Tribulation Dispersed

Fireworks bloomed brilliantly! They burst in an instant. The detonation of a Great Dao Universe was a spectacle rarely seen throughout the ages. Even when two great worlds collided, annexation and absorption were the usual outcomes under normal circumstances. Choosing to ignite a Great Dao Universe—and successfully detonating it... such an occurrence was exceedingly rare! At this moment, even the immensely powerful Red Moon Sovereign momentarily lost his focus. Of course, even in his daze, he harbored no fear of Li Hao and the others. Against a group of beings weaker than himself, he had little reason to be wary. Moreover, Li Hao was still fending off the lightning tribulation; the seventh lightning strike had nearly claimed his life. Even now, the tribulation persisted, and the eighth lightning strike was about to descend in the blink of an eye. Right then, a cat leapt out from the long river. It moved with some reluctance... yet Er Mao was, after all, Er Mao—comparatively easy to reason with. Muttering something indistinct—whether an expletive or not remained unclear—it shot into the air and dashed straight toward the lightning. Opening its feline mouth, it swallowed the lightning whole! The chaotic lightning tribulation was immensely terrifying. Yet whether it was the Cang Emperor or Er Mao, both possessed the capacity to accommodate and devour all things. Even the chaotic lightning tribulation was no exception. With that single gulp, the eighth bolt vanished entirely. The chaotic lightning tribulation was monstrously powerful; that eighth strike was truly capable of injuring or even slaying a Sovereign—a weak Sovereign, at least. Yet the moment Er Mao opened its mouth, it was swallowed down regardless. The ninth bolt of the lightning tribulation seemed thoroughly enraged, manifesting in an instant. The potent lightning stirred colossal ripples that would normally attract notice—perhaps even catching the attention of the Lord of Red Moon Great World. Yet at this very moment... who had the mind to care about what was happening here? Whether confronting Silver Moon or seizing it, everything had ultimately been intended to counter Neo Martial. And now, Neo Martial had emerged. Not only had they appeared, but in a single day, they had wiped out the lords of two Great Worlds and slain the Dao master of a Great World as well. Even if that Dao master had not been a world lord, possessing the power of a sixth-rank Sovereign meant they were at least a top-tier figure in a Great World. A great number of Sovereigns had fallen. Such shockwaves far exceeded anything occurring here. Far away in the Red Moon Great World, no one cared about this corner in the least. The gaze of every powerhouse was fixed in a single direction—toward the brilliant fireworks. For the first time, the Red Moon Great World felt immense pressure! Even the Lord of Red Moon, an authentic top-tier Sovereign, wore a solemn expression. The Neo Martial Human King and the Neo Martial Cang Emperor were both extraordinarily formidable. For Red Moon to swallow Neo Martial... it would likely prove an agonizingly difficult war. …… Meanwhile, Li Hao broke into a smile. The experts of Neo Martial truly lived up to their reputation! It was not just their strength, but their selfless madness. They had actually accomplished it, all stemming from a single journey into past memories. While destroying Great Worlds certainly empowered Neo Martial and eliminated enemies, the root cause remained that journey into the past. Men of true honor! The Neo Martial Human King and the Neo Martial Supreme had given him so much face that Li Hao almost felt incompetent by comparison. The Red Moon Sovereign before him was undeniably strong! However... his own side was not weak either. Li Hao barely qualified at the Sovereign level; the fusion of the dual Daos effectively brought him to that threshold, and Er Mao, currently confronting the lightning, was also on par with a Sovereign... Though Silver Moon ostensibly lacked a Sovereign, in reality, its strength was no lesser than that of an ordinary small world—hardly inferior to newly advanced medium worlds. With Er Mao's appearance, Li Hao held his hand. At that exact instant, a Great Dao Book manifested in the distance. The Red Moon Sovereign was still reeling from shock when this sight caused him to freeze again, an infinite sense of dread surging abruptly in his heart. Is this... the Neo Martial Great Dao Book? The Book of the Supreme? How could that be?! How could it be here? At the same time, figure after figure materialized. A man tore through the void and arrived, Tianji's voice booming like a great bronze bell across the distance: "By order of the Human King, we come to guide Silver Moon's return! Who dares assail Silver Moon ahead? Kneel! And your life shall be spared!" "Kneel!" Countless figures roared in unison, sounding like the roar of the apocalypse! First, Neo Martial had slaughtered entire worlds; now, the Great Dao Book appeared, bearing numerous powerhouses tearing through space. Even if their auras were somewhat turbulent, the majesty of Neo Martial remained deeply ingrained in everyone's hearts. Already unsettled, the Red Moon Sovereign was instantly plunged into overwhelming panic. Neo Martial has arrived! Neo Martial is truly here. Red Moon was powerful, but its strength lay with the Lord of Red