Advancement

The chaos was interesting after all. It wasn't merely about slaughter. Kongji and Wushan were both fascinating people. In fact, they weren't the only ones. Even Huilong, whom Li Hao wanted dead, was an intriguing individual. Thinking back, Huilong was essentially a merchant who treated cultivation as a business. Arranging free guides at the Southern World Gate, offering Sovereigns cultivation resources free of charge... all of this showed that Huilong was, at his core, a merchant. The chaos was not simply the tumultuous realm of endless slaughter and war that Li Hao had envisioned. Of course, finding any of this interesting required strength. Kongji had an eighth-rank father and fifth-rank power, so he had the right to speak of intrigue. Wushan, as a seventh-rank Sovereign, possessed capital in his own right and was fully qualified. Huilong, as a sixth-rank Sovereign backed by Yunxiao, was qualified as well... Only Li Hao fell short. A peak third-rank backed by Xinwu? Hardly! If Xinwu weren't locked in war against Red Moon, they would indeed have been a tremendous pillar of support for Li Hao. The crucial problem was that Xinwu was fighting an eighth-rank world; consequently, Xinwu had become an encumbrance instead. Wushan's words had made Li Hao realize something: the weak had no business scheming against the strong. It wasn't that they couldn't scheme, but that the required price was too steep, the factors to consider too numerous, and the time needed too long. A simple trick couldn't lure an enemy into the trap overnight. Take forging a fake Great Dao Universe, for instance. Given enough time, Li Hao could have crafted something much more convincing. With calculated intent against an unsuspecting foe, he might indeed have ensnared a high-rank Sovereign. Yet where would he find that much time? Where would he find that kind of energy? With that kind of time, he could have advanced in rank already. Within the chaos, Li Hao avoided the regular routes used by the Red Moon World and found a remote, uninhabited expanse—an empty stretch devoid even of nearby worlds. There, he sat cross-legged to cultivate. Since the Dao of Yin and Yang could not be acquired easily, he would switch to something else. Silence and Revival, Light and Dark, the Five Elements—all were valid options. The crucial question was which would suit him best. Which path would allow him to advance smoothly to the sixth rank after entering the fourth? Just like the progression from the first to the third rank, it was an accumulative process of energy... yet this process also required the right path. For instance, constructing the Life and Death Bridges had been his path of advancement. After entering the fourth rank, Li Hao also needed to consider the road to the sixth. Whichever path promised a smooth journey was the one he should choose. It wasn't about which one might be slightly stronger. In his view, once Yin and Yang were off the table, the other paths were all roughly equivalent. Of course, Silence and Revival might be even better. Strictly speaking, those two and the Dao of Life and Death were cut from the same cloth. Silence meant death. Revival meant creation of life. Perhaps they shared the exact same lineage. Moreover, these two Daos had already been proven through Kongji. Putting everything else aside, just with the Dao of Revival alone, Kongji had possessed only a minor insight, yet that Dao had directly restored Li Hao's energy... which was terrifying. It felt like an ultimate healer! If Li Hao learned it and healed himself, how wonderful would that be? Then there was the Dao of Silence. That was a supreme crowd-control Dao technique capable of silencing witnesses and concealing the chaos lightning tribulation. Were it not for the chaos lightning tribulation being overwhelmingly powerful, dropping a domain of silence over an ordinary Sovereign battle would leave bystanders unable to perceive anything even standing right beside it. Such was the terrifying aspect of that Dao. "It's just that even Kongji hasn't fully grasped the Dao of Revival himself... It will be even harder for me." Li Hao had actually seen quite a lot. He had experienced Dao Chess, met several Sovereigns of Tianfang, toured the path of Xinwu's rise, studied advanced Xinwu battle arts, and exchanged insights with Kongji, the son of an eighth-rank Sovereign... Through various means, he had interacted with many high-rank Sovereigns who were almost mythical to ordinary cultivators. In terms of breadth of experience, some sixth-rank Sovereigns couldn't compare to him. Yet sometimes, comprehending the Dao depended on opportunity, life experience, and time. He had simply lived too briefly; many things he had only witnessed without truly experiencing. Kongji had lived for a millennium, at least. How old was Li Hao? He might not necessarily attain a deeper grasp of Silence and Revival than Kongji. "My goal is only to reach the fourth rank..." Li Hao pondered silently. In that moment, he finally made his decision: he would pursue Silence and Revival to continue along the path of Life and Death. In truth, Light and Dark or the Five Elements were fine choices as