Beyond Silver Moon

Li Daoheng had reincarnated? At this moment, Li Hao was also thrown into confusion. Was the sword-bearing man merely the sword Dao avatar Li Daoheng had left behind—or rather, the strength of his past life—while his true self had chosen at some point to reincarnate and integrate into the world? Yet later, had his sword Dao avatar been seized by Zheng Yu? In that case... had Li Daoheng reincarnated with absolutely no precautions? Furthermore, the so-called integration attempted by that figure from the Fengyun Pavilion carried severe flaws and retained considerable memories, only missing fragments. The world of Silver Moon was incapable of supporting a flawless reincarnation. Dao Jian seemed to possess no memories whatsoever, so how had that been accomplished? Scores of thoughts surfaced, yet worrying about them now seemed utterly pointless. Li Hao could still hold out a bit longer on his end, but Hong Yitang was on the verge of collapse. Regardless of whether that sword-bearing man was Li Daoheng or Zheng Yu’s avatar, he was currently devouring the Chaos River. If this continued, the Chaos River would be completely consumed. Li Hao’s plan to condense the eight bloodlines across the eight cities had also collapsed because of these sudden upheavals. He could not coalesce new eight bloodlines to lure away the cat beside Zheng Yu. Whoever these two truly were no longer mattered. What mattered was that even though Li Hao had successfully integrated his stars, he had only just stepped into the tier of a half-step Sovereign. One half-step Sovereign was clearly no match for so many half-step Sovereigns. The crux was that the true Time Star had never emerged. Because Li Hao had failed to capture it, his combat prowess had not seen the tremendous leap he had envisioned, falling short of reaching a level that could directly rival Zheng Yu and his peers. “Only by resolving the issue of the eight bloodlines and getting that cat to leave can Tianji unleash his true strength to help me stall Zheng Yu, or even slay him... Only then can I rescue Martial Uncle Hong...” The time power Li Hao had nurtured had been almost entirely depleted just now, having allowed the cat to devour half of Zheng Yu’s eight bloodlines. The meager wisp of time power left was not enough to accelerate its devouring of the remaining half. Moreover, if the master of the Illusory Dao universe’s stars was indeed Zheng Yu, this fellow was likely capable of stepping into the realm of a Sovereign at any moment. Yet he had held back the entire time. What was he after? Was there danger once one attained the Sovereign level? A Sovereign Tribulation? Or was he worried about something else? Li Hao glanced at Zheng Yu out of the corner of his eye once more. Zheng Yu’s lingering reluctance to step into the Sovereign realm meant he had to harbor reservations. As for the Great Dao Universe, it wasn't as if it could not be devoured after becoming a Sovereign. There was no need to wait forever! There were bound to be hidden complications; this man did not dare rashly ascend to the Sovereign realm! Ahead, Dao Jian remained dazed. Behind him, Zheng Yu pursued at an unhurried pace. Further back, Tianji was still struggling; each time he attempted to strike, he was forced back by the cat. If this continued... they were all doomed. “I am Heaven's Will!” Li Hao cast all distractions aside. From the corner of his eye, he had already glimpsed the other side: Lin Hongyu was saturated with death aura, on the verge of total extinction, while Hong Yitang was struggling violently, powerless against a half-step Sovereign. *I am Heaven's Will...* *Heaven's Will, eight bloodlines!* The confluence of the eight bloodlines was in truth the gathering of the power of heaven and earth—the power radiating from the entire world of Silver Moon. The eight divine weapons had transformed into eight main cities; in truth, the cat in the saber revived precisely by devouring Heaven's Will and devouring the power of Silver Moon. A newly born world and a newly born Heaven's Will were the finest nourishment for the cat. The eight bloodlines were merely a manifestation of the power of heaven and earth. At this moment, the cat seemed on the verge of opening its eyes. Yet it was still short a little. Having devoured Ying Hongyue last time and half of Zheng Yu’s eight bloodline power this time, the cat hovered on the brink of revival. And he... had happened to transform into Heaven's Will. Heaven's Will represented the will of the entire world of Silver Moon. Li Hao no longer bothered pondering whether Li Daoheng had left behind any hidden contingencies, nor did he care whether Li Daoheng was alive or dead. None of it mattered anymore. If that cat revived and woke up, would it continue protecting Zheng Yu? Surely not! Too many upheavals had transpired today. Li Hao had been like a lone skiff on the stormy ocean, advancing again and again, turning the tides again and again, yet he still struggled to preserve himself. Since that was the case... no one would have an easy time. Regardless of their thousand plots and ten thousand schemes, now that things had come to this, he would flip the entire chessboard and smash everyone’s plans to pieces! The River of Time once more wrapped around his body. Li Hao halted his retreat. He spun around and thrust a finger toward the cat. Seeing this, Zheng Yu chuckled. “Your time power is depleted!” He could sense that Li Hao’s time power was running exceedingly low. It was not enough to make the cat devour his remaining eight bloodline power again. It was nothing more than a futile effort. The next instant, the finger struck the cat’s paw. The cat was also guarding its meal, giving Li Hao no opening to harm Zheng Yu. Zheng Yu beamed brilliantly, bringing his saber slashing down toward Li Hao. At this moment, he was virtually invincible! Unless the Red Moon Sovereign broke free of the seal. Yet clearly, that entity could not break free at this very