Each with Their Own Calculations

Dark Demon Ridge was shrouded in absolute darkness. Back at Huilong Temple, within Sovereign Huilong's private quarters, the temple master—ostensibly in secluded cultivation—watched a glowing disc floating before him. Seven points of light hovered across its surface. Beyond those seven lights, a scattering of tiny black specks flickered constantly. Evidently, Sovereign Huilong held far greater command and a much deeper understanding of Dark Demon Ridge than the outside world assumed. The points of light shone with varying lusters and differing intensities. He could not see specific details, but he could gauge the relative strength of each person. This time, what he primarily needed to determine was whether this Bright Moon Sovereign possessed the capacity for an explosive surge in power. And under such an explosion, if Dark Demon Ridge were sealed off, would the man fall into extreme debilitation? If such a shift occurred, it would prove one vital fact: the man possessed a connection to a Great Dao Universe. It was truly that simple! As long as that could be proven, who cared about Sovereign Kongji? He would personally intervene this time to capture the Bright Moon Sovereign—the King of Silver Moon! Sovereign Huilong stared unblinkingly at the disc. Soon, his gaze shifted toward the flickering black dots, and his brow furrowed slightly. The Dao resonance lands left by other powerhouses of the Tianfang Great World were relatively free of danger. Only the Dark Envoy's Dark Demon Ridge was fraught with peril. Perhaps it was related to the cultivation of darkness attributes. Others might not know what those black dots were, but he understood perfectly well. All of them were powerhouses who had vanished or Sovereigns who had entered in the past, transformed into dark shadow puppets. Only when comprehending the Dao in Dark Demon Ridge did one face the peril of true demise. It was exceptionally dangerous! Those dark shadow puppets occasionally attacked cultivators who ventured inside, and very few ever managed to escape, for some of the puppets were remarkably formidable. During one past expedition, Sovereign Huilong had even encountered a dark shadow puppet possessing fifth-rank or near-sixth-rank strength and had nearly met his downfall in an unexpected ditch. Under normal circumstances, however, these puppets rarely mobilized. He watched them briefly without paying them too much mind. Turning his eyes back toward the seven points of light, he focused on one and raised an eyebrow slightly. "Second rank?" Was this Bright Moon Sovereign second rank or first rank? From his earlier observations, the man had appeared to be a first-rank Sovereign. Yet judging from the intensity detected right now, he seemed closer to a second-rank Sovereign, no weaker than the other two second-rank Sovereigns inside. If he were first rank, the probability of him being the King of Silver Moon remained high. If he were second rank... how long had it been since that man emerged from Silver Moon? Already second rank? Was that possible? At this moment, even Huilong grew somewhat uncertain. Perhaps his deduction had been mistaken. *** Inside Dark Demon Ridge. Li Hao furrowed his brows slightly. There was virtually no life here, yet he sensed a faint feeling of being spied upon. He had not detected anyone actively prying into him; he was simply exceptionally sensitive. He had felt something similar once before. Later, he had discovered it came from the prying eyes of the Red Moon organization. Was someone monitoring him? It did not seem quite like that. A wide-area sweep, perhaps? Who could say? For now, Li Hao continued absorbing the surrounding power of darkness while simultaneously studying the ambient space. Indeed, he was in no hurry to do anything or deal with anyone—all of that was secondary. He was investigating how this place sustained itself as an independent space. A pocket dimension created by such a powerhouse was well worth examining, as its spatial structure was far more direct and tangible. Furthermore, if he could glean some understanding of its mechanics, he would be able to walk out at will rather than being constrained to the gateway at Huilong Temple. Otherwise, if that gateway were sealed, would he not be trapped inside? "Back then, the Blood Sovereign also created a pocket space to resurrect Second Cat, formed at the central confluence of the eight continents..." Li Hao sent a voice transmission: "Senior Second Cat, do you understand spatial Dao?" "..." Second Cat, who was fast asleep and lost in sweet dreams, grew rather annoyed. Pretending not to hear, it rolled over and went back to sleep. *Not listening, not listening! Like a turtle chanting scripture!* This Li Hao had far too many questions. Unlike that scholar who never needed to ask anything because he understood it all—only Second Cat ever had to ask the scholar, while the scholar almost never asked it anything. How comfortable that had been! "Senior..." "*Snore... snore... snore!*" Loud snores echoed across the River of Life and Death. It was as if the cat were telling Li Hao, *I am asleep, do not disturb me.* *I am just a cat, a mere projected phantom of a cat. What would I know about anything?* Its enormous cat backside was aimed directly at Li Hao, as if warning him: *Ask one more time, and I will blast you to death with a fart!