well. He didn't consider them inferior, nor was he incapable of using them; it was simply that neither Light and Dark nor the Five Elements matched Life and Death quite as well. In fact, the Five Elements had been a serious consideration. The Five Animals Secret Art! He had practiced the Five Animals Secret Art very early on, comprehending the five forces, with a fierce tiger in his heart. Cultivating the Five Elements was entirely feasible. Furthermore, he had gained insights into water and fire from a sixth-rank Sovereign and a seventh-rank Sovereign respectively. Upon reflection, however, Li Hao discarded the idea. For no other reason than this: if he focused on the Five Elements as his primary path, he would have to secure massive amounts of Five Elements energy in the future. Yet the Dao of the Five Elements was the common path cultivated by ordinary cultivators, as well as his teacher's primary focus. If his teacher and the others had the chance to ascend to Sovereign status in the future, their demand for Five Elements energy would be enormous. If everyone cultivated the Five Elements, whatever resources they obtained wouldn't be enough to share. Taking this into account, since the Five Elements were comparable to Silence and Revival, he preferred Silence and Revival. The Five Elements could serve as auxiliary Daos. Ultimately, he would certainly cultivate the Five Elements, but not as his primary path from the fourth rank to the sixth. As for Light and Dark, Li Hao had encountered fortunate opportunities there as well. He had comprehended eighth-rank Dao insights of the dark affinity, and Kongji had shared insights into the light affinity. Moreover, Li Hao had spent time cultivating the Bright Light Sword alongside Aunty Bright Light... Weak as she was, her light Dao couldn't be said to be entirely wrong. Still... he decided against it. Right now, he was on fairly good terms with Kongji. If he cultivated Light and Dark and found himself needing to kill Sovereigns to advance, his first instinct might be to visit the Bright Light Great World and hunt a few Sovereigns for fun... Wouldn't that create a conflict? Weighing all these factors, he ultimately settled on Silence and Revival. For Silence and Revival, Great Dao energy was secondary. The key was observing and comprehending more. The silence of worlds, the revival of worlds; the silence of Daos, the revival of Daos... all of this would serve as resources for Li Hao's advancement. With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Li Hao summoned his River of Life and Death. Stars wheeled across the starry river. The Twin Stars of Life and Death hung high in the sky. This was Li Hao's strongest Dao—the Dao of Life and Death. "Silence..." Li Hao murmured. Though he knew how to use silence, he had not condensed a Star of Silence. To condense one might require a touch of serendipity. What serendipity? At that moment, Li Hao looked toward his River of Life and Death. After a long pause, he smiled. "Senior Er Mao, as well as Sword Tree, Sword Stone, and Sword Seal—please step out of my River of Life and Death!" The void trembled. Er Mao grumbled impatiently, "What are you up to now?" So annoying! I just want to sleep in peace. Within the river, the three spirits from Sword City also manifested. The three of them had constantly maintained and stabilized Li Hao's River of Life and Death, and their strength had grown substantially compared to before. With Li Hao's continuous advancements, though the three had not reached the Sovereign rank, inside the River of Life and Death they were essentially the river's heaven, the river's earth, and the river's soul. "Great silence!" Li Hao said. "I intend to cultivate the Dao of Silence. I plan to silence the river and the world! And while doing so, recast the River of Life and Death." Er Mao was stunned. "Again?" This wasn't the first time Li Hao had torn everything down to start over. Whenever this fellow made significant progress, he would overturn some of his previous Daos and rebuild them from scratch. This approach had its pros and cons. The upside was that with greater strength came deeper insights, making each reconstruction more refined. Yet the downside was that every reset squandered vast amounts of energy resources. It also cost time. Li Hao nodded. "This time in Tianfang, I gained many insights, but I haven't had the chance to integrate them into my own system—including using the physical body as boundaries like that Dragon Clan Daoist, and the domain construction of the Five Elements... Since I plan to cultivate Silence now, I want to silence the river and the world, preparing for the true birth of a Great Dao Universe and a Great Dao world in the future!" This time, Er Mao said nothing. In the void, the three spirits said nothing either. Li Hao, however, remembered the promises—or rather, the pitch—he had made back then. Looking at the three, he ultimately addressed Sword Tree. "Senior Sword Tree, when I brought you all away back then, I said you would eventually form your own world... rather than remain suppressed inside my river forever. "This time... might also be an opportunity for you seniors to