Fight for Senlan

Li Hao did not concern himself with how the Sword Venerable and the others were preparing. Right now, he made arrangements according to his own thoughts, even putting the Sword Venerable and the others out of mind. Only this way could he achieve his goals without relying on them. He and the Sword Venerable had merely cooperated once. Even without the Sword Venerable, he had still made it to where he was today. He could not grow overly dependent on the other party just because they were powerful. Otherwise... once they left, things would become difficult. Not only did he need to grow strong himself, but the Silver Moon people did too. Right now, this group of Silver Moon Sovereigns was his capital. The key to helping them catch up quickly lay with the two Dao Lords. The Great Dao Universe still needed to grow stronger. Thoughts surfaced one after another. Li Hao closed his eyes and began to wait. …… Meanwhile. Senlan World. From all directions, Sovereigns were waiting for an opportunity, waiting for a chance to arise. The presence of Li Hao's group was indeed no secret. There were quite a few of them. Many Sovereigns. Although none among them were extraordinarily powerful, having so many Sovereigns could still shift the scales of the situation. However, for now, most cultivators maintained a wait-and-see attitude. It was not until dusk fell that a Sovereign entered the courtyard where Li Hao was staying. …… "Sovereign Wandao, excuse my intrusion!" Inside the courtyard, a powerful presence descended directly. Fourth rank! A middle-rank Sovereign was not considered weak anywhere. Li Hao opened his eyes, sensed the aura, and was slightly stirred. Not a rogue cultivator! The first visitor was actually a native cultivator of the Senlan World. Whether someone was native or not could be discerned simply by sensing their Great Dao aura. Native cultivators blended naturally with the entire world, possessing a high degree of harmony, whereas Li Hao and his group experienced a faint sense of repulsion whenever they entered other worlds. That was the home-field advantage. "Pardon my lack of a proper welcome!" Li Hao walked out into the courtyard. Standing opposite him was a Senlan Sovereign who looked young. Sovereigns could no longer be judged by their appearance; in truth, none of them were young. A smile rested on the man's face, though a hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes. For Sovereigns—especially low-rank Sovereigns—it was normal not to recognize everyone. Yet a rogue group with over ten Sovereigns... aside from great worlds, even medium worlds sometimes struggled to produce so many Sovereigns at once. Furthermore, Sovereigns from great worlds carried the source aura of their respective great worlds. Clearly, this group did not. Where had they come from? It was as if they had appeared out of thin air. Mo and Chanxiu were not completely new and had traveled through the chaos before, but now that the three of them had integrated into the new Dao universe, appearances were secondary to Sovereigns. Once they integrated into the new Dao universe, their auras changed. Even their Dao source auras had shifted, naturally making them difficult to recognize. At this level, no one identified you solely by your looks—unless you were one of the supreme beings in the chaos whom no one dared impersonate. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Wandao. I am Jihao, a native of Senlan." Jihao. Li Hao nodded slightly and smiled. "Senior Jihao flatters me. Please, come in. We entered Senlan so abruptly, which is quite impolite of us. We simply heard that Senlan World has beautiful surroundings and unique cultivation methods, and feeling drawn to it, we came especially to have a look..." Such bullshit excuses were nonsense whether uttered or not, yet polite formalities were still necessary. He could hardly say: *We came because we saw your Dao Lord died and your great world is in turmoil, so we came to grab a slice of the pie.* Even though that was the truth, known to everyone. Jihao chuckled and nodded. "Senlan's scenery is indeed pleasant. Our world primarily cultivates the Law of All-Encompassing Phenomena, which is indeed somewhat renowned in the chaos. It is certainly worth seeing." As he spoke, he walked inside with Li Hao, smiling as he continued: "Our world was able to give birth to a Great Dao Universe with merely the power of the sixth rank. The Law of All-Encompassing Phenomena is a Dao source method that points directly toward the seventh rank. While our Senlan cultivators may not compare to those from famous great worlds, when it comes to the low and middle ranks of Sovereigns, our combat prowess is among the very best..." A sixth-rank world giving birth to a Great Dao Universe that typically only belonged to the seventh rank. Calling them the weakest among great worlds was accurate. Yet thinking that their world's Dao