A fifth-rank Sovereign had been slain in an instant.
Of course, it was largely because his Great Dao was already injured. Repeated setbacks had aggravated the Dao injuries to an extreme degree. For him to pick a fight at such a moment and run straight into Li Hao, who wielded the power of Time, was practically asking for death.
Yet no matter how one looked at it, a fifth-rank Sovereign was by no means weak.
And he had been effortlessly slain right here.
At this moment, even the phantom was visibly shaken—not by Xunhan’s death, of course, but by the appearance of Time.
Right now, the phantom stood completely motionless.
Li Hao, meanwhile, paid the phantom no heed.
He resumed his comprehension of the Dao.
Did he fear that the phantom might try to kill him?
To be honest, not particularly. The phantom was likely an artifact spirit, most probably the spirit of Dao Chess itself, and Dao Chess was almost certainly a weapon belonging to the Master of Tianfang. It was likely far from its peak state right now.
If it truly struck, Li Hao would not necessarily be left without counters.
Moreover, according to what the people of Tianfang said, the Master of Tianfang had been searching for the Master of Time. It was not certain that the Master of Tianfang was dead. So long as he still lived, would this artifact spirit dare defy the will of a ninth-rank Sovereign and murder a future Master of Time?
Even if Li Hao could not truly be considered the Master of Time just yet.
Thus, while he felt a twinge of gloom, he was not overly worried.
At this moment, Li Hao chose to continue comprehending the Dao, though he naturally maintained a cautious guard.
The phantom said nothing and made no move.
It was as though nothing had ever transpired between the two.
As for Xunhan’s death, no one cared in the slightest.
Li Hao continued stepping across the squares.
His pace remained steady, neither fast nor slow.
However, having already touched upon more Great Daos, he sped up slightly. Furthermore, as the Life and Death Bridges were gradually established and nearing perfection, Li Hao no longer lingered excessively to absorb energy.
He was on the verge of stepping into the peak of the third rank. No matter how much energy he accumulated, he could only stockpile it, not absorb it.
He was saturated!
An Extreme Yang Star had barely managed to manifest, but the Dao of Extreme Yin had yet to be found. Li Hao had no idea where that Dao lay, so he could only take things one step at a time.
……
Crossing the first thousand squares had taken Li Hao nearly ten days.
Crossing the second thousand squares took him seven days.
By the time he completed two thousand squares, all 360 of Li Hao’s Life and Death Bridges were fully established. At this moment, Li Hao had genuinely achieved peak third rank—a state of true perfection.
Within his body, a great circulation had even formed: a Sword Dao circulation.
These were also the human Dao meridians.
All 360 corporeal and incorporeal Dao meridians were fully opened, completely saturated, and thoroughly fused.
With life and death at their core.
At this stage, Li Hao could be said to have developed the human body to the absolute limit, pushing the innate Dao meridians of the Silver Moon people as far as they could go.
The human body still had other Dao meridians.
However, those were no longer primary Dao meridians; they belonged to other Great Daos and were not the mainstream Dao meridians of the Silver Moon people.
In other words, Silver Moon’s Great Dao Universe was dominated by these 360 corporeal and incorporeal Daos.
And now, virtually all of them were under Li Hao’s complete control.
As he stepped past the two-thousandth square, Li Hao’s aura reached full completion.
Twenty-six days had passed since he entered this place.
Li Hao calculated the time; only a few days remained before the one-month mark.
He had spent seventeen days walking Dao Chess, three days dealing with the shadow puppets in the first trial, and six days outside the Dark Divine Hall.
For a Sovereign, a month passed with remarkable ease.
“I have traversed two thousand squares!”
Li Hao looked toward the phantom. Only now did the phantom seem to snap back to its senses, its voice drifting over: “Yes. What do you desire?”
According to their previous agreement, crossing one thousand squares granted one request.
Now that he had crossed two thousand, Li Hao had not even claimed his first request yet.
Li Hao considered it. “I have two opportunities, correct?”
“Correct.”
Li Hao thought for a moment and said, “I am currently at peak third rank, but my comprehension of the Dao of Yin and Yang is not yet deep enough. Having cleared two thousand squares, I still have not found the Dao of Extreme Yin. Does the Dao of Extreme Yin lie further ahead?”
“It does.”
“This does not count as a request, does it?”
“It does not,” the phantom replied with a faint smile. “These are merely basic questions.”
Li Hao nodded. “Then may I ask where exactly it lies?”
The phantom was silent for an instant before speaking: “Around the six-thousandth square.”
Li Hao froze. “Why is it so far?”
The phantom explained, “Around the one-thousandth square lies the Dao of Extreme Yang. According to the rules of the Great Dao and the deductions of supreme Dao lineages, around the six-thousandth square, the reconciliation of yin and yang can help one step into a seventh-rank Dao. Do you understand what I mean?”
Li Hao’s heart stirred, and he nodded.
He understood!
The unity of yin and yang meant the seventh rank!
He asked again, “Then are you saying that for Daos of opposing poles, if one pole appears early on, the other will almost always be placed past the six-thousandth square?”
“Correct!” the phantom praised. Clever indeed.
