Fellow Daoist

So what if it was? It wasn't that Li Hao was invincible; he simply had no fear. Fearlessness did not mean he could match a sixth-rank Sovereign. It was merely a state of mind. He had met many high-rank Sovereigns, whether seeking the Dao or inquiring about it. Those high-rank Sovereigns had either aided him or posed a threat to him. All of them were rare sights along the path of his life. Even if they were enemies, a sixth-rank Sovereign, perilous as they might be... where along the path of cultivation was danger absent? The moment he walked out of Silver Moon, hadn't he anticipated all of this? Whether it was Red Moon or Huilong Temple, they were nothing more than stones along the Great Dao. Move them aside, or crush them to pieces. If the road was blocked and there was no way forward, having witnessed the grandeur of the journey, what did it matter even if he died? A Sovereign of Life and Death who couldn't see through life and death—how could such a person cultivate life and death? At this moment, Li Hao gained a slightly different understanding of the Dao of Life and Death. To be without dread of life and death, without fear of life and death, yet... to hold life and death in awe! "He who hears the Dao in the morning may die content in the evening"—but first, one had to truly hear the Dao. Life and death were not to be feared; what was terrifying was to die as light as a feather. Throwing one's life away for nothing was not cultivation. Even the Dao of Life and Death was not cultivated like that. All sorts of thoughts surfaced in his mind. Li Hao said nothing, continuing to cultivate. Within his River of Life and Death, aside from the Sovereign he had slain earlier, there was actually another Red Moon Sovereign. A third-rank Sovereign! Naturally, much of that Red Moon Sovereign's energy had already merged into the Silver Moon realm to supply several powerhouses with what they needed to cultivate, but a considerable amount had still merged into Li Hao's River of Life and Death. Today, a portion of that energy was digested by Li Hao. Combined with the Dao lectures from the two seventh-rank Sovereigns, even though Li Hao didn't instantly advance to the second rank, he now possessed a much clearer direction for his path. Life and death remained the core at this stage! *For life and death to undergo a metamorphosis... I still need some time. The transition of life and death: instant life, instant death, life and death separated by a single thought!* Li Hao reached a moment of enlightenment. If the Dao of Life and Death were to enter the third rank—or even achieve a transformation to step into the fourth rank—certain elements were required. *The transition between life and death would best be gathered into a Life and Death Millstone using the power of life and the power of death!* *Traversing the river, harmonizing yin and yang!* *Three hundred and sixty illusory Daos, three hundred and sixty corporeal Daos, each Dao paired with another to form three hundred and sixty Life and Death Bridges!* In that instant, Li Hao once again attained a clear perception of his path. The path he walked was the unity of all Daos, but at this stage, life and death took precedence. He had already begun fusing the corporeal and illusory Daos. Yet the fusion was not yet harmonious enough with life and death. He needed to forge three hundred and sixty bridges of life and death between the corporeal and illusory. Intertwining life and death, they would form the foundation of the river, while his physical body served as the barrier of the boundary realm. Only in this way could he swiftly step into the third rank of life and death and undergo metamorphosis. At this point, Li Hao drifted into deep contemplation. After uniting the three hundred and sixty Daos, he had always wondered how he should proceed next. The two Sovereigns of Tianfang had granted him further insight. A Dao was not unique. The Dao of Fire was not singular; there were many. The Dao of the Physical Body was likewise not unique. None of the world's various Daos were unique. Subdivide the Daos! Take the three hundred and sixty Daos and divide them again, refining them into finer branches! That way, with the River of Life and Death as the foundation of his Great Dao, he could gather the Bright Moon Sword Dao—the sword of a thousand Daos, the sword of ten thousand Daos—turning it into a true sword of a thousand Daos and ten thousand Daos, rather than the vague designation it currently was! Beside him, Ju Ao waited silently for Huilong Temple's response. Endless apprehension churned in his heart. What would the consequences be? Would Huilong Temple come directly to capture this man? Or would