Farewell

Call it self-deception, or burying one's head in the sand. Having slain the foes before him, the chaos lightning tribulation loomed. Yet at this moment, Li Hao remained unhurried. He asked Qian Wuliang about a truth he knew intimately well, yet had been unwilling to admit. Silver Moon could not escape Xinwu. That was not even the core issue. There was another matter: the Dao of Silver Moon, its core Dao—the Dao of Time—actually harbored massive flaws. Yet he had insisted on cultivating the Dao of Time. Now, problems fed into one another in an endless loop from which he could never break free. To grow stronger, he had to use Time. To slay those above his realm, he had to use Time. Using Time to kill stronger foes meant shouldering greater karma. To shoulder greater karma, he had to become even stronger. To become stronger still, he had to borrow power from Time once more. And once borrowed, to withstand the karma, he needed to grow stronger yet again. Deluding himself into thinking he could participate in a war between great worlds, deluding himself into shedding the identity of a lackey, deluding himself into thinking he wouldn't be dragged into Xinwu's wake, deluding himself into keeping Silver Moon free from oppression... Li Hao had thought too much and desired too much. Under normal circumstances, a minor world like Silver Moon was meant to be oppressed. Either abandon the Silver Moon World and let Red Moon seize it, or carry Silver Moon away from the Red Moon Domain toward the boundless, unknown void, ignoring Xinwu, ignoring Red Moon, wandering with the world as far as possible. There would still be hope of escaping the war. Even if the road ahead was uncharted and the future uncertain, there remained a sliver of hope that they would never need to take part in a war involving high-rank Sovereigns. Yet Li Hao had not chosen that path. He had chosen... to fight! To face the battle head-on! In the war between Xinwu and Red Moon, he had chosen neither to be a bystander nor to seek out Xinwu's origin world, return Silver Moon to them, and depart on his own. In truth, if he returned Silver Moon to Xinwu, Xinwu would accept it. Then Li Hao could have departed without a care in the world. A lone man in the boundless chaos—where could he not go? Yet... could he truly cast it aside just like that? Or should he learn from the masters of other worlds and simply devour the Silver Moon World? Let everyone perish to fulfill his own ascension, concentrating all might into a single body so he could wander the chaos alone as a rogue swordsman. With his strength, as long as he steered clear of absolute terrors, where could he not roam? Who cared about Xinwu? Who cared about the chaos? In truth, Xinwu did not need Li Hao to worry about them. Xinwu boasted countless powerhouses—the valorous and invincible Human King, the peerlessly wise Supreme. They could slay mighty enemies on their own, strike above their rank, and force Red Moon into cowering retreat. In truth, Xinwu needed no reinforcement. All of Li Hao's thrashing about... in truth, was merely for Silver Moon. He did not want Silver Moon to become anyone's accessory. He did not want the world that birthed him to be nothing more than an appendage of Xinwu. And so, he wanted to struggle. An ant shaking the heavens, grossly overestimating its strength. The entire world had been born barely a thousand chaos years ago and had sealed itself off for over fifty years. How could such an immature little world dream of throwing off the control of hegemons? Who was born standing atop the pinnacle of the chaos? Who did not have to lie low, swallowing humiliation and shouldering burdens? Yet the power of Time seemed to have granted Li Hao such an opportunity—a chance to avoid swallowing humiliation and shouldering burdens. And so, he had embarked upon a path of constantly seeking Time, yet constantly overdrawing Time. Just like that, he had fallen into a loop of Time. "Marquis!" Qian Wuliang called out cautiously, a trace of dread in his voice. He was deeply anxious! At this moment, he feared beyond measure that Li Hao would lose control. Li Hao, however, gave a slight smile and glanced at him. "Rest assured!" With those two words, Qian Wuliang genuinely felt a heavy weight lift from his heart. As for Li Hao, the hesitation in his eyes quickly melted away. It did not matter! It was merely another cage. All he had to do was break it open! Silver Moon's Stargate was open, but the Stargate of the chaos remained shut, and the Stargate within his heart remained shut. Where was true freedom to be found? Nowhere! Therefore, he had to shatter the Stargates sealing himself and Silver Moon one by one. Once he broke through every single gate, what would it matter how much debt he owed? Today, the fierce tiger within his heart emerged once more. He had reawakened to his true self. He was still that same Li Hao. Everything he did was merely to shatter the Stargates shackling him and Silver Moon—to shatter them until the day arrived when no gates stood before him! Man was not born entirely free, yet he... was bent on pursuing absolute freedom. Until the very end, who could say for certain that he was destined to fail? A sudden clarity arose within his heart. The Dao was hard to cultivate. Seeking the Dao was difficult, harder than ascending to the blue heavens. The path of cultivation had always been like this; seeking the Dao of Freedom was harder still. He wished to roam unfettered and carefree, yet the world was not yet large enough, the hearts of men were not yet broad enough, and fame and profit could not yet be cast aside. The future held far too much to be done. He refused to be a petty figure bowing and scraping, living at the mercy of others' whims. Only the supreme pinnacle could grant true freedom, could it not? "Marquis!" "Quiet!" Li Hao tilted his head and barked a reprimand. *I heard you; what are you yelling for again and again?