Moon and their top-tier Sovereigns. Although he had stepped into the third rank, he had only barely done so. Facing these mad Sovereigns of Neo Martial... any one of them might possess the power to slay him. Kneel and live! This was precisely the arrogance of Neo Martial. Wherever they went, they swept through like a rake through weeds; all who refused to submit were put to the sword! His legs even began to tremble. Should I kneel? In that split second, the thought spontaneously flashed through his mind. Panic, terror! Alone, I cannot possibly withstand the experts of Neo Martial. I cannot even flee. While his heart was gripped by utter dread, Qian Wuliang—who had been tormented near to death by him—seized the opportunity. Red light flickered in his eyes as a pervasive sensation of fear rippled in all directions. Boundless dread and unease! I govern emotions; I govern the hearts of men... Red Moon also treads the Dao of Desire, and within desire lies fear. The greater the desire, the greater the fear. He spread his Dao intent, taking advantage of the enemy's shattered composure to exert a reverse psychological influence on this powerful Sovereign. Li Hao drew his sword, preparing to strike... Yet in the next moment, Li Hao sighed softly in his heart. Sure enough, even the heavens were working against him... or rather, what goes around comes around! Time and again he had wielded the power of time, drawing upon the strength of the future. Last time, to deal with the tribulation and Sovereign Shigu, he had drawn endlessly on his future self's power. And now, precisely when his battle intent was at its peak, the backlash arrived once more. The power within his body abruptly vanished into thin air, vast amounts of energy flowing off to some unknown destination—likely back to that previous instance. Borrowing power from the past! Had he not borrowed it, he might have perished last time. The chaotic lightning tribulation was merely punishment, but the energy owed still had to be repaid. Truly, there was no such thing as a free lunch under the heavens. Li Hao had long anticipated this; it had simply arrived too quickly. He had thought it might manifest during subsequent tribulations, not expecting it to strike right now. In the distance, Lin Hongyu shifted her stance. Li Hao had warned her of this beforehand, and she had watched him continuously, not daring to let her gaze leave him for a second. The moment she sensed his aura evaporate, she knew that, just like last time, he had lost his energy. Within the long river, a half-black, half-white star immediately surged forth, replacing the Time Star and retaking control of the river. The river's waves surged, gathering energy and funneling it into the black-and-white star. Just as Lin Hongyu prepared to take Li Hao's place and slash down toward that trembling Sovereign... Li Hao suddenly took a deep breath. This time, he had merely lost his strength, not his life. His will abruptly intervened to hold Lin Hongyu back. Waves churned across the River of Time once more as time reversed. In an instant, the black-and-white star vanished, and the energy coalesced back into Li Hao's body! Lin Hongyu's expression changed! What is he doing? According to their plan, she was supposed to strike in his stead. Why forcibly reverse time? Doing so would only make the impending tribulation even more ferocious, creating needless trouble for himself. Did he not trust her? Or did he believe she lacked the strength to slay that powerful Sovereign? All of this unfolded and completed in the span of an instant. Li Hao truly did not care whether the lightning would grow stronger... He simply wanted to respond—to respond to the experts of Neo Martial. Since they kept their word, then weak though Li Hao might be, he ought to demonstrate to them that the master of Silver Moon was no incompetent weakling either! As for paying a heavier price later... what of it? It was somewhat reckless and prideful... yet he genuinely doubted that Lin Hongyu, even gathering that energy, possessed the power to fell this Sovereign. Failure was all too likely. In that case, I will do it myself! Within the river, a surge of thunderous power converged as well, and the Sky Sword materialized in an instant. Over on the other side, the Red Moon Sovereign had been trembling, but gradually, he sensed something amiss. Glancing toward the Great Dao Book, he noticed it appeared far frailer than expected. Behind it, a faint sword intent also emerged! He seemed to realize something. Yet the prior daze and terror had left him too little time to react properly. Still... taking him down would not be so easy! In that very instant, an intensely potent surge of Red Moon power erupted from his body. Li Hao's longsword was already cleaving down! Sword intent clashed against Red Moon power. Even though it was only an instantaneous burst of Red Moon power, it remained monstrously formidable. The Red Moon Sovereign roared, his immense pressure weighing heavily on heaven and earth! You want to seize the chance to kill me? Dream on! So what if this Li Hao possessed the might of a first-rank Sovereign? Having stepped into the third rank, he was far beyond what this person could match. The sword intent soared to the heavens, infused with the power of lightning. Had that earlier behemoth still been alive and caught off guard, a hurried reaction might not