Fearless

The Tianfang World. Huilong Domain, the Coiling Dragon Well. The so-called Coiling Dragon Well was not an actual well, but a ring of hills shaped like the mouth of a well, forming a hollow depression in the center. Originally, buildings might have stood here. Yet countless ages had passed since the Lord of Tianfang and his contemporaries vanished. By now, let alone buildings, not a scrap remained in public Dao resonance sites like the Coiling Dragon Well. If not for the lingering Dao resonance and the sheer inconvenience of carting away the earth, scavengers would have dug up the very soil! In this chaotic universe, no one gave a thought to sustainable development. Everyone drained the pond to catch the fish. Wherever benefits appeared, people swarmed in to plunder. Who knew if they would ever return in the future? Outside the yellow-earth pit, however, stood various buildings of wildly differing architectural styles from diverse worlds. These had all been constructed by later arrivals, not left behind by the original Tianfang World. Practically nothing from the ancient Tianfang World had survived. Li Hao, evidently, had arrived far too late. Such was often the case: arrive late, and there was nothing left for you. The site covered a massive area, surrounded by numerous buildings and crowded with people, not all of whom were Sovereigns. Some were locals of the Tianfang World—not original natives of Tianfang, but descendants of newcomers who had settled here over countless years to form local factions. There were also wanderers whose home worlds had been destroyed, as well as younger cultivators brought by major powers to broaden their experience... In short, the place was bustling. Among them, a few Sovereigns wandered the peripheral streets, hoping to rely on their own keen insight to uncover hidden treasures—a fool's errand, in all likelihood. Vast as the chaos was, good things were plentiful, but experts were just as numerous. For these Sovereigns to stumble upon an overlooked treasure here was practically daydreaming. "Senior, this is the Coiling Dragon Well!" Ju Ao pointed ahead at the sunken expanse of yellow earth. It spanned an enormous area, no smaller than an entire province back home, leaving Li Hao secretly marveling. A Great World was truly extraordinary! A mere ruin occupied such immense territory. And this was only what remained; back in the day, that Sovereign might have commanded an even vaster domain. Of course, for a high-rank Sovereign who could rule an entire Great World, this was hardly surprising. It was said that the original master of this place had been a high-rank Sovereign. He had specialized in the Dao of vitality and the physical body. Li Hao knew a bit about this; back in Neo Martial, Blood Sovereign, the Human King, and others cultivated such paths as well. Specializing in one path did not mean practicing it exclusively; the ancient expert might well have practiced many other Daos. "Senior, the surrounding areas are small markets. If you are interested, you can take a look around. Transactions here can be bartered or conducted using Dao force." "Dao force?" Li Hao asked in confusion. Ju Ao explained, "It simply refers to Great Dao crystals formed when a Sovereign breathes in chaotic energy and purifies it! Generally, only Sovereigns can breathe in chaotic energy, and only Sovereigns travel through the chaos. Therefore, for experts of the chaos, trading with Dao force crystals is most convenient. A first-rank Sovereign working day and night without rest for a year can condense over three hundred crystals—roughly one per day." Chaos crystals! Li Hao understood. He could do that too, but wasting time condensing Great Dao crystals would mean he had lost his mind. With that kind of time, what couldn't he be doing instead? Over three hundred crystals a year meant only three million or so after ten thousand years of ceaseless effort without cultivating for oneself. And who knew what three million could even buy? "How many Great Dao crystals does it take to buy a Minor World?" Hearing this, Ju Ao was taken aback, then gave an embarrassed smile. "Under normal circumstances, such trades are bartered. Rarely does anyone exchange a Minor World for Great Dao crystals. Of course, if someone is in desperate need... three thousand years ago, there was a recorded transaction where a Sovereign spent nearly ten million Great Dao crystals to complete an exchange." A first-rank Sovereign, toiling sleeplessly for thirty thousand years, to exchange for a Minor World. By devouring it, they might advance to the second rank, or perhaps