A Treacherous Jianghu

Li Hao and Kongji were dragged away, utterly dazed. Outside the Tianfang Great World. A crowd of onlookers stared in stupor, unable to process what had just happened. When Wushan had engaged the two seventh-rank Sovereigns, he was formidable, yet clashing with two peers meant the battle between the three seventh ranks was little more than sparring for sport. To seriously intend to kill the other side was laughable. If Wushan could slay a seventh-rank Sovereign in a one-on-two fight, he wouldn't be Wushan—he would be the Lord of Yunxiao. Likewise, as top seventh ranks, even if the two Red Moon Sovereigns could kill him here... set aside whether they were capable, did they dare? Yunxiao was far closer to this place than Red Moon was. Wouldn't killing Wushan make an enemy of Yunxiao? In truth, Red Moon had covert collaborations with Yunxiao, which was precisely why they had been bewildered as to why Wushan attacked them in the first place. As it turned out... The three of them had merely been playing around! The others had just been watching the spectacle. Then, out of nowhere—good heavens! If Wushan hadn't sensed a faint twinge of crisis and dodged at that exact instant, that saber slash might not have landed on Jihuo; it might have struck him. He had dodged in time, but that slash had come from a peak seventh rank, an absolute powerhouse who had slain a seventh-rank world master in earnest. Everyone claimed the Xinwu Human King was brutal and reckless... Yet when it came to ambushes, he was unmatched in cunning. Before striking, there hadn't been the slightest disturbance, not a wisp of aura. Then came that single, all-out saber strike! Without a shred of hesitation. He hadn't even considered what would happen if the three seventh ranks joined forces against him, or if the watching seventh ranks intervened... He seemed not to care at all! Or perhaps he was convinced that once he killed one, the rest wouldn't dare twitch—whoever stuck their neck out would be slain next! Who would dare step forward when facing someone fighting to the death? Events unfolded just as the Human King had anticipated. A single slash had cleaved a seventh-rank Sovereign dead on the spot. The Human King even wore a look of mild surprise, as if thinking: *So weak? Cleaved to death just like that? Total trash!* At this moment, everyone froze. Jihuo had been cut down in a single blow! The other seventh rank fled in frantic terror. Hongyu's face was drained of all color, pale as a corpse, consumed by a single thought: *Flee! Run away!* The Xinwu Human King! He thought that with Jihuo killed—such a monumental disaster—the Lord of Red Moon might appear, descending along the shockwaves of a high-rank's demise. It was entirely possible, and with the Human King here, it would spare Red Moon the burden of a passive defense. Yet... nothing. The Lord of Red Moon never showed up. He simply allowed Jihuo to be slaughtered! Hongyu hadn't had the time or presence of mind to sense the broader situation; otherwise, he would have understood why that supreme lord hadn't arrived. Under attack from front and back! A seventh rank had died here, and another had died on the other end. Here stood the Human King; over there, things were far worse—the Xinwu Supreme had arrived with the Cang Emperor! If the Lord of Red Moon descended on either front and left Red Moon's homeworld, catastrophic trouble would ensue! Furthermore, with two seventh ranks dying in an instant, the Great Dao Universe was violently jolted. Right now, the Lord of Red Moon was frantically stabilizing the Great Dao Universe, reassuring the populace, and urgently managing other affairs, including the defense of Red Moon's heartland... He simply could not descend. In a flash, the Lord of Red Moon concluded that this was Xinwu's conspiracy. What they wanted was to lure him away from Red Moon. Once Red Moon lacked his presence to anchor it, catastrophe was bound to follow. Xinwu's Yang God hadn't even shown himself, nor had an entire cohort of top Sovereigns. Perhaps... Xinwu's true target was the Red Moon homeworld itself! Within a Great World, as an eighth-rank world master backed by an eighth-rank Great World and an eighth-rank Great Dao Universe, even if an eighth-rank enemy arrived, it would be useless; even two eighth ranks would struggle to breach Red Moon. Yet... once he departed, perhaps a single seventh rank would suffice to break through! Besides the three dispatched across the two fronts, Red Moon actually possessed another seventh rank. Red Moon had five peak Sovereigns in total. However, that fifth one was currently patrolling the perimeter of Red Moon and could not easily be recalled. While it was termed a patrol, it was actually a deterrent—deterring the several Great Worlds that had migrated into their vicinity. At this moment, the Lord of Red Moon felt a ripple of unease. He could not recall that patrolling seventh rank; otherwise, the surrounding Great Worlds would detect Red Moon's vulnerability and helplessness. They had originally been allies... but the instant Red Moon appeared powerless, they might turn into a swarm of locusts! Those world masters had come to Red Moon seeking asylum, but once they realized Red Moon was weakened... who wouldn't covet an eighth-rank Great World? It was even more tempting than Xinwu! Without overwhelming strength to suppress them, would they obey meekly? Thus, the Lord of Red Moon found himself trapped in a dilemma, feeling on the verge of eruption. Why had this suddenly happened? How could it be! Why had the Human King gone to Tianfang? Even if he had, two seventh ranks shouldn't have been instantly killed. Yet that was the reality. What the Lord of Red Moon did not know was that Wushan had struck first, drawing the attention of the two seventh ranks and locking them in combat, thereby presenting the Human King with the perfect opening! *** Outside Tianfang. Having cut down one seventh rank with a single slash, the Human King roared with laughter, though in truth, he was catching his breath. To instantly kill a seventh rank... frankly, was far from easy. It wasn't easy in the slightest! In that single instant, his power had been entirely exhausted. To ensure absolute success, he had chosen to gamble—he was accustomed to taking risks. He also couldn't borrow the Cang Emperor's power; he vaguely knew what the other side was scheming. Therefore, if the Lord of Red Moon had dared to descend in that split second... he would have been a dead man! Yet he hadn't. Because of that, the Human King became even more arrogant. His martial robes billowed as he laughed heartily. *Coward!