have saved it, but he was far stronger than that beast! Boom! A thunderous crash echoed across heaven and earth. The Red Moon power fragmented, and a sword scar appeared between the Red Moon Sovereign's brows, cleaving open a fissure from which golden blood spilled. Yet the Sovereign's eyes gleamed with chilling malice as he turned to glare at Li Hao. He completely ignored Tianji's direction! A fake! He had been intimidated by Neo Martial a moment ago, but now he finally saw through it. It was nothing more than an illusion meant to scare him, and he... had truly been terrified! Fortunately, their strength was insufficient. Otherwise, he truly might have perished. "Impressive!" A cold, detached voice escaped his lips. Impressive indeed. That single slash had managed to wound him; its destructive sword intent was even gnawing at his vitality. But do not forget—I am a Sovereign! The aura radiating from him expanded rapidly. "Is that all you have?" Red Moon power manifested over his fist, instantly inundating the entire world and even spreading toward the whole of Silver Moon. Nearby, Qian Wuliang coughed up mouthfuls of blood, red light flickering in his eyes as he teetered on the verge of severe injury from the backlash. Li Hao's slash had only wounded his foe, failing to inflict heavy damage. This showed that the man was considerably stronger than the previous colossal beast. In the rear, Tianji showed a look of helplessness. There was nothing he could do! Although his disguise had been convincing... a fake was still a fake. Deceiving a Sovereign for an extended period was simply too difficult. Zhang An, who had forcibly projected the mighty Great Dao Book, was equally pale. Did it still fail? Er Mao had intervened, Neo Martial had played its part, Black Panther was still possessing and wrestling control of the giant beast, Qian Wuliang and Hong Yitang were suffering backlash, he and Tianji had failed to maintain the bluff, Er Mao was still resisting the lightning, and no one else... possessed any ability to halt a mighty Sovereign. It's over! Li Hao's scheme had been clever, yet it still fell short. Their opponent was no weak Sovereign. At this moment, only Li Hao remained calm. The River of Time behind him underwent a subtle shift, descending upon the Silver Moon world like a bridge! The two ends of the river connected to the Illusory Dao universe on one side and the corporeal Dao universe on the other. The Time Star hovered in the center of the River of Time. Using this unique method, Li Hao once again united the three Daos. Qian Wuliang and Hong Yitang appeared instantly, and the two universes separated at once. The two men's rivers of Dao began circling Silver Moon, all their power being siphoned by the River of Time. Li Hao closed his eyes. The Red Moon Sovereign sneered. Not weak! Yet still not enough. He spoke no further, wasting no more time. Deep down, he still harbored dread, worried that Neo Martial might truly descend upon them. Without hesitation, he threw a punch, a crimson moon descending with it! Slay this man! At that exact instant, Li Hao did not swing his sword. Countless Daos intertwined in his eyes as he drew a gentle breath. I cannot make myself stronger! Yet... I might have a way to make you weaker. If I cannot make myself stronger, then I will make my enemy weaker. He pointed a finger. The long river surged forth instantly, encircled by the Time Star. Heaven and earth seemed to reverse, and the Red Moon Sovereign's heart gave a slight shudder. In that instant, he felt time flowing backward! His aura abruptly dwindled. Across from him, Li Hao trembled violently, his eyes filled entirely with the insights he had gained when the Star Gate opened—the shifts in the flow of time! At this moment, the Red Moon Sovereign suddenly realized he had grown somewhat younger, while Li Hao across from him had aged drastically, withering rapidly. In contrast, the Sovereign felt vitality returning to his body. It was as if Li Hao's life force were flooding into him. Such a good thing exists? He was startled, but in the next moment, he gradually noticed something wrong: his power... was receding. He had only recently advanced to a third-rank Sovereign. In this instant... as if reaching a critical threshold, his aura suddenly plummeted, dropping until it matched that of the previous colossal beast. Second rank! He had fallen a rank? Unbelievable! "Time reversal!" he muttered, attempting to break free from the surrounding river. Yet in that instant, he found the river's binding force extraordinarily difficult to resist! He was younger! More vigorous with life! Yet his cultivation had regressed. Li Hao coughed repeatedly, a faint smile touching his lips as he looked at the Sovereign opposite him. It worked. It had been difficult! Yet this foe had likely only broken through recently; reversing time had succeeded in the end. Pooling the power of the three Daos, he had accomplished this reversal after all. So the power of time could be used like this. Though he had used it previously to accelerate things—such as speeding up Er Mao's consumption of the eight meridians when dealing with Zheng Yu—that had merely been flowing forward. This time was a reversal! Completely different! Flowing forward was merely catalysis. Reversing was an entirely different domain, many times harder. He would never have dared to use forward