Come Play Together

The Time Star darted erratically across the world. Li Hao merged into the Time Star and vanished from sight. Er Mao still looked dazed and stunned, not yet fully awake. Tianji hurriedly raised his blade and stood guard at its side, wary that someone might lose their mind... In truth, someone was already on the verge of madness. Over in the distance, Li Daoheng looked thoroughly deranged! A lightning tribulation! Sovereigns were supposed to have no tribulations... but if one appeared, it had to be crossed! Now, the tribulation was gone. It was truly gone... He still walked the origin path and had not cultivated the new Dao to the half-step Sovereign tier. Under these circumstances... with no tribulation to cross, wouldn't he be forever barred from Sovereignhood? His entire scheme had dissolved into nothingness in an instant. Everything had become a laughingstock! What nonsense about standing shoulder to shoulder with the Human King or surpassing the Cang Emperor? The Cang Emperor had reached across boundless distance without even bothering to traverse time. Merely a projection in this realm, he had swallowed the tribulation whole from afar—or rather, the true source of the lightning tribulation rested in the Cang Emperor's very hands! And the cat had said to cross it a few days later. Just how many days was a "few days"? The Cang Emperor was notoriously forgetful. Would he even remember this matter? Even if he did... were his "few days" the same as a few days in Silver Moon? "Hahaha!" At that moment, Zheng Yu burst into wild laughter. His mind was a blur as his power rapidly drained away, yet he laughed like a madman. "Li Daoheng!" The two of them had fought so hard! They had struggled against one another until today, only for time to reverse, the Cang Emperor to emerge, and their entire grand design to be completely shattered in a single stroke. Li Daoheng's gaze turned chillingly cold. Glancing at the star tearing frantically through the world, he said in an icy tone, "There is still a chance!" Was there? Yes! "The Sovereign Tribulation is gone, but the Time Star is still here! The dual Dao universes are still here!" Who said there was no chance? If he could not attain Sovereignhood through the Great Dao of Origin, he would achieve it through the new Dao! Who said there was no chance? What was Zheng Yu laughing at? What was there to laugh about! Besides, if he truly seized the Time Star, perhaps... he could even reverse the past, rewinding time to before Li Hao summoned the Cang Emperor. If so, he might cross the tribulation once more—achieving Sovereignhood in both the origin and the new Dao, fusing two Sovereigns into one! He raised a hand to the heavens and seized the Chaos River, unleashing thunderous rumbles. Li Daoheng looked coldly into the distance. "Li Hao, do you think relinquishing the corporeal Dao universe washes your hands of all this? If the Chaos River snaps, Hong Yitang will die, the myriad Daos will extinguish, and Silver Moon will regress to its primordial state! As Heaven's Will, you gain nothing from this either! Relinquish the Time Star right now, reverse time, and return to the moment before the Cang Emperor appeared... I have no desire to act against you!" Though he had not formally crossed the tribulation into Sovereignhood, his aura undeniably exceeded that of an ordinary half-step Sovereign... Every aspect of his power met the standards of a Sovereign; he merely lacked the tribulation that would make him a true Sovereign. At this moment, he remained overwhelmingly formidable! Even Tianji knew he was likely no match for him now. Li Daoheng had drained too much of Zheng Yu's power. Right now, he could probably trade blows with the Sovereign of the Red Moon. Though the latter was a genuine Sovereign, years of imprisonment had drastically depleted his strength, reducing him to roughly this level. Of course, Tianji no longer cared. Looking at Er Mao blinking beside him in slight confusion, he was overjoyed beyond measure! Revived! Not only was Er Mao revived, but the Cang Emperor had also turned his gaze toward this realm. Though the emperor seemed occupied with battle elsewhere and could not or would not cross over... his attention had nevertheless arrived. No matter how arrogant Li Daoheng was, would he dare lay a finger on Er Mao now? The Cang Emperor had disrupted his ascension across boundless space. If Li Daoheng dared touch Er Mao and provoked the emperor's attention again... would he dare wager that the Cang Emperor truly could not reach this place? Meanwhile, the massive star dashed about frantically. It seemed deeply displeased with Li Hao! Being integrated by Li Hao made it feel restricted. Even though Li Hao coaxed it repeatedly as if soothing a child, the Time Star continued to flee. In the distance, the Ninth Division Commander roared, "Li Daoheng, things have reached this point! Are you going to keep blundering down the wrong path? The Cang Emperor and his peers still endure, and the Human King is still there! Even if you win in Silver Moon, what of it?" The Cang Emperor's appearance should have shattered their delusions! Neo Martial was still standing! There was still an opportunity... Yes, an opportunity! Even if Li Daoheng had truly slaughtered the entire Li family, all was not necessarily lost. Once Neo Martial was found, those people could still be resurrected! Once they were brought back, Li Daoheng could confess his crimes, slay the Red Moon Sovereign, and join the frontline war as an expendable vanguard. He was, after all, a supreme combatant who bordered on Sovereignhood and could potentially cross the threshold at any time. So long as he survived several major battles and rendered great service by slaying enemies... he would still have a chance. The Cang Emperor was still fighting, which meant the war had not yet ended. Once the war concluded, then truly not a shred of hope would remain. The Ninth Division Commander bellowed again, "You have already erred! Stumbling deeper into ruin will