they... play along first? At this moment, he had no idea what those Sovereigns were thinking. As for Li Hao... to this day, Ju Ao didn't know his real name, only that he called himself the Bright Moon Sovereign! Bright Moon... Silver Moon! Though the two were different, he couldn't stop his mind from racing, and the more he thought about it, the more terrified he grew. Looking back at Li Hao, the man seemed lost in thought, which only deepened Ju Ao's unease. Right then, Li Hao suddenly looked up. A moment later, Ju Ao's expression changed abruptly as space rippled in the void. A figure materialized. Ju Ao startled. Recognizing the arrival, he hurriedly said, "This subordinate greets Sovereign Kongji!" Sovereign Kongji! One of the few middle-rank Sovereigns of Huilong Temple, possessing fourth-rank strength. Although the Dao Lord of Huilong Temple was of the sixth rank, it did not mean Huilong Temple possessed many middle-rank Sovereigns. Quite the contrary. Even if middle-rank Sovereigns sought patronage, most would align with a great world rather than a sixth-rank Sovereign without a world of his own! Thus, aside from the Huilong Temple Master himself, Huilong Temple had only three middle-rank Sovereigns: two at the fourth rank and one at the fifth rank. Such strength was already formidable. Four middle-rank Sovereigns in total! Every single one of them was an authority in Huilong Temple, not a subordinate. Even the Huilong Temple Master treated these middle-rank Sovereigns with courtesy. Whenever there were tasks, he offered benefits to enlist their cooperation, never issuing mere commands. Otherwise, boundless as the chaos was, even great worlds welcomed middle-rank Sovereigns with open arms; why would any stoop to serving a sixth-rank Sovereign? This time, shortly after the report was submitted, a fourth-rank Sovereign had arrived in person. Clearly, Huilong Temple took this matter very seriously. Li Hao didn't react immediately. Instead, he mulled over his thoughts, made sense of several matters, and only then gave a slight bow. "Li Hao of the Bright Moon World greets the Sovereign!" Sovereign Kongji appeared youthful. He showed no annoyance at Li Hao's slight delay in greeting him. After inspecting the surroundings, he gave a slight nod and a faint smile. "Pardon my intrusion. I hope I have not disturbed your enlightenment, fellow Daoist!" "Sovereign Kongji is too polite!" The two exchanged pleasantries. Meanwhile, doubt flickered within Kongji. Just now, had some Dao resonance manifested here? A very faint impression! Yet it felt somewhat familiar. Still... when Dao resonance manifested, the disturbance shouldn't have been so tiny, nor the area of influence so localized. Questions lingered in his mind. Furthermore, the man introduced his origin as the Bright Moon World... a place he had never heard of. Li Hao? Li Hao... The surname Li was translated differently across the various worlds of the primal chaos universe, but translated into common speech, it was recognizable. Such a naming convention, carrying this particular surname, bore a striking resemblance to Neo-Martial! To his knowledge, the Neo-Martial World had many experts surnamed Li. Sword Venerable Li Changsheng. Heaven Suppressing King... or rather, Heaven Suppressing Sovereign Li-something. In any case, Kongji knew he was surnamed Li, though his full name escaped him. In addition, there was Underworld Sovereign Li Zhen, said to be a descendant of the Heaven Suppressing Sovereign, another exceptionally formidable swordsman. And this man, Li Hao... In the past, the Silver Moon World was overseen by the Sword Venerable. Silver Moon World, Bright Moon World. At this moment, the fourth-rank Sovereign could not resist looking Li Hao up and down. Li Hao was very young; going by the level of his life force, his youth was plainly discernible. Yet despite that youth... traces of Dao resonance drifted around him. This was no ordinary Sovereign! Some Sovereigns were indeed Sovereigns, but they had not a trace of Dao resonance on them. Their breakthrough was entirely a stroke of sheer, dumb luck, and their comprehension of the Dao remained pathetically weak. As a middle-rank Sovereign, Kongji looked down on such individuals. Even if they possessed raw power... he still held them in contempt. Cultivating the Dao without comprehending it amounted to nothing in the end. He, too, was a seeker of the Dao. Looking at Li Hao now, he felt a measure of respect. Even if this man was merely a first-rank Sovereign, in Kongji's eyes, he was superior to many of the second or third rank. What was more... if what Ju Ao said was true, and this man had wiped out a Sovereign in an instant, he was even less simple. Could