Opening the Star Gate

The Star Gate hung suspended high in the sky. It was the world's portal and its strongest bulwark, forged jointly by the mightiest Sovereigns of the Neo Martial era. Guarding the Silver Moon World, it was a barrier that even Sovereigns found nearly impossible to breach. The Bone Corroding Sovereign had been sealed for years beneath the Star Gate, unable to smash through it to leave Silver Moon. A powerhouse of that caliber possessed the strength to shatter minor worlds, yet the Star Gate's presence had prevented him from ever breaking free. The Star Gate was perhaps the most formidable weapon in the entire Silver Moon World. At that moment, near the Star Gate stood a small courtyard. Li Hao was resting there. Anping Residence. It had been the Sword Venerable's abode, inscribed by the Human King himself. Though devoid of the lingering resonance of the Great Dao, it radiated peerless overbearing dominance. Those few characters still suppressed the courtyard; even the battle between Li Hao and Li Daoheng had failed to damage the grounds. One person, one sword, one dog. At some point, Black Panther had slipped into the courtyard and lay crouched beside Li Hao, looking up at the sky together with him. A hint of dejection lingered in the dog's eyes. Among the demon race—the new era's demon race—it was perhaps the strongest being. And yet... it was still very weak. Ever since the Second Cat appeared, ever since Li Fuhai submitted, ever since it learned of the Cang Emperor's existence, and ever since Li Hao grasped the power of time... Black Panther felt that its standing had been severely threatened. Black Panther was actually very clever. Li Hao was the master of this era. Just as back in the Neo Martial era, the Human King and the Cang Cat had shared heaven and earth, advancing side by side into the realm of World Masters. Just as back then, the Emperor of Battle Heaven had brought the Second Cat along, drawing his bow together to shoot the Heavenly Emperor. That had been its daydream. But looking at things now... once the Star Gate opened, powerhouses across the chaos would gather like clouds. A demon beast at the Dao Integration Realm was utterly insignificant. Within the vast chaos, there were even ancestors of its own lineage. And ancestors of its ancestors! The Cang Cat and the Heavenly Dog had been the two Great Emperors standing as equals in ancient times, and the Heavenly Dog was its ancestor's ancestor. Its ancestor was the Demon Suppressing Emissary of the Neo Martial era, who might have already stepped into the Sovereign realm by now. Thinking of itself... merely at the Dao Integration Realm, Black Panther felt deeply sorrowful. In truth, it did not really want the Star Gate to open. Once it opened, it might be the moment Li Hao abandoned them. Even if it were not abandonment, would a Sovereign remain imprisoned in this Silver Moon World forever? Li Hao was also gazing at the Star Gate. He said nothing about Black Panther's arrival. Others feared disturbing him, but Black Panther knew that Li Hao was not cultivating right now; this was merely his routine contemplation before every major battle, mulling over thoughts about the future. Some things were unsuitable to tell people, but perfectly fine to say to a dog. Man and dog gazed up at the sky toward the Star Gate, where faint reddish mists tinged the entire expanse. "I'm moving too fast, and you're all moving too slowly," Li Hao said softly. "I actually wanted to stop and wait for you... but the Silver Moon World is simply too small. I've claimed the lion's share of its opportunities for myself. Even if we wait, there won't be much opportunity left for the rest of you." The world had only so much fortune to offer. Having birthed him and then two Masters of the Great Dao, Silver Moon's foundation was virtually exhausted. Without opening the Star Gate, these people might remain stuck at the Dao Integration Realm for the rest of their lives. Only by opening the Star Gate would there be a way forward! He had originally wanted to wait for everyone, but later realized it was wishful thinking on his part. Waiting was pointless. No wonder that back in the Neo Martial era, even with the immense foundation of a great world, countless individuals had still been left behind. There was no helping it; a world was only so big. "Woof!" "You still haven't learned to speak? That's actually fine... even if you know how, just keep it to yourself!" Li Hao chuckled. The dog had already reached the Dao Integration Realm. For such a powerful demon beast to be unable to speak... wasn't that strange? "When I traveled through Neo Martial earlier, I actually saw your ancestor, that Demon Suppressing Emissary. At first... it didn't know how to speak either. Later on, people realized it actually could, but whether speaking aloud or sending mental transmissions, it sounded like a nursing infant, so it refused to talk. Could you be the same? Did you inherit your ancestor's quirk, which is why you won't speak?" Black Panther looked at him