Plan Completed

An unexpected turn of events! Just as two more rank six Sovereigns fell on the Red Moon side, the rank seven Sovereign waiting outside the world detected it almost instantaneously. The upheaval had occurred too quickly! Or rather, the Sword Venerable was simply too formidable, slaying two of them the very moment he struck. The Great Dao ripples transmitted from the Red Moon universe were instantly picked up by his senses. *This is the unexpected turn the World Lord spoke of!* Hidden in the shadows, the rank seven Sovereign did not hesitate for a second. With no other thoughts in his head, only one conviction surged: Senlan was too audacious! Did the Senlan World Lord dare to take action himself? Otherwise, how could two rank sixes be slain right under Shisha's nose in the blink of an eye? His aura burst forth! Incomparably tyrannical! The oppressive might of a rank seven instantly threw the chaotic void into turmoil! The Senlan World Lord, who was still on guard against the descent of the Lord of Red Moon, froze for a fraction of a second upon sensing this aura. *Sovereign Aihong?* *How could it be him?!* *Furthermore, he actually shadowed them here!* His initial reaction was shock and a trace of fear—a rank seven had arrived. But in the next heartbeat, realization dawned upon him. *A rank seven is here!* *Then... doesn't that mean the Red Moon Great World is left with only the rank eight Lord of Red Moon?* *Does this mean the Lord of Red Moon will not appear in person?!* If the rank seven had left, and the rank eight left as well, the Red Moon Great World would be completely undefended. As for the middle- and low-rank Sovereigns remaining inside the realm, they were negligible to a great world! Thus, after a fleeting moment of alarm, joy quickly welled up in his heart! *The rank seven Sovereign Aihong!* The newcomer's aura was formidable, and his speed was astonishingly swift. In an instant, he charged straight for the world gate, clearly having sensed the disturbance inside. At the same time, the Great Dao within the Senlan domain fluctuated. Outside the realm, a mighty presence materialized in an instant, wearing a crown with what appeared to be a star shining between his brows—a hallmark shared by many Dao Masters. Appearing in a flash, the figure faced the charging Sovereign Aihong, his voice booming like a great bell: "Sovereign Aihong, what is the meaning of this?" "Get out of the way!" *It wasn't him?* Sovereign Aihong was taken aback. *The Senlan World Lord wasn't the one who struck!* *Then who was it?* *Or could it be that this man killed Shihun and the other, and then slipped back outside...?* Regardless, he had to enter and see for himself. All the original fissures had been sealed; entering and exiting was now possible only through the world gate. His overwhelmingly dominant aura surged forth in violent waves! The entire world seemed to tremble. Right then, the Senlan World Lord's aura churned as well, the power of a peak rank six surging out like a torrential tide. Above his head hovered the projection of a Great Dao universe. Beneath his feet, the world power of the Senlan domain converged! Near the world gate, dozens of Sovereigns stood on high alert. Some wore fearful expressions, while others gnashed their teeth in fury! *Is... Red Moon launching a forced invasion?!* "Get out of the way!" Aihong growled. "You know what happened in there better than I do! Senlan World Lord, do not bring ruin upon yourself!" *What utter insolence!* At that moment, the Senlan World Lord said nothing. The Great Dao power of the three fallen Sovereigns, along with the Dao power of the slain low-rank Sovereigns, was being frantically drawn in and absorbed by him. Li Hao and his companions had not kept any of it for themselves. This bounty was provided specifically for his breakthrough to rank seven. He had to admit that those newcomers were men of their word, and their strength was terrifyingly immense. That Silver Moon King could actually slay a rank six all on his own! However... it was still slightly lacking. The Senlan World Lord knew in his heart that he was still a sliver away. He needed at least one more rank six to die—at minimum one, perhaps even two—because Yu Xiu's Great Dao power was too chaotic and lacked the purity of Red Moon's, as was the case with the other rogue cultivators. Having rapidly calculated all this, the Senlan World Lord said in a heavy voice, "I know what has happened, and I am currently handling it, preparing to suppress those culprits... However, Sovereign Aihong may not enter. This is my Senlan domain. When Shisha and his men entered, I already stepped back! If even a rank seven Sovereign is permitted to enter, then once our realm is attacked, Senlan will be destroyed from within!" "If Sovereign Aihong insists on entering now, it will mean... an irreconcilable fight to the death with my Senlan! You are forcing me to wage a battle to the bitter end!" His eyes turned cold and glinted with madness. "I can order Senlan's Sovereigns to act immediately and suppress those madmen slaughtering Red Moon's people. But... Sovereign Aihong shall not enter!" Aihong stared at him coldly. The World Lord had instructed him that if a critical moment arrived, he should directly eliminate this man! The Senlan World Lord truly thought too highly of himself. Now that two rank six Sovereigns were dead, did he really expect Aihong to wait around for his arrangements? "Scram!" Sovereign Aihong barked coldly. "I will give you one final chance! If you do not get out of my way, I will slay you today! I will let you understand that not every master of a great world is worthy of the title!" The disparity between rank seven and rank six was far greater than he could ever imagine! The Senlan World Lord decided to throw all caution to the wind! Since the Lord of Red Moon would not leave his post now that a rank seven had been dispatched, it meant the situation was far more stable than before. If the Lord of Red Moon also stepped out, it would mean he was prepared to abandon the Red Moon homeland. *Since that's the case, what the hell do I have to fear?!* The Senlan World Lord cursed frantically in his heart! In the next instant, his voice echoed in the minds of the Senlan Sovereigns within the realm, including Yan Fang: "Go! Join forces with the Sword Venerable and the others to slaughter all the remaining foreign Sovereigns! Make it swift!" At this moment, he could endure no longer! To reach rank seven, even if he had to risk everything, he would not allow Aihong to ruin his chance. Inside the realm, the Senlan Sovereigns were shaken to the core. In the next breath, Yan Fang led the group directly toward the battlefield without a second word. Outside the realm, the Senlan World Lord roared, his voice booming like thunder and shaking the chaos: "Does Red Moon think you have me in your palm?! Must you invade my Senlan World?! My Senlan came to ally with you in all sincerity, yet instead of protecting us, Red Moon seeks to swallow us whole! If you act like this, who among the myriad worlds of the chaos would ever dare surrender to your Red Moon?!" His voice rippled across the chaotic void, the enraged bellow echoing between heaven and earth! Since the mask had been ripped off, he might as well smear Red Moon's reputation first! With those words, his aura surged wildly. Though he had not yet reached rank seven, he was a top-tier rank six. His Great Dao universe manifested directly as he ground his teeth: "Then let us fight! If the Red Moon Sovereign came in person, I might show some deference. But who do you think you are, Aihong?!" "Insolent bastard!" Sovereign Aihong was infuriated. These madmen of the Senlan domain had truly lost their minds! He said no more. The World Lord had given the order: if an anomaly occurred, strike immediately. *Boom!