Two Madmen

Chaos. Fire Element energy erupted, scorching the void. A ferocious tiger roared between heaven and earth, threatening to devour all creation. The lightning took on a human shape, clearer this time, looking remarkably like an actual person. Neither Li Hao nor Kongji was surprised. Even if the lightning truly turned into a person, they would not find it strange. Whether in the chaos or anywhere else, when such a tribulation arose, it was either born of rules or created by someone. Only a humanoid being could establish rules—this was their shared understanding. A great battle erupted across the void. Destructive lightning clashed against the flaming tiger. Flames burst forth, wild and frantic like a prisoner breaking out of a cage! At this moment, Li Hao seemed different from before. In the past, when confronting lightning tribulations, the worst that could happen was being struck dead, after which he would just resurrect. This time was different. Three deaths and three rebirths! He did not want to die again. With each death, his emotions seemed to grow slightly more detached, his memories a little dimmer. People he once found impossible to let go of now seemed easy to cast aside. Was this cold detachment the cost of resurrection? Or was it that, having died so many times, he no longer felt like himself? Such complex feelings had now gradually grown numb. He did not want to die anymore! Driven to frenzy, Li Hao clashed head-on against a chaos lightning tribulation in the depths of chaos for the first time, battling fiercely like two high-rank Sovereigns locked in combat in the void. Lightning, destruction, Fire Element! "The chaos first opens; all things go silent; no world is yet born!" Amidst Li Hao's bitter struggle, darkness fell over the chaos like nightfall, causing the vast expanse to freeze for an instant. Heaven and earth seemed to sink into annihilation. A Daoist walked out from behind. Stepping into the chaotic void with a smile, Kongji looked thoroughly intrigued. A giant axe unsuited to his scholarly demeanor materialized in his hand. With a beam on his face, he swung it downward. "Chaos holds legends: hacking open chaos with raw might, cleaving out a cosmos, consigning all things to primal silence!" The giant axe was peerlessly mighty. As the stroke descended, the chaos lightning tribulation seemed to waver, as though disrupted—an astonishing sight. Li Hao said nothing, continuing to attack like a trapped beast. Behind him, Kongji smiled again. "When chaos first opened, light was born!" Boom! A brilliant light source resembling a blazing sun emerged, illuminating the chaos. It was gentle and bright, devoid of scorching solar heat, carrying only a soft touch like a breeze brushing across one's face. "Light appears; all things revive!" In the chaos, everything began to awaken. Where there was once nothing, living creatures suddenly sprouted from thin air... yet in the very next instant, they shattered into pieces. Kongji looked slightly embarrassed. Locked in combat against the lightning, Li Hao abruptly turned his head, a sprig of green grass sprouting atop his tiger head. Li Hao's voice boomed, "In my Silver Moon, wearing green on your head isn't a good omen. Kongji, did you do that on purpose?" Kongji coughed awkwardly. "Not at all, not at all! In my Radiance, wearing green on your head... isn't a good thing either! But vitality runs thick in you, and the Dao of Revival is still a bit tricky for me. Just make do with it for now!" Revival! Indeed, Li Hao—whose borrowed power had already begun dissipating—suddenly felt a potent wave of energy surge within his body. The seventh-rank power that had been slipping away seemed to return. Li Hao was stunned! Annihilation and revival! All along, he had assumed there was nothing particularly extraordinary about the Dao of Revival. Now he realized he had underestimated the heroes of the world. Incredible! His borrowed strength had already been draining away, yet a portion of it had actually returned, just like all things reviving, restoring lost energy. Although Kongji had exerted considerable effort, the cost was remarkably small compared to the immense energy restored to Li Hao. Kongji smiled too! After borrowing power, Li Hao had seemed to look down on him a little. In that case, he would use this unpolished Dao of Revival to broaden the man's horizons. He had gained insights into it, even if his grasp remained crude. Even so, it gave Li Hao quite a shock. Li Hao was overjoyed. "Magnificent! Annihilation and revival... in this Dao of Revival, I seem to glimpse something truly miraculous!" Incredible! "You call this miraculous already?" Kongji chuckled. "Revival works even better when paired with Light. I've only scratched the surface. With the true Dao of Revival, even if you died, I could revive you in an instant, restoring your strength and life. Compared to Life and Death or Yin and Yang, I believe Annihilation and Revival is far more formidable!" Were Yin and Yang or Life and Death really so peerless? He wanted to prove him wrong. The strength of a Dao depended on the person wielding it. In his eyes, Annihilation and Revival surpassed