Sovereign Kongji dropped Li Hao off in a deserted place, then departed on his own.
Watching him leave, Li Hao sank into deep contemplation.
Extinction and revival.
During his second cycle of life and death, Kongji had tossed in some insights into extinction, which had sparked a revelation within him: the birth of a world began with extinction, followed by revival.
Life and death was the Dao of the cycle of life and death.
Yin and yang were the rotation of heaven and earth's yin and yang—where there was yin, there had to be yang.
The elemental systems like the five elements were the foundation of matter.
These Daos had similarities as well as differences. For Li Hao, this brought even deeper insights. At this moment, he realized one thing: the heaven and earth he had attempted to open before could not truly be called a heaven and earth. It could only be called a small pocket of space.
A true world was not like that.
A true world possessed the five elements, yin and yang, life and death, the cycle of extinction and revival, time, and everything else!
Creating matter from nothing, propagating living beings, the revival of all things, and a complete system.
Only that was a world!
"So... that's how it is!"
Li Hao murmured. In that case, the river he had opened before was truly nothing like a world.
"Heaven and earth, the Great Dao. Heaven and earth form the chaos, while the Great Dao forms the Dao universe..."
Thoughts surfaced continuously in Li Hao's mind.
At this moment, as he absorbed the remaining energy from before, he meditated on other Daos, as well as the traditions imparted by the two high-rank Sovereigns.
The physical body and the elements.
These lineages were all vital.
"Time... is extraordinarily complex! Only when all elements are successfully established can time be born. Yet I have come into contact with time ahead of schedule. Is the time I have touched truly time?"
"And where did the current Dao of Time originate from?"
Li Hao's comprehension of time was actually not very profound.
Everything traced back to that Great Dao star.
The Time Star!
It was precisely the discovery of that star that had brought Li Hao to where he was today.
Only then had the desire to comprehend time awakened in him.
Otherwise, following his original path, he would not have sought to comprehend time, but rather the myriad Daos, taking control of the Dao universe or opening a heaven and earth of his own—and certainly not a heaven and earth of time.
Everything had changed because of the appearance of the Time Star.
"Time is the core of the myriad Daos. I still must comprehend the myriad Daos, or time will remain incomplete."
"Life and death commands the Great Dao, and yin and yang is the second stage... If I cannot comprehend yin and yang, then I will comprehend extinction and revival."
Thoughts raced through Li Hao's mind. For now, he gave no thought to what lay immediately ahead.
Instead, he contemplated how to walk his future path.
As for rescuing Tianji and King Huai next, or assisting Neo-Martial in repelling formidable enemies—those were secondary. An unclear path was the greatest taboo for the future.
Life and Death Bridges began to form once more.
One after another!
The residual energy of a fourth-rank Sovereign was abundant.
As for the treasure left behind by Sovereign Tianhe—that water-element weapon—Li Hao paid it no special heed and tossed it directly to the Sky Sword to consume. Nowadays, whenever he obtained any treasures, he threw nearly all of them to the Sky Sword.
The Sky Sword was constantly growing stronger as well.
The number of Life and Death Bridges gradually reached around one hundred and fifty. Surpassing two hundred and forty should allow him to step into the third rank, and building three hundred and sixty would give him hope of reaching the fourth rank. Even upon entering the fourth rank, however, Li Hao still knew nothing about the Dao of Yin and Yang.
Outside Li Hao's place of seclusion, Ju'ao guarded with all his might, feeble though he appeared.
Yet at this moment, an ardent flame burned within Ju'ao.
A powerhouse capable of killing a fourth-rank Sovereign!
And not just him—Sovereign Kongji, whom he had never paid much attention to normally, spoke with unimaginable grandeur.
That posture of treating everyone below the high ranks as utterly beneath mention had shaken Ju'ao as well.
This Sovereign of Huilong Temple had never been prominent in the temple, keeping a very quiet profile. Yet ever since he met Li Hao and the two began conversing, both of them spoke with exceptional boldness!
Where would these two go in the future?
Neo-Martial, Red Moon, Tianfang...
At this moment, for the very first time, Ju'ao began to formally ponder the coming shifts in heaven and earth, wondering where this corner of chaos was headed and what role these two would play in the upheaval to come.