* A crimson moon materialized between heaven and earth like a world of its own. His Dao domain manifested and pressed down with crushing force. In an instant, countless mournful cries seemed to emanate from within it. *Mourning birds over the desolate fields—Aihong Bianye!* This was the origin of his Dao title. Inside his Dao domain, tens of thousands of departed souls seemed to emerge, shrieking in agony one after another. Boundless souls converged, giving rise to waves of weeping and wailing! *Rumble!* The Great Dao universe shook violently as the power of the red moon swept over. The Senlan World Lord felt as though an alien Dao was invading his senses, causing his emotions to fluctuate. In the next instant, he let out a savage roar! *Myriad Manifestations of Senluo!* A Dao domain resembling a nether hell appeared. An eerie, grim aura manifested within the hellish expanse. Combined with the wailing from the opposing domain, it was as though a complete purgatory had taken form! "You truly dare to fight back!" Aihong barked coldly, the red moon hovering above his head as he charged straight at his opponent! *Seeking death!* *** At that exact moment, as the battle erupted outside... Within the Red Moon domain. The Lord of Red Moon wore a sinister gaze, saying nothing. His mind merged with the Great Dao, and his will quietly surfaced right above Aihong. However, he did not descend, choosing instead to observe the surroundings. *Where is Xinwu?* Aihong was a contingency, but he was also bait! He wanted to see whether Xinwu was truly lurking nearby! A rank seven had revealed himself—the final rank seven of Red Moon. If Xinwu were nearby, they might be tempted to launch a surprise attack on Aihong. As for the internal unrest in Senlan and the death of two rank sixes... at this moment, he no longer cared. It was insignificant. He had to pin down Xinwu's whereabouts at all costs! Otherwise, he would never have peace of mind. Today, the moment Xinwu showed themselves—the moment the Supreme, Yang God, or Cang Emperor surfaced—he would strike instantly and descend in person. No matter the cost, he would crush or drive Xinwu away! He could not allow them to remain hidden nearby any longer; otherwise, Red Moon would constantly be forced into a passive position. He watched in silence, without revealing a trace of his presence. *Aihong, I hope you can draw those bastards out!* *Also, the Senlan World Lord appears to be on the verge of rank seven. His strength isn't weak; he can actually hold off Aihong. Although this is Senlan's home turf, Aihong is a rank seven Sovereign hailing from a great world, not much weaker than an ordinary rank seven world lord.* *For him to withstand the assault... it seems he is plotting his own breakthrough to rank seven.* *No wonder he was never willing to surrender!* Of course, he had no time to worry about that fellow now. As long as the Xinwu people did not appear, he felt thoroughly unsettled, unable to eat or sleep. All his fury and lack of control were directed at that group of scoundrels. *** Inside the realm. The Sword Venerable had appeared and slain two Sovereigns in an instant. Before either side could trade further blows, the entire world trembled, and world power was abruptly siphoned away. A roar resounded between heaven and earth! Instantly, Shisha and his companions felt a surge of joy. Sovereign Aihong had arrived! A rank seven Sovereign! Yet before their joy could fully register, they sensed the ripples of intense combat. The Senlan World Lord, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, actually dared to bar his path! *Bastard!* Just as the thought crossed their minds, Senlan Sovereigns suddenly emerged around the perimeter. Saying nothing, Yan Fang struck directly at the low-rank Sovereigns on the outskirts. He had been suppressing his rage for far too long! Striking in an instant, his Great Dao power erupted like the underworld. A blast of nether aura detonated with a boom, instantly finishing off a Sovereign who had already had a massive amount of vitality siphoned away! "Kill them all!" With a sharp cry, multiple Senlan Sovereigns took full advantage of the terrain, their unity, and the fact that these rogue cultivators were severely weakened from having their vitality drained, striking simultaneously! *Rumble!* The clash erupted instantly. Ji Hao and the others struck with utmost ruthlessness! They all belonged to the World Lord's lineage; more than anyone else, they wanted the Senlan World Lord to step into rank seven. With the addition of the Senlan Sovereigns, shrill screams rang out continuously around the perimeter. These rogue cultivators had first suffered lightning strikes, then Kongji's Annihilation and Revival, and then had their life force drastically drained; they were already extremely feeble. Now, the Senlan Sovereigns—each bursting with bottled-up grievance—began venting their wrath, backed by a rank six leading the charge. In the span of a single breath, four or five low-rank Sovereigns were slaughtered on the spot! Factoring in the ones who had died earlier, the number of rogue cultivators was instantly halved. Leaving his opponents behind without a word, Yan Fang charged straight toward the core area. Shisha and his companions were horrified. Red Moon now had only four rank sixes left. Facing the Sword Venerable, Kongji, Yan Fang, and Li Hao, it was four against four! Were there any other rank sixes hidden in the realm? They did not know, but in this moment, Shisha could no longer care about the dignity of Red Moon. He roared furiously, "Are there any other fellow Daoists in hiding?! If you don't strike now, once we fall, Senlan will slaughter you all!" He did not believe that only one rogue cultivator, Yu Xiu, had entered Senlan this time! There had to be others! Earlier, he had been confident that six Red Moon Sovereigns were more than enough to sweep the board, so he hadn't bothered with those lurking in the shadows. Even if there were other rank sixes, so what? Shisha roared once more: "Is there truly no one else?! Do you think you can escape?!" The Sword Venerable ignored him and thrust his sword straight forward! Sword qi pierced the heavens! *Kill them first, talk later!