leave you no way back! Slay the Red Moon Sovereign, guide Silver Moon to find Neo Martial, apologize to the Sword Venerable, and plead with the Human King to resurrect those you killed! If you slay a few enemy Sovereigns... you can still survive!" Li Daoheng cast a cold, sharp glance at him. "Survive? Why must you always be so foolish? What I seek is something you will never comprehend! That is why I am a supreme expert on the verge of Sovereignhood, while you are a useless wretch who can only shout and bray! If not for the Cang Emperor's interference, I would already be a Sovereign! Such are the whims of fate and fortune, but where have I erred?" If the Cang Emperor had not suddenly manifested, he would have attained Sovereignhood, devoured both Dao universes, consumed the Time Star, swallowed Li Hao's half-step Sovereign Heaven's Will, absorbed Er Mao, seized the blood saber, consumed the Red Moon Sovereign, and devoured the world of Silver Moon... Even if he fell short of the Cang Emperor, he would be no ordinary Sovereign. At that point, where in the vast chaos could he not roam? Traversing the chaos, perhaps even greater fortunes would await him! Return to Neo Martial to beg forgiveness? Putting aside whether someone like the Human King would ever spare him, even if he were kept alive, he would merely be treated as a death-row pawn. Unless he wiped out all powerful enemies, would he ever have a chance? To abandon the prospect of becoming a supreme Sovereign just to gamble on the Human King's mercy... This younger brother of his was truly an idiot! Though he had suffered a single misstep when the Time Star derailed his plans, he had not yet lost! Right now, he was still an invincible entity! Even if the true form of the Red Moon Sovereign appeared, he could still fight. Why should he admit to any wrongdoing? He had done nothing wrong! Furthermore... the Chaos River, the river of myriad Daos formed by the corporeal Dao universe, was held firmly in his grasp. How could he have lost? He ignored Tianji, ignored Er Mao, and paid no mind to the Ninth Division Commander. None of them amounted to anything in his eyes. He did not even take Li Hao seriously. As for that useless Zheng Yu, who had always fancied himself clever—Li Daoheng had simply never bothered with him. All he had been waiting for was the manifestation of the Great Dao Universe, awaiting an even greater opportunity to soar to the heavens in a single bound! And he had waited it out! It had been right before his eyes, only to be ruined by Li Hao—or rather, by the Time Star. Driven by curiosity and confusion, the star had supplied Li Hao with boundless power of time, allowing the Cang Emperor to project his image across space. Otherwise... with the Cang Emperor's sheer might, Li Hao's attempt to summon Er Mao's past would have resulted in instant death! The backlash alone would have withered him to death with old age! The more that proved true, the more it demonstrated the star's immense potential. Though it was not yet capable of carrying the Cang Emperor across the void, the Great Dao Universe had only just been born, proving the star possessed boundless potential! While continuing to drain Zheng Yu's power, Li Daoheng began assimilating the Chaos River without the slightest delay, his physical form charging straight toward the star. He had to capture it while it was still nascent. Once it grew truly formidable... not even he would have a chance to seize it. A terrifying aura blanketed all of Silver Moon. The sword behind him unsheathed in an instant, slashing into the void. Space collapsed inward under the blow. The Time Star had originally fled into the distance, but under this sword strike, the vast gulf between them seemed to compress, drawing it ever closer to him! Meanwhile, Li Hao was struggling to merge with the Time Star, feeling utterly helpless. It was too strong! Stronger than expected, making integration excruciatingly difficult. This was already after summoning the Cang Emperor had severely depleted its energy; without that prior exhaustion, he would have had no chance of merging with it at all. At least now he had a slight opening. However... seeing Li Daoheng blocking his path, Li Hao could not contain his fury and frustration. "Zheng Yu, weren't you supposed to hold him back? Didn't you plot for a hundred thousand years? Do you truly have no recourse at all? Are you just going to let him devour you completely?" Hadn't that bastard been brimming with confidence? Why had he withered away so suddenly! Fight back! If he is devouring you, devour him in return! Clutched in Li Daoheng's grip, sucked almost to a skeleton of skin and bones, Zheng Yu let out a hollow, ghastly laugh. "To you, does it make any difference whether I win or he wins?" He seemed to have abandoned all resistance, looking pained and despairing. "Dao Jian, the Earth-Overturning Sword... they were all pawns he used to mislead me... Alas, I truly believed he had reincarnated! Even that boy from the Fengyun Pavilion whom you killed earlier was just another piece to mislead me into thinking... reincarnation was viable!" He coughed violently, blood spilling from his lips, his voice laden with regret. "That folk ballad... I truly wasn't the one who spread it... It was him... He spread it himself! I wondered so many times whether spreading that ballad meant he was truly pinned down by me, helpless, and could only vent his frustration through that song..." He had questioned himself and convinced himself that he hadn't circulated the ditty. It had to be Li Daoheng! Now it was clear that Li Daoheng had done it himself, deliberately misleading him into believing he was holding Li Daoheng back, luring Zheng Yu step by step into his trap. Buzz! The longsword tore through the air. Li Daoheng offered no response, allowing Zheng Yu to ramble on. Right now, his sole objective was to slay Li Hao and seize the star. Everything else was meaningless. Zheng Yu was merely an inconsequential speck on his path. Over the years, contending with