Kill Without Exception!

Watching Er Mao depart in silence, Li Hao gradually vanished into the long river as well. Perhaps the Blood Sovereign's decision to resurrect Er Mao in the first place had been a mistake. Perhaps the Blood Sovereign had known certain things, understood the true nature of Silver Moon, and hoped to make up for some regrets... Yet even the Blood Sovereign had miscalculated. The revived Er Mao might not have wished to be brought back at all. Today, Er Mao wanted to eat fish. It wanted to cultivate! Returning to reality, Li Hao pondered quietly. Cultivation was a joy for him, but was it for Er Mao? The cat knew where its path lay. It knew how to grow stronger and how to become a true living being... Yet before today, Er Mao had never once brought it up. Why now? Was it because the manifestation of the embryonic myriad worlds had allowed Er Mao to sense something? A revival of time? Li Hao mused in silence. He understood deep down that Er Mao wasn't cultivating for itself. Perhaps... it simply wanted to lay eyes once more on that departed schoolteacher. To truly see him again! To haul that man out from the depths of time and tell him: it's time to wake up; it's time to see the world! *Is there truly nothing left in this world worthy of your longing?* He cast these thoughts aside. Eating fish... that had to be fulfilled. Er Mao had never asked for anything before. Whether for cultivation or merely to satisfy its appetite, since it had spoken, Li Hao was bound to grant its request. Ten small worlds? He had one on hand, which meant he still lacked nine. Did the Senlan World possess small worlds? They should! It was a major world after all... In the chaos, which major world didn't devour others to survive? Small worlds were abundant. Just because Li Hao hadn't encountered many—or rather, hadn't paid much attention to them—didn't mean others hadn't acquired them over countless years. They weren't necessarily seized by force either; there were trades, offerings, and various other avenues. Some lords of small worlds might actively present their worlds to a major world in exchange for protection, resources, Dao methods, or entry into the major world itself... Any of these was possible. Moreover, a small world could help someone advance rapidly between ranks one and three, and it could give a rank-three Sovereign a sliver of hope to break into the middle ranks by devouring it—though the chances were admittedly slim. "Senior King Huai!" Not far away, King Huai rose swiftly to his feet and flew through the air toward him. Li Hao was exceedingly polite toward them, respectfully addressing them as seniors at every turn. But King Huai didn't dare act superior. The young man might be polite, but his methods were ruthless. Even Silver Moon's own Sovereigns treated him with utmost deference; how could King Huai presume to put on airs of seniority? "Silver Moon King..." "No need to call me that," Li Hao cut in immediately. "Just call me by my name." King Huai smiled but didn't take up the offer. Li Hao continued, "In a moment of crisis, you and Senior Tianji gave up your origins to join Silver Moon. Such a matter should have been considered thoroughly, but circumstances were urgent... Now that Senior Tianji has fallen in rank, both of you have suffered substantial losses on my behalf..." King Huai hurried to reply, "Perish the thought! We are all family now; it was only right." Li Hao offered a few polite pleasantries before saying, "Qian Wuliang and the others are cultivating. I have a few tasks that I'd like to trouble Senior to run for me." Delight showed on King Huai's face, and he answered promptly, "Just give the order." Having tasks to do was good. Before one could slack off, one had to put in the work—so long as it wasn't fatal. Even if it was life-threatening, one had to perform early on. Once you accomplished something and built up merit, you could lie back on your laurels and eat, drink, and sleep without anyone bothering you. After making contributions to Xinwu, he had lounged around for a thousand years. This time, he certainly aimed to lounge for quite a while as well! "First, get in touch with Senlan and try to inquire whether they have spare small or medium worlds. The next time we kill a Sovereign, I wish to trade for those." King Huai committed it to memory and nodded. "Second, go to those rogue cultivators. Use intimidation, threats, or whatever it takes... Convey my message that they must evacuate Senlan as soon as possible. Otherwise, I will make examples of them! If they band together, that would be the best outcome." King Huai's heart stirred. *Deliberately make them band together? To wipe them out in one fell swoop? How vicious!* "Understood!" King Huai nodded. Neither task was difficult; for him, what trouble could they possibly pose? Both were simple assignments. He continued to wait, actually hoping for harder tasks so he could demonstrate his worth. "Third..." Li Hao paused, then spoke slowly: "If... and I emphasize *if*..." He looked at King Huai and transmitted via divine sense: "If circumstances change, Senior has a well-known reputation. Could you do me a favor?" Li Hao's voice transmission gave King Huai a jolt. *What favor?* "Speak candidly, Silver Moon King!" *What well-known reputation? What kind of reputation do I have? My reputation is nothing but a stench! Infamous, a turncoat thrice over, utterly foul in Xinwu! When a Xinwu native betrayed them back on Silver Moon, whom did they think of first?* *General Locust!* *Why? Because General Locust's ancestor was King Huai's companion demon plant! Just a descendant of a companion demon plant, yet people immediately thought of him. Could anything be more miserable?* King Huai's heart skipped a beat, sensing that this wouldn't be simple. Sure enough, Li Hao transmitted: "I may not be able to fool top-tier experts forever. Furthermore, in the later stages, Red Moon might not try to recruit me, and my identity could be exposed outright... If there is a risk of exposure, Senior should launch a sneak attack, strike me down, take my precious sword, and present it to the Lord of Red Moon!" "..." *Fuck!* King Huai cursed inwardly. *This... this is suicidal!