* So what if the chaos lightning tribulation was imminent? Had it arrived yet? With the world gate shut, couldn't they stall for a bit longer? Qian Wuliang felt helpless, but at the same time relieved. Now that Li Hao was scolding people, he felt at ease. Had Li Hao remained utterly composed, Qian Wuliang would have been terrified instead. Li Hao tidied up the battlefield, sweeping up the corpses and energy of all the fallen Sovereigns without the slightest rush. He raised his head to gaze at the sky. That Great Dao Universe... belonged to Tianfang. Tianfang's Great Dao Universe did indeed exist, but it could not yet revive. There was not enough energy, and not enough energy of identical origin. He looked at it a while longer, his eyes flickering slightly. Many people had seen him today. Perhaps Sovereign Huilong and the others would return soon. Having slain this Sovereign from Yunxiao, the World Master of Yunxiao would likely know of his demise—no, he would certainly know. In that case, the World Master might notify Sovereign Huilong and the others, warning them that an upheaval had occurred here and that a powerhouse capable of slaying a sixth-rank Sovereign had appeared. Even if Sovereign Huilong and the others returned, they would be exceedingly cautious. They would be far harder to kill than Chiyun had been today! Li Hao kept looking up at the sky, sinking into deep contemplation, making no move to resist the lightning. Watching him, Qian Wuliang grew anxious and exasperated. What was he still waiting for? He knew that the longer Li Hao delayed, the faster the power would drain away. Right now, while the seventh-rank power remained, he should hurry! Li Hao suddenly said, "I don't want to run anymore." "What?" Li Hao said solemnly, "I don't want to keep fleeing with Silver Moon! The Silver Moon World has become a burden, a dead weight. I'm saying, I don't want to keep running!" Qian Wuliang's expression changed. What did he mean? Was he... going to abandon Silver Moon? "We need to settle down in one place and stay put for a while!" Li Hao looked up at the sky once more. "Tianfang's Great Dao Universe hasn't fully revived, but the Great Dao Universe exists. Today, with the power I borrowed, I can barely pry it open a crack. I'm going to stuff the Silver Moon World inside!" Qian Wuliang was dumbfounded. Stuff it inside? Stuff it where? Li Hao continued, "If I can't do it alone, I'll borrow power from the Sovereign of Panlong Well. If that still isn't enough, I'll seek out the Dao Chess... In short, I will settle the Silver Moon World completely, find a safe place, and allow you all to grow!" Li Hao turned to look at him. "You will enter Tianfang's Great Dao Universe! Tianfang's Great Dao Universe will serve as a wrapper. As long as the Tianfang Universe remains closed, no one can find you, and no one can open it... In all the heavens and earth, only I can open it! If I die, unless the people of Tianfang return, you will remain within the Tianfang Universe forever. "Unless I truly reach the seventh rank... I will not open the Tianfang Universe again either!" Qian Wuliang's face drained of color again as he stared at Li Hao. "Marquis... this... this..." Li Hao looked at him. "Doing this means it would have been better never to have opened the Stargate in the first place, right?" Qian Wuliang fell silent. Indeed. Doing this—how was it any different from when the Stargate was sealed? Li Hao was quiet for a moment. "Back then, I didn't know that Silver Moon would be in such grave danger once the Stargate opened... I knew Red Moon was powerful, but I thought Xinwu could handle Red Moon, and that in the entire chaos, only Red Moon was our enemy. No one told me... that throughout the chaos, enemies lurk everywhere, Sovereigns hunting my Silver Moon everywhere... "Once the Red Moon bounty was posted, countless people wanted to capture the Silver Moon World to trade for massive resources. Kill one, and two more appear, an endless tide! I had to pull myself away to protect Silver Moon. If not to protect Silver Moon earlier, I would have already made contact with Xinwu, rather than slaughtering Red Moon experts right under the nose of the Lord of Red Moon... "It is we who dragged the Marquis down." Qian Wuliang felt helpless. Was Li Hao... growing weary of them? Li Hao shook his head. "I'm not saying you're a burden. I'm saying... Silver Moon is too weak, fragile beyond measure, like fine porcelain that shatters at a touch! Such a Silver Moon cannot aid me, and I cannot devote myself single-mindedly to protecting Silver Moon! While I've seized a bounty of resources this time..." Li Hao's gaze suddenly turned ruthless. "I've killed so many Sovereigns and seized so much energy. Later, I will destroy Huilong Temple, seize all its resources, and stuff them into Silver Moon. That will be enough for Silver Moon to cultivate for a time! Let the entire populace cultivate and develop. If I can reopen the Tianfang Universe one day, perhaps you can fight your way back out! "Furthermore, I will reseal the Stargate! Severing time!" Qian Wuliang was stunned. "It can be resealed?" Was that possible? The flow of time had already aligned with the outside world. Li Hao smiled. "Of course it