methods were inferior was a mistake. To birth a Great Dao Universe—apart from special anomalies like Silver Moon—generally meant that a top sixth-rank Sovereign had emerged. In fact, Silver Moon was also related to the Sword Venerable. Was the Sword Venerable not strong? Extremely strong! His comprehension of the Dao was profound, which was why the embryo of Silver Moon's Great Dao Universe had been born. Evidently, both the Senlan World Lord and the late Dao Lord had possessed deep comprehensions of the Great Dao. The relationship between a World Lord and a Dao Lord, once separated, was actually somewhat intricate. One governed the Great Dao Universe, while the other governed the world; the two relied on one another. Take Black Panther and the two Dao Lords, for instance. Black Panther's Dao was not in the Great Dao Universe, but in the Silver Moon World. As Silver Moon grew stronger, Black Panther grew stronger; when the Great Dao Universe grew stronger, the world grew stronger; and when the world grew stronger, the Great Dao Universe would also grow stronger... It was a process of mutual fulfillment. Both sides restrained each other, yet both elevated each other. When a Great Dao Universe was born, whether the credit belonged to the Dao Lord or the World Lord was never absolute; likely both had contributed. These words were laden with meaning. Outsiders thought that a sixth-rank Sovereign birthing a Great Dao Universe made them weaklings among great worlds, but it also meant that their World Lord possessed peerless combat strength among the sixth rank. Had the Dao Lord not perished, if the two had joined forces on their home turf of Senlan, even a seventh-rank Sovereign would have met a bitter end! Li Hao also sighed with feeling. "Indeed. Every cultivator capable of birthing a Great Dao Universe at the sixth rank is worthy of admiration! Of course, it is also inseparable from the efforts of generations of Senlan folk who pushed their Dao methods to the pinnacle!" A world's advancement required the accumulated insights of generations before reaching a breakout point. For instance, the Silver Moon Great Dao Universe might have been opened long ago, but it still required an opportunity, a catalyst to induce its descent. The keys to triggering Silver Moon's Great Dao Universe were the Dao meridians, the divine characters, and domains. On this point, Li Hao and Yuan Shuo could state without false modesty that without them, it might have taken many more years for the Silver Moon people to discover the Great Dao Universe. Hearing him say this, Jihao smiled and said no more. Soon, the two entered the hall. Inside, aside from the two of them, there was no one else. Jihao glanced around and sat down at Li Hao's gesture, chuckling softly. "Excuse my sudden visit. As Sovereigns, wasting words serves no purpose. Why Fellow Daoist has come here is something everyone understands." "At present, our Senlan World possesses a peak sixth-rank cultivator—the Senlan World Lord! With strength so formidable, he can battle a seventh rank within our home world!" "Aside from our World Lord, Senlan has another sixth-rank Sovereign of peerless combat power, who is not inferior to any peak sixth rank from any great world." "In addition, there are four fifth-rank Sovereigns and six fourth-rank Sovereigns—a total of twelve middle-rank Sovereigns, far more than the few outsiders imagine." Li Hao marveled, "There is another sixth rank besides the World Lord?" Jihao nodded gently. "Yes, there is one more. It's just that they have been in secluded cultivation for a very long time. Now that Senlan is facing a crisis, they have had no choice but to emerge. They are an elder who attained the Sovereign realm five hundred thousand years ago." Right off the bat, he openly revealed Senlan's forces—both as a display of might and as a deterrent. Our world still has twelve middle-rank Sovereigns! Among them, the World Lord can contend with a seventh rank! As for whether there was any exaggeration, only he himself knew. "Our Dao Lord was previously slain by the Neo-Martial Human King, which is Senlan's greatest regret... but it is also an opportunity for Senlan to formally step into the ranks of seventh-rank great worlds!" Jihao continued, "Two years have passed since the Dao Lord fell. Over these past two years, our world has largely stabilized the Senlan Great Dao Universe. Now, Senlan is stirring with unrest again. In truth, if Fellow Daoist is wise, you should understand... it is not that Senlan is weak, but rather... someone wishes to use Senlan to recoup their own losses." "This is a dispute among high-rank Sovereigns. For those below high rank, profiting from this is virtually impossible!" Jihao shook his head. "Even if Senlan is destroyed, this is by no means a place where rogue chaos wanderers can reap benefits! Many understand this, yet every Sovereign is full of confidence in