* "Senior has a far-reaching reputation, your strength isn't overwhelming, and you know Xinwu inside out... If that time truly comes, selling out the secrets of Silver Moon and Xinwu will guarantee that they won't kill you. Instead, they will treat you well and keep you in comfort! A rank-two Sovereign who hails from Xinwu—perhaps the first Xinwu Sovereign captured by Red Moon... No, not captured, but defected of his own accord! After Xinwu killed several of their rank-seven experts, imagine how desperately Red Moon needs a Xinwu Sovereign to wave as a banner to restore their prestige! "Senior is exceptionally suited for this... They won't even think twice or harbor suspicion. Even if they do, they won't care much. A rank-two Sovereign who betrays people often... My words may sound a bit harsh, Senior, so please don't take offense." "..." King Huai was speechless. *Has my reputation truly rotted to such an extent?* "The Silver Moon King means... if there is a risk of exposure, I should... strike you down, seize the sword, and present it?" "Precisely!" Li Hao explained, "I only mean in the worst-case scenario. Right now, I'm confident I can deceive the Senlan World Lord, but I have absolutely no confidence in fooling a rank-eight Sovereign! So if that moment arrives... Senior will play the villain. After all, aside from Senior, no one else is suited for the role!" "..." *What kind of talk is that?* King Huai felt thoroughly helpless. *How is Tianji any better than me? And that subordinate of yours, Qian Wuliang, is full of schemes too. Not to mention the three foreign Sovereigns who joined us... Wouldn't it be perfectly natural for them to backstab you? Why must it be me? All right... fine, I know my reputation stinks!* Resigned, he asked, "If that happens... what about the others?" Whether Li Hao would die, he wasn't certain. But since Li Hao dared to suggest it, he probably wouldn't. What about everyone else? If they were killed, could they be revived too? "If that truly happens, I will simply shroud the Dao river and substitute your Great Daos. Even if you are slain, it won't be a major issue; if you aren't killed, that's all the better." "In short, as I said, this is strictly a worst-case scenario... Senior, don't just spring it on me for no reason..." King Huai gave a dry laugh. *How could I? How could this guy think of me like that? Truly a wicked mind!* "I understand!" King Huai nodded. This Silver Moon King certainly overthought things. He didn't seem as confident as the Human King. If it were the Human King, he would be firmly convinced of his own success, convinced he could fool everyone. But the Silver Moon King was different. He prepared for failure from the start, scheming even against his own allies. "This matter stays between the two of us... No need to tell the others!" "Understood!" "Senior won't mind, will you?" "Of course not!" King Huai laughed dryly. *How could I? Even though you've maligned my character, I can do this for the sake of the plan. Is it dangerous? Incredibly dangerous! Li Hao says Red Moon would use me as a trophy banner... but what if? What if they decide I'm not even worth keeping alive? Who can say for sure?* "That will be all for now, Senior. Please proceed." Without another word, King Huai departed swiftly to make contact with Senlan and the rogue cultivators. *** During this time, the group cultivated for a while. Having devoured so many Great Dao crystals, both Dao Lords, along with Black Panther, felt on the verge of breaking through. However, they were still short of a certain spark. What was missing was not energy, but an explosive push. Perhaps in the next battle, they would achieve their breakthroughs. *** Meanwhile, the Senlan World was growing somewhat turbulent. Over the past few days, King Huai had indeed been bustling about, alternately threatening and cajoling the rogue Sovereigns. Brandishing Senlan's name and leveraging the awe of having slain four Sovereigns, he acted utterly arrogant! Adopting the persona of a swaggering lackey, he threatened the Sovereigns: either depart immediately or be forced under the banner of Sovereign Wandao. Such behavior naturally stirred fierce resistance from the other Sovereigns! Unwilling to leave and terrified of being wiped out by this group—who had dared to slaughter even Red Moon's people—the scattered rogue Sovereigns quickly began forming secret alliances. The previously disorganized crowd was rapidly brought together. There were quite a few rogue Sovereigns within Senlan, not just low-rank ones, but also a few middle-rank Sovereigns. Provoked by King Huai's blatant insolence, the rogue cultivators formed a loose alliance. Over twenty Sovereigns joined, spearheaded by two rank-four Sovereigns. With that, the rogue cultivators' courage swelled instantly. When King Huai went to intimidate them once more, he was nearly beaten to death on the spot! Had they not been reluctant to fight Li Hao's cohort to the death just yet, King Huai might not have made it back alive. *** At the same time, deep underground in Senlan World. Kongji was bored out of his mind. He glanced at the Sword Venerable meditating beside him... Ever since sneaking into Senlan with him, the man hadn't made a single move, simply waiting. Outside, Li Hao seemed to be stirring up a massive commotion, yet the Sword Venerable remained motionless. *What is he waiting for?* Kongji could barely restrain his restless heart. Ever since he had experienced teaming up to kill a rank-seven expert, he was itching to try ambushing a major world! "Impatient?" The Sword Venerable suddenly opened his eyes. Kongji chuckled softly. "Not at all." *How could I be? I'm not impatient!* The Sword Venerable smiled genially. "No rush! Wait a little longer." *Still waiting?* Kongji thought for a moment and said, "The longer this drags on, the more likely the Senlan World Lord will take full control of the Senlan Great Dao Universe, and the greater his chances of reaching rank seven!" Right now, if they joined forces, they still had high confidence. If they waited until the man truly became a rank-seven Dao Lord on his home turf, he would be far more difficult to handle than Sovereign Xingshen had been. "Let's wait and see!" The Sword Venerable was not normally a hesitant man, yet he chose to continue waiting. After some reflection, he said, "That young lad Li Hao seems to have some schemes in motion... I want to wait and see what he has in mind." *Schemes?