can. The Tianfang Universe is inherently sealed. It's just that once sealed, you won't be able to contact the chaos or the outside world, nor draw upon energy... In other words, instead of absorbing external energy, you'll be like before, relying solely on internal energy to sustain operation. "Yet how much can a world absorb on its own? The growth of a world takes millions of years at every turn. I will plunder, rob, and kill! I will slaughter all my enemies and dump all the resources into Silver Moon. When that happens, sealing yourselves off won't be an issue." He looked toward the Tianfang Universe again. "Hurry, or my power will drain away. Once it's gone, I would have to borrow power again to open the Tianfang Universe..." "Marquis, do all of us have to seal ourselves inside?" Li Hao glanced at him. Qian Wuliang gritted his teeth and said, "What I mean is... we have quite a few Sovereigns now. Why not let the Sovereigns step out, leaving life and death to fate? If Sovereigns seal themselves off, aside from devouring resources, what else can they do? Comprehend the Dao? Therefore... what the Marquis should seal is Silver Moon, not people like us! "Some from Silver Moon must walk out into the open. "When that time comes, whether we survive in Tianfang, go to other worlds, or wander the chaos... it all depends on our own fate! Many Sovereigns from Xinwu wander outside too, don't they? That is essentially free roaming; the energy of the Xinwu Great World isn't abundant enough either, or they wouldn't restrict Sovereigns." Qian Wuliang added swiftly, "So, I think we Sovereigns ought to step out!" Li Hao pondered for a moment and said briskly, "We'll see. No need to rush that decision. First, I'll bring Silver Moon back... While the powerhouses haven't returned and no one is paying attention, I'll try to tear open the Great Dao Universe and hide Silver Moon inside!" Hiding right under everyone's noses. Hiding within a ninth-rank Great Dao Universe. Even if they knew the Great Dao Universe was right here, they would have virtually no way to open it. Of course, if he died, perhaps... unless the people of Tianfang truly returned, this Great Dao Universe would be even more of a cage than the chaos. The Great Dao Universe held no energy; it had been carried away by the people of Tianfang back then, leaving behind an empty husk. Such a universe was currently worse than the chaos itself. Yet at the very least, it was safe! At this moment, Li Hao was thinking of many things. In truth, he did not want to hide Silver Moon inside. When the Stargate had first opened, everyone had been ecstatic, believing they had connected with the chaos, believing they were no longer isolated, believing the future was bright. Yet today, he had to tell them that he was going to seal the Stargate once more, seal Silver Moon once more. Not only that, but it would be even crueler than before... In the past, outside was the chaos; one might still encounter outsiders. Now, even if you broke the Stargate, if the Tianfang Universe remained unopened, you could never break through the Tianfang Great Dao Universe in your entire life. At that point, you would have even less freedom than in the chaos. Qian Wuliang said nothing more. Once they retrieved Silver Moon, they could discuss it further. ... Li Hao shifted across space. His seventh-rank power had not yet dissipated, lending him astonishing speed. At this point, the world gate could no longer block the chaos lightning tribulation. After all, Tianfang was not completely sealed; it had four major world gates, and closing them merely delayed the lock-on time. Faint tribulation clouds were already beginning to gather above Li Hao's head. Li Hao waved a hand, cloaking the dark clouds. With his current power, ordinary Sovereigns could not see through the veil. After thinking it through repeatedly, Li Hao headed straight for Huilong Temple. ... Inside Huilong Temple. A monumental upheaval had erupted, yet to many, it remained entirely unknown. Even if they knew a battle had broken out in the distance... with the fall of the Sovereigns, the weaker beings of Huilong Temple had no idea what had happened. All were somewhat bewildered! Of course, they were not overly terrified. Huilong Temple boasted dozens of Sovereigns, and a top-tier Sovereign had arrived today. People were not as worried as one might imagine; they merely felt that if a battle among Sovereigns erupted, it might pose a threat to them. Battles between Sovereigns easily swept up the weak. Ju Ao was still waiting for Li Hao. He was still deliberating whether to seek out Kongji. Just as the thought crossed his mind, heaven and earth spun. In an instant, the sky above Huilong Temple seemed to change. Before some experts in the temple could react, everyone was frozen in place, utterly motionless. Inside the temple, a fifth-rank Sovereign appeared. The power of light manifested. With shock in his eyes, he looked toward the sky, utterly aghast. This was the expert by Kongji's side. Only he had remained here without moving. While Kongji was in seclusion, he served as Kongji's protector. Seventh-rank? Who was it? The next moment, he knew. Li Hao's figure emerged, looking at the man. The Sovereign's face warped dramatically. Bright Moon, the King of Silver Moon! "Chiyun and the others..." "Dead!" *I guessed as much.* The man's expression shifted erratically. *I guessed as much.* *The moment this boundless power appeared, I knew. No wonder the commotion over there was so massive earlier. So... this fiend truly slaughtered them all. What a ruthless monster!