with an innocent gaze. Definitely not. "Other people's cats and other people's dogs are all so formidable... Are you feeling a bit inferior?" Black Panther drooped its head. A little. It did feel inferior. "You're still too young!" Li Hao smiled. "How many years of foundation do they have? If nothing else, before Neo Martial vanished, your ancestor was only a half-step Sovereign... equivalent to the ninth level of Dao Integration, which isn't that far from you. And what about you? In just over a year, less than two, you went from an ordinary mortal dog to the Dao Integration Realm. That's already incredible!" "Woof!" Black Panther barked. Li Hao turned to look at it, seeing the lingering unwillingness in its eyes. This dog... he had brought it all the way from his hometown of Silver City to this day. It had helped him many times, and there was genuine affection between them. But Dao Integration was currently its ceiling, and Li Hao found it difficult to alter that reality. He did not understand the cultivation path of the demon race very well to begin with. Yuan Shuo and Liu Long had barely scraped into the Dao Integration Realm, and that was only because of their deaths. Among the living who had walked out of Silver City, aside from Li Hao, there was really only Black Panther. Yet Black Panther remained at the first level of Dao Integration. Its rate of progress was growing slower and slower, lagging behind even the human cultivators. This time, when everyone else refrained from bothering him, Black Panther had come running over. Perhaps it felt disheartened because Li Hao hadn't assigned it any tasks or asked it to do anything. All along, whenever great danger arose, Black Panther had often contributed immensely. From the very first time they stepped out of Silver Moon into the Eastern Continent to deal with the Xu family, to devouring Heaven's Will, to dealing with the desolate beasts—it had played its part. Yet now, it had become useless. Black Panther refused to accept this! "Woof, woof, woof!" Black Panther barked for a while, looking up at Li Hao with an expectant gaze. It seemed to know that Li Hao had a way to help it grow stronger... which was why it had come to try its luck. It understood Li Hao! Li Hao felt a headache coming on and scratched his head. "Barking won't help. I don't know what you're saying anyway. Are you saying you want to go sleep? Then go ahead!" "Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof!" Black Panther barked frantically! No! You know what I mean! Li Hao chuckled helplessly, looked up at the sky, and said with a sudden grin, "You really aren't afraid of dying, dog! I just don't get it. If even humans can be content with their lot, why can't a dog? Among the demon race of Silver Moon, you are the undisputed top dog. What more could you ask for? What's the point of insisting on getting stronger?" He manifested the river of time and pointed toward a cat in its depths. "See that? Keeping pets... honestly doesn't end well. For the pets, that is. When the master dies, no one looks after the pet... and in the end, all that remains is grief!" Black Panther didn't care. It knew Li Hao. It barked fiercely once more, refusing to be completely forgotten, refusing to be left behind... Li Hao laughed again. "All right. If you hadn't come, that would have been that! But since you did... I actually do have an idea!" Li Hao looked at it. "Silver Moon's position is bound to be exposed this time! Silver Moon itself drifts, but far too slowly. Once exposed, we are too weak, and sooner or later we will be swallowed up!" "Even though Neo Martial exists... I can't be sure of Neo Martial's situation. That Human King is no gentle soul; he provokes formidable enemies everywhere. By my estimation, he will likely draw the ire of all kinds of powerful factions!" "He might not have the time or energy to watch over us constantly... Besides, relying on others is never as good as relying on oneself!" "One cannot always pin one's hopes on others. Right now, Silver Moon's isolation is both a mistake and a blessing. At least it is relatively safe. But once you lack sufficient strength when opening the world's gates... you'll find that there are bandits in every direction!" "A medium world without a Sovereign presiding over it, carrying a Great Dao Universe along with it... any powerhouse would be tempted. Don't go counting on the benevolence of human nature!" Li Hao muttered to himself, "I was originally wondering whether I should use some methods to do something... but I worried it might cause tremendous trouble! Thinking it through, you are actually the most suitable! It's just... hard to say, and hard to force upon you!" Black Panther seemed to understand, its eyes gleaming with light. Li Hao smiled. "You're a smart dog. You probably grasp my meaning, right?" Black Panther nodded vigorously, bobbing its head frantically. Li Hao frowned with distress. "That's right. You inherited some of the abilities of the Heavenly Dog and the Demon Suppressing Emissary—the power to swallow