* Without taking risks, how could one win? That fellow was far too timid. "Hahaha!" He laughed wildly, glancing toward the fleeing seventh-rank Sovereign without lifting a hand... Outsiders assumed he was mocking him, but in reality... he lacked the strength. Otherwise, flee? What a joke! If he could kill an enemy, would he ever let them leave? Nonsense! He wouldn't spare a single one! He simply lacked the power to pursue, and he worried others would see through his weakness... There was more than one or two seventh ranks in the vicinity; he could sense at least five or six. Once he revealed his weakened state, combined with the profound secrets of the Yin-Yang World... he might be mobbed and slain. Even so, he remained incomparably arrogant and unhinged, glaring in every direction with sovereign disdain: "A bunch of trash! What are you staring at?" He was domineering beyond measure! As if no one beneath the heavens could match him, he sneered repeatedly: "I slaughtered a piece of trash to put Red Moon in its place. Any of you have an objection?" Silence fell over the surroundings. Even Wushan was utterly quiet, watching with deep wariness. Both were peak seventh-rank experts. Yet before this man... he felt a tangible sense of threat and pressure. What a terrifying individual. The Xinwu Human King! No wonder he dared, as a mere seventh-rank master, to proactively wage war against an eighth-rank Great World like Red Moon. A seventh rank had died! The Xinwu Human King held his chin high, seemingly oblivious to Wushan's vigilance. He swept his gaze across the surroundings, looked at the Great World before them, and then glanced toward the fleeing Hongyu with a cold scoff: "Is this where you were all headed? I noticed quite a crowd gathering here. What place is this?" "..." Was he serious, or just putting on an act? You dared to come here and slaughter people without even knowing what this place is? Wushan collected himself and replied, "This is the Tianfang Great World!" "Tianfang?" The Human King acted as though he had never heard of it. "What kind of place is that?" "..." Wushan felt there was no point in continuing the conversation. A top Sovereign of the Red Moon Domain claiming he didn't know Tianfang—the only Great World across several neighboring domains to have produced a ninth-rank Sovereign—what else could Wushan possibly say? At this moment, Wushan even began to suspect that his earlier intervention had been coordinated between the King of Silver Moon and this Xinwu Human King. Otherwise, how could things align so conveniently? He had likely gotten the short end of the stick. The original arrangement was merely for him to hold them off for a moment. Instead, he had created an opportunity for the Human King to kill. No matter what, though he hadn't slain anyone or tasted any meat, he was well and truly stuck holding the blame! He would definitely take the fall! Taking the blame... This was not the outcome he desired. He was willing to kill, but he refused to take the fall for someone else without gaining a single scrap of benefit. Looking at Hongyu frantically fleeing in the distance, Wushan hesitated briefly before quickly sending a voice transmission: *"Xinwu Human King, let's lay our cards on the table! Of the two seventh ranks, you killed one by taking advantage of my opening. Now... we join hands and kill the remaining one. That makes us even. However, once he dies, he's mine!"* "..." The Human King was momentarily bewildered. *What's the situation?* Though they had been fighting earlier, he could tell it hadn't been a life-and-death struggle. It had merely been a spar. *You actually want to kill him now? A conspiracy? Trying to scheme against me? Trying to set a trap to kill me? Or testing me? Do you know my strength is spent?* In a flash, the Human King—viewed by outsiders as reckless to the extreme—ran through countless thoughts, conjuring all sorts of plots, lethal stratagems, and scenarios where he was being ambushed. The next instant, the other voice sounded in his ear: *"You took advantage of me first! The agreement I made with the King of Silver Moon is completely out of balance now! Besides, Red Moon is already your enemy. Human King, if you don't strike now, he'll get away!"* *King of Silver Moon? What the devil!* He broadly pieced together the situation, feeling somewhat surprised that a young lad could actually strike a deal with a seventh rank. *How did he con him?* Indeed, his only thought was: *How on earth did he pull off the scam? That's quite my style! I conned... no, bamboozled—no, moved countless people with my sincerity! Does that mean this King of Silver Moon, whom I've never even met, also touched this seventh rank with his sincerity? Not bad. He has the Xinwu flair. Truly worthy of being our Xinwu's child world.* The thought flashed past in an instant. The next moment, the Xinwu Human King replied via voice transmission: *"I'll guard against the Lord of Red Moon descending. You go kill him!"* "..." Wushan was startled. *You're not striking?* *"I am joining forces with the Xinwu homeworld to deter the Lord of Red Moon. Otherwise, why do you think he hasn't descended? Go kill him! With the Lord of Red Moon terrified of descending, consider this my repayment to you!"* *That... actually makes some sense.