The Art of Digging Holes

In the chaotic cosmos, which had not been quiet for long, news swept through the major great worlds like a hurricane on this day. Everyone had originally thought that the upheaval at Tianfang was everything. Yet soon after, more news spread from the Red Moon Domain. Red Moon’s third seventh-rank Sovereign, Sovereign Xingshen, had been slain within the perimeter of the Red Moon World. This was even more terrifying! Right within the reach of their Great Dao Universe, this seventh-rank Sovereign had actually been killed under the Lord of Red Moon's very nose. At such close range, descending in person would have been simple. Yet he hadn't. The Lord of Red Moon seemed trapped, suppressed, or utterly indifferent. He hadn't intervened at all, allowing a powerhouse of his own world to be struck down right at his doorstep. After this battle, Red Moon had lost three seventh-rank Sovereigns in a single day! The entire Red Moon World had only possessed five high-rank Sovereigns to begin with. Now, with only two high-rank Sovereigns remaining, they could do nothing but hold their home ground. Originally bent on conquest, Red Moon had been pushed from offense into defense in its clashes with Xinwu after barely fifty years. And to this day, the main forces of both sides had never engaged on a large scale. Aside from the Yang God’s brief skirmish with them, Xinwu's other high-rank Sovereigns had never formally fought Red Moon's forces. Yet Red Moon World, one of the prominent eighth-rank great worlds, had instantly fallen into a disadvantage. Though an eighth-rank powerhouse still presided over it and remained incomparably mighty within his home world, Red Moon’s mobile force—its high-rank Sovereigns—now consisted of only a single seventh rank who could not easily leave. Otherwise, he was very likely to be hunted down. For a time, the chaos was thrown into immense turmoil. The manifestation of Tianfang’s Great Dao Universe also drew the absolute attention of many powerhouses. The Xinwu Human King, Wushan of Yunxiao, Yaoyang of Bright Light—these top-tier figures were all at Tianfang. Wushan had even slain Hong Yu, suggesting a possible alliance with Xinwu. On this very day, the Yunxiao World issued a statement claiming that Wushan's killing of Hong Yu might have been due to deception by the Xinwu Human King; it was neither Yunxiao's intention nor did it represent the stance and attitude of the Yunxiao World. No one knew whether such words could be believed. If true, it meant some rift might have formed between Wushan and Yunxiao. If false, it meant the Yunxiao World might harbor designs on Red Moon. Either way, it was a momentous matter worthy of grave attention. Meanwhile, the Bright God Realm remained utterly quiet, offering no statement. Both the Red Moon and Tianfang domains fell into utter disorder. In the surrounding regions, two relatively distant great regions—the Chiyang Region and the Dragon Region—now also saw powerhouses converging on Tianfang. Great regions generally possessed eighth-rank great worlds. Some had more, some fewer. Those with few, like the Red Moon Domain, had only a single eighth-rank great world. Tianfang, on the other hand, had two. To many Sovereigns, these four regions constituted the entirety of the chaos. Covering immense expanses, a first-rank Sovereign might spend an entire lifetime active in just one region, never leaving it until death. Now, a number of high-rank Sovereigns mobilized, converging toward the Tianfang Great World. The target of the high-rank Sovereigns was Tianfang. Yet the chaos clearly held more than just high ranks. There were also Chaos Rangers, lords of small and medium worlds, and middle-to-low-rank Sovereigns from great worlds who set out for the Red Moon Domain. Red Moon had lost a seventh-rank Sovereign, and the remaining two were bound to defend their home world. No one dared touch the Red Moon World itself—at least, these Chaos Rangers didn't dare. Nor did anyone dare touch great worlds. Great world lords were all seventh-rank Sovereigns who remained entrenched in their native worlds. Someone like the Lord of Extreme Darkness could only be slain by the Human King when he borrowed the power of the Cang Emperor, combining their might. Yet... people still remembered the Senlan Great World. A great world that wasn't particularly strong to begin with, Senlan had birthed its Great Dao Universe not many years ago. In the past, it was guarded by two peak sixth-rank Sovereigns. Backed by the home-field advantage of their native world and Great Dao Universe, along with several middle-rank Sovereigns within, an ordinary seventh rank would struggle to breach Senlan by force. That was what had allowed Senlan to secure its foothold. Who would have guessed that the Dao Lord of the Senlan World would actually harbor thoughts of moving against Xinwu? As a result, when the Xinwu Human King targeted the Absolute Darkness Great World last time, he disposed of Senlan's Dao Lord in passing. This destabilized Senlan's Great Dao Universe, and the Dao Lord perished. Although the Lord of Senlan World was