Everyone Felt at Ease!

Outside Tianfang Great World. Several Sovereigns stepped out together. Many of them glanced back at Li Hao, then looked at Kongji, who had come to see him off, inwardly cursing. Who had invited this guy? What immense pressure! A fifth-rank Sovereign seeing him off! Indeed, Li Hao had made no attempt to conceal it, and Kongji was just as direct, escorting him right out into the open without caring in the least what anyone else thought. *I’m here to see him off. So what?* Li Hao’s reasoning was just as simple. It was no secret that he had joined Huilong Temple, nor was his friendship with Kongji any secret. Since that was the case, what was abnormal about Kongji seeing him off? Yet under normal circumstances, would a fifth-rank Sovereign ever personally see off a first-rank Sovereign? Was that normal? It wasn’t normal in the slightest! A fifth-rank Sovereign… The Sovereign leading this expedition to hunt down Tianji and King Huai was only in the fourth rank. At this moment, he wore an utterly helpless expression, constantly glancing back over his shoulder. A fourth-rank Sovereign was undeniably a top powerhouse among rogue cultivators. A mid-tier Sovereign! Yet the one standing behind was a fifth-rank Sovereign. That was the first point. Second, while Huilong Temple might not amount to much in the eyes of a great world, to rogue cultivators, a place boasting numerous mid-tier Sovereigns was an extraordinary force. They couldn't afford to provoke them! They were merely Chaos Rangers. Of course, this arrangement carried one distinct advantage: Li Hao’s pedigree was unquestionable! He was a Sovereign of Huilong Temple, an official member of an established faction. Moreover, Huilong Temple’s intentions were hardly a secret to certain Sovereigns in Tianfang Great World—they intended to deal with the powerhouses of Xinwu! That spared them a headache, freeing them from worrying whether this man was an enemy scout or spy. At the very least, a mid-tier Sovereign from Huilong Temple was on friendly terms with him. Otherwise, a newcomer Sovereign of unknown origin would have aroused wariness. "This Haoyue certainly has quite the ability. Rumor had it that Sovereign Kongji barely interacts with anyone in Huilong Temple, but judging from this, the rumors are completely false. Look at him, coming to see him off in person… Their relationship is definitely extraordinary!" "It certainly is, but that also brings trouble… Word is this fellow only recently ascended to Sovereign. If… something goes wrong, do we still expect to return to Tianfang Great World?" Someone voiced this precise worry. Indeed, if this pretty boy ended up dead, how could they return? Kongji seeing him off in person carried a subtle hint of deterrence… In truth, they completely misunderstood; Kongji had no such intention at all. Yet in the eyes of outsiders, that was precisely what it looked like. Even the fourth-rank Sovereign felt immense pressure. If this newly ascended Sovereign was killed, unless he gave up on ever returning to Tianfang Great World, there would be tremendous trouble. What a headache! For a fourth-rank Sovereign, traversing the chaos had its limits; they could not travel too far. The Tianfang Domain, the Red Moon Domain, and a few neighboring domains were the extent of their operational range. Kongji was in the fifth rank, whereas he was only in the fourth; he was no match for him. What a nuisance! It was like having an entitled scion shoved into their ranks. A newly ascended Sovereign was hardly a genuine powerhouse. He couldn’t resist glaring toward Mo in the crowd. It was all because of her that this trouble had been dragged into their group. …… At the rear. Kongji wasted no words and simply handed a storage ring to Li Hao. Li Hao did not inspect it closely, directly storing it within his body. Sovereigns naturally formed internal spatial dimensions and had no real need for storage rings, but for trades, one could hardly pull out a massive pile of goods in plain sight for everyone to gawk at. "The chaos is vast, yet it is also small!" Kongji looked at Li Hao with a faint smile. "Neither of us is someone who locks ourselves away in seclusion to cultivate the Dao. Vast though the chaos may be, both of you and I will roam its depths sooner or later. Crossing paths again is only a matter of time! I hope that the next time we meet, Fellow Daoist… we will both have made progress!" Li Hao nodded. "May you soon step into the peak of the sixth rank. Though the path to the seventh rank is arduous, it is not entirely out of reach. Tianfang is, in fact, an opportunity. Perhaps your fortune lies here, and perhaps… mine does as well!" "Tianfang is indeed a land of treasures!" Kongji nodded. "In the ancient past, this was a place where a ninth-rank Sovereign pursued the Dao, a realm unlike any other! Countless great world masters covet it, yet none have been able to peer into its true nature. Sooner or later, this place will become the epicenter of upheaval in the four domains!" The Red Moon Domain was currently the seat of turmoil. Yet Kongji felt that Tianfang would eventually become the core of the storm. This place possessed a ninth rank. The only ninth-rank Sovereign on record. "Enough talk!" Kongji said no more, cupping his fists in a formal salute. "Fellow Daoist, safe travels!" "Thank you!" Li Hao returned the gesture with a wave of his hand, producing the Dao Chess imprint. In an instant, the imprint settled into Kongji's grasp. Kongji said nothing further, turning to leave. Suddenly, he paused and glanced back at the fourth-rank Sovereign. "Haoyue is a dear friend of mine. Strictly speaking, no reminder should be necessary, but since I am already here, I will add one sentence: do not anger my fellow Daoist. Otherwise… within the four domains of Tianfang, pray that you never run into me!" At those words, the fourth-rank Sovereign felt a flare of resentment. *You are in the fifth rank, and I am in the fourth. Do you truly think I am terrified of you?