him had just been a form of amusement; being alone was far too tedious, and Zheng Yu's presence had kept a hundred thousand years from growing lonely. The Time Star flashed frantically as webs of sword light manifested in every direction! Far away, Tianji glanced at Er Mao and said, "I'm going over to help... Don't wander around. He won't dare kill you!" Er Mao blinked with wide eyes full of curiosity toward this new world. Looking around, it nodded obediently. It lacked the Cang Emperor's sly cunning, possessing an innocent earnestness instead. Seeing this, Tianji wasted no more words and charged forward with his blade. That fellow was strong, but Tianji was no soft target either. Now that Er Mao had revived, a major weight had been lifted from his heart. ... Meanwhile. Trapped in Li Daoheng's grasp, the Chaos River thrashed violently. Hong Yitang's face materialized upon it, contorted with agony. He could not break free; half the river had already extended into Li Daoheng's body. He was being devoured! At this rate, he would soon be utterly assimilated into Li Daoheng. He had originally hoped to lend Li Hao a hand, but instead, he had been turned into fuel to empower Li Daoheng. Beside him, Zheng Yu also grimaced in pain, casting a sidelong glance at Hong Yitang. Suddenly, a faint smile surfaced in his eyes. Hong Yitang was taken aback. At a time like this, what was he smiling about? Ever since Li Daoheng had latched onto Zheng Yu to devour him, Zheng Yu had been virtually powerless to resist. A top-tier half-step Sovereign unable to mount a defense had clearly been infiltrated to an extreme degree. Driven by his own greed, Zheng Yu had constantly attempted to assimilate Li Daoheng, only to be subverted from within. Now, powerless, Zheng Yu looked at Hong Yitang and smiled. A silent, chilling smile! Li Daoheng was unleashing his supreme sword intent to shroud heaven and earth, intent on trapping Li Hao and the Time Star. He paid no heed to the two men in his grasp; they were already defeated foes! At that moment, Zheng Yu's voice echoed directly in Hong Yitang's mind, laced with viciousness and bitter resentment: "I failed to outplay him! But... he shouldn't dream of an easy victory over me either!" "Do not let him merge the illusory and the corporeal... Without that, he isn't so terrifying! If he could truly beat me with ease, he would have killed me long ago!" "Though I failed to see through him... I had my suspicions... Of course, it's too late for that now... Seize the chance to flee in a moment!" Zheng Yu smiled broadly, not out of any sudden conscience, but simply out of refusal to let Li Daoheng win so effortlessly. Since I failed to defeat you... you won't have an easy win over me either! After a hundred thousand years of struggle, you treated me as a pawn and truly thought you were superior to me? Hong Yitang's heart jolted. At that exact moment, Li Daoheng, who was hemming in Li Hao, felt a sudden twinge in his mind. He glanced down at Zheng Yu, who was grinning brightly. Just then, Tianji's blade came slashing in from behind! Li Daoheng sensed something was amiss, but Tianji's strike was formidable, leaving him no time to ponder. He whipped around and parried with a slash! Zheng Yu chuckled. He had been waiting for this exact instant! Suddenly, the phantom of a star materialized inside Li Daoheng's body and trembled slightly—the Illusory Dao universe, the Illusory Dao stars that Zheng Yu had previously integrated. In that split second, the Illusory Dao star erupted with dazzling starlight! Among them, several stars instantly stood out from the countless others, emerging with blinding radiance. In the distance, Qian Wuliang, who was suppressing the ancient city, blanched as an overwhelming surge of power erupted from within his body! Inside Li Daoheng, those few stars flashed with boundless, terrifying light! Zheng Yu roared with laughter. "Let's see this game to the bitter end!" Boom! In an instant, star after star of the Illusory Dao shattered, pouring their essence into those few standout stars. Far away, Qian Wuliang's aura skyrocketed. His physical body could not withstand the sudden surge and instantly detonated, yet he did not perish. A vast expanse of mental energy took form where he had stood, condensing into a humanoid shape. Qian Wuliang was thoroughly shaken! What was happening? He had once ventured deep into the Illusory Dao universe to probe its depths, but he had kept an exceedingly low profile out of fear that Li Daoheng or Zheng Yu would discover him, never daring to make a move. Yet today... judging by this turn of events, Zheng Yu had discovered him long ago and simply left him untouched. Whether to guard against Li Hao or Li Daoheng, Zheng Yu had concealed those stars deep within his own river of stars. Now, he had drained all the power of the entire starry river in an instant, channeling it wholly into those stars. He laughed raucously. "I prepared this for Li Hao... yet you ended up taking it!" Li Hao had wanted to integrate the Illusory Dao universe, while Zheng Yu had sought to integrate the corporeal Dao universe. Li Hao might have left behind safeguards in the corporeal Dao universe to check him, and Zheng Yu had likewise prepared a little surprise for Li Hao. Had he lost to Li Hao, he would have done the exact same thing when Li Hao tried to devour the Illusory Dao universe. He would have infused the power of the Illusory Dao into Qian Wuliang's body, leaving this ambitious schemer to choose whether to be consumed by Li Hao or rise in rebellion... It would have been quite an entertaining spectacle! Instead, Li Hao had abandoned the corporeal Dao universe and quit the board, and it was Li Daoheng who had devoured his Illusory Dao universe. Rumble! The starry river shattered, and several stars broke free and fled. At that moment, Tianji's heavy blade descended. Li Daoheng grunted, his brow furrowing as he snorted coldly, "Foolish!" Clearly, this was a contingency Zheng Yu had prepared in case of failure. Yet in Li