moment. In all of Silver Moon, that Sovereign was the most pitiful of all, having been treated from beginning to end as nothing more than a feast on everyone’s chopping block. Even if the seven main cities wished to break the seal now, it would be difficult. Li Hao’s finger shattered instantly. His time power was exhausted, failing to affect the cat in the slightest. The long saber was about to descend, cleaving toward Li Hao. Behind them, Tianji was consumed by fury, feeling as though he had made a grave mistake this time. He had been played for a fool by several juniors! Just as he was about to intervene, Li Hao let out a soft sigh. “You two have played this game far too high-end and far too intricately. You are in him, and he is in you. I can no longer tell you apart. Are you Zheng Yu or Li Daoheng? Is that fellow beside you Li Daoheng or Zheng Yu? I cannot discern it anymore!” “Or perhaps, from the very beginning, whether you are one person or two... I can't even tell anymore!” A smile tugged at Zheng Yu’s lips. He was about to speak. It was simply too dull, too lonely. After a hundred thousand years of dormancy, he genuinely felt like saying something. Yet at that very moment, heaven and earth trembled slightly. Li Hao sighed, “Forget it, I don't care about your circumstances anymore... Senior Tianji, without this cat, can you truly kill this man?” Tianji was incandescent with rage. “Without Er Mao in the way, I’d beat the shit out of him!” “Then let us wait and see!” At that moment, Li Hao smiled. His figure suddenly grew ethereal beyond measure. Only now did Li Hao seem to truly transform into Heaven's Will. Heaven's Will was formless! The long saber slashed into empty air! The power of the eight bloodlines suddenly emerged around Li Hao’s body, yet it was completely illusory—an eight-bloodline power woven purely from the will of heaven and earth. He took a stride forward, and at that moment, he gently stroked the cat’s head. This time, the cat surprisingly did not retaliate. It merely kept its eyes shut, seeming to attempt opening them. Its nose twitched faintly, as though it had caught a scent. Zheng Yu’s expression shifted slightly. *The eight bloodlines?* Li Hao thought of something and let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Back then, I used Ying Hongyue as food. Today... the wheel of karma turns, and I, Li Hao, shall serve as food for once! Zheng Yu, as long as Heaven's Will endures, I will return! If you don't die... we shall see!” In an instant, like a wisp of smoke, Li Hao shot straight into the cat’s mouth! Zheng Yu’s face changed drastically! At that very moment, the cat, which had been clamped onto the eight bloodline power, suddenly released its bite. It was as though it had tasted something far more delicious and fragrant. In a flash, it broke away from Zheng Yu. Not only that, but the cat’s eyelids trembled. It looked as though it would open its eyes at any moment. In Zheng Yu’s grasp, the previously compliant blood saber suddenly vibrated violently. It erupted with dazzling saber intent, bursting with a powerful aura that pierced Zheng Yu’s palm, breaking free in an instant to return to Er Mao’s side. Tianji froze! He looked at Zheng Yu, then looked at the cat. At this moment, Er Mao remained motionless, seemingly absorbing and digesting something. The entire world trembled violently, and within the cat’s belly, a figure could be seen faintly—as though someone was inside! Li Hao... had transformed into Heaven's Will and fed himself to the cat! Be it the power of the eight bloodlines or anything else, it was originally part of Silver Moon. At this moment, Li Hao represented the entirety of Silver Moon and had delivered himself right into the cat’s mouth. To the cat, this was far more fragrant and delicious than the eight bloodlines. Tianji’s face darkened. Li Hao had fed himself to the cat. This... One had to remember, this was a projection of the Cang Emperor! The Cang Emperor swallowed all things and digested all things; he could devour entire universes. Although Er Mao was inferior to the Cang Emperor and was not the true body, a mere Heaven's Will of Silver Moon, if truly swallowed... might well be digested entirely! Once Li Hao was completely digested, even if he had become Heaven's Will, death would be his only end. Tianji snapped his gaze toward Zheng Yu. Zheng Yu was also frowning, looking at Er Mao, then at Tianji, and finally at the faint, smiling, slightly mocking silhouette of Li Hao within the cat’s belly. His gaze turned somewhat somber. “Why go to such lengths!” The entire world seemed to shudder. At that moment, Tianji gritted his teeth. “You little bastard... grandson of a bitch! You dared toy with me! Even in the Neo-Martial era, barely anyone dared mock and play with me like this!” In an instant, the vitality power within his body erupted, terrifyingly potent and far stronger than before. “Die!” A fist blasted forth, descending like a collapsing universe. Heaven split and the earth cracked; a domain even materialized in the surrounding space, as though the entire world had been enveloped. At this moment, the cat did not move. Even though Zheng Yu still held half of the eight bloodline power on him, the cat no longer paid it any heed! Zheng Yu’s face altered, and he threw out a punch of his own! He was a top-tier half-step Sovereign. Tianji was merely a Sovereign’s clone, and a clone, by all reason, should be inferior to him—just as the Red Moon Sovereign’s clone had been inferior to them. Earlier, Tianji had only defended without attacking, so no one could tell how potent his offensive might was. Yet with this single strike, everyone realized. They couldn't even spare attention for other places anymore—not for Dao Jian, not for Lin Hongyu and the others—all turning their eyes toward this battlefield. *Boom!* A punch of boundless might—a punch that seemed capable of tearing through the entirety of Silver Moon! *Boom!