themselves, believing they can pull chestnuts from the fire." "However, surrounding Senlan are multiple great worlds—Yueming, Cangjiang, Tianlan. Their seventh-rank lords are merely moments away. Below the seventh rank, even if someone seized the Great Dao Universe, could they spontaneously attain the seventh rank right here and break free of the Red Moon Domain?" He spoke with a sigh, appearing quite wistful. His words were well-reasoned and organized. Li Hao nodded. "Indeed. However... what we seek is not the Great Dao Universe." Li Hao smiled. "We still possess that much self-awareness! Surrounded by high-rank Sovereigns, how could mere low-rank folk like us dare dream of soaring to the heavens in a single step? It's just that... when the Great Dao is in turmoil, Dao power disperses; when Sovereigns fall and worlds are destroyed, Dao sources scatter... All we seek is nothing more than that!" Jihao went silent for a moment and nodded. After a brief pause, he said slowly, "Then what if... you fall here, Fellow Daoist, and your years of arduous cultivation are reduced to ashes?" Li Hao chuckled. "Life is tough for rogues; one must always take a gamble or two!" "What if Senlan were willing to offer some less perilous opportunities?" Li Hao raised an eyebrow. "Please elaborate, Senior!" Jihao said, "Senlan has sworn to defend our homeland to the death! In a few days, we will purge the internal troubles within Senlan! Even if we must fight to the bitter end, even if our world is shattered, we will not allow enemies to invade Senlan!" "Presently, there are many Sovereigns within Senlan. Even if some are backed by formidable powers, they dare not openly declare it. Killing them is killing them with impunity!" Jihao chuckled softly. "Senlan still has some reserves accumulated over the years; we do not lack Great Dao crystals! Furthermore, Senlan possesses several uninhabited small worlds. Beyond that, once our World Lord steps into the seventh rank and the world ascends, we can invite Fellow Daoist to witness the ceremony! If you are willing, the transition from sixth to seventh rank can accommodate dozens more Sovereigns. You may integrate into Senlan's Dao and cease being chaos wanderers. Wandering the chaos is grueling; joining Senlan is a way out." Right upon arrival, the man offered an enormous price. For rogue cultivators, wasn't this precisely what they sought? Great Dao crystals, small worlds—and if willing, should Senlan truly ascend to the seventh rank, they would indeed need Sovereigns to join. As the Great Dao Universe upgraded, the number of Sovereigns it could accommodate would increase. Currently, Senlan had only thirty-some Sovereigns; once at the seventh rank, accommodating sixty or seventy would not be difficult. A direct doubling! At that point, opportunities for rogue cultivators would arrive; anyone wishing to enter the Great Dao Universe would have a chance. Whenever a great world broke through to the seventh rank, it would expand and recruit a batch of Sovereigns from outside. And rogues roaming the chaos were their best candidates. Once you entered the Great Dao Universe, they would no longer fear your rebellion. For rogues, possessing a Great Dao Universe would comb their Dao and purify their Dao power. A Great Dao Universe acted like a filter in the chaos, purifying their Dao techniques and making it easier to absorb energy from the chaos. For rogues, that was an immense opportunity. Present rewards, future prospects—he offered both. The sincerity was ample... provided Senlan had a future, and the World Lord could truly step into the seventh rank. Otherwise, it was all an empty pie in the sky! Li Hao smiled. "And what must we pay in return?" "Simple, and it aligns with what Fellow Daoist seeks: help us clear out some of the rogue cultivators... All the spoils will be yours! Moreover, you will gain Senlan's backing... including certain home-field advantages!" Jihao chuckled. "At critical moments, our Senlan Great Dao Universe and Senlan World can exert some suppression on your opponents. Even if the suppressive force isn't overwhelming, when experts clash, the difference of a hair's breadth separates life and death!" Suppressive force! That was one of the World Lord's advantages. "A form of employment?" "If Fellow Daoist sees it that way, you may think of it as such." Jihao nodded. "Of course, it isn't merely employment. Once a great world steps into the seventh rank, not just anyone can join... Consider this an admission ticket! Think of it as a collaboration. If things go well, there will be more in the future." "Is the World Lord certain to attain the seventh rank right now?" Li Hao spoke bluntly. Jihao smiled. "Why wouldn't he? Our World Lord was already at the peak of the sixth rank and had accumulated foundations for years. In two years, he has stabilized the Great Dao Universe. Once they fuse completely, uniting world and Great Dao