break free." Li Hao explained, "I want to attempt using the physical body as boundaries, the Great Dao as the foundation, and domains as territory... to create an incomplete world. That way, you seniors will be able to depart from the river." Depart? Become their own world? Back then, the three had looked forward to that. But now, having accompanied Li Hao, they had broadened their horizons and witnessed the cruelty of the chaos. If they left now, and if Li Hao provided the opportunity, they might truly have hope of becoming an independent world—a minor world without a Great Dao. Indeed, combining the three of them, they genuinely stood a chance of fashioning a minor world, or perhaps an unranked, rudimentary world. Yet... how low-grade was that? Sword Tree spoke up directly: "Are you abandoning us?" "..." What a way to put it! Li Hao was speechless. I am offering you freedom! Trapped in my river, you have no freedom and cannot move about. Wushan had said earlier that he desired freedom above all else, to the extent that he would disobey an order from the Lord of Yunxiao. Li Hao felt the three had suffered quite a lot. His river had been dismantled and reassembled repeatedly, which couldn't have been easy for them. If they left, he wouldn't mind paying a certain price to help them construct a minor world. As long as he was willing to part with the resources, the chances were very high. When that time came, the three would be the world's masters—or world spirits, the Heaven's Will of that world. A three-way division of the realm! A minor world could still accommodate several Sovereigns. If all three became Sovereigns and ruled supreme over a minor world... that wouldn't be bad at all. They would be their own kings. How could that be considered abandonment? Staying with me is miserable. Li Hao loved to tinker, and these spirits in his river were struck by lightning at every turn. Were they supposed to enjoy that? "What about Senior Stone and Senior Sword Seal?" The stone had transformed into a simple, burly man... looking somewhat dazed right now. He responded in a muddle-headed fashion: "I follow Sword Tree." "..." A legendary tale of a stone loyally following a tree to the end of time? Sword Seal spoke with its usual solemn dignity: "There is no rush to establish a world. None of us are familiar with the chaos right now. Even if we opened a world, the current climate means it could be destroyed at any moment. We would rather stay rooted in the river and accumulate more experience." Li Hao considered it and nodded. "Very well... Since you three are unwilling to leave, you may stay. However, please step out for now. My river is still incomplete, and I need to refine it further!" In the past, when he was weak, he had assumed the river was heaven and earth, a world, an entire universe. Only now did Li Hao understand that the river was merely a river. It was still a long way from being a true world. The greatest difference lay in... creating life. Even a minor world could naturally spawn living beings, whereas his river could not. After touching upon high-rank power recently, Li Hao had gained an inkling that perhaps only upon reaching the seventh rank would it be possible to nurture living beings within a self-created world. Establishing a complete framework, including an ecosystem of life. None of this was within Li Hao's current capabilities. Even if he built a world for Stone and the others, it would merely be an empty realm, containing some Daos at best, but no life. Li Hao was still far from achieving that. He ushered them all out. The moment they stepped into the open, Sword Tree and the others—none of whom had reached the Sovereign rank—felt deeply uncomfortable. The chaos seemed ready to engulf them. Fortunately, after being tempered by the river for so long, they managed to hold on. Furthermore, with Li Hao and the others right beside them, there was little danger. Ordinary cultivators below the Sovereign level would likely have been swallowed whole by the chaos. Peaceful as the chaos appeared, it was fraught with peril. Li Hao paid them no further mind and turned his attention to the River of Life and Death. Reaching in, he soon fished out a star and looked toward Qian Wuliang. Qian Wuliang took the cue immediately. Having left the Silver Moon World, he could no longer project a Great Dao Universe, but he could still manifest a Dao river. The Dao river appeared, taking the star within its flow. He dared not mingle other energies around it, instead opening a separate space to harbor that star alone. He knew well whom that star belonged to; it was likely the only Dao star in Li Hao's River of Life and Death that belonged to an outsider. Having retrieved Lin Hongyu's Star of Life and Death, Li Hao glanced back at the river. With the departure of the three spirits, it churned slightly. Yet it did not collapse. This indicated that the three spirits were no longer the core of the river. In truth, Li Hao had been working hard to stabilize the river all along, incorporating much of his own Dao and physical strength into the boundary walls rather than relying entirely on the three spirits to prop it up. Otherwise, three