now presiding over the Dao, with the potential to fuse with it and become an integrated entity of both Dao Lord and World Lord, he had not yet succeeded. Nor would success come quickly! All at once, a multitude of middle-rank Sovereigns grew restless. With Red Moon unable to attend to external affairs, perhaps... they could set their sights on Senlan. Great worlds guarded by sixth-rank Sovereigns did exist in the chaos. However, these worlds were usually presided over jointly by a Dao Lord and a World Lord, and neither would casually leave. Before entering the seventh rank, such powerhouses would never venture outside their native world lightly. Everyone knew that a Great Dao Universe was the easiest shortcut to the seventh rank. As for why that Senlan Dao Lord had dared venture out to oppose Xinwu... that was hard to say. Thus, the tranquil chaos was quiet no longer. Some high-rank Sovereigns even swept up their worlds and charged straight toward Tianfang. Another faction of powerhouses advanced toward Red Moon. In particular, some middle-rank Sovereigns and sixth-rank Sovereigns, including many lords of medium worlds, steered their worlds straight toward Red Moon! To seize a Great Dao Universe! To help their worlds ascend to great worlds. The ascension of their worlds was a pursuit shared by every faction across the chaos. Over at Tianfang, the scale of turmoil was far too high. Here at Red Moon, however... so long as Red Moon didn't intervene, everyone had a shot at gambling their fortunes. *** The chaos began to bustle. It was no longer a pool of stagnant water. Sovereigns who had not stepped out for ages were tempted this time. They stepped beyond their worlds, some even moving together with their worlds. Although traveling with a world was very slow, the amplification of world power often allowed them to unleash far greater strength. A sixth-rank lord of a medium world moving with that world was practically invincible among the sixth rank within its area of influence, even if matching a seventh rank remained difficult. If a seventh-rank world lord moved with a great world, they could even clash with an eighth rank within their home territory—provided that eighth-rank Sovereign was far from his own great world. *** Meanwhile, within the Red Moon Domain. In a dark, chaotic void, Li Hao and Kongji watched in silence as the old man before them dug a hole. Could one dig holes in the chaos? No! The chaos was one vast space, a complete and unbroken expanse. How could anyone dig a hole in it? Li Hao couldn't do it, nor could Kongji. Yet the old man before them seemed to have managed it. He truly tore open a tiny patch of void within the chaos. To Li Hao and Kongji, this was no simple hole—this was a Dao! A genuine Dao method! The old man chuckled as he punctured the chaos, explaining, "Space cannot be torn in the chaos. The chaos is a single whole. Who could possibly tear through the entire chaos? Right? A ninth rank might manage it, but ordinary people certainly can't." He said this, yet a hollow truly manifested before him. The old man added, "This isn't a hole. This is..." Li Hao let out a soft murmur of understanding and finished the thought: "This is the embryonic form of a world!" "Exactly!" The old man burst into hearty laughter. "Spot on! You can't dig holes in the chaos, but the chaos can give birth to worlds! Before any world is born, it is formless, intangible, and traceless, veiled by the chaos... just like fruit budding within the chaos! Back then, we called them seed worlds or fruit worlds! When a world ripens, it becomes visible. But before it matures, can you see it?" Kongji and Li Hao listened with rapt attention. They were by no means ignorant men. Their horizons were broad! One was the son of an eighth-rank lord, and the other was a cultivator bearing the heritage of multiple high-rank Sovereigns, who had even grasped the Dao of Time. If they were ignorant, how many Sovereigns in the chaos could claim otherwise? They knew concepts like seeds and fruits. Yet today... they gained a whole new realization. The old man continued, "How are worlds actually born? In the beginning, I didn't know either! Not until Silver Moon was born..." Li Hao’s heart stirred slightly. The old man continued, "Back then, Xinwu went through hardship upon hardship before finally resolving our formidable enemies! To revive certain fallen cultivators, the Human King chose to go into seclusion to comprehend Yin-Yang and resurrect those in the netherworld! During that time, he stayed secluded for years, paying no heed to the world. The Cang Emperor was rather lazy, snoozing heavily and neglecting things as well... As energy leaked from Xinwu, Silver Moon actually formed near it! "The birth of Silver Moon... At first, I didn't understand it either. Not until I went to Silver Moon to stand guard..." The old man kept excavating. Li Hao observed in silence, his eyes flickering with insight. This wasn't a hole! This was a world... Even if it was merely a foundation, not even a world's embryonic form, just laying the groundwork, it was fundamentally the process of a