Universe, isn't the seventh rank just around the corner?" "What about our opponents?" Li Hao asked further, "I am a newcomer. I don't fear the chaos rogues. To put it bluntly, I am a rogue myself and understand the situation; there are virtually no middle-rank Sovereigns among them, just a scattered rabble. The fact that I could gather so many Sovereigns means I understand their circumstances. The key is... the middle-rank Sovereigns..." "Fellow Daoist need not worry about that!" Jihao smiled again. "We won't deliberately ask you to do things beyond your capabilities. You only need to eliminate the rogues—the genuine rogues! Otherwise, wouldn't that be intentionally setting you up?" Having said that, he added meaningfully, "Besides... not everyone among the rogues is blinded by greed. If Fellow Daoist is willing to strike, you will have allies available at any time." Spies? This was also a warning! *You rogues are not of one mind; many have already been bought over. Once you make a move, watch your own backs first.* Li Hao pondered for a moment and said, "I have a few conditions. If you can agree to them, we don't mind which side we stand on." "Please speak, Fellow Daoist!" "First, I need control over several fissures... I require Senlan's formal authorization!" Li Hao looked at Jihao. Jihao frowned slightly. Li Hao said slowly, "I fear that once Senlan completes its ascension, you will immediately seal the world, leaving us with nowhere to run before being swallowed whole!" Jihao considered this. "Please continue, Fellow Daoist." "Second, I require a vast quantity of Great Dao crystals and small worlds, and even... some of Senlan's Dao source power." Jihao frowned. "The rest can be discussed, but Dao source power... is as difficult as ascending the heavens. Fellow Daoist should understand this." Li Hao nodded and continued, "Third, if any middle rank attacks us... Senlan's middle ranks must intervene to block them, or even join forces to slay them!" "That is certain!" Jihao nodded. "Senlan has made preparations. If you make a move, you will never fight alone!" "Fourth, temporarily grant us partial access to the Great Dao Universe..." This time, Jihao's brow furrowed completely, and he shook his head. "Impossible!" That was equivalent to opening the Great Dao Universe to these outsiders. What a joke! Aside from the World Lord, not even ordinary Senlan Sovereigns had the authority to open the Great Dao Universe to outsiders. Just like Silver Moon's universe—previously, only Li Hao could open it, and later the two Dao Lords could; others could not open it to outsiders, nor could they wander the Great Dao Universe on their own. Unless guided by the World Lord, or if an enemy was overwhelmingly strong and cleaved the Great Dao Universe open directly. Li Hao also frowned. "Not entering the Great Dao Universe, just temporarily opening a few pathways to supply us with a portion of Senlan's Great Dao power so the Senlan World no longer repels us!" "That won't do either!" Jihao shook his head again. Li Hao frowned. "Then forget it! If this cannot be granted, we won't possess any advantage in Senlan." Jihao sighed. "Fellow Daoist's demands are too high. The other conditions are negotiable, but opening the Great Dao Universe to you... aside from the World Lord, no one can grant that! What's more... we don't know much about you." Cooperation was fine; having Li Hao and his people kill others was fine, no matter who they killed, so long as they weren't Senlan Sovereigns. Even if Li Hao's group belonged to Red Moon, what did it matter? If you were willing to kill, no one would stop you. But if they were Red Moon people and were temporarily granted access to the Great Dao Universe, through them, the precise location of the Great Dao Universe could be locked on, or a pathway found, allowing the eighth-rank Red Moon Lord to slip directly into the Great Dao Universe. And slay the World Lord! Such a possibility was not out of the question. Li Hao's demand was simply too steep. Li Hao had actually known the other party would likely refuse and had merely tested the waters. Seeing that Jihao rejected it outright without even consulting the World Lord, he understood that this was their bottom line. They would never open the Great Dao Universe to outsiders! What a pity... these Sovereigns were unwilling to take a gamble. What if we weren't bad people? That way, Senlan's Great Dao Universe could be locked onto at any moment, allowing the Sword Venerable and the others to force their way in whenever they pleased, perhaps seizing Senlan with seamless ease. *Do I look like a bad person?* *Why are you so wary of me?