* A deafening roar echoed across the world. The world boundary seemed on the verge of being ripped apart. Zheng Yu’s figure shot backward like an artillery shell, slamming violently into the wall of the world with a thunderous crash! In the sky, the world boundary itself seemed to crack! Blood dripped from Zheng Yu. He looked down at his arm... His fist was gone, and even a gaping, transparent cavity had appeared in his chest. Below, Tianji’s aura surged with boundless savagery! Only now did this Sovereign of the Neo-Martial era reveal his true strength. He gritted his teeth. “You dare show such insolence! Knowing I had no wish to meddle in your affairs, knowing I am a Sovereign, knowing Er Mao is a being cared for by the Blood Sovereign, the Human King, and the Cang Emperor, you still dared to play us for fools! Do you know that even in the Neo-Martial era, whether it was your Zheng family or the Li family... anyone, even that fellow of the Zhang family, was ranked beneath the very peak! “Are we someone the likes of you can exploit?” Tianji was furious. Step by step, he soared into the sky, his aura growing increasingly terrifying. He had actually been made a fool of by a junior! To think he had only gained the chance to unleash his true strength because Li Hao had fed himself to Er Mao—it was an utter humiliation! “All these years, I had only one thought... You or Li Daoheng, whoever becomes a Sovereign, do as you please so long as it doesn't affect me! Once Silver Moon breaks open and returns to Neo-Martial, you can explain yourselves to the Human King and the others! “Yet why... must you be so blind to reason?” *Boom!* A fist illuminated heaven and earth, shaking the world, nearly shattering the world boundary! “Did you think I was that useless Sovereign of Red Moon? “Even if my true body was not among the very pinnacle of the realm, I am still far stronger than that Red Moon trash!” Having lived through four eras—Early Martial, Origin, Neo-Martial, and Silver Moon—this prince of the Neo-Martial era who loved nothing more than lying low was far from weak. He simply preferred hiding whenever trouble arose. Throughout the entire Neo-Martial era, the only ones he truly feared were the Human King and the Cang Emperor; he didn't even care much about the Supreme of the Zhang family. Suffering such great humiliation today, he had completely snapped, his ferocious nature bursting forth! *Boom!* Another punch smashed out. The firmament tore open entirely, cracks spiderwebbing across the world boundary. As the fist descended, Zheng Yu’s expression shifted, and he frantically erupted with his full power as a top-tier half-step Sovereign! *Bang! Bang! Bang!* A succession of deafening detonations resounded through heaven and earth. He was battered until his body ruptured. Tianji split into countless afterimages, filling the air with a flurry of fist shadows. Zheng Yu, who had seemed invincible moments ago, slammed into the world boundary over and over, grunting in agony continuously! Zheng Yu was utterly shaken! *How can he be this strong?* *This is merely a clone! How could he be this terrifying!* “You grandson of a turtle, having barely experienced any real battles, did you truly think the experts of Neo-Martial were all useless trash like you? The Sovereigns of Neo-Martial, those who proved their Daos through their own might... who among them would be weaker than you? “Even a clone is the clone of a Sovereign! “What are you scheming for? Do we ever need schemes?” Tianji pounded at heaven and earth in fury! Schemes? They had no need for them! If they could kill you with a single punch, they would kill you with a single punch. Only those lacking strength resorted to schemes! *Boom!* Explosions thundered. Zheng Yu resisted desperately, erupting with wave after wave of tremendous power, yet he was still suppressed, utterly suppressed! Without that cat serving as a shield, Tianji’s power was beyond imagination. At this moment, the onlookers were struck dumb. The next instant, someone cried out in horror, “Senior, Li Hao!” Li Hao had fed himself to the cat, offering himself as food. By now, he was on the verge of being digested. The entire world was shaking violently—a sign that the realm could no longer bear the strain. Tianji ignored it. He had no way to help right now; he had to beat this Zheng Yu to death first! Infuriating! Abominable! As for Li Hao... he could only wait now. Wait for Er Mao to awaken. Perhaps before Li Hao was fully digested, it would wake up. Once awake, given Er Mao’s nature, it wouldn't continue devouring Li Hao; it was a kind-hearted cat. Unlike the Cang Emperor—even if the Cang Emperor woke up and found the flavor pleasing, he might keep eating. But Er Mao wouldn't. Right now, they could only gamble—gamble that Er Mao would regain consciousness before Li Hao perished entirely. As for him... His sole task was to beat this turtle grandson to death! A junior who had barely seen the world dared to provoke an ancient existence? *Boom!* Another thunderous crash shook the world. Zheng Yu was battered into tatters by a punch, his body shattered and mangled as he plummeted downward. Right at that moment, the figure of Li Daoheng, who was still devouring the Chaos River, flickered and materialized before Zheng Yu. A look of dread surfaced in Zheng Yu’s eyes—not toward Li Daoheng, but toward Tianji. He looked down at his mangled physical body and muttered, “A single step from a Sovereign... and I am still no match for you?” He had already reached the pinnacle of a half-step Sovereign. Yet... he had been beaten within an inch of his life by Tianji’s clone. Just as Tianji had said, in the face of absolute strength, all schemes were hollow. Of course, that was only true now. Earlier, when he had Er Mao protecting him, Tianji hadn't said anything of the sort. At this moment, Zheng Yu let out a miserable chuckle, turning his head to look at Tianji as the latter pursued him again. “It seems... being old truly has its advantages!” At that