harbor a sliver of hope to step into the third rank... Was it worth it? Hard to say! For Li Hao, at least, it definitely was not worth it. Besides, Great Dao crystals were of limited use to Sovereigns. Below the Sovereign level, however—even for Heavenly Kings and half-step Sovereigns—they were quite useful. Crystals condensed from chaotic energy provided substantial aid to cultivation. They were far more premium than simple energy crystals, serving as high-end variants of energy stones extracted directly from the chaos. But for Li Hao, thirty thousand years... whatever he chose to do, he could surely reach the third rank in that time, couldn't he? Of course, right now Li Hao was penniless, without a single Great Dao crystal to his name. Nor did he have the time to condense them. He glanced around the streets. The cultivators varied in strength: the powerful were Sovereigns, while the weak were only at what he considered the Mountain-Sea realm. For them to dare trade under the noses of Sovereigns usually meant they had powerful backers. "Over here is the Huilong Pavilion, the trading venue of our Huilong Temple. Other places cannot guarantee authenticity, but the Huilong Pavilion rarely sells fakes. If Senior is interested, you may have a look." Li Hao shook his head. "Never mind. I have no Great Dao crystals..." "That is no problem at all!" Ju Ao said warmly. "Huilong Temple extends special courtesies to Sovereigns. If Senior takes a liking to some minor items worth under a hundred crystals, they will be gifted to Senior free of charge. If it exceeds a hundred, Senior can also buy on credit..." Credit? Li Hao almost chuckled. In a chaos this vast, if he bought on credit and fled, could they ever collect? Of course, they surely possessed means of their own. A sixth-rank Sovereign was not someone to cross lightly. Huilong Temple was quite intriguing. Strictly speaking, their hospitality was excellent, and they went out of their way to win over Sovereigns. Yet the more accommodating they were, the greater their underlying ambitions. Ordinarily, with a sixth-rank Sovereign holding down the fort, they faced little danger unless they provoked a Great World. Yet they still expended considerable effort to recruit Sovereigns. Perhaps they harbored thoughts of attacking a Great World, or, as Ju Ao had suggested, were preparing to strike at major powers, such as the Neo Martial World. Li Hao said nothing more. Treasures were mere external possessions, and he held little interest in them. To say nothing of anything else, he currently possessed a Medium World, yet he had no desire to devour it. Besides, Silver Moon was his homeland, and he would never do such a thing; as for other worldly goods, he cared even less. At Li Hao's level, whatever others might think, his own goal was simple: encounter more Daos and comprehend more Daos. What he lacked right now was a deeper understanding of the Great Dao. That was the first aspect; the second was the energy needed for advancement. This, in fact, was not critical. Once comprehension of Dao principles was achieved, would energy ever be lacking? Breathed-in chaotic energy gathered quite slowly, naturally. But once comprehension was reached, if energy ran short, he could simply provoke a chaos lightning tribulation. The tribulation itself contained vast destructive power. Once the lightning was shattered, abundant energy would coalesce all the same. Of course, across the entire chaos, hardly anyone would dare think or act this way, let alone proclaim: "I don't give a damn about chaos lightning tribulations." "No need. Let's just head straight to the Coiling Dragon Well... Actually, never mind, I'll go by myself!" Ju Ao was startled. This newcomer was proving difficult to read. Normally, newly ascended Sovereigns would show at least some interest. Just browsing didn't obligate anyone to buy. Furthermore, it had already been stated that Huilong Temple would gift any item under a hundred crystals for free. For a first-rank Sovereign cultivating normally, saving up a hundred crystals in a year was exceedingly difficult. It was equivalent to saving an entire year of toil. While a Sovereign's lifespan was virtually limitless and a year was hardly long, refusing something offered for free was truly unusual. This person was genuinely intriguing. "Senior, there are likely other Sovereigns meditating at the Coiling Dragon Well. It might be better if I accompany you, lest you find the situation unfamiliar..." Unfamiliar with the situation? Li Hao glanced at him, smiled, and gave a slight nod. "Fair enough." Ju Ao was startled once