cultivators below the Sovereign rank would never have been able to support the current River of Life and Death. Gazing at the somewhat lonely river, Li Hao closed his eyes in contemplation. Moments later, in the starry expanse, a Life and Death Bridge suddenly collapsed! The bridge he had painstakingly constructed was brought down directly by his own hand, instantly reverting into primal energy. In the next instant, the two stars on either side of the bridge—one illusory, one real—abruptly entered silence! Silence was not shattering. Nor was it destruction. Rather, all auras, all orthodoxies, and all Great Dao power froze in an instant, somewhat resembling the freezing of time. Yet during a time freeze, energy remained active. Here, however, the energy was rendered dormant. Both Black Panther and Qian Wuliang watched intently, as did the three spirits. Er Mao also looked on with curiosity. The power of silence! Li Hao proceeded to silence one Life and Death Bridge after another. These bridges dissolved into primal energy and merged into the river below, while star after star slipped into dead silence. The entire river appeared to stop flowing as well. It happened gradually, not all at once, and unlike Kongji, who silenced everything in a single stroke, Li Hao extinguished bridge by bridge. He demolished the bridges and locked the stars into a state of stasis. At this moment, across the entire starry sky, aside from the Twin Stars of Life and Death which still retained a faint glow, all other stars turned dull and lifeless, bearing some resemblance to the Great Dao Universe of Tianfang. The river below continued to flow sluggishly, leaking a considerable amount of Great Dao power into the surroundings. Li Hao paid no heed to this leaked energy. Seeing that Li Hao didn't mind, Qian Wuliang cautiously absorbed it all. Li Hao glanced sideways at him. Qian Wuliang looked slightly sheepish. The Marquis had high standards and considered these energies somewhat tainted, but damn it, nearly all of this energy originated from Sovereigns! Furthermore, it had been purified by Li Hao numerous times; no matter how impure it seemed to him, it was still far purer than the energy held by ordinary Sovereigns. The Marquis might disdain it, but I certainly don't! Letting it go to waste would be a shame. Li Hao said nothing. A Dao river possessed purifying qualities of its own. It was just that the energy he expelled was being lapped up by Qian Wuliang... It felt a bit like someone immediately eating whatever you had just excreted... *Ahem!* Suppressing the thought entirely, Li Hao refrained from commenting. Even if he did, Qian Wuliang likely wouldn't care. The fellow was thick-skinned to an extraordinary degree, utterly shameless. Having silenced the stars and expelled the excess energy, which included a great deal of darkness power accumulated from absorbing too much at Dark Demon Ridge, Li Hao began silencing the flowing river itself. Bit by bit, the entire river ground to a halt. Above, the Twin Stars of Life and Death slowly grew dormant as well. Inch by inch, the River of Life and Death entered complete silence, appearing frozen in the chaos. Li Hao's aura instantly plummeted by a substantial margin. Black Panther shot a wary glance toward Qian Wuliang... Qian Wuliang felt thoroughly helpless. Why look at me? What, do you think I'd dare launch a sneak attack right now? What is this damned dog thinking? Plenty of people want Li Hao dead, but I'm definitely not one of them, alright? Ever since Silver Moon, I've never dared cross him. Elsewhere, Dao Masters command the Sovereigns within their world; in our Silver Moon, it's the exact opposite! Li Hao ignored their thoughts. He had brought the entire river into complete silence. Now, he began preparing to condense a Star of Silence. From within the river, a surge of silence power rose... What was silence? Li Hao did not know whether his comprehension matched Kongji's. To his mind, if compared to a human being, silence was a deep slumber. It differed from death. Silence held the promise of revival, whereas returning from death was called reincarnation. Waves of energy surged, and currents of Great Dao power coalesced. A dim star gradually took shape in the void, coming to rest beside the Twin Stars of Life and Death. Yet compared to the Twin Stars of Life and Death, this newborn star was exceedingly feeble and far from complete. What Li Hao sought was the fusion of Silence and Revival; at present, he had merely extracted the power of silence, with none of revival. ... Just as Li Hao entered seclusion to prepare for his breakthrough to the fourth rank... At Dark Demon Ridge. Having concluded his comprehension of Life and Death, Kongji strode into the hall of darkness to challenge the first trial, confronting the newly spawned shadow puppets. He intended to conquer the first trial, gain another chance to contemplate Dao Chess, and prepare to step into the sixth rank. Now that Tianfang had drawn a seventh-rank Sovereign, the fifth rank was no longer the ceiling here, nor was the sixth. The seventh rank, and even the eighth rank, would soon become the deciding forces in