exact instant, Li Daoheng suddenly split into two. One was the sword-bearing man, while the other was Li Daoheng transformed into a star. The man who had turned into a star instantly revealed his true countenance—identical to the self Zheng Yu usually conversed with in Hurricane City! Identical to Zheng Yu himself! Two Zheng Yus emerged and instantly converged into one. A terrifying aura surged into the sky, and Zheng Yu’s battered body began to heal in an instant. Tianji did not rush forward immediately. He simply cast a glance and sneered. “You certainly have plenty of petty tricks! It seems you've controlled the Illusory Dao universe all along, and even seized the sword Dao body of the real Li Daoheng...” Zheng Yu’s aura surged relentlessly. Beside him, the sword-bearing man stood woodenly, motionless. Zheng Yu looked at Tianji and let out an emotional sigh. “Petty tricks? Senior Tianji, in your eyes, what counts as a grand maneuver? Li Daoheng casting his spirit and will into heaven and earth to reincarnate—does that count as a grand maneuver? And what was the outcome? He still failed. A single misplaced move in the game, and in the end, it all benefited me.” His aura grew increasingly formidable, even faintly advancing toward the level of a Sovereign. “Li Daoheng schemed plenty as well... and what came of it?” He chuckled. “Knowing full well I was lurking at his side, he still dared to make such a choice... What audacity! The world of Silver Moon is incomplete; choosing to reincarnate and cultivate anew here is simply seeking one's own doom, is it not?” He glanced toward Dao Jian. Over there, Dao Jian was still somewhat bewildered. Zheng Yu smiled. “Senior, you see, whether it is Li Daoheng or Li Hao... both are ruined now, finished... The only one left standing here is me!” *In your eyes, is this still a petty trick?* He reached out and seized the air. A Chaos River materialized, trembling ceaselessly. Within that river, a human face faintly surfaced, contorted in agony. Zheng Yu held the river, a smile spreading across his face, the dread from earlier wiped clean away. “Senior, once I devour this river, I shall advance to Sovereign! In your eyes, is this still a petty trick?” His arm transformed into a colossal dragon, plunging into the river. A devouring force erupted, rapidly siphoning away the power of the river. Within the river, Hong Yitang wore an expression of intense pain. Before a true top-tier half-step Sovereign, he was utterly powerless to resist. Back then, Li Hao had suggested that when Li Daoheng attempted to devour him, he could usurp Li Daoheng’s place. It had sounded wonderful in theory, but when actually faced with it, he lacked any capacity to fight back! The aura radiating from Zheng Yu swelled ever stronger! The dread from before vanished completely. Exhaling softly, he said, “Senior, why don't you dare come forward anymore?” At this moment, his confidence had returned manifold. Tianji ignored him, merely turning his head toward the cat in the void. At this moment, the cat’s eyelids fluttered ceaselessly, seemingly on the verge of opening. Li Hao had vanished without a trace, but Heaven's Will had yet to be extinguished completely; otherwise, heaven and earth would have reacted. At the very least, blood rain had not begun to fall, meaning Heaven's Will still endured. Tianji paid Zheng Yu no mind. Instead, he looked at the sword-bearing man and suddenly said, “Li Daoheng, as the most outstanding descendant of the Li family, were you truly played for a fool by a kid from the Zheng family just like that?” Li Daoheng was the most talented existence in the Li family aside from the Sword Venerable. Had he really been schemed against so easily by Zheng Yu? This sword Dao avatar was exceedingly powerful, yet seemed devoid of memories, standing utterly wooden. He looked toward Dao Jian not far away. His strength had ceased climbing, and he remained thoroughly bewildered. Zheng Yu looked over as well and laughed softly. “It seems his memories haven't awakened... Is Senior still counting on him to deliver a thunderous strike against me?” Before Tianji could act, Zheng Yu struck first. Not against Tianji, but reaching out with a colossal hand that grabbed directly toward Dao Jian in Boundless City! He had never been entirely certain about Li Daoheng’s reincarnated self. He had only narrowed it down to two people: Dao Jian and Hong Yitang. Yes, including Hong Yitang. Today, when Li Daoheng’s past body was used to devour the river Hong Yitang had transformed into, Dao Jian’s aura had skyrocketed. Clearly, Dao Jian was Li Daoheng’s true reincarnation. Taking advantage of the present moment, he would eliminate this menace first. Lest this fellow truly awaken and reclaim his past body, which would prove troublesome. The colossal palm grasped toward Dao Jian! In Boundless City, Director Zhao and the Old Turtle both paled. Before this strike—approaching the might of a Sovereign—even landed, they felt their physical bodies cracking, completely incapable of withstanding it. Though Dao Jian’s strength had advanced significantly, he too appeared powerless to stop it! Tianji, standing nearby, could have intervened, yet he made no move to stop it. Catching this from the corner of his eye, Zheng Yu’s heart stirred slightly. *Not stopping me?