again. Often, when Sovereigns went to meditate, they were unwilling to bring anyone along. He had merely made a polite offer, yet Li Hao had actually accepted. Did he think he wouldn't comprehend anything? Sovereigns were exceptionally proud beings. Those arriving for the first time were terrified of being followed, fearing that any miraculous insights they gained might be witnessed—especially by someone from Huilong Temple. For a moment, he could not tell whether this man believed he would gain nothing, or truly did not care what Ju Ao might witness. An interesting Sovereign! Newly ascended Sovereigns typically fell into two extremes: either extreme arrogance, believing themselves supreme under heaven and viewing veteran Sovereigns as merely having a head start; or extreme paranoia, suspicious of everything, constantly dreading being targeted, and viewing the world as fraught with malice and peril. Li Hao, however... did not seem like a newly ascended Sovereign. Though he appeared to be one, his conduct carried the poise of a seasoned veteran. Ju Ao had encountered many Sovereigns, and countless thoughts raced through his mind. Of course, he kept them to himself, quickly snapping back to attention. "Very well, I will lead the way... Senior... it would be best to speak sparingly. If we encounter other Sovereigns, let me handle the interactions. As a disciple of Huilong Temple, they will accord me some face, which should prevent unnecessary conflict!" Li Hao nodded once more. Hesitating briefly, Ju Ao added, "Senior, if you were willing to join Huilong Temple, there would be no need for such inconvenience. Our temple possesses considerable knowledge regarding the Dao resonance sites across the realm..." "No need." Li Hao chuckled. "I am accustomed to freedom and dislike constraints." Ju Ao understood and nodded slightly. Most Sovereigns were like this. Still, for a first-rank Sovereign freshly entering the chaos, survival was not as easy as one might imagine! The man before him did not seem to hail from any major faction. That would make the road ahead even harsher. He pressed no further, guiding Li Hao past the market directly toward the Coiling Dragon Well. There were several Sovereigns in the market; some cast a glance toward Li Hao, while others ignored them entirely. Sovereigns coming and going were not an uncommon sight here. ... The yellow-earth depression was colossal. Ju Ao led Li Hao past the market into the deep pit, explaining as they walked: "Senior, the Coiling Dragon Well is said to be the place where a seventh-rank Sovereign once achieved enlightenment. However, in recent years, no Dao resonance has manifested. According to records, the last time Dao resonance appeared was eight thousand years ago... I wasn't stationed here back then, so I didn't see it with my own eyes. "It is said that when the Dao resonance appeared, a giant dragon coiled above, and the senior who comprehended it gained immense benefits, advancing straight from the second rank to the third... "That senior was also of the dragon clan and is rumored to have stepped into the fourth rank by now. Advancing from the second rank to the fourth in under ten thousand years has been hailed as a legend across the entire Tianfang World..." Advancing from the second rank to the fourth in ten thousand years was indeed a legend for most Sovereigns. As for Neo Martial, where several seventh-rank Sovereigns had emerged in a world less than a thousand years old, that could only be described as a myth. Of course, Neo Martial possessed profound foundations, having weathered eras of Origin Martial and the Origin Dao. The Origin Dao had been perfected by a cohort of peerless geniuses, and its Heaven's Will had undergone continuous refinement, providing the groundwork for a Great World. Compared to Silver Moon... Silver Moon's foundation was far inferior. When the Human King strode out of the Neo Martial World, he had already been a middle-rank Sovereign. How he had vaulted from middle-rank to high-rank in a mere millennium was something only the Human King himself could answer. "I'll take Senior to the spot where that senior meditated to take a look. There should be other Sovereigns there right now. For the past eight thousand years, that has been where the most Sovereigns gather..." Li Hao nodded slightly. The two swiftly traversed the void, flying in that direction. Gazing down across the terrain, Li Hao noticed the yellow-earth pit indeed resembled the resting ground of a coiled dragon. There were no dragons in Silver Moon. Silver Moon had a giant serpent, the Kuishan Snake King, but that