he be the Neo-Martial Human King? That was one of the reasons Kongji had come instead of Daoist Huilong. Going by Ju Ao's account, this man... might be the Neo-Martial Human King in disguise. Yet one look was enough for Kongji to determine that he was not the Neo-Martial Human King. They were completely different! Though he had never met the Human King, he had heard of the man's style and character. One look at Li Hao made it clear that the two were not cut from the same cloth. Countless thoughts flashed through Kongji's mind. He smiled and said, "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Bright Moon! Ju Ao informed me that you intend to join Huilong Temple. Is that truly the case? Having a Sovereign willing to join us would be an occasion for great celebration! That is why I could not wait to come meet you, without sending word beforehand. Please do not blame me for being discourteous!" "Senior Kongji is too kind!" Li Hao smiled in turn. "I indeed have such intentions. Of course, I am merely a passerby. My heart lies in roaming the chaos. Once I gather what I need for cultivation, I will depart and not linger here indefinitely." "That is only natural." Kongji found nothing wrong with that; this was the norm. Unless Sovereigns lacked great ambition, who would willingly remain in one place forever? Having finally walked out of their own world, why get tied down to another to toil like an ox or horse for someone else? What would be the point? They would be better off enjoying their freedom in their own small world! At least there, they were a hegemon in their own right. Why stay here and act according to someone else's whims? "That is of no consequence. Even I cannot say that I will remain in Tianfang or Huilong Temple forever!" Kongji chuckled softly. "Cultivators cultivate the Dao to broaden their horizons and deepen their insights, wandering the four quarters and journeying through the chaos until the day comes when they can wander no longer. Then they either take root where they are or return to their origin. Along the way, whether factions or landscapes, they are merely scenery along the path of our cultivation!" Li Hao froze for a moment, then looked at the Sovereign with genuine sincerity. "Senior truly possesses the demeanor of a seeker of the Dao. When I came to Tianfang, I thought everyone here came for the sake of cultivating the Dao. Instead, I found... they have closed themselves off. Not only that, but their dispositions do not even compare to some of the experts I have met before, bearing none of the bearing a Sovereign should possess! Becoming enraged at the slightest provocation, barking in helpless fury—what meaning is there in that?" These words clearly pointed at someone. Kongji smiled. "Some people advanced entirely by luck, or were pulled up by others, possessing no true skill of their own. Forgive them, fellow Daoist; such people can only ever bear the title of Sovereign for their entire lives without the substance of one! They disgrace the dignity of Sovereigns and make fools of themselves. Pay them no mind!" Li Hao sighed. "I was too narrow-minded, assuming all Sovereigns under heaven were like that." "Most are indeed like that," Kongji continued. "With advancing age, no matter how brilliant and heroic one was in youth, once years pile up and hardships wear them down, some may strive upward, while others... squander their potential! In this great world, there are many Sovereigns, but how many truly devote their hearts entirely to the Dao?" He smiled faintly and waved his hand. A pavilion materialized above the crater of the volcano. He chuckled and said, "Fellow Daoist Li, why don't we sit and chat?" "Very well!" Li Hao did not refuse and immediately took a seat. Above the lava, a stone table surfaced. Li Hao produced a jar of wine and smiled. "I wonder if you drink wine, fellow Daoist? I have a jar of good wine here, though I know not whether it suits your palate." "Wine?" Kongji smiled. "I have heard of it, but never tasted it, as customs differ across worlds. I do know it is a fine thing, so today I can broaden my horizons!" Only then did Ju Ao snap out of his daze and hurry forward. "Honored Sovereigns, allow me to pour your wine!" Sovereign Kongji was actually being so polite to this man. What was going on? The conflict he had anticipated had not occurred at all. How strange. Ju Ao dared not speak, nor did he have anything to say. He quickly took the jar of wine Li Hao had brought out. But the moment he touched it, his face flushed crimson, and his entire being seemed plunged into an ocean of desire. One moment his expression twisted in ferocity, the next in madness, and the next he sank into dead silence as death qi emerged. Kongji glanced at Ju Ao, who held the wine jar without moving an inch. Kongji observed him and understood. *The power of the Red Moon!