* With his dual bodies merged, Tianji might not necessarily be his match right now. If Dao Jian regained his memories, merged with the sword-bearing man, and united both bodies to fight alongside Tianji, that would indeed be troublesome. But since Tianji wasn't interfering... even if Dao Jian regained his memories, with his current strength, he could do nothing against him. The thought flashed past in an instant. The colossal hand came crashing down, not aimed at killing the Old Turtle and the others, but solely to seize Dao Jian and crush him to death. He had once doubted whether Dao Jian was truly Li Daoheng. But earlier, as the river was devoured and sword intent radiated from the sword-bearing man, Dao Jian’s strength had surged accordingly. That had definitively confirmed that this fellow was Li Daoheng’s reincarnation. Furthermore, the Fudao Sword was in his hands, having fallen into his possession from the moment it appeared and actively acknowledging him as master. All of this proved it. Li Daoheng was a major threat. If this fellow wasn't eliminated, he would become a disaster sooner or later! At this moment, in Battle Heaven City in the distance, the Ninth Division Commander grew frantic! If Li Daoheng had reincarnated long ago, it meant Li Daoheng was not necessarily a traitor—he was his elder brother! Seeing Dao Jian on the verge of being slain, he was beside himself with anxiety, yet he had no way to block that palm! Tianji, the only one capable of stopping it, merely watched without intervening. This left him anxious and bewildered. Why wasn't Tianji stopping him? If his brother was not a traitor, he could reclaim his past body and battle Zheng Yu alongside him. With his dual bodies merged, Zheng Yu was terrifyingly powerful, his aura infinitely close to that of a Sovereign. Tianji paid him no heed. Originally, he had indeed intended to step in. Yet at this moment, he had halted. Nearby, Er Mao’s eyes fluttered ceaselessly, and at that moment, they seemed to open. Within those eyes... a figure faintly emerged. It was Li Hao! At this moment, Li Hao’s will was somewhat fragmented. Yet he knew he was alive. At the very instant he was about to be obliterated and thoroughly devoured, the cat had revived. He seemed to have been drawn into the ocean of the cat’s will—an ocean of will pure beyond measure. This cat... was like a newborn child, free of stray thoughts. That vast, ocean-like will appeared exquisitely pure, brimming with curiosity toward everything. This truly seemed to be an exceptionally gentle, kind cat. The moment it opened its eyes, it had ceased devouring. At this moment, Li Hao also looked out upon the entire world through the cat’s eyes! He looked at Zheng Yu, at Dao Jian, at Tianji, at the sword-bearing man... Through the eyes of this cat, he seemed to perceive many things he had never seen before. These two... had truly plotted to the absolute extreme. Was it really worth it? Why go to such lengths? In that split second, Li Hao moved—or rather, the cat moved. At this moment, Li Hao seemed to have merged into one with the cat. With a single thought, Li Hao materialized above Boundless City. A claw swiped out! *Crack!* The void fractured. Zheng Yu’s arm was instantly slashed open. Zheng Yu’s expression shifted, and he turned to the cat. “You're awake?” He took a glance, then looked up toward the sky, suddenly demanding, “Are you Li Hao, or the Cang Emperor’s projection?” Li Hao’s voice rang out, “What do you think?” “You possessed the Cang Emperor’s projection?” Zheng Yu’s face changed slightly. “What audacity!” Possession! Li Hao, however, said, “Wrong. It isn't possession; I merely borrowed the cat’s body for a moment. Did you think I was as tedious and shameless as you, relying on avatars and possessions? Isn't one's own power far superior?” “You intend to stop me?” Zheng Yu’s aura grew increasingly formidable. Clamping down on the river in his hand, he looked toward Li Hao. “Stopping me now is already too late! I am about to become a Sovereign... Even if I don't kill Li Daoheng, you won't be able to do anything to me even if all of you attack together!” Zheng Yu smiled. “The new Dao universe has emerged. The Corporeal Dao Universe, the Illusory Dao universe, including the Heaven's Will you transformed into, the Cang Emperor’s projection, Senior Tianji’s clone, Li Daoheng’s past body, the Red Moon Sovereign’s true body, plus the world of Silver Moon... Once I absorb all of them, I believe I will stand among the absolute peak even among Sovereigns! “I have waited for this day for far too long!” A smile spread across Zheng Yu’s face. “Only now has the full potential of Silver Moon been thoroughly unearthed! “Originally, I thought my greatest enemy was Li Daoheng... Thus, I spent all my time contemplating how to deal with him, how to defeat him. Little did I expect that he would actually choose to reincarnate. That was something I never foresaw... and it played right into my hands!” He laughed. “Everyone said Li Daoheng’s schemes were peerless, yet this man was far too arrogant! Did he truly think that by hiding his sword Dao avatar, I would never find it?” *Boom!* A mighty aura tore through the world once more as a palm struck toward Li Hao! Li Hao, currently manifested as the cat, swiped a claw in response. He vanished instantly, appearing before Zheng Yu in the blink of an eye, swiping toward the Chaos River. Behind him, Tianji struck at that very moment! Yet it was not to deal with Zheng Yu. In that split second, he slammed a fist toward the sword-bearing man! The wooden, motionless sword-bearing man stood still, like a complete puppet about to have his physical body smashed to pieces. Seeing this, Zheng Yu’s expression shifted. Li Daoheng’s past body was also one of his resources for advancement; the only reason he hadn't devoured it earlier was that he was waiting to capture his reincarnated self. Now, watching one person try to snatch his Chaos River while the other moved to destroy the past body of Li Daoheng he was about to consume... His expression flickered. Vanishing in an instant, he reappeared directly before the sword-bearing man, letting out a cold snort. “If you insist on forcing me to become a Sovereign right now, then so be it!” He reached out and seized the sword Dao avatar, instantly unleashing a terrifying devouring force. The sword Dao avatar showed no resistance whatsoever. Surges of immense energy were devoured into Zheng Yu’s body. Zheng Yu’s aura skyrocketed relentlessly! At that exact moment, Li Hao suddenly spoke: “Li Daoheng, have you played enough?” Zheng Yu froze. He reflexively glanced down toward Dao