Tianfang. ... Outside Dark Demon Ridge, all four World Gates of Tianfang had been sealed. The order came from a Sovereign of a great world—Wushan! With Sovereign Wushan issuing the command to shut the four gates, who dared disobey? As for Wushan himself, he did nothing in particular, merely finding a pleasant spot to enjoy himself at leisure... Yet all of Tianfang was thrown into turmoil. A seventh-rank Sovereign had arrived, locked down the great world, and vanished within Tianfang. For what purpose... who couldn't guess? It had to be to monopolize the Great Dao Universe! Tianfang's Great Dao Universe! In an instant, various reports were transmitted in all directions through specialized channels. Meanwhile, the leisurely Wushan received a transmission from the Lord of Yunxiao. Inside a tavern. An illusory figure seemed to materialize before Wushan. The Lord of Yunxiao's voice carried a grave tone: "Wushan, has Tianfang's universe truly revived?" Wushan nodded. "It has truly revived... Though not entirely, of course, only partially! I am currently investigating..." At that, he added, "As for the one who killed Chiyun... I have not found him, but I suspect it was the Silver Moon King. I couldn't be bothered to pursue it, as it pales in importance compared to a great world universe. Thus, I had Mingtang settle the matter. He is friends with that fellow, so he offered three medium worlds as compensation!" "The Silver Moon King?" The Lord of Yunxiao's interest was piqued, and he looked at Wushan. "Mingtang accepted the debt?" "Yes." "Interesting." With that, the Lord of Yunxiao asked again, "Are you certain the Great Dao Universe has revived?" As for Chiyun's death, it was no longer of paramount importance, especially with the Radiant Divine Son willing to shoulder the blame and compensate with three medium worlds. The matter was settled. Could they really execute the son of the Lord of Bright Light over Chiyun? "Certain!" Wushan nodded. This was the truth; Tianfang's Great Dao Universe had indeed revived, though only partially rather than in its entirety. Even though it could no longer be opened without the Silver Moon King, he hadn't lied. The Lord of Yunxiao pondered for a moment before asking, "Have you located it yet?" "Not yet. I am searching." Wushan smiled. "I should be able to trace some clues." "It is said that a ninth-rank Sovereign's majesty manifested. Is that true or false?" "True. I observed it from a distance," Wushan nodded once more. "It may not have been the aura of the Lord of Tianfang himself, but rather... the might of an imperial weapon. Either it originates from the Tianfang World, or the weapon rests within Tianfang's Great Dao Universe, its power aroused by the universe's revival." The Lord of Yunxiao fell into contemplation once again. After a long while, he spoke: "By locking down Tianfang, you have startled the snake in the grass. You've convinced Red Moon and Bright Light that Tianfang's Great Dao Universe has truly revived. Doing so is bound to cause no small amount of trouble." Pausing, he added softly, "Wushan, with your intellect, even if you detected the revival of the Great Dao Universe... you should have acted covertly rather than making such a grand display. Your actions will only make them believe it all the more, making it harder for them to let go." This was out of character for Wushan. Even if he had made the discovery, he shouldn't have caused such an uproar; he should have searched quietly, waiting for an opportunity in secret. Yet here he was, creating such a massive stir by directly blockading the Tianfang Great World. Tianfang lacked many things, but it never lacked spies from the various great worlds. By pulling this stunt, those who initially doubted the rumors were now completely convinced. Wushan nodded. "I know! But Tianfang's Great Dao Universe is difficult to seize. Eighth-rank Sovereigns will likely arrive—perhaps you, World Master, or the Lord of Bright Light, the Lord of Red Moon, the Lord of the Dragon World, or others... It would be difficult for me to claim it for myself." Wushan smiled faintly. "In that case, the more seventh-rank Sovereigns that show up, the better. Perhaps I might seize the opportunity to claim a Great Dao Universe of my own." The Lord of Yunxiao fell silent. After a moment, he asked, "Over these years, have you grown weary?" Wushan shook his head. "It is not weariness, but... World Master, at my level, seeking a measure of freedom should be considered normal. I have no intention of betraying Yunxiao; I simply do not wish to remain bound to Yunxiao forever, shackling myself. What does World Master think?" The Lord of Yunxiao fell silent once more. This man was one of Yunxiao's most capable stalwarts. Among the several seventh-rank Sovereigns of Yunxiao, Wushan was the most sharp-witted and reliable. In truth, the World Master had long sensed Wushan's ambition to become independent. However, at this juncture, while locked in confrontation with factions like Bright Light and Red Moon, losing a top-tier seventh-rank Sovereign would be a heavy blow... "Wushan, if you truly manage to seize a universe, what will you do if Yunxiao faces