* Such a threat was hard to swallow! The next instant, Kongji offered a faint, cryptic smile. "I am the Divine Son of Bright Light. My father is the Lord of Bright Light!" The moment his words fell, his figure vanished. In the darkness, a fifth-rank Sovereign emerged, radiant light power shimmering around him as he cast a chilling, stern glare toward them! In that instant, the surroundings fell dead silent. The fourth-rank Sovereign froze solid! *Who?* *The Divine Son of Bright Light!* *What the fuck!* *How is that possible?!* *Why would he be here?!* *Heavens above!* Li Hao was momentarily taken aback as well. Soon, however, he looked back at the fourth-rank Sovereign with an apologetic expression. "My apologies. Please don't take offense, Senior. This friend of mine… meant no harm." The fourth-rank Sovereign stood stiffly for a long while before offering an awkward, embarrassed chuckle. "No harm, no harm at all! So it was the Divine Son of Bright Light… I… I truly never would have imagined. Never thought this… this exalted figure would be here. This… this is truly…" He did not even know what to say. *Holy shit!* *The Lord of Bright Light of the eighth rank!* *Heavens!* *How did I get this unlucky?* If it were merely Kongji at the fifth rank, he would have been wary, but not terrified. But an eighth-rank Lord of Bright Light… In the entire Tianfang Domain, there were only two eighth-rank great worlds: the Bright Light Divine World and the Yunxiao World. Eighth rank! Who could afford to provoke that? Certainly not a fourth-rank Sovereign like him. The crux of the matter was: you're the damn Divine Son of Bright Light, yet you cultivate darkness-aligned power! Have you rebelled or something? Well, he knew that was impossible. Right now, the emotions churning within him were complex beyond belief. Kongji was a fifth-rank Sovereign; he wouldn't dare make wild claims. Moreover, a fifth-rank Bright Light Sovereign had even appeared, which was clearly both a deterrent and undeniable proof. Tianfang Great World was filled with loose tongues. If someone dared to make wild claims or impersonate royalty here, within a month, a high-tier Sovereign from the Bright Light Great World would arrive to have a private chat with them. Unless you were looking for death, only a fool would attempt such an impersonation. The Bright Light Divine World possessed more than a single high-tier Sovereign. In the neighboring Red Moon Domain, the Red Moon Great World, whose strength was on par with Bright Light's, commanded multiple high-tier Sovereigns. Now… when everyone looked at Li Hao again, their gazes were completely different. Where there had previously only been envy and jealousy, there was now tremendous wariness, trepidation, unease, and helplessness. Before, if this young man died, a single fifth-rank Sovereign… was not completely horrifying. But if this fellow died now… Good heavens, forget about making a living in the neighboring four domains. Once the high-tier Sovereigns of the Bright Light Divine World mobilized, none of the surrounding domains would be safe. This could also be considered Kongji returning the favor. Kongji knew Li Hao did not fear a fourth-rank Sovereign, but sparing him some trouble was always best. This warning was aimed not only at the people present, but also at anyone who might be lurking in the shadows. These people were going to hunt Xinwu powerhouses… Were there truly no powerful figures tailing them in secret? Hard to say! Kongji had not sensed anyone, but that did not mean no one was there. In that case… I will simply tell you who I am. Let’s see if you dare provoke me. …… At this moment, regardless of whether anyone else was lurking, near the South Realm Gate, a certain Sovereign’s expression shifted slightly. Within Huilong Temple, Sovereign Huilong remained speechless for a long while before cursing under his breath. *It really is him.* *Damn it!* *A real hornet’s nest!* With his smooth and tactful nature, knowing this person was the Divine Son of Bright Light, it would normally be appropriate to fawn over him. Losing a bit of face wouldn’t matter. The problem was that his backer, the Yunxiao Divine World, had always been contending with the Bright Light Divine World for supremacy in the Tianfang Domain. Although they hadn't broken out into open war like Red Moon and Xinwu, relations between the two sides were lukewarm at best. He was nominally a rogue cultivator… but in reality, he was not. To openly butter up Kongji would invite immense trouble. Sovereign Huilong sighed helplessly. Fine, he couldn’t afford to cross him. He would just treat him like an honored ancestor! *I knew this fellow was extraordinary.