Life, Death, Yin, and Yang. Reversing Yin and Yang could resurrect someone? What did that amount to? All things enter annihilation, and in annihilation, so long as a single trace remains, it does not count as true death. It is merely stillness. I can revive you; even if only a single drop of blood survives, I can restore you to your peak. That was true revival! Of course, if Annihilation and Revival were combined with Life, Death, and Samsara, he believed it would be even more potent. Life, Death, and Samsara might not immediately return someone to their peak. If you died, you walked Life and Death. If you didn't die, I would have you walk Annihilation and Revival. Li Hao laughed heartily. He slashed out with his sword, fiery power searing through the lightning. The lightning giant let out a furious roar as destructive force surged, reducing all things to silence once more. At that very instant, destructive power churned while the force of annihilation spread. Attacking from afar, Kongji thrust out a finger. All things fell still; even the chaos lightning tribulation froze in silence for a fraction of an instant. Seizing the opening, Li Hao cleaved away half of the lightning giant with a flaming sword strike. Ordinarily, outsiders could not assist in enduring a chaos lightning tribulation. Yet Annihilation and Revival seemed to fall within the scope of what the lightning tribulation sought to obliterate. Such a heaven-defying Dao was fundamentally intolerable to the chaos. Pure annihilation would not provoke this. However, once revival was involved, the lightning tribulation seemed intent on striking Kongji dead as well. Kongji was only a fifth-rank Sovereign after all. Having landed his blow, he retreated swiftly. The axe swept across the void once more. Kongji's power had drained severely from the massive expenditure. Yet at that moment, he smiled again. "Let me show you something even more formidable! Witness... true annihilation!" With a low shout, the chaos before him instantly withered into emptiness. Silent and soundless! Everything began to decay. The flames on Li Hao grew dim, as did the lightning's power. Kongji's face turned pale. Yet his smile was radiant. Earlier in Dao Chess, he had comprehended many things, and upon entering the Great Dao Universe, he had gained even more insights. He had only recently advanced to the fifth rank, yet he felt that the sixth rank was already within reach—perhaps very soon! He would surpass the strength he possessed five hundred years ago before switching Daos. Incredible speed! Of course, this was partly because he had reached the fifth rank twice, but there was another factor: he lacked no energy. He possessed endless Great Dao crystals. He was the quintessential rich second generation. Leaving the Radiance Great World did not mean he had betrayed it. He had an eighth-rank father! Although his father was displeased that he refused to follow the conventional path to succession, his son had walked his own Dao. Being an eighth-rank Sovereign, his father possessed keen vision and felt proud deep down. So even though his son had run away from home, he still arranged for a fifth-rank bodyguard. A fifth-rank Sovereign was no weakling anywhere. As for resources, they were provided without limit. Even if seventh-rank Sovereigns had to pause their cultivation, his son's needs came first. Li Hao had risen from nothing, but Kongji had not. Li Hao needed to kill to obtain energy; Kongji had no such need. If worse came to worst, his father could simply enter seclusion in the chaos for thousands or tens of thousands of years, harvesting Great Dao crystals for his son's cultivation. In an instant, the Dao of Annihilation radiated in all directions. It was terrifyingly potent! Li Hao felt slightly dazed, but since his current strength exceeded Kongji's, he broke free in a flash, though it cost him a fair amount of energy. The humanoid tribulation lightning did the same, expending power to shake off the suppression. Both sides clashed once more. Both the lightning tribulation and Li Hao were burning through finite power. It was a battle of attrition to see who would run dry first! Yet the shockwaves of the great battle did not spill outward; they were completely silenced by the Annihilation Domain. This was Kongji's great strength—he could contain an earth-shattering battle within a narrow perimeter. At this moment, Kongji felt heavily drained, his strength waning. Li Hao, however, was thoroughly satisfied. Exhilarating! Earlier, he had nearly fallen. With Kongji's help, he had drawn even with the lightning tribulation. Continuing like this, he would not have to die again, and he had no desire to experience death once more. Just then, Kongji saw that man and lightning remained evenly matched. Sighing softly, the energy that had nearly run dry in his body suddenly restored itself in full. Even Li Hao was shocked! Kongji absorbed a head-sized sphere of radiant light. Seeing Li Hao's gaze, Kongji smiled. "Don't stare. This is called a Source of Radiance, a treasure born from the origin of the Radiance Great Dao Universe, growing once every hundred thousand years... My father