Daoheng's eyes, once a path was chosen, one should never prepare for failure; to contemplate defeat was to ensure it. He would never have entertained such thoughts. Yet Zheng Yu was not him. Zheng Yu had constantly pondered what to do if he failed. And in this moment, he delivered his answer. If I fail... I will thoroughly disgust Li Hao, empowering the ambitious Qian Wuliang with the might of the Illusory Dao universe so he can stand against Li Hao as an equal! Now, he had failed to spite Li Hao, but he had thoroughly thwarted Li Daoheng. Boom! The detonation within his body made Li Daoheng stumble slightly. The blood saber slashed down, and behind him, the Time Star suddenly rammed forward! Li Daoheng barked a cold shout as a sword descended from the heavens! A phantom blade seemed to materialize before everyone's eyes! Bordering on Sovereignhood, he poured everything into this strike, his sword intent drenched in boundless killing intent. Yet Zheng Yu continued to laugh. Abruptly, the final trace of power within him erupted, and he chuckled softly. "I said I could drag you down, and you agreed... So... let me drag you down one last time!" Boom! The sword intent suddenly fractured for an instant. Li Daoheng looked down with an icy expression, bringing his palm down with a thunderous crash that shattered Zheng Yu into fragments! Yet Zheng Yu was still alive, his mangled face bearing a manic grin. I still held you back! The instant the sword intent faltered, several Illusory Dao stars slipped away into the distance. On the other side, the Chaos River broke free from the immense suction, fleeing instantly. Hong Yitang condensed into human form and looked back at Zheng Yu with mixed emotions. Zheng Yu had not acted to save him! Zheng Yu had done it purely to spite Li Daoheng, refusing to let his rival have his way. After struggling for so many years, only to lose when victory seemed assured, he refused to accept defeat. Yet... his desperate outburst had indeed halted Li Daoheng's advance. Zheng Yu's physical body completely disintegrated, yet his laughter lingered in the air: "Li Daoheng, I lost! I admit it! What about you? Can you win? You... cannot!" Boom! He detonated completely. In that instant, a Great Dao manifested—his Great Dao of Origin. Yet his phantom image lingered with a touch of regret. "With the Dao intact, the experts of Neo Martial might still have resurrected me... Alas, who would ever resurrect a traitor to Neo Martial? Even if I were revived... it would probably only bring disaster... I have had my fill of playing in this world. At the very least... for all these years, I was the one in control. You, Li Daoheng, were far more shadowy than I. You never governed as master of this world for a single day, whereas I... held the reins for a hundred thousand years!" He laughed maniacally. At least I ruled as sovereign for a hundred thousand years! Even if... it was an illusion! Yet everyone knew that for those hundred thousand years, I held sway over all things. You, Li Daoheng, were merely a rat skulking in the dark. How were you any better than me? You were far more pathetic! Boom! The Dao collapsed and heaven and earth overturned. A half-step Sovereign had severed his own origin path. Countless strands of origin power scattered across heaven and earth as Zheng Yu's voice resonated through the world: "Li Hao, I won't play with you any longer! Let it all be treated as a grand dream. You killed my father and brother... and I slaughtered your entire clan... Ying Hongyue was merely a pawn I raised... Consider us even! Hahaha!" Indeed, Zheng Yu had nurtured Ying Hongyue to unite the eight bloodlines all along. And he himself had unified the eight bloodlines, his victory originally all but assured, only to be undermined by Li Daoheng at the pinnacle of his power. Now, he had dragged Li Daoheng down in turn, and he felt immensely proud! It was as if he were declaring: Though I lost, I... have not truly been defeated! Boom! The firmament cracked and the world seemed on the verge of collapse. This was the first time in the history of Silver Moon that a true half-step Sovereign had fallen—a half-step Sovereign with immense promise of attaining Sovereignhood. A Sovereign was a titan in any era. Originally, once he crossed the Sovereign Tribulation, he would have had hope of becoming a Sovereign. Yet neither he nor Li Daoheng had been content with mere ordinary Sovereignhood; they had sought to climb higher, aspiring not to fall too far behind even the Human King. Yet today... his Dao had perished and his life was extinguished. All his grand ambitions had come to naught. The deaths of his father and brother had been somewhat anticipated, but he had never truly cared. As long as he succeeded, whether he resurrected them or took another path, anything was possible. Even with his origin path severed, whether he sought out the Human King for resurrection or helped Red Moon conquer Neo Martial... there would still have been hope. Moreover, reaching this stage, such attachments had faded. Yet now, everything had turned to dust. Not far away, Qian Wuliang's physical body had completely shattered. His form was now translucent, constructed entirely of mental energy. Quickly reforming into human shape, his aura surged violently as the energy of the entire Illusory Dao universe flooded into his natal star. Qian Wuliang felt shock, fear, and a thrill of delight. His aura skyrocketed, crossing into the sixth tier of Dao Integration in the blink of an eye, matching Hong Yitang, who had reached that level after taking command of the corporeal Dao universe. He had followed right behind, standing as Hong Yitang's counterpart: one commanding the illusory Dao, the other commanding the corporeal Dao! Both were now at the sixth tier of Dao Integration. Bang! A deafening boom echoed across the world as Tianji's blade forced Li Daoheng back. From behind, Li Hao forcefully merged with the Time Star and rammed into Li Daoheng. Li Daoheng coughed up a mouthful of blood, yet showed no