* *Fortunately, I was polite enough before and didn't offend him.* The crown prince of the Bright Light Divine World chose not to cultivate the power of bright light… No wonder rumors said this Divine Son of Bright Light had an eccentric temperament, so much so that even the Lord of Bright Light had nearly coughed up blood in fury. Yet there was nothing to be done. The Lord of Bright Light was simply too powerful to easily produce offspring; this was his only child. Even if he was rebellious… the father had to pinch his nose and accept it. Fortunately, an eighth-rank Sovereign possessed boundless lifespan and was in no danger of dying anytime soon. Otherwise, with such a troublesome successor, who could rest easy handing over the reins? …… Outside the South Realm Gate. There was another person who, seeing Li Hao and the others depart, did not utter a word. He simply fell prostrate in a deep bow toward Li Hao, unconcerned whether Li Hao could see him, his heart brimming with emotion. This farewell… whether they would ever meet again, he did not know. Yet he knew that whether he could ever attain the Sovereign realm likely depended entirely on this man. Over this period, Ju Ao felt that he had made tremendous progress. The Sovereign realm, which had once been utterly beyond his reach, was now something he faintly grasped. How difficult it was to become a Sovereign! Yet he, Ju Ao, might actually have the chance to witness the magnificent realm of Sovereigns. And all of this traced back to one year ago, when he had welcomed this person at this very gate. A single year was merely the snap of a finger to powerhouses. Yet to him, it was the turning point of his entire life. …… Ahead, Li Hao waved a hand. He did not turn around, yet he was aware. It was merely a casual wave; he did not wish to entangle Ju Ao too deeply. Ju Ao was simply too weak. Someone as powerful as Kongji had a colossal mountain backing him, so it mattered little. But what was Ju Ao? Merely a Heavenly King! Even if he was bordering on half-step Sovereign, he was far too weak. And Li Hao… was bound to provoke countless formidable enemies in the future. It was best for Ju Ao to stay as far away as possible; no further words were needed. Only now did he find the leisure to look around. In truth, everyone was watching him as well. This time, there were more than just a few Sovereigns; there were a full twelve of them, an unexpectedly large number. It was said that Xinwu had only two Sovereigns, yet this side had mobilized twelve. Aside from Li Hao and the fourth-rank Sovereign, there were ten others. Among them were four in the third rank, three in the second rank, and three in the first rank. The two he had encountered at Coiling Dragon Well were both present: one was the female Sovereign Mo in the first rank, and the other was the second-rank Sovereign whose name Li Hao had learned—Sovereign Chanxiu. The fourth-rank Sovereign leading the expedition was named Sovereign Minghao, a Sovereign skilled in sealing techniques. As for the extent of his abilities, Li Hao did not know. As for the others… Li Hao was not particularly interested. They were neither familiar nor powerful. Twelve Sovereigns. Even though Li Hao was nominally only in the first rank, having so many people mobilize just to deal with two low-tier Sovereigns… proved that whether this was a trap or not, these people took Xinwu extremely seriously. A year had passed since Silver Moon opened the Star Gate. Over this past year, the Red Moon Domain had known no peace. It was said that the Xinwu Human King had mobilized multiple times, repeatedly attempting to infiltrate various great worlds… Fortunately, the surrounding powerhouses had joined forces to repel him; otherwise, another great world might have fallen. Even so, the current Red Moon Domain was in a state of extreme paranoia. Everyone lived in constant fear that the Xinwu Human King might appear at any moment and slaughter them. A large number of worlds were migrating toward the vicinity of the Red Moon Great World. Even though Red Moon's reputation was notoriously foul, compared to the Xinwu Human King… people suddenly felt that Red Moon might be more reliable. Rumor had it that high-tier Sovereigns from both sides had even clashed once in the depths of the chaos. Xinwu’s Yang God and a seventh-rank Sovereign from Red Moon had engaged in a fierce battle deep within the chaos. The commotion had been tremendous; both suffered casualties and withdrew. Now, high-tier Sovereign battles had already erupted between the two sides. Furthermore, the Sword Venerable had made an appearance the previous month. His strikes were equally sharp and ruthless, completely wiping out every Sovereign of a medium world that was migrating toward the Red Moon territory, including a medium world master who had just stepped into the sixth rank. That had shaken the entire region! A sixth-rank Sovereign was extraordinarily difficult to kill. Normally, unless a seventh-rank stepped in, even another sixth-rank could hardly slay one, let alone a world master backed by world power. Yet the Xinwu Sword Venerable possessed overwhelming offensive might. Though his endurance was lacking, his killing power