave him buried without a grave. ... Meanwhile. Within the Illusory Dao universe. The entire Great Dao universe was permeated with immense pressure, as if the entire realm might sink at any moment. Zheng Yu sat cross-legged in cultivation. Suddenly, a figure appeared beside him. The Red Moon Sovereign smiled faintly. "You certainly look leisurely and at ease, Zheng Yu. This Sovereign is quite curious—what preparations have you made to face this so calmly?" Zheng Yu chuckled. "I am merely a latecomer; what preparations could I make? The Zheng family was just an ordinary household, not even part of the direct line of the Star Suppressing City's Zheng family, only a branch. The only thing I can rely on is this half-step Sovereign strength of my own." The Red Moon Sovereign smiled, saying no more aloud, but sent a voice transmission: "If you fail in this contention... why not help me open the seal? In truth, there is another way to open the seal: forcefully shattering the eight main cities works as well! When the time comes, I will intercept that fellow in the north, while you help me shatter the eight main cities... What do you say?" "You can no longer return to Neo-Martial! As you said, Li Daoheng might still have the Sword Venerable to vouch for him... provided, of course, that everyone dies so no one knows he slaughtered the Li family! As for you, whether anyone leaks the secret or not, I believe that if Zhang An, Li Daoheng, and the others die, you will one hundred percent never return to Neo-Martial! Why not help me? I will introduce you to the Red Moon Great World!" "The Red Moon Great World is far stronger than you imagine!" At this moment, the Red Moon Sovereign tempted him: "In my Red Moon Universe, experts at the Sun God's level exceed the fingers on one hand! The Sun God's retreat was no accident. The Lord of our realm also knew the Neo-Martial Human King was powerful, knew of the Cang Emperor's existence, and knew the strength of the other Sovereigns... yet still dared to campaign against Neo-Martial. From that alone, you can imagine that our realm's power far exceeds expectations! Over the years, our Red Moon Universe has already conquered several great universes, all ending in victory!" Zheng Yu chuckled softly. "That is indeed formidable... However... right now, everyone is trapped in Silver Moon. Speaking of these things doesn't hold much meaning." "No!" The Red Moon Sovereign shook his head, his tone pregnant with meaning. "Zheng Yu, Silver Moon has lost contact. Whether Red Moon won or not, it indicates that Neo-Martial is having a hard time; otherwise, they would have found it long ago! Since they haven't retrieved it, it means Neo-Martial is under immense pressure. Even if they haven't lost, they've encountered great difficulty. Wouldn't you agree?" "I... suspect..." He paused briefly. "The Silver Moon world might currently be situated near the Red Moon Universe!" "When we attacked back then, even if we failed to keep the Sword Venerable behind, we were thoroughly prepared. It is highly likely that through our cosmic array, we shifted Silver Moon to the vicinity of Red Moon!" He looked at Zheng Yu. "Therefore, even if we fight to the death here, once you truly step out, you might discover that we are within Red Moon's domain!" Zheng Yu's eyes flickered, but he did not speak. The Red Moon Sovereign added, "You and I have no deep enmity. On the contrary, you were among the first batch of people to embrace the power of the Red Moon. Cooperating with me brings you no harm!" "I will consider it further!" "Think on it carefully!" The Red Moon Sovereign drifted away. Watching his retreating back, Zheng Yu smiled faintly and said nothing more. *Within the domain of the Red Moon Universe?* It was not impossible! Yet... everything was hard to say. What if it was situated in the rear of Neo-Martial? Neo-Martial hadn't come looking simply because they felt there was no great danger and couldn't be bothered. Who could say for sure? Looking toward the Illusory Dao universe again, in the distance, countless stars were descending toward the mortal realm. From the look of it, they might soon fall into the mortal realm, into Silver Moon. Was Li Daoheng in a hurry? So impatient to eliminate Li Hao? "Perhaps... that includes me as well." He chuckled, closed his eyes, and paid it no mind, continuing to cultivate. There was abundant power of the illusory Dao here; it was a fine place for cultivation. Further away, a moon manifested once more. Brighter than before! Having suffered heavy injuries multiple times, the Moon Goddess had recovered once again, appearing as though she had not suffered too severely. Even further out, waves of desire drifted about like the power of the Red Moon. Zheng Yu knew... whose Dao this was. Qian Wuliang! From the look of it, Li Daoheng was well aware and was even laying out a scheme of his own. Would Qian Wuliang become Li Hao's weakness? Or would he become Li Hao's means of turning the tables? Who knew. Ever since Li Hao arrived, this Silver Moon had grown increasingly interesting!