Jian below. Yet Dao Jian remained completely bewildered; from start to finish, he truly had no idea what was happening. Li Hao’s voice rang out once more: “I am Heaven's Will, and at this moment I have merged into Er Mao’s body, allowing me to see through all illusions... Did you think you could hide from me?” At that very second, the sword-bearing man who was currently being devoured... The previously dull, wooden look in his eyes suddenly flashed with brilliant light. The next instant, a sword intent powerful to the absolute extreme surged from the sword-bearing man’s body. A single sword slashed out. Zheng Yu’s expression twisted violently. Just as he tried to pull back, he suddenly discovered that the energy he had just absorbed was rioting wildly within his body! In a flash, the sword impaled him through and through! Zheng Yu felt boundless energy hemorrhaging from his body. His strength, which had been nearing that of a Sovereign, was suddenly siphoned in vast amounts by the sword-bearing man before him, pouring incessantly into the other’s body! The sword-bearing man wore an aloof, arrogant expression. He was no longer wooden in the slightest, appearing just as he had when Li Hao met him in the seal—the very man who had claimed that slaying the Red Moon Sovereign was only a matter of time. Only now did he resemble that person again! The sword-bearing man looked toward Li Hao. Reaching out, he formed a long sword; myriad swords enveloped Zheng Yu. Beneath Zheng Yu’s horrified gaze, he thrust a hand into Zheng Yu’s body, ceaselessly siphoning Zheng Yu’s power, and arched an eyebrow slightly. “Li Hao, you ruined my plans!” This sight dumbfounded everyone once again. Zheng Yu’s aura began to wither, his eyes filled with disbelief. “You... never reincarnated?” The sword-bearing man looked at him, his tone calm. “Why would I reincarnate? I merely sealed my six senses to attempt comprehending the new Dao. Why should I reincarnate? What use is reincarnating in this incomplete world? After reincarnating, would I still be me? “The Emperor of Battle Heaven, Emperor Batian, and their ilk—their so-called reincarnations... Did the Blood Sovereign and the others still consider them their original selves? With such examples before me, why would I reincarnate and cultivate anew?” A cold, haughty smile touched his lips. “It was nothing more than sealing my six senses! Taking a brief rest, which conveniently gave you the time to prepare everything for me, did it not? You see, while I took a rest, didn't you prepare everything for me?” Zheng Yu could not believe it. Looking down at Dao Jian below, he coughed violently. “Then he...” The sword-bearing man—the true Li Daoheng—also cast a downward glance and smiled faintly. “What about him? Just a junior with decent talent, though nothing special. The Fudao Sword held some remnant power of mine. Since I no longer had any use for it, and the likes of Li Hao didn't care for it, what was wrong with gifting it to him?” In the distance, the Ninth Division Commander froze, staring at the sword-bearing man in disbelief. “You're... alive?” Li Daoheng turned his gaze over. At this moment, he was linked to Zheng Yu, the power in Zheng Yu’s body flooding continuously into him. Arrogance shone in Li Daoheng’s eyes. “Of course I am alive! Did you truly think I had died, or, like this idiot, believed I had reincarnated? “Reincarnate? Just as Li Hao said, isn't cultivating oneself better than cultivating someone else? After reincarnating, would I still be me?” He sneered, then turned his gaze back to Li Hao. “Little fellow, you are truly annoying! Couldn't you have waited just a bit longer? Waited until this fellow devoured the Chaos River, completely devoured me, proved his Dao as a Sovereign, and only then called out to me? Had you done that, it would have saved me so much trouble—stepping into the Sovereign realm in a single stride!” At this point, Tianji let out an emotional sigh. “You actually didn't reincarnate. Even I thought you had. It seems... you've been conscious all along.” Li Daoheng continued siphoning Zheng Yu’s power. Zheng Yu struggled desperately, roaring in disbelief and fury, “So... there was never any past body... It was always you! You schemed against me?” “Didn't you love dragging your feet and tripping me up?” Li Daoheng spoke with absolute serenity: “You are utterly tiresome, buzzing around like a fly! Always believing you had everything in your grasp. Since that was the case... I gave you the chance! Yet you proved so useless!” Boundless energy flooded into his body without pause. Li Daoheng’s aura surged to the absolute peak in an instant. In the void above, the faint apparition of thunder and lightning began to materialize. Li Daoheng looked up at the sky with a hint of regret. “I have no need to be tested. Lightning tribulations... are terribly annoying! Originally, I could have simply let Zheng Yu endure the tribulation. You just had to awaken me early. Now that the lightning tribulation is approaching, it seems I must face it myself!” He did not seem fond of facing tribulations. It was not out of fear, but simple distaste, because proving the Dao of a Sovereign originally required no tribulation! Zheng Yu thrashed frantically. Yet he was pinned firmly by the suction. Li Daoheng chuckled softly. “You have merged with my true body numerous times and absorbed so much of my sword intent. You and I have already become one; do you truly think you can break free?” With that, he looked toward Li Hao and Tianji. “The two of you had best not obstruct me right now. Otherwise... once I fully awaken, I might just use the two of you to inaugurate my banner!” At this moment, Zheng Yu understood everything completely. Falling into madness, he roared, “Kill him... Li Daoheng, if you want to absorb me, don't even dream of it...” *Boom!