snake king was not especially powerful and had yet to transform into a dragon. Aside from the dragon he had spotted earlier at the entrance of the Tianfang World, Li Hao had never seen another member of the dragon clan. Giant dragons appeared in numerous legends and myths; even Silver Moon possessed tales of them. A dragon at the seventh-rank Sovereign level... had it cultivated the Dao of vitality and the physical body? Li Hao surveyed the expanse below, but sensed no lingering Great Dao resonance. Eventually, they landed on a modest knoll. At that moment, several Sovereigns were already present on top. Li Hao swept his gaze across them: three Sovereigns in total—two comparable in strength to himself, and one likely of the second rank. There were two men and one woman. One of them, though humanoid in appearance, was clearly a transformed demon beast at a glance. Discerning the exact demon beast race would require probing, which was obviously impolite. Li Hao refrained from prying, merely nodding to the three without a word. Among them, the second-rank Sovereign merely glanced at Li Hao before turning away, indifferent. Ju Ao, utterly cautious, hurried forward with greetings: "Pardon the intrusion, Seniors! I am Ju Ao of Huilong Temple, escorting this senior to observe..." The second-rank Sovereign paid him no heed. Of the remaining man and woman, the woman also gave no response. Yet the other man cast a cool glance at Li Hao and said indifferently, "Observe if you must. But this is a gathering place of Sovereigns—have you not learned how to walk properly?" Li Hao looked at him. Normally, Sovereigns rarely initiated trouble. Yet this place was different; perhaps some people deliberately provoked disputes. "I have only just arrived and am unfamiliar with the area... Forgive me if I appeared clumsy, fellow Daoist." Li Hao spoke amiably, offering a slight smile. "Ju Ao is more familiar with the surroundings. I will take a brief look and be on my way, without disturbing everyone." The other two still paid no attention. Yet the man who had spoken earlier chimed in again: "Do you not understand the rule of first come, first served? This place can only accommodate three Sovereigns at a time. With more than three, there is not enough room..." Li Hao was puzzled. Even if someone wanted to pick a fight, there had to be some conflict of interest! Besides, they were both first-rank Sovereigns, and this fellow was by no means visibly stronger than him... What was his problem? Cultivators who reached the Sovereign level were no fools. For no apparent reason, while the other two Sovereigns remained silent, this first-rank Sovereign went out of his way to antagonize another. What was he after? Did he think he could crush him? Or what else? Such situations were rare! Li Hao found it bizarre. If the second-rank Sovereign had sought trouble to teach him a lesson or seize some Sovereign essence blood to see if it could trigger Dao resonance, he could understand. But a first-rank Sovereign doing this... was truly baffling. "What does fellow Daoist mean?" "What do I mean? There is not enough room!" The man said coldly, "Furthermore, I sense sword intent upon you... Are you a sword cultivator?" His gaze turned chilly. "I do not care for sword cultivators!" Li Hao raised an eyebrow. Did sword cultivators eat your grain or something? Ju Ao's expression shifted, and he quickly sent a nervous voice transmission: "Senior, this man is a Sovereign from the Yunyang World. Yunyang was a Medium World whose World Lord was a peak fourth-rank Sovereign... However, a few years ago, he provoked the Sword Venerable of Neo Martial Yin-Yang and was slain on the spot! "Afterward, two Sovereigns from the Yunyang World fled to the Tianfang Great World. Aside from him, there is another who is a third-rank Sovereign!" The Sword Venerable! Li Hao's thoughts stirred. He was truly speechless. He had come all this way, yet he was still hearing tales of the Sword Venerable. The Sword Venerable had slain a peak fourth-rank Sovereign who was the lord of a Medium World... That meant he had to be at least fifth-rank! That was formidable indeed. Within Neo Martial, the Sword Venerable was not among the very top tier... Of course, according to Li Hao's estimation, the Sword Venerable might be even stronger. Silver Moon's new Dao Universe was closely tied to him; an expert capable of triggering the emergence of a Great Dao Universe might already be nearing the sixth rank, or perhaps had reached it already. No wonder this man was hostile. First, the sword intent; second, he had a third-rank Sovereign backing