calamity?" Wushan sighed softly. "Should Yunxiao face calamity, I will naturally do everything in my power to assist! However... World Master, that calamity must mean an invasion against Yunxiao. If World Master seeks to wage war across the chaos to become a ninth-rank hegemon, a mere seventh-rank Sovereign like myself will be powerless to participate." "Your power originates from Yunxiao!" The Lord of Yunxiao frowned slightly. "If you desire freedom, I will not bar your way! But remember: your strength, your Dao techniques, everything you have comes from the Yunxiao World. Even if you become independent, what you take away is the very foundation of Yunxiao!" Wushan fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand." "I have said my piece. Weigh it carefully. Furthermore... if the timing is right, I may travel to Tianfang in person!" Wushan nodded gently without saying more. Only after the Lord of Yunxiao's aura dispersed did he exhale and let out a sigh. *My power originates from Yunxiao.* True enough! This was precisely why some Dao Masters were unwilling to let Sovereigns leave. You could leave, but only if you left your energy and Dao orthodoxy behind. Otherwise, a seventh-rank severing their Dao and departing would be a colossal loss for any great world. "Seventh-rank power..." Wushan murmured. If he wanted to take all his strength with him, perhaps... he should slay a seventh-rank Sovereign. By killing one, stripping their Great Dao power, and fusing it into the Yunxiao World, he could fill the void left by his departure. When that time came, Yunxiao would have no grounds for grievance. Over the years, he had performed countless meritorious deeds for Yunxiao. If he killed a seventh-rank to make up for the loss, Yunxiao as a whole would suffer no damage; indeed, after his departure, Yunxiao could nurture a new seventh-rank Sovereign in his place... Neither side would lose anything. "Red Moon, perhaps?" he murmured to himself. Red Moon and Bright Light were both eighth-rank worlds. Their seventh-rank Sovereigns were formidable, but they were inferior to the masters of seventh-rank great worlds, who wielded the power of an entire world and a Great Dao Universe. Dao Masters were hard to kill, as were world masters. However, seventh-ranks who were neither were comparatively easier to dispatch. The Xinwu Human King had slain seventh-rank Dao Masters; that was what made him a truly top-tier seventh-rank Sovereign. Wushan readily admitted he was not the Human King's equal. "Then let it be so!" If Yunxiao was still unwilling to let him depart at that point, parting on good terms would be ideal. But after compensating for all losses and serving Yunxiao for nearly a million years, having repaid everything owed, they couldn't expect him to work for them for eternity. "World Master... I hope we can still part on good terms!" Wushan smiled faintly and looked beyond the World Gate, a chill flashing in his eyes. Toward whom that chill was directed, even he wasn't certain. Perhaps Red Moon remained the premier choice. Killing a seventh-rank from Red Moon would draw all of Red Moon's attention here, provide full restitution to the Yunxiao World, fulfill his promise to the Silver Moon King, weaken Red Moon slightly, and ensure Xinwu and Red Moon continued their war. Meanwhile, having fostered goodwill with Prince Kongji on the Bright Light side, the only party likely to make things difficult for him if he struck out on his own would be Yunxiao. If it truly came to that... don't blame me for turning ruthless! At this moment, Wushan cast a deep, lingering gaze into the distance. The Silver Moon King, Xinwu, Divine Son Kongji, Bright Light... Tianfang's revival! Perhaps his own fortuitous opportunity lay in Tianfang as well. With a self-deprecating smile, he vanished from the spot once more. In a few days, he might have to welcome new guests. ... Across the chaos domains, the revival of Tianfang's Great Dao Universe, the manifestation of ninth-rank majesty, and Wushan's blockade sent shockwaves rippling through the cosmos. A ninth-rank universe! In that instant, powerful Sovereigns began rushing toward Tianfang in droves. The domains held not only eighth-rank great worlds, but also numerous seventh-rank great worlds. Naturally, the masters of these great worlds refused to let such an opportunity slip by. The eighth-ranks yearned to become ninth-rank hegemons, while the seventh-ranks hoped to reach the eighth rank and reign supreme over an entire domain! Tianfang represented the greatest and most conspicuous opportunity for these high-rank Sovereigns. At this moment, even the war in the Red Moon Domain was cast aside by many. A clash between a seventh-rank and an eighth-rank world wouldn't conclude anytime soon. Tianfang, on the other hand... was far more compelling! ... At the same time. Near the Red Moon Domain, a blade-wielding youth sensed powerful Sovereigns heading in the same direction and felt puzzled. After a moment of thought, he grinned. Perhaps something good was happening. I might as well join the fun! In a flash, the blade-wielding youth vanished, flying off in the direction of Tianfang. Joining in on the excitement