* Li Hao could only shake his head helplessly. He was merely asking a question; why react like that? Could they not just have a pleasant conversation? Truly... an uncooperative cat. His Black Panther was far better. Sadly, Black Panther was a bit weak, and Li Hao found himself missing the beast. Other than being unable to speak, it did whatever it was told. Still, it was always the case that one generation planted trees for the next to enjoy the shade. Take Black Panther, for example. If it became a top powerhouse one day after Li Hao was gone, it would be revered by future generations as a supreme expert and an omniscient, omnipotent senior. Unfortunately, when powerhouses raised pets, the benefits usually fell to posterity; they rarely got to enjoy such leisure themselves. That was only natural. If one cultivated bitterly and meditated arduously only to be easily surpassed by a pet, such an expert could hardly be called a powerhouse. Even after taking over the body of a Chaos behemoth, Black Panther was currently only a second-rank Sovereign, on the same level as Li Hao. As for the future... Li Hao was confident it would not take long to surpass Black Panther. Once he bridged more than 240 Life and Death Bridges, he should be able to step into the third rank, which was not far off. "A pocket dimension..." Since Second Cat ignored him, Li Hao did not mind. He crouched down and carefully studied the structure of the terrain. This counted as a miniature world of its own. It was merely attached to the greater world. In fact, it shared certain principles with the creation of heaven and earth. "Or rather... a domain!" Li Hao observed closely and sensed its energy structure, arriving at a realization. This should be considered a special domain, much like his divine character domain. Through a domain, a unique space had ultimately formed. "Which means... this place doesn't just hold Dao resonance. There might also be special artifacts present, similar to my divine characters—attached to the Great Dao or resting upon certain Dao foundations that constructed this distinct space!" Divine characters were essentially manifestations of the Great Dao. Divine characters could form domains. For instance, if Li Hao left behind a divine character—though he could not do so yet, once he grew stronger, a single character might form an independent space, a unique divine character realm. Take the character for 'Dark.' If he reached the eighth rank and left that character behind, it could potentially form a specialized space akin to Dark Demon Ridge. Having walked a similar path, Li Hao quickly reached a few deductions. Dark Demon Ridge was essentially a specialized domain space. "The power of darkness within it might operate like self-cultivating divine characters. My divine characters can also execute techniques, draw in energy, and ensure their power does not diminish, with a single character anchoring an entire space..." Li Hao formed another assessment. "Yet for such a powerful space, if it really resembles a divine character... an eighth-rank powerhouse's divine character, just how strong would that be?" Of course, its master was long gone. Even if something akin to a divine character remained, it would not be as powerful as it once had been. Reversing time might allow him to see something, but Li Hao did not dare use time reversal rashly this time. It was too troublesome and carried severe repercussions. If this eighth-rank powerhouse saddled him with yet another layer of karma... two seventh-rank experts were already enough to give him headaches, let alone an eighth-rank powerhouse. "Standard treasure hunting, standard Dao comprehension—no using time!" Li Hao made up his mind. He refused to believe that while others could obtain benefits without using time, he had to rely on it. As long as he did not trace back the past, normal treasure seeking should not incur excessive karma. "A core must exist here, similar to a divine character's core! Mastering that core... might even allow one to take control of the entire pocket space." "And that divine hall in the central region could very well be the core, or house the core within it!" At that moment, another idea struck Li Hao. Gaining control of that place might grant him the freedom to enter and exit this miniature realm at will. If nothing else, this place was akin to a domain—an eighth-rank powerhouse's domain. It was more than adequate for repelling weaker foes, and its defensive durability was no weaker than that of the Silver Moon world. It possessed formidable defensive power against low-rank Sovereigns. As for mid-rank Sovereigns, that remained to be seen. While others came here seeking Dao comprehension, Li Hao was contemplating sweeping away the whole pot... simply hauling all of Dark Demon Ridge away! If he did that, wouldn't whatever Dao resonance it held belong to him anyway? Moreover, he believed that even if Dao resonance lingered here, the crux did not lie in these scattered, overflowing energies. It lay in the source from which that energy spilled! An object akin to a divine character—a piece of writing, a cultivation technique, a Great Dao fragment, a weapon... a treasure of that nature. That was the true anchor for the residual Dao resonance. "Every opening requires Sovereign blood essence, which implies the object itself lacks sufficient inherent energy and needs the power