* Kongji found that typical. Regardless of whether Li Hao had certainty, he would always draft several plans first, making it look as though everything was carefully plotted. In reality... when the time came to abandon a plan, he did so without the slightest hesitation. Kongji felt that Li Hao might not be scheming anything grand, merely deploying standard arrangements. Still, since the Sword Venerable had spoken, he could only nod. *Then we wait and see!* After musing on it, Kongji said, "Fellow Daoist Haoyue exposed himself openly in Senlan and is currently expelling Sovereigns on Senlan's behalf. Could he be planning to incite a conflict between Senlan and other worlds to reap the spoils?" The Sword Venerable shook his head. He didn't say Kongji was wrong, only that he didn't truly understand Li Hao either. He wasn't overly familiar with the young man. Toward this Silver Moon King, the Sword Venerable felt curiosity and interest, but he couldn't yet see through his true character. The person he could best compare him to was the Human King. Yet this Silver Moon King and the Human King had entirely opposite personalities—two extremes. The Human King was tempestuous and direct; whatever crossed his mind, he did and said, rarely hiding anything. Communicating with him was quite refreshing, even if some people found it jarring. This Silver Moon King... During the short time they had interacted, he was polite and refined, which didn't fit the typical Xinwu style at all. Yet when it was time to strike, he struck without hesitation; when it came to targeting a rank-seven expert, he went all out. At critical junctures, he was extraordinarily decisive. The Sword Venerable also wished to see how this lad would plot against a major world without someone like him taking the lead. Would he be like the Supreme, an unerring mastermind who left no contingency unaddressed, or something else? Suddenly, Kongji asked, "Senior, if Fellow Daoist Haoyue takes down Senlan World all on his own... we won't contend with him for it, will we?" "..." *What does that mean?* The Sword Venerable gave him a look, immediately understanding. *Good grief! This guy is trying to say that if Li Hao takes down Senlan alone, we don't deserve a share of the spoils? You sure are generous... Second-generation scions truly are built different.* He smiled and nodded. "Naturally!" "Mm, I thought so too." Kongji chuckled. The Sword Venerable was left speechless. Li Hao couldn't have known this guy for very long, yet their bond was remarkably deep. *** While various factions maintained their stillness, three Sovereigns arrived in unison through the chaotic void outside the boundary wall of Senlan World. One rank-four and two rank-three Sovereigns, their auras exceedingly formidable, concealed their Dao signatures beneath disguised appearances. They hailed from the Red Moon Universe, naturally exercising some discretion. Yet which Sovereign cared about mere appearances? If not for saving face, they wouldn't have been the only ones sent. Right now, Red Moon hadn't dispatched any rank-five or rank-six experts; if they appeared, Senlan would have no choice but to resist openly. Thus, the strongest among them was only rank four. All three Sovereigns wore expressions of murderous intent! Lately, the mindset of Red Moon's Sovereigns had been in immense turmoil. First, rank-seven Sovereigns were slain, and then the World Lord announced that new rank-seven experts would be born, filling everyone with both fear and anticipation. Although rank-four cultivators had little hope of reaching rank seven directly, once the rank-six experts advanced, the rank-four Sovereigns would naturally rise with the tide. Vacancies were limited! If they could secure Senlan now and accumulate merit in assimilating the Senlan World, their chances would naturally improve. The newly arrived rank-four Sovereign wore a frosty scowl. Before even arriving, he snorted coldly, "That useless Wuju watched our Red Moon Sovereign get killed yet couldn't avenge her, only able to call for reinforcements... He threw away all our face!" He was referring to the other rank-four Sovereign, subtly reminding his two companions that once they reached Senlan, they had to obey him. *That useless fool watched a rank-three die, so following him won't bring you any good fortune.* The two rank-three Sovereigns, one male and one female, were exceptionally attractive. The female Sovereign wore a radiant smile, exuding an intense allure as she said seductively, "My lord speaks the truth. If not for that, they wouldn't have sent you to support them. The World Lord trusts you, my lord. Otherwise, everyone would want this opportunity right at our doorstep. There are many middle-rank Sovereigns in our realm, yet in the end, didn't they send you?" Beside her, the handsome male Sovereign also offered a bright smile: "Well said! Lord Yuce is held in high esteem by the World Lord... I expect that before long, my lord will certainly have a place in rank five, or even rank six! When that time comes, I hope my lord will take care of us!" Sovereign Yuce smiled, thoroughly satisfied with their response. He said nothing more. As long as these two didn't listen to Wuju, Red Moon's faction here in Senlan would temporarily answer to him. "Setting everything else aside, as long as we kill those fellows this time... it will count as merit! A band of rogue cultivators daring to kill people from Red Moon—they court death!" A vicious glint flashed across his face. Where wasn't a Sovereign from a rank-eight universe arrogant? To be killed right at their doorstep was utterly intolerable! Soon, the trio flew straight toward a fissure, heading not toward Li Hao's location, but toward Red Moon's position. *** Near the fissure, the Red Moon Sovereign snapped his eyes open and saw the three figures crossing the chaos in the distance. He frowned slightly. *They actually sent that fellow Yuce? Troublesome.