gave it to me. For a fifth-rank Sovereign like me, it instantly restores all Great Dao power!" Damn it! Li Hao nearly cursed aloud. Pure envy and jealousy! Is this what it means to be a privileged scion? I wish I had that too! "Don't look at it like that. You don't cultivate the Dao of Radiance, so using it would do you no good. I cultivate it... well, not anymore! But I was born in the Radiance Universe. Besides, this thing works on middle-rank Sovereigns; you count as high-rank right now." At that, Kongji grinned. "Watch me!" "All things revive once more!" Boom! Atop Li Hao's tiger head, a blade of grass sprouted once again. In an instant, that grass generated boundless energy, transforming into a radiant source that sank into Li Hao's body. His depleted energy was replenished anew. Meanwhile, Kongji's Great Dao power was completely drained once more! A fifth-rank Sovereign had exhausted himself in a single breath, showing just how terrifying this revival technique was. Kongji staggered slightly, chuckling. "Not bad. To think I can actually revive a seventh-rank Sovereign in one go... even a pseudo-seventh-rank is quite something!" Neither he nor Li Hao said more about the Source of Radiance. In an eighth-rank macrocosm, one only formed every hundred thousand years. Even the Radiance Divine Lord, who had ruled the Radiance Universe for over a million years, probably held only about ten. He couldn't go without using any, nor could he hoard them all for himself; the high-rank Sovereigns of the Radiance Universe had to receive a share. Over a million years, having three left in his possession was already impressive. Yet one had just been consumed here. It was a genuine life-saving treasure! To instantly replenish a fifth-rank Sovereign's total reserves showed just how precious it was—valuable enough for sixth-rank Sovereigns to fight over tooth and nail. Even seventh-rank Sovereigns would not take it lightly. Yet it had been consumed just like that, solely to replenish Li Hao's energy. Li Hao went from being evenly matched to seizing the absolute upper hand against a chaos lightning tribulation for the very first time. The last time had been when he overcame the tribulation of Life and Death to become a Sovereign, but back then, the lightning had only possessed the strength of a first- or second-rank Sovereign. This time, it held the power of the seventh rank. With a single sword strike, Li Hao shattered a large portion of the humanoid lightning. A great river manifested, sweeping across the battlefield. Vast amounts of destructive energy were drawn into Li Hao's river. As one waned, the other waxed. Li Hao now completely dominated the fight, suppressing and dismantling the tribulation. After another ten minutes of relentless grinding, a thunderous boom echoed as Li Hao slashed the lightning figure to pieces! "Phew!" Li Hao exhaled a long breath that pierced the chaos like a sharp blade. Reverting from his tiger form, he turned to Kongji and cupped his hands. "Thank you!" "Don't mention it!" Kongji acted as if nothing had happened, sizing Li Hao up with a smile. "Looks like you won't be dying this time." He had seen Li Hao reverse life and death before. It was he who had first mentioned the theory of nine lives. He also knew that Li Hao had likely died three times already. When Li Hao killed foes earlier, he had reportedly faced a tribulation as well. In Li Hao's situation, he was consistently outmatched by his tribulations, so being struck dead was normal. Three deaths... and Li Hao was only at the third rank. Continuing like this, who knew how many times he would die? This time, at least, he had avoided death. Li Hao nodded. "I didn't expect you to truly restore so much of my spent power... Even now, a trace of seventh-rank power lingers in me. What a pity... there isn't a sixth-rank Sovereign around for me to kill. It feels like a waste." This power would disperse very soon. If a sixth-rank Sovereign were present, free of the tribulation's threat, Li Hao might have been able to slay them by expending all his remaining might... but now, the power would drain away completely in a matter of minutes, impossible to retrieve. What a waste! Moreover, with Kongji's cooperation, Li Hao felt this tribulation had been surprisingly manageable. Though they had fought bitterly, he felt refreshed rather than crushed by hopeless despair. His heart was filled with emotion. It had been a very long time since he felt this way. He had grown too strong—so strong that the people of Silver Moon could no longer assist him. Yet Kongji, despite being only a fifth-rank Sovereign, had rendered immense aid at this critical juncture. Having shattered the lightning, Li Hao's mood improved considerably. He emerged from the melancholy of parting. "Don't let it go to waste!" Kongji laughed, looking a bit crafty now, shedding his earlier ethereal air. "What do you mean?" Li Hao looked at him. His power wouldn't last much longer and would dissipate soon. Go kill other Sovereigns? Aside from the Sovereigns of Huilong Temple, he had no interest in indiscriminate slaughter. Granted, factions like the Fuguang Region had also participated