* *The power of death!* The Li Hao before him was far from simple, and this jar of wine was even less so. *Cough! Cough!* A soft cough rang out like a sobering alarm, or the grand bell of the Great Dao. Ju Ao jolted awake, his eyes clearing as he instantly regained his composure, terror gripping his heart! The next moment, he seemed to reach a sudden realization. He bowed deeply. "Thank you, Honored Sovereigns!" In that single instant, he seemed to have gained an insight. Though it was not entirely distinct, it felt as though his heart had undergone a trial of tempering. For a cultivator at the Heavenly King level, stepping into the Sovereign realm was exceedingly difficult. A single trial of tempering the heart was far more critical than devouring countless stores of energy. Terrifying! Li Hao also looked at Kongji thoughtfully. "The Dao of Sound... no, it isn't. Is it the Dao of Desolate Nothingness?" Kongji's expression shifted slightly. He looked at Li Hao and smiled. "Fellow Daoist, you truly are... remarkably knowledgeable! The Dao of Desolate Nothingness... what a fine name! I usually refer to it as the Dao of Emptiness. Thus, I took it as my name: Kongji! Yet ninety-nine percent of cultivators fail to understand its deeper meaning, and some Sovereigns even think I specialize in the Dao of Sound. After only a single encounter, you saw through it... Your vision and discernment are certainly not what a first-rank Sovereign should possess!" Deep down, he was profoundly shaken. Possessing raw strength did not equate to possessing broad knowledge, nor did it mean having a clear and serious grasp of the Great Dao. Take the Neo-Martial Human King, for instance... Well, that was merely how the outside world portrayed him. In truth, for the Neo-Martial Human King to advance swiftly to the seventh rank, he had to possess an extraordinarily profound comprehension of the Dao of Yin and Yang, if nothing else; he simply put on that reckless facade. Kongji had never dared to underestimate him! Everyone claimed the Human King was just lucky... absolute nonsense! If it were mere luck that allowed him to reach the sixth rank in a great world, Kongji might have chalked it up to dumb fortune. But to swiftly break through to the seventh rank and become a seventh-rank Yin-Yang Sovereign—if that was luck, then all Sovereigns under heaven were useless trash! As Kongji pondered, his thoughts returned to Li Hao. A first-rank Sovereign? Perhaps... he truly was. Yet his perception of the Dao was remarkably keen. Where could this man have acquired such breadth of vision? Thoughts raced through Kongji's mind, leading him to a conjecture: this man was the new king of Silver Moon! The new king who had emerged from Silver Moon after fifty-odd years! Li Hao... was he related to the Sword Venerable? He didn't know. Yet that was of no consequence! At that moment, Ju Ao poured wine for the two of them. Kongji lifted his cup and drank it down. Instantly, an eruption of death power surged forth, accompanied by a rising tide of desire. It seemed ready to scorch him! Desire threatened to burn him, but the chilly power of death burst forth at once, extinguishing the flame of desire. Kongji's heart stirred, and he looked toward Ju Ao. "It seems I acted superfluously earlier. When desire burns and death snuffs it out, had I not interfered, the awakening of desire followed by the destruction wrought by death would have left your mind even clearer, giving you a better grasp of what the Dao truly is!" With a sigh, he looked at Li Hao. "I acted rashly! I thought you were testing me, fellow Daoist." Li Hao smiled. "I would not dare test you! The power of death is simply something ordinary people avoid. You intervened for Ju Ao's benefit. Some people would rather see a Heavenly King perish just to probe their counterpart and see their hidden cards... You are far better than the other Sovereigns I have encountered." "You flatter me!" By now, Ju Ao understood as well and hurriedly said, "Many thanks to Sovereign Bright Moon for your guidance!" "It was merely a jar of wine!" Li Hao smiled. "It was brewed from the power of a Red Moon Sovereign, combined with a bit of the death power born from within myself." "This Red Moon Sovereign..." Kongji smiled. "Must be Sovereign Yinghun of the Red Moon Great World, a third-rank Sovereign! Of course, while great world Sovereigns are powerful, that only applies to some. Others simply rode the coattails of another's ascension! Among third-rank Sovereigns, he was merely ordinary." Li Hao nodded. "I am