* The two of them didn't get along. Still... it was acceptable. One rank-four and two rank-threes. It seemed the realm took this quite seriously. Although Red Moon had many Sovereigns, recent losses had been heavy. Li Hao had slain several Red Moon Sovereigns, and several rank-seven experts had died as well... To be able to deploy multiple Sovereigns here in the early stages proved that only Red Moon possessed such vast strength. "Yuce!" Sovereign Wuju rose to his feet just as the three Sovereigns arrived. Sovereign Yuce said coldly, "Wuju, where is that Wandao fellow?" Sovereign Wuju frowned slightly and murmured, "He's on the other side, but there is one thing... Senlan is shielding him right now. Do not strike rashly, or you might provoke Senlan's retaliation! At this stage, the rogue cultivators have already formed an alliance. As long as we provoke a massive clash between both sides and throw all of Senlan into turmoil, we can use the chaos as a pretext—claiming they cannot quell the rebellion—and suppress all sides directly to ensure the smooth progress of the Red Moon alliance..." He believed that since Wandao was valued by the Senlan World Lord, it was better to turn the situation to their advantage and pit those fellows against the rogue cultivators. Once chaos erupted, the Senlan World Lord would have no say in the matter. "Hmph! Why make it so complicated?" Yuce replied in a low voice, "We strike directly and slay them! They are nothing more than outsiders. Once we kill them, the rogue cultivators will see their chance and act accordingly. Are you counting on those cowardly rogues to take the initiative?" "No, it's because Wandao and his cohort are excessively blatant!" Wuju said. "They actively provoked those rogue cultivators. In my view, they will strike again sooner or later!" "..." From the moment they met, the two sparred for dominance, vying for the final word in Senlan. The two rank-three Sovereigns held their tongues. With two rank-four experts arguing, they dared not intervene. *** At the same time, Li Hao's gaze flickered as he looked into the distance. Far away, near another fissure, three more Sovereigns had appeared: two rank-fours and two rank-threes in total. Red Moon's reinforcements had arrived! Red Moon truly was wealthy and powerful. Counting them up, Li Hao had killed four Sovereigns from Red Moon—five if including that rank-seven expert. And during Red Moon's conflicts with Xinwu over the years, though there were no large-scale battles, several Sovereigns had died when they ambushed the Sword Venerable. Altogether, the Sovereigns Red Moon had lost well exceeded ten. Yet their Sovereigns continued to appear in an endless stream. Middle-rank Sovereigns, who were rare elsewhere, were like cabbages in Red Moon—dispatched in groups at a moment's notice. Li Hao stood up. "Are you all finished cultivating?" Everyone nodded. Li Hao spoke: "Of the eleven fissures, aside from ours, there are ten others. Five are held by Senlan, each guarded by middle-rank Sovereigns! Of the remaining five, four belong to major worlds—one each—and the last is held by a rank-six rogue faction. "Almost all of these fissures are guarded by middle-rank experts!" Almost all of them! Except for their own, because it was the second one controlled by Red Moon, so they had only assigned three rogue Sovereigns to hold it. Even so, there had been a rank-three Sovereign among them, not weak by any measure. "And we have already forged a blood feud with Red Moon!" Li Hao looked at them. "So... I intend to... continue targeting the fissure controlled by Red Moon!" "..." Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air. Although Qian Wuliang felt he could reach rank three at any moment, he was still apprehensive: "They seem to have reinforcements..." "Two rank-fours and two rank-threes!" This... Setting aside the fact that Li Hao was only displaying rank-three strength, even if he could handle one rank-four, it would be difficult for the rest of them to deal with another rank-four and two rank-threes. This exceeded their expectations! "We aren't going after the rogue cultivators?" Tianji asked, somewhat puzzled. "Although the rogue faction has rank-fours as well, they should be easier to deal with than those from a major world." If that didn't work, the other major worlds were options too. Why insist on targeting Red Moon's Sovereigns? Li Hao said softly, "This way... I'll have an excuse to advance to rank four!" *What?* Li Hao explained in a quiet voice, "I want to advance to rank four! By taking a risk, slaying two rank-three Sovereigns, and devouring their Great Dao power, I can forcefully advance. Having absorbed massive quantities of Great Dao crystals, plus the power of two rank-threes, combined with my legacy from a high-rank Sovereign, my advancement will be unobstructed. Breaking through in the heat of battle to reach rank four and slaying the remaining two rank-fours... That way, my breakthrough will seem entirely logical." As for why he hadn't displayed rank-four strength from the start... rogue cultivators had virtually no hope of reaching rank four. Here, after obtaining over a hundred million Great Dao crystals and slaying several Red Moon Sovereigns to seize boundless Dao power, advancing now would fit the profile of a rogue cultivator. Besides, middle-rank rogue cultivators were all somewhat renowned in the chaos. If Li Hao, an unknown nobody, arrived directly with middle-rank strength, he would have been investigated thoroughly long ago. "The rest of you... have only one objective: hold back the two rank-four Sovereigns!" He looked at them, and everyone felt the pressure. Hold back two rank-four Sovereigns! Li Hao added, "Everyone will be glad to see Red Moon Sovereigns die, but going after others would prompt people to intervene! As for Red Moon, their terrifying might inspires dread on one hand, but on the other, because they are hegemons, no one will dare interfere without permission... That is our window of opportunity to kill them." "Just give the order, Marquis!" Qian Wuliang said hurriedly. "Whatever you arrange, we will give our all!" Li Hao nodded. "Uncle Hong, Qian Wuliang, and the two Senior Tianjis—you four tangle with one rank-four! The rest of you, hold off the other." Everyone exchanged glances. It would certainly be difficult. The gap between rank four and rank three was far from small. However, if the two Dao Lords broke through... the pressure would ease considerably. Li Hao continued, "I will kill the two rank-three Sovereigns! Before I finish them... you must hold the enemy back and buy me time to advance." At this, he smiled. "This time, I'll try using the Fire Dao to forcefully step into rank four. Perhaps... I can truly break through!" He didn't necessarily have to fake it. His Fire Dao power was formidable; advancing to rank four through Fire was entirely feasible and would look far more authentic. Of course, if that failed, he could always fabricate it—simulating Fire with Life, Death, Annihilation, and Revival as his foundation to enter rank four again, though that might leave a few minor flaws. Li Hao asked, "Regarding killing a rank-four, did King Huai negotiate a price with Senlan?" King Huai nodded. "I did. Their stance is... we should try our best to avoid clashes with middle-rank Sovereigns! But if a conflict truly arises and we manage to slay a rank-four Sovereign, they are willing to pay fifty million Great Dao crystals." Hearing this, many cursed inwardly. *That's less cost-effective than killing two rank-threes!