in the siege of Xinwu, but they were quite far away. Even at his current speed, his power would likely run dry before he arrived. In the Huilong Domain, there was no one left worth killing. "Let's go to Dark Demon Hall and spar with that artifact spirit senior!" Kongji's smile turned peculiar. "That senior is quite amusing! If all else fails, gift this power to him and let him revive Dark Demon Ridge. I want to see if I can challenge the first trial. If I clear it... I can comprehend Dao Chess normally, which brings its own opportunities." Li Hao paused, then smiled. "Good idea, that way it won't go to waste! I almost forgot. If he's the artifact spirit of Dao Chess, a weapon of the Lord of Tianfang, then Tianfang's power suits him best! The power within me is precisely Tianfang's power. Letting him restore Dark Demon Ridge works out well..." As for sparring, forget it. There was little point. Even if they defeated him and seized Dao Chess, they might not be able to activate it. However, gifting this power to him seemed like a fine plan. If Dark Demon Ridge was revived, the first trial of Dark Demon Hall could open, allowing Kongji to take the trial normally. Besides... it would mean the senior owed him a favor, wouldn't it? He had accumulated a mountain of debts... Having someone owe him for once would be nice. He owed Daoist Huoyan, and by borrowing Huoyan's power to make the phantom owe him one, he wouldn't come out too far behind. A great idea! Li Hao chuckled. "Brother Kongji, you really don't let a single feather pass by without plucking it. You calculate even more shrewdly than I do. Coming from such a wealthy background, it's impressive that you're still this thrifty." Kongji laughed. "You have that wrong! Wealth and power are accumulated bit by bit. Don't go hating the rich; that's bad! Even when I was in the Radiance Great World, I never wasted anything." "I don't hate the rich... I'm just envious!" Li Hao chuckled. The two headed straight for the Huilong Domain. Kongji smiled as well. "What's there to envy? Outsiders always say they envy it, but once you step into those shoes, you might not feel the same." "Nonsense!" Li Hao teased. "Then how about you and I swap identities?" "Only if my father is willing to swap sons!" "Hahaha!" Li Hao laughed. Fair enough. Kongji seemed in good spirits too. As they sped toward Dark Demon Ridge, Kongji asked, "If Huilong and the others return, do you still intend to borrow power to kill them? Killing a single Huilong doesn't achieve much! Besides, Yunxiao might send high-rank Sovereigns over. Even if you borrow seventh-rank power... you might not truly be able to kill them, and you'd only trap yourself in a corner!" Li Hao replied, "My thought was that if Huilong and his cohort return first, I will lure them into Silver Moon's Great Dao Universe and slaughter them all in one fell swoop! Excluding any seventh-rank Sovereigns, of course. That way, my Silver Moon Great Dao Universe won't lack energy to advance." "After wiping them out, I'll flee Tianfang, use the power of Dao Chess to return secretly, and leave them unable to find me." "That won't do!" Kongji shook his head. Li Hao was slightly surprised. It had been a very long time since anyone told him his plan was flawed. "You underestimate high-rank Sovereigns!" Kongji spoke rapidly. "A high-rank Sovereign will very likely arrive faster than Huilong's group! Their speed is nothing a sixth-rank Sovereign can match. You're only pseudo-seventh-rank, so you should have felt it yourself—a genuine seventh rank is even faster! Therefore, the first to arrive will certainly be that seventh-rank Sovereign... In the Yunxiao Great World, there are four seventh-ranks and one eighth-rank. The one coming this time is most likely Sovereign Wushan! That man excels at parting the clouds to see through mists, discerning the truth amid chaos. He's a formidable foe." "So, your goal of hunting Huilong and the others will be very hard to achieve!" Li Hao fell into thought. Kongji added, "Another thing: beware of him directly detecting the location of your Great Dao Universe... They aren't rogue cultivators; they are genuine seventh-rank Sovereigns from a macrocosm, more familiar with Great Dao Universes than either of us! Do you truly believe they won't be able to tell the difference?" Li Hao frowned slightly. He indeed lacked sufficient understanding of high-rank Sovereigns. If things went as Kongji described, once the foe arrived first, even if he borrowed power and disguised it using his Great Dao Universe, the enemy would ultimately see through the ruse and might even seize Silver Moon's Great Dao Universe. That would be catastrophic! It would sever Silver Moon's hope... Even though another Great Dao Universe still existed, a dual-universe foundation might end up reduced to a single one. "Then what does Brother Kongji suggest?" Kongji smiled. "Avoid a direct confrontation with a seventh-rank Sovereign... otherwise, you will definitely be the one who dies. The seventh rank is beyond what you and I can withstand right now!" "Your objective is actually quite simple... temporarily slip away from the sights of Red Moon and