* Li Hao muttered inwardly, then said, "Then forget it. If that condition cannot be granted... then... we can adjust it. We need partial control over the world authority." The world was distinct from the Great Dao Universe. World authority was akin to Heaven's Will; Black Panther possessed such an ability. It had little impact on the Great Dao Universe, but within the native world, it granted an advantage. Li Hao felt this could be conceded. There was no major threat in it; the real threat lay in the Great Dao Universe. Possessing partial world authority would merely assist with closing fissures, opening world gates, and the like. Of course, it would also allow them to borrow more native world power. On this point, Jihao did not rush to refuse. While still not ideal, it was far more acceptable than granting access to the Great Dao Universe. However... Jihao said slowly, "Then how much help can you provide us, Fellow Daoist?" "As of now, how many Sovereigns have infiltrated Senlan?" "It is difficult to judge accurately. Some may be hidden... Some Sovereigns might carry supreme treasures concealing others, making it hard to ascertain completely... But at least close to fifty Sovereigns have arrived in Senlan. Aside from your group, there are at least around forty others, among whom over ten are middle ranks." Not a small number. For a world to have more foreign Sovereigns than native ones showed that Senlan had truly lost control over its home world. "We can help Senlan deal with at least five Sovereigns!" Li Hao said, "Low-rank Sovereigns number around thirty according to what you said. We can pin down or even kill five or six of them..." Jihao was not quite satisfied with this. Li Hao said slowly, "Sovereigns are hard to kill—that is the first point! Second, our siding with Senlan means Senlan has ten fewer hostile Sovereigns to worry about... On top of that, we can pin down five or six, which equates to fifteen or sixteen Sovereigns accounted for!" Hearing this, Jihao fell into deep thought. That was true. If these people didn't align with Senlan, they might become obstacles and trouble for Senlan; they were a problem in their own right. "Additionally, if Fellow Daoist agrees, you must first provide us with fifty million Great Dao crystals... For each Sovereign we slay, ten million for a first rank, twenty million for a second rank, and thirty million for a third rank! Depending on the number and strength of those we kill, Senlan must make separate payments of Great Dao crystals." "Outside, killing a Sovereign nets us similar gains. If Senlan cannot offer adequate compensation, we might as well raid a few small worlds to obtain equivalent benefits." Jihao frowned slightly. This price... wasn't entirely outrageous. Yet it wasn't cheap either. Ten million was enough to trade for a small world. Of course, comparing a small world to a Sovereign, the Sovereign was naturally more important. A small world was dead; a Sovereign was alive. "While Senlan has some reserves..." He was about to say something, but paused to consider: if they promised to kill five or six, even if all were third rank, it would only total one to two hundred million Great Dao crystals. As a great world, Senlan had existed for nearly a million years. It still possessed this much wealth. It wasn't a deal-breaker. After some thought, he nodded. "I can accept this on the World Lord's behalf for now, but I cannot guarantee his agreement!" With that, he added, "Fellow Daoist, if Senlan agrees to these terms, how soon would you be willing to act?" "Within a month!" That wasn't too long. Jihao considered this and nodded. "Then I will return and report. If there is a chance, we shall cooperate!" "Naturally!" Without another word, Jihao shifted through space and vanished. Li Hao furrowed his brows slightly, remaining silent. …… In the distance. Jihao materialized atop a mountain peak where a Dao arena was situated. Several Sovereigns from Senlan were present. Jihao spoke: "The other side put forward several conditions... What do you think?" He relayed Li Hao's words. Soon, someone chuckled. "Their appetite isn't small, though not excessively large either! Their group has quite a few Sovereigns, yet crucially, they've left almost no traces behind. Whether they are genuine rogues or raised covertly by some great world... is hard to say!" "If you ask me, why bother agreeing? They're just a bunch of low-rank Sovereigns... not particularly close with the others. Why not wipe them out in one fell swoop? That would intimidate all sides!" "Jihao, how strong do you think this Sovereign Wandao is?" Jihao answered, "Hard to say, but not weak. At least third rank!" "So what if he's third rank?" someone said coldly. "They entered our Senlan World and dare bargain with us? Do they truly think Senlan can't handle a pack of low-rank Sovereigns? No matter how weak a great world is, it's not something they can covet!" "That's not entirely fair..." An older Sovereign smiled. "If these people slaughter one another... spending some Great Dao crystals to set them against each other is also a good thing." The elderly Sovereign continued with a smile, "If spending some money can turn them