The phantom spoke again: “You are right. That includes the life and death you currently cultivate. Around the three-thousandth square lies the Dao of Life, but the Dao of Death also appears past the six-thousandth square. Almost all polar Daos correspond in this manner!
“Naturally, basic elements like the five elements of water and fire are not considered polar Daos.”
Realization dawned upon Li Hao.
So that was it!
Past the six-thousandth square!
No wonder he had seen Extreme Yang around square one thousand, yet could not find the Dao of Extreme Yin even after reaching square two thousand.
Li Hao thought for a moment and said, “Then if I make a request to comprehend the Dao of Extreme Yin in advance, is that permissible?”
“It is!” the phantom answered straightforwardly, but then added, “Are you certain?”
Li Hao paused, remaining silent for a long while.
Was he certain?
Comprehending some of the Dao of Extreme Yin now would indeed be of great benefit to him. It would allow him to perceive yin and yang in advance. Though it might not immediately grant the unity of yin and yang, understanding both Daos would greatly aid in their eventual fusion.
If he did not perceive it beforehand, Li Hao knew in his heart that his current self could not make it past the six-thousandth square.
In truth, reaching the two-thousandth square had already been somewhat strenuous.
He had hope of completing up to roughly the three-thousandth square.
But four thousand, five thousand… and beyond would likely prove exceedingly difficult for him.
His comprehension had not yet transcended his current stage.
Comprehending the Dao of Extreme Yin early meant skipping the sequential order of the intermediate Daos. If he absorbed it prematurely, any subsequent insights would be difficult to integrate. If he instead reached past the six-thousandth square through natural progression, fusing yin and yang would be comparatively effortless.
Yet he had already stayed here for nearly a month.
He truly did not want to miss his opportunities.
He did not want to miss the chance to find Tianji and the others… which might also mean saving them.
That was the first reason. Second, he had stayed here too long; who knew whether Sovereign Huilong outside might force his way in.
Reaching past the six-thousandth square was something Li Hao felt he could achieve, but it might take several years.
He would need to absorb and digest knowledge along the way; things could not continue progressing so smoothly.
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind before Li Hao asked again, “Then may I make a different request?”
“Speak.”
“Can you come with me? Or rather… can I take Dao Chess with me?”
“……”
The phantom chuckled. “No!”
“Why? Didn't you say any request would be granted?”
“You actually can take Dao Chess with you,” the phantom said softly. “Just not right now! If you reach past the seven-thousandth square, you may make this request. Dao Chess… is no ordinary divine weapon! Dao Chess was refined from a Great Dao World—a Great Dao Universe—governed by an eighth-rank Sovereign. If you take it away right now, the moment you leave Tianfang and lose its suppression, you will be unable to suppress it yourself, and it will instantly expand into a great world… When that happens, are you certain you can hold onto Dao Chess?”
Li Hao froze, then shook his head.
He could not.
An unowned eighth-rank great world… When that appeared, he would likely be devoured until not even his bones remained.
At that point, countless world masters would charge straight at him.
Surpassing the seven-thousandth square meant his comprehension had reached the level of a seventh-rank Sovereign, or his strength had attained that tier, making him a high-rank Sovereign. Only then could he protect it if he took it away.
It was not that he was forbidden from taking it, but that possessing such a treasure was a crime in itself; he lacked the qualifications for it right now.
Li Hao felt a trace of regret.
“Then…”
Li Hao felt a slight headache, but asked again, “Right now, I want to leave, yet I still wish to comprehend Dao Chess in the future. What should I do?”
“You may return at any time!” the phantom said obligingly. “The Dark Divine Hall always welcomes Sovereigns from all quarters to come and discuss the Dao!”
Return at any time.
Li Hao pondered, weighing the matter repeatedly before saying, “Then let me ask: using one request as the price… if I am outside the Tianfang Great World, can I enter Dao Chess at any time, just once?”
This…
The phantom fell silent.
After deliberating for a while, the phantom spoke: “You mean that without returning here, if an opportunity arises outside, or if you encounter danger, you wish to step into Dao Chess at any time, anywhere, to comprehend the Dao or even take refuge just once?”
“Yes!”
Li Hao nodded. “I need to go outside. I might fight, I might kill, or I might comprehend the Dao… At that time, I will need an absolutely safe place, and Dao Chess would be ideal. I want to enter it to comprehend the Dao once…”
“This…”
The phantom considered the matter and said, “I can grant this request, but it will require your own effort!”
“What kind of effort?”
“Dao Chess lacks sufficient energy. Once you leave, you might be very far from Tianfang. Of course, Dao Chess itself was refined from an eighth-rank Great Universe and serves as the Sovereign weapon of a ninth-rank Sovereign, making it extraordinarily powerful… Within a radius of three thousand chaos chi around the Tianfang Great World, you may summon Dao Chess… Provided that a vast amount of energy is expended.”
“Is the corpse of a fifth-rank Sovereign enough?” Li Hao asked.
The phantom chuckled softly. This fellow… The phantom replied, “At close range, yes. But if the distance is too great—for instance, right at the boundary of three thousand chaos chi—it will likely be difficult… You might require even more energy.”