Yunxiao, vanish into the boundless cosmos, yet secretly return to Dao Chess to comprehend the Great Dao and observe developments from the shadows!" Li Hao nodded. That was indeed the goal. Yet achieving it was extraordinarily difficult. Right now, he could hide inside Dao Chess, but vanishing from Tianfang like that would inevitably draw the attention of powerful figures, who would then scour Tianfang for him. His best option was to vanish into the cosmos right under the eyes of the mighty. He had originally thought that Huilong and the others were not far away, having left only ten days ago. Rushing back at top speed, they should arrive earlier. Once he killed them, Yunxiao's seventh-rank Sovereign might only just be arriving, allowing him to flee before their eyes and vanish without a trace... Thus, Li Hao would become a missing person in the chaos. He had made calculations: Huilong and the others had only been gone for ten-odd days, so rushing back would take them perhaps five or six days. The Yunxiao Great World was quite far from here; taking a month was normal. Even if a seventh rank was faster, half a month would still be expected. Yet from Kongji's words, the enemy would not need that long. Kongji was bound to be right. After all, he was the son of an eighth rank, and the Radiance Great World had no shortage of seventh ranks. He understood them far better than Li Hao did. Seeing Li Hao nod, Kongji knew he had guessed right and continued, "Your logic isn't wrong, but you underestimated the power of a seventh-rank Sovereign... You absolutely cannot do this! Moreover, fleeing right in front of a seventh-rank Sovereign... they aren't fools, and they might deduce something!" He added, "My plan is the opposite of yours. You cannot sit and wait for death. You killed Yunxiao's experts, yet you're waiting here for them to arrive... isn't that blatantly suspicious? What you should do now is flee Tianfang swiftly before they arrive, drawing them into a pursuit behind you... find a way to intercept Huilong and the others along the way!" "Kill a few, then keep running... flee all the way, escaping right under the noses of sixth-rank Sovereigns! Leave a few survivors to witness your flight, proving that you truly fled. That is the key to making a seventh-rank Sovereign believe you've escaped!" Li Hao pondered this. "However, in the chaos, I cannot borrow power that is too strong... Though having killed Chiyun, I can still borrow some sixth-rank strength." Thinking of this, he nodded. "That sounds workable!" Unleashing a sudden burst of sixth-rank power would suffice to kill weaker foes. The lightning tribulation wouldn't be too intense either, and he could withstand it himself. This approach would likely be safer. As for disguising the Great Dao Universe... according to Kongji, that was no longer necessary. The genuine Tianfang Universe had truly revealed itself, so attempting a disguise would only be gilding the lily and might tip off a seventh-rank Sovereign. Today, everyone in the world of Tianfang had witnessed the emergence of the Tianfang Universe. That was the finest proof! Li Hao had no need to fake anything. Kongji watched him ponder without interrupting. Only when they drew near Dark Demon Ridge did he speak up: "Your current intention is... you still wish to participate in the war between macrocosms, correct?" Li Hao nodded. "Yes. Otherwise, I wouldn't have hidden Silver Moon! Hiding Silver Moon was done precisely so I could take part! But right now, I'm still awaiting comprehension of the Dao of Extreme Yin. By fusing Yin and Yang, I should be able to step into the middle ranks, giving me more capital to participate in this war!" "Annihilation and Revival isn't necessarily inferior to Yin and Yang!" Kongji smiled. "While you can't reach the seventh rank with it right away, with a bit of guidance from me, grasping simple Annihilation and Revival shouldn't be hard. Fusing them into one won't get you to the seventh rank, but the fourth rank won't be difficult! Why must it be Yin and Yang?" "If all else fails, there's Light and Darkness. I understand those two intimately; you could give them a try. Failing that, the Five Elements are quite well-rounded! Li Hao, just because the Neo-Martial Human King is powerful doesn't mean Yin and Yang is inherently superior. Obsessing over Yin and Yang might only make it harder to attain." "Furthermore, Annihilation and Revival pairs even better with Life and Death!" He continued, "You've seen it yourself: Annihilation and Death, Revival and Rebirth—they are fundamentally complementary Daos." Li Hao was taken aback. "I did consider it, but... you hadn't even comprehended Revival..." Of course, that had been earlier. Now, Kongji seemed to have gained some grasp over the Dao of Revival, or else Li Hao wouldn't have been restored. However... "I'll teach you Annihilation and Revival, and you teach me Life and Death. How about it?" Li Hao hesitated, then said, "It's not that I'm unwilling to teach you Life and Death, but the Dao of Life and Death requires truly experiencing life and death! Unless driven to the absolute brink... under normal circumstances, the Dao of Life and