not too familiar with other third-rank Sovereigns... but that one was still somewhat difficult to deal with." "That is only relative. If you were at the third rank, slaying him would be as easy as reaching into a pocket!" At this moment, Ju Ao was terrified once more. Heavens above! What in the world were these two talking about? Moreover, had Sovereign Kongji truly seen through this person's identity? Was this man... truly the new king of Silver Moon? Yet how old could the new king of Silver Moon be? No matter how many years had passed within the Silver Moon World, to the outside world, it had only been fifty-odd years. To produce a Sovereign in fifty-odd years after losing contact—well, small worlds did sometimes give birth to Sovereigns quickly. But... for a newly emerged Sovereign to slay a third-rank Sovereign... what kind of concept was that? Which Sovereign wasn't an incomparably mighty existence? Furthermore, this Li Hao dared to expose his identity so openly right here—was he truly not afraid of Huilong Temple making trouble for him? Killing him... might yield a medium world! At this moment, Ju Ao couldn't make sense of it all. He couldn't understand Sovereign Kongji either. Kongji was a fourth-rank Sovereign; if Li Hao wasn't the Neo-Martial Human King, but merely the new king of Silver Moon, it shouldn't be difficult for a fourth-rank to kill him! Li Hao and Kongji paid Ju Ao no mind. Li Hao thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps! Yet reaching the third rank is difficult." "Is it truly difficult for you?" Kongji took a sip of wine and chuckled. "If you had sufficient energy, you might step directly into the third rank. The third rank shouldn't be a hurdle for you... the fourth rank is where the difficulty ought to begin." "It takes time." Li Hao made no false modesty. "At my current pace, it will take at least three to five years." "..." Ju Ao was so astounded he didn't dare make a sound. Kongji also paused, then laughed. "Impressive! Three to five years... I was thinking thirty to fifty years, or even three to five hundred years, would already count as genius! Now it seems you are far more confident and assured... That makes sense. After all, you are someone who comprehended the Dao independently!" Li Hao shook his head. "No, I borrowed the legacy of predecessors!" "Even that is remarkable!" The two spoke as if trading riddles. Ju Ao felt cold all over, so dazed that he momentarily forgot to pour more wine. Only when Kongji tapped his cup lightly did Ju Ao regain his senses, hurriedly refilling both of their cups. Kongji drank another cup, seemingly savoring it. After a moment, he said, "Over at Huilong Temple, the Temple Master is interested in getting involved, hoping to become a seventh-rank Sovereign... To me, it holds little meaning! Reaching the sixth rank is merely a matter of time for me! But the seventh rank is far too difficult! Besides, by the time I truly reach the sixth rank, the battle in the Red Moon Region may already be over." "The Red Moon Great World is no match for Neo-Martial!" He shook his head. "The Lord of Red Moon, an eighth-rank Sovereign, has actually begun seeking outside aid. That is a lack of confidence... Even if everyone claims it is because their foundation runs deep, what use is deep foundation? Facing Neo-Martial, he actually had to summon other worlds to assist, hoping to borrow strength to strike back... That is the root of failure!" "That is the first reason! Second, the Neo-Martial Human King is utterly reckless, slaughtering everywhere to clip Red Moon's wings, while simultaneously intimidating the surrounding regions. A man's reputation precedes him; the Lord of Red Moon is actually afraid." "Third, the Red Moon World is built upon desire... The stronger the desire, the greater the fear! Neo-Martial is different. Neo-Martial is renowned for its madness, but at its core, it is not madness, but faith! A steadfast faith—not in the Human King, but... in their race, in their spirit, in rebellion!" He spoke with effortless eloquence: "Under such circumstances, Neo-Martial has swept through its region in merely a thousand years in the chaos. The Neo-Martial Human King—I won't claim he'll reach the ninth rank, but the eighth rank is an inevitability in my view, perhaps very soon! Earlier, he directly ignited the Great Dao Universe of the Absolute Darkness Great World. What does that signify? Everyone saw madness, but I saw that the Great Dao Universe of a great world was no longer of any use for his advancement!" Li Hao startled. Pondering it, he nodded. Yes, it was useless! Otherwise, given the Neo-Martial Human King's character, he would certainly have devoured it and sought a way