of Sovereign blood essence to be stimulated..." Li Hao pondered continuously. Huilong Temple had controlled this place for countless years, yet the realm remained intact, meaning Sovereign Huilong had never discovered the treasure to this day. Did Sovereign Huilong cultivate darkness-type energy? Probably not. Then it likely depended on the Great Dao one cultivated. The Sovereigns of the Absolute Darkness Great World had a fair chance, but many darkness cultivators had visited this place over the ages, and none had discovered or removed it. That meant approaching or taking the item was by no means simple. "If I left behind a divine character, how would a weaker cultivator take it?" "To say nothing of others, if a Dao Integration cultivator tried to take a character I left behind... it would hardly be simple. They might even suffer severe backlash!" Putting himself in their shoes, Li Hao realized that to take a divine character he left behind, one would need profound mastery over that specific Dao of divine characters. Otherwise, safely retrieving it would prove exceedingly difficult even if he set no trials. "The Dao of Darkness remains the key..." With that in mind, Li Hao halted his advance and sat down cross-legged, a divine character for 'Dark' circling around him. There was no rush. If treasures could be taken so easily, this place would have ceased to exist long ago. Taking things slowly was the right course. Besides, Sovereign Huilong had stated that this place would only close after a month—or rather, it would not necessarily close, but merely become somewhat dangerous after a month had passed. The 'Dark' divine character began drawing in the surrounding energy. Li Hao turned various thoughts over in his mind as the River of Life and Death began to revolve. A strand of darkness power poured into the river, staining the torrent pitch-black. Second Cat felt rather uncomfortable and irritated. Li Hao was always changing things back and forth—first the River of Time, then the River of Life and Death, and now tossing in a whole mess of darkness energy that ruined its sleep. "What are you doing?" Second Cat finally voiced its annoyance. "Comprehending the Dao." *Bullshit!* Second Cat was speechless. *You are deliberately trying to disgust this cat!* *This counts as Dao comprehension?* *Concocting some black energy to dye the river black—that's comprehending the Dao?* "Why must Dao comprehension involve dyeing colors?" "It isn't dyeing. Darkness-type energy is just like this..." "Nonsense! The Great Dao originally has no color; everything stems from the heart! Who decreed that darkness energy must be black? Why can't it be white?" Li Hao froze. After a long pause, he remarked, "That makes sense, but... it's darkness. If it isn't black, how can it be dark?" "Black and white are merely your definitions. Who decreed that black is what is currently black, and white is what is currently white?" "..." *Contrarian cat!* Li Hao was speechless. He understood the reasoning, but the cat was simply arguing for the sake of arguing! His mind stirred, and in an instant, the river turned pure white. The energy remained the same as before. Only the color had altered. "Does this count as calling black white?" Li Hao chuckled. Second Cat muttered that this was much better; the black had felt dreadful. White... the energy was still the same, but at least it looked far more agreeable. "The Great Dao stems from the heart?" At this thought, new insights bloomed within Li Hao's mind. More and more darkness energy surged toward him like a rising tide. *** In the distance. A Sovereign of the Absolute Darkness Great World glanced in a certain direction, feeling puzzled. Was a companion over there? This seemed like a phenomenon caused by a darkness-type powerhouse cultivating. However, before entering, they had agreed not to rush into cultivation and to head straight for the Dark Divine Hall first. That was their primary objective for this excursion; all of them knew a Dark Divine Hall existed within Dark Demon Ridge. Their entry this time was largely for that place. Joining Huilong Temple had primarily been for this purpose as well. According to Xunhan, if they could obtain certain benefits or opportunities here, they might even have hope of reviving the Absolute Darkness Great Dao Universe. When that day came, they would no longer have to live under another's roof. As for Li Hao's entry... none of them had paid it much mind. Besides, he was not even a darkness cultivator. Sensing these ripples of darkness energy, the Sovereign frowned slightly. Cultivating right now served little purpose. Why break the original plan? Should he go take a look? Just as the thought crossed his mind, he was suddenly startled. As some of the darkness energy was drawn away, he caught a fleeting glimpse of something—a shape flashing past, resembling a person, yet also like a beast. It emerged from the darkness and vanished almost instantly. "Hmm?" The Sovereign looked closely, his brow furrowing. Had his eyes deceived him? Impossible! Yet he could not detect any aura, sensing only boundless darkness. Did other living creatures inhabit Dark Demon Ridge? *** Outside, at Huilong Temple. Sovereign Huilong also frowned slightly. What was this Bright Moon playing at? After entering, he had simply remained rooted in place without moving. Was he truly meditating on the