Death is learned by those from the bottom rung. Yin and Yang, or Annihilation and Revival, are for those who don't have to die. Those at the bottom have no choice but to gamble with their lives!" You don't need to gamble with your life! Both he and Lin Hongyu had gambled with their lives countless times. Li Hao had truly died several times, while Lin Hongyu had summoned her future self, gaining the power of death by coincidence. Vitality was easy to cultivate, but death was not. Kongji laughed. "What does that matter? Learn it first, understand some of it, and if one day I truly face a mortal crisis, I'll take a gamble! In this chaos, who dares claim they are immortal? Setting me aside, what about those masters of macrocosms—the Lord of Extreme Darkness, the Lord of Extreme Bliss? Did they believe they would die? Yet they died all the same! This thing can be very handy in critical moments." "As for the Dao of Yin and Yang... you might have already sent someone to make contact with Xinwu, but to be frank, as I see it, only two people on Xinwu's side truly understand Yin and Yang: the Neo-Martial Human King and the Cang Emperor. Everyone else only half-understands it!" "Whatever insights you glean from others might not be all that effective." The Daos of Annihilation and Revival were indeed not inferior. Li Hao had already gained some comprehension of the Dao of Annihilation. As for Revival... Life, Death, and Samsara could perhaps be considered a form of revival. Having personally experienced the revival of his power today, if Li Hao truly set out to learn it, he might well grasp the basics. It sounded quite promising. It was just that he had always treated Yin and Yang as his goal... That was the first point. Second, reversing Yin and Yang to resurrect experts seemed rather similar to Annihilation and Revival... which was also something Li Hao had sought. If it were Light and Darkness, Li Hao might not have considered it. But Annihilation and Revival was truly worth exploring. Crucially, Kongji was right here. It was readily accessible! He had never seen Yin and Yang reversed, but he had witnessed the Dao of Annihilation and Revival multiple times. Having weighed his options, Li Hao pondered for a moment before saying, "I can share my insights on Life and Death with you, and you can teach me the Dao of Annihilation and Revival. But let me make one thing clear: if you truly gamble on resurrection at death's door... and you die, I won't take responsibility!" Luck played a role in this. Gambling on a resurrection... what if it failed? I won't be held accountable! Kongji chuckled. "You speak as if I'm doomed to die. Besides, in discussions of the Great Dao, even if I fail to resurrect, that would just mean my own comprehension was lacking. What would it have to do with you? What I'm teaching you is only the basics as well; it's not as though I've truly mastered the Dao of Revival, or I would have stepped into the seventh rank long ago!" Both were only teaching the basics; neither was superior to the other. They were on equal footing. "Then I was being petty." Li Hao sighed with emotion. "Being around a scion like you, you're so generous that it makes me realize how ungenerous I am. It's the curse of being poor. If I have descendants in the future, I'll make sure they become rich second-generation scions so they can be generous from childhood." "..." Kongji laughed, suddenly finding Li Hao quite amusing. Not just interesting on the Dao, but as a person. If this fellow weren't always burdened by bitter hatred and deep grievances, he would probably be quite entertaining. Sadly, circumstances gave him no time for levity. As they talked, they entered Dark Demon Ridge. Soon, the two appeared inside Dark Demon Hall. The phantom looked somewhat surprised. Without a word, Li Hao dumped all his remaining Fire Element power into the hall and into the phantom, leaving the phantom utterly stunned. Damn it! What are you doing? Li Hao smiled. "Senior, this is Tianfang's power that I absorbed, offered to replenish Senior's expenditure!" "..." The phantom was speechless. Li Hao added, "I expect nothing in return!" "..." The moment you say that, it means you do! You little brat, you certainly have nerve. You borrowed Huoyan's power, handed me the dregs, and now... I owe you one? "I don't need it!" the phantom said flatly. "Even without energy, it makes no difference to me! You channeled it in on your own accord; it has nothing to do with me!" I'm not taking the bait! Li Hao chuckled. "It's fine... just absorb some of it. Senior, I have a modest request that should be very easy to grant." "Speak." "When I use the imprint to flee... ahem, to come comprehend the Dao, can I bring a few people along? Of course, they won't participate in comprehending the Dao; they'll just stay inside Dao Chess." "..." Do you really take my place for a refugee shelter? Still, the opponent had provided a substantial amount of energy, and Tianfang's power was indeed what the phantom needed. Even though Li Hao had channeled it in voluntarily and the phantom refused to acknowledge the favor, the power had already been absorbed. The request wasn't