fury. He merely glanced at the shattered Great Dao in the sky, his eyes turning cold. Zheng Yu! Well done! I gave you a nickname, and you actually took it to heart, pulling such a stunt at the critical moment. Li Daoheng's aura slipped slightly. Yet with Zheng Yu dead, the power Li Daoheng had previously absorbed lost its owner's imprint and assimilated smoothly into his body. Though the masters of the dual Dao universes had fled, he had already devoured an enormous amount of energy beforehand. At this moment, Li Daoheng was hardly weaker than before. However, having lost the dual Dao universes, his hope of attaining Sovereignhood through the new Dao had been crushed once again! Just then, Qian Wuliang drifted over from afar and met the fleeing Hong Yitang. The two exchanged a glance, neither speaking. Li Daoheng sneered, "The masters of the dual Dao universes... Individually, you are merely at the sixth tier of Dao Integration, peak Heavenly Kings. You cannot participate in our battle. Why don't the two of you devour each other and see who comes out on top? Whoever succeeds will undoubtedly reach the half-step Sovereign tier and might even claim a share of the spoils!" Things had deteriorated to this point; he no longer cared. The moment his words fell, Hong Yitang and Qian Wuliang grew wary of each other. Indeed, both were merely at the sixth tier of Dao Integration. A battle among half-step Sovereigns—bordering on true Sovereigns—was not something they could interfere in. But... if they merged, they might stand a chance! If they succeeded, perhaps one of them could even attain Sovereignhood. Hong Yitang was on high alert. He was currently exhausted and weak, while Qian Wuliang was intensely ambitious. Though Qian Wuliang had previously been suppressed by Li Hao, neither Li Hao nor Tianji had the leeway to manage them right now. If... this man truly harbored treacherous intent and devoured him, he might well succeed. And Li Hao truly had no time to intervene. Flanking Li Daoheng from front and rear, Li Hao and Tianji held him at bay. Li Hao had resumed human form, yet a star was still thrashing wildly inside his body, destabilizing his aura. He cast a sidelong glance toward Qian Wuliang... In his final moments, Zheng Yu had chosen to empower Qian Wuliang's natal star and infuse it with the power of the Illusory Dao. One had to admit, this choice was very much in character for Zheng Yu—purely meant to disgust everyone. Had Li Hao been the victor right now, he would have felt just as irritated as Li Daoheng. Qian Wuliang... When he had been weak, he was manageable because he knew his place. Now, he had reached the sixth tier of Dao Integration. If he devoured Hong Yitang, he could become a half-step Sovereign. Fusing the dual Daos, he might even have a chance to swallow the Time Star, the true core of the Great Dao Universe. If Qian Wuliang turned traitor now, it would spell immense trouble for Li Hao as well. Li Daoheng naturally saw through this and chuckled softly. "Qian Wuliang, an insignificant pawn like you might only get one chance like this in your entire life. I will pin down Li Hao and the others. All you need to do is devour Hong Yitang... and summon the Time Star away. You will surely become a peak half-step Sovereign, perhaps even a Sovereign... At that point, I wouldn't mind crossing blades with you!" With those words, his longsword struck out once more! Li Hao swung his sword in response while Tianji cleaved downward from the other side. The three supreme combatants engaged in a fierce melee within the void, blanketing all of Silver Moon in boundless pressure. The weak had long since been frozen in time, while the strong barely resisted the temporal force, watching in sheer terror. At this stage, no one else could intervene. Qian Wuliang glanced at Hong Yitang and suddenly spoke: "Head Hong, what Li Daoheng says has some truth to it. Right now, you and I are both at the sixth tier of Dao Integration, but we cannot take part in this battle... If we merge, we might be able to participate..." Hong Yitang's eyes turned icy. "You want to devour me?" Qian Wuliang hurriedly said, "How could I... I only mean... a temporary fusion to test the waters. We support each other and help the Marquis eliminate our formidable foes!" Hong Yitang, however, did not trust him in the slightest! Once the dual Dao universes fully merged, the Time Star—being their core—might break free of Li Hao and choose to return. If that happened... Li Hao would be in grave danger. Of course, if Qian Wuliang truly cooperated in good faith and they fused into a half-step Sovereign, it could indeed aid Li Hao. Yet having witnessed so much today, how could Hong Yitang trust anyone? Even the foolish Queen had known how to scheme and slip from their grasp. The seemingly brilliant Zheng Yu was now dead, having failed to outmaneuver Li Daoheng. The immensely powerful Tianji would have been beaten to death without daring to resist had Li Hao not fed Er Mao. Even a man as formidable as Li Daoheng had been thwarted at the brink of death by Zheng Yu, losing his chance at Sovereignhood. With everything shifting so wildly, how could Hong Yitang dare trust anyone other than Li Hao? To attain Sovereignhood, would these people truly be content to remain subservient? Qian Wuliang might have been obedient in ordinary times, but that might no longer hold true now. Hong Yitang cast his gaze toward Li Hao. Li Hao had not yet fully subjugated the star; even teaming up with Tianji, they could barely hold their ground against Li Daoheng as two swords and a saber clashed in a tempest. More critically, Hong Yitang knew something: Li Hao had once borrowed power from the future. Right now, Li Hao's temporal power was heavily depleted, leaving him looking ancient and weathered. He had reached the half-step Sovereign tier... Aside from the Thousand Dao Sword, which did not yet match the previous future incarnation, everything else aligned perfectly. And the Thousand Dao Sword could not be taken as the sole