* Wushan's heart stirred. The Lord of Red Moon was being deterred; no wonder he hadn't intervened. In that case... this was an opportunity! In the next instant, Wushan vanished. A shroud of mist and clouds suddenly enveloped heaven and earth. Moving with blinding speed, Wushan disappeared from where he stood, leaving the surrounding world masters momentarily stunned. Meanwhile, the Xinwu Human King barked coldly, "Fleeing? Where do you think you're going! Your Yunxiao World allied with Red Moon to secretly target my Xinwu—did you truly think I was blind to it?" Wushan, who was mid-pursuit, froze. *You know? You recognize me? No, I've never met you before.* Countless thoughts raced through his mind, and a sudden wave of trepidation washed over him—not the sense of absolute dominance he felt before Kongji and the others, but a genuine feeling of panic and unease. This Xinwu Human King knew everything. He was merely playing dumb on normal days! In an instant, he had even supplied Wushan with an excuse for his pursuit. Wushan snapped in a low voice, "That is the realm master's business and has nothing to do with me! Xinwu Human King, you are the master of a world; what honor is there in bullying the weak?" With those words, he hurtled forward, his Great Dao vibrating as he sent a voice transmission to the fleeing Hongyu: *"Join forces, or both of us will die! Hold out for a bit—my Lord of Yunxiao will surely descend!"* "..." Hongyu was currently petrified, not daring to stop rashly. Yet hearing Wushan's words and recalling that their worlds were indeed allied, despite Wushan having attacked them earlier... Besides, he had noticed that the Human King's initial saber strike had primarily been aimed at Wushan. It seemed the Xinwu Human King truly knew of their alliance and had originally come to slay Wushan, only for the two of them to collide with him out of sheer misfortune. Now, this Xinwu Human King was actually pursuing Wushan as well... Should they join forces to block him? And wait for reinforcement from the Lord of Yunxiao? As for the Lord of Red Moon... he had likely run into serious trouble; otherwise, there was no way he would ignore Jihuo's death. As these thoughts surfaced, Hongyu still hesitated. Wushan urgently transmitted his Dao voice: *"Hurry, wait for me! If I'm killed... you won't last long either! Ahead lies the Bright Light Divine Realm; they might be allied with Xinwu. The Divine Son of Bright Light shares deep ties with that King of Silver Moon—do you want to be butchered by the Bright Light Divine Realm?"* Hongyu hesitated for only a fraction of a second before making his decision: cooperate temporarily. Wushan had no reason to turn on him. As for earlier... it had likely been for the sake of the Tianfang Great World, to monopolize Tianfang's Great Dao Universe. Wushan attacking them to intimidate the surrounding onlookers was understandable. But now, facing a life-and-death crisis against an expert who had slain several seventh ranks, what did a Great Dao Universe matter? Preserving his life came first! Hongyu made up his mind and slowed down slightly. Two seventh ranks—one of them at the peak—joining forces against a Xinwu Human King who had just expended massive energy meant the Human King might not be able to overcome them. The moment he halted, Wushan moved even faster, landing behind him in the blink of an eye, panting for breath. Further back, the Human King strolled through the void, dragging his saber behind him at an unhurried pace. He couldn't move fast even if he wanted to! He simply bellowed in intimidation, "What good is joining forces? Two pieces of trash—even together, I'll slaughter you both! Which of those watching cowards would dare come to your rescue?" He sneered coldly. Wushan barked back, "My Lord of Yunxiao is nearby! If you don't flee now and keep tangling with us, your death will be certain once my realm master arrives!" "Laughable!" The Human King sneered. "You truly think that was my full power? I didn't even bother borrowing the Big Cat's strength! With merely half my power, killing you is like slaughtering chickens! If your Yunxiao realm master dares show his face, before wiping out Red Moon, I'll annihilate your Yunxiao first today!" These words... carried genuine deterrent weight. When the Human King destroyed the Absolute Darkness Great World, he had borrowed half of the Cang Emperor's power. At this moment, even the experts spectating from the shadows felt their hearts jolt. *Indeed!* Before even combining their strength, he had slain a seventh rank, and now he had the audacity to challenge two seventh ranks simultaneously. Once they merged... how terrifying would that be? Even if this man had not reached the eighth rank, he was virtually indistinguishable from one! Wushan's expression grew solemn, half-acting and half-terrified! Factoring in this man's dreadful might, he quickly transmitted his voice to Hongyu: *"Why hasn't your Lord of Red Moon descended along the shockwaves?"* It was a probe, but also a genuine question. *Are all your Red Moon Sovereigns dead? A seventh rank gets slaughtered and you don't even make a peep?* When he had contemplated killing these people earlier, he had factored this in. For the master of a Great Dao Universe, when a seventh rank was killed and a major star was jarred, they could descend if they were willing to pay the price. Wushan's plan had been to kill one, strip their power, and feed it into Yunxiao. For the sake of a seventh rank's energy, the Lord of Yunxiao would also descend, so Wushan hadn't been particularly afraid. Yet... where was the Lord of Red Moon? Only now did Hongyu find the chance to sense the broader situation. In the next moment, his heart trembled violently! *Not good! Xingshen seems to have fallen as well... Has Xinwu assaulted Red Moon's homeworld? A diversion, or a full-scale siege on Red Moon? No wonder the Lord of Red Moon hasn't descended!* Yet right now, he couldn't admit that. He could only offer an evasive reply: *"Our lord has momentous matters to attend to..."