world's birth. The Sword Venerable wasn't simply digging a hole in the chaos; he was planting a seed! Given the right fortune, this hole might one day become a world of its own. The Sword Venerable continued, "Many conditions are required to birth a world! A few key points stand out. First, the Daos must be complete! Just like laying the foundation to build a house, how can you lay the groundwork if you don't even have the basic materials? Second, it must have growth potential, which fundamentally means a source of energy... Birthing a world consumes immense energy. How do you generate it? You have to draw it from the chaos. You must prepare the means to extract energy; otherwise, how can a world form without energy? "Third, the origin of life!" At this, the old man shook his head. "I can't achieve that. Right now, I've only accomplished the first step: my Daos are reasonably complete, so I can dig a hole to serve as the foundation of a world... In reality, I cannot conjure a world from nothing!" Even just that first step was astonishing! Li Hao remained silent. Kongji, visibly shaken, asked softly, "Senior, what do you mean by the Daos being complete?" What truly counted as complete Daos? Who could state that clearly? The Sword Venerable explained, "Everyone has their own criteria. But having observed many worlds, the barest minimum requires the Five Elements, Light and Darkness, Life and Death, Yin and Yang... These basic elements must be present!" Kongji hesitated, but the Sword Venerable chuckled. "You want to ask if I know all of those? Do I know Yin-Yang? Do I know Life and Death?" Kongji nodded. Yes, that was exactly what he wanted to ask. If you claim your Daos are complete, doesn't that mean you've grasped them all? The Sword Venerable added, "I know some of them, though not in great depth. Still, that's not crucial because my goal isn't actually to create a world! My only concern is that a weaker foundation might affect subsequent development, the world's potential, and the difficulty of its birth... But as long as I have a basic understanding without needing to dive too deep, I can dig holes!" "Then... my father never mentioned any of this. Is it because my father doesn't know how?" Kongji suddenly felt that this sixth-rank cultivator before him, at the same rank as himself, seemed to know even more than his father. "Definitely not!" This time, the Sword Venerable didn't boast. "It's simply that your father... has no need for this! What meaning would digging a hole in the chaos hold for him? If someone can truly kill him, he wouldn't escape even if he dug out an entire world, let alone a hole!" He knew Kongji's identity and that his father was an eighth-rank Sovereign. For someone of that stature, digging holes... wouldn't it be embarrassing? "An existence of your father's caliber must know how. His grasp over the myriad Daos cannot be lacking," the Sword Venerable explained. "It's just... do people like you need this? Do you need minor worlds or substandard worlds? With a single order, how many small and medium worlds would break their heads rushing to join you? Why would anyone painstakingly dig a hole in the chaos? For fun? Wouldn't you feel embarrassed?" "..." Kongji was rendered speechless. After a moment of thought, he still said, "Yet according to you, Senior, this is the foundation for opening a world. For a Dao cultivator, it is vital!" The Sword Venerable shook his head again. "No, opening a world isn't actually important! For most cultivators, mastering a single Dao is enough. Why dabble in so many? Do you think everyone needs all ten thousand Daos to become strong?" "Then why waste energy dabbling in everything?" Kongji pressed, "Then why do you, Senior..." The Sword Venerable smiled. "Why did I dabble in the myriad Daos? Because I had no choice. I'm poor!" Poor? Kongji stared blankly. What did that mean? The Sword Venerable explained, "In our Yin-Yang World, the Xinwu World, several seventh ranks have already emerged. Under these conditions, do you think Xinwu can produce another seventh rank?" It couldn't! "Since it can't... and we are still young, are we supposed to just wait forever? Or single-mindedly invade and devour other worlds to strengthen our own, waiting until Xinwu becomes an eighth-rank or ninth-rank world before birthing more seventh and eighth ranks? How long would that take? How many worlds would have to be annihilated?" The Sword Venerable sighed. "Therefore... we have to forge a new path for ourselves: create our own worlds, open our own realms, and birth our own Daos. Perhaps this is the only way to step beyond Xinwu." Step beyond? Kongji was shaken. "You... want to break away from Xinwu?" Wasn't it said that the people of Xinwu were exceptionally united? The Sword Venerable nodded. "Why not break away? Did we cultivate our whole lives just to be stuck at one stage, unable to advance an inch forever? Xinwu has a master, and Fang Ping is that master! "Since that's the case... we can only break away if we hope to find a second spring. What else are we supposed to do—kill Fang Ping and take his place?" "..." Li