heaven and earth! But... you're too weak. I wanted you to swallow Silver Moon into your belly, carry Silver Moon away, and even carry away the twin Great Dao Universes... but you're just too weak!" Far, far too weak! First level of Dao Integration! To swallow a medium world along with a newly born twin Great Dao Universe required at least a Sovereign. Black Panther was merely at Dao Integration; the gap was vast. Even with an inherent devouring ability, it would be useless. There were only two possibilities: either it couldn't swallow it at all, or it would burst directly from the sheer volume! Yet if Silver Moon weren't taken away... it would remain stranded here. Were they supposed to mount a static defense? By then, even if Neo Martial created a commotion that drew attention away, this place would inevitably catch the eye of some powerhouses. According to Tianji, the lone wanderers in the chaos could practically all be killed without wrongful accusation! Why? So-called chaos rangers fell into two categories. One was those whose native worlds had been destroyed; with no choice left, they wandered alone. To obtain resources, they frequently barged into other worlds—essentially bandits. The other category consisted of powerhouses venturing out from top-tier great worlds to seek adventure, and they acted as bandits as well... The doctrine of the weak falling prey to the strong was demonstrated to the utmost in this dark, boundless universe! The same was true of Neo Martial. Tianji had spoken of it without hesitation, bluntly telling Li Hao that Neo Martial was also a bandit... that every great world was a bandit! Because if you didn't become a bandit, you could only be robbed! The greater your renown, the more notorious your reputation, the better you could deter the surrounding powers! The Red Moon Great World was infamous precisely because it was powerful enough. Neo Martial was hardly any different. As for why Red Moon had invaded Neo Martial, it was because Neo Martial was full of bandits, and Red Moon knew it was a plump piece of meat. Yet Silver Moon... right now was not even on par with an ordinary minor world. In anyone's eyes, it was an immensely juicy prize! A difficult dilemma! Black Panther listened intently and understood Li Hao's misgivings. Indeed... it was too weak. Even if Li Hao had such an intention, it was simply too difficult. How could a dog at the Dao Integration Realm swallow a medium world plus a twin Great Dao Universe? Li Hao's idea was to have the dog swallow it and, like the Cang Cat, roam through the chaos bearing the world! In an instant, Black Panther felt thoroughly crestfallen. Yes, I can't do it. It's too difficult! Li Hao stroked his chin and murmured, "So, I thought about it for a long time. It's not as though there's no way at all..." "Woof!" Black Panther grew anxious. Stop keeping me in suspense, out with it! You're driving this dog crazy! Li Hao patted the dog's head with a chuckle. "What's the rush? Haste makes waste!" "Back then, I suggested having you replace Heaven's Will... Right now, Silver Moon has no Heaven's Will. The Queen wants to take it, but doesn't dare, fearing I might kill her... So she's been mincing about, afraid to bring it up... I don't really want her to become Heaven's Will either; it's too dangerous. That woman... has no small ambition!" Li Hao paused, then added, "I'm not afraid of ambitious people, but Heaven's Will is best kept fair and impartial. Human desires are too immense, far exceeding those of the demon race. Wherever there are people, there is strife!" "Woof?" Black Panther tilted its head in confusion. You mean I should become Heaven's Will? That won't work either! Heaven's Will governs the inside, not the outside! "Here's what I'm thinking: you replace Heaven's Will right as the world ascends, when the twin Daos merge and envelop Silver Moon! That will be the prime moment for you to replace Heaven's Will!" "That is the first step. Replacing Heaven's Will only gives you internal control over the realm, without allowing you to control the world from the outside!" "Second... this part depends on luck, strength, and serendipity!" Li Hao said solemnly, "There must be a chaotic beast on the outside that I can slay! Once slain, chaotic beasts inherently possess the ability to devour worlds. If there is one, and if I can kill it, you can take over its corpse in your role as Heaven's Will. Using that corpse to swallow the world with its active cooperation will actually be quite easy!" "However, there are several difficulties. First, there must actually be a chaotic beast! Second, the corpse must remain intact; the hardest part is that its internal structure cannot be damaged, or else it won't be able to swallow the world! Third, you will likely have to abandon your canine body, existing only to control this corpse and the Silver Moon World... If the seized chaotic beast isn't a dog... you won't be a dog anymore. Of course, you can try to slowly reshape it!" "Fourth, Silver Moon having no Heaven's Will isn't too troublesome, but