* Two rank-threes yielded sixty million, yet killing a rank-four was vastly harder than killing two rank-threes. King Huai added, "Furthermore, they stated they do have small worlds, but generally won't trade them to outsiders! If we truly kill a rank-four... as part of the exchange, they are willing to offer one small world plus forty million Great Dao crystals." Li Hao frowned slightly. A small world equated to a rank-four! Did the people of Senlan doubt his ability to kill a rank-four, or were they unwilling to trade small worlds? Most likely, it was both. Small worlds were indeed superior to Great Dao crystals—at least for Sovereigns of major worlds. Two rank-four Sovereigns... Could only be traded for two small worlds? Adding his own, that was only three. In other words, satisfying Er Mao's appetite would be exceedingly difficult! However, once he reached rank four, slaying other rank-fours would become much easier. Naturally, complications would follow; it all depended on whether the Senlan World Lord was willing to offer support! As for killing Red Moon Sovereigns... Li Hao felt zero psychological burden. Ridding the world of evil! Who told these fellows to offend Xinwu and offend him as well? "World Lord! Grant us a portion of the world's power!" Li Hao's Dao power fluctuated slightly, as if praying to heaven and earth. This had been one of their prior conditions. A moment later, as if the Senlan World Lord had sensed it, a faint aura of Heaven's Will and world power manifested over everyone. The world's previous faint rejection of them melted away completely. Such was the miraculous utility of world power! The enhancement wasn't overwhelming, but it granted them home-field advantage. Li Hao smiled faintly. "Thank you, World Lord!" No voice responded. *** Within the Senlan Great Dao Universe, the Senlan World Lord was accelerating his refinement of the universe when he felt a touch of bewilderment. *Whom are they targeting?* *This Sovereign Wandao is rather interesting.* *Moreover, several of his subordinates are infinitely close to rank three... Their strength is swelling rapidly. It seems they've grown addicted to killing Sovereigns for massive amounts of Great Dao crystals.* Just as he was thinking this, his heart stirred. *These people... their direction... Red Moon?* *What audacity!* *Surely not?* Red Moon had sent two middle-rank Sovereigns, which had infuriated him, yet he hadn't been able to step forward and object. Was this Wandao truly insane, or did he think that having world power made him invincible? "Targeting Red Moon again... Is this the ignorance of the fearless?" Soon, he let out a chuckle. *A good thing!* Senlan's Sovereigns were terrified of Red Moon and dared not strike. Having this bunch of reckless fools do the dirty work aligned perfectly with his interests. The only issue was... a group of low-rank cultivators taking on two middle-rank Sovereigns had little hope of success. He quickly transmitted: "Elder Yan, keep an eye on them! Wandao's group is heading for Red Moon. If things go awry and mistakes happen, it doesn't matter if a few of his Sovereigns die, but ensure Wandao is saved!" *** In the outside world, Yan Fang, the other rank-six Sovereign of Senlan, narrowed his eyes. *What reckless courage!* They had barely rested for a few days, during which they constantly provoked the rogue cultivators. He had assumed they would at most attack the rogues, but they were targeting Red Moon again—and after Red Moon had reinforced their ranks! He rose swiftly, vanishing into the void in an instant, preparing to intervene and rescue them at a moment's notice. It was fine if a few of Wandao's subordinates died, but Wandao had to live. They still needed that fellow to break the deadlock. *** Meanwhile, at the fissure held by Red Moon, several Sovereigns were still arguing. The two rank-four Sovereigns, Wuju and Yuce, had no desire to deal with each other—one thought the other cowardly, while the other thought his peer brainless. Mid-argument, Wuju's expression shifted, and he looked into the distance. Yuce did the same, surprise and shock crossing his face as he glanced at Wuju. "It's them?" Wuju nodded! Yuce suddenly burst into laughter. "Wuju, I misjudged you. It's not that you're weak or cowardly... It's that these people are completely insane!" Two rank-fours and two rank-threes from a major world stood right here. Yet these madmen, whose strongest was merely rank three, dared to march toward them despite having more numbers. What good were numbers against them? *Are they trying to scare us?* *They are actually charging at us on their own initiative!* Yuce found it unbelievable, even doubting his own eyes. He chuckled, "Are they... coming to apologize and admit fault?" He couldn't help but think that way. He simply couldn't believe they were attacking—he refused to believe any Sovereign could be so stupid and foolish. Wuju was also momentarily stunned, then said darkly, "Watch out for Senlan!" *Don't be careless! Those people aren't terrifying; the key is Senlan's movements.* Yuce realized instantly! He hurriedly swept the surroundings with his senses. Those intruders were irrelevant; he didn't care about them in the slightest. The critical factor was Senlan's Sovereigns. If Senlan's middle-rank Sovereigns intervened, that would be troublesome. After scanning, he detected nothing, yet he dared not let his guard down. This was Senlan's territory; the Senlan World Lord could descend at any moment. "This is Senlan territory! Foreign Sovereigns, depart immediately!" Li Hao's voice rang out once more, carrying boundless pressure. In an instant, the entire Senlan World fell quiet again. *** Among the rogue cultivators, two middle-rank Sovereigns looked toward the sky, and one suddenly laughed: "Damn, what an idiot... Ignore them!" *Courting death?