* "I'm looking for Kongji!" "You cannot!" Though terrified, the Sovereign still said in a deep voice, "His Highness is in seclusion. He gave strict orders that unless he emerges on his own, no one may disturb him. Unless... you kill me!" "Time is short." Li Hao said nothing more. The next moment, he brought a palm down. A cage materialized, followed by a domain, enveloping the man. He did not waste words with him. A moment later, Ju Ao appeared before him. Li Hao commanded, "Go, tell Kongji to come up. I cannot go down!" With the lightning tribulation hanging over his head, entering Dark Demon Ridge might cause the entire ridge to cease to exist. "Yes!" Terrified, Ju Ao hurriedly slipped through the portal into Dark Demon Ridge. ... Inside the Dark Demon Divine Hall. Still comprehending the Dao, Kongji felt no tremors whatsoever. Here, it was as if he were isolated from heaven and earth. A smile played upon his lips. A fine place, a marvelous treasure. He had nearly reached the four-thousandth square. His progress was rapid. At this rate, Kongji thought, perhaps... he would soon step into the sixth rank. Dao Chess, what a marvelous treasure! A moment later, a voice seemed to reach his ears. "Sovereign Kongji, I am Ju Ao. Lord Bright Moon wishes to see Senior..." Kongji froze, glancing around. There was no one. Only the phantom remained. He had thought he was hallucinating, but the next moment, he faintly heard the voice again. He rose and stepped out from the Dao Chess square, listening carefully once more. Indeed, there was a voice. Without a word, Kongji stepped into the air and walked straight out. The phantom could not help but speak: "You wish to leave? Interrupting Dao comprehension is no good thing. If you continue, I believe it won't take long—perhaps half a month—before you step into the sixth rank... "Yet if you leave now, the opportunity will be lost, and you cannot reenter Dao Chess. It may take a hundred years, perhaps a thousand... Furthermore, beyond the six-thousandth square lies the Dao you seek. The seventh rank is not impossible either." The phantom urged him; leaving now was far too wasteful. Kongji had entered Dao Chess through an opportunity Li Hao had secured for him. He had not passed the first trial... Therefore, rules had to be observed. Kongji had only this one chance. Having only traversed four thousand squares, once he stepped out, there would be no second time. "Thank you for the reminder, Senior!" Kongji smiled casually and walked away without looking back. "Aren't the sixth and seventh ranks only a matter of time? There is no rush! Someone seems to be looking for me. I'm going out. Until fate brings us together again!" "Kongji, Dao Chess may never open to you again!" "Then so be it. Farewell forever!" Kongji waved a hand without looking back, not caring in the least. Dao Chess was truly a fine place. Yet if he could not return, so be it. What did it matter? No matter how marvelous Dao Chess was, it was still man-made. The Lord of Tianfang was formidable, but that did not mean the Dao Chess he created was truly without equal. If he couldn't come back, he wouldn't. The phantom was speechless. Everyone who entered Dao Chess gained something and could cultivate here in peace, ascending to realms others could only dream of. Yet... one after another, after only a few days of comprehension, they chose to leave. The phantom could not fathom it. Having cultivated to such a realm, was there anything more important than the Dao? A supreme treasure left behind by a ninth-rank Sovereign! Ordinary Sovereigns had no chance of entering at all, and even if they did, they lacked the talent of Li Hao and Kongji. Both swept through obstacles like a hot knife through butter. Given a bit more time, stepping into the next level within Dao Chess would be effortless. Yet both had abandoned it halfway through. The phantom felt a trace of dejection. Why was this? Had the Dao of a ninth-rank Sovereign lost its appeal? ... Kongji soon appeared in Huilong Temple. Looking up, he chuckled. "Quite the commotion!" Li Hao materialized, tossing the captured fifth-rank Sovereign aside. Kongji glanced at him and smiled. "Your mind isn't flexible enough... When told to stand guard, you really don't know how to adapt!" With that, he said, "Leave for now. Go guard the other domains. If any Sovereign enters Huilong Domain, kill them first." The fifth-rank Sovereign froze. Kongji smiled. "Hurry!" The man dared not argue and left swiftly. He only felt a sense of helplessness... His Highness mingling with this madman was no good thing! Chiyun had been slain—did His Highness know? Yunxiao and the Bright Light Divine Realm had not yet gone to war. Of course, Li Hao had done the killing, so it had little to do with the Bright Light Divine Realm. The fear was that His Highness might get involved; that would spell trouble. Having sent the man away, Kongji looked at Li Hao, seemingly seeing through his disguise. "Having trouble crossing the tribulation? Then again, with such a massive disturbance this time, I can't block it for you. This has already reached seventh-rank power; I could only try to handle a sixth-rank one." Truly ferocious! Li Hao did not stand on ceremony and said briskly, "I'll cross the tribulation myself; I need your help with something else. You don't need to interfere with the tribulation... Create an Annihilation Domain for me. I want to send Silver Moon into Tianfang's Great Dao Universe." "..." Even Kongji drew a sharp breath. "You... truly dare to dream!" Li Hao smiled. "The darkest place is right under the lamp; it's the safest! By the way, your comprehension was interrupted this time. When I try to open Tianfang's Great Dao Universe, it will count as a partial revival. You can tag along inside for a stroll and take a look... Of course, it won't last long! Come out early, lest you get trapped inside. If you're stuck, I won't be able to open it again anytime soon." "That sounds pretty good!" Kongji chuckled. Dao Chess was a treasure, but opening Tianfang's universe, even if not yet fully revived... taking a stroll inside to see a Great Dao Universe steeped in Annihilation seemed rather nice. Quite good! "Are you sure you don't need my help with the tribulation?" "You're too weak." Li Hao shook his head. Kongji chuckled. "If you hadn't borrowed power, would you be stronger than me?" *This guy dares look down on me as weak?