* *Which means he can't come!* Wushan was inwardly shocked. *Could it really be as the Human King said—Xinwu launched another two-pronged pincer attack? And where was Kongji teleported to earlier? Could it... have something to do with the Bright Light Divine Realm? Were the two factions already allied?* Thoughts flashed through his mind one after another. Seeing that this was a rare opportunity, and knowing he had to pay a price if he wanted to break away from Yunxiao... In the next instant, he blotted out the sky with a single hand. A sea of clouds and mist blanketed heaven and earth as he roared, "Kill me? You dream too simple! I am also a peak seventh rank—why would I fear you? Join hands!" Wushan shouted at Hongyu. In truth, Hongyu merely wanted to deter the enemy and had no desire to engage the Human King in earnest, but since Wushan had already charged as the vanguard... Hongyu was, after all, a seventh rank himself. With one seventh rank dead today, it would be difficult to explain himself if he did nothing. The next moment, he struck as well. The Red Moon Dao domain manifested! Meanwhile, the Human King watched them coldly and raised his long saber... He was merely watching Wushan. *Is this old bastard playing tricks?* Just as he was pondering, five mountain peaks suddenly descended to suppress heaven and earth. Exactly as before, the Five Fingers Mountain manifested once more, this time forming a domain of misty cloud mountains that enveloped the surroundings! In the sky, celestial courts seemed to emerge atop the peaks, suppressing the ages! The swirling clouds and mist instantly obscured everyone's vision. Behind the fog, Wushan wore a chillingly cold expression. At that exact moment, he spun around, turned back, and slammed a palm down toward Hongyu! Hongyu sensed the lethal crisis and was instantly overwhelmed with terror! *How could this be?* He had heard rumors of Xinwu being involved with the Bright Light Divine Realm, but Yunxiao—*we are allies! You bastard! Yunxiao secretly moved to hunt Xinwu experts earlier—did you think Xinwu didn't know? Wushan, have you gone mad?!* *Boom!* With a earth-shattering roar, the five great mountains crashed down. Hongyu's Dao domain was instantly shattered, and a spray of golden blood erupted from his mouth. The next instant, Wushan's hand encompassed heaven and earth, instantly forming a colossal cage. He couldn't kill a seventh rank in a single move like the Human King. Yet the suppressive power of his cloud mountains and misty seas was exceptionally terrifying, leaving Hongyu virtually immobilized in the blink of an eye. Just as Hongyu was about to struggle further, a Great Dao Universe suddenly manifested. The Great Dao of Yunxiao! Streams of Yunxiao power descended. Within that Great Dao Universe, it felt as though someone was watching this place, an omnipresent will peering through, taking in the scene. A sigh echoed from within the Great Dao Universe: *"Wushan! You..."* Wushan's voice resonated into the Great Dao Universe: *"If I break away, I will certainly compensate Yunxiao! As for the Red Moon World, with Jihuo dead, the blame has already fallen upon me. With one seventh rank dead, peaceful coexistence is no longer possible—unless the realm master hands me over! Would Red Moon dare recklessly provoke my Yunxiao?"* The realm master's voice answered: *"Xinwu... is not to be trifled with. They are fiercely aggressive, exceeding even Red Moon. Destroying Red Moon merely fuels Xinwu's growth!"* *"I know... but the Xinwu Human King is right here. If I don't kill him, the Human King will. If he kills another and seizes the bodies of two seventh ranks to achieve the eighth rank, who could stop him? Realm Master, are you willing to descend and block him?"* The Lord of Yunxiao fell silent. Did that make sense? It did. The Xinwu Human King might truly be infinitely close to the eighth rank. Killing one might not suffice for a breakthrough, but killing another... might just push him over. Was he willing to descend? Why should he! Even the Lord of Red Moon hadn't shown up. If he stepped in to block the Human King, wouldn't he become the scapegoat? In an instant, he said no more, choosing acquiescence. Descending was utterly out of the question. If he descended now, he would inevitably clash with that Xinwu Human King. At this moment, he chose silence, neither approving nor objecting, but he did not stop Wushan from channeling the power of the Yunxiao Great Dao, nor did he interfere with the extraction of Dao source energy. In a split second, an overwhelming surge of power poured into Wushan's body. *Boom!* The five great mountains pressed down on heaven and earth, rumbling with immense thunder. Hongyu's furious roar echoed across the cosmos: "Wushan! You dare kill me?!" The obscured Sovereigns watching from around were thoroughly dumbfounded! *What is happening now? Weren't they joining forces to fight the Xinwu Human King? How... how did it become Wushan killing Hongyu?* *Rumble!* Heaven and earth shattered; the chaos convulsed. Catching his opponent entirely off guard, Wushan directly suppressed him. Hongyu wanted to draw upon a massive amount of Great Dao power, but because his Great Dao was already in turmoil, his state was even worse than before. With two seventh ranks dead, the Lord of Red Moon had mobilized vast amounts of Dao power to stabilize the Great Dao Universe. At this moment, how could there be much Great Dao power left for a seventh rank like him to draw upon? *** Red Moon World. The Lord of Red Moon's expression twisted abruptly. Shaken once more, he roared in fury, "Bastards! Damn them!" They still weren't stopping! Having killed two seventh ranks, they wanted to kill another! He was going mad! At this moment, he felt an impulsive urge to descend completely and fight that Xinwu Human King to the death! His will swept across the void... but in the next instant, his face changed. It wasn't the Xinwu Human King! It was... Wushan! *How could this be? Yunxiao... betrayed me! No, they broke the alliance—Yunxiao is kicking me while I'm down! If I descend now, I might face terrifying consequences: Yunxiao, Fang Ping, Wushan, and the others ambushing me together! Meanwhile, Xinwu's Cang Emperor would invade Red Moon! They want to swallow all of Red Moon whole! I understand now! And the Bright Light Divine Realm is part of this too. So that's how it is! No wonder Jihuo was killed so easily. It wasn't just the Xinwu Human King alone! Furthermore, Xingshen was killed so close to Red Moon, yet I didn't sense any disturbance initially. That means... other powerhouses took part to obscure the heavenly secrets. Who?