Li Hao nodded in understanding.
“Then I choose this condition!”
This was not merely a matter of being able to enter and comprehend the Dao at any time; it was also a single chance to seek refuge.
A weapon refined from an eighth-rank great world by a ninth-rank expert could sweep him away in an instant; even a seventh-rank Sovereign would be hard-pressed to pursue him.
This was a vital lifeline!
Of course, the prerequisite was remaining within three thousand chaos chi of the Tianfang Great World.
Three thousand chaos chi was by no means a short distance.
It was the distance of three thousand spatial shifts for a first-rank Sovereign.
Even a third-rank Sovereign would need to shift a thousand times to cover it; it was truly quite vast.
The phantom also smiled. “Very well. Later, I will imprint a mark upon you. If you ever need it, you can expend energy through the mark at any time to summon Dao Chess to envelop you… Additionally, powerful though Dao Chess is, it is ultimately unmastered now, and it is not an offensive Sovereign weapon by nature. Against a seventh-rank Sovereign, it can barely conceal you, but should you encounter an eighth-rank Sovereign… they might be able to trace the fluctuations directly to Dao Chess itself. When that happens, it will not only be your trouble, but Dao Chess’s trouble as well.”
Li Hao was astonished. “Why would I provoke an eighth-rank Sovereign?”
“……”
That was hard to say!
The phantom muttered inwardly. You are only third rank right now, yet you just slaughtered a fifth-rank Sovereign.
For someone like you, setting aside the past, now that it was clear he was a cultivator of Time, the phantom truly could not say whether this fellow would dare or not.
Li Hao said no more.
After thinking for a moment, he considered his second condition.
A domain, a self-contained world—that was the condition he had originally intended to ask for, and it was certainly crucial. But having witnessed the marvels of Dao Chess, he felt that wasting a request on that would be somewhat squandering the opportunity.
A domain was something he could comprehend on his own sooner or later.
“Senior, if I cross three thousand or four thousand squares next time, may I make further requests?”
“You may.”
Li Hao breathed a sigh of relief and held back no longer. “Then my second condition… I want a friend of mine to take a turn walking Dao Chess! That person is within the vicinity of Tianfang.”
“Have they been here before?”
“They have, but they probably didn't enter Dao Chess.”
The phantom considered this. “If they came but did not enter Dao Chess, it means their fortune was insufficient… Of course, it could also be that their affinity with Dark Demon Ridge was lacking… However, since you have asked, I can agree. But are you certain you wish to yield this opportunity to someone else?”
If others learned of Dao Chess’s existence… wouldn't they covet it?
The phantom felt the boy might be thinking too simply.
“They have helped me several times… Constantly owing favors makes me uncomfortable,” Li Hao smiled. “Moreover, since the Master of Tianfang placed Dao Chess here, it was meant for people to discuss the Dao together. That person is also a cultivator of the Dao, and the Great Dao of heaven and earth grows clearer only through debate! Though we are still far from the Master of Tianfang, only by building upon the achievements of our predecessors and contemplating them do successors have the chance to surpass them. Otherwise, the Great Dao stagnates, leaving no chance for transcendence.”
“Very well. Since you do not mind… then so be it!”
The phantom proved quite agreeable, largely due to Li Hao’s identity as a cultivator of Time.
Otherwise, even if the first condition were granted, the second would never have been allowed.
Dao Chess was revealed only to those fated for it.
Did Xunhan count?
He actually did!
First, he was an expert of the darkness attribute who hailed from the Absolute Darkness Great World. The Dark Emissary had also come from the Absolute Darkness Great World, and while there had been bad blood with the Lord of Extreme Darkness, the Emissary had still granted some opportunities to cultivators from that world.
Second, Xunhan had entered alongside Li Hao; that was a stroke of fortune. Being able to break through the first trial was his opportunity, though it was a pity he had failed to grasp it.
Thus, both Xunhan and Li Hao were considered fated.
Kongji, having failed to enter this place the first time, was not considered fated. At times, the strong also placed great weight on destiny.
Yet now, Li Hao was paying the price of a request… and that constituted destiny.
The phantom spoke again: “Didn't you want to comprehend a domain earlier? Have you given up on that now?”
“No rush!” Li Hao smiled. “When I enter next time, I will certainly have gained new insights. There is no need to hurry!”
“If you stay here and continue comprehending, you might smoothly step into the sixth rank… It might not take many years—thirty, fifty, a hundred… A hundred years at most, and you would smoothly reach the realm of the Dao of Extreme Yin.” The phantom asked in confusion, “Why not stay?”
“I have matters to attend to outside, and favors to repay,” Li Hao sighed. “Debts of gratitude are the hardest to repay… Not only that, but as Senior may have noticed, I carry far too many debts upon my shoulders right now. Without debts, one is light as a feather, but burdened with debts… how could I possibly stay here for a century? Besides, I have other matters to handle. The world I come from might be pursued by enemies even as we speak.”
“True. Such are the troubles of being human,” the phantom chuckled. “Even someone as powerful as the Master of Tianfang had debts and troubles… Being human is truly not as carefree as being a weapon.”