* Four against four. Even if Li Hao had a tough time tangling with one... it was still enough! It was far better than he had anticipated. He had originally prepared to fight four or five by himself; now, it was one-on-one! He took on Shisha directly! Meanwhile, Kongji was feeling somewhat irked. He looked calm on the surface, but anger boiled inside him. *I, Kongji, haven't killed a single rank six yet, and Li Hao even snatched the first kill! Never mind that it was a rogue cultivator; a rank six is still a rank six.* *Doesn't this make me look thoroughly incompetent?!* In an instant, the Quiescence Realm expanded once more, enveloping two rank sixes inside. He barked at Yan Fang, "Go help Haoyue!" *Don't come over to my side!* *This divine son is fighting two-on-one today!* Yan Fang paused, but without another word, he charged toward Li Hao. Since this Bright Light Divine Son wanted face and insisted on taking on two at once... then let him fight two! Yan Fang was also a top-tier Sovereign of Senlan, fighting on his home ground, and his battle prowess was formidable. Before he even arrived, a shadowy arrow whistled through the air, streaking straight toward the rank six Sovereign tangled with Li Hao! A powerful aura swept across the area. "Kill!" The grand melee erupted completely. Yet the most miserable among them was not Li Hao's opponent, but Shisha, the peak rank six. Though both were at the peak of rank six and both wielded swords, the very first clash resulted in a deafening boom—and Shisha's arm was severed clean off! It was terrifyingly overwhelming! The Sword Venerable's blade was exceedingly fierce. In a single exchange, Shisha fell completely into a disadvantage. Being a peak rank six of a great world didn't seem to help him in the slightest. Yet the Sword Venerable was dissatisfied. *Damn it, he's surprisingly tough!* *One slash didn't kill him, only lopped off an arm. For me... this makes me look rather useless!* Li Hao could fight above his rank to kill a rank six. Kongji was fighting one against two. As for himself... earlier, he had launched an ambush to kill two, and now in a direct frontal confrontation, he actually failed to kill his opponent in one strike. *This makes me look pathetic!* For a moment, all three of them shared the exact same thought. *If this continues, I'll look utterly incompetent.* *Humiliating!* Furious, Kongji hardened his resolve. Having consumed a massive amount of energy earlier, he watched the Sword Venerable still brimming with vigor... Suddenly, gritting his teeth, he glanced at the Sword Venerable, then at Li Hao, feeling a faint pang of guilt. Yet within a single heartbeat, he made his decision. The small flower before him vanished directly into his mouth. With a gulp, it was gone. He had promised to save it for the Sword Venerable... Yet in this moment, his thought was: at worst, Li Hao could reverse time once. Though the price was steep... hadn't Li Hao survived even fiercer tribulation lightning before? What did it matter? *If I don't kill a rank six today, I will never get over this hurdle in my heart!* In a split second, all his aura surged back to its absolute peak. "Quiescence!" With a ferocious bellow, the gentle, refined divine son went somewhat berserk. He pointed a finger, shattering the void. The power of quiescence blanketed the surroundings, thoroughly engulfing both rank six Sovereigns! With a slight pause in their movements, Kongji seized the opening. Just as everyone expected him to unleash a slaughter, a medium-tier world suddenly materialized in his palm. The world expanded, enveloping both enemies. Under their horrified gazes—*Boom!* The world detonated! Yet everything remained trapped within the Quiescence Realm, and in an instant, the world collapsed into absolute silence! Li Hao glanced sideways... *Holy shit!* *What are you doing?!* *Not only did you eat the flower, you blew up a whole world?! Even a wealthy second generation shouldn't squander resources like this!* Just as the thought surfaced, another object appeared in Kongji's hand. A surge of powerful Bright Light energy instantly welled up across his form. His Bright Light power had been almost completely exhausted, yet at this moment, it was fully restored. The radiant light swept over the entire domain in a flash. In the next instant, a dark sun manifested! The fusion of light and dark! Inside the Quiescence Realm, the two Red Moon Sovereigns had just survived a major annihilation and were heavily injured. In the next breath, the fusion of light and dark detonated silently, sweeping over them! The Great Dao power across their bodies was depleted by half in the blink of an eye. Forcing an eruption of energy, they barely managed to resist, but both suffered severe Great Dao wounds, their eyes wide with sheer terror! The scion of a rank eight was indeed monstrous. Kongji had also expended a great deal of energy. At this moment, a surge of death energy welled up. He struck with a Death Finger! With a deafening roar, the Quiescence Realm shattered, and the two rank sixes exploded with a thunderous blast, their physical bodies pulverized as death swept over them! However... rank sixes from a great world were indeed remarkably resilient—they still hadn't died! Kongji was nearly driven mad with rage! *Still not dead?!* *If they don't die now, the Sword Venerable will finish his guy and come steal my kills!* He had even eaten the flower meant for the Sword Venerable, yet he still hadn't finished them off. This was far too humiliating! A wealthy second-generation had his pride too, especially in front of people like Li Hao and the Sword Venerable—he refused to be outdone! "Six Paths of Reincarnation!" With an enraged bellow, he no longer cared that his six paths were not yet perfected. These six paths were the primary paths he cultivated. Light and darkness both surfaced. *Six Paths of Reincarnation!* A long river vaguely took shape. Though it was not a true Great Dao river, it carried some of the river's essence. Within it, quiescence, death, and darkness instantly enveloped the two foes. In an instant, they were reduced to withered skeletons! Kongji's face turned pale, but he ignored it and roared fiercely, "Reincarnate!" *Boom!* The enemies' Great Dao seemed to be severed in an instant. From withered skeletons, they entered a state of quiescent death in a single breath, unable to mount even the slightest resistance. In an instant, the two rank six Sovereigns both transformed into infants... A dazed look appeared in their eyes. In the next moment, boundless vitality was siphoned away, and the light in their eyes gradually faded. Bright light suddenly enveloped them, and a great sun appeared, warm as a mother's womb. Bathed in the sunlight, the two rank sixes seemed to melt away, gradually turning into pools of thick sludge under the radiance! Their Great Dao marks detonated with a thunderous crash in a single instant! Panting heavily, Kongji straightened his back and surveyed the battlefield, his face brimming with pride! *I, Kongji, am no nobody either!