unreasonable either—just bringing a few people along to take refuge. One more or less made no difference. After a moment's thought, the phantom spoke: "Very well... but as you said, if they lack the qualifications, they cannot participate in comprehending Dao Chess! Entering is simple for you two, but that does not mean everyone qualifies... Moreover, participating isn't necessarily a good thing. Not everyone wishes to comprehend ten thousand Daos; taking in too much might only cause them trouble." Broadening one's horizons too much wasn't always a blessing. If everyone sought to fuse ten thousand Daos... were it that simple, high-rank Sovereigns would walk every street. Some people were unsuited to seeing too much. Being single-minded might be better. Forcing them to comprehend ten thousand Daos might become an ordeal. Seeing too much could make them feel inadequate and breed self-doubt. If they tried to emulate the Lord of Tianfang, they would be ruined—losing their chance to grow strong even if they originally possessed the potential. Dao Chess was shown only to the destined, not out of stinginess, but to present it to those who were suited for it. Li Hao nodded. "That is more than enough. I only need a refuge... and they won't stay long. I don't have many people left by my side anyway!" "That will be fine!" The phantom added, "To retain so much energy speaks to your capability. It seems things went smoothly, yet you continuously borrow power..." Li Hao smiled. "It's fine!" Seeing that he didn't seem particularly concerned, the phantom frowned slightly. Li Hao didn't see it, but he sensed it. Li Hao smiled. "I know where the problem lies! But since things have come to this, dwelling on it every day serves no purpose. I'll simply borrow less in the future! If all else fails... I'll find a way to make amends!" Make amends? How could it be that simple! The phantom said no more, having merely offered a reminder. As for how Li Hao chose to proceed, it was none of the phantom's business. Just then, Kongji chimed in, "Senior, now that you've absorbed some energy, does that mean Dark Demon Ridge can resume functioning? Can I try that first trial Senior mentioned earlier?" Damn it! Waiting for me here, are you? I should have known! The phantom felt exasperated. Yet Dark Demon Ridge was the Dark Envoy's domain. The Dark Envoy had established the first trial; passing it granted access to the second trial. Kongji hadn't passed before, but failing once didn't mean he couldn't try again. If he passed... the phantom would have no justification to deny him another chance to comprehend Dao Chess. Besides, allowing talented youths to interact with Dao Chess aligned with the Lord of Tianfang's original intention. The phantom fell silent, only speaking after a long pause: "Of course you may, but wait a bit. You two have consumed far too much energy lately. Dao Chess and Dark Demon Ridge are both expending energy, and the energy gathered previously was meager—you nearly ran it dry. That is precisely why I demanded you provide energy to enter Dao Chess in the first place." Kongji smiled. "No rush!" He was in no hurry anyway. Turning to Li Hao, he said, "Since we're already here, let's spar and discuss our insights into the Great Dao right now. Once we're done, you leave early and I'll resume seclusion... I'll act as though I never emerged. If Yunxiao's Sovereigns arrive, that's what I'll tell them. As for you... you'd better make a run for it quickly!" Li Hao chuckled. So eager to chase me away? Of course, as they had discussed, leaving earlier was probably wiser; otherwise, that seventh-rank Sovereign might arrive at any moment. Still, having finally arrived at Tianfang, he had to flee before even laying eyes on Huilong? Furthermore, many people from Silver Moon remained in Tianfang. His teacher and the others had all been left behind here. However, staying here might actually be safer for them. Who would pay attention to those below the Sovereign level? No one would care! Li Hao had no plans to take his teacher and the others along. Let them seek their own opportunities; Tianfang held many fortunate encounters, and places with Dao resonance depended on one's own luck. With that thought, Li Hao nodded. "Very well, let us exchange insights. I hope Brother Kongji steps into the sixth rank soon, and that I reach the fourth rank early as well! What we've seen so far is merely the appetizer. The war in the Red Moon Domain is bound to erupt sooner or later... and I suspect the same will happen here in the Tianfang Region. The Radiance Great World might not stay safe forever, and Yunxiao appears quite ambitious..." Kongji nodded. That was true enough. Radiance and Yunxiao had been entangled for many years. Now that war had broken out in the neighboring Red Moon Domain, things here were growing restless as well. Red Moon was tied down by Xinwu; in past clashes between the two, nearby Red Moon could have served as a check. Now, that restraint was significantly diminished. As for the west and the east, they were relatively farther away and had less contact with Tianfang and Red Moon. The two spoke no further, unconcerned by their