“Perhaps!” Li Hao grinned. “Still, it is for the best. If one truly had no desires or pursuits, what meaning would life hold? Whether seeking the Dao or questioning the Dao, one must have some pursuits, some goals. It is impossible to truly cast everything aside. If the Great Dao is emotionless, what difference is there between humans and the Dao? What difference between them and this desolate chaos?”
“I do not understand the thoughts of you humans.”
The phantom said no more. Each had their own thoughts and pursuits.
Since Li Hao was in no rush to comprehend the Dao of Extreme Yin right now, the phantom would not force him. Comprehending it now… might indeed not be entirely beneficial.
Perhaps it still required certain opportunities.
With that in mind, the phantom added, “If your friend comes here to comprehend the Dao… because they did not clear the first trial, they will not have the privilege of making a request upon passing one thousand squares. You have no objection to this, do you?”
“Can he attempt the first trial once more?”
“He can…” The phantom did not object. “However, you slaughtered all the shadow puppets in the first trial. My requirement is modest: return all the darkness Dao resonance crystals, and extract the blood essence of that fifth-rank Sovereign to replenish the energy of the first trial. Then I can let your friend attempt it.”
“……”
*Act like I never asked!* Li Hao complained inwardly. How could that be possible?
Allowing Kongji to walk Dao Chess was already an act of immense loyalty; expecting him to return all his gains as well… wouldn't that make him an idiot?
At this moment, the phantom could not resist saying, “You cannot take Dao Chess with you! However, the Dark Emissary’s meditation cushion contains the Dao-comprehending heart of an eighth-rank Sovereign. Do you not wish to take it?”
*You don't even want this?*
Li Hao shook his head. “An eighth-rank darkness attribute does not match me. Unless I comprehend light and dark, fusing both Daos at the crucial juncture of transforming from sixth rank to seventh rank… I have little need for this!”
Why bring such a thing along?
It was of no use.
Besides, he could make further requests after reaching three thousand and four thousand squares. Even if he wanted it, it would not be now.
Carrying it on his person right now would only invite danger.
If powerful experts saw it or sensed it, it would merely bring peril upon him.
Li Hao understood this principle well.
Seeing this, the phantom pressed no further, merely remarking with a playful tone, “Do you not want to try… taking me down directly?”
“Are you the artifact spirit of Dao Chess, Senior?” Li Hao asked helplessly. “If you are, your true form is an eighth-rank great world and Great Dao Universe, and as for your spirit, it possesses at least sixth-rank power! Furthermore, as Senior stated, once taken outside, I cannot suppress it, and it will instantly transform into a great world. Wouldn't that draw everyone’s eyes onto me? Even if I could truly defeat Senior and take your true form away… it would be useless. That being the case… why should I do something that harms others without benefiting myself?
“And if Senior is not the artifact spirit of Dao Chess… it is even more useless. Defeating Senior, or even slaying Senior… would yield little result while wasting my energy and time, wouldn't it?”
“Fair enough!” The phantom laughed at itself. “Then let it be so! Still… I am somewhat disappointed that you are not continuing onward. In truth, I wanted to see whether you could reach four thousand or even five thousand squares if you kept walking.”
“There is no rush!” Li Hao shook his head. “Having reached the peak of the third rank, continuing now would be somewhat wasteful! There are many Great Dao energies I cannot absorb. I prefer to comprehend Extreme Yin on my own outside, harmonize yin and yang, and even achieve complete fusion before walking further. By borrowing the power of Dao Chess then, perhaps I can bypass the stage of energy accumulation altogether, advancing straight from the fourth rank to the sixth rank without facing too many bottlenecks…”
Walking it now would squander many opportunities.
If he comprehended Extreme Yin and entered the fourth rank before walking it again, absorbing the Great Dao power of several thousand squares might allow him to break through directly. That would save him countless years, eliminating the constant need to kill.
Kill too much, and sooner or later one would capsize in a gutter.
Li Hao’s little ledger was calculated with utter precision.
When the time came, smoothly walking to the region of the Dao of Extreme Yin might also deepen his comprehension of the fusion of yin and yang, providing better preparation for stepping into the seventh rank.
At this moment, the phantom understood completely: this young man knew precisely what he wanted.
He understood it all.
This was no act of impulse; he was truly planning to wait until he had accumulated enough before entering Dao Chess again to advance in one fell swoop.
Such a person possessed crystal-clear goals!
A trace of admiration welled up within the phantom.
In truth… this was a classic double standard.
Xunhan had also possessed a clear goal—to break through from the fifth rank to the sixth rank—and his attitude had been just as firm and unyielding. Yet the phantom had looked down on him for aiming too high. Li Hao, on the other hand, was merely a third-rank Sovereign who casually spoke of the sixth and seventh ranks, yet the phantom felt Li Hao possessed immense boldness.
It was a grand display of double standards!
Of course, had Xunhan truly stepped into the sixth rank, eradicated all his Dao injuries, and even inherited the Dao resonance of the eighth-rank Dark Emissary with a chance to reach the eighth rank in the future, the phantom’s opinion would likely have shifted as well.