* Terrifying energy churned violently within his body, and an origin path even manifested. He thrashed with abandon, shaking the void. Zheng Yu was consumed by despair and indignation! He had been on the verge of success! And then Li Daoheng had appeared—or rather, he had been there all along, present from start to finish. He had merely deliberately led him to believe he had reincarnated; all that business about Dao Jian was nothing but an illusion. Li Daoheng had never reincarnated at all! Nearby, Tianji frowned, looking up at the sky where the lightning tribulation was about to manifest. This was a true Sovereign Tribulation. It seemed that even if one proved the Dao and became a Sovereign in Silver Moon, so long as one was an Origin Sovereign, it would still draw the Sovereign Tribulation. This also proved one thing: Neo-Martial still existed, the Origin still existed, and the land of Silver Moon was not too far from Neo-Martial. He glanced sideways at Li Hao, his brow furrowing slightly. “Can you still separate yourself?” He had revived Er Mao for the Blood Sovereign, not to revive some human-cat hybrid. Li Hao wasn't planning on occupying Er Mao and refusing to leave, was he? “I can!” Li Hao spoke: “It's just that this cat senior seems to be zoning out right now, not fully awake yet... Before it completely wakes up, I’ll borrow its body for a moment.” Tianji looked at Li Daoheng, then at the struggling Zheng Yu, and frowned. “These two fellows spent a hundred thousand years scheming against each other...” He was utterly speechless! Zheng Yu had believed everything was within his grasp, that he had seized Li Daoheng’s past body. Yet Li Daoheng had never reincarnated at all, instead utilizing these past few decades to deeply merge with Zheng Yu, turning the tables to devour him. Neither of them was a decent sort! They had fought from a hundred thousand years ago down to this very day, and in the end, it seemed Li Daoheng had won completely. At this moment, the lightning tribulation was about to descend; Li Daoheng was about to prove his Dao as a Sovereign. If Tianji interfered now—this was no chaos lightning tribulation, but a Sovereign Tribulation. He understood this thing very well; the moment he struck, the Sovereign Tribulation would turn to attack anyone who meddled. He looked toward Li Hao. What should they do now? He disliked pondering such matters. As things stood, Er Mao had revived, meaning his mission was essentially complete—provided he could bring Er Mao back to Neo-Martial. Yet once this fellow proved his Dao as a Sovereign... he likely wouldn't let them leave. Li Hao did not speak. He raised his head to look at the sky, observing the approaching lightning tribulation. A Sovereign Tribulation! Judging by its aura... it was even more terrifying than the chaos lightning tribulation. The chaos lightning tribulation he had encountered had merely been a faint, weak version, whereas the Sovereign Tribulation existed specifically to test Sovereigns. The critical issue was that this thing attacked indiscriminately! Everything today had been constantly shifting and mutating, far exceeding Li Hao’s expectations. Li Daoheng and Zheng Yu were entangled with one another, each part of the other. For now, Zheng Yu appeared to be at a disadvantage; though not completely devoured, he could no longer pull away. Once the lightning struck, Li Daoheng might very well use him as a shield to weather the tribulation. Li Hao exhaled softly. In his current feline form, that single exhale caused quite a stir. Li Daoheng was still clutching the Chaos River. Hong Yitang was also within the range of his devouring. Once the man successfully proved his Dao as a Sovereign... there would be no stopping him. “These two fellows... are truly a pain!” Li Hao shook his head. At that instant, he suddenly inhaled toward the heavens, unleashing a terrifying devouring force that reverberated through the void! At the same time, a faint River of Time emerged! Traces of river power surfaced upon the cat’s body, as though seeking to trace back through past and future! Over there, Li Daoheng was still absorbing Zheng Yu’s power, preparing to welcome the lightning tribulation. He wasn't worried about Li Hao or the others interfering—whoever interfered would be doomed. Yet he suddenly snapped his head toward Li Hao. At this moment, Li Hao let out a low shout: “Welcome my past!” *The past?* Even Tianji’s heart jolted violently! *Fuck!* *What past?* *You are currently manifested as a cat; your past is...* At that moment, heaven and earth seemed on the verge of collapsing. In the distant void, within the endless past, the faint apparition of a colossal cat emerged, seemingly carrying a hint of confusion, bewilderment, and curiosity. Li Hao paid it no heed whatsoever, soaring straight toward the Corporeal Dao Universe! At that moment, within the Corporeal Dao Universe, a star emerged. It hung motionless, seeming to gaze blankly at Li Hao, and also blankly at that great cat turning its head to look over from the depths of endless time and space. At the edge of heaven and earth, a cat virtually identical to the Er Mao Li Hao was possessing appeared. Yet... there were subtle differences. It was chubbier, craftier, and vastly, unimaginably more powerful! That plump cat turned its head toward this side, filled with innocence, surprise, and bewilderment, radiating supreme spirituality. “Meow... Cat? Er Mao?” At that instant, heaven collapsed and the earth caved in. The firmament fractured, and the true Time Star seemed on the verge of cracking apart. Li Hao’s tracing of the past this time had seemingly dredged up something terrifying beyond belief! Neither summoning the Blood Sovereign last time nor ushering forth his own future self had caused such a colossal commotion. Yet at this moment, Li Hao tracing back the past of the cat he possessed... had seemingly poked a hole straight through the heavens! At this moment, even Li Daoheng, on the verge of proving his Dao as a Sovereign, suffered a dramatic change in expression! *How could this be?