acceleration against this man. As a Sovereign with boundless lifespan, moving forward would kill Li Hao of old age long before the Sovereign even aged. "Though far inferior to Neo Martial... I cannot let others look down on me!" Li Hao felt a surge of heroic pride. He could hardly replicate a grand feat like Neo Martial's, but... there was still hope of slaying a Red Moon Sovereign. Gathering the might of Silver Moon and borrowing the prestige of Neo Martial, even if not by his strength alone, he would claim a resounding first victory. At this moment, the river became his sword. A single slash fell! This strike was exceedingly formidable. Across from him, even having fallen a rank, the Red Moon Sovereign remained a second-rank Sovereign—still peerlessly mighty. In his towering rage, he unleashed a thunderous punch! He had actually dropped a rank! At the Sovereign level, every advancement was as difficult as ascending the heavens! He had existed since the emergence of the Red Moon Great World, cultivating to this day and warring across countless worlds to reach this stage. Yet a single action by Li Hao had wasted countless fortunate encounters! Curse him! Sword and fist collided. Li Hao, despite combining three Daos, was still slightly outmatched. With a deafening roar, Li Hao's physical form fragmented, and the three rivers behind him shook violently. The entire Silver Moon world trembled. "Once I kill you, this temporal power will disperse, and this seat will recover!" the Red Moon Sovereign barked coldly, whether comforting himself or genuinely believing it. Yet Li Hao, whose body was continuously crumbling, smiled faintly. Unbeknownst to anyone, an immense behemoth had silently materialized behind the Red Moon Sovereign. Battling up to this point, Black Panther had finally succeeded in possessing the giant ox. And Black Panther's greatest strength had always been silent, stealthy infiltration, sneaking behind enemies to deliver a fatal strike. Having coordinated with Li Hao countless times, it did not even require Li Hao's prompt. Using this giant ox's body for the first time, it was somewhat clumsy. It forgot to use the sharp horns, and ox hooves were far less sharp than dog paws. Yet that did not matter. Using a hoof like a fist, it threw a punch. The Red Moon Sovereign, having just clashed with Li Hao, whipped around and fired a punch of his own. With an explosive boom, the surrounding chaotic aura shattered! Black Panther was unaccustomed to controlling a Sovereign beast's body, but the raw power was undeniable. In the collision, the ox hoof shattered, but the Red Moon Sovereign's fist was pulverized as well. The Red Moon Sovereign was left in a miserable state. Li Hao's body was still disintegrating, and cracks spiderwebbed across the ox body possessed by Black Panther... The strength of a mighty Sovereign far exceeded imagination. Even after such an ambush, he remained alive. Enraged, he reformed his arms into fists and struck simultaneously in both directions—one fist toward Li Hao, the other toward Black Panther! Bastards! Did these scoundrels truly believe a third-rank Sovereign died so easily? Slaughtering a Sovereign from below was never that simple! Even if this Silver Moon Heaven's Will commanded the body of a second-rank chaotic beast, did it know how to truly wield Sovereign power? He still had a chance to slay all of these fools. Over there, that cat was enduring the tribulation, but as Li Hao repeatedly drew upon time, the lightning grew stronger and stronger. The cat clearly could not hold out much longer. When that time came, it would be his turn to slaughter them all. At this moment, Li Hao also felt helpless. Truly hard to kill! Reversing time to lower the enemy's strength, uniting the three Daos, gathering all of Silver Moon's might, Heaven's Will possessing the giant beast, Neo Martial's intimidation, an explosive sneak attack... Under all these methods, the enemy still survived. Is this what a true Sovereign is like? Seen this way, his sword intent was still far inferior to the Longevity Sword Intent; that previous colossal beast had been obliterated in two slashes. "How embarrassing!" Li Hao muttered. Truly embarrassing. The Neo Martial Human King and his peers had caused a commotion that drowned out the chaos itself, while on his side, he could not even kill a single Sovereign from the Red Moon Great World! Silver Moon martial artists cared most about face. This time, he had truly lost face. Could he still kill him? Did he have any methods left? Of course he still had one! In that instant, Li Hao's form turned ethereal as he shouted softly, "Black Panther!" In the distance, Black Panther was preparing to attack again when its giant eyes snapped toward Li Hao. Li Hao looked back at it, and the two exchanged a glance. Black Panther seemed to understand, though not entirely certain... yet it said nothing, abruptly opening its massive maw! In an instant, that enormous mouth devoured toward the chaos! Not only the Red Moon Sovereign, but even the Silver Moon world seemed enveloped within it! The Red Moon Sovereign snorted coldly. Devouring? So what? Swallow me, and I will rip through your belly to emerge—you will only die faster, courting death! The immense swallowing force was so great that it even swept the chaotic lightning tribulation inside. Everyone and everything was swallowed into that gaping