* *Just because you killed one rank-three last time, do you think you're above the entire world now?* *Daring to attack Red Moon again! Caught in their own delusions!* The rogue cultivators couldn't believe it. Could there truly be Sovereigns so mad, so idiotic? Moments ago, they had been debating whether to attack these newcomers. Now, there was no need. These lunatics were dead for sure; the only question was how many the Red Moon Sovereigns would slaughter. Above, Yuce laughed: "Quite the courage! It seems... tasting sweetness once has made you think the world is beneath you, hasn't it?" "Will you retreat or not?" Li Hao's voice echoed through heaven and earth. "If you do not retreat, you will be slain! Senlan World tolerates no insolence from outsiders!" "..." A host of Senlan Sovereigns stared silently at the sky, feeling helpless. *The way he says it... even we don't have that kind of confidence. Are we the Senlan Sovereigns, or are you?* *** In the void, Yuce stared coldly at him, scanning the perimeter once more. No Senlan Sovereigns appeared! And the Senlan World Lord wouldn't dare strike at them rashly. Since this fellow refused to appreciate kindness, then... kill him! "Die!" In an instant, a soul-capturing power surged forth. The power of desire spread, laced with bewitching energy. In a split second, Mo, who was only rank one, felt overwhelmed. The next second, Li Hao barked, "Strike!" His voice boomed like a bronze bell! Mo, who had been entranced, snapped awake with a start. Terror seized her, followed by intense exhilaration. *Striking at Sovereigns of a rank-eight major world—and middle-rank ones at that... How thrilling! These madmen from Silver Moon are just as insane as Xinwu people!* In an instant, every Sovereign struck simultaneously. Yuce ignored the others completely, charging straight for Li Hao. Yet to his surprise, several weaker cultivators actively moved to block his path. Qian Wuliang and his companions materialized in a flash. Yuce sneered, "A few rank-twos... how insolent!" *Four rank-twos dare block me?* With a low roar, a crimson moon hovered above him, radiating light across heaven and earth. This time, he didn't even bother disguising himself—*I am a Red Moon Sovereign, so what?* *Boom!* The battle erupted instantly. Both rank-fours struck at the same time. Qian Wuliang's side fared relatively well, even though they had one fewer person, but Black Panther, King Huai, Xun Ruo, Chanxiu, and Mo were outmatched. In a single instant, the weakest among them, Sovereign Mo, suffered a direct blast! With a thunderous crash, the five Sovereigns' combined front was broken, and Mo was sent flying from the initial clash. The gap between rank one and rank four was simply too vast. Black Panther roared frantically, transforming into a chaotic beast and lunging to swallow the enemy, only to be knocked back with ease. Sovereign Wuju snorted coldly. A mere rank two, even at the peak of rank two, was insufficient. Of the five here, three were at the peak of rank two, while Chanxiu was an ordinary rank two, but they still weren't enough. Wuju cast a sidelong glance toward Li Hao... He knew Li Hao was strong. Last time, Li Hao had slain a rank-three with a single sword strike. However, that had involved surprise factors, and this time there were two rank-threes. Once they dealt with these pests, they would properly handle that fellow. The two rank-threes didn't need to kill him; they only needed to hold him for a short time. That shouldn't be difficult! *** The two rank-three Sovereigns were also on high alert. They knew this man had slain their comrade previously. Thus, their immediate goal was merely containment. The woman let out a soft laugh, and countless treasures and gorgeous beauties in fluttering garments materialized before Li Hao's eyes, causing his Great Dao origin to tremble slightly. The lust within the human heart! The man murmured softly, his voice like decadent music drifting across the air. Li Hao's mind was flooded with ambitions for fame and fortune, even hallucinations of becoming the master of the chaos... It stimulated the desire for glory and power. Working together, even if they couldn't match a rank-four, they could hold one off. Red Moon's power of desire was exceptionally potent. Yet against Li Hao... it had little effect. *End this swiftly!* The longer this dragged on, the easier it would be for others to see through his disguise. At that very moment, a ball of fire surfaced in Li Hao's mind, and a fierce tiger manifested, devouring all desires in an instant! Concurrently, Li Hao's tiger manifested in the outside world. Boundless flames flared across the Sky Sword, setting heaven and earth ablaze. Li Hao slashed downward as the tiger roared. *Roar!* The tiger's roar shook the four quarters of heaven and earth. Both rank-three Sovereigns were startled, but not frightened, because this strike alone was not enough to kill them both. Yet just as they were startled... Suddenly, within the Great Dao Universe, the Senlan World Lord let out a soft gasp: "Those two... are finished!" *** In the void, Yan Fang's heart shuddered in shock: "A rank-seven legacy... This... a Dao domain! He's the inheritor of a rank-seven Sovereign!" *** On the ground, an exceedingly powerful rogue cultivator narrowed his eyes and muttered, "The legacy of a Fire Sovereign... I see. He has a powerful backing!" At that exact instant, something materialized upon Li Hao's blade. It resembled a cage! It seemed to emanate from the tiger itself, yet also from the Sky Sword—a Dao domain, a Fire Dao domain! A domain was the hallmark of a rank-seven expert. Although a few exceptional rank-sixes possessed one, they were extraordinary outliers. The instant the domain manifested, the two rank-three Sovereigns seemed to freeze. The sword, which shouldn't have been able to kill them, cleaved downward with a crisp *crack*, cleanly bisecting the female Sovereign! The Red Moon Dao within her erupted instantly. The sword vibrated as the tiger pounced, biting down with a crunch to shatter the red moon! A rank-three Sovereign was slain in an instant under the domain's suppression! The tiger swallowed the Great Dao power in one gulp before Senlan's Great Dao could even absorb it. Li Hao's aura shifted as though he had forcefully consumed that power, and he unleashed another sword strike! *Roar!