* "At least right now, I'm stronger than you." Li Hao laughed as well, then added, "You only need to wrap Silver Moon in your Annihilation Domain... Don't interfere in anything else, lest Bright Light get dragged in. I killed everyone myself. As long as the power of Annihilation isn't involved, powerhouses won't detect it, nor will they deliberately frame you. Yunxiao might not want to start a war with the Bright Light Divine Realm right now either." Kongji nodded. "I don't want to drag the Bright Light Divine Realm in either. I am me, and Bright Light is Bright Light. If someone tries to kill me, I can turn to my father, but I cannot drag Bright Light into becoming Xinwu's shield. Though I think Xinwu has a high chance... I cannot rashly pull Bright Light into the fray." Both spoke bluntly. Kongji did not claim that his Bright Light World feared nothing and was ready to brawl at any moment. That was his father's prerogative, unrelated to him. Li Hao nodded, then looked up at the sky. "Hurry up, or my power will drain too much and I won't be able to hold on!" Kongji nodded and soared into the sky alongside Li Hao. As Li Hao flew toward the world gate, he asked, "Do you have any cultivation resources below the Sovereign level?" "Some. You need them?" "Yes, the more the better!" Li Hao nodded. "Tianfang's Great Dao Universe is completely empty inside, an empty husk. It doesn't even have Great Dao power, and chaos power is nonexistent. There must be enough resources, or the world will dry up! Give me whatever you have for now, and once I've killed enough people, I'll pay you back." "No rush for that." Kongji casually tossed him several storage rings and added, "If it's not enough, I can gather more, but it will take time..." "Forget it, this is enough for now." Li Hao soon reached the vicinity of the teleportation array. With a wave of his hand, several Heavenly Kings stationed there instantly froze. The two stepped through the teleportation array together, disappearing from Huilong Domain in an instant. ... South World Gate. The world gate opened once more, dark clouds blotting out the sky. Tribulation lightning flickered. Kongji waved his hand. In an instant, the world fell quiet, the chaos fell quiet, and an enormous dark domain emerged. It was not the power of darkness, but the power of Annihilation, as if heaven and earth had been extinguished. Even the lightning tribulation seemed to slow. Li Hao looked at Qian Wuliang, who swiftly began to communicate. Kongji looked at him with some curiosity, only speaking after a long moment: "A Dao Lord?" "Yes, of Silver Moon's Great Dao." Kongji nodded slightly. "Silver Moon truly has potential to give birth to a Great Dao Universe; quite impressive! Your power of Time is related to this as well, isn't it?" "Yes, it existed naturally within the Great Dao Universe." Kongji expressed some envy. "Truly remarkable! It seems Xinwu is indeed extraordinary. A Silver Moon created from their leaking power could naturally give birth to Time... Which means this Time may have originally belonged to Xinwu." Li Hao thought for a moment and shook his head. "It didn't belong to Xinwu, but perhaps to the Yin-Yang World." Xinwu and the Yin-Yang World were different after all. Kongji was startled, then nodded, saying no more. Soon, a cat emerged from the void. Kongji looked at it, his surprise deepening. The Cang Emperor? No, not the Cang Emperor! This... seemed to be a unique creature. What was it? It seemed to be his first time seeing such a bizarre entity, and he appeared extraordinarily astonished. Er Mao had always accompanied Li Hao, but Kongji had never seen it. Without even glancing at him, Er Mao opened its mouth: "Done fighting? Also, this lightning tribulation is too strong. Don't expect this cat to eat it this time... One strike and I'd be blasted to death." Li Hao smiled. "No eating! I'll deal with it! First, spit Silver Moon out... Never mind, it's too large. Enter the Tianfang World first, then spit it out. I want to leave Silver Moon in Tianfang." Er Mao froze. Leave it behind? Abandon it? "Send it into Tianfang's Great Dao Universe!" Li Hao explained a bit further, then said, "Call some people out... Ask their opinions: do they wish to remain in the world, or come out to seek opportunities and walk their own paths? Venturing out is fraught with danger, but staying inside... doesn't necessarily mean there is no chance." Er Mao said nothing more. None of this concerned it. Soon, figures materialized one after another. Hou Xiaochen, Heavenly Sword, Tyrant Saber—these Silver Moon martial masters appeared before Li Hao. Without saying much or offering explanations, Li Hao transmitted a stream of thought directly to them. Everyone understood instantly. Their expressions