maw! The Red Moon Sovereign remained fearless! Yet right at that moment, Li Hao whipped around and rushed straight toward the Silver Moon world! He did nothing else but let out a fierce roar. Immense power erupted as an ancient gate upon the boundary barrier of the Silver Moon world was ripped up from its foundations by him! The Star Gate! With a furious shout, Li Hao's tremendous strength tore the Star Gate free! In the next moment, bearing the Star Gate in his hands, he soared upward, flying straight toward the mouth of the giant beast possessed by Black Panther. Under the Red Moon Sovereign's slightly hesitant gaze, Li Hao instantly planted the colossal gate right at the beast's mouth, slamming it down! Boom! Black Panther was Heaven's Will; in an instant, the entire Silver Moon world fused seamlessly with the giant beast, its only opening being the mouth. And that mouth was now sealed shut by the Star Gate. Forged by the top powerhouses of Neo Martial, it possessed the unique ability to isolate a Great Dao Universe... and what Li Hao sought to exploit was precisely this: isolating the Great Dao Universe—the Great Dao Universe of Red Moon! In that split second, the Sovereign finally understood! Not good! The Star Gate seals the Dao! Boom! The Star Gate was slammed shut instantly. Just like when Sovereign Shigu entered Silver Moon and the Star Gate was sealed, the radiating reach of the Red Moon Great Dao Universe was completely blocked outside the gate. The Sovereign's face warped in horror, and he charged straight at Li Hao! I must get out! This Star Gate could actually completely shield against the radiation of a Great Dao Universe. He had remained outside Silver Moon earlier; had Li Hao and the others still relied on the origin universe, both sides would have been weakened equally. Yet the people of Silver Moon no longer used the origin path. Li Hao exhaled, smiling: "Damn, you're a tough bastard to deal with. I wanted to kill a peak Sovereign... but fine, if I lose face, so be it!" He swung his sword once more, unleashing a slash! Simultaneously, with Silver Moon and the giant beast merged as one and Heaven's Will governing the space, an energy vacuum abruptly formed around the Red Moon Sovereign. The dual Dao universes combined, and Great Dao lightning surged! Attacks from three directions descended at once! Boom! Lightning detonated, the sword slashed down, and Heaven's Will suppressed him. Severed from his connection to the Red Moon Dao, the Sovereign's aura plummeted, his face twisting in terror. This time, he had truly grown careless, lacking sufficient understanding of the Star Gate's functions. How could he have known that closing the Star Gate would completely sever a Great Dao Universe? His strength had already declined significantly; now it dropped another massive tier. As the sword cleaved downward, the Red Moon Sovereign howled, but he could no longer resist. The strike bisected him clean in two. Yet he was still alive! He began fusing back together frantically, roaring, "This place is within Red Moon's radiant reach..." "Neo Martial poses a far greater threat than I do!" Li Hao replied with a smile. I know that. However, Neo Martial seems to be right nearby... Although it looks quite far, does the Red Moon Great World have the spare attention to care about me, or care about you? He struck again, myriad Daos converging into a single slash! The newly reformed body was sliced to pieces once more; he coalesced again, only to be shredded anew... Countless wisps of Red Moon power scattered wildly, attempting to escape, but Heaven's Will herded them together. Li Hao unleashed slash after slash. The long river manifested, encircling all directions and slowly tightening its loop! Ultimately, a bloody silhouette appeared above the river, the Sovereign's face grim to the extreme. "If you kill me, the Great Dao will shudder, and the Red Moon Great World will surely know of my demise... You can spare my life—imprison me, seal me... Red Moon will only think I have yet to return..." At this moment, the Sovereign knew he was in deep trouble. He understood instantly that preserving his life was top priority. And his words were not without reason. Killing a Sovereign—even through the Star Gate, just like last time—would register within the radiant reach of the Red Moon universe. Others might not know, but the Lord of Red Moon would certainly know! As long as he did not die, there was still hope. Red Moon would definitely realize he was in trouble. Although Neo Martial had created a massive disturbance, the Red Moon Great World was hardly weak; dispatching an expert to rescue him remained entirely feasible. A third-rank Sovereign was not someone like Shigu, who could be discarded at will. "If they know, then they know!" Li Hao laughed. Neo Martial created such an uproar, and your Red Moon knows about that too, don't they? So what? Leaving you alive is the real trouble. Imprisoning a Sovereign... is no simple feat. Right now, the Qiankun Bagua Formation left behind by the Blood Sovereign has already shattered; sealing a Sovereign would require at least an entire universe to suppress him! At present, the lightning tribulation had not even dispersed; the chaotic lightning had been swallowed into the belly, and Er Mao was still struggling to hold it off... Beset by countless troubles, who had the time to suppress and