Presently, the Human King of Neo-Martial, the Lord of Red Moon, and their peers were the true rulers of the chaos.
Everything had plunged into chaotic turbulence because of the war between Red Moon and Neo-Martial.
...
At the same time.
In the Silver Moon realm.
A colossal beast lay prostrate in the chaos. Within its body, a world continuously breathed energy in and out.
The entire Silver Moon world was changing as well.
Two to three months had passed since Li Hao's departure.
During these few months, changes had occurred in the Silver Moon territory. The two Dao masters' power grew day by day as they came into contact with the chaos.
All the people under heaven, tens of billions of living souls, were cultivating the Dao.
As these people grew stronger, the Great Dao strengthened along with them.
By now, the corporeal Dao universe had soared to an unbelievable height compared to the past. Countless stars emerged, and the Chaotic River grew immense, its surging waters battering heaven and earth.
In the Illusory Dao universe, more and more experts were coming into contact with the illusory Dao.
Qian Wuliang had received substantial feedback as well. Although the Illusory Dao universe was still a step behind the corporeal Dao universe, it was making continuous progress overall, and Qian Wuliang's strength was infinitely approaching the Sovereign realm.
A Dao master of a medium world... there had been no precedent in the past.
Under normal circumstances, only great worlds gave birth to Dao universes, and a Dao master was usually at least fourth-rank. Almost no one was weaker than the fourth rank, and even the sixth rank was considered weak.
The seventh rank was the standard level.
Typically, in a great world, if the Dao master and the world master were one and the same, at least one high-rank Sovereign would emerge.
If not united, either two high-rank Sovereigns would emerge, or two sixth-rank Sovereigns. That was the average standard for powerhouses of great worlds across the chaos.
As Li Hao's absence stretched on, more and more experts emerged within Silver Moon.
On this day, several Silver Moon powerhouses gathered together.
...
Inside a small hall, only a select few were qualified to participate in this meeting.
The two Dao masters, Li Hao's master Yuan Shuo, Li Hao's nominal wife Lin Hongyu, the incarnation of Black Panther's Heaven's Will, the King of Dali, and the Silver Moon Queen.
Except for Yuan Shuo, who was still only at the fourth layer of the Dao Integration Realm, the others all possessed the qualifications to enter the Sovereign realm.
Additionally, there were Tianji and Zhang An.
These two had always represented the Neo-Martial faction.
Of the nine powerhouses, everyone except Yuan Shuo approached the Sovereign level.
"Recently... I have sensed powerhouses searching nearby," Qian Wuliang spoke first, his tone somber. "After the marquis departed, the strongest presence on Silver Moon's side has been Black Panther. Black Panther currently possesses the strength of a second-rank Sovereign. But recently... those searching nearby might not be weaker than Sovereign Black Panther!"
"And so far, the only Sovereign our Silver Moon has is Black Panther..."
With Li Hao gone, their defenses were noticeably weaker.
Previously, everyone had been confident of dealing with a third-rank Sovereign. But with Li Hao away, they might not even be a match for a slightly stronger second-rank. After all, Black Panther had taken over another body rather than cultivating to the second rank on his own.
Several pairs of eyes turned toward Qian Wuliang. Aside from Li Hao, this man truly yielded to no one.
Not even Black Panther was an exception.
Qian Wuliang was perhaps the person among them who feared Li Hao the most and possessed the greatest ambition, yet he dared not let Li Hao die. In fact, he was convinced Li Hao would never die—a deeply complicated and warped individual.
Lin Hongyu glanced at him and said, "Dao Master Qian, just speak your mind!"
This meeting had been called on Qian Wuliang's initiative.
As the master of the illusory Dao, he had the right and qualification to do so.
Qian Wuliang cleared his throat lightly. "Now that we have connected with the chaos, we understand that our internal struggles within Silver Moon are truly insignificant, just as the marquis said! The chaos is far too vast, infinitely huge, with infinitely many powerhouses! And a Dao universe is an immense temptation to many experts, unimaginably huge. As it turns out, Dao universes almost never exist beneath great worlds."
"Therefore, once Silver Moon is exposed, even if it has nothing to do with Neo-Martial, it will bring catastrophic disaster!"