Dao? Under normal circumstances, shouldn't he be exploring the surroundings? Or could it be... he was not the King of Silver Moon at all, but merely a genuine newcomer Sovereign—timid, exceedingly vigilant, terrified of stirring up trouble, and thus content to sit in place and absorb insights? "Did I misjudge him?" He pondered for a moment, then looked toward the brightest point of light. Xunhan was heading straight for the Dark Divine Hall, exactly as anticipated. The Sovereigns of the Absolute Darkness Great World naturally harbored their own designs; he understood that well. Still... Sovereign Huilong curled his lip faintly. If benefits were so easy to obtain, they would have been claimed long ago. In the past, even seventh-rank Sovereigns had visited Dark Demon Ridge and discovered very little. *** Li Hao's stay lasted far longer than an hour or two. For three full days, he remained in that single spot without budging, appearing as though he had truly come solely for casual comprehension. He made not the slightest disturbance, to the point that Sovereign Huilong on the outside gave up hope, suspecting the fellow had genuinely entered merely to comprehend the Dao. Three days later. Li Hao rose to his feet. Beside him, the 'Dark' divine character had grown significantly more potent. Within the River of Life and Death, a star had also begun to flourish, shining like a dark star across the river, standing abreast with the Life and Death Star. Though not as formidable as the Life and Death Star, it was by no means weak. "Why didn't you make a half-black, half-white star this time?" As Li Hao walked forward, Second Cat's voice sounded in his ear. "Light and darkness standing side by side?" Li Hao replied as he paced, "I fear that cultivating light in this place would get me beaten to death by the power of darkness!" "How could that happen!" Second Cat felt Li Hao was overthinking. "Would powerhouses who truly reached that level care about such trifles? Pitting light and darkness against each other is inherently flawed. Light exists because of darkness, and darkness exists because of light... If the Dao only had light and no darkness, how would you distinguish them?" Li Hao nodded. "The logic holds! But... acting recklessly like that, aren't you afraid of courting death?" "Are you afraid?" "A little." Li Hao let out a laugh. Where did the cat get the illusion that he was a madman constantly seeking his own demise? "Who knows, there might be an unexpected pleasant surprise!" Second Cat seemed to be egging Li Hao on, but Li Hao refused to listen. An unexpected surprise was possible... but what if it truly got him killed? He was unfamiliar with this place. Better to wait until he understood it better. By now, his cultivation of darkness power had borne fruit. Looking ahead, the view for a thousand meters was completely unobstructed, far more convenient than before. Three days had passed; those Sovereigns had likely reached their destination. Yet after walking for a while, Li Hao frowned slightly and surveyed his surroundings... He constantly felt something watching him. It had been like this for the past few days, beginning as that vague sense of being spied upon. Over the last two days, however, he had felt as though creatures were lingering near him, keeping watch. Were there other beings in this place? Or was it those Sovereigns from the Absolute Darkness Great World? *** At the same time, far in the distance. *Boom!* A Sovereign of the Absolute Darkness Great World suffered a bloody claw mark across his chest. His expression was grave as he peered in all directions, vigilant and heavy-hearted. There truly were living creatures here. What on earth was that thing? Incredibly powerful, it blended almost seamlessly with the darkness. Even as a darkness cultivator, he found it nearly impossible to capture the creature's silhouette. Over the past two days, he had suffered several ambushes, each more perilous than the last. Sovereign Huilong had never mentioned this. *Have the others encountered such danger as well?* He pondered, unable to be certain. The original plan had been to rendezvous at the central divine hall, yet three days had passed and he had still not arrived. No one had come looking for him, either. He did not know whether they feared accidents or were simply unable to fend for themselves. *** "Strange." Back at Huilong Temple, Sovereign Huilong also looked perplexed. The glowing disc before him displayed unusual developments. Several black dots were currently besieging certain points of light, indicating that the dark shadow puppets were attacking the Sovereigns. Yet... that had never happened in the past. Normally, the dark shadow puppets only launched attacks if an entrant stayed for a full month and refused to depart, which was why dangers and disappearances only arose after the thirty-day mark. This time, merely three days had elapsed. Why was this happening? At this moment, the brightest of the seven lights had nearly reached the divine hall, yet the black dots clustering around it were growing denser. It seemed to signify that this batch of dark shadow puppets harbored hostility toward these newcomers. "Did the Absolute Darkness Great World have a grudge against Tianfang's Dark Envoy?" He weighed the possibility. Perhaps that was indeed the case. Otherwise, why would there be such a disparity? Both practiced