guard him? Better to kill him while the shockwaves of Neo Martial had yet to settle. The long river instantly transformed into ten thousand swords! Ten thousand swords pierced his heart! Boom! Another explosion resounded. Countless wisps of Red Moon power dissipated into the river, momentarily even influencing Li Hao. Even at this point, the man was still fighting back, spreading Red Moon power into the river in an attempt to usurp control of it. Li Hao had to admit... this fellow was far stronger than Shigu, overwhelmingly so. Even reduced to this state, he still plotted a turnaround. Boom! The long river surged. The Time Star rolled within the waters as thousands of sword intents erupted again, scouring and destroying every wisp of Red Moon power. Soon, it seemed the Red Moon power had been thoroughly eradicated. Yet Li Hao still did not stop. Even Shigu's death had caused ripples in the Red Moon Great Dao Universe and drawn the attention of powerhouses. The fall of a Sovereign this much stronger could never be so quiet; there had to be some disturbance! Soon, Li Hao seemed to notice something. He slashed his sword toward the far end of the river! Over there lay the connection to the Illusory Dao universe. Within the Illusory Dao universe, Qian Wuliang's expression changed as he realized something. He let out a sharp roar, a glint of crimson suddenly flaring in his eyes before that streak of red light shot out! Qian Wuliang's aura instantly plummeted. Looking at that red beam with lingering dread, he realized he had been far too confident, believing the Red Moon power could never infiltrate him! Yet now... he discovered he had been quietly infiltrated without even knowing it! The red light coalesced into a human silhouette, revealing the visage of that Sovereign! Only now did a look of despair truly wash over him: "How did you notice..." He had hidden himself so well! "When Shigu died, the Red Moon Great Dao Universe trembled..." "Bastard!" The Sovereign was utterly infuriated! Curse him! Shigu, that useless waste, that bastard—even in death he wouldn't let people have peace! Had it not been for that prior experience, Li Hao, having never killed a Red Moon Sovereign before, would never have known it caused such a stir. Slaying a chaotic beast produced no such disturbance. Boom! The sword radiance converged and annihilated him. With a tremendous blast, the phantom shattered completely. This time, there was no rage left, only a wry helplessness: "Shigu... you bastard!" He had truly died at Shigu's hands. Otherwise... this youth might never have noticed anything. He could have remained concealed, seized the Illusory Dao universe controlled by Qian Wuliang, and breached Silver Moon from within—there would have been an immense chance to turn the tables! Alas... there was no chance left. At this moment, as the phantom disintegrated, a corner of a universe faintly manifested beyond the chaotic beast, and a faint murmur drifted from afar: "Hmm?" It was the Lord of Red Moon, having detected something. A Sovereign had fallen! The Sovereign dispatched to search for the Silver Moon world was actually dead! Incredible! A tiny realm like Silver Moon, even if it reemerged, shouldn't—and couldn't—have possessed the strength to slay a third-rank Sovereign. A third-rank Sovereign was stronger than the lord of an ordinary small world. Even for a medium world, a newly ascended medium world lord was merely at the third-rank level. Sending a third-rank Sovereign meant he could battle even a medium world, not to mention this was within the radiant reach of the Red Moon Great Universe, where no medium worlds existed. …… At this moment, in the Red Moon Great World. Within a colossal hall. A peerlessly powerful being turned his head toward a certain direction. That area was still within the radiant reach of the Red Moon Great World, located in a marginal corner far away; yet rushing over would not actually take too much time. However... that terrifyingly powerful being remained silent for a moment and did not set out. That side was merely a minor annoyance. The real trouble was Neo Martial. If he left and Fang Ping suddenly ambushed them... it might be a scheme to lure the tiger from the mountain. These Neo Martial people seemed reckless, but in truth, they possessed endless tricks. Once he departed and Fang Ping launched a surprise assault on the Great World, breaching it would spell monumental disaster for him. Moving an entire Great World produced too massive a disturbance and required far more time. Moreover, he had already sensed that the Yueming Great World was frantically migrating toward him... That realm was led by a Sovereign infinitely close to the seventh rank. Compared to the loss of a third-rank Sovereign, this matter was far more critical! "Yinghun has fallen!" A grand voice suddenly resounded throughout the hall. Under normal circumstances, the sudden death of a third-rank Sovereign would trigger tremendous shock and shake all sides. Yet today... the hall remained relatively quiet. After a pause, someone finally spoke: "Yinghun went toward Silver Moon... Did someone from Neo Martial go there?" They did not care much about his death itself, but rather worried whether Neo Martial experts had arrived. After all, Silver Moon was too close to their territory. There had already been enough monumental events today. Two seventh-rank Great