him. Third, Li Hao practiced the Dao of the sword, yet here he manifested no distinct Great Dao power. Normally, cultivators connected to a Great Dao Universe carried lingering Dao auras—such as Red Moon cultivators radiating Red Moon power. At a glance, Li Hao looked like a rogue cultivator without significant backing, not someone from a Great World. In that case, venting frustration through mocking words was hardly surprising. More importantly, perhaps, this man felt repulsed because Li Hao's sword Dao was exceedingly similar to that of the Sword Venerable. Once the power of time was dispelled, his sword Dao was fundamentally not far removed from the Sword Venerable's. The Yunyang World... A Medium World wouldn't have many Sovereigns. With their World Lord slain, the Medium World was likely finished, and these survivors had fled here as refugees. As these thoughts surfaced, Li Hao reflected that this fellow's leader had been killed by the Sword Venerable—meaning he was an enemy of Neo Martial. And an enemy of Neo Martial was, for now, his own enemy as well. Traveling abroad, he had few friends, but enemies were aplenty. Neo Martial truly knew how to make enemies. "Fellow Daoist, sword cultivators in this world are countless. You can hardly bear a grudge against all of them just because your world was destroyed by one, can you?" Li Hao said with earnest sincerity, "Furthermore, as a Sovereign, bullying the weak while fearing the strong is hardly commendable. The Sword Venerable of Neo Martial destroyed your world; if you want vengeance, seek him out. Why drag in the innocent? I am a Sovereign as well, and I have never offended you. I came here merely to gain a few insights, with no other intentions. When traveling far from home, mutual assistance is the true way for Sovereigns to survive. Why invite trouble?" His words were entirely reasonable. Yet the other two Sovereigns gave Li Hao a second look. To expose someone's sore spot right to his face, however reasonably phrased, came across suspiciously like a deliberate provocation. Those two knew something of Yunyang World's destruction. To bring up the Sword Venerable here as a first-rank sword cultivator... was a good show about to unfold? Li Hao carried both sword intent and deathly stillness, which appeared quite distinct from the Neo Martial Sword Venerable's style; they clearly did not seem to follow the same lineage. Why bring up the Sword Venerable and borrow trouble? Though both were first-rank Sovereigns, the other man had a third-rank Sovereign behind him. Under normal circumstances, third-rank Sovereigns were top-tier powerhouses. Once cultivators reached the fourth rank, they rarely roamed about haphazardly. Middle-rank Sovereigns were either rulers of their own domains or mingled in higher circles; Dao resonance sites like this were of little use to them. The Yunyang Sovereign's face turned icy. His targeting of Li Hao was not entirely unprovoked hostility; he genuinely found this man's sword intent intolerable. On the day Yunyang fell, he had been nearby. The Sword Venerable had slain the World Lord of Yunyang and shattered the world, ignoring bystanders. Thus, he had survived. Yet he had engraved the Sword Venerable's sword intent into his memory. Seeing Li Hao, an intense revulsion seized him, as if catching the scent of the Sword Venerable. Even though this man was steeped in deathly stillness and did not seem to walk the same path, and the Neo Martial Sword Venerable was not known to have any sword disciples, much less a disciple who was a Sovereign... he simply hadn't been able to help provoking him with a few barbed remarks. Yet the man before him, knowing the full context, dared to needle him right back! Despicable! Though Yunyang was destroyed, it still possessed a third-rank Sovereign. In Tianfang, aside from the domain masters, third-rank Sovereigns were peak figures. Glaring coldly at Li Hao, he said darkly, "Normally, I would never stir up trouble. But as for you... I suspect you are a spy from the Yin-Yang World!" At these words, the other two Sovereigns turned their eyes to Li Hao. Even Ju Ao froze, glancing at Li Hao in shock. Li Hao was taken aback. Me, a spy for Neo Martial? Then again... could he technically be considered one? Dazed for an instant, he chuckled. "Me... a spy from the Yin-Yang World? Fellow Daoist, are you dead set on making trouble for me? I have just arrived and carry myself with caution, dreading any misstep that might stir up conflict... I dare not speak carelessly! The Yin-Yang World is at war with the Red Moon World, a domain watched over by an