darkness cultivation, and the Absolute Darkness Great World had existed for a very long time. The Lord of Absolute Darkness had lived through countless eras; perhaps some ancient feud existed between him and Tianfang's Dark Envoy? However, with the Tianfang powerhouses vanished and the Lord of Absolute Darkness fallen, there was no one left to ask. This thought also stemmed from Li Hao's situation. The dark shadow puppets near Li Hao seemed sparse, and the two sides had apparently not engaged. This indicated that those not belonging to the Absolute Darkness Great World were not being heavily targeted. *** In truth, Li Hao was currently enveloped by the 'Dark' divine character, and the aura emanating from him was the very darkness power native to this place. Consequently, the nearby dark shadow puppets hesitated, delaying any assault against him. As a result, despite pausing for three days, Li Hao's forward progress was remarkably swift. Before long, Li Hao caught faint sounds. Fighting ahead? Fighting? How could that be? Of the seven Sovereigns who had entered, the other six belonged to the same faction. If a clash occurred, it should have involved him instead. Li Hao grew slightly vigilant and continued onward. In this environment, only sound traveled any meaningful distance. Auras and energy fluctuations were virtually undetectable; without sound, one could battle to the death here without anyone ever knowing. Moving like a spirit of the dark night, he pressed forward. The distance was not great—roughly ten thousand meters. After advancing for a short while, he spotted the scene ahead. From about a thousand meters away, he witnessed a Sovereign locked in combat. The opponent was no fellow Sovereign, but something resembling a wild beast, or perhaps an overgrown savage with wild hair, or even a mechanical puppet. The savage fought with feral frenzy, melding into the darkness to strike in fleeting flashes. Its talons—or rather, its razor-sharp fingernails—gleamed with an eerie light. A single swipe easily left a bloody gash across the body of a second-rank Sovereign. A Sovereign's physique seemed no sturdier than ordinary flesh and blood before those claws. Li Hao recognized that Sovereign. Among the entrants, only two were second rank; he did not know this man's exact name, but he knew he was likely the weakest among the six newcomers. Currently, the man appeared terrified and frantic, shouting reprimands from time to time—partly to intimidate the opponent, and partly in hopes that other powerhouses might hear the commotion and come to his aid. He seemed able to see a fair distance as well. When Li Hao appeared, the Sovereign spotted him. A flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes, instantly replaced by hope: "Is that Fellow Daoist Bright Moon?" "For some reason, undead creatures have appeared here... actively attacking us! It is exceedingly dangerous!" "Has Fellow Daoist encountered the other Sovereigns from my Absolute Darkness World?" Li Hao made no sound. The Sovereign grew frantic: "This undead creature is quite strong! I've been tangled with it until now, unable to break away... However, it isn't much stronger than me. If Fellow Daoist lends a hand, I can slay this thing... It contains dense darkness energy; once killed, all the spoils will belong to you... Or if you are unwilling, please, help me locate the others..." He spoke continuously while shifting his steps toward Li Hao. In this environment, a Sovereign seemed stripped of many abilities, unable even to tear through the void to flee. The savage beast continued its assault without a shred of intellect, blinking in and out of sight to attack relentlessly. With every strike, it carved fresh wounds into the Sovereign, leaving behind traces of pure darkness power that eroded and consumed the Sovereign's internal energy. Both wielded darkness energy, yet the darkness here was clearly of a higher grade. Li Hao retreated several paces. The Sovereign grew anxious and called out again: "Fellow Daoist Bright Moon, we are both Sovereigns of Huilong Temple! Whether you are willing or not, at least give an answer! If you do not wish to take risks, I will not force you!" Li Hao ignored him and stepped back once more, carefully analyzing the situation. Listening closely, he arrived at a deduction... The savage seemed to track the Sovereign through sound. It was likely the Sovereign's shouts that had drawn the creature's attention. If Li Hao replied, he would probably be targeted as well. *Harboring ill intentions!* As a Sovereign at such close range, why bellow at the top of his lungs instead of sending a divine transmission? Did he need to prove how loud his voice was? Who knew how many such entities lurked in the dark? It appeared the man had been pushed to his wits' end. Otherwise, remaining quiet would have been far wiser. Li Hao paid him no mind, having no desire to take a blow on another's behalf. He examined the savage closely... It truly seemed to be human, yet completely devoid of intelligence, showing signs of having lost all control. It appeared to be a darkness cultivator who had become entwined with the ambient darkness here, reduced to a marionette of the dark. "The darkness power here can even manipulate powerhouses?" Did this amount to an alternate form of possession? He watched for a while. The second-rank Sovereign continued to