* *Today, Li Hao defied the natural order as a rank four to slay a rank six, and the Sword Venerable killed rank sixes with a single strike. I, Kongji, fought one against two and slaughtered them just the same!* He struck a majestic pose... but nobody was paying attention. No one had the luxury of looking! At that moment, the Sword Venerable brought his sword down with an earth-shattering boom, smashing Sovereign Shisha into fragments. The Sword Venerable let out an enraged roar: "Sever Longevity!" *Damn it, I've lost all face!* He hadn't looked, but he had sensed it: Kongji had killed two rank sixes, yet he still hadn't killed Shisha. It was utterly humiliating. *One Sword to Sever Longevity!* *Boom!* A deafening explosion rang between heaven and earth. With a shrill scream, Shisha was directly blasted into dust. His Great Dao mark surfaced for a fleeting instant before shattering completely, wiped out by the sword intent. At the same time, Li Hao wore a solemn expression, as though surrounded by myriad worlds. The Great Dao Book materialized, and the long sword in his hand transformed directly into a Great Dao river. He murmured softly: "Please step into my River of Ten Thousand Daos; Time, once gone, never returns!" Time manifested, reversing the cosmos! The river froze, and the world trembled! There was no strict need to use Time; he could have simply waited a moment. But... who didn't care about saving face? Killing a lone rogue rank six hadn't earned him any respect from Kongji or the Sword Venerable; they acted as if they were showing off right in front of him. Li Hao felt thoroughly embarrassed. These days, who didn't keep a few trump cards up their sleeve? The Time Star surfaced! The world froze in place. The rank six Sovereign seemed to go momentarily blank, swept directly into the river. Myriad worlds pressed down; the Great Dao emerged like chains, binding and suppressing him. In the next instant, the domains pulled apart! *Boom!* Like being drawn and quartered by five horses, the rank six Sovereign's body was torn apart in sheer terror. Just as Li Hao was about to deliver the lethal blow, a thunderous explosion erupted! Yan Fang slapped down a palm, the Myriad Manifestations of Senluo manifesting like hell itself. With a series of roaring booms, he crushed the enemy's red moon into oblivion! "Yan Fang!" Li Hao shouted in fury, genuinely irritated! Yan Fang froze, glancing sideways... In the next moment, an awkward look crossed his face. He had charged over just in time to see the enemy's body blasted apart by Li Hao. Since he was already there, he had naturally followed through with a strike without overthinking it. Yet looking at Li Hao and hearing that tone, he realized he seemed to have... done something rather tactless: he had snatched the kill of this genius who had fought above his rank. Not far away, Kongji exhaled a sigh of relief, a sudden grin spreading across his face. *Nice! Yan Fang did a splendid job.* *Otherwise... Li Hao would have had two rank six heads to his name. Now, hahaha, I have two, he has one, and the Sword Venerable has three... This matches the proper hierarchy!* Over on the other side, the Sword Venerable also quietly let out a breath. *Fuck!* *I almost lost face in front of these juniors. Fortunately, the rank four Li Hao didn't actually secure a second kill... Even though he practically did, on paper he didn't!* In just a few brief breaths, following Yan Fang's entry into the fray, a rank six had been slain in an instant—at least in the eyes of outsiders. In the blink of an eye... all seven rank sixes had been wiped clean out! In the distance within the Senlan realm, several auras fluctuated briefly. Those who had originally contemplated intervening instantly concealed their presence in sheer terror. They hadn't even had time to join the battle. Even though they had heard Shisha's cries, everything had unfolded too fast! No one had expected seven rank sixes to be slaughtered in an instant! *What kind of monsters are these people?!* *Are the Xinwu powerhouses truly this terrifying?!* *** At that very moment, outside the realm. The Senlan World Lord's expression shifted, while opposite him, Sovereign Aihong froze, completely stunned. In that single instant... earlier, only two Sovereigns had died, but suddenly he felt the Great Dao fluctuations—everyone was dead, even a peak rank six like Shisha! *This... could never have been done by Senlan people alone.* *The Sword Venerable!* In an instant, he knew who had struck. "Bastard! You dare collude with Xinwu?!" He was utterly enraged, but also gripped by a trace of fear. *Is there a Xinwu rank seven nearby?!* Before he could strike, the Senlan World Lord's expression shifted. Li Hao and his group were even more formidable, swift, and powerful than expected, slaying seven rank sixes in an instant! At this moment, boundless Great Dao power surged into the Great Dao universe. He had already been just half a step away from entering rank seven! Now, his aura surged violently, and the entire Senlan World shook uncontrollably. A colossal aura erupted from his body as the Senlan Great Dao universe and the Senlan World began to overlap! He was about to step into rank seven! Aihong's expression warped drastically! If the Senlan World Lord attained rank seven, it would spell disaster. Backed by a great world and possessing the strength of a rank seven, there would be zero hope for Aihong to subdue him. He wanted to step forward and interrupt, but at this moment, the entire world, the entire chaos, seemed to tremble violently! The Senlan Great Dao universe expanded madly, sweeping across heaven and earth! The Senlan World Lord's aura skyrocketed furiously, the terrifying might rippling in all directions. A colossal phantom materialized between heaven and earth, and the Senlan World itself expanded! The phantom of a universe appeared between his brows. A look of joy and excitement surfaced on the Senlan World Lord's face. *So many years!* In the past, when the Senlan Dao Master was alive, he had no hope of merging with the Great Dao universe; peak rank six had seemed to be the ceiling of his life. Now, barely two years after the Senlan Dao Master's demise, he was officially stepping into rank seven! That overwhelmingly mighty aura felt invincible under the heavens. With the surging energy, the Great Dao universe expanding, and the world itself growing, the Senlan World Lord briefly felt a swell of arrogance... *I can match anyone!* *Invincible under the heavens!* Of course, he knew this was an illusion. Yet he firmly believed that having stepped into rank seven with a great world under his command, things would never be as they were before. Senlan would no longer be a frail domain that others could enter at will! Even against a rank eight Sovereign, though he might not be a match, the other side would find it far from easy to crush him. At this moment, he even briefly contemplated breaking his agreement with Li Hao and the others. *Why must I merge into Red Moon?