was truly terrifying! That medium world master had been gravely injured by his first sword strike and cleanly decapitated by the second; it hadn't even taken three strikes. This display had thoroughly terrified many worlds, leaving them hesitating in turmoil, no longer daring to migrate toward the Red Moon region. These pieces of news continued to spread. Li Hao had heard some of them as well. He had to admit, the Xinwu cohort was truly ruthless and adept at causing trouble. They had no allies, so they did not fear Red Moon’s powerhouses conducting sweeping raids. Their only asset was the Xinwu Great World, which was kept inside the belly of the Cang Emperor, and the Cang Emperor roamed without a trace—where could the Red Moon powerhouses even begin to search? If they sent too few, they feared being devoured. If they sent too many… would they just abandon their home base? Xinwu was currently waging guerrilla warfare. Red Moon, having too large a target, could not engage in guerrilla tactics and was forced into passive defense. Consequently, an eighth-rank great world was actually finding itself at a disadvantage in its confrontation with Xinwu. These matters were casually mentioned in conversations among the group along the way. …… "Haoyue." In the chaotic void, Mo was the one most familiar with Li Hao… even though they had only met once before, making this their second meeting. However, Mo was exceptionally polite and warm toward Li Hao. It wasn't solely because of Kongji; she had been like this before. First, a Sovereign from the Yunyang Great World had vanished back then; second, Li Hao was quite handsome; and third, after meeting Li Hao, she and another Sovereign had encountered an eruption of Dao traces at Coiling Dragon Well and gained insights from it. Though she was still in the first rank, Mo felt she was close to reaching the second rank. Her luck had been fantastic! Sovereign Haoyue was a person who brought good fortune. "What is it?" Li Hao was currently looking around. The chaos was boundless, but he now possessed a rather extraordinary map in his hands, which he was using to verify his position. "Is Sovereign Kongji truly the Divine Son of Bright Light?" "I'm not sure. Probably." Li Hao smiled. "Fellow Daoist Kongji and I don't discuss such things. I only learned of it today; he never brought it up normally." Mo was somewhat skeptical, but she also felt Li Hao was not the type to lie. Still, curiosity got the better of her. "Then how did you and Sovereign Kongji meet?" "I said I wanted to join Huilong Temple, so they came to assess me. Sovereign Kongji was the one who came, and that's how we got acquainted." Just like that? Within the span of a single year? For Sovereigns, could a friendship without hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years behind it even be called a friendship? The others were eavesdropping on the conversation between Mo and Li Hao. At this moment, none of them believed it. *Liar!* This fellow had probably known Kongji long ago. Some even suspected whether this Haoyue also hailed from a great world—perhaps even the Bright Light Divine World—for how else could he have formed such a bond with Kongji? Li Hao did not pursue the topic, asking curiously instead, "This time, our targets are Xinwu’s Tianji and King Huai. Where have those two reached now?" At this question, the others remained silent. Mo glanced toward the fourth-rank Sovereign, and Sovereign Minghao gave a slight nod. There was nothing to hide. Seeing this, Mo explained, "They are approaching the Red Moon Great World, near the former location of the Yueming Great World… After the Yueming Great World migrated away, that area was left without any great world. They are about to arrive there." Li Hao extended his consciousness into the map to compare the locations. The position of the Yueming Great World on the map was still its original coordinates, which were actually not too far from where Silver Moon had first emerged. Of course, "not too far" still meant a journey of two to three months for low-tier Sovereigns. It was still quite distant! This was the downside of the chaos: traveling took up the vast majority of the time, whereas an actual battle would conclude very quickly. The expanse was simply too vast! Two to three months assumed one followed the right path. A slight deviation in direction could send someone tens of thousands of li off course… Fortunately, Sovereigns rarely got lost. In the vast chaos, aside from the Xinwu Human King, who was said to frequently lose his way, other Sovereigns generally managed fine. Unless one lost all sense of direction amidst intense combat without any reference points, losing one's way was fairly unusual. "Earlier, I heard you mention that other Xinwu Sovereigns are active nearby… Could that cause trouble?" Mo shook her head. "That has nothing to do with us; others will deal with them. To counter Xinwu’s guerrilla tactics, Red Moon is currently recruiting vast numbers of rogue cultivators. Not just rogue cultivators—as you know, many Sovereigns within Tianfang Great World have also grown restless and active lately!" Her meaning was clear: those powerhouses would make a move as well. It was only a matter of time. Their group was weaker, so they set off early, while stronger figures could set out several months later and still catch up. Li Hao nodded again, then asked curiously, "I know the Silver Moon World is a subsidiary world of the Yin-Yang World. Rumor has it that capturing it can be exchanged for a medium world. Has anyone taken Silver Moon recently?" "No." Mo shook her head once more. "However, Silver Moon's tracks have been spotted. Someone encountered them earlier; they were led by a second-rank chaos beast, but there seemed to be another Sovereign present as well. The two Sovereigns joined forces, injured a second-rank Sovereign, and fled the scene… Some say Silver Moon is trying to rendezvous with Xinwu and heading in the direction of Tianji and King Huai. We might just run into them!" *Heading to rendezvous with Xinwu?