Everyone nodded. By now, they understood a fair bit about the chaos as well.
Qian Wuliang continued, "Before leaving, the marquis told us to adapt to circumstances. Loitering near here like this, we will inevitably be discovered by rogue cultivators. In fact, I suspect that because the marquis entered the Tianfang Great World, Tianfang has begun paying greater attention to our Silver Moon, perhaps even actively searching for us!"
Qian Wuliang said softly, "My point is... we cannot simply sit and wait for death, lingering here waiting for the marquis and becoming a burden to him!"
"In addition, regarding Principal Hong and myself... I have an idea, though I do not know if Principal Hong will agree."
"Speak!" Hong Yitang said.
Qian Wuliang said solemnly, "Right now, you and I are both slightly short of the Sovereign level. Becoming a Sovereign is a metamorphosis, and both of us lack the opportunity for that metamorphosis!"
"Governor Lin is in no rush... When the time comes, she is certain to become a Sovereign through the Dao of Life and Death!"
Hong Yitang nodded slightly, thoughts stirring in his mind.
Qian Wuliang continued, "Therefore, my proposal is that you and I pool our full strength to help one person attain the Dao and become a Sovereign!"
"Hm?"
Hong Yitang was taken aback. He had assumed Qian Wuliang would propose himself.
Yet his tone implied someone else?
Could it be Yuan Shuo?
However, Yuan Shuo was only at the fourth layer of the Dao Integration Realm, far too distant from the Sovereign level.
Qian Wuliang was exceedingly direct: "Not Professor Yuan, and not anyone else... but Sovereign Tianji!"
He looked toward Tianji's clone. "Senior is currently a half-step Sovereign clone, not far from the Sovereign level! Senior is from Neo-Martial and walks the origin path. His comprehension remains intact; all he lacks is Great Dao power! If both the corporeal and illusory Dao universes combine their full strength to help Senior advance, he is already a Sovereign... producing a Sovereign-level clone will be effortless!"
Tianji's face filled with wariness, and he showed clear reluctance. "No!"
No way I'm doing that!
Having a Sovereign clone was a good thing, but it was also a bad thing.
The downside was that whenever trouble arose in the future, he would be the first one forced to step up.
Not only that... in short, it was troublesome.
He had no desire for this opportunity!
Go play among yourselves!
He immediately said, "Whichever of you relinquishes their power first to help the other, it shouldn't be hard to become a Sovereign!"
Qian Wuliang shook his head. "That won't do. Without the marquis's permission, neither Principal Hong nor I can surrender control over our respective universes. Otherwise, if the corporeal and illusory Daos merge... problems might arise."
Simply put, both he and Hong Yitang were merely acting custodians.
If the two Daos merged to elevate one person into a Sovereign, wouldn't that amount to usurping the Dao universe?
What if Li Hao still cared?
Wouldn't that be inviting disaster?
It was better to elevate a third party without affecting control, merely providing a vast amount of Great Dao power rather than authority over the Dao universes.
As for Zhang An... he was a viable candidate too.
Yet Zhang An's advancement might encounter complications.
Zhang An's comprehension regarding the merging of the new and old Daos was not yet deep enough.
Tianji, on the other hand, was guaranteed to succeed!
Yet Tianji himself was unwilling, grumbling, "I am merely a clone, not the original! If the clone reaches the Sovereign level while the true body is also a Sovereign, won't the distinction between primary and secondary be blurred?"
Zhang An gently reminded him, "Senior Tianji, after so many years... you must possess at least third-rank strength by now, don't you?"
Would it really blur the distinction between primary and secondary?
If you don't want the trouble, just say so.
Zhang An continued, "Senior, whether you take on trouble or not, trouble will come regardless. You know something of Neo-Martial's current situation. I believe... Neo-Martial will not abandon us and will come looking sooner or later. During this period, we are in great danger. Now that Li Hao has gone out seeking opportunities, we cannot rely on Black Panther for everything, can we? Black Panther is Heaven's Will, not a true Sovereign... Once Black Panther is defeated, the entire world will fall into collapse..."
Just accept it.
Why hide at a time like this?
Tianji felt helpless.
Easy to say.
This matter was not simple.