World Sovereigns had died, along with a host of Sovereigns of other ranks. In the Bliss Great World and the Extreme Darkness Great World, aside from a small handful of Sovereigns who fled, the vast majority had been slaughtered! And those who escaped would mostly become wanderers, chaotic rangers who dared not linger nearby. For Red Moon, losing a single third-rank Sovereign... actually failed to generate much shock today. When Shigu died earlier, the commotion had been greater than today's. "Uncertain..." The Lord of Red Moon's voice remained grand: "It lies in a peripheral zone. When the Dao radiated across, not much could be seen. Yet to slay a third-rank Sovereign, even if Yinghun had only recently advanced, is not something the people of Silver Moon could achieve..." Pausing, he continued slowly: "The Yueming World is migrating toward us. Neo Martial's explosion of power today will surely send shockwaves through all quarters. Even if rumors circulate in the chaos that Red Moon colluded with Neo Martial, everyone now feels in peril and more worlds will be willing to align with my Red Moon. Next, we must welcome the experts of various worlds... I cannot move, and other powerhouses must guide the supremes of various realms..." He then added: "Is anyone willing to travel to Silver Moon's location to investigate?" Silence. A third-rank Sovereign had died, and it remained unconfirmed who had killed him. If Neo Martial had done it, and if Neo Martial experts were still lingering there, then Neo Martial—having just obliterated two Great Worlds—was truly terrifying. Who would dare go? After a long while, someone finally spoke: "I am willing to go!" The Red Moon Great World was formidable, after all. The Lord of Red Moon glanced over; the speaker was a fourth-rank Sovereign, considered top-tier even within Red Moon. After considering for a moment, he nodded slightly: "Granted! However... if they leave the radiant reach of the Great Dao, do not pursue! If they remain within range, do not act rashly either; observe the situation first..." "Understood!" The powerhouse accepting the mission looked solemn, but felt somewhat relieved. As long as it remained within Red Moon's territory, he was a top fourth-rank Sovereign; an ordinary medium world lord could do nothing to him. If real trouble arose, he could at least hold his own. The Lord of Red Moon said no more. Matters on Silver Moon's end were mere petty squabbles. Right now, the more crucial issue was the Neo Martial world! He felt somewhat grave. Neo Martial was even stronger than anticipated. The key lay in the fact that the Cang Emperor and the Human King borrowed power from each other; one had to prepare to crush both together. Otherwise, if the two separated, even if one were killed, the other could still escape. …… At the same time. Li Hao lay atop the long river, motionless, while lightning continued to erupt in the sky. Er Mao was already scorched black all over, yet it made no sound. At this moment, if Er Mao did not block it... across the vast Silver Moon, no one else could. Silver Moon's tribulation had not yet fully passed. The chaotic lightning tribulation continued. Thus far, only the ninth bolt had been endured. The fall of two Sovereigns was not the end of Silver Moon's calamity. At this moment, Qian Wuliang, Hong Yitang, and several others arrived in utter disarray, their expressions grave. Silver Moon had exhausted nearly everything just to barely resolve two Sovereigns. Li Hao's frequent use of temporal power had caused the tribulation to grow increasingly terrifying. The first wave of nine strikes had passed, but Er Mao was now powerless to continue, and what followed would be even stronger. Currently, the Sovereign body possessed by Black Panther could not be deployed either. That Sovereign body was key to isolating more lightning. As long as they neutralized the tribulation swallowed inside, there was still hope of success. Once Black Panther moved and broke the isolating force, even more lightning might be born. The dark clouds in the sky remained thick; there might be another wave of nine strikes. Tianji flew toward Li Hao in a similarly battered state, sighing helplessly: "Resolving two Sovereigns was already beyond expectations... but this tribulation... still isn't over!" He glanced worriedly at Er Mao in the sky. Er Mao's fur was completely charred black; if this continued, one or two more strikes might blast it to death. That wouldn't do! Li Hao, however, did not seem overly concerned. He looked up at the sky and smiled faintly: "It's aimed at me. Once I die, it will naturally disperse!" "This..." Lin Hongyu said hurriedly: "Like last time? As long as we reverse time on you and revive you again?" If so, it was worth a try. Yet could it really be that simple? Li Hao said nothing, merely looking toward the Star Gate with a slight frown: "Without the Qiankun Bagua Formation, though the Star Gate can isolate the chaos, it cannot last very long in practice; it will open again soon..." "The world is advancing, and the flow of time will align... The Star Gate probably won't hold out much longer..." Everyone looked at him. What did he mean? Tianji understood and said solemnly: "You mean that if you die this time, the Star Gate won't be able to isolate the chaos, and reviving you will still trigger the chaotic lightning tribulation?" Li Hao nodded