turned complicated. Was Silver Moon to be sealed once more? This time, it would enter another Great Dao Universe, and a dead Great Dao Universe at that, not an active one. That meant there was nothing inside this Great Dao Universe. At this moment, Director Zhao was the first to speak from the crowd: "I'll stay. Silver Moon needs someone to govern it." Li Hao nodded. Indeed. Someone had to stay behind; otherwise, without Li Hao and the others, Silver Moon would fall into chaos. Without further words, he looked at Kongji. "Create an Annihilation Domain to envelop everyone first. Once I enter Tianfang, I will open Tianfang's Great Dao Universe and send the world inside... Can you envelop the entire Huilong Domain? To prevent anyone from seeing... Otherwise, I'll have to silence everyone. There are too many people in a domain; killing too many is pointless." Kongji smiled and nodded. "With no Sovereigns present, it's not a big problem! There were a few rogue Sovereigns in Huilong Domain before, but they've all fled recently, so it's quite suitable!" He did not pry into other matters, nor ask further questions. It was a trivial affair! He was, however, rather interested and curious about Tianfang's Great Dao Universe. Even if empty, it perfectly matched his Dao of Annihilation; he wanted to see if he could gain some comprehension. Director Zhao and the others were also curious. Who was this person...? He seemed exceedingly powerful! "Kongji, a Dao cultivator!" Noticing their gazes, Kongji introduced himself. Though none here were even Sovereigns, merely a group in the Dao Integration Realm, he did not care. Li Hao did not introduce him either; things like Divine Son of Bright Light required no introduction. Soon, leading the group along with Er Mao, they entered Huilong Domain once more. Li Hao did not waste a moment, soaring into the air instantly. Formidable power blanketed the entire world. Kongji also rose into the sky in an instant. A wave of Annihilation power spread across the entire Huilong Domain as he took flight. The potent power of Annihilation brought silence to heaven and earth in a single breath! Frighteningly powerful! In the sky, with Li Hao's appearance, Tianfang's Great Dao Universe manifested once more. Two stars twinkled; all the other stars remained dead. Kongji looked up, unable to see it clearly. The next moment, an incomparably potent power erupted from Li Hao's body. The power of the Fire Element tugged at the Great Dao Universe. He let out a fierce shout, and the Great Dao Universe seemed to plunge downward. Li Hao held up the heavens with a single hand and roared. Within the Great Dao Universe, in the region where the Fire Star lay, a rift was suddenly torn open by him. At that moment, a wave of Annihilation power rippled forth. The Great Dao Universe had been extinguished! Kongji glanced in that direction, momentarily transfixed... Was this a dead Great Dao Universe? A ninth-rank Great Dao Universe! The Annihilation Domain remained in place. The next moment, a minor world emerged. Without another word, Li Hao supported the vastly compressed minor world with his colossal palm, shooting toward the Great Dao Universe. Moments later, Li Hao entered a world steeped in utter death. It was even quieter than Silver Moon's Great Dao Universe, without a single glimmer of light... Only the Water Star and Fire Star flickered with a faint glow, but it was nowhere near enough to illuminate the entire universe. Kongji followed right behind. Taking a look, he sighed with emotion: "So quiet... and so stingy. The Lord of Tianfang carried away every scrap of Great Dao power, leaving nothing behind!" He could have left at least a little. Leaving nothing at all—sweeping away such a massive universe in its entirety. Did he really lack that tiny bit of energy? Truly stingy! As for the minuscule region Li Hao had revived... that didn't count as true revival. Kongji took a look; it was merely an illusory awakening. A true revival was a long, long way off! "You go ahead with your business; I'll take a look around!" "All right!" Li Hao nodded. Leaving him be, Kongji shot away into the depths of the Great Dao Universe. Ignoring him, Li Hao swiftly carried the Silver Moon World toward the depths as well. Beside him, the crowd followed closely, their emotions growing heavier by the second. In this dead world... perhaps only a solitary Silver Moon would remain hereafter. ... After a time, Li Hao halted in a region utterly devoid of stars or Daos, submerged in boundless stillness. The Silver Moon World drifted here like a moon, radiating a faint, extraordinarily weak glow. In an instant, Li Hao entered the Silver Moon World. His colossal figure reflected across the entire world. Making no attempt to conceal anything, his voice boomed throughout the land: "Silver Moon is weak; it cannot survive in the chaos! I lack the power to protect you all. Having provoked too many mighty foes, we have fled all the way. Today... I have no strength left to shelter the land of Silver Moon. I can only deploy the Stargate once more to seal Silver Moon and hide it in a place of absolute secrecy! "Just like in the past, perhaps a thousand years will pass in Silver Moon while only a single year passes for me outside... I do not know what year or month I will see you again! Nor do I know whether you will step beyond the Stargate again in your lifetimes... Still less do I know when Silver Moon will stand tall in the chaos... None of this do I know!" Li Hao's voice was like a resonant bell: "I can only say that if I possess the strength, I will open