Hao couldn't help but chuckle, chiming in, "So what Senior is doing now is preparing to break away from Xinwu and establish your own world?" "Yes." Li Hao hesitated before speaking: "Silver Moon was an exceptionally fine foundation. In fact... I know that the birth of Silver Moon's Great Dao was deeply connected to you, Senior. Why didn't you simply claim Silver Moon? Why go through all this trouble?" Silver Moon's Great Dao Universe was profoundly linked to the Sword Venerable. He must have known that Silver Moon would soon birth a Great Dao Universe. Since this was what he sought, why hadn't he taken Silver Moon away early on? Or had the Red Moon attack left him no time to see to it? The Sword Venerable, still digging, smiled upon hearing this. "It's different!" "Different?" Li Hao was puzzled. The Sword Venerable chuckled, "Why didn't you take Silver Moon's Great Dao Universe for yourself?" Li Hao paused, remaining silent. The Sword Venerable grinned. "Right? You know that things belonging to others might not suit you! It's the same for me. I didn't oversee the birth of the Silver Moon World. Simply put, I didn't build that house! What I want is a house completely built by my own hands; every blade of grass, every tree, every brick and tile must be under my control! Not... buying a second-hand home! "Even if it's a new house, someone else built it. How do I know if its foundation is solid? How do I know if someone buried an explosive underneath? How do I know if it suits me? I want to build it myself! And not just build it—I want to make the materials myself!" Kongji and Li Hao were both deeply shaken. *Even the materials must be made by himself!* What he wanted was not a newly bought home, nor a second-hand home, but a house crafted from scratch entirely by himself—regardless of whether it looked good, regardless of whether he could actually finish it, it would be entirely his! Li Hao fell quiet. At this moment, his thoughts were complex. He thought to himself: *When I gave up the Great Dao Universe back then, wasn't that my thought as well?* *It's just that I hadn't thought as far as the Sword Venerable. I had many ideas, but my true goal wasn't quite so clear. I thought about building my own house, but not as distinctly and directly as him.* To build a house, he had to make the materials—everything for the construction—with his own hands! No wonder the Sword Venerable had abandoned Silver Moon. Because the foundation of Silver Moon hadn't truly been laid by him either. Li Hao's previous thought had been that it didn't matter if someone else laid the foundation, as long as he built the structure above it... Yet today, someone told him: I don't even want someone else's foundation; I will build from the very start! No wonder the sixth-rank Sword Venerable, who didn't specialize in exotic Daos like Life and Death or Yin and Yang, could still slay a seventh rank! His foundation had been forged entirely by himself. His foundation and his mastery over the myriad Daos were exceedingly solid. Kongji was also shaken and couldn't help asking, "Senior, I have met many Sovereigns. Great worlds place constraints on some of them, and they know it. But why... why did Senior conceive such an idea when they never did?" *Including myself!* *I, too, thought of leaving Bright Light, but why did I never think of forging a world entirely of my own?* *I only thought... opening a realm of my own might let me become a chaotic seventh or eighth rank...* The Sword Venerable chuckled. "Countless living beings fill the world, and everyone desires transcendence. Who hasn't had such thoughts? The ideas are there, but some don't know how to do it, some only daydream, some have grown used to comfort, and some tried and failed!" He added, "Those who can resolve to do it with determination, knowing not what lies ahead, and actually pull it off are simply too few. And I... am merely a traveler on this path, not a success yet! "Just because you don't know doesn't mean they aren't out there!" The Sword Venerable continued, "Would other Sovereigns tell you the truth? Would they tell you, the Son of Bright Light, 'I'm running off to open my own world and stop working for your family'? Do you think they would tell you?" Kongji looked awkward. Indeed. Right! He was the Divine Son of Bright Light. If the Sovereigns of the Bright World truly wanted to leave, would they ever tell him? Li Hao spoke up to ease the awkwardness: "Senior, when Sovereigns leave a great world, they take away a portion of the Great Dao's power. Many world lords would never agree to that. Does the Human King have no requirements in this regard? Or is it because Senior shares a close bond with him..." The Sword Venerable shook his head. "No. Even if I leave, I must replenish the void left in Xinwu! It's like taking Xinwu's capital to start a business; once we succeed, we have to return the principal! Xinwu is our foundation, after all. Normally, no one wants to bleed their home dry, leaving it destitute... So if possible, we return the principal, and if we have the means, a little interest too... That's called repaying