another difficulty lies in the twin Great Dao Universes! The Dao Universe originated from Silver Moon yet transcends it. With you included, it might create a tripartite rule! Can you contend with the other two? You can't... If they choose to fight you, you might very well be eroded away in the end... Assuming, of course, that I am no longer around." Black Panther wagged its tail, not caring too much about that. What it cared about was whether it could become stronger! Li Hao caught its meaning and laughed. "Of course you'll become stronger—very strong, roughly on par with that chaotic beast... Though I don't know whether it will succeed, from then on, your achievements will also be constrained, unable to transcend the world's limitations! Only when Silver Moon ascends will you ascend; if Silver Moon cannot ascend... you won't be able to either!" "This can actually be considered a type of seed world!" Li Hao explained a great deal to Black Panther. Black Panther nodded along, thinking it sounded quite good. Relying on itself, in what year or month would it ever become a Sovereign? According to Li Hao, if it could replace Heaven's Will, swallow the world, and turn Silver Moon into an internal world inside its belly, it would become a Sovereign! Chaotic beasts were almost all Sovereigns. This could be considered an unconventional World Master! Of course, a World Master was not the same as a Master of the Great Dao. Some worlds possessed both a Master of the Great Dao and a World Master. The Neo Martial World had been like that, though the Human King and the Cang Emperor were each considered half a World Master and half a Master of the Great Dao. Silver Moon was small, but its roles were divided even more clearly. Heaven's Will was the World Master, while there were two Masters of the Great Dao—three in total. If Li Hao were counted, there were four. "So, dog, do you have any objections?" Black Panther nodded—it had no objections at all. "What a pity!" Li Hao shook his head. "I was thinking that if there was a chance, I might let you become the Heaven's Will of my Time World..." Black Panther's eyes instantly lit up! Really? Although the current Time World was inferior to Silver Moon and even weaker than an ordinary minor world—otherwise Li Hao would have become a Sovereign long ago—Li Hao was right here, and it was bound to advance sooner or later. That was one thing; secondly, following Li Hao held far more promise than Silver Moon. That was what Black Panther thought. Li Hao laughed again. "Just kidding, don't take it seriously. In my world, I call the shots. I don't want to spawn a Heaven's Will... so don't even think about it!" Fine! Black Panther instantly drooped, feeling helpless, though it grumbled internally: *Who says you call the shots in your world? Didn't you merge that woman's Great Dao star into it? Truly... forgetting your dog the moment you get a woman.* Li Hao patted its canine head and smiled. "Then it's settled! Once I slay the powerhouse outside, you will immediately transform into Heaven's Will! Take control of the chaotic beast's corpse... I'll kill the beast right away, you swallow the world, and we make a swift escape!" Fleeing with the world! This place was perilous; it might genuinely lie within the influence of the Red Moon World. Li Hao had zero confidence in facing such a great world. A power capable of contending with Neo Martial was not something the current Silver Moon could match. Black Panther nodded repeatedly, joy written all over its face. It hadn't come in vain after all! It knew that whenever you asked Li Hao for something, he rarely refused... Just like that woman who had boldly approached him and said she wanted to be his wife—Li Hao hadn't refused even that. Under normal circumstances, this man would not deny your requests... provided he was willing. "What are you still lingering here for? While you're still in a dog's body, go find some other dogs to fool around with, lest you leave behind regrets." "..." Black Panther was speechless. What a joke! I am the number-one dog of Silver Moon, why would I stoop to looking at other little dogs? Still, knowing Li Hao was seeing it off, it could only turn and depart, leaving Li Hao alone in the courtyard. *** Once Black Panther left, Li Hao looked at the courtyard and let out a breath. "My apologies... I didn't want to ruin the Sword Venerable's residence, nor did I want to do this... But given where things stand today, there's no room for sentimentality! Courtyard... lend me your aid!" As the words fell, the river swirled. In an instant, countless sword qi within the courtyard gathered, flowing straight into the sword intent left behind earlier by Li Daoheng. The true Longevity Sword Intent began to converge! Having lost that Longevity Sword Intent, the courtyard instantly became ordinary, with only the horizontal plaque remaining. Li Hao did not spare the plaque either. He glanced at it and chuckled. "Senior Human King, this plaque... I'll borrow it for a bit! When you're covered in lice, you stop