eighth-rank Sovereign. To label me like that—are you not trying to have me killed? We have only just met; why harbor such malice?" Li Hao paused, then added, "I have no desire to invite needless trouble, and with a third-rank Sovereign remaining in Yunyang, I certainly cannot afford to cross you. For you to suddenly declare me a Yin-Yang spy... I am truly at a loss for words!" The other Sovereigns did not take the accusation seriously; they merely thought this newcomer was remarkably bold to continue provoking the other man under such circumstances. Li Hao sighed helplessly and said, "I truly have no intention of making an enemy of anyone. Since fellow Daoist does not welcome me, I shall go elsewhere..." The Yunyang Sovereign fixed him with a sinister glare. "I merely made a comment. Why the rush to leave? Are you frightened, or did I hit the mark? That sword intent of yours carries the reek of that bastard! If you had stood your ground and argued your case, that would be one thing, but you retreat so readily—now I suspect you even more!" "..." Li Hao was exasperated. Leaving wouldn't do, staying wouldn't do... This man was damn impossible to deal with. A grown Sovereign acting so childishly—what was the point? Now I know why Yunyang was destroyed, Li Hao thought. With Sovereigns like you around, it would be unnatural if it hadn't been wiped out. Wandering outside after losing your backer, yet still stirring up trouble at every turn without a shred of discretion. Look at me—did I ever brag that I've met several seventh-rank Sovereigns of Neo Martial and could practically be considered one of their own? Have I ever said a word about that? Nursing a headache, Li Hao said resignedly, "I truly have no desire to cause trouble. How about this: it seems you take me for an easy punching bag, and perhaps injuring a Sovereign here might awaken some Dao resonance... So you wish to put me in my place..." Pondering for a moment, Li Hao said, "I am a newcomer unfamiliar with the local rules. Moreover, this is a Dao resonance land and hardly suitable for destruction. If fellow Daoist truly wishes to vent your spleen on me... the South Boundary Gate is not far from here. Why don't the two of us step outside for a bout? At worst, I will let you blow off some steam, so we can both save face." "..." Everyone paused in surprise. The Yunyang Sovereign was taken aback as well. Step outside for a duel? This guy was remarkably naive! He had picked a fight out of transferred hatred, but for this fellow to invite him outside for a spar was strange indeed. Was it confidence... or did he really intend to take a beating outside to settle the matter? Now, the Yunyang Sovereign found himself somewhat put on the spot. At this moment, the second-rank Sovereign who had remained silent spoke up with a chuckle: "Why go so far out of the way? Why not spar right here? I will act as mediator. Win or lose, the prior conflict is written off. How about it?" If one of them was injured, drawing out some Sovereign essence blood might trigger the Dao resonance land, which would be splendid. Besides, he enjoyed a good spectacle! Li Hao massaged his temples. "I truly came only to view the Dao resonance land. If we clash here, countless eyes will be watching. Looking too strong isn't good, and looking too weak isn't good either. As Sovereigns, we ought to keep a few trump cards hidden. Could it be that our friend from Yunyang wishes to expose his strength and trump cards before everyone as well? Better to step outside for a brief bout. Either I beat you up, or you beat me up... then write off the grudge and avoid further trouble!" Having said that, he smiled. "Additionally, let us place a wager. If I win, you give me a drop of essence blood. If you win, I give you a drop..." The Yunyang Sovereign's heart stirred, and he promptly agreed: "Very well! But we must not stray too far. Near the South Boundary Gate, how about that?" "Agreed. I am also worried that if we wander too far, that third-rank Sovereign of Yunyang might ambush me somewhere!" Li Hao laughed, resembling a newborn calf that feared no tiger, displaying not the slightest dread. He glanced at the Sovereign before him. How strange... What an amusing place. Having reached the level of a Sovereign, shouldn't they maintain a grander perspective and discuss the Dao together? How could people fight at the drop of a hat? It stripped them of dignity for nothing! Of course, if the fellow insisted on picking a fight, he didn't mind. Li Hao wasted no more breath; he still needed to return and examine the Dao resonance site. He turned to Ju Ao and