against each other, they are multiple Sovereigns after all. If they make a move, it will inevitably incur the wrath of other Sovereigns, who might even unite to exterminate them! That will serve to divide these foreign experts. Right now, the World Lord is still fusing the Great Dao Universe. If spending a little can maintain peace for a time, the World Lord will be willing." "Furthermore, if Sovereigns die in Senlan..." The old Sovereign smiled. "Senlan can absorb their Dao power. Even if it's only a portion, it will still bolster Senlan!" "Does Elder Yan mean... we should agree?" The old man chuckled. "Why not? Let them test the waters first. Perhaps they can flush out some of the hidden figures!" "Where on earth did these fellows come from? They have plenty of nerve! Haven't they considered that being the first to strike might provoke everyone else into teaming up to wipe out whoever jumps out fastest?" "Who knows!" "Perhaps to spark a larger war... After all, tense as things are right now, everyone is waiting for an opportunity. Perhaps they came specifically to create that opportunity!" "..." The Sovereigns discussed among themselves. Could they agree to these terms? It wasn't too difficult. They could... As for taking tens of millions of Great Dao crystals and fleeing... that depended on whether they could escape. If tens of millions of Great Dao crystals could truly drive these ten-plus Sovereigns away... that would be well worth it too. "Agree to their terms!" At this moment, Elder Yan spoke: "Jihao, contact that Sovereign Wandao and tell him we agree! As for the fissures... they want control over one or two? Fine, give them the two controlled by Red Moon!" Elder Yan chuckled. "Those two held by Red Moon weren't claimed under Red Moon's name anyway... In that case, giving them to this group will also test their allegiance. If they were sent by Red Moon, they won't dare act rashly; if not... let them tear into each other!" "Understood!" Jihao nodded and asked, "What about partial authority over world power...?" "Grant it!" Elder Yan replied. "I'll speak with the World Lord. The World Lord is the master of this world. Even if we grant them a portion, what of it? It can be revoked at any time." "Understood." …… Even as they deliberated, Li Hao's side received a second visitor. Surprisingly, another fourth-rank Sovereign! The visitor claimed to be a chaos rogue going by the title Wujiang. Meeting Li Hao, he was very straightforward and cut straight to the point: "If Fellow Daoist Wandao is willing to join us, once the matter is settled, we will find ways to provide you with ample resources until you reach the fourth rank!" For a low-rank Sovereign, this was the greatest possible enticement. If it were just one person, there would be no need to bother. The crux was that Li Hao had numbers. Over ten Sovereigns, many of whom were second rank. If they joined forces, even if they couldn't kill a middle rank or two, cornering and pinning them down was well within their power. Li Hao did not mince words either. "The price you offer isn't as good as Senlan's." Sovereign Wujiang chuckled. "Senlan is merely painting a pie in the sky for you. Fellow Daoist should understand that Senlan is already like the setting sun. Everything they offer is empty promises. In the future... whether Senlan will even exist is a question." "Fellow Daoist Wujiang, will your future be brighter?" "Naturally!" Wujiang made no pretense, pointing in a certain direction with a meaningful smile. "What does Fellow Daoist think?" Red Moon's people? Of course, it might not be true; he could be borrowing authority under false pretenses. Yet the possibility that he was truly dispatched by Red Moon was not out of the question. Li Hao looked thoughtful and nodded. "I will consider it!" "I hope Fellow Daoist can see reality clearly!" Sovereign Wujiang added once more, "Certain things cannot be stated too plainly, but since you can lead a faction, you naturally understand my meaning! Senlan's demise is inevitable! Changes are occurring in Tianfang, and Xinwu is causing turmoil in the Red Moon Domain. Shifts will come to the Red Moon Domain as well. Under such circumstances... a sixth-rank great world like Senlan will hardly be able to endure." The strong prey on the weak. When the leader was not strong enough yet held something as coveted as a Great Dao Universe, if the Senlan World Lord failed to reach the seventh rank, he would certainly be unable to protect Senlan. That was reality! The chaos was just that unvarnished. Li Hao pondered and asked, "Are you confident regarding the Senlan World Lord as well?" "Naturally!" Wujiang was full of confidence. "Without confidence, who would recklessly come here? To seek death?" Alright. Perhaps they truly had confidence—would a seventh rank come in person? Even if so, likely not right now. "Fellow Daoist Wandao, what you need to do isn't difficult: coordinate with certain people to restrain Senlan's low-rank Sovereigns. Their numbers are few, and some are unwilling to have a falling out with us. Therefore, actual fighting might not even be necessary—mere deterrence will suffice!" Li Hao nodded. Intimidating others was indeed a possibility. Intimidation meant getting paid. He didn't say much, only that he would think it over. Wujiang didn't linger either and soon departed. …… Meanwhile, people on Li Hao's side were returning one after another. Those rogue cultivators were very wary of Li Hao's group and reluctant to make contact. Having so many people together drew considerable attention, but because of this, many rogues felt that Li Hao's faction was overly conceited. This was, after all, a great world. Gathering together with such fanfare instead of dispersing upon entry was a massive blunder. They had to be careful not to become the fuse that ignited all of Senlan, ending up consumed by both sides. A flock of low-rank Sovereigns dreaming of steering the situation... was sheer fantasy! Once both sides realized they couldn't recruit them, the first order of business might be eliminating this unruly wild card. …… Just then, Li Hao received a transmission from Senlan. They had agreed to his conditions. Of course, the advance payment for Li Hao's faction was only ten million Great Dao crystals, serving as a greeting gift. Only if Li Hao's side truly initiated battle and slain one or two Sovereigns would the remaining terms be fulfilled as agreed. Otherwise, Senlan would not provide further benefits. Trading ten million Great Dao crystals for more than ten Sovereigns taking action... for Senlan, this was an exceptionally good bargain. …… Inside the hall. King Huai and Tianji remained silent, but Qian Wuliang took the initiative to speak, shaking his head. "Senlan's wishful thinking is quite something. Ten million Great Dao crystals sounds like a lot, but with so many of us, it equates to hiring each Sovereign for a million crystals... That's practically dirt cheap!" "If we really make a move and they renege later, refusing to provide any further benefits... by striking first, we are very likely to become everyone's target!" Li Hao, however, fell into deep contemplation. After a long time, he suddenly asked, "Do you think Senlan can survive?" "..." Everyone looked at one another. At this point, King Huai spoke: "Unless the Senlan World Lord reaches the seventh rank, it's impossible to survive! To recover its vitality, Red Moon will not allow Senlan to persist!" "Furthermore, even if he reaches the seventh rank... the Senlan World Lord might still submit to Red Moon. The Red Moon Domain isn't peaceful right now... In my view, Senlan is merely displaying its worth, hoping not to become a total vassal of Red Moon, but rather an alliance member." Li Hao nodded. "So in the end, Senlan will most likely become part of Red Moon." Several people nodded; that was the inevitable outcome. Senlan had virtually no opportunity to resist. Li Hao tapped lightly on the table, thought for a moment, and said, "What do you think if we truly defect to Senlan?" "..." Everyone was startled. What did that mean? Li Hao explained: "Senlan is powerless right now. If we genuinely join Senlan, become members of Senlan, then regardless of whether the Senlan World Lord can reach the seventh rank, we will likely be absorbed by Red Moon!" At that point, wouldn't they become members of the Red Moon World? Hong Yitang pondered slightly. "Joining a world requires integrating your Dao... That is the crux!" Once your Dao was integrated, how could you resist? A great world wasn't foolish. If you wanted to be a spy, just try it. Sneaking into Red Moon wouldn't be that easy. Red Moon wasn't like Senlan, riddled with holes. Even if the Red Moon Lord went to Tianfang, the remaining seventh-rank expert would likely stay behind to guard the Red Moon World. Moreover, they wouldn't allow foreign Sovereigns to enter Red Moon freely unless their Daos were integrated into Red Moon. Li Hao asked, "Do any of you have a way to integrate your Dao into Red Moon and then completely strip it away afterward?" "..." No one made a sound. King Huai and Tianji both shook their heads. It wasn't that simple. "What about forging a Dao?" Several people looked at Li Hao again, feeling that Li Hao was being somewhat fanciful. Was he underestimating an eighth-rank world lord? Li Hao explained, "The so-called Dao marks are merely an expression of the Dao! In truth, Sovereigns can also detach from a Great Dao Universe—provided they forfeit their power! What if we are willing to forfeit that power?" "..." Everyone remained silent. That was possible, if one was willing to make the sacrifice! "We can integrate into any world, as long as we have a matching Dao. That means cultivating more than one Dao, integrating one Dao into a Great Dao Universe, and at the critical moment, directly