itching. Neo Martial is bound to have enemies like clouds. Once I step out of Silver Moon... and gain the ability, I'll be sure to repay the favor!" That was what he said; whether he could actually achieve it remained to be seen. The Neo Martial Human King was peerlessly ferocious, but he had his shortcomings too—his comprehension of the Great Dao was not particularly deep. Although he stood at an extreme peak right now, who knew what the future held? We shall wait and see! Besides, even if he remained at the peak, having one more ally was a good thing, wasn't it? Li Hao reasoned to himself, feeling no psychological burden in taking the plaque. This conduct was also learned from the Human King. As long as one could live with one's own conscience... that was enough. He knew full well that this undertaking would be fraught with perils and far from easy to overcome. The chaotic lightning tribulation, the tribulation of time, the tribulation of the future, and the tribulation of world ascension had all converged into one! If it could be resolved easily, it wouldn't be called a compounded tribulation! He had to make use of everything within Silver Moon. Finally, Li Hao looked up at the Star Gate in the sky. That Star Gate... looked rather fine as well. What if... after opening the Star Gate, I dismantle the gate itself too? Not only that, the longsword in his hand materialized instantly. "Go, devour all the ancient ruins within the Silver Moon World! Those ruins have existed between heaven and earth, withstanding the pressure of the world; they are divine weapons in their own right! This time, we must put everything usable to work!" The Sky Sword trembled faintly and vanished in an instant. Beyond the eight main cities, Silver Moon still housed many ancient ruins. All of them had been constructed by Neo Martial in the past, possessing profound foundations. They were treasures capable of resisting the world's suppressive power and were anything but ordinary. Letting the Sky Sword devour them now would boost its strength by a fraction. Though negligible, to Li Hao, any bit of improvement was worthwhile. This time, no amount of preparation could be considered excessive! He wished he could harness everything in the entire Silver Moon. Meanwhile, Li Hao took down the plaque. The plaque caused no great commotion; as power surfaced from Li Hao's hands, it gradually shrank to the size of a palm and was hung directly around Li Hao's neck. The Human King's calligraphy should at least be able to ward off a surprise strike from a Sovereign, shouldn't it? Even without Great Dao resonance attached, it wasn't something ordinary people could easily breach. The fact that the courtyard hadn't been destroyed earlier was largely thanks to this plaque. As he drew out the sword intent and took down the plaque... the entire courtyard suddenly began to weather rapidly, gradually crumbling into dust! *** Below. Tianji looked up, clicking his tongue and inhaling sharply. *Damn, you're truly bold!* *You actually dismantled the Sword Venerable's little courtyard.* *If you really run into the Human King in the chaos, say no more—even if you come from Silver Moon, you won't escape a sound thrashing. I hope you don't cross paths with him; otherwise, you might end up doubting your entire existence.* *Even I wouldn't dare do such a thing!* *Though I also know that the plaque in that courtyard is quite handy.* Just as he was thinking this, a sword suddenly shot over. In an instant, it devoured the divine palace where he resided. Tianji was stunned. He stared at the small sword as it trembled, its tip pointing straight toward the sky! *It wasn't me!* As for why this place had been picked first... there was no helping it. A half-step Sovereign had lived here for a hundred thousand years; this place was truly a blessed ground, absolutely potent! Tianji gritted his teeth. "Fuck!" This was pushing things too far! I've lived here for so many years, and you just ate it? You didn't even leave me a place to sleep! Ruthless, truly ruthless. Of course, it was also obvious that Li Hao was under immense pressure; otherwise, he wouldn't have gone scavenging the entire realm to the point of taking away Tianji's dwelling. *** At the same time. Over the Central Continent. A giant palm suddenly descended from the heavens. Beneath it, inside a building on the ground, everyone except one person was instantly reduced to dust, their energy scattering into heaven and earth. Chao Baisheng's face turned deathly pale. Li Hao's voice drifted down: "Upheaval is imminent for Silver Moon. Playtime is over; execute these scoundrels first!" Chao Baisheng bowed his head, knelt, and prostrated in worship. He did not say a word, daring not harbor a single stray thought. Whatever negligible ideas he had held in his heart vanished completely. The White Saint Sect had been obliterated in an instant today. In Li Hao's eyes, it truly had just been a game. Taking them out with a single palm spared him the trouble of identifying and hunting them down one by one. Ninety-nine percent of the realm's wicked people had been gathered by Chao Baisheng. This pawn casually planted back then was actually quite capable, having truly rounded up countless villains. In a population of tens of billions, villains were never lacking. "Continue being your Holy Sect Master... Continue rounding up the wicked under heaven... No era lacks such people, and the more perilous the times, the less they are in short supply! I will come to harvest a batch at fixed intervals!" Chao Baisheng was on the verge of tears. This man's methods were truly merciless. *You've already reached that level—do you really still care about a few petty villains?