counterattack, occasionally leaving a scratch on the savage. Yet just as the Sovereign had said, the creature was like an undead entity; its wounds healed instantaneously, rendering the Sovereign's strikes entirely useless. This thing was difficult to deal with! Why had such an entity suddenly appeared? "Fellow Daoist Bright Moon!" Fresh wounds opened across the Sovereign's body, and the gashes showed no sign of closing. For a Sovereign, this was almost impossible, yet it was happening before his very eyes. His blood dripped continuously. By now, he was thoroughly panicked and called out again: "Fellow Daoist, just hold it off for a moment, and I will have the means to handle this thing! If you lend me a hand, I am willing to offer three thousand Great Dao crystals!" A single Great Dao crystal was enough for a first-rank Sovereign to cultivate for a full day. Holding the creature off for a moment was equivalent to earning ten years of bitter cultivation. It was genuinely a lucrative bargain. A first-rank Sovereign was precisely in need of such resources. Seeing Li Hao remain unmoved, the man could no longer restrain himself and called out again: "Five thousand? Ten thousand? If Fellow Daoist is still unsatisfied, let me tell you—this undead creature should contain a darkness crystal within its body! It isn't merely an energy crystal, but a Great Dao resonance crystal! This must be a dark shadow puppet, a puppet of the Great Dao, likely created when someone suffered backlash and fell under the control of the Dao resonance left here!" "Slaying this thing will definitely yield a Great Dao resonance crystal containing the rules and Dao resonance of this realm's master!" "To a darkness cultivator, that is an invaluable treasure!" He added frantically, "Even if you have no use for it, trading it to others will fetch several hundred thousand Great Dao crystals at the very least! If you had several dozen, you could even purchase a minor world to devour, enough to instantly propel you into the second rank!" *Great Dao resonance?* Li Hao's heart stirred. Those words might not be false. He looked toward the savage and scrutinized it. The energy source within the savage's body did indeed seem concentrated into a single point, while dark Dao resonance circulated across its exterior. Perhaps... a Dao resonance crystal truly existed, just as the man claimed. A single piece worth hundreds of thousands of Great Dao crystals? Last time Li Hao inquired, trading for a minor world cost roughly ten million Great Dao crystals, equivalent to a first-rank Sovereign condensing Chaos energy for twenty to thirty thousand years. Was it worth it? Some believed it was. And this thing was worth several hundred thousand... Of course, for a first-rank Sovereign, killing this creature was equivalent to slaying a second-rank or even third-rank Sovereign. If one possessed that ability, would they lack a few hundred thousand Great Dao crystals? Dao resonance of the Great Dao of Darkness. Unfortunately, it was not the Dao of Life and Death, nor the Five Elements. Even the Dao of Radiance would have brought considerable benefits back to Silver Moon. Only the Dao of Darkness... far too few people cultivated it back in Silver Moon, and none were particularly strong. "Residual Dao resonance... Dao resonance backlash... These dark shadow puppets were likely powerhouses who suffered backlash while comprehending the Great Dao!" Li Hao mused inwardly. Could it be that these individuals had touched the divine-character-like artifact within this pocket dimension and suffered backlash as a result? Because that artifact's Dao resonance and power were simply too overwhelming, ordinary cultivators could not endure the invasion of its darkness power. Seeing that Li Hao still did not reply and even appeared somewhat distracted, the second-rank Sovereign grew frantic! Fury flared in his heart. This man refused to answer at all! Just as Li Hao suspected, the Sovereign had also deduced that sound had likely provoked the creature's attack. If Li Hao spoke, he might draw the creature away, yet Li Hao stubbornly kept silent. If this continued, he would be ground to death. Even with the immense vitality of a second-rank Sovereign, in a place where injuries could not heal, he would eventually be worn down. Furthermore, there was likely more than one dark shadow puppet here. Such a commotion would inevitably draw more puppets before long. He glared at Li Hao, his heart hardening ruthlessly. *Since you came here... do not blame me.* *If you won't help willingly, I'll force your hand.* In a flash, his figure darted straight toward Li Hao. *If you won't make a sound, I'll make one for you!