* In an instant, various figures came to mind: the other seventh-rank Sovereigns of Yunxiao, the Sovereigns of the Bright Light Divine Realm... *Perhaps these three factions have joined forces to carve up my Red Moon! Scoundrels!* With an ashen face, he made a swift decision. In an instant, he forcibly stripped away a vast portion of Hongyu's Great Dao power. He couldn't go save him; since that was the case... he could only let Hongyu be sacrificed. But he couldn't let him be killed like that—even if Hongyu died, the enemy could not be allowed to strip away massive amounts of Great Dao power. Otherwise, having the power of three seventh ranks stripped in succession would destabilize Red Moon's Great Dao Universe, possibly even causing it to drop in rank! If that happened, he might fall back to the seventh rank, which would be utterly catastrophic. By retaining the Great Dao power, he could quickly nurture a new seventh rank. Red Moon did not lack sixth ranks. *** "Ah!" Sovereign Hongyu bellowed in rage. Wushan instantly noticed the change, his eyes shifting. *How ruthless!* Though Hongyu's demise had been highly probable... he could sense that the Lord of Red Moon had just stripped away at least fifty percent of Hongyu's power, causing him to teeter on the verge of falling from the seventh rank! This was... sending Hongyu to his death. Unable to save him, he chose this method instead? How ruthless! At this moment, Wushan felt even more resolute in his conviction: *I must break away. I cannot become another Hongyu—a seventh-rank Sovereign, an existence supreme in the eyes of outsiders, tossed aside at the critical moment simply because he isn't the world master or the Dao master! Having his power stripped away!* This completely extinguished whatever faint glimmer of survival Hongyu might have possessed. Facing a peak seventh rank's ambush was difficult enough at full power, let alone after losing half his strength. *Boom!* With a thunderous crash, Hongyu was torn apart. Dao traces surfaced, and a feeble crimson moon manifested, filled with resentment and despair! Hongyu didn't even know whom he should hate! The Xinwu Human King? Wushan? Or... the Lord of Red Moon? He could understand the Lord of Red Moon's reasoning—he was doomed, and the lord had no way to save him. But... *you couldn't even leave me that final sliver of hope just to stabilize the world! At full power, even if there was a ninety percent chance of dying here, what if a miracle happened? What if I managed to escape? Now... it's gone. Not a single chance left!* Within the crimson moon, this high-rank Sovereign smiled bitterly, unsure whether he should hate or not. A dignified eighth-rank Great World was having its high-rank Sovereigns slaughtered one after another today, and he had been outright abandoned by his own realm master! Wushan's colossal palm crashed down! *Boom!* The crimson moon shattered. Wushan's hypocritical, pseudo-merciful voice echoed outward—perhaps not entirely hypocritical, but carrying the sorrow of one who saw his own potential fate in that of his peer: "And so... I must kill you, to break away from the Yunxiao Great World! Brother Hongyu, it isn't that I bear you any personal malice... but that... I do not wish to face such a day myself!" Hongyu's shattering phantom looked toward him. *Break away?* That final gaze held a hint of admiration, mixed with... mockery! *A fine dream you have! But you are a peak seventh rank—do you think Yunxiao will let you walk away? Unless you abandon all your energy and leave as an empty vessel. Yet as a seventh-rank Sovereign, who doesn't have a mountain of enemies? Stripped of your power, you won't last long! But taking your energy with you? Would the master of an eighth-rank Great World let you leave with the power of a peak seventh rank? What a joke! Even killing me isn't enough compensation. After all, half my Great Dao power was stripped away, and Red Moon's energy doesn't match Yunxiao's all that well. With conversion losses, it can at most replace a third of what you take. Would Yunxiao agree? If he does... I would truly admire the Lord of Yunxiao.* "Wushan... perhaps, I will be waiting for you!" Hongyu transmitted a final remark, laced with mockery. *The one to kill you won't be the Lord of Red Moon, nor the Xinwu Human King, but... the Lord of Yunxiao! Why would you ever entertain the thought of breaking away? In this boundless chaos, how many seventh-rank Sovereigns have ever managed to leave? Red Moon, Bright Light, or any other Great World—once you reach the seventh rank, you think you can just walk away? Do you take Dao masters for charity workers?* Wushan remained silent. With a pop, he crushed the crimson moon and swept up all the remaining Red Moon power. The cloud mountains and misty seas dissipated! When the crowd looked again... Hongyu was already dead, and the Xinwu Human King... was nowhere to be seen. Only his voice echoed from afar: "Yunxiao and my Xinwu shall surely annihilate Red Moon! Tell the Lord of Red Moon to wash his neck and wait!" He had already vanished! Why linger instead of running? If he pushed too hard and drew multiple eighth ranks who saw through his exhaustion, wouldn't he be finished? *That Yunxiao fellow truly dared to kill a Red Moon Sovereign. What colossal nerve.