was his specialty. Several nearby world masters seemed to have fled, hauling their entire worlds along with them. There had to be something fun, intriguing, or perhaps a momentous opportunity emerging. The business with Red Moon could wait; he would go check it out first! Along the way, he even snatched a world master to ask for news. Finding that the other was merely the master of a medium world, the youth questioned him briefly before vanishing on the spot. Before long, in the Red Moon World. The Lord of Red Moon received word. The Xinwu Human King had left the Red Moon Domain. He didn't know whether the man had genuinely departed or was merely putting on an act. According to intelligence reports, the Human King was likely heading toward the Tianfang World. For a moment, the Lord of Red Moon hesitated. Reports indicated that Wushan had blockaded Tianfang and that the Great Dao Universe might truly have revived. Red Moon had already dispatched two seventh-rank Sovereigns... Yet Bright Light and Yunxiao aside, even the Xinwu Human King had rushed over to join the fray. That fellow was at the pinnacle of the seventh rank; if he secured an opportunity in Tianfang, he might even step into the eighth rank. To the Lord of Red Moon, that would pose a colossal threat. Ordinary seventh-ranks were simply no match for the Xinwu Human King. What should he do? He hesitated. Should he go in person? If he went personally... the moment the Xinwu Human King and the Cang Emperor pulled another feint, launching a full-scale assault on Red Moon would spell disaster. Red Moon required at least two seventh-ranks guarding it. Yet Red Moon had only four seventh-ranks in total, and two had already departed for Tianfang. Should he recall the remaining two? Or... wait and see? With Ji Huo and the other arriving, they might be able to hold their ground. Thoughts flashed through his mind, but the Lord of Red Moon still feared this might be a ruse orchestrated by the Xinwu Human King. After weighing his options, he reached a decision: he would wait a bit longer, at least until news arrived from Yunxiao and Bright Light, before making his move. With two seventh-ranks sent, Red Moon should be able to keep things stable for now. "I still need to keep a close watch on Tianji and that other fellow... The Cang Emperor's whereabouts remain unknown, which is Red Moon's greatest peril! As it stands, the Silver Moon King will most likely rendezvous with them. Capturing him, taking the Silver Moon World, and deducing the exact location of the Yin-Yang World is the true priority!" At this moment, his gaze was not fixed on the powerhouses of Xinwu. Li Hao and the others had miscalculated. At this stage, the Lord of Red Moon had no interest in killing a few weaklings from Xinwu; that was meaningless. He wanted to capture Li Hao and seize the Silver Moon World! Only then could he deduce the Cang Emperor's precise location. Perhaps he could even... execute the Cang Emperor and annihilate Xinwu's home world. That was the crux of the matter! Currently, Tianji and King Huai were stationed openly in a known location. Everyone knew where they were, including the Silver Moon King. The Silver Moon King had no way of rendezvousing with other Xinwu powerhouses; that location was his only viable rallying point. Therefore, regardless of the massive commotion in Tianfang, the Lord of Red Moon resolved to wait a little longer. No hurry! He would keep that side pinned down first. The seventh-rank Sovereign stationed there was no longer targeting the Sword Venerable and the others, but Li Hao. Li Hao had not realized this yet; in his eyes, the Sword Venerable remained far more important than himself. He assumed that even if Red Moon had someone watching, the objective was to slay several sixth-rank Sovereigns of Xinwu, or ambush a seventh-rank like the Yang God. Not him! Yet the reality was that the Lord of Red Moon was focused entirely on Li Hao and the Silver Moon World. The Lord of Red Moon had far grander ambitions; killing a few individuals changed nothing. Xinwu's greatest threat to Red Moon lay in their elusive movements. The Cang Emperor had swallowed the entire Yin-Yang World and vanished without a trace. This advantage of operating from the shadows while Red Moon remained in the open was the very reason Xinwu dared to be so insolent. ... Li Hao was oblivious to all of these developments. In the depths of the chaos. By this point, Li Hao had completely condensed a dark, pitch-black star that felt somewhat hollow. Condensing the Star of Silence did not mean he could step into the fourth rank. The entire river remained in a state of silence. Only revival was the key to entering the fourth rank. Li Hao had experience in resurrecting people. Back then, the resurrection of Yuan Shuo and the others had essentially been a form of revival rather than reincarnation. Because their Great Dao origins had remained intact—meaning their intrinsic stars were still present—it had been a form of deep slumber, making their return a revival. Only Li Hao and Lin Hongyu walked the Dao of Life and Death. Now, what needed reviving was not a single person, but an entire river—every