to stir up other storms. If devouring it could propel him to the eighth rank... he would have gone straight to slay another great world. Li Hao had almost overlooked this point earlier. This meant the Great Dao Universe of an entire great world had ceased to be useful for the Human King's advancement. That alone... proved he had likely reached the peak of the seventh rank, perhaps infinitely close to the eighth rank! Kongji smiled. "Thus, my assessment is that Neo-Martial will win! Of course, that is merely my personal judgment. After all, I am only of the fourth rank; the gap between us is too vast for me to jump to conclusions!" Having said that, curiosity tinged his voice. "If the one who came today wasn't me, but someone else, and your identity was exposed, fellow Daoist, what would you have done?" He had come and conversed freely with Li Hao. Yet had it been another Sovereign who learned Li Hao's identity... the temptation of a medium world was immense. It likely would have led to a fight! Li Hao smiled. "This is the Tianfang Great World. In years past, incomparably powerful beings existed here! I possess no great ability myself, but if pressed to the brink of death, I might... be able to borrow a bit of power. Naturally, I would pay a tremendous price, but... no one would have an easy time of it!" Borrow power! Kongji froze once more. How could he borrow power? He didn't quite understand. Perhaps there were many kinds of Great Daos. The person before him might truly be capable of it—Tianfang had once been home to a ninth-rank Sovereign! Borrowing power here... could he even borrow the power of the ninth rank? If so... that was utterly terrifying! So terrifying that the entire Tianfang Region would be powerless against a ninth-rank power. This was another person's trump card, so he did not pry. Yet he knew that Li Hao's words were not necessarily an empty threat. There was no need for that. Had it been a bluff, Li Hao would likely not have stayed at all, fleeing long ago. That meant it was true. With that in mind, Kongji added, "Was the chaos tribulation cloud outside caused by you, fellow Daoist?" "Most likely." "Frightening!" "It annoys me too!" Li Hao smiled wryly and shook his head helplessly. "To me, that thing's existence... is too troublesome! I've already experienced it many times. It's far too annoying!" Kongji couldn't help laughing. "Saying that sounds a bit boastful!" Li Hao laughed as well. "Does it?" "It certainly does!" Kongji chuckled, then asked, "How long do you plan to stay upon joining Huilong Temple?" "One year." "One year?" Kongji pondered for a moment and nodded. "In one year, the Chaos Bandit Alliance will mobilize. It seems... you have plans of your own! At that time, a fourth-rank Sovereign will lead the operation. Not weak, but... nothing more than that. In truth, that is merely bait. Both sides are matching wits to see who is the superior player!" Li Hao frowned slightly. "Their target isn't those two?" "No!" Kongji shook his head, thought for a moment, and said, "Most likely, it's the Sword Venerable! The Sword Venerable oversaw Silver Moon, so he still holds affection for it. That is the first reason. Second, the loss of Silver Moon was due to his failure to guard it properly, which is a disgrace to the Sword Venerable! To wipe away that disgrace, would he be worthy of the title of Neo-Martial's Sword Venerable if he didn't slay eight or ten Sovereigns?" He smiled. "It is said the Sword Venerable has already stepped into the sixth rank. As a sword cultivator, his combat prowess is terrifyingly high! Therefore, it is very likely that high-rank Sovereigns will take action this time!" Li Hao drew in a breath. "I certainly cannot afford to provoke that level!" "You still dare to get involved?" Kongji laughed despite himself. "I'll just listen from the sidelines. If Huilong Temple asks me to go, I won't! Whoever wants to go can go! Yet you still entertain such thoughts—fellow Daoist, you are truly... audaciously bold! You can borrow power in Tianfang, but can you do so in the chaos? As far as I can tell, that won't work in the chaos!" Li Hao nodded. "It is difficult in the chaos!" "Isn't that right, then? Neo-Martial's Supreme is no pushover either. I reckon a fierce contest between dragons and tigers is inevitable. You and I should just watch the show; why get entangled in it?" "I have no choice; I owe a karmic debt! Debts of gratitude are hard to repay." "True enough!" Kongji nodded and sighed softly. "A debt of gratitude... for us cultivators, if left unpaid, even our Dao hearts cannot bear the weight!" "Indeed!" The two conversed back and forth, while Ju Ao stood to the side, feeling... genuinely shaken to his