said, "Wait here for me a moment. I will be right back. Taking a beating is no big deal, but fellow Daoists, I hope you won't spread word of it... lest it be embarrassing." He chuckled. "I am still young and don't care much about such things, but... once I return, I certainly won't admit to it!" The other two Sovereigns were amused. The female Sovereign, who had not spoken until now, looked Li Hao up and down. Indeed, he was a young Sovereign—intriguing. She smiled faintly and said, "Go ahead, fellow Daoist. Still... even for a Sovereign, losing a drop of essence blood is no trivial matter. Youth is full of vigor; one grows wiser from every setback. You will understand in time." "Thank you for the advice, elder sister!" Li Hao spoke with easy charm, making the female Sovereign chuckle once more. The Yunyang Sovereign snorted coldly, saying nothing further as he took to the sky and flew off. Li Hao waved to the others. "Ju Ao, wait a moment for me..." With those words, he vanished as well. Once both were gone, the second-rank Sovereign gave a low laugh. "Mozu, what do you think?" "A petty squabble, nothing more," the female Sovereign replied with a light laugh. "The newcomer is too young. This time, he is bound to forfeit a drop of essence blood. Let us wait and see—perhaps we can reap some benefit. When he returns, we shall see if he drips it directly into the Coiling Dragon Well; we might even glean something from it." "Unlikely," the second-rank Sovereign shook his head slightly. "A single drop of essence blood from a first-rank Sovereign... can hardly trigger anything. This place is not what it used to be. Eight thousand years ago, a single drop might have coaxed something out. Nowadays... I doubt even essence blood from a third- or fourth-rank Sovereign would suffice! And at that level, who would waste a drop of essence blood just to stimulate some negligible Dao resonance?" Neither paid much more thought to the duel outside. Both were first-rank Sovereigns; their strength might differ slightly, and Li Hao appeared somewhat weaker since he seemed young and newly ascended. Yet between first-rank Sovereigns of the same tier, a clear victory was difficult to achieve. It simply depended on whether the newcomer would keep his word and hand over a drop of essence blood—otherwise, he might just flee outright. After all, was the Yunyang Sovereign truly going to pursue him to the death over a single drop of essence blood? That would risk life and limb. ... Outside the South Boundary Gate. Li Hao shifted rapidly through the void, and the Yunyang Sovereign gave chase in close pursuit. After several shifts, they arrived at a spot not too far from the gate. Just as the Yunyang Sovereign opened his mouth to speak, Li Hao's gaze turned chillingly cold. In an instant, an aura of life and death surged. A brilliant glow erupted from the longsword in his hand, and the River of Life and Death fused into the blade in the blink of an eye, intertwined with the lingering destructive power of the chaos lightning tribulation! "Bright Moon!" With a low shout, the sword cleaved outward. Life and death revolved, turning heaven and earth into shades of monochrome. The Yunyang Sovereign's face warped with horror! The Dao of Life and Death? In that single instant, his visage aged drastically. In his sheer terror, he unleashed a searing solar force, but in a breath, that scorching solar energy was snuffed out, collapsing into deathly stillness! Suddenly, this Sovereign seemed to undergo the Five Decays of Heaven and Man! Within the blink of an eye, his skin began to sag. His power deteriorated rapidly! Simultaneously, vitality was drained away as Li Hao's sword—laced with the might of chaos lightning tribulation—slashed down! With a sharp crack, a mighty Sovereign was cleaved directly into dust, his blazing sun crashing and shattering in an instant! The great river swept through, swallowing everything in the span of a breath. Li Hao's expression remained detached. "A first-rank Sovereign without a Great Dao Universe... a refugee fleeing a ruined Medium World. Far inferior to the Red Moon Sovereigns, barely comparable to Shigu after he lost his Red Moon Dao!" Such beings were far too weak. Back when he had still been a half-step Sovereign, he could already slay them! Now that he had genuinely advanced to Sovereign—a Sovereign of Life and Death, no less—he was not the least bit inferior to any second-rank Sovereign. For such trash to provoke him? If not for the risk of courting unnecessary complications, Li Hao would not have feared even if all three Sovereigns back at the hill attacked