* Meanwhile, within the boundary wall of the Great World, a figure watched the direction of his departure in silence, chuckled, and murmured, "After all these years, he hasn't changed a bit!" One look was enough to know the Human King was spent. Otherwise, Wushan or no Wushan, he would have slaughtered them all together. If Wushan killed Hongyu and refused to surrender the Dao power, the Human King would have beaten him so badly his own parents wouldn't recognize him. Thinking he could pick up cheap scraps? What a joke! Li Zhu had not made a move. There were far too many seventh ranks present, and the dead were all seventh ranks belonging to eighth-rank Great Worlds—not the kind whose Great Dao Universes could be seized. Killing them held little meaning, nor would it allow him to break into the seventh rank. However, with that fellow lingering nearby... plenty of opportunities would follow. He smiled. There was no rush! He was patient, exceptionally so, and could afford to wait. Now that the Human King was in the area, opportunities would abound. Furthermore, with Wushan killing a Red Moon Sovereign, a massive war might erupt right here at Tianfang! Now that would be interesting! All around, several world masters fled in haste. The sky had collapsed! Two seventh-rank Sovereigns had perished not long ago, and today, two more had fallen. Crucially... it would have been one thing if the Xinwu Human King had killed both, but one of them had been slain by Wushan—a Sovereign of Yunxiao! This meant Yunxiao was likely joining the war! The heavens were changing! The chaos was bound to convulse; a second eighth-rank Great World was entering the fray! *** Without a word, Wushan collected the Great Dao power, cast a silent glance around, and swiftly entered the Tianfang Great World. Had the sky collapsed? He didn't know. All he knew was that the power of a crippled Hongyu might not be enough. *Will the realm master truly be willing to let me go?* As for the Xinwu Human King... he didn't concern himself with him. Since the Human King was no fool, he wouldn't strike against him now. For no other reason than that Wushan's presence, along with the killing of a Red Moon seventh-rank Sovereign, dragged Yunxiao into the war—something the Human King would surely be delighted to see. *** At the same time. Red Moon World. The heavens collapsed and the earth split; the world violently shook as the firmament fractured, resembling the fall of myriad stars. Experts looked up at the sky in profound shock. Sovereigns sensed the violent tremor of the Great Dao, turning pale with horror. Why... had the heavens suddenly changed? It felt as though multiple high-rank Sovereigns had perished in an instant—more than one! At that exact moment, the figure of the Lord of Red Moon manifested, spanning heaven and earth. His imposing might suppressed the world as his calm voice resonated: "A crisis has arrived for Red Moon! Xinwu and Yunxiao have joined forces to ambush and slaughter several of our Sovereigns! However, my Red Moon has stood in the chaos for countless ages; we fear no challenge! Effective today, several candidates among the sixth-rank Sovereigns will be selected to receive the power of the Great Dao. Those with sufficient fortune may step into the seventh rank!" The originally panic-stricken Great World settled slightly upon seeing the Red Moon Sovereign. When they heard him speak of selecting sixth-rank Sovereigns to advance to the seventh rank... the fear among the sixth-rank Sovereigns vanished in an instant, replaced by boundless greed and desire! The Lord of Red Moon's voice rang out once more: "The Great Dao is finite, and its seats are limited! When someone dies, another must ascend! When a sixth rank steps into the seventh rank, middle-rank Sovereigns will surely be born. When low ranks step into the middle ranks, newcomers will surely advance to Sovereigns!" The moment these words fell, the entire world trembled as endless power of desire rippled outward. The previously turbulent Great Dao Universe surprisingly stabilized. Much like the cultivation of the myriad Daos in Silver Moon, here, the power of desire was the very source of the Great Dao. As several Sovereigns fell and vacated their positions, the desires of cultivators across the entire world were instantly ignited! In a flash, the prior fear and sorrow vanished, replaced solely by excitement and greed! The Lord of Red Moon watched in silence. This was the exact result he wanted. Facts proved that the Dao of Red Moon was extraordinarily potent—outsiders could never understand it. A few Sovereigns had died, and a fair amount of desire power had been stripped away. So what? As long as living beings harbored desire, Red Moon would never perish! With several seventh ranks dead, these people had all been seized by greed. Before long, Red Moon would return to its peak! *Xinwu, Yunxiao—if you think this is enough to crush my Red Moon, you are far too naive. A person's desire is the greatest driving force of all!* The turbulent world began to settle. Countless cultivators were thrilled, greedy, and rabid, practically unable to contain themselves. Sovereigns emerged from across the realms, middle ranks yearning to become high ranks, and low ranks yearning to become middle ranks, their eyes burning with fervent hunger. The Red Moon Sovereign said nothing more. At this moment, he wouldn't help them either. He would wait! Drag it out for a bit. As long as it wasn't delayed indefinitely, the desires of these people would remain boundless, staying in an intensely vigorous state. When the time came, if someone managed to advance to the seventh rank... it would whip everyone else into a frenzy all over again! After a few cycles of this, Red Moon's losses would be entirely recouped! He could even... He glanced outward. Perhaps the seventh-rank seats could be offered to outsiders. Seventh-rank Great Worlds were grand, but in this era, they were no longer safe. If he offered a seventh-rank Sovereign seat in Red