core. Sovereign Kongji was usually a man of few words. Yet today, he chatted with this man with immense delight. As for the intelligence Ju Ao had reported, and Li Hao's true identity, Kongji didn't seem to care much at all. Why was this? And this Li Hao... he truly spoke without reservation. Was he really not afraid? Too many questions flooded Ju Ao's mind! Li Hao continued, "I will stay for one year. I won't harm Huilong Temple, nor do I have the ability to do so! I simply wish for a legitimate identity—that is the first thing. Second, I want to kill a few adversaries, so I need some convenience. I hope to receive a bit of leeway! Third, after killing people, I want to exchange for Great Dao crystals; can Huilong Temple provide me with channels for that? Fourth, you excel in the Dao of Desolate Nothingness—the Dao of Emptiness. While not identical to the Dao of Death, they share similarities. When I advance, I am willing to do so using life and death, allowing you to observe my Dao. In return, could you do me a favor and create a realm of desolate nothingness for me within Tianfang when I advance?" Kongji nodded. "That can be arranged. You certainly know your way around; the Dao of Emptiness is best suited for concealment. However... if you trigger a lightning tribulation, I will be powerless!" "That won't happen... So long as I don't act recklessly, a minor advancement won't provoke a tribulation." "Then it is settled!" Kongji didn't seem surprised by his breakthrough through life and death. He smiled and said, "I too would like to see what is unique about an advancement through the Dao of Life and Death! Life and death, yin and yang—these are prominent Great Daos in the chaos! My Dao of Emptiness is merely a minor Dao... To observe a cultivator of a supreme Dao is a rare opportunity!" At this moment, neither of them knew the other intimately. Yet they seemed to hit it off completely. Because the moment Li Hao laid eyes on Kongji, he saw that the man possessed profound Dao resonance and was a true cultivator of the Dao. For such beings... whether killing people or seizing treasures, none of that was the core. The core was comprehending the Dao! He and Li Hao were perhaps birds of a feather. They merely walked different paths! Different paths were no hindrance; seeking common ground while preserving differences was enough. They could exchange insights. Kongji possessed formidable strength, yet the Great Dao was meant for exchange, not forcible plunder. Plundering only took what someone possessed in the present, not their future or their potential. Thus, seizing Daos was not the point! When people like them met, they could genuinely converse. So long as it didn't infringe upon their core interests, there was nothing that couldn't be discussed. Kongji added, "By the way, to give the Temple Master an explanation... do not cause trouble within the Huilong Domain! If you have ideas, you may go elsewhere. Huilong Temple has a great world backing it, after all! As for whether the Temple Master will take action against Neo-Martial... that is their business. Once outside the Tianfang World, do as you please! But since I am the one assessing you this time... do not put me in a difficult position, fellow Daoist!" "Of course!" Li Hao nodded. "I certainly won't!" Having said that, curiosity stirred within him. "Did you come for Tianfang's Great Dao Universe, fellow Daoist?" "Not entirely. It is an opportunity, but whether one obtains it depends on luck! If I get it, splendid; if not, so be it. What I need to comprehend is desolate nothingness... and Tianfang is an immense world of desolate nothingness!" Li Hao hadn't concealed anything, and Kongji didn't seem to mind explaining either. "The powerhouses of Tianfang vanished, leaving the Great Dao a vacuum. Yet the world itself is a great world, a top-tier great world. This place is a realm of desolate nothingness! In truth, it would be best if the Great Dao Universe did not manifest, but even if it does, that is fine. Desolate nothingness giving birth to vitality, from nonexistence into existence—the day that happens will be my opportunity to advance to the fifth rank, or even the sixth!" "Desolate nothingness... vitality!" Li Hao thought deeply, nodded, and slapped the table in admiration. "Yes, splendid! If a Great Dao Universe is born here from nonexistence into existence, within what is itself a top-tier great world, it truly is your opportunity! This carries a flavor akin to the Daos of corporeal and illusory, life and death, yin and yang! In that case, all Daos under heaven should have corporeal and illusory aspects, corresponding in pairs!" "Exactly!" Kongji smiled. "That is precisely what I think!" "Your