Alas… he had failed, so naturally the phantom held him in contempt.
At this point, Li Hao lingered no longer.
Regardless, he would enter Dao Chess again.
Just as he was about to leave, Li Hao paused. “Senior, may I make so bold as to ask why the experts of the Tianfang World departed?”
“That is hard for me to say.”
Hard to say!
Not that it was unknown, nor that it was forbidden to speak, but simply hard to say.
Li Hao’s heart stirred, but he did not press further, asking instead, “Can the Great Dao Universe of the Tianfang Great World be revived?”
“It can!”
This time, the other party gave a definitive answer: “Back then, what was taken away was only the Great Dao power, not the Great Dao Universe! In other words, the Great Dao Universe became an empty husk, but it still exists; the ten thousand Daos merely fell dormant! It did not perish, but remains present. It is simply that Tianfang’s heritage was severed and its Dao lineage vanished, making it impossible to restore the Great Dao Universe… If it is to be revived, the opportunity… may well lie with you.”
*Me?*
A flicker of understanding crossed Li Hao’s mind. “The heritages of the several experts I have comprehended?”
“Correct.”
“Yet there are many Dao resonance lands here, and others have gained comprehension as well. Can it not be revived through them?”
“It can… but they cannot reach the seventh rank!” the phantom stated bluntly. “If they cannot reach the seventh rank, they have no way to revive the Great Dao Universe. Reviving the Great Dao Universe requires an opportunity—a seventh-rank opportunity! They cannot achieve it, but you hold great promise. That is why I say the hope lies with you.”
*Alright then!*
*You certainly think highly of me; what an eye for talent.*
*I also feel I can reach the seventh rank!*
Li Hao flashed a broad grin.
*Yes, that is exactly what I think.*
“Senior, I shall take my leave!”
“Go forth, and you may depart!”
The phantom said no more, simply sending an imprint toward Li Hao. In an instant, a chessboard seemed to manifest above Li Hao’s river.
“This is the Dao Chess imprint. When you wish to come, simply infuse it with enough energy. Within the boundaries of the Tianfang Great World, you may activate it directly without energy! It can be used twice: once for your friend, and once… for yourself!”
“Thank you, Senior!”
Li Hao did not stand on ceremony. Naturally, he would inspect it carefully later to ensure it was not a trap.
However… he would check it once outside.
Doing so right to the spirit’s face would be ill-mannered.
His gains this time were truly immense.
All 360 Life and Death Bridges were fully established, allowing him to step into peak third rank.
Walking two thousand squares had granted him an understanding of various Great Daos, elevating his foundational reserves, which would undoubtedly be of immense help once he stepped into the fourth rank in the future.
Moreover, he had secured another chance to walk Dao Chess, which was an extraordinary fortune in itself.
In addition, he currently held quite a few darkness Dao resonance crystals. Beyond his own, slaying the fifth-rank Xunhan had yielded several more middle-rank darkness Dao resonance crystals.
At the time, Xunhan had obtained five in total: three fourth-rank and two fifth-rank. Xunhan had extracted some energy from one of the fifth-rank crystals, but a considerable amount still remained.
Besides these, there were the treasures left behind by several Sovereigns… though Li Hao did not think much of them.
Treasures of that sort did not interest him greatly.
Even the treasures of a fifth-rank Sovereign were merely worldly possessions.
Li Hao would not absorb these items; he had no intention of comprehending too much of the Dao of Darkness. But selling them would fetch an astronomical price.
Trading them for treasures usable by Silver Moon cultivators… Li Hao felt he might be able to foster several more Sovereigns.
Provided they possessed the qualifications.
Indeed, killing and plundering brought swift riches; slaying several Sovereigns this time had yielded immense benefits.
As for Dark Demon Ridge, let it remain here for now.
Let Sovereign Huilong continue guarding it!
If he truly took Dark Demon Ridge away right now… Sovereign Huilong would likely pursue him to the death.
The man was a peak sixth-rank Sovereign, after all; he could not afford to provoke him just yet.
However, the next time Sovereign Huilong wished to activate Dark Demon Ridge, throwing in a mere drop of Sovereign blood essence would not suffice. With so many shadow puppets dead, activating Dark Demon Ridge without offering a complete middle-rank Sovereign to nourish the phantom would likely yield not a shred of insight.
……
Outside.
Twenty-seven days had passed.
With the one-month deadline fast approaching, Sovereign Huilong was filled with doubt.
Still not out?
What in the world had happened after they entered the Dark Divine Hall?
It had been so long!
If the one-month limit arrived, staying inside was not impossible, but the energy he had supplied would be completely depleted. To come out again, more resources would have to be poured in.
Yet… would he replenish them?
The expenditure was immense.
Kongji, beside him, remained placid, but Huilong was growing uneasy. Could those fellows have actually gained something?
He had entered the Dark Divine Hall before.
However, he had been pursued endlessly by swarms of shadow puppets—an infuriating nuisance. Though they could not kill him, every time he destroyed them, they resurrected. After slaying them a few times, he had lost the patience to keep going; it was simply too troublesome!
Moreover, the shadow puppets were too numerous. He usually entered alone, and upon entry, every single shadow puppet pursued him alone.