* *If I capture the Sword Venerable and the others and hand them over to Red Moon, could that buy Red Moon's forgiveness? Whether we continue an alliance or something else, wouldn't it be better than merging into Red Moon?* *Though that Silver Moon King seems to have a scheme... he's a mere rank four. If his plan fails, wouldn't I truly end up being absorbed by Red Moon?* Such thoughts flashed frantically through his mind! Yet in the next moment... he remembered something. *The Lord of Bright Light, the Xinwu Human King!* Yes, those figures were by no means benevolent folks either. Red Moon, on the other hand, was like the sun setting over the western mountains. Suffering heavy losses time and again, to the point where even a junior like the Silver Moon King dared to plot against them... *If I dare capture these people today and deliver them to Red Moon, perhaps Senlan will be destroyed even faster.* *Red Moon doesn't know where Xinwu is, but do I?* *Perhaps they are lurking right nearby!* In an instant, he regained his senses. *I cannot do that!* Not out of honor, and not because these youngsters were geniuses, but because... these people were not without formidable backers. He could not make such a move; otherwise, he would be hunted down and killed sooner or later! With these thoughts flashing by, he barked coldly, "Aihong, why haven't you scrammed yet?!" *Boom!* A terrifying aura erupted in an instant! Sovereign Aihong was enraged! Yet he felt a sense of powerlessness—a feeling of furious impotence. His opponent had reached rank seven. *Damn it, I have no hope of taking him down!* Not only that, Shisha and the others were dead. The World Lord had sent him precisely to guard against any mishaps. Yet... *Damn it all!* Just as his fury peaked, the void fluctuated. At this moment, the Lord of Red Moon sensed everything as well. He sensed that the Senlan World Lord had entered rank seven, and that all the other Sovereigns had been slain! Yet Xinwu... still had not appeared. The ones who killed Shisha and his group had to be the Sword Venerable and his cohorts. He had failed to wait out Xinwu, but he had discovered the Sword Venerable, the Silver Moon King, and the Bright Light Divine Son! *Perhaps... this is enough!* Aihong had not been ambushed; perhaps... Xinwu truly was not nearby. With that conviction, a terrifyingly vast will swept across heaven and earth. The chaos recoiled, fissures appearing across the void, and the looming silhouette of the Lord of Red Moon vaguely manifested between heaven and earth! *The Sword Venerable and his group, along with the Senlan World Lord... Since Xinwu is not here, I will take all of them down!* At this moment, how could he still care about whether the Red Moon homeland might be attacked? *Perhaps I was merely scaring myself.* The Senlan World Lord's expression twisted drastically. *Damn it, the Lord of Red Moon has truly lost his mind! If Xinwu is lurking nearby, with Aihong here and him here as well... wouldn't Red Moon be finished?!* *This Lord of Red Moon is actually such an immense gambler! Doesn't he fear his home base being raided?!* Aihong was taken aback as well. In the next moment, he felt a surge of excitement mixed with deep worry. The World Lord had arrived, but right now, there wasn't a single high-rank Sovereign left guarding their home realm! *** "Huh?!" Li Hao and the others also blanched! *Is he insane?!* The Sword Venerable sensed it too. Sucking in a cold breath, he cursed vehemently: "Fuck!" *What a pity!* At this moment, if Xinwu were truly nearby, with the Lord of Red Moon arriving in person, as long as the Senlan World Lord had the guts to entangle him for a few moments, Xinwu could blast the entire Red Moon homeland to pieces! *What a colossal pity!* Such an opportunity was once-in-a-million-years! He didn't even stop to consider his own safety, swallowed entirely by profound regret. If the Cang Emperor or the Human King were present to see this opening, they wouldn't even need to worry about the three of them—they could charge straight for Red Moon's nest and make the Lord of Red Moon weep bitter tears! Li Hao, however, had no leisure to dwell on that. Whether Xinwu was present or not did not change the lethal peril they were in. *Major trouble!* He hadn't anticipated that both high-rank Sovereigns from Red Moon would show up here. He could only shout in a low voice, "Quick! Sword Venerable, you handle that rank seven... let the Senlan World Lord hold off the rank eight for an instant..." This was truly immense trouble! Though he had arranged everything meticulously... the problem was that the enemy hadn't followed the script; both high-rank Sovereigns had mobilized. In a flash, the trio appeared near the world gate. The three rank four Sovereigns originally guarding this spot had already been slaughtered by the Senlan Sovereigns. However, the remaining Senlan Sovereigns all looked deathly pale. Outside the realm, two high-rank Sovereigns of Red Moon had appeared, and even the rank eight had arrived in person. The excitement from their World Lord's breakthrough instantly turned into utter panic. *We're finished!* *Both rank seven and rank eight are here!* Li Hao and his companions said nothing, shooting straight out of the realm in a single burst. They could not linger here a moment longer. The three gathered together in an instant. In the distance, the Lord of Red Moon glanced at the trio, then at the Senlan World Lord. His expression was cold and indifferent. Without a word, he turned, preparing to stride across the void and seize the three juniors directly! Capturing the Silver Moon King served the exact same purpose. Once he located the Silver Moon World, he could deduce Xinwu's whereabouts; Xinwu would have nowhere to hide! The Senlan World Lord's expression shifted repeatedly! *What do I do?* According to the original plan, he was supposed to resist and stall the enemy. But... Aihong was here as well! Even if he took action, Aihong would block him, allowing the Lord of Red Moon to capture them unimpeded. Furthermore, striking now... might invite devastating retaliation! *What should I do?!* Fleeing in haste, Li Hao and his two companions felt a lethal crisis bearing down upon them. Even the Sword Venerable's face turned pale. *This game went too far!* If the Senlan World Lord did not intervene... with a rank eight coming in person to capture them, let alone the Sword Venerable, even if the Human King were here, he might not be able to match this rank eight Sovereign. If the Human King could win, he would have eliminated this opponent long ago. "Boost me! Reversal! Let's unleash seven or eight sword strikes..." At this moment, even if Er Mao and the others appeared over there, it might not help, because the Lord of Red Moon had his hands completely free and might force an aggressive assault. Therefore, Li Hao had not signaled Er Mao and the others to act. *They cannot strike!