Silver Moon once more! The connection between Silver Moon and me will not sever. The Great Dao Universe is still here, and both Dao Lords will remain outside. If the Dao Lords do not die, the Great Dao Universe still holds hope of contacting Silver Moon. If the Dao Lords perish and heaven and earth tremble, a new Dao Lord may be chosen! "I will place some cultivation resources within Silver Moon. If anyone can attain the Sovereign realm within Silver Moon... perhaps they can seek us out through the Great Dao Universe... If unwilling, they may also remain in Silver Moon permanently! "Today, I bid you all farewell. When we meet again, who knows what day it will be! Perhaps when we meet again, there will no longer be anyone familiar to me, Li Hao, left in this world. Perhaps Silver Moon will give birth to a new king to lead Silver Moon toward glory..." His voice gradually faded. Across the realm, countless cultivators stood frozen. Some grieved, some felt helpless, some sighed. Silver Moon had been on the run, fleeing relentlessly—they all knew this. Earlier, gathering the strength of the entire populace to empower the Great Dao Universe had been to face mighty enemies. They had believed that with the return of the Marquis of Silver Moon, he would surely vanquish all foes. Yet... today, the Marquis of Silver Moon had stated that he lacked the strength to protect Silver Moon. The invincible Marquis of Silver Moon had also met a day where he was powerless. Dejection, helplessness, and sorrow mingled together. More than anything, there was a sense of curtains falling. When we meet again, will we still be alive? Will anyone in the Silver Moon World still remember the Marquis of Silver Moon? A moment later, a roar echoed from one region: "We will surely step beyond the Stargate again, march out of Silver Moon, and follow the Marquis!" That was a company of military cultivators—Li Hao's Demon Hunting Martial Guard Army. Silver Moon was sealing itself once more. The powerhouses were leaving, while they could only remain behind. Yet they refused to accept this; they did not wish for it to be so. If the Marquis did not return, they would chase after him! "Step beyond the Stargate again, follow the Marquis!" The roar reverberated as shouts arose from place after place. In the void, Li Hao said nothing more. He hoped for that as well. He hoped... that even in his absence, someone would break through the Stargate. That would mean Silver Moon had accumulated strength once more. Even if they could not step out of the Great Dao Universe, perhaps they could find opportunities within it. Rebuilding the Stargate to seal Silver Moon was also to buy them more time. Otherwise, remaining connected to the Great Dao Universe right now... in the short term, these people would have no chance of fighting by his side. Without further words, the long river emerged, and the Stargate that had previously blocked the river was retrieved once more by Li Hao. This Stargate from Xinwu was extraordinarily sturdy. Having been washed by the waters of the long river, it seemed even more mystical. Li Hao soared into the air, flying out of the Silver Moon World. The next moment, the gateway materialized, blocking the original location of the world gate. The power of Time surfaced. When a minor world sealed itself, a disparity in the flow of time would naturally occur. Yet Silver Moon had only just opened; resealing the world now like before was still difficult. Moreover, Silver Moon had become a medium world. The hope of reaching the former ratio of one year to two thousand years was slim. It might be one to a thousand, or perhaps even less. Yet one thing was certain: the passage of time inside Silver Moon would be far faster. Even if it could not match the past, reaching a ratio of one year outside to several decades inside should still be feasible. However, energy would no longer circulate; simply put, they would be eating away at their reserves. Once the energy Li Hao placed inside was exhausted, with no chaos power in the vicinity, if he never returned and could never open Tianfang's Great Dao Universe... after countless years, the Silver Moon World might destroy itself. Li Hao stopped dwelling on these thoughts. The Stargate began to settle into place. Streams of Time power locked down the Stargate. The light of the entire Silver Moon World gradually faded. Slowly, the Silver Moon World turned into a dim star, resembling the dead stars around it. The Stargate they had painstakingly shattered was erected once more today. Around Li Hao, the cultivators felt heavy-hearted. After a long time, someone seemed to wave from the other side of the Stargate, and those outside gently waved back. Heavenly Sword, that unyielding man, also felt a pang of sorrow and waved his hand. He had chosen to venture out, unwilling to remain. Perhaps he would die soon, or perhaps he would survive while those inside perished one by one with the passage of time... With this parting, they knew not what year or month they would ever meet again. This departure might very well be an eternal farewell. Director Zhao, Director Zhou, Jiang Li, Thunderbolt Leg, Jade Light Sword, Huang Yu, Wang Ming, Liu Yan, Liu Long... All of them had chosen to stay. They were too weak; venturing out served no purpose. Moreover, if everyone left, Silver Moon would fall into chaos without anyone to govern it. Thus, many chose to stay. Yet many also chose to leave. Southern Fist and his companions chose not to remain. They still possessed the jianghu spirit of Silver Moon martial masters; they wanted to come