* *The Inspectorate is practically out of work!* This showed how meticulous Li Hao was. Even at this stage and at this critical juncture, he did not forget to clean out a batch of scoundrels who might cause trouble. *** At this moment, Li Hao was constantly reinforcing his foundations. Meanwhile, within the chaotic universe, north of Red Moon, the phantom of a Star Gate materialized, surrounded by countless tribulation clouds blanketing the expanse. At that moment, an immense chaotic beast with eyes like the sun and moon looked toward that location in surprise. *A chaotic lightning tribulation!* *A minor world ascending?* *That's not right!* *Even if a minor world ascends, it shouldn't draw a chaotic lightning tribulation. Otherwise, how many worlds could withstand it?* "Could this be... an ascension into a medium world?" The beast was thoroughly perplexed. This world did not appear to be a minor world. Judging by the current situation, it seemed... to have skipped the minor world phase entirely, leaping straight from the lowest tier of worlds into a medium world. Could that be why a chaotic lightning tribulation had formed? Strange! Such a situation rarely occurred. Under normal circumstances, a minor world required countless eras to ascend into a medium world. How could it achieve it in a single leap? Why was this happening? The ripples here grew increasingly violent. Amidst the chaotic lightning tribulation, that portal seemed to tremble faintly. Was it... about to ascend immediately? A look of greed flickered in the beast's eyes. It seemed a windfall had arrived. A medium world, one formed in an instant—wouldn't devouring it be a massive stroke of fortune? Normally, a medium world possessed at least three to five Sovereigns. And that was just standard; it would certainly have a World Master, who would be at least a third-rank Sovereign. Normally, encountering such a world meant it had to steer clear. It might not gain any advantage at all! Yet... this world seemed not to have been even a minor world before. Did that mean... it might not contain any Sovereigns? As for why it was ascending into a medium world, the beast could not fathom. Still, such an opportunity was worth waiting for, worth taking a gamble on. It was simply too rare! The danger appeared minimal, while the benefits were colossal. What it needed to worry about now was whether other powerhouses would appear to contend with it for this world. It could not devour it just yet. It had to wait until after the ascension to maximize the benefits... More importantly, it had to wait for the lightning tribulation to dissipate. The tribulation was likely targeting the world's ascension; once the ascension concluded, it would probably disperse. Filled with anticipation, the beast even began to exhale chaotic mist, spreading it around to suppress excessive energy ripples from drawing more powerhouses. At the same time, within the boundless universe, a powerful being was rushing toward Silver Moon at high speed, yet had still failed to pinpoint Silver Moon's exact location. Until the beast exhaled the chaotic mist to shroud the area. The powerhouse suddenly opened his eyes, glanced in a certain direction, and his gaze shifted slightly. *Fluctuations of chaotic energy—definitely worth checking out!* He sped toward that direction, urgent with the fear that arriving late might let someone else snatch the prize. *** Silver Moon. Ten days passed in the blink of an eye. On this day, the powerhouses of Silver Moon gathered beneath the Star Gate. Each looked up at the sky with mixed emotions, the remnants of Neo Martial feeling especially conflicted. The Star Gate... had been sealed for a full hundred thousand years! Regardless of how much time had passed outside, they had indeed been trapped for a hundred thousand years. Those years had brought them no benefits, only squandered time and drained lifespans. One had to realize that the limit for Peak Realm beings was merely a hundred thousand years; almost all the Peak Realm experts had died of old age! The few Peak Realm experts left in Yuanping Martial Arts University had survived only because of Zhang An's protection and their transformation into semi-conscious puppets, which had spared them the calamity. In the ruins elsewhere, generally only those in the Immortal Realm had any hope of surviving. To be ground to death by time at the Peak Realm, and