surroundings. Sitting down, they began their exchange. Their communication was no longer through words. It was through their Daos! The River of Life and Death opened wide, while the other manifested his Annihilation Domain. They swapped places directly: Li Hao entered the realm of annihilation, and Kongji stepped into the River of Life and Death, exchanging control over their domains. Kongji took command of the River of Life and Death, wielding the stars of life and death, while Li Hao took charge of the realm of annihilation. Such an exchange of Dao principles was vastly more efficient and direct. The sight left even the phantom clicking its tongue. Damn it, these two lunatics! Who exchanges Dao principles like this? Does this even count as an exchange? This is dual cultivation! You know me, and I know you. You peer into the essence of my Dao, and I probe the core of yours... Have these two madmen never considered that if they turn against each other, wouldn't all their trump cards be exposed? It might be fast, but what was the point of speed? Keeping some cards close to one's chest was what truly mattered. In the next instant, the phantom shook again. Out of curiosity, Kongji condensed a unique star within the River of Life and Death... Time! Not to be outdone, Li Hao began reviving all things within the realm of annihilation. Plants sprouted in abundance, and moments later, Li Hao went so far as to madly bestow life upon these creatures! Seeing this, the phantom knew trouble was coming. Sure enough! In the blink of an eye, a dark cloud gathered above each of their heads, instantly merging together. Fortunately, the tribulation was not overly powerful. Then, the two lunatics took control of their unfamiliar domains and charged forward to meet the chaos lightning tribulation. This was perhaps the most absurd thing the phantom had witnessed in its entire existence! Nothing had ever been this ridiculous! These two lunatics fought as if trying to ruin each other: one seemed eager to cripple Li Hao's River of Life and Death, while the other seemed determined to shatter the Annihilation Domain completely, pushing their madness to the absolute limit! After several clashes, Li Hao's River of Life and Death shrank by a substantial section. Kongji's Annihilation Domain was cracked and shattered across a wide swath. Only then did the two switch back. Under the phantom's flabbergasted gaze, Li Hao waved a hand in farewell, while Kongji sat cross-legged to repair his Annihilation Domain, waving back to acknowledge him. With that, the two went their separate ways: one set off on his flight, while the other remained in seclusion to cultivate. Only after Li Hao had departed did the phantom finally ask, "Young friend Kongji, have you considered what happens if you two turn against each other in the future?" Kongji was slightly taken aback, pausing before replying, "I am only at the fifth rank, and he is only at the third. Today's insights are merely a tiny corner of the Great Dao for both of us. Even if we know each other inside and out, does that mean neither of us will make further progress? Whose Dao remains forever unchanged?" This Dao Chess artifact spirit was supposed to be worldly and experienced—the manifestation of an eighth-rank macrocosm, the weapon of a ninth-rank Sovereign... how could it ask such a question? I am only at the fifth rank; is reaching the seventh rank that difficult for me? Li Hao is only at the third rank; is the seventh rank that far off for him? What we know today is only the third-rank Li Hao and the fifth-rank Kongji. Do you think that knowing the third-rank Li Hao's state means that when we fall out at the seventh rank, his Dao insights will still be at the third rank? Utterly nonsensical! He glanced at the phantom, momentarily wondering whether this fellow truly was the Dao Chess artifact spirit. Why did it seem so ignorant of the Great Dao? The phantom was rendered speechless! It cursed inwardly. Damn it! Lunatics! Who would think like that? Once one reached the Sovereign realm, wasn't the foundation of their Dao considered set? Ten thousand variations never depart from the core. So you two mean to say that Annihilation, Revival, Life, and Death won't be your endpoints, but merely your starting points? Li Hao pursues Time; I can understand that. What are you pursuing? Where do you get the confidence that you can rival Time in the future? Of course, that assumed Li Hao could successfully cultivate Time; otherwise, Life and Death would remain his foundation. Kongji paid no further attention to the phantom. There was nothing to discuss with an artifact spirit. In cultivation, no rule dictated that one had to pursue an exotic Dao. If taken to the absolute extreme, all Daos converged into one. An extreme Dao, whatever it might be, could crush Time just the same. Whether Li Hao understood this, he didn't know. At any rate, that was his own mindset. Annihilation and Revival were merely an experiment on his forward path. Who said he had to stick with Annihilation and Revival to the very end? He could also cultivate Light and Darkness, Life and Death, the Five Elements, Destruction and Creation.