With dozens of Sovereign-level entities ganging up on him, he might not necessarily win.
Li Hao had won because he pursued and hunted the others’ puppets, draining a massive amount of darkness power and causing the puppets chasing him to weaken. Otherwise, Li Hao would have had no way of dealing with the puppets that chased him later.
The first trial was truly not so easy to clear.
Just as Sovereign Huilong was pondering this, his gaze suddenly shifted.
At that very moment, the portal before him vibrated.
Someone was coming out!
Finally, someone was emerging!
He hurriedly looked toward the portal.
A moment later, a figure appeared.
Li Hao!
Having undergone a spatial teleportation, Li Hao swiftly arrived at Huilong Temple.
Before him, two auras manifested.
One belonged to Sovereign Huilong, and the other to Kongji.
Before Sovereign Huilong could speak, Kongji broke the silence: “You’re back? You took quite some time; looks like you gained a modest harvest.”
Kongji ignored Sovereign Huilong entirely, nodding slightly with a faint smile.
Sovereign Huilong felt a prick of displeasure, but suppressed it and smiled as well. “Fellow Daoist Haoyue… seems to have gained quite a harvest!”
With that, he added meaningfully, “For a split second just now, I thought a third-rank Sovereign had emerged. Yet… Fellow Daoist Haoyue has not even entered the second rank. What a pity.”
At this moment, Li Hao had restrained his aura once more, his river circling him to conceal his Dao resonance. Ordinary people would find it difficult to see through the River of Life and Death.
Yet Sovereign Huilong knew.
This man was no first-rank Sovereign!
He was a genuine, bona fide third-rank Sovereign!
Li Hao offered a faint smile. “It is indeed a bit of a pity, but it was too dangerous inside. I merely absorbed a bit of darkness power in the outer perimeter and cultivated for several days. How could stepping into the second rank be so simple!”
He knew Sovereign Huilong likely saw through his strength.
Yet… what of it?
With that smooth, calculating personality, would he expose it directly?
He would not!
He might even treat it as a secret to hold over him.
Li Hao did not care. Besides, this fellow had already formed a grudge with him; sealing Dark Demon Ridge twice had been done purely to test him. Had his luck been worse, he might have been schemed to death by the man.
Once his own strength was sufficient, this fellow would get what was coming to him!
A grudge had been forged between them!
Seeing Li Hao reply thus, Sovereign Huilong pressed no further. He smiled and glanced toward the portal, asking in confusion, “Have Fellow Daoist Xunhan and the others not emerged yet?”
“I don't know,” Li Hao shook his head. “I never saw them.”
Regardless, he had only one stance: denial.
Even if you suspect I killed your people, I will never admit it.
They were all dead anyway!
Based on his understanding of this man, a dead Sovereign was worth less than a dog!
With several Sovereigns dead, would Sovereign Huilong turn against him and Kongji for the sake of corpses?
Currently, Huilong Temple had several middle-rank Sovereigns.
Beyond Kongji, there was another fifth-rank Sovereign and several fourth-rank Sovereigns.
Yet… would he fall out with Kongji over a fifth-rank Sovereign who had died right after joining?
Certainly not!
Huilong frowned slightly.
Still not out?
Right now, he knew Li Hao had also entered the Dark Divine Hall. However, Xunhan was a fifth-rank Sovereign after all. Though Haoyue was a third-rank Sovereign and not weak among his tier—even having slain third-rank foes before…
The gap between the third rank and fifth rank was still immense!
Therefore, in his mind, it was impossible for Xunhan to have been killed by Li Hao.
Furthermore, life force dots could not be detected within the Dark Divine Hall, so he could not immediately determine whether Xunhan and the others were still inside—whether they were dead, or had encountered fortune and were currently absorbing it.
Yet in a few more days, the energy he had supplied would run out completely.
When that time came, it would be extremely difficult for those people to come out.
Unless he kept the portal open once more.
Sovereign Huilong frowned slightly, glancing at Li Hao. “Fellow Daoist Haoyue truly did not see Fellow Daoist Xunhan and the others?”
“No!” Li Hao shook his head. “A mere first-rank Sovereign like me only wandered around the perimeter without gaining anything. How could I possibly run into those mighty experts?”
“……”
*Lying through your teeth!*
Sovereign Huilong frowned slightly, speaking only after a pause: “Then let us wait a few more days. Once the one-month deadline arrives, the portal will lack energy and close automatically, unable to reopen. Hopefully they emerge before then. If not… we can only wait until there is significant disturbance inside, and I will find a way to bring them out.”
What a nuisance!
Opening it again would waste a considerable amount of resources.
Yet a fifth-rank Sovereign and two third-rank Sovereigns could not simply be abandoned.
As for this Haoyue, with Xunhan failing to emerge, there was no pretext to suppress him.
Had Xunhan emerged, Huilong could have stoked the friction between them, sparking conflict between Xunhan and Kongji.
Yet the party in question hadn't even come out… what was there to say?!
As the temple master, he naturally could not suppress Haoyue without cause; that would make him appear narrow-minded and turn him into a laughingstock among other Sovereigns.