Moon in exchange for an entire Great World, would anyone accept? The seventh rank was no longer a guarantee of safety. In such a short time, five seventh-rank Sovereigns had perished. Perhaps some world masters were terrified. If they brought their Great Dao Universes to directly merge into Red Moon in exchange for high-rank Sovereign seats... he might even make a profit. Take the extraordinarily weak Senlan Great World, for instance. Its world master was merely a sixth rank, yet held sway over a Great Dao Universe. If promised a seventh-rank seat in exchange for bringing his Great World and Great Dao Universe to merge into Red Moon... he might very well agree. As for a forced merger, that was ill-advised. Several seventh-rank world masters remained nearby; forcing the issue would lead to open hostility. He understood the principle of grief over a fallen peer. As thoughts surfaced one after another, he looked in a specific direction once more. His gaze turned frigid! Over there, had the Yin-Yang World truly arrived? Why couldn't he sense it at all? Yet earlier, he had seen the Xinwu Supreme's Great Dao Book, and he had seen the Cang Emperor... Their auras had been somewhat weak, but separated by such immense distance, he couldn't determine whether they were real bodies or avatars. At that time, to be safe, he had no choice but to act as he did. Now, watching his world stabilize, he waited silently for a while. Moments later, a Sovereign swiftly returned from beyond the realm boundary. His aura was immensely formidable—another seventh rank. It was the seventh-rank Sovereign who had been patrolling outside, currently looking rather pale, thoroughly shaken by the recent upheaval! The Lord of Red Moon said little, his voice somber: "Hold the line here. You only need to hold out for a brief period, and under no circumstances are you to step outside! I am going to see... whether the Yin-Yang World has truly entered Red Moon's territory!" "Understood!" The seventh-rank Sovereign nodded without pressing further. Once the Sovereign had steadied himself, the Lord of Red Moon tore open the void, stepped into the Great Dao Universe, and traveled rapidly until he arrived at a battered region. He glanced around silently, tore through the Great Dao Universe once more, and descended upon an area. It was precisely the site of the earlier battle! The Lord of Red Moon stood in the void, inspecting the surroundings with a slight frown. There was no aura of a Great Dao Universe, nor any scent of a world. The area had been swept clean. There wasn't much to harvest... yet he sensed a few critical details. Xingshen had truly died beneath a sword! How could that be? Furthermore... chaos lightning tribulation seemed to have erupted here... Could it be that King of Silver Moon? That was hardly surprising. The King of Silver Moon was nothing to fear, but could the Sword Venerable truly defy ranks to slay a seventh rank? His expression grew grim! It was fine for now, but if the Sword Venerable advanced to the seventh rank, wouldn't he... be able to rival the eighth rank? That was impossible! Not even the Xinwu Human King could achieve such a feat! "Did the Yin-Yang World not come?" he murmured. In other words, he might have been bluffed. Of course, given the circumstances back then with the Human King's sudden attack, even if he suspected a bluff, he couldn't risk leaving. Otherwise, having his homeworld breached would have been the true disaster! "Sword Venerable... Martial King..." Murmuring to himself, the Lord of Red Moon glanced around, his figure gradually fading away moments later. He had to kill these Xinwu people! Their very existence posed far too great a threat to Red Moon! *** Meanwhile. In the depths of the chaos. An old man was clutching two figures, fleeing madly through the void. After fleeing for an unknown duration, Li Hao was just about to speak when the Sword Venerable raised a finger to his lips, shushing him. Li Hao remained silent, exchanging a glance with Kongji, who also kept quiet. At this moment, both were still reeling in shock. All three had expended immense energy. Li Hao looked noticeably older. This use of Time had been relatively manageable; he had merely used Time to reverse the Sword Venerable's sword intent twice and reverse Kongji twice. Combined, the burden was less than when he had borrowed the power of the seventh-rank Fire Emissary. That previous time had been borrowing power, channeling immense might into himself. This time had merely been reversal, not borrowing power... Of course, energy couldn't be conjured from nothing. The Sword Venerable's three stacked strikes hadn't depleted Li Hao's energy; they had consumed the power of resurgence and Kongji's strength. In other words, the energy Kongji recovered twice had to be extracted from Li Hao, and Li Hao had offset half with his vitality and the other half with the lightning tribulation. Even if there were minor repercussions down the road, they wouldn't be severe. Through this, he had gained a deeper understanding of the power of Time. One could say they had accomplished something terrifying at the lowest possible cost. As Li Hao pondered, the old man exhaled softly and grinned. Suddenly, he slapped Li Hao and Kongji hard on the back! Nodding with evident approval, he said, "Not bad! You two young lads are fantastic!" "..." Li Hao didn't mind, but Kongji pondered for a moment before speaking slowly: "Senior, I am a thousand years old." The Sword Venerable nodded and chuckled: "Not bad, an old young lad is pretty fantastic too! I'm older than you—thirteen hundred years old. At my age, I could easily be your grandfather!" "..." Kongji fell silent. Li Hao couldn't help stifling a laugh, murmuring after a pause, "His father might be over a million years old, you know?" Kongji nodded. Indeed! The Sword Venerable claiming to be a grandfather applied to ordinary mortals. *My father is a million years old; are you sure you can be my grandfather?