even to see some in the Immortal Realm worn down to death... what sheer despair it had been for those who perished! For the other Saints, a hundred thousand years was an unfathomably long span of time. Everyone had made virtually no progress due to depleted energy. Now, as the Star Gate reopened, re-establishing contact with the chaos and synchronizing with external time, it was the thing they desired most in this lifetime, yet also feared the most. At this moment, the Old Turtle, the Ninth Division Commander, and General Locust all wore immensely complex expressions. The students of Yuanping Martial Arts University were equally conflicted. The Star Gate... had protected them, but had also trapped them. Opening it today, none knew whether it would bring fortune or disaster. At this moment, the entire populace watched the sky. Li Hao's voice echoed through the world, needing no sky screen, ringing straight across heaven and earth: "The Star Gate is the gateway of the Silver Moon World, the portal leading into the chaotic universe!" "The chaos is infinitely vast, home to countless worlds like Silver Moon, too numerous to reckon!" "The Star Gate protected us for a hundred thousand years, but it also constrained Silver Moon for a hundred thousand years! If the Star Gate remains closed, the martial path stops here. Those who come after will have no chance to advance; the world's fortunes have run dry!" "Hiding behind shut doors can protect us for a time, but not for a lifetime! Therefore, today I shall open the Star Gate and align with the chaos. Formidable foes will surely covet us, and disaster will surely descend!" "Only if our wills unite like a fortress and all hearts beat as one do we have any hope of repelling powerful enemies, breaking through the calamity, and welcoming new life!" "Today will no longer be the Heavenly Star calendar, nor the Silver Moon calendar... I designate today as the first day of the first month of the Qiyuan calendar! A new era is about to embark! Everything will begin anew!" "Overcome this ordeal, and Silver Moon shall soar!" "Once the Star Gate opens... fortune and misfortune are unpredictable, life and death uncertain. Everyone, may this be a good beginning!" Li Hao's voice faded, and he fell silent. A river materialized between heaven and earth. The Star Gate overhead shimmered with radiant brilliance. In the next moment, two chaotic rivers—one illusory, one real—manifested between heaven and earth. Three great rivers spanned every quarter of the realm. Simultaneously, heaven and earth shook violently. Li Hao reached toward the sky, surrounded by whorls of worldly aura. At this moment, everyone felt nervous, apprehensive, expectant, and uneasy. Could the Star Gate open? Could it? Naturally, it could! Touching the auras of ten thousand Daos and the power of heaven and earth, the mighty Star Gate began to tremble gradually. With the Sky Sword strapped to his back, Li Hao pushed persistently against the Star Gate. His figure grew more and more ethereal. *Thump, thump, thump...* Like the sound of knocking on a door, the colossal Star Gate shuddered violently, and an infinitesimally narrow crack appeared down its center. *** At that exact instant, the Neo Martial Supreme, who was currently calculating something, suddenly looked up in a certain direction. His eyes shifted slightly, and a smile appeared. "The Star Gate opens, and Silver Moon surfaces once more within the chaos... Everyone, the time has come!" "Kill! Kill! Kill!" Around him, roars echoed endlessly. The Star Gate had opened! Silver Moon, missing for over fifty years, had reappeared. Though fifty-odd years was not long to the outside world, the Supreme knew that with the minor world self-sealed and severed from energy, an extraordinarily long time must have passed within! *** Elsewhere. The Human King, still traveling, suddenly turned his head and murmured, "Over there? I seemed to have passed by there before... and didn't notice it. How strange..." Only today did he detect his own aura—the aura of the plaque. It was just... still quite far away. Should he go there, or press forward? He could already see a great world sprawling across the chaos. Having reached it with great difficulty, and being fortunate enough for the first time to stumble directly upon the Yueming Great World, he was reluctant to let it go! The next moment, he grinned. Who cared! Now that he was here, how could he just walk away? "Yueming Great World... this king has arrived!" The Human King laughed heartily and charged toward that great world! At the pinnacle of that world, an ancient and incomparably powerful being materialized, gazing into the distance with a cold stare. Playing dumb! The Yueming Great World? This was the Absolute Darkness Great World! Was this the Neo Martial Human King? Very well. I shall see for myself the strength of this top powerhouse, and see just how formidable this Neo Martial Human King who runs amok in the chaos truly is! In the next moment, a massive saber manifested across the chaos. Spanning the