gratitude." He added, "However, starting a business is hard enough. If you barely manage to succeed, paying back the principal immediately would kill your business, so you can buy on credit first... The Human King is pretty decent in that regard. He lets us run a tab because he's out earning money himself." Put that way, Li Hao understood! The Human King's mindset was straightforward: you can take the power with you because I trust you. I'll lend it on credit since I can make more myself; just write an IOU. But once you have the capacity, you must pay me back! "Wouldn't that cause the Human King's power to decline?" Kongji asked again—a common dilemma for many great worlds. He frowned. "For example, the Bright World also has multiple high-rank Sovereigns. If they all left, taking energy with them, and were allowed to run a tab as you described, Senior, my father would weaken. Once weakened, he might face tremendous trouble!" The Sword Venerable nodded. "Every family has its own circumstances! I'm not saying our way is the only right way. It's just that the Human King is close to us, trusts us, and hopes we can succeed. Failure in business is normal, so the Human King is working hard to prosper and earn more so he can support us... As for how your family handles it, that is your father's choice! Whether your father lends or doesn't lend, neither choice is wrong. Besides, those high-rank Sovereigns in your family might not necessarily want to venture out and start their own business; the risk is enormous!" Indeed, the risk was colossal. Not everyone was willing to take it. Kongji asked further, "What if someone truly is willing to leave?" "Xinwu would support them... provided they pass certain tests. It doesn't mean just anyone can venture out... It depends on your ability, your devotion, and your contributions!" The Sword Venerable explained again, "If your contributions are sufficient, your capability strong enough, and you have hope of earning a return, of course you'll be supported! But if you're just dead weight and taking the capital guarantees a total loss, why support your venture?" He chuckled. "World lords understand this clearly! Of course, some world lords might be wary or simply refuse to let anyone leave. That's entirely normal. Like I said, every family makes its own choices; there's no clear right or wrong." Both Li Hao and Kongji listened intently. The man before them used the plainest metaphors to give them a glimpse into the minds of those at the pinnacle. Looking at that steadily expanding hole—was it just a hole? No! It was the foundation of an enterprise. Only with such a foundation did the Sword Venerable dare say he would open his own realm and pay back the debt once he earned a profit. Yet throughout the entire world, among countless Sovereigns, those who could achieve this... were few and far between! Those who truly could might have no need to venture out at all. They already had their own foundations. Li Hao remained silent, continuing to observe and comprehend. He realized that this hole was actually a domain—a domain rooted deep within the chaos, performing a small-scale expansion of the chaotic space! How was this a bandit's hideout? It was a minor world... albeit merely the foundation. Sure enough, the path of Dao cultivation could not be judged on the surface. To the Sword Venerable, he was simply digging a hole. But to Li Hao and Kongji, how could this be just hole-digging? He was revealing the fundamental nature of a world to them! Could the Bright God Lord do this? Most likely! Yet the Bright God Lord wouldn't necessarily teach this to Kongji. Would a self-made tycoon teach his son how to be a grassroots worker? Some might, but some wouldn't. With such a massive family estate to inherit, why bother being a frontline laborer? You were born of nobility! Of course, inheriting that estate was also difficult for Kongji. His father was already a million years old, but... would a million-year-old eighth-rank Sovereign die of old age? He wouldn't! Unless killed in battle, Kongji’s chances of inheriting the family business were slim to none. Reaching the seventh rank held promise, but reaching the eighth rank to match his father was nearly impossible. To the Bright God Lord, the seventh rank was enough. If a crisis truly struck one day and he perished, his son would at least have the hope of taking over rather than facing immediate destruction. His son had decent talent and a fierce heart for cultivation, but to the Bright God Lord, who was a top-tier magnate and one of the cosmos's true oligarchs, could he really expect his son to build another great conglomerate? If not, waiting to inherit the family business was the better path. At this moment, the two young cultivators no longer looked at the Sword Venerable as a bandit, but as a consummate Dao cultivator. Although he spoke with rough slang and acted wild and unconstrained, he was undeniably a rare seeker of the Dao. Not just him—Li Zhu, whom they had encountered previously, was another of that breed. These people... were different. Perhaps other worlds had such figures