* The tiger roared savagely with unbridled madness. Snapping back to his senses, the male Sovereign's expression warped in horror: "A domain... Who are you... The disciple of a high-rank Sovereign..." This domain didn't belong to Li Hao himself... It appeared to have emerged from the sword. It wasn't innate to him! This meant the sword had once been the weapon of a rank-seven Sovereign—though it seemed to have degraded or been forged as only a rank-four Sovereign weapon! Using a domain against rank-three Sovereigns was a dimensional strike! Even middle-rank Sovereigns would find it troublesome. One could easily imagine his fate. Li Hao slashed forward. With a thunderous boom, flames incinerated the sky. In the blink of an eye, the man was engulfed in fire. The tiger reappeared, crushed another red moon in its jaws, and devoured it! Nearby, both Sovereign Wuju and Sovereign Yuce were horrified! "A Dao domain!" "A rank-four Sovereign weapon!" This man truly possessed the legacy of a rank-seven Sovereign; no wonder he was so terrifying. Before their shock could subside, both rank-three Sovereigns were already dead. Throughout the Senlan World, the other Sovereigns heard the commotion and were deeply shaken. *A weapon of a rank-seven Sovereign?* Instantly, countless eyes burned with greed. Even that powerful rogue cultivator felt a flash of avarice, though it quickly vanished as he frowned slightly. Senlan Sovereigns seemed to have appeared in the vicinity. Still, even with a domain, the two rank-four Sovereigns were exceedingly powerful; this man might not win! Just as these thoughts circulated, Li Hao, having slain two Sovereigns in the blink of an eye, looked on with a chilling expression: "So what if you know? Today... all of you shall die!" With that, he let out a fierce roar: "Fire, fire, fire! Break from the cage!" Instantly, flames engulfed the heavens! Boundless Dao power burned furiously. In a single moment, the Great Dao power of the two rank-three Sovereigns was completely incinerated by the tiger, and pure Dao power flooded into the tiger's body. Inside Li Hao, the power of fire boiled violently! "He's advancing!" The Sovereigns below were stunned. Many were seeing a Sovereign attempt to advance to rank four on the spot for the very first time. *Can this truly work?* At this moment, not only them, but several top-tier experts across the realm turned their focused gazes toward him. From rank three into rank four! Just as everyone doubted, a faint resonance of Great Dao chanting enveloped Li Hao. Some experts seemed to hear something faint; some didn't understand, while others paled. They couldn't help cursing inwardly! *Fuck!* *A rank-seven legacy!* *He has personally listened to the teachings of a rank-seven Sovereign—a Fire Sovereign... The rank-seven Fire Sovereign behind him might not even be dead; he might still be alive!* Otherwise, where would Wandao have found the fortune to manifest the Great Dao's resonance on the spot? Instantly, everyone's thoughts shifted... So this man truly had a major faction behind him, a rank-seven Fire Sovereign! They quickly racked their brains: where in the vicinity was there a rank-seven Fire Sovereign? There were Fire realms in the surrounding domains, but... was it them? Among the four surrounding regions, two held Fire realms: the Flame Great World and the Chiyang Great World, both home to rank-seven Fire experts. But could it be them? The Chiyang Great World was even a rank-eight power of the Chiyang Domain! Now, even the Senlan World Lord's expression shifted slightly. The Flame Great World was manageable, but if it was the Chiyang Great World... that would be troublesome. Where did the rank-seven Sovereign behind Wandao hail from? No wonder he was so arrogant, killing without hesitation. He might well be the disciple of a major world's lord! As for why he hadn't entered a major world... perhaps he had other plans. While these thoughts raced, the tiger roared furiously. With a sharp shout, what looked like a fiery sun manifested in the sky. Both Wuju and Yuce were terrified, and Yuce bellowed, "Stop him!" *This fellow is actually advancing!* If he truly broke through, a direct disciple of a rank-seven Sovereign wielding a rank-four Sovereign weapon and a domain would be someone neither of them could match, even as Sovereigns from a major world. What was more, there were so many other Sovereigns nearby. Wuju barked, burning his power of desire furiously! His attacks battered King Huai and Black Panther until their bodies fractured, countless desires invading their minds. King Huai even exposed his true nature, his eyes burning with greed... Wuju was amazed: *This fellow... is so greedy!* Yet he had no time for marveling. At that exact instant, Li Hao's aura surged violently, a torrential flood of Fire Dao power erupting forth. The next moment, a flaming sword shot straight for Wuju! "Die!" Li Hao roared like a madman, transforming into a fierce tiger. The Five Animals Secret Art's tiger force revealed the signature style of Silver Moon for the first time in the chaotic universe—the Heart Fire Tiger, incomparably ferocious! The tiger pounced, paired with the Fire Dao, the Fire domain, and a rank-four Sovereign weapon! Wuju was horrified and hurriedly tried to summon his Great Dao Universe, hoping the Red Moon Universe would manifest... Yet at this moment, the Red Moon Universe failed to appear. Instead, a corner of the Senlan Universe suddenly surfaced! The Senlan World Lord looked on with glacial coldness. *Summoning the Red Moon Great Dao Universe within my world—aren't you courting death?* If the Lord of Red Moon dared to descend his Great Dao Universe here... then don't blame him for tearing off all pretenses! Though he was certainly no match for the man, unless the rank-eight expert came in person, breaking his world would leave the Lord of Red Moon with nothing. "Damn it!" Failing to summon the Great Dao Universe, Wuju was petrified. Without its amplification, how could he resist? Moreover, Black Panther was tearing into him frantically, and King Huai sneakily landed a blow from the shadows... He couldn't defend against it all! "How dare you! I am—" Before he could finish, absolute silence fell around him, as though a world barrier had manifested, cutting off his voice entirely. That hadn't been Li Hao's doing, but... the Senlan World Lord's! Declaring Red Moon openly would only bring trouble upon Senlan. Red Moon might not care about face, but Senlan still had to tread carefully. Since that was the case... it was better to keep things quiet. The Senlan World Lord's eyes gleamed. *Things are getting interesting!