* Li Hao’s heart stirred slightly. Also, another Sovereign had emerged… It was likely neither the Dao Master nor Lin Hongyu, which meant it was most probably Tianji. After a year, Hong Yitang and the others should also be close to the Sovereign level. Over this year, Silver Moon must have enjoyed a period of development, and the Great Dao Universe had surely grown considerably stronger. All they lacked was an opportunity. Those three were likely only half a step away from Sovereign. If he could return, Silver Moon would probably produce three Sovereigns. Adding Tianji’s clone, Black Panther, and himself, Silver Moon would boast a total of six Sovereigns! Aside from lacking a mid-tier Sovereign, they would not lag behind weaker medium worlds. Only then would it truly match the scale of a medium world. Of course, with the existence of the Great Dao Universe, Silver Moon inherently possessed the foundation of a great world. Unfortunately, evolving into a great world was extraordinarily difficult. "I do hope we run into the Silver Moon World!" Li Hao feigned anticipation. "Trading it for a medium world—what an incredible reward…" Mo chuckled. "It's more than just a medium world now! To counter Xinwu and keep them in check, Red Moon has raised the stakes. A medium world is just one part of it; there are many other rewards. They might even… allow you to join the Great Dao Universe of a great world!" A trace of envy colored her voice. "A great world doesn’t just recruit Sovereigns on a whim. Normally, a great world can accommodate a hundred Sovereigns at most! Yet the chaos has no shortage of small and medium worlds, and countless Sovereigns are forced to cultivate the chaotic, disordered Daos of the void. If one could join a great world—an eighth-rank great world at that—many would jump at the chance!" Unfortunately, such opportunities were scarce. Mid-tier Sovereigns might retain some pride. Yet for low-tier Sovereigns, joining a great world was their primary path toward breaking into the mid-tier. Relying solely on oneself was simply too difficult. Li Hao nodded. That made sense. Leaving everything else aside, how many Sovereigns were in Tianfang alone? Certainly well over a hundred. In fact, far more than that. And how many Sovereigns did a single Huilong Temple possess? Most were rogue cultivators. Once reaching the Sovereign realm, advancement became exceedingly difficult. Joining a great world might not make reaching the high tiers easy, but advancing to the mid tiers became significantly simpler—far easier than their current plight, at least. Thus, a Great Dao Universe was the ultimate tool for recruiting talent. Silver Moon possessed this capital. However… Li Hao had little interest in doing so. If the Dao Master had not even reached Sovereign, bringing outsiders in risked having them usurp the host and seize the Great Dao Universe, which was practically delivering a meal to their doorstep. Moreover, Li Hao’s intention was to prioritize opportunities for Silver Moon’s native powerhouses. Even when the Great Dao Universe matured, he hoped Silver Moon’s own people would fill those vacancies. Not outsiders! Furthermore, in Li Hao’s view, the dual-Dao universe held immense potential. According to his earlier estimates, once the Great Dao Universe fully developed, it could accommodate a full 360 Sovereigns… provided the universe grew strong enough. At this moment, Sovereign Minghao’s voice transmission suddenly reached him from ahead: "Haoyue, you have only recently ascended to Sovereign. For this operation, focus primarily on observing. As for combat… try to participate as little as possible!" Li Hao smiled. "Thank you for looking out for me, Senior! But rest assured, if I truly perish in battle, as long as I wasn't set up by our own people, Fellow Daoist Kongji will never cause trouble for any of you. Fellow Daoist Kongji is not an obstacle for us, but an asset… In critical moments, it wouldn't hurt for us to borrow the name of the Bright Light Divine World. Fellow Daoist Kongji is quite easy to talk to; there will be no problem." *Bullshit!* The crowd cursed inwardly. *Borrow my ass!* *Recklessly borrowing the name of an eighth-rank great world is an invitation to be hacked to death!* *Easy to talk to?* *Is Kongji easy to talk to?* *He isn't easy to talk to in the slightest! Before this, he didn't give any of us the time of day, acting completely arrogant… Of course, we didn't understand before, but we understand now. As the crown prince of an eighth-rank great world, of course he's arrogant.