criterion... If Li Hao suddenly lost his strength now, disaster would strike. ... In the void, the three fought with desperate fury! Heaven fell and earth cracked! While battling, Li Hao forcefully suppressed the Time Star. The little entity refused to submit, thrashing about wildly as Li Hao continuously coaxed it: "Be good. Once I kill this guy, I'll summon something fun for you. If you want to see that cat, I'll summon it out to play with you next time..." The star trembled. It didn't want to play. It was terrifying! Before, it had been curious, but it was curious no longer. As the heart of the Great Dao, it remained connected to that cat and could sense its monstrous might. If it encountered the cat again, it might get eaten! Li Hao's thoughts stirred. "You don't want to play? Then behave! Otherwise, I'll summon it again and let it eat you!" "..." The star seemed to shudder. It had forgotten, or failed to realize, that Li Hao could not summon the cat on his own; Li Hao would die before the cat even materialized. Yet the memory of that cat snapping the river's power with a single step sent chills through its essence! Li Hao's momentary lapse in focus cost him dearly. With a sharp crack, his arm went flying, severed by Li Daoheng's blade. Li Daoheng swept his sword back, driving Tianji away as a cold sneer formed on his lips. "Things have reached this point. Since you refuse to yield to me, let us play an even bigger game! With Zheng Yu dead, I don't even have a playmate left!" As the words fell, the seal above Silver City suddenly shuddered! Within the seal, Sword City began to tremble violently. Originally, the eight inner and outer cities formed a seal, and the true form of the Red Moon Sovereign remained locked inside, unable to escape. Yet now, Sword City shook, causing the sealing power to unravel in an instant! Li Hao glanced over and chuckled. "You want to release him?" He showed no trace of panic, laughing instead. "Then let him out... If you like to play, one more won't hurt. We can all play together!" "Withdraw the seven main cities!" A fierce gleam flashed in Li Hao's eyes as he bellowed, "Uncle Hong, Qian Wuliang, there is no need for you to fight! Withdraw the seven main cities, merge them, and guard the Central Continent!" Hong Yitang wasted no time speaking, instantly flying into one of the main cities. Those who had been frozen in time began snapping awake one after another. In the blink of an eye, the seven main cities began to shift! One by one, the cities pulled away. Li Hao's voice rang out: "King of Dali, Senior Zhang An, Qian Wuliang, Uncle Hong... take Lin Hongyu with you! Guard the seven cities and leave immediately!" None dared tarry. The King of Dali swiftly flew to the side and touched the motionless Lin Hongyu... He groaned inward. She's dead, isn't she? Li Hao better not think I killed her; this woman died earlier. Without a word, he grabbed her... His arm was instantly assailed by a wave of death energy, startling him. The death energy clinging to this woman was terrifyingly dense. He quickly carried Lin Hongyu into the city. Just as he entered... he glanced in a certain direction, froze for a moment, hesitated, and swiftly flew back out. In a corner of the void, another figure floated aimlessly. The Queen! The Queen's Silver Moon power had been taken by Li Hao to manifest Heaven's Will. She was now utterly drained, yet still alive. Since Li Hao had already borrowed her power, no one paid her any mind. The King of Dali flew over, grabbed her, and retreated toward the city, transmitting his voice: "Neither of us is truly on Li Hao's side... I'm saving your life. If you survive... I just hope you don't turn around and screw me over!" There was no time to ponder further. The seven main cities were rumbling violently. The seal in the sky was splintering! Li Daoheng was actually releasing that Sovereign to create an opening for himself, and Li Hao had obliged, ordering the seven main cities to withdraw... At this point, everyone abandoned caution. Soon, the seven main cities linked head to tail and teleported away in unison. In the next instant, the seven main cities shielded the entire Central Continent. The illusory and corporeal universes manifested, enveloping the seven main cities as they encircled the continent. Everyone was trembling with dread. A Sovereign was about to emerge! No matter how weakened the Red Moon Sovereign was, he was still a genuine Sovereign! He might even be stronger than Li Daoheng was right now! The critical question was... once he broke free, whom would he target? Li Hao? Li Daoheng? Or would he slaughter the two Dao masters first to devour their Daos? Judging by strength, he would likely target Hong Yitang and the others first, which was precisely why Li Daoheng had chosen to break the seal. Having rooted himself in Sword City for countless years, Li Daoheng knew it intimately. Thus, when Sword City was destabilized, the seal cracked rapidly. With the other seven cities withdrawing, the entire seal was on the verge of total collapse. Sure enough! The seal began to fracture, revealing a colossal Bagua formation. Behind it, the Red Moon Sovereign laughed softly. "Fascinating, truly fascinating! What a splendid show!" Though he had been unable to step out earlier, with Li Hao and the others no longer suppressing him, he had perceived the outside situation and witnessed everything. The Cang Emperor's appearance had shaken him slightly. The Cang Emperor had spoken of killing people for fun... which had made him nervous. But now, the Cang Emperor was gone, and he cared nothing for the outside world. With the seal broken and neither Li Daoheng nor Li Hao able to reach Sovereignhood, he had suddenly become the supreme master of all Silver Moon! A hundred thousand years! Ever since he entered this world, he had been outmaneuvered and trapped in this seal. Today, he was finally stepping forth in full! Boom! A terrifying, heaven-shaking pressure burst outward, reducing all of Silver City to dust. Before he had