For Huilong Temple to reach its current stature, Huilong had at least maintained an excellent public facade.
Sovereign Huilong had nothing left to say, while Kongji seemed to feel a touch of regret. “Xunhan didn't come out… What a pity!”
With that, he looked toward Huilong. “Temple Master, if Xunhan comes out, notify me immediately.”
Huilong froze.
What did that mean?
Notify you immediately?
What do you plan to do?
Kongji said no more.
As for why he wanted to be notified… naturally, it was to ask: *Haoyue killed several of your subordinates; do you have an objection?*
*If you do… I’ll kill you too, which will save a great deal of trouble.*
Guarding against a thief every single day was far too tedious. A fifth-rank Sovereign was no small nuisance, so killing him first was best.
He never bothered to consider anything else—denials, evading blame, verbal jousting… He was neither skilled in nor patient enough for such things. It was too tiresome; being direct was far better.
……
At this moment, Li Hao somewhat grasped Kongji’s train of thought.
He could not help but smile.
Kongji truly was a fascinating individual.
To be frank, upon entering the Tianfang Great World, Li Hao had not found much worth looking forward to, nor had he met any interesting people—except for Kongji, who was thoroughly intriguing.
Even if, in the eyes of others, Kongji was merely a man of few words.
“Fellow Daoist Kongji, let us take our leave first. We can leave the Temple Master to keep watch here!”
With that, he smiled toward Huilong. “My thanks to the Temple Master for granting me this opportunity; I have reaped a modest harvest. If Senior Xunhan and the others emerge, please pass along my regards. I shall take my leave first!”
Huilong’s brow twitched slightly; these words… felt rather unpleasant to hear.
Yet he said nothing, merely nodding slightly. “Then Haoyue, go back and rest for a time. You must be weary from this venture. After all… second- and third-rank adversaries often appear inside… Escaping with your life was no easy feat.”
He might as well have said: *Cut the act; I know full well what you did.*
Li Hao did not care in the least. Smiling, he departed alongside Kongji.
Once they were gone, Sovereign Huilong frowned slightly, casting a glance at the portal. *Xunhan, are you still not coming out?*
*Should I go take a look?*
*However, entering myself would consume a great deal of energy as well.*
“Wait three more days… After three days, if he still hasn't emerged, I will have to go check!”
The operation to hunt the Sword Venerable was about to begin.
A fifth-rank Sovereign failing to return would cause considerable trouble for the plan; having one more fifth-rank Sovereign meant one more measure of certainty.
……
Meanwhile.
Inside the Kongji Divine Hall.
The two returned.
Kongji looked at Li Hao. “How many did you kill?”
“Five!”
Kongji smiled. “About what I expected. Xunhan is probably fuming mad.”
“He’s already dead from anger.”
Kongji froze slightly and looked at Li Hao.
Li Hao explained, “One second-rank Sovereign was killed by the shadow puppets.”
“……”
*Damn!*
Kongji fell silent, his face frozen in shock.
*The fifth-rank Sovereign was killed by you?*
*How is that possible!*
He had not seen any chaos lightning tribulation. Even within Dark Demon Ridge, had Li Hao borrowed external power—especially eighth-rank power—it would have inevitably triggered a chaos lightning tribulation. Thus, he was certain Li Hao had not borrowed external power this time.
If he hadn't borrowed power… how could he kill a fifth-rank Sovereign?
It was impossible!
Even if Li Hao had reached the third rank, it was impossible for him to leap tiers and slay a fifth-rank Sovereign directly.
If that were truly the case, Li Hao would be terrifying beyond reason.
Li Hao explained once more, “He brought it upon himself. His Great Dao was severely injured, yet he insisted on picking a fight with me. I struck with one sword… and he dropped dead!”
He made it sound simple, but Kongji knew it could not have been that easy.
For a moment, he could not help but sigh in marvel: “Remarkable!”
At this moment, he was genuinely moved: “A fifth-rank Sovereign… Truth be told, I could kill one as well. I have the confidence to slay him, but doing so would not be easy! You are truly remarkable!”
“You flatter me!” Li Hao smiled brilliantly. “By the way, does Fellow Daoist know of Dao Chess?”
“Dao Chess?”
Kongji froze, speaking only after a long pause: “I have heard faint whispers of it. It is said that in the past, the Master of Tianfang annihilated a rival and directly refined their entire great world into Dao Chess… But I am unclear on the specifics. Could it be that you encountered it?”
“Yes.”
“Here?”
“Mm.”
Kongji was instantly shaken. “What an immense fortune! A treasure refined from an entire Great Universe is bound to be extraordinary. Congratulations, Fellow Daoist!”
Li Hao grinned. “Envious?”
Kongji chuckled and nodded. “A little, but it is fine. Sometimes, what is yours is yours, and what isn't cannot be forced! I went there as well, yet failed to encounter it; that simply means I lacked the destiny for it. It doesn't matter.”
Li Hao smiled again. “I reached an agreement with the artifact spirit of Dao Chess—or what seems to be its artifact spirit. You may go and walk it once, Fellow Daoist. It is quite fascinating! I won't spoil the details, but it is definitely intriguing, and it will be of immense help to you!”