* Even if he had to take a direct hit from the puppet, he was determined to drag Li Hao into the mire. A surge of dense darkness power barreled straight toward Li Hao! Once battle erupted, how could you stay quiet? Across from him, Li Hao snapped back to attention. Seeing the man charge, he felt no surprise. At the brink of life and death, better a fellow Daoist perish than oneself. Dragging someone down with you was naturally preferable to dying alone. A second-rank Sovereign... quite substantial. However, having battled the puppet for so long and nursing multiple injuries, while stronger than an ordinary first-rank Sovereign, his advantage was limited. Kill him? Or retreat? Killing him might leave Li Hao to face the dark shadow puppet's attacks. He did not fear a single puppet, but he suspected there were more. What if slaying one drew an entire swarm? On second thought, he had already forged 220 Life and Death Bridges. Surpassing 240 bridges would give him the prospect of stepping into the third rank. A second-rank Sovereign, even with depleted energy... should suffice to help him condense twenty bridges, shouldn't it? "It wasn't me who initiated this..." Li Hao muttered inwardly. Kongji had advised him not to kill indiscriminately to avoid unnecessary trouble. Yet this time, he had not struck first. The other party had attacked him! It was merely an excuse, of course... Li Hao did not care overly much. If only seven Sovereigns inhabited this place, killing someone would be troublesome. Now that these creatures had appeared, the death of a Sovereign was nothing extraordinary; even if complications arose, an excuse was readily available. In that single instant, killing intent surged within Li Hao! A member of the Absolute Darkness Great World—dead was dead. Even if Li Hao did not kill him, this fellow would eventually perish here anyway. With that resolve, he did not resort to swordsmanship. Instead, the power of life and death manifested. Both were second-rank Sovereigns, and the opponent was battered; Li Hao had no need for swordsmanship to overpower him. The Life and Death Star emerged. A tide of death power descended instantaneously. The charging Sovereign felt an icy aura of death wash over him, and his expression warped in shock. Yet Li Hao was blindingly fast; in the blink of an eye, a surge of death energy poured into his body. The Sovereign attempted to erupt with darkness power to suppress Li Hao, but the moment that darkness flared, a divine character manifested, instantly devouring and absorbing the darkness power whole. The Sovereign's face drained of color! What was that? Before he could process the thought, the death power detonated within him. A force of total annihilation erupted through his innards, setting his internal Great Dao trembling. The Sovereign power and Great Dao energy he had carried from the Absolute Darkness Great World were smothered by death energy in a single breath. Li Hao's Life and Death Star descended, completely enveloping him. Countless threads of life force were forcibly stripped away. The Sovereign's expression twisted in sheer horror. "A Sovereign of Life and Death!" He realized it now: this man was not merely a death-attribute Sovereign, but one who wielded both life and death! Disastrous! Sovereigns were generally knowledgeable. Life and death, yin and yang, light and dark, water and fire... Those who commanded diametrically opposed dual attributes and fused their powers often far surpassed their peers of the same rank. Crucially, this Bright Moon was no first-rank Sovereign! He was a second-rank Sovereign on the exact same level as himself! Disaster! *** At the same time, outside. Sovereign Huilong's expression shifted. He had long witnessed the two encountering each other. The instant Li Hao's point of light flickered, Huilong unleashed a formidable wave of power that completely blanketed the glowing disc. In that breath, all of Dark Demon Ridge seemed covered and sealed by an unseen force, severing its connection to the outside world. With a blend of anticipation and nervous dread, Sovereign Huilong watched to see what would happen. He suffered a mild backlash from the effort, but paid it no heed, fixing his gaze squarely upon Li Hao's point of light... After watching for several moments, disappointment and despair washed over him. No change! Not a powerhouse tied to a Great Dao Universe? How could that be! He had harbored immense hopes that the Bright Moon Sovereign was the King of Silver Moon. Yet even if Li Hao were indeed the King of Silver Moon, the man apparently held no Great Dao Universe; otherwise, severing Dark Demon Ridge would have caused his strength to plunge. The Sovereigns of the Absolute Darkness Great World were virtually unaffected because their Great Dao Universe was already gone. Yet Li Hao showed no reaction whatsoever. In that single moment, Sovereign Huilong was thoroughly crestfallen! He was not the one! Or rather, even if he were, there was no Great Dao Universe—perhaps the World Master had guessed incorrectly. "Damn it!" Sovereign Huilong cursed under his breath, drowning in regret and gloom. Soon, he rallied his spirits slightly. Perhaps... Bright Moon had not yet drawn upon the power of a Great Dao Universe. Yes, that could be it; perhaps this man's cultivation exceeded the second rank, possessing such strength even without relying on Great Dao Universe power. Indeed, that possibility remained! He could only console himself in this manner, lest this entire scheme end in utter disappointment. Glancing at the disc once more, he saw another point of light vanish, an outcome he cared nothing about. A second-rank Sovereign, already wounded, finished off by this Bright Moon... what did that matter to him? Among the Sovereigns from the Absolute Darkness Great World, the only one he valued was the fifth-rank expert. Moreover, Bright Moon killing that man was actually advantageous. Huilong Temple currently harbored three fifth-rank Sovereigns; sparking friction between Kongji and Xunhan over this incident was simply good statecraft for keeping subordinates in check. Otherwise, if two fifth-rank Sovereigns became thick as thieves, that would pose a genuine threat to him. *Let us wait a little longer... Perhaps a second-rank opponent isn't enough to force this Bright Moon to reveal his cards... Perhaps a third rank will do...