Furthermore, he sensed that his true body might genuinely be coming. Previously, he had felt nothing, but now he realized his true body did not seem very far away.
That was another reason he found this troublesome.
His true body was himself; unless forced, he would never come over. Heading in this direction meant only one thing: he had been coerced.
Who could coerce him?
The Supreme and the others, of course.
If his true body arrived, it would likely bring colossal trouble. If he became a Sovereign, wouldn't his true body easily pinpoint his exact location? Right now, he didn't even want to establish contact with his true body.
His true body's arrival spelled trouble.
That was the first issue. The second was that if he became a Sovereign, whenever a crisis arose and it was inconvenient for Black Panther to act, he would have to step up. In other words, was he supposed to hold off all those Sovereigns alone?
What a nightmare!
Everyone was looking at him. The King of Dali said expectantly, "If Senior is unwilling... I am actually quite willing!"
Tianji was speechless.
Qian Wuliang also cleared his throat. "That would be very difficult. Although Your Majesty is approaching the half-step Sovereign level, there is still quite a distance to the Sovereign realm..."
If it were that easy to become a Sovereign, it wouldn't be your turn.
If it were so simple, Hong Yitang and I would have become Sovereigns ourselves; why look for Tianji?
It required time.
After contemplating for a moment, Lin Hongyu said, "Let it be Senior Tianji! That way, it won't harm the foundation of the two Dao masters either—it merely expends some Great Dao power, maximizing our interests without delaying the two Dao masters' ascension."
Lin Hongyu added, "As things stand, aside from Li Hao, Black Panther, and the three of us, the rest face difficulties in becoming Sovereigns... If Senior Tianji attains the Sovereign realm, and we wait for the three of us to follow, along with Black Panther and Li Hao, we will have a total of six Sovereign-level combatants. That will at least grant us a modest foothold in the chaos!"
Everyone turned back to Tianji.
Qian Wuliang said, "Senior Tianji, Neo-Martial will never abandon us and will likely send Senior's true body to search for us. If so... Senior's true body is actually in danger, and a stronger clone might even be able to reinforce him!"
At these words, Tianji's heart stirred.
That was true!
If his clone grew strong, he might have a chance to assist his true body.
However...
"Senior, furthermore, if Neo-Martial finds us, the matter of you losing Senior Er Mao will also be troublesome..."
"Er Mao isn't lost!" Tianji snapped.
Who said he was lost?
Isn't he with Li Hao?
"The marquis is away, and who knows when he will return? If he encounters danger... Senior Er Mao will be in peril as well. Only by becoming a Sovereign will Senior have the qualification to roam the chaos and resolve trouble."
Tianji sighed helplessly. "In this day and age, someone is actually forcing me to become a Sovereign?"
What a nightmare!
Seeing this, Qian Wuliang smiled. "Then it's settled!"
Clearly, Tianji had no choice but to accept.
Having reached this point, Qian Wuliang continued, "Apart from Senior Tianji, I have another unformed thought..."
Everyone looked at him once more.
After a moment of deliberation, Qian Wuliang said, "The marquis might not care, but I believe we should care!"
He looked at the group. "I propose recruiting cultivators across the realm to sever or seal their other Dao meridians, leaving only a single Dao meridian behind, like some ancient deities, cultivating the power of a single branch alone... Strengthening one branch will make their cultivation purer. In the end, we can produce a Dao meridian lord. Even if they cannot become a Sovereign today, there is still hope for the Heavenly King Realm or half-step Sovereign!"
At these words, everyone frowned, and even Black Panther's incarnation let out a bark.
This was unacceptable!
The cultivators of the realm possessed complete meridians. Qian Wuliang's suggestion was perilous.
Severing people's opportunities to cultivate other Dao meridians and cutting off their future advancement on the Great Dao purely to cultivate a single branch and elevate a Dao master meant that even if such cultivators grew strong, they would have virtually no future prospects.
Qian Wuliang sighed. "Everyone, I know this is a gamble, and... the marquis might not agree! But among the tens of billions of living beings under heaven, can everyone truly enter the Sovereign realm?"
"Not to look down on the people of the world, but in the entire Silver Moon world, how many can become Sovereigns? A hundred? A thousand? Ten thousand?"