Kongji frowned slightly.
Li Hao added, “During my time in Tianfang, you have helped me greatly. As Dao companions, mutual give-and-take is the proper way! If one side only ever gives, that is no true friendship, and trouble will arise sooner or later. Whether you don't mind or I feel uncomfortable… it damages the bond.”
Kongji nodded slightly. “Very well. I do not know the exact effects of Dao Chess, but since you say it will help me, it must be extraordinary! What I helped you with was merely a small favor…”
“There is no big or small!” Li Hao smiled. “Call it mutual give-and-take: you help me, I help you, so that we may continue our friendship in the future. Otherwise… it becomes awkward to converse.”
“That works too!” Kongji nodded again. “Does this mean you are preparing to leave after I visit Dao Chess?”
“Yes.”
“Not joining us?”
Li Hao shook his head. “Your side will likely consist mostly of middle-rank Sovereigns; it wouldn't be convenient! Besides, dealing with middle ranks is far too difficult for me right now! Furthermore, you and I might not necessarily act together. I will head out first, and if fortune allows, we will meet again in the chaos.”
Kongji felt no regret and nodded. “We will certainly meet again. Vast though the chaos may be, the focal point right now lies in the Red Moon Domain; we are bound to cross paths sooner or later! In that case, I will enter Dao Chess after you depart.”
“When I leave, come see me off, and I will send you inside on my way out!”
Kongji nodded; that worked as well.
It would conveniently avoid any unnecessary complications.
The two did not dwell on the matter further. They did not discuss what to do if they encountered the Sword Venerable, nor did they ask whether Kongji would truly act against the Neo-Martial experts…
Those were personal choices.
When the two conversed, they mostly discussed Dao methods, rarely touching upon other affairs.
If Kongji truly went to fight Neo-Martial and was slain by them, that would be his fate.
Naturally, if he killed people of Neo-Martial, their experts would settle the score with him.
If they met next time, it was not impossible that they might cross blades.
“Then I shall rest for a day. Tomorrow, I will go into the city to see if I can exchange for some treasures to take with me… The day after tomorrow, I will head to Panlong Well, and I will leave within the next few days.”
“You have treasures to exchange?” Kongji smiled. “You can come to me. I have channels for exchanges. Slaying people and trading their goods here would be a slap in Huilong’s face.”
“That would be much more convenient!” Li Hao smiled as well; this was a good thing.
As for what channel lay behind Kongji—whether a great world or something else—he did not ask.
Who cared!
“Additionally… could you prepare a chaos map for me, Fellow Daoist? It must at least encompass the Red Moon Domain and the Tianfang Region. You should have one, right?”
“I do!” Kongji nodded, even though such a map was extraordinarily precious.
After all, only Sovereigns possessed the qualifications to roam the chaos.
And those capable of traversing both great domains were top-tier entities, perhaps even seventh-rank Sovereigns; a map crafted by such beings was naturally extraordinary.
Yet… what did it matter?
At any rate, the Radiance Great World possessed them, and copying one was no trouble.
The two chatted casually for a while before Li Hao produced dozens of darkness crystals and brought out all the treasures left behind by the Sovereigns in one heap. As for their exact value, he was not entirely certain.
He had only one objective: exchange them for treasures usable by those below the Sovereign realm.
Kongji was a man of vast wealth; he merely swept his eyes over them. Even for the darkness Dao resonance crystals that everyone scrambled for, he gave them only a brief glance before sweeping the entire pile into his storage space.
He would have someone make the exchange shortly.
Backed by the Radiance Great World with an eighth-rank Sovereign holding fort, his world was immensely powerful, possessing countless treasures. Li Hao only wanted treasures for those below the Sovereign realm while offering items usable by Sovereigns in return; truth be told, almost no one would make such a trade.
Yet for Li Hao to do so was not surprising.
These items were hot commodities. Taking them back could even strengthen the Radiance Great World. Though they were darkness crystals, the powers of darkness and light were mutually opposing yet complementary; at the Sovereign level, everyone understood this truth.
It made them all the more sought-after!
Had Li Hao asked for small worlds, trading for several would have posed no problem, and there might even have been hope of trading for a medium world.
After exchanging a few more words, Kongji departed to arrange the trade.
Li Hao was leaving soon, with only a few days remaining, and traveling back and forth would take time.
Fortunately, the Radiance Great World maintained forces in Tianfang; he simply wondered whether their reserves would be sufficient.
……
On the other side, Sovereign Huilong continued to wait in silence, cursing Xunhan to high heaven in his heart.
*Still not out!*
*Useless trash!*
*Haoyue went in, yet you couldn't even finish him off. Did you not run into him?*
*If you don't come out soon, I’ll have to go in and drag you out myself!*
He cursed inwardly, yet could show none of it outwardly, forced to nurse his frustration in solitude.
Even when Li Hao went out the next day, Huilong had no justification to stop him.
Fortunately, having concluded that Li Hao was not the Silver Moon King, he did not intervene further. Otherwise, leaving would not have been so simple for Li Hao.
Chapter 449