* *Boom!* A colossal explosion rang out alongside a shrill screech. Wuju was still sheared in two by the sword. With a deafening crash, a mighty red moon rose, only to be shattered by Li Hao's follow-up strike! Boundless Red Moon power scattered across the void. Li Hao barked, "Absorb it!" *Boom!* Over on the other side, the fleeing Yuce suddenly sensed the auras behind him. The two Dao Lords absorbed the Dao power, smashing through their bottlenecks with a rumble! Both Dao Lords advanced simultaneously, stepping into rank three. Rank three was merely an accumulation of power. The moment they entered rank three, Tianji's true body suppressed his aura for an instant before it erupted with a boom, stepping into rank three as well! Nearby, Sovereign Xun Ruo clicked his tongue in awe. *So fast!* He had originally been rank three before defecting. Initially, he had dropped to rank one, and as he integrated, the other had reached rank two while he entered rank two. He had assumed reaching rank three would take a long time... Yet how long had it been? *Boom!* His aura transformed as well, crossing into rank three! All at once, four rank-three Sovereigns emerged, leaving the onlookers below pale with shock. Though rank three was inferior to middle rank, it was the pinnacle of low rank. This cohort... had all been perched on the verge of a breakthrough. To produce one rank-four and four rank-threes all at once... a faction like this could make a decent living even in a medium world now. Seeing four rank-three Sovereigns emerge, Li Hao was overjoyed. His sword soared, instantly expanding into the Fire Dao domain. In a flash, it enveloped the fleeing Yuce. Yuce was terrified, knowing he couldn't shout out loud—if he mentioned Red Moon, the Senlan World Lord would suppress him. He hurriedly transmitted: "You cannot kill me! I belong to Red Moon! Slaying multiple Red Moon Sovereigns will inevitably draw rank-six Sovereigns down upon you..." This was the truth! Four had died in one go, including two middle-rank Sovereigns, and one had died earlier—a total of five Sovereigns fallen. This time, it would be strange if Red Moon didn't dispatch a rank-six expert! "If I live, I will—" *Boom!* Li Hao slashed downward and roared, "Join forces and kill him!" The other Sovereigns swarmed forward in unison. This time, their collective might was far greater than before. With several rank-three Sovereigns among them, they could have killed him even without Li Hao's help. Besieged by ten Sovereigns, including an expert like Li Hao, and while the onlookers below were still dazed and awestruck... a thunderous detonation rocked the heavens as a blood-red moon manifested. The next instant, Li Hao shattered the moon with a single sword strike! A torrent of Great Dao power was channeled into Black Panther's body. Black Panther let out a mighty roar! *Boom!* Accompanied by an eruption of Dao power, Black Panther's frame expanded noticeably, radiating the aura of rank three. A fifth rank-three! While shocking, it wasn't entirely surprising. Sovereign Wandao had funneled the Dao power of two rank-four Sovereigns into his companions to forge rank-threes; since they were already at the threshold, it was only natural. Still... one rank-four, five rank-threes, three rank-twos, and one rank-one—such strength was exceedingly terrifying. Mo was also frantically absorbing Dao power. Being the weakest, she wished she could absorb every scrap to reach rank two, so she wouldn't remain the weakest link! Li Hao swept his sword across the sky, his icy shout reverberating across heaven and earth: "All others, withdraw immediately! Senlan tolerates no arrogance from outsiders! Otherwise, you will all become souls claimed by Wandao's blade!" "..." Silence fell across all quarters! At this moment, many expressions turned solemn. This was... utterly unbelievable. A rank-four Sovereign had been born, possessing a domain and a rank-four Sovereign weapon... Even among rank-fours, he was by no means weak. The moment he advanced, he was considered among the strongest of rank four. The deterrent of a middle-rank Sovereign remained formidable. Furthermore, this was an unscrupulous lunatic. He had slain multiple Red Moon Sovereigns without hesitation... Absolutely mad to the extreme! Nearby, Sovereign Yan Fang vanished in an instant, his eyes filled with shock. *This fellow has a rank-seven backing him... Senlan has lured in quite a few wolves this time. Wandao slaughtered Red Moon Sovereigns so blatantly... With five Red Moon Sovereigns dead, this will cause immense trouble.* He looked into the void, wondering what the World Lord was thinking. The Lord of Red Moon was bound to erupt in fury! *** In truth, at that very moment, a wave of wrath swept through the entire Red Moon Great World. The Lord of Red Moon was indeed enraged. Having just lost three rank-seven experts to Xinwu, his fury was already uncontrollable... Yet in the blink of an eye, right at his doorstep, a ruined major world had seen five of his Sovereigns perish in mere days! It was utterly infuriating! Lately, the total number of Sovereigns Red Moon had lost had exceeded ten. The entire Great Dao Universe felt noticeably emptier. His gaze turned frigid, as if perceiving something through the void. In a low, chilling voice, he ordered, "Someone, make haste to Senlan and bring me Wandao's head! I wish to see who stands behind him to give him such nerve!" Even if it truly was a Sovereign from the Chiyang World, daring to slay five of Red Moon's Sovereigns right under his nose meant that Wandao... would die without a burial place! Infuriating! For the first time, he felt such wrath toward someone who wasn't a high-rank Sovereign. Setting aside the Xinwu Sword Venerable, of course... Well, perhaps the Silver Moon King counted too. But the Silver Moon King was still tolerable; he hadn't sensed much from him, and though the lad had killed a few Red Moon Sovereigns, it had all been done in secret. As for this Wandao, that bastard dared to slaughter his Sovereigns in broad daylight, fully aware they belonged to Red Moon. Who gave him such audacity?!