"What about the rest?"
"If everyone tries to cultivate the myriad Daos, their focus will be scattered, and sooner or later their progress will stall or halt entirely..."
"We will not force them right now. We can explain it clearly and recruit volunteers who participate willingly!"
"That way, we might soon produce several Dao meridian lords... who become half-step Sovereigns... Once opportunity arrives, there is hope of achieving the Sovereign realm!"
It was a good method.
Yet it sacrificed the future of some people.
Qian Wuliang was right: could all tens of billions become Sovereigns?
Clearly impossible!
However... doing this might invite substantial trouble. Namely, Li Hao!
Qian Wuliang added, "If the marquis blames anyone, I will bear the responsibility!"
In truth, he felt Li Hao might not necessarily object. Li Hao's temperament was rather... easygoing.
If the individuals agreed voluntarily and were not coerced, Li Hao might not intervene.
And doing this offered a massive benefit.
Not only the Dao meridian lords, but both he and Hong Yitang as Dao masters would benefit. When people's cultivation became purer, their progress grew faster; focusing on a single Dao meant far fewer distractions.
After pondering for a long time, Lin Hongyu nodded. "Then... let it be so!"
With Lin Hongyu's backing, Qian Wuliang breathed a sigh of relief.
Excellent!
Even if trouble arose, someone would share the blame.
He glanced at the others. Yuan Shuo nodded slightly. "It can be done!"
Hong Yitang also nodded. "Since you've proposed it... let us settle on this! As you said, not everyone has hope of becoming a Sovereign; even for us, it is exceedingly difficult! In that case, let it be voluntary... Those willing to abandon other paths and cultivate a single Dao exclusively can be granted preferential resources, including education for their descendants and social status... all can be bestowed upon them."
By now, everyone knew they were innate Dao bodies possessing many Great Daos within.
Giving up other Great Daos to pursue only one sounded like a loss.
If so, they should be compensated.
Zhang An and Tianji exchanged a glance, saying nothing.
They merely felt a trace of emotion... These Silver Moon people were certainly not sitting idle waiting for death. If Qian Wuliang's plan bore fruit, even if no Sovereign was born immediately, there would soon be plenty of Sovereign reserves.
That was far better than the present situation.
Of course, it would also sacrifice the future of many.
"Then it's settled!"
Qian Wuliang smiled. "Today, we will first assist Senior Tianji in ascending to the Sovereign throne!"
Tianji wore a mournful expression. What a helpless situation.
His true body had become a Sovereign merely to live a few years longer.
Now, even his clone was about to become a Sovereign.
Why was becoming a Sovereign so easy?
Couldn't it be a little harder?
What a nuisance!
Shameless though such grumbling seemed, it was the reality. He was the clone of a Sovereign; as long as there was sufficient Great Dao power, his clone—forged over a hundred thousand years—had undergone a refining process no shorter than his true body's.
After such a long time, it was not difficult at all for his clone to become a Sovereign, with no tribulations and no realm bottlenecks.
...
Thus, in the third month after Li Hao's departure, the first to attain the Sovereign realm in Silver Moon was not either of the two Dao masters, but Tianji's clone.
...
Meanwhile.
Drifting through the chaos, Tianji suddenly opened his eyes and looked northward. After a long moment, he cursed under his breath.
Beside him, King Huai asked in confusion, "What is it?"
"Damn it, my clone became a Sovereign!"
"..."
King Huai froze, struck speechless for a long time.
Holy crap!
That works too?
Even your clone became a Sovereign?
How did that happen?
He asked in astonishment, "What... does this mean?"
"I don't know."
Tianji was thoroughly depressed. "Silver Moon is only a small world. How could it produce a Sovereign? For my clone to become a Sovereign requires vast amounts of energy and Great Dao power, and right now the clone cannot connect to the origin universe... Logically speaking, becoming a Sovereign should be virtually impossible."
The reason for his gloom was that becoming a Sovereign meant many things.
For instance, the clone would have to stand at the forefront.
For instance, the clone had encountered a crisis and was forced to ascend.
For instance, various factions were searching for Silver Moon, and Silver Moon was doomed, leaving the clone no choice but to step forward...