discarding the integrated Dao power..." "Difficult!" Tianji said, "It will be hard to deceive the eyes of an eighth-rank Sovereign. And if you truly forfeit your Dao power, you will be powerless to fight back!" "It might not fool Red Moon, but can it fool the sixth-rank Senlan World Lord?" Li Hao smiled. "What if I bestow upon everyone an external Dao, the power of a Dao that allows one to achieve the Sovereign rank, to integrate into Senlan? Could we fool them then?" Using worlds! The power of small worlds! Of course, they were still very weak and not yet powerful enough. The group exchanged glances. Seeing several pairs of eyes on him, King Huai felt exasperated. *I'm an outsider who just joined recently, why are you all looking at me? Have I been talking too much?* He had no choice but to speak: "Then... does the Silver Moon King mean... we integrate into Senlan, and then use Senlan as a platform to integrate into Red Moon?" "Yes!" Li Hao nodded. King Huai had nothing left to say. What if the eighth-rank world lord didn't leave? What if he stayed in Red Moon the whole time? Wouldn't they... truly end up as hired hands working for Red Moon? Clearly, Li Hao was gambling—gambling that the Red Moon Lord would eventually leave, leaving the Red Moon World behind. This guy was a gambler too. He actually looked down on Senlan, and by the sound of it, intended to enter Red Moon and stir up a storm. King Huai felt a slight headache coming on. The Human King had a knack for wreaking havoc, and this one didn't seem far behind. Only at the fourth rank, yet he had already set his sights on an eighth-rank great world. "What is the ultimate goal, then?" Li Hao said, "Red Moon's Dao power, world power, Great Dao crystals... I never expected to wipe out Red Moon directly; that isn't something I can do. What we need to do is make a massive haul, and then make a run for it!" He had never dreamed of wiping out Red Moon; he lacked the ability, and it was impossible. As long as the eighth-rank lord wasn't dead, don't even think about destroying them. However, while he was away, seizing the reserves of an eighth-rank great world... so long as one had the nerve, wasn't afraid of dying, and didn't fear being hunted by an eighth rank for a lifetime, there was still hope of pulling it off. "If so... Red Moon has at least one seventh rank holding the fort..." Li Hao grinned. "That's right, but... that isn't for me to worry about. *That one*... should worry about it!" *Alright, I get it.* *The Sword Venerable!* When the Sword Venerable ran into the Human King, he had nearly been dragged to his death several times. Was Li Hao... sending the Sword Venerable to his doom, or giving him a chance to advance again? No one said anything more. You call the shots! The Silver Moon people wouldn't object. The Xinwu folks thought of the Sword Venerable and kept silent. Mo and the others had no say, and objecting was futile anyway. Li Hao practically ran a one-man show, merely asking a few questions each time. "Then let's do it!" Li Hao declared, "Genuinely prepare to join Senlan. Consider everything from Senlan's perspective. If Senlan proves incompetent, then so be it. If it works... we will fight bloody battles for Senlan... and earn an opportunity to join a great world!" Everyone nodded one after another. Li Hao smiled. "Once their first batch of Great Dao crystals arrives, we prepare to strike!" "Understood!" None raised any objection, all taking their orders. Li Hao looked at them, lapsing into thought. The others were fine, but the three who had defected to him... he didn't quite trust them. Had he known, he wouldn't have taken them in back then. Now that he had, he felt somewhat uneasy. Had he known spots in the Great Dao Universe were so limited... he should have rationed them carefully. This incident also put an end to Li Hao's thoughts of recruiting outside Sovereigns. Spots were limited, and taking in these outsiders didn't give him peace of mind; it was better not to take any. After a moment of silence, Li Hao said solemnly, "Fight for Senlan!" "..." The Sovereigns stared at him blankly. *Has this guy started brainwashing himself?* *Truly... shameless!* Despite their helplessness, seeing Li Hao's gaze sweep over them, they reluctantly chimed in. Inside the hall, a sparse chorus echoed: "Fight for Senlan!" Outside the hall. Sovereign Jihao, who had arrived to deliver the first batch of Great Dao crystals, heard the voices from afar... and stood there completely dazed. *To gain Senlan's trust, have these fellows abandoned all sense of shame?* *I haven't even walked in yet!* *If you're going to put on a show, at least do it in front of me!* *A bunch of outsiders planning to pick up scraps in Senlan, and now you have the nerve to chant 'Fight for Senlan'?* *Screw you!* Sovereign Jihao cursed inwardly. *Have these rogue cultivators cast away their shame entirely just to survive?*