together. Even if the third-rank Sovereign backing this man appeared, Li Hao would have no cause to fear. A third-rank without a Great Dao Universe was far inferior to the third-rank from Red Moon. In fact, Li Hao estimated that such Sovereigns could be downgraded by a full rank, roughly on par with a second-rank Sovereign from a Great World. Shaking his head, he reflected that without a Great Dao Universe, a cultivator's internal Daos were disordered and posed no genuine threat! The benchmarks he measured himself against were the experts of premier Great Worlds, not petty fry like this who only wasted his time. He had come to observe the Dao, not squander minutes on minnows. Still, killing a Sovereign yielded some benefits... storing them away wasn't bad either. Smiling, Li Hao vanished in an instant. ... The Coiling Dragon Well. True to his word, Li Hao returned in mere moments, looking somewhat annoyed. "The moment we stepped outside, that fellow was nowhere to be seen. I waited a bit, but who knows where he went. Did we head in different directions? Whatever, I couldn't be bothered to keep waiting!" "..." The two Sovereigns were stunned, then chuckled. They didn't think much of it. It had been far too quick; Li Hao's robes weren't even wrinkled, showing no signs of combat. Instead, they wondered whether this fellow hadn't gone outside at all, deliberately playing the other man for a fool! Or perhaps the moment they left, he slipped right back, leaving the Yunyang Sovereign waiting out there alone. If so... this kid was quite the sly one! The female Sovereign chuckled as well. "If you wish to meditate, observe quickly and leave early, lest he returns and refuses to let the matter rest!" Li Hao laughed. "He probably got lost! How could he return so quickly? Or maybe he had other business to attend to—who knows? I doubt he'll be back anytime soon. But thank you for the warning, elder sister. I'll just take a look, and if there's nothing to gain, I'll be on my way shortly!" The two Sovereigns said nothing more. Li Hao did not chatter further, sitting down cross-legged. Deathly stillness swirled around him, cloaking his figure. Amid the desolate gloom, a faint glimmer emerged, hidden from outside detection. A wisp of subtle time power manifested. Time reversal! At that moment, in the world outside, faint signs of tribulation lightning appeared, though exceedingly weak. Li Hao's time power was also exceedingly faint; while dark clouds began to gather, they failed to lock onto a target for the time being. Yet these faint dark clouds caught the attention of several experts. Before long, Temple Master Huilong floated into the air. Looking beyond the Great World and up at the sky, he frowned slightly and murmured, "Tribulation clouds? Chaos lightning tribulation? An unformed tribulation cloud..." He turned his gaze back toward the Great World, sinking into deep thought. Why had an anomaly suddenly appeared? Could it be... Joy abruptly flickered in his eyes. Could it be... that the opportunity of the Tianfang Great World was about to manifest? Otherwise, why would a chaos lightning tribulation appear out of nowhere! If that were the case... At the thought, his excitement grew. Suddenly, his brow furrowed again as he looked into the distance, sensing unusual traces. Flying over to investigate, he murmured with narrowed eyes, "A Sovereign has fallen?" Strange! Why would a Sovereign perish here? "Cultivators of Huilong Temple, keep an eye out for any Sovereigns who passed by or left recently... Investigate whether someone infiltrated our Huilong Temple's territory. It seems a Sovereign has just perished..." He suspected it might be the work of the other three factions, in need of essence blood. Damnable! This was Huilong Temple's territory. ... Meanwhile. Ju Ao's face turned deathly pale, his heart seized by immense shock! At that very moment, Li Hao's voice echoed in his mind: "Fellow Daoist Ju Ao, have you learned of some news?" Ju Ao trembled to his core! "If there is news, you may let me know, so as not to make things difficult for you." Ju Ao dared not utter a sound, holding his breath as boundless dread flooded his mind! Who on earth... was this man? Had a Sovereign truly just died? How could that be! In this moment, he was in sheer disbelief, unable to fathom it. Li Hao, however, remained completely unfazed. Killing a Sovereign inevitably left some traces; there was no helping that. If it was discovered... then let it be discovered. What was the big deal? Once he finished inspecting these sites, he would simply make his escape! He feared nothing at all!