* Otherwise, they might all be wiped out in one fell swoop. Right now, only by continuously empowering the Sword Venerable did they stand a chance of escape... a very slim chance. If the Senlan World Lord didn't act... they were doomed this time! The simultaneous appearance of two high-rank Sovereigns had caught everyone off guard. Just as the three wore resolute expressions, preparing to turn and fight while fleeing, the Senlan World Lord's eyes shifted back and forth in the rear. Whether to act or not had become his ultimate crossroads. If he struck, he would thoroughly offend Red Moon. If he didn't... and the Xinwu Sword Venerable and Silver Moon King died here, Xinwu would never let the matter rest! And if the Bright Light Divine Son died here... could the Lord of Bright Light let it slide? In the next instant, he made his choice. With a furious roar, the world behind him merged into one. A tremendous aura swept across heaven and earth! "Hold it!" "Lord of Red Moon, you launch a forced assault on my Senlan—are you not going to give me an explanation?!" A fist blasted forth, shattering the chaotic void! Aihong was utterly dumbfounded! *I am here, and... my Lord is here as well! You... you still dare to strike?!* *You are merely a freshly advanced rank seven!* *Have you lost your mind?!* *Has the Senlan World Lord gone completely mad?!* At that moment, several auras surfaced in the distance—the masters of several great worlds from other directions. All of them were sensing this location, and all of them were left completely wide-eyed! *Mad! He has truly gone mad!* The Senlan World Lord roared violently: "You two have great audacity to both come here! Have you abandoned the Red Moon homeland?! If Xinwu arrives, or if three great worlds join forces to swallow Red Moon, what will you use to stop them?!" In the surrounding chaos, the three great worlds trembled slightly. The Lord of Red Moon... was no longer at Red Moon! Aihong was not there either. Right now... right now... if someone were bold enough, and if this madman, the Senlan World Lord, could stall him for a while, while they blasted the Red Moon homeland to pieces and swallowed the entire Red Moon... would they have a chance of attaining rank eight?! The Lord of Red Moon's expression changed slightly! Just as Li Hao and his group had not expected both Sovereigns of Red Moon to arrive here, he had not expected that under these circumstances, the Senlan World Lord would still have the audacity to attack him. Such was war—always unpredictable! He had not imagined that a freshly advanced upstart would truly be this brazen! A powerful aura erupted from the rear! Because Aihong had not anticipated it, he failed to block in time. Though the Lord of Red Moon was a rank eight Sovereign, he was not on his home ground after all. His expression darkened as he turned back toward the Senlan World Lord, and in an instant, a crimson moon manifested! "You seek death!" A cold bark resounded through the chaos. *Boom!* The red moon blanketed heaven and earth. The Great Dao universe above the Senlan World Lord's head surfaced instantly. With a colossal boom, the Great Dao universe shuddered violently, and the entire Senlan domain went into frantic convulsions! Mountains collapsed and the earth split! Right at this moment, Li Hao's expression shifted as well. *He actually dared to strike...* To tell the truth, the Senlan World Lord had exceeded Li Hao's expectations. He knew the Senlan World Lord was no saint, but an ambitious schemer... Thus, had the man refused to strike, Li Hao wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest; it would have been entirely normal. Yet... he had struck! That made the fellow rather extraordinary! In the next instant, Li Hao's Great Dao aura fluctuated slightly. Far in the distance, a Great Dao Book suddenly manifested, bearing myriad worlds. Amidst the unfolding worlds, a colossal cat appeared between heaven and earth. The Supreme's voice rang out, laced with a faint chuckle, booming across the expanse: "Yueming, Cangjiang, Tianlan! I shall hold off these two Red Moon scoundrels! Attack Red Moon directly! Once Red Moon collapses and Xinwu slays these two, your merits will certainly be remembered! Xinwu clearly distinguishes gratitude from grudge! Hahaha, I originally sought only to seize the Red Moon realm, but today, heaven aids me—perhaps we can slay the Lord of Red Moon!" "Meow... eat fish!" A voice resembling the Cang Emperor rang out. In the distant, illusory expanse, encircled by a Great Dao river, a world detonated directly inside Er Mao's body, unleashing a burst of world power! *Xinwu is here!* In that single instant, whether it was the Lord of Red Moon, Aihong, the Senlan World Lord... or the Sovereigns of the three distant great worlds, all were stunned. *Xinwu!* *They... are truly here!* The Sword Venerable was overjoyed. Suddenly turning back to face the Lord of Red Moon, he laughed boisterously: "Kill him!" In an instant, sword intent surged. Li Hao reversed time, no longer holding anything back. Kongji went completely mad as well, swiftly condensing a small flower, just as they had coordinated to slay Sovereign Xingshen... Though all three knew this Xinwu was a fake, at this moment, they could not run! If they fled, he wouldn't be the Xinwu Sword Venerable! The long sword in the Sword Venerable's hand materialized, sword intent layering upon sword intent! In just a breath: one strike, two strikes, three strikes, four strikes! This time, Li Hao threw in every ounce of strength he had. Compared to last time, all three had made progress. With four strikes layered, an incomparably terrifying sword intent manifested. The Sword Venerable laughed aloud: "Today, the Longevity Swordsman slays a rank eight, and the chaos shall celebrate for me!" A heaven-piercing sword slashed straight toward the Lord of Red Moon! The horrifying sword intent made even Aihong shudder in dread. The Lord of Red Moon threw a punch, forcing back the Senlan World Lord, his expression shifting drastically! *Not good!* *Xinwu has come!* *Damn it!* *I gambled that they weren't nearby...* If they entangled him here, and the Sovereigns of the three great worlds truly launched an all-out assault on the homeland, he would be in deep trouble. Without another word, he instantly tore the sky asunder, ripping open the void as his Great Dao universe manifested! "Aihong!" With a low roar, Sovereign Aihong startled, instantly understanding. He plunged directly into the Great Dao universe. Before the enemies could close in, the Lord of Red Moon opened his Great Dao universe, the Dao vibrating violently! He forcibly teleported Sovereign Aihong back! Far away, the Red Moon World rippled. In the next moment, Sovereign Aihong emerged, roaring furiously: "All Sovereigns, assemble!" Instantly, numerous Sovereigns in the Red Moon World gathered in absolute terror! *We're finished!* *Xinwu is invading!