too, but they dared not show it. Wushan, for instance, had his own ambitions, but he dared not show them too openly; that depended on the culture of their world. Some great world lords didn't support such ambition. Displaying it branded you as overly ambitious, and you might die for it! The two merely watched in silence. The Jianghu flavor and bandit demeanor in the Sword Venerable's earlier words were unnecessary to adopt or emulate. Yet his application, comprehension, and understanding of the Dao were well worth studying. Li Hao watched the small hole that had appeared out of nothing. After a moment, he suddenly spoke up: "Senior, may I enter and sense it?" "Of course!" The Sword Venerable chuckled, showing none of the overbearing, razor-sharp edge of the swordsman from before. Feeling slightly sheepish, Kongji also spoke up: "Then may I..." "Just come on in!" the Sword Venerable said. "I was building a base in the first place. What would you do, wait outside? It's just not finished yet..." It was precisely because it wasn't finished that they wanted to enter and see for themselves. Without a word, Li Hao and Kongji stepped directly into the modest, incomplete hollow. Entering a hollow inside the chaos was a first-time experience for both of them. The moment they entered, space seemed to shift. It felt like stepping into a minor world... yet with major differences. Astral winds swept through, chaotic energy seeped, and space fluctuated violently with shearing turbulence... Anyone below the Sovereign rank would surely die upon entering! Seeing them enter, the Sword Venerable followed and immediately sealed the entrance from within. Soon, the small hollow vanished completely into the chaos. Unless a top Sovereign searched inch by inch, where could anyone hope to find it in this boundless chaos? Having sealed the opening, the Sword Venerable continued to stabilize the entire cavity, deploying the power of his Great Dao as he remarked, "You can establish more cavities like this in the chaos. Who knows when they might come in handy? "Of course, it takes quite a toll on the mind. No matter; building one is actually a way to comb through your Daos! "Many of the cavities I built in the past collapsed, but some built later remain intact to this day. If you run into a powerful foe in the chaos... where hiding is hard and fleeing is tough, stumbling upon your own safehouse will feel fantastic!" The Sword Venerable chuckled as Li Hao and Kongji quietly observed the surroundings. The space in the hollow was unstable, lacking the steady permanence of a minor world. Li Hao pondered for a moment and asked, "Does this space drift?" The Sword Venerable nodded. "The chaos as a whole is actually in motion, but very slowly. Don't worry, unless tens of millions of years pass, you'll hardly notice the movement." "Does time flow at the same rate?" The Sword Venerable nodded again. "The same. It isn't insulated from the chaos. This isn't a minor world, just a hole; it can't achieve complete isolation like a minor world can! Once completely sealed, discrepancies in time arise! An old myth spoke of 'one day in heaven, one year on earth'... That's actually a time difference born from the intersection of two distinct spaces and energies!" Li Hao gained some insight and looked at the Sword Venerable. "Senior, do you also possess comprehension of time?" The Sword Venerable smiled. "Not really, just some basic notions." Li Hao asked no further. Kongji, filled with burning curiosity, asked somewhat eagerly, "Senior, is this world... no, this hole, currently in a state of nirvanic extinction?" "No." The Sword Venerable shook his head. "It is active, not extinct—it simply lacks life! Overall, the chaos is active and teeming with vitality; otherwise, how could worlds be born? Don't be fooled by its quietness; that's just its natural state. The chaos is not extinct chaos, but an active, immense space!" The Sword Venerable's comprehension of the Dao was exceptionally lucid. Li Hao marveled inwardly with deep emotion. No wonder Silver Moon had been able to birth a Great Dao Universe. Had the Sword Venerable remained in Silver Moon all along, perhaps... he would already be a seventh-rank Sovereign! At this moment, both Li Hao and Kongji felt that this journey had been thoroughly worthwhile. Even if they didn't receive a shred of the energy seized from the slain seventh-rank Sovereign, they felt it was no loss at all. Li Hao fell silent, his force blending into the small hollow. Since the Sword Venerable had permitted them inside without stopping them from sensing it, Li Hao wished to examine the difference between this hollow and the long river he had forged. Both were consolidations of the Dao! Why couldn't the river he formed become a small space hidden within the chaos like this? Kongji did the same. Both men fell silent, plunging into deep contemplation. The Sword Venerable carried on with his work, leaving them be. Digging holes was technical work. These two youngsters didn't understand it yet, but they had the potential. Digging holes in the chaos wasn't something just anyone could