* The Sword Venerable looked slightly embarrassed, but quickly recovered, slapping the two of them on the back again—nearly shoving them into the chaos—and chuckled, "No matter, don't sweat the small stuff! A real man doesn't fuss over minor details!" He was indeed older than Kongji, and inwardly felt relieved. *Thank goodness! If this old young lad were older than me, it would've been hard to keep up the act! A thousand years old... I'm at least three hundred years older than you. Three hundred years is enough for ordinary folk to pass down ten generations.* After inwardly celebrating, the Sword Venerable looked the two up and down, smiling: "Meeting two interesting lads brings great comfort to my heart! You've got guts and decent strength. Any interest in pulling off a few big deals with this old man?" "..." The two stared at him in silence. *Do what? Didn't we just kill a seventh rank? What does he mean?* The Sword Venerable looked slightly disappointed. "No interest? What a shame. Red Moon has suffered a massive upheaval, losing a seventh-rank Sovereign. Turmoil is bound to follow. Aren't there a bunch of worlds nearby? Big and small, all sorts. How about we team up and pull off a huge heist..." These words sounded entirely like a bandit! In truth, that was the impression Xinwu gave everyone, and reality matched the reputation. Having dealt with Xinwu before, Li Hao was well aware of this. But Kongji was genuinely at a loss. *Is... is this Xinwu? Just killed a seventh rank, and without stopping to breathe, he wants to keep plundering?* The Sword Venerable pressed on: "How about it? Interested? How does a fifty-thirty-twenty split sound?" "..." Kongji didn't follow. The Sword Venerable added, "Not satisfied? I can kill seventh ranks, so taking fifty percent is already fair—and you're still unhappy? How about this: I'll take forty percent, and whether you two split the rest thirty-thirty, forty-twenty, or however else, I won't interfere. How's that?" Kongji understood in a flash! His mouth fell open... barely swallowing down a curse. *Are you talking about splitting the loot? I... I haven't even agreed, and you're already dividing the spoils? I'm the Divine Son of Bright Light! I came out merely to cultivate the Dao; I'm not short on money!* "I don't lack resources..." The moment he spoke, the Sword Venerable frowned: "Forty-sixty is my absolute limit, and you want more? You're only a sixth rank, and a newly minted one at that. Your power of resurgence is impressive, but... it's not necessarily more useful than this Li family junior. This is already the fairest price I can offer!" "..." Kongji looked at Li Hao, feeling a surreal sense of absurdity. *Am I talking to an expert capable of matching a seventh rank as a sixth rank, or am I bargaining with a chaos bandit? You just killed a seventh rank as a sixth rank! Shouldn't you sigh in wonder, brag a bit, marvel at your own feat... and the instant you stop, you start haggling over splitting the loot?!* Li Hao rubbed his temples in silence. *I knew it! In the past, there was a layer separating us, so things weren't as clear. Today, seeing it with my own eyes, everything Zhang An knew, heard, and saw wasn't fabricated at all. These Xinwu experts are all... bandits! Of course, they only rob their enemies... and in their eyes, anyone who migrated near Red Moon is an enemy.* Li Hao looked at Kongji. "Brother Kongji... are you interested?" *Interested in being a bandit? You don't lack resources, after all.* Kongji was taken aback. *Am I interested? I... I don't know! I never imagined becoming a bandit in my entire life. But... wouldn't being a bandit be much more thrilling? Clashing with more experts? Slaying a seventh rank just now was exhilarating! Haven't I always been chasing excitement?* He hesitated briefly: "I suppose... I could give it a try. As for the resource distribution, I don't lack—" The Sword Venerable nodded instantly: "Great! Fifty percent for me, thirty percent for the Li Hao kid, and since you don't lack resources, you take twenty percent as a token share so you don't feel slighted. That twenty percent is for your operational expenses—we can't have you paying out of pocket, right?" "..." Kongji felt utterly dazed. *Where on earth am I? In... a vegetable market? Do vegetable markets even work like this? I've never been to one in my life.* Just like that, muddle-headed, he found himself nodding in agreement. For a moment, he forgot that he had only come along to broaden his horizons. Now, unwittingly, he seemed to have joined a gang! No, a den of thieves! *If my father found out that the son of a dignified eighth-rank Sovereign, instead of staying home to inherit an eighth-rank Great World, ran out here to rob people with bandits, would he descend in person and beat me to death? The Bright Light Divine Realm... stands for justice! For righteousness! Then again, I suppose I'm no longer a cultivator of the Bright Light Divine Realm.* Li Hao didn't mind all that. He was actually quite interested. They were enemies anyway, and the others who had fled earlier were all scattered nearby; he needed to track them down regardless. Doing a little extra business along the way wasn't a bad idea. Besides, he wanted to converse with the Sword Venerable, at least to seek guidance on certain aspects of the sword. Seeing both of them nod, the Sword Venerable beamed, wearing an expression of gentle benevolence. *Two little fools... no, two fine lads. Quite promising, very teachable! Back in the day, I guided the Human King, who rampaged across the world... This time, I might just nurture two little bandits... no, two little geniuses!* Slapping their backs once more, he smiled warmly: "Follow me. Let's find a quiet place first, dig a hole, and set up our hideout... our base camp. We can talk about the rest later!" The two exchanged a look, suddenly feeling... they might have truly walked into a wolf's den. *Dig a hole to make a hideout?* Those words reeked entirely of the treacherous jianghu!