out and roam the jianghu, though they might not necessarily follow Li Hao. Following Li Hao, they could not take part in any battle anyway, only fleeing alongside him. Silver Moon began to drift through the dead Great Dao Universe. Gradually, Silver Moon drifted away. Among the crowd, someone watched Silver Moon, silent for a long time. Hou Xiaochen remained outside, having left Jade Rakshasa behind. Youth faded easily. Perhaps when they met again, Jade Rakshasa would be old and withered, or already dead... Yet the outside world was also a place that devoured men. Perhaps he would die even sooner. Hou Xiaochen watched silently. In Silver Moon, he had died once; he did not want to die a second time. He wanted to come out, walk his own path, and see if he could go further—not to have someone resurrect him, but to kill his enemies himself! In this land of the Great Dao that had been dead for countless ages, a breath of life emerged once more today. A silvery world resembling a star began to drift through this lifeless cosmos. ... After a while, Li Hao led the others out. A moment later, Kongji emerged as well, a smile on his face. "A pity it was so brief, but it was very interesting. I didn't gain much insight into revival, but I gained some deeper understanding of Annihilation..." With that, he looked at the group. "Do you need me to send them to the Bright Light World?" There were not many people; had it been an entire world with tens of billions of people, he would not have made the offer. Since not many had come out, they could easily be sent to the Bright Light World. An eighth-rank great world was vast beyond measure, with plenty of room to spare. Li Hao shook his head. "Right here in Tianfang! If they aren't staying in Tianfang... I'd rather send them to Red Moon! Wherever they go... they are bound to kill!" Li Hao suddenly smiled and turned to look at the crowd. "Go! Find your own paths, kill your foes, and seek the Dao! Silver Moon is your home, but it is also a shackle. Without those shackles, I hope you can go further!" Southern Fist chuckled, looking eager to try: "You don't say—back in Silver Moon, it really did get lonely later on. Without opponents, without enemies... we were practically going soft. Just as you said, it's a responsibility, but also a shackle!" At that, he laughed and cupped his fists. "Southern Fist of Silver Moon bids farewell to all old friends today! If fate permits, may the chaos hear my name once more! If not, then I shall grow old and die in a foreign land, or perish on the battlefield!" With those words, he turned and departed without looking back! "Heavenly Sword takes his leave first!" Heavenly Sword rode his sword away without another word. Just as Southern Fist had said, if fate willed it, they would meet again; if not, then farewell forever. Their homeland was wonderful, but it was too weak. As Silver Moon wandered, they could only remain trapped within it. Today, it could be said that they had broken the cage and walked out of Silver Moon. When they possessed the strength, they would return. "Cough, cough, cough..." Hou Xiaochen coughed lightly. Without a word, he cupped his fists toward the others and departed. Nothing needed to be said. They did not travel together either; each took their own road, seeking their own opportunities. If they died outside, then so be it. Just like in the past, they had chosen different paths. Some stayed behind, some ventured out, and some died. Only now, it had changed from the Silver Moon Province of old to stepping out of the Silver Moon World, entering a completely unfamiliar great world. Perhaps some would even cross the chaos to depart. In their lifetimes, even if they attained the Sovereign realm, there might come a day when they never met again. In the end, only Qian Wuliang, Black Panther, and Er Mao remained by Li Hao's side. The few Sovereigns had not departed. Kongji turned his head to look at Li Hao. "The Annihilation Domain has shattered, and the lightning tribulation has grown stronger. Aren't you going to face the tribulation?" Li Hao watched the direction in which they had departed, silent for a long time. With today's parting... how many of them would ever return? He looked again at the automatically sealed Great Dao Universe. With the Great Dao Universe sealed, if it were never opened again... he might never see Silver Moon again in his entire life. Before reaching the seventh rank, he would likely not seek out the land of Silver Moon again. Yet could he still reach the seventh rank? Li Hao turned and strode away, heading straight for the world gate. It was better to cross the lightning tribulation in the chaos. Kongji glanced at him and followed without speaking. He had never experienced anything like this. The Bright Light Great World was far too powerful; no one could force the Lord of Bright Light to such extremes, so he could not truly empathize. Yet looking at Li Hao again, he felt something had changed. This fellow seemed to have stripped away some of his hypocrisy, revealing a bit more ferocity. Even when he wasn't fierce, he slaughtered people like mowing grass. If he truly turned vicious... wouldn't he become a world-destroying demon? *Then again, what does that have to do with me?* Kongji smiled faintly. He was merely discussing the Dao with Li Hao. So long as Li Hao did not attack the Bright Light Great World, he didn't care who the man killed. With the chaos so lively, wouldn't it be even better for them to join in the fray? A bit of commotion was good; after a long period of Annihilation, there must come revival!