* He clung to that lingering shred of hope, unwilling to give up entirely. *** Inside the ridge, Li Hao's life-and-death power erupted, siphoning away every scrap of vitality before death descended in full. In a single instant, the second-rank Sovereign was drained dry. The darkness energy within the man evaporated completely. A river materialized, sweeping across the space, engulfing the second-rank Sovereign into its depths and dissolving him entirely into the torrent! Li Hao, however, instantly frowned and looked toward the heavens. Just moments ago, he had sensed that this domain had been sealed off by some external force, though the sensation had vanished almost immediately. "Sealing Dark Demon Ridge..." Sovereign Huilong? Or someone else? What was the motive? Li Hao was perplexed. The act had produced no discernible effect, so what was Sovereign Huilong trying to achieve? Bizarre! Which meant... that person could likely perceive what transpired here, including his killing of a Sovereign? That was hardly good news! *Is he monitoring us?* The thought surfaced in Li Hao's mind. He did not even care that the savage dark shadow puppet was lunging toward him, quickly retreating while gazing upward with a solemn expression. The feeling of being watched was far from pleasant. Furthermore, just as he was about to slay his opponent, the world had abruptly been locked and sealed... It had not affected him, but... what if he were a cultivator tethered to a Great Dao Universe? Would his connection to the Great Dao have been severed? If severed, wouldn't he have been weakened instantly, potentially turning the tables in the enemy's favor? "A Great Dao Universe..." His mind stirred. Could it be... because of that? Did the other party suspect he was a cultivator anchored to a Great Dao Universe? Li Hao considered many possibilities, though he could not be certain. If so, it meant Sovereign Huilong might truly suspect his identity. But how could Huilong be certain that Silver Moon possessed a Great Dao Universe? Li Hao did not count as an ordinary Great Dao Universe cultivator. If Qian Wuliang and the others were here, their connection would have been severed instantly, plunging them into weakness. But Li Hao would not suffer such an effect; his Dao resided entirely within the River of Life and Death. These thoughts flashed by in a heartbeat. Li Hao swiftly withdrew, allowing the savage to pursue him as he gathered the energy of the slain second-rank Sovereign within the river, refining and purifying it. He wanted to attempt forging bridges right here. Even if he did not break through to the third rank immediately, he needed the ability to step into the third rank at a moment's notice. *** At the same time, outside. Kongji suddenly glanced inward, raising an eyebrow slightly. Just now, Huilong had seemed to do something. For a fleeting instant, the entire Huilong Temple had lost the manifestation of that Dao resonance. Masking Dark Demon Ridge? "Masking Dark Demon Ridge... severing connections to a Great Dao Universe? Does he suspect that fellow's identity?" If so... Huilong had certainly put on a convincing act. He had shown not the slightest hint beforehand. Which suggested Li Hao might be engaged in something right now—a battle, or perhaps a killing? Kongji gave a faint, indifferent smile. If someone died, so be it! What did the deaths of a few leftover Sovereigns from a fallen world stripped of its Great Dao Universe amount to? As for Xunhan's displeasure... if he killed Xunhan, there would be no more fifth-rank Sovereign. Would Huilong truly fall out with him over a dead fifth-rank Sovereign, only to lose yet another fifth-rank Sovereign while offending an even stronger one? Huilong was a shrewd man; he would never make such a foolish choice. The solution was remarkably straightforward. Thinking it through, Kongji smiled. It truly was not complicated at all! Granted... it might reveal a bit of his own capabilities, but that hardly mattered. Feigning weakness to prey on the unwary had never been his intention; there was simply no need, just as he saw no reason to be combative under ordinary circumstances. "Yes, let it be... Once Xunhan emerges, if he keeps his mouth shut, fine. If he utters a word of complaint, I will kill him!" Kongji made up his mind. The issue was easy to resolve. As for Huilong, there was no need to pay him any heed. One capable of slaying a fifth-rank Sovereign had no cause to fear a sixth-rank one. Huilong was an adroit, calculating operator; when the time came, he would only fawn over Kongji and cater to him. If worse came to worst, he could simply invoke his backing. Choosing not to use it did not mean he was unable to. Doing so would inevitably draw mockery—having departed the Radiance Great World with such youthful ambition, returning to rely on its name would be somewhat humiliating. Kongji chuckled softly and let the matter drop. Why should he care about what others thought? From a single surge of power from Huilong, countless thoughts had unspooled in his mind, and he found the train of reasoning quite amusing.