* *Besides, he is a fifth-rank powerhouse in his own right.* Minghao knew a bit more: word had it that Kongji had reached the fifth rank years ago, yet he had now abandoned the power of bright light and remained in the fifth rank… That was what truly terrified him. Earlier, Minghao had thought he could measure strength against him. Now he understood clearly: if Kongji had truly reached the fifth rank again after crippling his bright light power, was that still ordinary fifth-rank strength? He likely commanded the power of a sixth-rank! Minghao said nothing further. He still had to maintain his prestige before the other Sovereigns and could not make his deference too obvious just because Li Hao had a formidable backer. However, providing appropriate care was an absolute must! Thus, to accommodate Li Hao, he even reduced his flying speed slightly. He assumed that as a newly ascended Sovereign, Li Hao would be unable to keep up if they went too fast. For powerhouses of their level, traveling was done entirely under their own power. As for divine artifacts… Sovereigns barely had enough to go around as weapons. Even if they had suitable ones, they would use them to kill enemies, not for travel. Artifacts capable of ferrying travelers through the chaos were prized treasures. Who would squander them so wastefully? Even with their pace slackened, a group of Sovereigns moved remarkably fast. Last time, it had taken Li Hao and his companions roughly a month to travel from Silver Moon’s original location to Tianfang. This time, unburdened by a world, the group of Sovereigns took less than twenty days to reach a familiar sight. Silver Moon’s former resting place had arrived! In the blink of an eye, over a year had passed. After stepping into the chaos, Li Hao felt time slip away at an astonishing pace. By his calculation, was he twenty-four years old now? Unifying the entirety of Silver Moon had taken him less than two years. Yet wandering out in the chaos, he had accomplished nothing of note in over a year. Li Hao couldn't help but sigh. Back in Silver Moon, what couldn't he achieve in over a year? Yet here, aside from advancing from the first rank to the third rank, he hadn't done a single piece of real business! No wonder a figure like the Xinwu Human King, who had advanced at breakneck speed in the Yin-Yang World, had only climbed from the sixth rank to the peak of the seventh rank over a thousand years in the chaos. A thousand years was truly a long time. *If I don't stir up trouble and fight, would it take me a thousand years to reach the seventh rank as well?* Li Hao pondered, then thought of Dao Chess… Truth be told, with that artifact in hand, he genuinely stood a chance. Even without fighting, reaching the seventh rank within a thousand years should be well within reach. As he kept pace with the group, he monitored the fluctuating aura of another star within his river. It was also a star of life and death. Lin Hongyu's. Using this connection to gauge their distance, he knew they were currently drawing closer to Silver Moon. The resonance from the star was growing steadily stronger, confirming that the Silver Moon World was indeed moving to rendezvous with Tianji and King Huai. …… At the same time. Within the chaos. Aboard a flying vessel. Tianji looked utterly drained of the will to live. *I sense it!* *I sense my clone drawing closer and closer to me. What in the hell? Why are you coming to find me?!* *We’re both on the same side; we are one and the same.* *I know you, and you know me. Since you know what's going on… why the fuck are you still coming toward me? Are you even my clone anymore?* *Are you being coerced?* *Did the new King of Silver Moon force my clone into this?* *Otherwise… you shouldn't be coming anywhere near me!* *What a nightmare!* Seeing his lifeless expression, King Huai understood the situation and let out a sigh. "It'll be all right." What else could he say? Tianji rolled his eyes and kept silent. There was nothing he could do. Things had reached this point… a rendezvous with Silver Moon was practically inevitable. In two to three months at most, or one to two months at least, barring any accidents, they were destined to cross paths in less than two years since parting! He had originally calculated it would take three to five years. Because the other side was fleeing, and he was in pursuit. Yet the damn clone was no longer running; it was heading straight toward him, instantly slashing the travel time in half. He felt an overwhelming urge to just drop dead. Of course, thoughts and curses aside, necessary preparations still had to be made. He sighed. "Barring any surprises, Silver Moon seized the physical body of a chaos beast and is currently residing inside it… That’s good news. It means they can move freely. Otherwise, with a small world, unless we swallowed it whole, it would be difficult to carry away. Now, it's manageable!" "Furthermore, encountering Silver Moon… Since Silver Moon sought us out voluntarily and my clone came willingly, it means they are in danger and being pursued. The pursuers shouldn't be too strong—not mid-tier Sovereigns, or they would have been caught long ago. Likely second- or third-rank Sovereigns, though the exact numbers are unknown." "Third, when we meet… we will likely be within the domain of the Red Moon Great World… That is the crucial part!" Tianji frowned slightly. "We aren't the Human King. We can't act recklessly or treat the chaos like our own backyard, wandering wherever we please. We must avoid Red Moon and stick to the periphery! Otherwise, if the Red Moon Great Dao Universe blankets us… they can easily descend upon us directly!" King Huai nodded. The reasoning was solid. Prince Tianji was Prince Tianji after all—thorough and meticulous. *Even though I thought of that as well, I won't say it.