slightly. At this, everyone's expressions changed. That meant unless this tribulation was overcome, it would never end. Reviving Li Hao again would only summon the tribulation once more, perhaps even stronger. Dying and reviving repeatedly would only make this tribulation endless! Having just solved one massive problem, they were confronted with an even greater crisis. For a moment, even Tianji could not help cursing: "Dammit, this lousy Silver Moon, this tiny godforsaken place has so much damn trouble... It feels more troublesome than an entire Great World advancing!" Li Hao, however, chuckled: "Actually, there is another way..." "What?" "Disperse time!" "What?" Everyone froze. Li Hao said, "Disperse my Dao of Time!" Li Hao looked toward the sky and smiled: "The Dao of Time was seized directly by me; I did not cultivate it step by step. I will disperse the Dao of Time first, and then... gather time anew! Cultivate time on my own!" Everyone was stunned. Could that really work? Li Hao exhaled: "It's fine. Time is too complex. This time, I gained some new insights as well. I will disperse the Dao of Time first, cultivate life and death first, then yin and yang, then space, and finally gather time once more!" He had conceived some new ideas, his smile brilliant: "That way, when time reappears, it will only be stronger!" "Black Panther, let's move. Steer clear of the Red Moon Great World first... I am going to disperse the Dao of Time..." In the sky, though Er Mao was scorched black all over, it turned to look at Li Hao with an expression of reluctance and dissatisfaction, suddenly speaking: "You can't..." Li Hao exhaled, suddenly manifesting the Time Star: "Senior may safeguard this star for now and immerse yourself within it. Once I reconstruct time, Senior can return it to me..." Clearly, he knew why the other was unwilling. Because if time dispersed, the past would no longer appear. Er Mao paused, staring at that star. This star was effectively the core of Li Hao's Great Dao. Just like that... he was handing it over? Er Mao hesitated. Li Hao laughed: "Just safekeeping, not gifting it to Senior outright. Rest assured, I will gather time again very soon. Today... I won't bother bickering with this chaotic lightning tribulation!" Everyone felt helpless. You speak as if you could win an argument against it! If another nine strikes descended, everyone here would be finished. Dispersing time to disperse the tribulation was indeed the best choice for them all. "Then your strength..." "It's fine. Without time, I am still a peak ninth-layer Dao Integration expert; advancing to Sovereign will only be faster!" Li Hao chuckled. "Time is hard to cultivate, but ordinary Great Daos are far too simple!" Hearing this, everyone felt even more exasperated. Far too simple? Is it truly simple? Perhaps for Li Hao, it genuinely was. Li Hao's smile grew increasingly radiant: "Neo Martial is truly terrifying, truly incredible... I'll advance to Sovereign first, then gather time anew. Sooner or later, I will wipe out this chaotic lightning and go look for Neo Martial..." As his words fell, vast amounts of temporal power surged from the Time Star, manifesting between heaven and earth and scattering everywhere. A portion was instantly obliterated by lightning. Another portion broke apart and merged into every corner of the world. A faint remnant was retained within the star, which Er Mao swallowed in a single gulp. Such a tiny amount was merely enough for Er Mao to reminisce about the past; swallowed into its belly, the temporal trace was so faint that even the tribulation could not detect it. Soon, the lightning in the sky began to disperse. Within the chaotic universe, a giant beast migrated swiftly, carrying the Silver Moon world in its belly as it journeyed into the distance. As for Li Hao, who had previously been enveloped in an aura of profound mystery, he suddenly returned to ordinary, bearing little difference from a normal peak half-step Sovereign. He seemed a bit less detached from the mortal world, and a bit more grounded. At this moment, even Tianji, who had previously felt immense pressure facing Li Hao, exhaled softly: "Without the power of time... you brat are less threatening than my true body... I could swat you dead with one punch!" Suddenly, he found Li Hao much more endearing. Li Hao chuckled helplessly at his words. Still, having dispersed time, Li Hao had gained fresh insights. His temporal power had been too superficial after all; perhaps gathering time anew was a fine choice. Lay the foundation first—the Dao of Time was simply too elevated. Reaching the heavens in a single bound had left his foundation unstable; otherwise, he shouldn't have been attacked repeatedly by the lightning tribulation without being able to resist. Once he truly mastered time, what would the chaotic lightning tribulation even amount to?! At this moment, within the river stripped of time, various Great Daos emerged. Gone was the previous inscrutable profundity, beginning to resemble the Chaotic River instead. Li Hao glanced at it and laughed: "Good. Having touched a high-level Dao, looking back at these myriad Daos, I suddenly realize how easy they are to cultivate! Becoming a Sovereign is just around the corner!" "..." Silence fell on all sides. Hong Yitang and Qian Wuliang suddenly felt a pang of self-doubt. Those words... what are they supposed to mean?