thinking is sound, and I agree!" The two grew more excited the more they spoke, exchanging their insights. Li Hao had once commanded a Great Dao Universe, comprehended the Chaotic River, experienced a rudimentary form of all Daos, traversed time, perceived life and death, and received guidance from several high-rank Sovereigns. His comprehension of the Great Dao was top-tier. And Kongji was equally extraordinary. The Dao of Desolate Nothingness... Li Hao had never encountered it before, but by drawing analogies, he could still understand, comprehend, and experience it! This was perhaps a fine Great Dao as well. Desolate nothingness, moving from nonexistence into existence! The more they conversed, the more they felt the profound joy of the Great Dao. Beside them, although Ju Ao couldn't understand it, he etched everything he heard that day into his memory. Of these two, one was merely a first-rank Sovereign, while the other was a fourth-rank Sovereign. Having known each other for less than an hour, they had begun discussing the Dao without hiding anything from Ju Ao. To Ju Ao, this felt like the greatest fortunate encounter of his entire life! These two... gave him an impression even more... enigmatic than some sixth-rank Sovereigns! As for stronger beings, he had never seen any. He had only ever seen sixth-rank Sovereigns! Take his own Temple Master, for instance: in the past, he thought the Temple Master was impossibly lofty. Yet today, he suddenly felt that Sovereign Kongji, who normally maintained a very low profile, seemed more... more like what a Sovereign truly was than the Temple Master! That intricate feeling was something he couldn't put into words. He only knew that being able to pour wine for these two Sovereigns today was perhaps... something he would celebrate and take pride in for the rest of his life! ... A long time passed. Both had gained immense rewards. Kongji finished his last cup of wine and smiled. "Let us leave it at that, then. Whenever you are ready to advance, fellow Daoist, you may send word to me, and I will create a realm of desolate nothingness for you! Concealing it from sixth-rank Sovereigns is within my power; the disturbance won't be too large." "Many thanks for your assistance, fellow Daoist!" Li Hao also rose and smiled. "I have gained much today and need some time to digest it. Once I emerge from seclusion and slay that third-rank Sovereign... the power of death should suffice, and the power of life... should be nearly enough as well!" "Then let me congratulate you in advance, fellow Daoist!" "The congratulations are mutual!" Li Hao smiled. "The fifth rank seems close at hand for you, fellow Daoist. Prior to the seventh rank, no hurdle should stand in your way." "From your mouth to the heavens!" Kongji laughed, his figure gradually fading. "When you have time, you may come sit at my place, though it is probably best that you don't; the Temple Master is there as well... I will use the excuse that you are in seclusion to grant you an official status first. Huilong Temple won't look for you for a year. A year from now... you will have to handle things yourself!" "Thank you!" Kongji's figure dissolved completely. Li Hao exhaled softly and chuckled. "The chaos is truly fascinating. Who says Sovereigns are all cultivators of false Daos?" With a hearty laugh, Li Hao felt his gains were substantial. Glancing at Ju Ao, he smiled. "You may go as well. Go into seclusion or stand guard outside as you see fit, and contemplate what you heard. I cannot guarantee you will become a Sovereign, but reaching half-step Sovereign... shouldn't be too difficult for you!" "Thank you for your grace, Honored Sovereign!" Thrilled, Ju Ao dared not say more. He quickly exited the crater and sat cross-legged outside, not leaving. It was as if he were guarding the Dao... even though a Heavenly King guarding a Sovereign's Dao was a joke. Yet... the gesture was what mattered. With the status of Huilong Temple behind him, ordinary Sovereigns would show some respect. Li Hao smiled. Looking in the direction where Kongji had vanished, he sighed with emotion. *That man... will undoubtedly reach the sixth rank. Even though I am only of the first rank, I am certain of it.* Huilong Temple was surprisingly interesting. *When I advance, I wonder if I can comprehend a bit of the Dao of Desolate Nothingness.* Moving from nonexistence into existence perhaps shared a wonderful affinity with his own principle of seeking life through death! And Kongji clearly harbored similar thoughts. The day Li Hao advanced... might also be the moment Kongji broke through to the fifth rank. Was this man truly a cultivator of Huilong Temple? A rogue cultivator? Hardly likely!