* Meanwhile, the Lord of Red Moon wore a grim expression. Now that Aihong had returned, the masters of the three great worlds would certainly not dare attack recklessly. He only had to deal with the group before him. Yet... this was still very troublesome! The Senlan World Lord was rank seven, the Sword Venerable was displaying rank seven might, the Cang Emperor was over there, and if the Human King's power was borrowed, along with the Yang God lurking who knew where and the mysterious depth of the Xinwu Supreme... His expression had already warped. *Perhaps I should retreat as well, returning to Red Moon to defend!* Yet he felt deeply unwilling! Red Moon was supposed to be the aggressor. Now that he had encountered Xinwu—the very Xinwu he had been searching for—if he retreated on his own initiative, wouldn't he become a laughingstock? No matter what, he had to test Xinwu's strength! Their peak battle power! *Boom!* The collision between the sword intent and the red moon shattered the sword intent, while the red moon trembled slightly. Even with four strikes layered into overwhelming might, the Sword Venerable could not match him. From behind, the Senlan World Lord did not know if this was real or fake, but he could no longer afford to hesitate! *Strike!* *Boom!* The Senlan Great Dao erupted with the Myriad Manifestations of Senluo! At the same time, the first choice of the other three great worlds was neither to attack Red Moon nor to rush over to assist. Instead... they rapidly moved their great worlds away! *Perhaps we should run!* If they helped Red Moon now and Xinwu won, they would be slaughtered. Yet if they didn't help Red Moon... could they truly attack the Red Moon Great World? Earlier they had entertained the thought, but now that Aihong had returned to oversee Red Moon, commanding dozens of Sovereigns to anchor the world, it would not be easy to breach. They had only dared to consider it before his return. "Do you truly think a rank eight is so easy to kill?!" The Lord of Red Moon bellowed. The power of the red moon manifested, suppressing heaven and earth, dyeing the chaotic void crimson! A colossal force swept across all four directions! *Boom!* A deafening explosion rang out. The immense Great Dao power battered the trio—the Sword Venerable, Li Hao, and Kongji—causing their physical bodies to crack simultaneously. Operating with flawless coordination, the three appeared to be blasted backward by the impact, crashing through the void so violently that the chaos fractured. Flying backward, the trio fled straight toward the "Xinwu" forces! The Lord of Red Moon did not pursue them; he had to suppress the Senlan World Lord first. Once he subdued this traitor, he could concentrate his full strength to clash with Xinwu when they arrived. The trio fleeing actually suited his intentions. He erupted with wild abandon, pressing down with his red moon! *Boom!* The Senlan World Lord's Dao fluctuated violently, and shock surged through his heart. *A rank eight is terrifyingly strong!* No wonder rank eights were the true overlords of the chaos! On his own home turf, within his Senlan realm, he was thoroughly suppressed by a single red moon from the opponent! He instantly spat out a mouthful of black blood, his physical body cracking apart. Glancing toward Li Hao and the others... if Xinwu truly charged over, they might actually have a shot at taking down the Lord of Red Moon! Yet in that single instant, he caught sight of something. Far away, the fleeing trio seemed to sense his gaze. Li Hao gave a slight wave of his hand, as if gesturing... *Goodbye!* The Senlan World Lord's heart skipped a beat! In the next breath, realization struck him like a bolt of lightning: *Fuck! I... might have overthought this.* His face drained of color as he watched those few rendezvous with "Xinwu"... while the Lord of Red Moon was pummeling him with reckless abandon. His expression shifted rapidly, and he hurriedly bellowed: "I am willing to surrender!" "..." The Lord of Red Moon was taken aback. The Senlan World Lord had fought with such madness that he had assumed this fellow had formed a solid alliance with Xinwu and Bright Light to wipe out Red Moon today! *And now... what is this?* *He's willing to surrender?!* The Senlan World Lord roared again: "I am willing to submit to Red Moon! I merely resented being invaded, but Xinwu is my Senlan's mortal enemy! Senlan would never collude with Xinwu! If the Red Moon Sovereign does not believe me, my Senlan is willing to merge our realm into Red Moon! Slay the Xinwu powerhouses! Slay the Xinwu Human King to avenge our Senlan Dao Master!" *Merge the realms?!* The Sovereigns fleeing with their three great worlds were all dumbstruck. *Just moments ago... you were fighting so fiercely that we all thought you were in cahoots with Xinwu to destroy Red Moon today! What in the world do you mean?!* *Suddenly you turn around and want to kill Xinwu people?!* As strong as the Lord of Red Moon was, he too was caught off guard by this abrupt turn of events! To be frank, he hadn't believed the Senlan World Lord when the man suddenly struck, nor when he suddenly surrendered. But... the fellow was offering to directly merge his realm... That carried immense credibility! Before he could think further, the Senlan World Lord suddenly unveiled his Great Dao universe, opening a breach, and shouted, "I beseech the Red Moon Sovereign to swiftly refine my Senlan realm! Slay the Xinwu Human King and avenge our Senlan!" "..." He had offered up his Great Dao universe directly! A rank seven Sovereign and world lord exposing his core origin so openly—such a surrender was absolute! The Lord of Red Moon had never expected such a twist... but this opportunity was simply too rare. Especially with Xinwu lurking right nearby. His expression shifted slightly before settling into calm. "Senlan World Lord, merging with my Red Moon is undeniably the wisest choice for Senlan! Red Moon will never mistreat anyone from Senlan!" With those words, he wasted no time on pleasantries. The meat was right in front of his eyes—how could he not eat it? He instantly manifested his Great Dao universe, a star surfacing and plunging straight into the Senlan universe. At this moment, every second counted to swiftly assimilate a rank seven universe! Even he felt that everything was going astonishingly smoothly! *Heaven aids me!* The Xinwu Human King had killed the Senlan Dao Master. He had thought the Senlan World Lord would be secretly pleased, yet... the man actually harbored a deep grudge! At this critical juncture, he had abandoned all resistance and voluntarily merged into Red Moon! *Heaven is on my side! It seems even the chaos does not want Xinwu to succeed!* A smile broke across his face! A formidable power instantly swept across heaven and earth as the Lord of Red Moon's laughter boomed: "Cang Emperor, those who follow the Dao find abundant support, while those who stray find none! Your Xinwu has acted arrogantly, slaughtering Sovereigns across all quarters. Today, the backlash has finally arrived!" Had the Xinwu Human King not killed the Senlan Dao Master, how could he have absorbed a rank seven great world so effortlessly? In the distance, Er Mao—having converged with Li Hao and the others—bellowed with a voice just as grand: "Foolish creature! Senlan, you actually surrendered an independent world to merge into a cesspool like Red Moon... How foolish!" With that, the gigantic cat turned and fled directly. The Lord of Red Moon frowned slightly. *Did these fellows give up on fighting me?