pull off; even some seventh-rank Sovereigns might fail, as those fellows didn't necessarily possess profound mastery over the Great Dao. Digging holes alone was exhausting work. Ever since Fang Ping went on the run, the job of digging holes had fallen to him. If these two little fools... little lads could learn it, they could serve as laborers, sparing him from having to dig any more. Thus, roughly three days passed in silence. Li Hao opened his eyes. Within them, life and death, nirvanic extinction, and resurgence rotated in endless cycles. Looking at this little hollow now, it seemed completely different. A weaving of Daos! It gave him a sensation akin to Dao Chess. This hollow—this so-called hole-digging, this so-called foundation—was actually a method of weaving Daos. It wove a cage within the chaos and embedded that cage into the chaos itself! That was a chaotic hollow! The essence of the hollow manifested in his eyes: threads of Daos formed a domain, and this domain propped open the cavity. He watched in silence; the arrangement seemed somewhat different from the sequence in Dao Chess. Li Hao did not speak. He waited until Kongji also opened his eyes before looking at the Sword Venerable, who had already finished his work and was meditating cross-legged to restore his energy. Li Hao called out, "Senior..." "Calling me 'Senior' sounds too distant. Are you a descendant of the Sword City Li family? If you are, you can call me ancestor; if not, you can call me Old Li!" "..." Li Hao’s expression turned peculiar. After a pause, he said, "I'm not certain. A hundred thousand years have passed since you left Silver Moon, Senior! A hundred thousand years is too long; I cannot say for sure if I am of the Li bloodline, though I previously regarded myself as a descendant of the Li family." "Oh!" The Sword Venerable nodded without dwelling on it, chuckling, "Then call me Old Man Li, Uncle Li, Grandpa Li—whatever you like!" Li Hao was speechless. He had wanted to mention that the Li family... was no more! Yet glancing at the Sword Venerable, he didn't know how to begin. He thought of the Sword Tree and the others resting within his long river and was about to bring them up when the Sword Venerable remarked, "Reminiscing can wait; let's talk business first." Li Hao set the matter aside for now and asked, "Uncle... Uncle Li..." The address felt rather awkward. Li Hao didn't linger on it, speaking briskly: "I once gained comprehension from the Tianfang Dao Chess, weaving ten thousand Daos together. Yet the sequence of that weaving—the order of the Daos—differed from how you maintained this cavity, Uncle Li..." The Sword Venerable smiled. "Understood! A different order is entirely normal. You must understand that whether battle techniques or Daos, their essence is simply subdivided Daos, vitality, and energy. Different structures simply yield different substances, different Daos, and different domains! The Dao is not singular! "In other words, differing sequences of weaving determine which Great Dao acts as the core, producing different Dao worlds, Dao domains, and Great Dao Universes! For example, taking Light as primary, Darkness as primary, Space as primary... That's what sequence dictates! "My Dao naturally takes the Sword Dao as primary! "The prerequisite is stability!" The Sword Venerable explained, "As long as you don't weave blindly, how you weave is entirely up to you. Take the art you learned... that's probably the Art of Stealing the Sky and Swapping the Sun, right? Li Zhu likely passed it to you. He weaves Daos as well, producing different Dao domains. Your domain and this lad's Nirvanic Extinction Realm are fundamentally the same in nature; only the core differs! "Ever played with building blocks?" He chuckled suddenly. Li Hao nodded, and the Sword Venerable continued, "If you've played with them, you know you can build a castle or anything else. Daos are building blocks, bricks. Whatever you want to build, as long as it doesn't collapse, that's enough! Who decreed you must build a multistory house?" *Build whatever you want, as long as it doesn't collapse!* Li Hao was struck with fresh insight and asked, "So the myriad Daos are just bricks and building blocks?" "Of course! What could be simpler?" Simple? Perhaps! The Sword Venerable’s words reminded Li Hao of his teacher. His teacher had once told him similar things: in their eyes, some concepts were exceedingly simple. As long as you could jump outside the box to view them, they were just basic fundamentals. Yet the question was... how many people could truly jump outside the box? Li Hao looked toward his long river, toward those stars. His stars were arranged according to the sequence from Dao Chess. According to Li Changsheng, however, that might not be strictly necessary. It didn't mean it had to match identically. Rather, different weaving methods could all succeed. It was just that failure might occur along the way, requiring one to start over. With that in mind, Li Hao spoke: "Then if I try different weaving methods... each successful attempt might yield a different minor realm! Perhaps the entire chaos works this way: prioritizing Light might weave a Bright God Realm, while prioritizing Darkness yields a Dark God Realm... And if it fails, it becomes a collapsed great world..." The Sword Venerable was taken aback, then nodded. "That's the logic. But that's far too complex, too troublesome, and consumes too much time! No normal person would do such a thing." Li Hao let out a soft laugh. He fell deep into contemplation. *I have learned much, but put little into practice.