In any case, it boded no good!
Moreover, did that new King of Silver Moon elevate his clone so that his true body would rush over to rescue him as quickly as possible?
The more he thought, the more pessimistic he grew!
He looked at King Huai, whose expression was equally grave. "To allow Senior's clone to become a Sovereign... Logically, Silver Moon's energy is very weak. Sustaining even one person's ascension should be extraordinarily difficult right now, yet they could still provide enough for Senior's clone..."
Was this a desperate gamble, knowing that only Tianji's clone could hold the line?
Tianji didn't know either. He could only mutter exasperatedly, "There's another thing... Now that my clone has become a Sovereign, my sense of Silver Moon's location is much clearer! And with the clone becoming a Sovereign, the pull between us is stronger... I think the time it takes us to catch up to Silver Moon might be even shorter."
King Huai grew depressed as well.
In that case, would their danger arrive ahead of schedule?
Should they turn back?
Yet... if the Supreme was monitoring them, turning back now might prompt the Supreme to slaughter them, wouldn't it?
The two Sovereigns exchanged a glance, both steeped in gloom.
Neither felt the slightest bit of ecstasy over a clone becoming a Sovereign.
Anyone else would have been overjoyed.
Having a clone become a Sovereign—how marvelous was that?
Merging the two bodies, even if it didn't push him to the fourth rank, would carry him further along the third-rank path.
Yet Tianji felt no joy whatsoever.
Only helplessness!
Back in the Neo-Martial era, I didn't even want to become a Sovereign. Now, in this Silver Moon era, even my clone has become one... Why bother?
What made Tianji even more helpless was that, perhaps to evade danger, the Silver Moon world seemed to have locked onto his position at this moment and was sailing toward him. In other words, Silver Moon was withdrawing from the direction of the Tianfang Great World and heading back toward the Red Moon domain!
This was the decision made by the powerhouses.
Because more and more experts had appeared recently, they ultimately decided to take the risk of turning back rather than approaching the Tianfang Great World, where powerhouses were growing increasingly numerous.
...
Li Hao was still unaware of all these changes.
He was still in seclusion, perfecting his cultivation system while forging Life and Death Bridges.
By the time the energy from slaying several Sovereigns was nearly depleted—purified heavily by Li Hao with some wasted along the way—he had forged exactly two hundred and twenty Life and Death Bridges. He had not stepped directly into the third rank as originally anticipated.
Still, it was quite good: from the original fifty bridges to the current two hundred and twenty, he had gained a full one hundred and seventy Life and Death Bridges.
Moreover, he had revived himself once.
Without that revival, he might have had a real chance of stepping directly into the third rank, as reviving once had consumed a massive amount of energy.
By Li Hao's estimate, reaching the third rank required at least two hundred and forty bridges.
The gap was not very large.
The Great Dao crystals of first-rank Sovereigns were slightly chaotic, but killing another second-rank Sovereign would guarantee his completion.
Presently, Li Hao stood near the pinnacle of the second rank.
As a Sovereign of Life and Death... he had nothing to fear from third-rank Sovereigns.
...
During Li Hao's seclusion, about half a year had passed in the Tianfang Great World.
Following the deaths of the five Sovereigns, the Tianfang Great World had quieted down once more.
Yet even though no more Sovereigns had fallen... the situation had shifted.
A large influx of Sovereigns began pouring into the Tianfang Great World.
Among them, more and more Sovereigns joined Huilong Temple, including several middle-rank Sovereigns. In particular, three months prior, the fifth-rank Sovereign of the Absolute Darkness Great World chose to join, drastically bolstering Huilong Temple's might.
The joining of a fifth-rank Sovereign was not just one person; a total of six Sovereigns from the Absolute Darkness Great World had survived. Aside from this fifth-rank Sovereign, three of the remaining five were third-rank Sovereigns and two were second-rank Sovereigns.
Not a single first-rank among them.
All at once, six Sovereigns were added. Coupled with the two fourth-rank Sovereigns who had decided to join previously, Huilong Temple suddenly possessed as many as seven middle-rank Sovereigns!
Such strength was virtually unattainable for many medium worlds.
Only the very top medium worlds could possibly reach this level.