single Great Dao under Li Hao's command. Beside him, a formidable corpse steadily leaked energy. Chiyun! To repair the river and achieve his breakthrough, this corpse might have to be completely drained this time. Of course, once he reached the fourth rank, having this sixth-rank corpse or not would hardly matter. Li Hao took a deep breath. He had gleaned some insights from Kongji, but Kongji's own comprehension was incomplete; fusing Silence and Revival still posed considerable difficulty. The river churned several times, yet not a single sliver of revival power was born. Li Hao frowned slightly. The Dao of Revival was proving harder than anticipated. Entering the fourth rank was a major threshold. It was also the crucial turning point for his second metamorphosis. Yet he seemed to lack a certain catalyst. Was advancing to the fourth rank not going to be so simple? As he was pondering, a voice suddenly drifted over from one of the onlookers beside him: "Fusing Silence with Revival will inevitably summon a chaos lightning tribulation anyway! In that case... why not incorporate Time as well? No matter how long something remains in silence, the day of revival will eventually arrive; otherwise, it wouldn't be silence. If time flows forward, perhaps the heaven, earth, and river can revive on their own... allowing you to grasp a sliver of the catalyst for revival!" Li Hao froze and turned to look. Er Mao maintained a lazy posture. Seeing Li Hao looking over, it yawned. *What are you staring at this cat for? Is this cat that cute?* Li Hao was astonished. Er Mao possessed only the strength of a second-rank Sovereign. Yet at times, it could pierce through to the heart of the matter. Yes! Time! Letting time flow forward to allow heaven and earth to revive naturally! No matter how deep the silence, it was not death; with the passage of time, the day of revival would eventually come. As long as he seized upon that catalyst, he would certainly be able to grasp the crucial key to revival. "Thank you!" Li Hao wasted no words, instantly channeling Time. In the void, faint dark clouds began to gather, though they were barely noticeable this time. He was merely utilizing his normal temporal power rather than borrowing strength that surpassed his own level. Moreover, fusing Silence and Revival was bound to draw a chaos lightning tribulation anyway. If he succeeded in his comprehension and broke through to the fourth rank, he could weather the tribulation in one go, saving himself the trouble later. Time flowed swiftly. Li Hao closely observed the transformations within the river. The silenced river showed no signs of revival. Perhaps not enough time had elapsed. The dark clouds in the sky, however, were steadily multiplying. Li Hao paid them no heed. He had witnessed even seventh-rank tribulations; the tribulation gathering now, even if fully formed, would only be around the fourth rank. He had shattered a seventh-rank tribulation—why would he care about this? If he could advance successfully, dispersing it would be child's play! Qian Wuliang, on the other hand, was scared half to death, constantly feeling that he would be struck dead sooner or later. Time ticked away. Gradually, the river's power of silence seemed to dissipate considerably. In the sky, stars began to flicker with faint glimmers of light, their energy exceedingly weak, as if slowly awakening from deep slumber. At this sight, a flash of delight crossed Li Hao's eyes. For the first time outside of killing foes, the power of Time had provided immense assistance in comprehending a pivotal Dao technique. "The Dao of Time... is fundamentally a Dao. Killing is merely secondary... In the future, I should use it less for killing and more for Dao comprehension..." Li Hao was overjoyed. In that moment, a profound realization slowly surfaced within his heart. The end of silence was revival. Just as the end of death was new life. The two shared an intimate connection as analogous Daos; this breakthrough might yield additional rewards. Star after star began to revive, and currents of extraordinary revival power were born within the river. Above the river, faint light emanated from the Star of Silence. The conclusion of silence was revival. The river surged! Myriads of Great Dao powers began reviving in unison. Above his head, a dark cloud coalesced rapidly. Li Hao felt the silenced energy within him stir vigorously into activity, multiple forces beginning to blend together. Bathed in this peculiar energy, Li Hao's entire being began advancing. Qian Wuliang, Black Panther, and Er Mao all breathed a sigh of relief. The process was going smoothly. As for the dark cloud overhead, they would have been weeping in terror in the past. Now... they had grown accustomed to it. A minor issue. They had vanquished a seventh-rank tribulation; a mere fourth-rank, or even a fifth-rank, was nothing. At this moment, Li Hao's River of Life and Death underwent a rapid transformation. It was no longer dominated solely by the twin powers of life and death. Two new forces emerged, interweaving and fusing as the river roared tempestuously. Li Hao was about to advance once more. To the fourth rank!