void, it radiated boundless killing intent. The chaos faded, and a red slaughterous energy, thick with the stench of blood, swept in all directions! This saber strike was unfathomably terrifying! The Neo Martial Human King slashed down, his gaze turning icy. "You harbor hostility! I intended to ask about the situation, but there's no need now. So you're the Master of the Yueming World, are you? Sure enough, you and the Master of Red Moon are birds of a feather! Today, I slay you!" The saber howled, shaking the chaos. As the strike fell, the blade reflected worlds, reflected yin and yang, reflected all things. Saber intent swept across heaven and earth! In that instant, the saber seemed to project across millions of li of chaotic universe. A figure arrogant beyond measure, like a demon king reborn, let out a thunderous bellow that shook the chaos! "Master of Yueming, take my blade!" Far away, in another great world, a World Master froze. *Master of Yueming?* *He's talking about me?* *I'm right here... what's going on?* *Isn't that where the Absolute Darkness Great World is located?* *That Master of Absolute Darkness is a cut above me in strength. Is this Neo Martial Human King mocking him?* *Saying that on purpose?* *Doesn't that make people look down on me?* *Or... is he doing it intentionally, so he can claim later that he got the wrong person?* The Master of Yueming frowned, then sneered. How truly cunning; this Neo Martial Human King was feigning ignorance! Yet that strength was truly terrifying! Among the World Masters of the chaos, how many could rival him? The Master of Yueming grew solemn. Meanwhile, just as the various worlds were reeling in shock at the Human King's sudden appearance and direct assault on the Absolute Darkness Great World, farther away, towering figures radiating boundless might materialized across the cosmos. A cat floated suspended in the chaos. Around it, supreme powerhouses stood arrayed: the Neo Martial Supreme, the Heaven Suppressing King, the Blood Sovereign, the Sun God... Countless Neo Martial powerhouses surfaced at once. From another great world, furious roars erupted immediately. *What audacity!* Neo Martial was attacking two great worlds simultaneously! And both were top-tier great worlds! *** At this moment, Li Hao, who was pushing the Star Gate open, had no idea that the chaos had fallen into turmoil. That conflict was still far away. It was not something an ordinary Sovereign could observe; only World Masters and top-tier beings could catch a glimpse, and that terrifying pressure was directed solely at those supreme existences. Under Li Hao's push, the Star Gate gradually swung open. Outside the gate, nothing else could be seen... only boundless, endless dark clouds! A lightning tribulation! Greeting Li Hao was not the chaos, nor formidable foes, nor Neo Martial, nor Red Moon, but these boundless tribulation clouds that seemed to have been waiting all along. In this instant, the clouds even began to take shape, and bolts of humanoid lightning tribulation brewed instantly! They intended to obliterate this world and everyone within it! *Boom!* The Star Gate opened wide. It was open! In that instant, Li Hao sensed something—the power of time. As the flows of time rapidly merged into one, an extraordinary aura surged across the inside and outside of the Star Gate, then vanished without a trace! No one else noticed, but Li Hao froze momentarily. A shift in the flow of time! In a split second, he entered an extremely complex state. As the chaos and Silver Moon synchronized, the flow of time inside and outside aligned! That unique energy, imperceptible to anyone else, was grasped solely by Li Hao thanks to his comprehension of time. His eyes turned slightly vacant. A difference in velocity! It wasn't merely the flow of time; it seemed to contain far more. It was an extremely unique Dao, distinct from his own Dao of Time. While Li Hao was lost in thought, outside the world, those eyes resembling the sun and moon suddenly flashed with delight. *A bunch of weaklings!* *Weak, so very weak!* *There really... isn't a Sovereign!* An opportunity had arrived—a genuine, massive opportunity devoid of danger! The chaotic beast nearly laughed out loud. In all its countless eras roaming the chaos, this was the first time it had encountered a medium world without a single Sovereign! And the person opening the realm... seemed utterly dazed. Was he terrified by the chaotic lightning tribulation? Understandable... after all, this was a chaotic lightning tribulation that even Sovereigns dreaded! "It's open..." Just then, Li Hao let out a complex sigh. The Star Gate was open. As for the gleaming light of the sun and moon behind the tribulation clouds, clearly belonging to an immensely powerful being, Li Hao was not surprised in the least. He merely felt a touch of relief. *Just one!* *Scared me to death. I thought there would be many... Just one is fine!* He didn't know whether it was a chaotic beast. If so, that would be ideal; if not... things would be a bit troublesome.