* Tianji shot him a glance and continued, "They seized a chaos beast… likely through possession. Heaven's Will possession? Or something similar? Regardless, they have a Sovereign now. Adding the Silver Moon King—who definitely wouldn't possess a chaos beast—and my clone, that means there are likely three Sovereigns on their side!" "Combined with you and me, that makes five Sovereigns. However, those three… including my clone, are likely all first-rank Sovereigns. You are in the second rank, and I am in the third… Against low-tier Sovereigns, this strength suffices. But if we run into a fourth-rank, we'll be in serious trouble!" King Huai asked, "Once you merge with your clone, is there hope of stepping into the fourth rank?" "It's not that simple!" Tianji shook his head. "The fourth rank isn't achieved so easily!" Pausing, he added, "Our flying vessel is quite fast, matching the speed of a mid-tier Sovereign… As long as we can find a way to take Silver Moon aboard, mid-tier Sovereigns will struggle to catch us—fourth- or fifth-ranks, that is. A sixth-rank would definitely overtake us!" King Huai sighed ruefully. "The road ahead is fraught with peril! The return journey is an enormous issue as well… I don't recommend heading straight back to Xinwu. Besides, it's hard to say where Xinwu even is right now, with the Cang Emperor constantly on the move. I believe… once we pick up Silver Moon, we should flee toward the Tianfang Domain! There are many rogue cultivators there, and it's far more chaotic. The Bright Light Divine World and Yunxiao Divine World are said to have friction, and Tianfang Great World itself is in complete disarray with countless Sovereigns. Fleeing there might be safer!" "It’s quite a conspicuous target!" Tianji pondered for a moment. "Let's plan for that first and discuss it further once we meet the Silver Moon people. Who knows what that Silver Moon King is planning right now." King Huai nodded repeatedly. Tianji couldn't help but ask, "What about you? Any other thoughts?" King Huai smiled. "Whatever Senior decides is fine. I'm merely accompanying Senior on this trip…" Tianji rolled his eyes. *To hell with that!* This fellow was an insidious schemer; he definitely had thoughts of his own. "Just spit it out… Our lives are on the line here. Do you think I'd disregard our survival just because what you have to say sounds unpleasant?" *Fair enough.* Around other Xinwu Sovereigns, one had to remain somewhat restrained, but with this one… it was fine to speak more freely. King Huai lowered his voice: "Senior, what I mean is, we need to save ourselves!" *Nonsense!* King Huai continued, "We've likely been targeted, and our presence is far too conspicuous—saving ourselves will be difficult! I have a theory… Silver Moon has very likely given birth to a new Dao…" Tianji stared at him. Why would he think that? King Huai did not elaborate. Why else? Without a new Dao, how the hell could your clone have broken through to Sovereign? A massive surge of Great Dao power had to have poured in! Furthermore, without a new Dao, how could they possess a chaos beast's body? The new King of Silver Moon had to be far stronger than a typical first-rank Sovereign. If it was Heaven's Will possession, for the local Heaven's Will to rival a first-rank Sovereign or higher was completely abnormal. In any case, the likelihood of a new Dao having emerged was exceedingly high. "Our Xinwu Origin aura is currently too prominent… It makes hiding nearly impossible!" King Huai transmitted his voice: "The aura of a great world is too dense. That's a bad thing—far too dangerous! When we meet Silver Moon, if the danger is too great, my suggestion is… we shouldn't charge at the forefront. If a new Dao has indeed been born, we… merge into it!" Tianji drew in a sharp breath! *Holy shit!* *You want to betray Xinwu?!* "Ahem… Senior, don't misunderstand! Xinwu and Silver Moon are one family. What I mean is… if that Silver Moon King is a new Dao Master, someone like that won't die easily. With a third-rank and a second-rank merging into his new Dao… hehe, his strength will skyrocket in an instant. He’ll definitely become much stronger and sweep aside the enemy powerhouses in one fell swoop, which gives us an excuse to explain ourselves!" At this point, he transmitted again: "The new Dao is bound to have very few powerhouses right now. We haven't had much success in the Origin, but entering the new Dao Universe… we might become senior Sovereigns right off the bat! Once the new Dao Universe expands, we might comfortably slide into the mid tiers… With a bit of luck, the high tiers aren't out of the question either!" King Huai smiled meaningfully. "Joining another great world would make us traitors! But joining Silver Moon… how could that be treason? Xinwu and Silver Moon are inseparable, and circumstances dictate it. Senior, what do you say?" Tianji gasped. *Damn it!