even fully emerged, his aura had reached a peak of ferocity. In the next instant, he brought his foot down, shattering the seal with a deafening crack! A figure stepped out between heaven and earth. The Red Moon Sovereign smiled. "I am out!" His smile brimmed with satisfaction as he spoke softly, "This Sovereign has a name, and it is not the so-called Red Moon Sovereign you speak of... That is merely the collective title for all Sovereigns of Red Moon. My name is Shigu. You may call me Sovereign Shigu!" He walked forward step by step, the shattered seal crumbling beneath his feet. The eight lingering phantoms that had barred his way began to dissipate, including the phantom of the Sword Venerable. The Star Gate overhead no longer suppressed him. It drifted into the air, transforming into a grand gateway suspended at the apex of heaven and earth. The Red Moon Sovereign—or rather, Sovereign Shigu—looked around, spotting the distant Central Continent, the two Dao masters, and Li Hao's group, a smile gracing his lips. Finally, he glanced at Er Mao, who was still looking dazed not far away... Though close by, he merely looked and chose not to meddle. That creature... was best left untouched for now. If he truly summoned the Neo Martial Cang Emperor, even as a Sovereign... he would likely be slaughtered and turned into dried fish strips. With this, every powerhouse in Silver Moon had either broken their seals or broken through their realms. With Zheng Yu dead, Li Hao, Tianji, Li Daoheng, and Sovereign Shigu were now the four strongest beings in Silver Moon. Strictly speaking, Li Hao was the weakest among them. Li Daoheng's eyes were frigid. "Shigu, I gave you an opportunity—do not fail to grasp it! Slay those people, devour both Dao universes, and wipe out the human race of Silver Moon! Heaven's Will will collapse on its own, benefiting both you and me. Then... you and I can battle to decide the victor!" If the people of Silver Moon were slaughtered, Li Hao—as Heaven's Will—would suffer a devastating blow. Li Daoheng would eliminate Li Hao and Tianji to claim the Time Star, while Shigu would devour both Dao universes to restore his peak combat strength... Then, the two of them could clash in earnest to determine who reigned supreme! Everything remained within his calculations. Though this was the worst-case scenario, he had accounted for it. In the end, it would still come down to a duel between him and the Red Moon Sovereign. The path to reach it had merely been far more convoluted. Sovereign Shigu's aura shook the heavens as he chuckled with mild curiosity, looking around. "Li Daoheng, you trapped this Sovereign for a hundred thousand years, and now you presume to command me? The power of a Sovereign is beyond your imagination!" Li Daoheng remained impassive. "You are the weakest among Sovereigns, and your strength is currently depleted by half. Even if we fought right now, you would not necessarily best me. What right do you have to be so arrogant?" He felt not the slightest fear toward this being! If Tianji and Li Hao were not tangling with him, he was confident he could slay Shigu in a one-on-one duel—though it would not be easy. Sovereign Shigu's expression darkened. These people were utterly insufferable. Arrogant beyond belief! A bunch of non-Sovereigns, yet not a single one showed him any respect. They had toyed with him in the palm of their hands! Did they truly think victory was theirs? He seethed inwardly. Very well, I shall go and slay Hong Yitang and the others to seize the two Dao universes... But I will not wipe out the people of Silver Moon, nor will I harm Heaven's Will. I will leave you choking on your own schemes! Why should I slaughter the mortals of Silver Moon just to cripple Li Hao and hand you an advantage? What wishful thinking! Granted, devouring the corporeal Dao universe might severely harm the mortals of Silver Moon, but at least the fallout would not be so absolute... Thoughts flashed through his mind. Right now, he was indeed very weak. Among the people before him, the strongest, Li Daoheng, was no weaker than he was. In that case... it was wiser to restore his strength first! He vanished in an instant, streaking toward the Silver Moon continent. A mighty pressure convulsed heaven and earth. The seven main cities trembled. Both Qian Wuliang and Hong Yitang looked grim to the extreme. A Sovereign, no matter how weakened, was not someone they could match. Even if the two of them merged right now to reach the seventh tier of Dao Integration, they could never stand against a Sovereign! They had thought half-step Sovereigns were the limit, yet now a Sovereign had been unleashed upon the world! At this moment, Li Hao took a deep breath. "A Sovereign has emerged. Li Daoheng, it seems you will not stop until your goals are met today!" Li Daoheng said nothing, answering with a lethal sword strike! Naturally! Having reached this point, would he ever give Li Hao another chance? If Li Hao did not die today, Li Daoheng knew his own doom would soon follow. Allowing Li Hao to succeed in capturing the Time Star and stepping into the peak half-step Sovereign tier would be far worse than freeing Shigu. He was not afraid of that Sovereign, but someone like Li Hao was even more troublesome than Zheng Yu. Even though Li Hao had been on the back foot all this time. In that split second, Li Hao vanished once more. The next instant, when Li Hao reappeared, Li Daoheng's brow furrowed, his face darkening. Again? This damned new Dao universe... and that Time Star. At this moment, a surge of disgust and irritation welled up in him. The power of time had become his greatest headache. Li Hao... are you really doing this again? Every time you invoke it, you pay a terrible price as well. At that moment, Tianji's face paled drastically. "Don't... don't do it! My true self might be in battle... Don't mess around! The Cang Emperor just said they were fighting; everyone might be engaged in combat... It doesn't matter if an avatar dies, but don't get my true self