* *What if... I am willing to try?* *Constructing different systems, creating myriad worlds of my own, perfecting my own Great Dao system... Could I emulate the chaos and manufacture an inner universe of boundless worlds?* *Using different weaving methods to create different worlds—some strong, some weak, some successful, some failures... In the end, could I extract the fusion method of the ten thousand Daos that is most fitting and compatible for me?* Yet that was immensely difficult. It required numerous conditions, one of which was infinite energy. Without sufficient Great Dao power and sufficient energy, how could it be accomplished? Chaotic energy? Thoughts flooded his mind in rapid succession. The Sword Venerable's words sparked an impulse within him. Perhaps he shouldn't merely ponder, but actually test it. No matter how fine the words or profound the insights, how could they compare to hands-on experimentation? However, his current foundation was not yet stable enough. It needed to be firmer, and the other Daos needed to become sturdier and more refined so they could genuinely fulfill the role of bricks. Right now, his Daos were mere pebbles. Even if assembled, they would produce shoddy construction. Perhaps... he should dismantle a Great Dao Universe to see how others wove theirs... At that thought, he froze and looked at the Sword Venerable. "Uncle Li, have you ever dismantled a Great Dao Universe?" Even Kongji was stunned. The Sword Venerable chuckled. "I have. Why, do you want to try too? It's actually quite fun... Though last time, I dismantled the Xinwu Origin World and was nearly bitten to death by the Cang Cat. Unless absolutely necessary, I don't recommend trying it." "..." Li Hao was speechless. *You... dismantled the Xinwu Origin?* It was truly a miracle this old senior had survived to this day. It was purely because the Human King shielded him; otherwise... dismantling a Great Dao Universe would have gotten him hacked to pieces! Kongji couldn't help asking, "Dismantling a Great Dao Universe to discern the different weaving techniques? Or the sequence of fusing various Daos? That sounds rather appealing... But wouldn't it be difficult to restore?" The Sword Venerable nodded. "Extremely difficult! Last time I dismantled Xinwu, I was almost unable to put it back together. Fortunately, I went to Old Zhang—the Supreme—beforehand and had him duplicate a copy so he could help me restore it. If you want to dismantle the Bright God Realm, I suggest having your father keep a backup first..." "..." Kongji stared at him blankly. Was this man egging him on to commit suicide? If he dared dismantle the Great Dao Universe of the Bright World, would his father even be the Bright God Lord if he didn't beat him to death? Was this man even normal? He felt utterly helpless, yet deep down, a tiny spark of a thought sprouted... *Speaking of which, if I really dismantled the Bright World to study it, would my father... really beat me to death?* *Would he?* *Should I... No, don't even think about it!* He hurriedly suppressed the thought. It was too terrifying. This man was a devil. In all his life, he had never once contemplated dismantling the Bright World—why had such a notion popped into his head now? What Li Hao heard, however, was that the Supreme had restored a Great Dao! His heart stirred, filled with awe. Li Zhu, the Sword Venerable, the Supreme... Why did these people all possess such profound insights into the Dao? Was it purely because... they were poor? Could poverty truly drive people to such extraordinary lengths? *I'm pretty poor myself!* Then the Sword Venerable's devilish voice rang out once more: "I didn't have much opportunity before, but since both of you are interested... next, we can go home-wrecking together. Red Moon has plenty of great worlds here, all fair game to dismantle however we please... Once we tear down a few and get the hang of it, we'll be able to build them ourselves! When that time comes, the seventh rank will be officially open to us!" Hearts pounded violently. Not just one, but all three. The three of them exchanged glances, looking at one another... *Is this... appropriate?* *Isn't dismantling someone else's Great Dao Universe far too dangerous?* *And way too excessive!* The Sword Venerable beamed, smiling brilliantly. *Why look at me? You brought up dismantling first; I only made a suggestion. It wasn't me who told you to tear them down.* Li Hao glanced at Kongji. Kongji swallowed hard, and after a long silence, he gave a reluctant, barely perceptible nod. *I... must never let my identity be exposed!* *Otherwise, I won't survive this!*