* *That actually makes sense.* Joining another great world—putting aside whether they would accept you—even if they did, would you dare? Wouldn't you fear the Supreme, the Human King, and the others bashing you to death? One hundred percent! But joining Silver Moon… Silver Moon had been Xinwu territory since ancient times… Yes, there was nothing wrong with that! It was the Sword Venerable's territory, after all. It made complete sense! The crucial point was… they wouldn't have to fight! Once their Daos merged, if Silver Moon truly had a new Dao Universe, its Dao Master’s power would surge tremendously. After all, they were two Sovereigns! One in the third rank and one in the second. With such an explosive boost, wouldn't the Dao Master charge out and flatten their foes directly? Even if he couldn't, he would find a way to escape! When that time came, as senior Sovereigns of Silver Moon, even if they completely coasted, securing a mid-tier Sovereign standing in the new Dao Universe wouldn't be difficult at all, right? Next time… say, countless years from now, if another opportunity like Silver Moon arose, he could coast again and perhaps even loaf his way into becoming a high-tier Sovereign. The prerequisite was having good foresight—and the new King of Silver Moon having genuine capability. "We need to observe first!" Tianji transmitted back: "We must assess the situation and test the new king's capabilities. We can't just coast carelessly! Even if we want to loaf, we have to look at the person. If he's a useless fool… would you still merge?" King Huai nodded vigorously! Of course, they had to observe first. Still, for someone to become the new King of Silver Moon—a world subordinate to Xinwu, populated by Xinwu survivors—and unify the realm was no small feat. Crucially, daring to allow Tianji's clone to achieve Sovereign status proved he was truly extraordinary. In any case, right now, King Huai felt that coasting was a viable option. If the conditions were right, he was ready to lie flat. Effort paled in comparison to making the right choice. With the right choice made, why bother exhausting oneself? As long as the choice was correct, one could coast to victory! In that moment, the two exchanged a glance. Tianji looked at him, and both broke into smiles. *That's what we'll do!* In broad strokes, the decision was made. As long as the opportunity was suitable, merging instantly would spare them from fighting while making a favorable impression on the Silver Moon King. Thereafter, loafing for an entire era wouldn't seem out of place to the Silver Moon King either. At this moment, Tianji, who had previously felt troubled and reluctant about the meeting, actually found himself looking forward to it. He couldn't help but marvel inwardly: King Huai truly had daring ideas. Even he hadn't dared think along those lines! Setting out with King Huai this time had indeed been the right call. At critical moments, this fellow had astonishing guts. In all of Xinwu, no one other than King Huai could have possibly concocted such a scheme. After all, they were second- and third-rank Sovereigns, not ordinary cultivators. To decide to simply coast was a choice very few could bring themselves to make. "Speed up… Let's aim to meet them within two months!" Tianji found a surge of motivation. Accelerate! The longer they dragged this out, the more pursuers might arrive. The flying vessel surged forward at an even faster pace, hurtling toward Silver Moon. …… At the same time. Tianji's clone was equally bewildered. *Why have they accelerated again?* *Does my main body not know my situation?* *Moving this fast—are you in a hurry to die?!* *We're the same person! Unless you're rushing to your death, moving this quickly makes no sense… Could it be that my main body has found a way to resolve the crisis?* With that thought, the clone felt considerably more at ease. Just as well. If he didn't arrive soon, the clone was going to be finished. In all his life, he had fought the most battles during this recent period, clashing with Sovereigns four or five times already. For someone who firmly believed in never standing when he could lie down, it was absolute torture! At this moment, Tianji's clone spoke up: "Black Panther, pick up the pace! My main body is coming to reinforce us. Once he arrives, the crisis is resolved!" Hearing this, the crowd grew instantly excited. It seemed Tianji had immense confidence in his main body. Well, Sovereigns of Xinwu certainly had real skill to back them up! Only Zhang An felt a flicker of doubt. Tianji… why was he in such a hurry? Wasn't he afraid his main body might perish here as well? Could it be that after more than fifty years apart, Tianji had grown bolder? If so… that wasn't a bad thing. Perhaps through decades of combat, Tianji's clone had grown stronger, maybe even reaching the fourth rank. Over fifty years ago, he had already been a second-rank Sovereign, certainly not among the weakest. At this thought, Zhang An felt somewhat reassured as well. Li Hao had yet to return, and Silver Moon’s whereabouts had been exposed, keeping Zhang An nervous and uneasy of late. Tianji's words brought a measure of peace to his mind.