killed!" Damn it! Indeed, Li Hao had reappeared right in front of him, the River of Time swirling around him. Tianji knew exactly what Li Hao was about to do! This was madness! I knew getting tangled up with these people would bring no good! He is trying to trace back into my past! Damn it! My true self might be trading blows with someone right now. If Li Hao traces back to my true self and siphons my true self's power, what if I get beaten to death over there? That's my true body! An avatar can die and be damned, and I know they won't dare touch Er Mao right now, but I have to save my own life! Li Daoheng's expression was equally ugly. "Do you think everyone is the Cang Emperor? The Cang Emperor is the master of a world, whereas Tianji is merely an ordinary Sovereign. If you summon his true body to borrow power and he falls in battle... Senior Tianji, interrupt him!" If the power of Tianji's true body were truly summoned, disaster would strike! He was a genuine Sovereign after all, and not the weakest sort either... Li Daoheng genuinely despised this power of time now. He was invincible, yet repeatedly threatened by this force. This was supposed to be a struggle for the world of Silver Moon, yet Li Hao used this power to continually reach into the past... introducing far too many variables to Silver Moon! Li Hao, however, chuckled softly. "Senior, you misunderstand!" Tianji froze. A misunderstanding? You're not summoning the power of my true body? In the next instant, the River of Time surged as countless rivers manifested across heaven and earth. Phantom figures walked forth from the boundless currents. They were... multiple Li Haos! Li Hao smiled. He had aged to the absolute extreme, looking utterly frail and exhausted, yet his grin was brilliant. "I was thinking... There are countless versions of me in the future. Summoning one brings a single crisis... What if I summon countless ones? Wouldn't that bring countless crises? Since things have already come to this, do I still care about danger? Senior, hold him off for a moment..." Summon Tianji? With how terrified of death Tianji was, his true self—being a Sovereign—would have to consent to lending power; otherwise, it would be a total waste of time and effort. Why gamble on such an uncertain chance? He might as well play with himself! In an instant, several future incarnations emerged, as if stepping out from another dimension of space-time. Some were drenched in death energy, some possessed overwhelming auras, and others were as pale as corpses... At this moment, these versions of Li Hao all looked toward the true Li Hao. A collective sigh echoed through the air: "Playing with fire... Summoning the future multiple times... Not even a Sovereign could save you now..." Suspended in midair, Li Hao beamed. "What is there to fear? As long as I'm not killed instantly, I'll beat them to death before I die!" In a flash, all the future Li Haos merged into his body simultaneously. A terrifying aura, though exceedingly hollow and unstable, instantly ripped through heaven and earth! In the distance, Sovereign Shigu snapped his head around, his face filled with shock! Damn it! This... a Sovereign? Li Hao was engulfed in agony, yet the Time Star within him finally fell silent. In that moment, Li Hao had a vague premonition... My time has come! Repeatedly summoning the future was a potent method, but... every reward demanded a price. His lifespan seemed to have reached its very end. Not only that, repeatedly breaking the order of reality... He faintly sensed that the chaos lightning was likely on its way. The previous chaos lightning might not have been caused by the fusion of the illusory and corporeal Daos, but rather by the calamity brought on by his previous summoning of a future self. He could not be certain, but in this moment, an answer had formed in the depths of his soul! He would die in this battle. The Thousand Dao Sword materialized! In this instant, it even began to evolve toward an even stronger sword intent. Without a word, Li Daoheng made no attempt to block him. Instead, he tore through the void and fled, heading straight for the Red Moon Sovereign. "Join forces!" Li Daoheng barked in a low voice! Right now, Li Hao had suddenly grown powerful to an extreme degree. Even if that power was ethereal and fleeting, it was still terrifyingly real. This lunatic had completely abandoned his life. Though Li Hao had never possessed many chances to begin with. Behind them, Li Hao's smile remained brilliant. He was in no rush. He could feel it... The chaos lightning was truly coming. Last time there had only been nine bolts; this time, there might be far more! It would not rest until it blasted him into oblivion! He looked up at the sky. Sure enough, the Star Gate overhead was trembling as strands of chaotic aura poured in from beyond, completely unstoppable. Even the sealed Star Gate could not bar this aura. Dark clouds instantly engulfed the entire land of Silver Moon! In the distance, the Red Moon Sovereign felt a splitting headache. "The chaos lightning tribulation!" He was seeing the chaos lightning tribulation for the second time today! Damn it all! This was disaster! Li Hao was Heaven's Will, and Heaven's Will blanketed all of Silver Moon. Just like before, everyone enveloped by it would likely have to endure the lightning tribulation. Li Hao's aura was unrestrained and wild. "Come and play! Li Daoheng, Shigu, join me for a game!" Boom! In an instant, a bolt of lightning struck straight down without the slightest buildup. It was vastly more powerful than before, as if Li Hao's actions had thoroughly enraged the chaos lightning! Boom! Three bolts of lightning crashed down simultaneously upon the heads of Li Hao, Shigu, and Li Daoheng! Tianji swallowed hard. Such terrifying lightning, several times stronger than the first tribulation! At this rate, all these madmen... were going to be utterly finished! Every single one of them was crazier than the last! Why did it feel as though not a single one among them was sane!