* Zheng Yu even forgot to struggle, staring blankly at the sky, at that cat at the edge of heaven and earth. That cat seemed intent on strolling over to take a look! Only, the River of Time Li Hao had manifested was wholly insufficient to bear this entity’s weight! The River of Time was already crumbling! Beside Li Hao, the true Time Star was also trembling, as though feeling itself far too frail and diminutive, utterly outmatched by this cat. “Huh... this bridge is so weak!” “Can't cross...” That cat, standing at the edge of the world, muttered to itself, “Er Mao seems to have come alive, yay!” The cat seemed too heavy, too plump; the moment it stepped onto the River of Time, the river collapsed and caved in. Li Hao’s soul trembled violently in disbelief. His goal had not been to summon this cat, but to arouse the curiosity of the Time Star—he had come to capture the Time Star. And yet... Now, not only was the Time Star curious, it was downright terrified. As for that cat, it seemed eager to walk over, yet the River of Time could not bear its existence. “Meow... I can't cross! So far away... Is it that little broken place? I can't seem to find where it is anymore... We are in the middle of a fight! This cat can't make it over... so I won't go... Remember to come find me!” “It’s so fun here! We beat so, so many people to death, and I raised so, so many fish... Huh, little Tianji is still around...” That cat muttered to itself at the edge of the endless void. The next moment, sensing that the river was about to collapse entirely, it said somewhat helplessly, “I can't go... It's too far. Where did you guys drift off to?” At that moment, it seemed to spot something else. A millstone-like object suddenly appeared in its paw, upon which lightning seemed to flicker. The colossal, plump cat muttered to itself, “Huh... a tribulation? Will it strike Er Mao?” In an instant, it opened its mouth wide. A surge of lightning power was swallowed whole in a single gulp. It let out a burp and muttered, “Then let’s not cross it. We can cross it later when there's a chance, okay? Er Mao seems to have just revived; it's very weak!” Above the world of Silver Moon, the lightning vanished instantly! Li Daoheng stared blankly at the sky. Zheng Yu stared dumbly as well. In an instant, the lightning was gone. Without the lightning... how could one prove the Dao and become a Sovereign? Zheng Yu suddenly began to laugh, his laughter tinged with madness! “Hahaha!” The lightning was gone! And at that moment, the river collapsed completely. That unimaginably colossal cat seemed slightly regretful: “If you don't come find me later, I’ll come find you after I finish beating people up! Fighting is boring, but beating them to death turns them into fish... I’ll save some fish for you, so we can eat fish together!” *Boom!* The phantom dissipated. In that instant, the entirety of Silver Moon fell into dead silence. Li Hao’s soul was shuddering. Casting all else aside, while the Time Star was still dazed, he shot out of Er Mao’s body in an instant and burrowed directly into the true Time Star! Not far away, Li Daoheng stared blankly at the sky. The next instant, he let out a furious roar: “Bastard!” Though he had claimed he had no wish to face the tribulation... How could a Sovereign of the post-Neo-Martial era attain Sovereignhood without braving the tribulation? And yet... it was gone! The lightning was simply gone! Across time and space, across chaos, across what might or might not have been an image of the past, the Cang Emperor had directly swallowed his tribulation lightning! And told him to face the tribulation another day, so as not to hurt Er Mao! “How could this happen!” Li Daoheng muttered. How could Li Hao possibly summon the Cang Emperor? His time power was nowhere near enough to summon such a being. No matter how confident or arrogant Li Daoheng was, he knew full well that even if he attained Sovereignhood—let alone now—he would still be nothing more than a morsel to be swallowed in one bite before that entity. But... Li Hao shouldn't have been able to summon him in the first place! Glancing sideways, a star was churning violently, causing the entirety of Silver Moon to freeze in place. Time power permeated heaven and earth! Everyone—no, aside from the few of them, everyone else had fallen into a state of dead silence, staring blankly at that churning star. Was it this star that had supplied Li Hao with energy? Clearly, this star had also been curious moments ago about what that entity was. Only, this star hadn't been strong enough to allow the Cang Emperor to cross over either. “Li Hao!” Li Daoheng barked coldly, slashing a sword toward the star! Damn it! No one could have foreseen these upheavals. The appearance of the Cang Emperor’s phantom had severed his hopes of becoming a Sovereign. At this very moment, even he was at a loss—how was he supposed to prove his Dao now? Tianji was clicking his tongue in amazement! He had nearly summoned the Cang Emperor. If the Cang Emperor had truly crossed over... that would have been a sight to behold. The entirety of Silver Moon might have been swallowed whole in a single mouthful! This fellow Li Hao was truly insane, his audacity off the charts! Of course, he himself probably wouldn't have been eaten. At this moment, within the Time Star, Li Hao clung frantically to the celestial body, gritting his teeth as he forcibly resisted the freezing effect of the time power, beginning to forcefully merge himself into the star! *If you won't merge with me, I will merge with you!* The entire world of Silver Moon transformed into a spiritual realm, intent on fusing this star into his own Dao meridians. Despite the endless upheavals, Li Hao had ultimately achieved his plan. Provided he could truly keep this star here. “Don't run... I’ll show you something fun...” Li Hao spoke with great difficulty, as if coaxing a child. This Time Star likely hadn't matured completely yet. Regardless of all else, he had to trick it into staying still first!