With these additions, Huilong Temple gained two fifth-rank Sovereigns, and Kongji's standing slipped somewhat.
Then, on this day, within the hall where Kongji resided...
An aura shook heaven and earth in an instant.
In just a breath, it vanished without a trace, yet it quickly drew the attention of several Sovereigns. Sovereign Huilong appeared swiftly, his expression shifting.
An advancement?
For middle-rank Sovereigns, advancing was exceedingly difficult. Remaining unchanged for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years was entirely normal.
He did not truly understand Kongji.
However, from the time Kongji arrived in the Tianfang Great World, he had joined Huilong Temple, exactly one hundred years ago to this day.
A century was relatively brief.
Yet not too brief either!
When Kongji arrived, he was already at the fourth rank.
Huilong did not know how long Kongji had been at the fourth rank before coming, or if he had been stuck at the fourth rank for ages before finally advancing to the fifth rank today.
Countless thoughts raced through his mind, but this was no time to dwell on them. Sovereign Huilong laughed aloud: "Congratulations, Daoist Kongji! Huilong Temple's third fifth-rank Sovereign has been born!"
Having just absorbed the powerhouse from the Absolute Darkness Great World, Kongji's breakthrough was indeed a cause for celebration.
Although the gap between the fifth and fourth ranks was not vast, it was still the fifth rank!
Inside the hall, Kongji's voice sounded slowly: "It was merely a stroke of luck."
He seemed devoid of any great excitement.
Fifth rank?
He had merely recovered to his former strength. In truth, as early as five hundred years ago, he was already a peak fifth-rank Sovereign. Had he maintained that pace, he would be a sixth-rank Sovereign today.
In a true sense, that would place him at the pinnacle beneath the masters of great worlds.
Comparable to Sovereign Huilong.
He had cultivated for exactly one thousand years.
One thousand years... The first five hundred years brought him to the peak of the fifth rank, while the latter five hundred brought him back to the fifth rank again. It seemed slower, starting over from the third rank.
However... earlier, he had followed the path of his Dao universe. In his clan, there was a genuine master of a great world.
Yet... five hundred years ago, he had cast aside the plan laid out by his elders.
From the fifth rank to the sixth rank, then seeing if he could take over the Dao universe or the world to become the world master or Dao master—following the conventional path offered far greater prospects.
Yet... he disliked that road.
Five hundred years ago, he abandoned all of it, choosing to withdraw from the Dao universe and cultivate anew from the miscellaneous Daos of chaos.
Spending five hundred years, he had returned to the fifth rank.
Yet he was completely different from his former self.
Today, he was a Sovereign of the Dao of Extinction, no longer that Sovereign walking the divine path of light. Though that path held immense promise and seemed radiant... it was so ordinary!
I was unwilling!
Five hundred years!
Thinking of Li Hao, he smiled faintly. That young man seemed to have taken only a few years to rise from nothing to the second rank today. Compared to him, Kongji appeared much slower.
Still... it mattered not; temporary speed meant little.
He was a thousand years old.
The Human King of Neo-Martial was only a thousand-plus years old as well, leaving a vast gap between them. Such figures were his goals to chase.
The fifth rank had arrived; the sixth rank was not far off.
However... the seventh rank remained extraordinarily difficult.
A seventh-rank in miscellaneous Daos was harder than ascending to the heavens.
Remaining in perpetual seclusion was no solution; perhaps he ought to move around.
He just didn't know... whether he should leave Tianfang, or what?
He lacked interest in entertaining Sovereign Huilong outside. That man had been a sixth-rank for many years, yet Kongji rarely saw him cultivate; he was always either recruiting people or hosting Dao discussions to win allies.
Those so-called Dao discussions were utter nonsense, merely analyzing geopolitical tides.
Meaningless!
With countless thoughts swirling, Kongji felt a stir of restlessness. Reaching the fifth rank and returning to his past peak brought him peace of mind, proving that his path was correct.
His choice was not mistaken!
He had merely delayed five hundred years; it was nothing.
For a cultivator meditating on the Dao, burying oneself in seclusion was not beneficial either. Traveling outside to broaden one's horizons might be fine.
Wasn't Li Hao planning to join the hunt a few months from now?
Perhaps... I should go take a look as well?
Of course, his participation would not be on Li Hao's side, but rather with the operation organized by factions like Huilong Temple to hunt top figures—such as the Sword Venerable!
Indeed, regarding Neo-Martial's Sword Venerable, ever since the incident in the Tianhe Domain, the various factions of the Tianfang Great World had reached a consensus.
Hunt the Sword Venerable!
That powerhouse was rumored to have reached the sixth rank, and the organizer of this venture was none other than Sovereign Huilong!
Four major factions would take part.
A full four sixth-rank Sovereigns, nearly ten fifth-rank Sovereigns, and dozens of fourth-rank Sovereigns!
With so many powerhouses, they would dare do battle even against a seventh-rank.
Kongji smiled faintly. Perhaps... it would prove quite entertaining.
Neo-Martial's Sword Venerable might share some connection with Li Hao.
Silver Moon had once been the post guarded by the Sword Venerable.
And Li Hao shared his surname.
"Time to move!"
With that thought, Kongji manifested from the hall and looked at Sovereign Huilong outside. "Senior Huilong, I would like to join the upcoming sword hunt!"
Sovereign Huilong blinked, then broke into a warm smile. "Wonderful!"
This was great news!
Previously, this fellow had been reluctant to join, remaining in seclusion, and Huilong had figured missing one fourth-rank was no big deal.
Now that he had reached the fifth rank... having an extra fifth-rank provided that much more security.
People were genuinely wary of the Sword Venerable.
Even though he had reportedly reached the sixth rank only a few years ago... sword cultivators were terrifying by nature.
Not to mention, a sword cultivator from Neo-Martial!
"Kongji, with you joining, our certainty is even greater!"
Sovereign Huilong smiled. "If we can hunt that fellow down... the rewards will be beyond imagination! Multiple factions have already placed an astronomical bounty on his head, second only to those high-rank Sovereigns!"
The Sword Venerable's current bounty was even slightly higher than that of Neo-Martial's Supreme.
That was because this man had proven combat records and was constantly operating in the open. Not only had he slain a peak fourth-rank Sovereign, but rumors said he had clashed with Red Moon recently and felled a fifth-rank Sovereign.
Such a powerhouse, capable of annihilating middle-rank Sovereigns at will, was exceedingly terrifying.
Kongji nodded slightly. "When the operation begins, Sovereign may call upon me."
"Very well!"
Sovereign Huilong nodded, then added, "By the way, that friend of yours—Sovereign Haoyue... It has been nearly a year since he joined Huilong Temple, yet he has never visited. If he is free, he is welcome to drop by; I will receive him personally!"
He was Kongji's friend after all, and the only person in a century Kongji had actively invited into Huilong Temple. Now that Kongji was fifth-rank, Huilong naturally had to show due regard.
Kongji smiled. "Very well, though I cannot say whether he will be willing."
What a joke!
I am a sixth-rank Sovereign; receiving him personally is giving him face. If not for you, I wouldn't bother seeing him. Nowadays, low-rank Sovereigns under my command are a dime a dozen!
Of course, Huilong took it merely as polite banter.
He smiled and said nothing further.
Kongji said no more either, sending a transmission to Ju'ao. He and Li Hao had no direct line of communication, nor had either ever brought it up; it was as though every exchange depended on fate.
If the message arrived, it arrived.
If not, so be it.
The friendship between gentlemen was as pure as water; there was no need for constant attachment.
...
Having just emerged from seclusion, Li Hao soon received the message.
Sovereign Huilong wants to see me?
Huilong Temple is organizing an operation to hunt the Sword Venerable...
How interesting!
Li Hao, who had originally not planned on going, suddenly smiled. Hunting the Sword Venerable... I could actually go watch and keep an eye on this.
Was the Sword Venerable truly my ancestor?
Whatever, who cares!
Ancestor or not, if I can meet him, having a long talk would be great. Li Hao was genuinely fascinated by the Sword Venerable.
The Dao universe might well share a deep connection with the Sword Venerable.
The entire Silver Moon had been influenced by him far too heavily!
Moreover, whether the Sword Venerable had flicked Silver Moon away deliberately or by accident back then... perhaps I can ask that as well.
Chapter 440