* He was inclined to pursue and clash with them... but right now, he was rapidly assimilating the Senlan World. If he launched an attack now, it would destabilize the world and disrupt the integration. *Shouldn't the Xinwu people, according to rumors, attack right now to stop me from refining a rank seven Great Dao universe?* *Bizarre!* Of course, he had no time to ponder that. Refining Senlan was the priority. A rank seven universe would allow him to immediately recover a substantial amount of strength. Furthermore, with the Senlan World Lord joining Red Moon as its second rank seven Sovereign alongside Aihong, he would possess two rank sevens holding the fort. Once refined, he could take the initiative to hunt them down! With this thought in mind, he abandoned the idea of pursuing. Yet at that very moment, a Sovereign suddenly emerged from within the Senlan World. Filled with rage and panic, he shouted frantically, "Wait... I'm still here!" *Who is this?* The Lord of Red Moon was taken aback. The man seemed gripped by boundless terror, trembling from head to toe. Suddenly, he fell directly to his knees upon the world barrier, his terrified expression astonishing countless Sovereigns. *This...* "Lord Red Moon, it's an illusion!" the man bellowed. "It's a diversion! That's not the Xinwu Cang Emperor; it's merely a projected cat from the Silver Moon World that resembles the Cang Emperor! That's not the Supreme either; that's the Supreme's grandson! They tricked you! They are trying to escape—Xinwu isn't anywhere near here at all!" The man's face was deathly pale. "I... I am Xinwu's King Huai! We agreed to withdraw together... but I'm still here, and they ran away!" Shivering uncontrollably, he remained prostrated on the ground, groveling in the chaos: "I am Xinwu's King Huai... No, I'm not anymore! Lord Red Moon, the only truly powerful one among them is the Sword Venerable, the Longevity Sword! They were the ones who killed Sovereign Xingshen earlier! Because they thought I and the other rogue cultivators were too weak, they had us hide temporarily in Senlan to await an opportunity... but Senlan... Senlan merged with Red Moon!" It seemed Senlan's merger with Red Moon had plunged him into the shadow of mortal peril. At this moment, King Huai discarded all the dignity of a Sovereign, prostrating himself on the ground in violent tremors: "They are all fakes! The Xinwu homeland isn't anywhere near here! The Supreme has a grand plan, and the Human King has a grand plan too! Their target... isn't the Red Moon homeland; they're only tying down Red Moon! It seems... they might be laying out a scheme in Tianfang! I'm not entirely sure, but I know that Sovereign Wushan's killing of the Red Moon Sovereign was done under an agreement with the Silver Moon King Li Hao! They're in league with one another, laying out a game in Tianfang..." The Lord of Red Moon's expression warped! *Fakes?!* *King Huai?* *The number one coward of Xinwu, King Huai?!* *Are these words true or false?!* In the next instant, he couldn't afford to hesitate. He shifted across the void to the distance, but those figures seemed to have vanished completely. His eyes widened, and fury erupted! *I... was duped!* *Damn it!* *Bastards!* *Where are they?!* His speed was blinding, yet within the blink of an eye, those people had vanished without a trace. *** Meanwhile, the Senlan World Lord stared at King Huai prostrating on the ground, momentarily dazed. *Did he truly betray Xinwu, or... is this an act?!* He couldn't tell! Even the most cowardly Sovereign possessed the dignity of a Sovereign. Even if one surrendered, one would never be this... servile! Like an ant, completely devoid of any pride. He had heard of Xinwu's King Huai, famous for clinging to life and fearing death. But... could someone truly be cowardly to this extreme? As King Huai groveled on the ground, trembling all over, two Sovereigns materialized behind him with complex expressions: Mo and Chanxiu! They stared at King Huai, utterly lost. *Did this man truly betray Li Hao and the others?* Even they didn't know! They could genuinely feel King Huai's terror, his servility, his resentment... It was as though Li Hao abandoning them had completely crushed his will to fight. A Sovereign, under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, kneeling and shivering on the ground. Even rogue cultivators would never sink to such depths! Mo and Chanxiu remained silent. They feared death as well, and as rogue cultivators, surrendering to the strong was as routine as drinking water. But... to kneel and grovel like this before billions of living beings and numerous world lords... they could not accept it! A Sovereign, after all, retained a shred of pride! King Huai ignored everyone's gaze, keeping his head lowered, prostrating in terror, his eyes filled with dread and panic... Just like in the old days! He was born a slave! He had crawled his way up step by step to become a Sovereign. In that terrifying realm of Xinwu, he had survived all the way to this day, outlasting even men like Tianji. Naturally, he had his own way of surviving! A moment later, the Lord of Red Moon reappeared. He stared coldly at the group, gave the Senlan World Lord a slight nod, and then shifted his gaze to King Huai, his eyes flickering with cold suspicion. "Why were they able to flee so quickly?" King Huai shivered. "Most... most likely they prepared in advance, tunneling through the chaos! I don't know how they did it; I only know the Human King and the Sword Venerable are experts in this path. Many Xinwu powerhouses know how to do it—they can open a secondary space within the chaos!" *How could that be?!* In the next instant, understanding struck the Lord of Red Moon, and his expression shifted. *The embryonic form of a world! So the Sword Venerable is indeed on the verge of entering rank seven!* *No wonder they vanished in an instant!* Glancing at King Huai again, his gaze turned icy. "Stand up!" King Huai staggered to his feet, his face filled with dread. "Please don't kill me, Lord Red Moon! I know many Xinwu secrets! I know countless things! I have already merged with the Senlan Dao, and Senlan has joined Red Moon, so I am part of Red Moon now! I will never betray you..." With that, he suddenly turned and pointed at Chanxiu and Mo: "They... they are subordinates recruited by the Silver Moon King Li Hao! They are mere rogue cultivators who know no secrets! My Lord can execute them to consecrate the banner and intimidate Xinwu..." The Lord of Red Moon snorted coldly! *Executing two ignorant rogue cultivators to intimidate Xinwu... are you out of your mind?!* Chanxiu and Mo's expressions shifted rapidly. At this moment, they said nothing, merely lowering their heads in unease and dread, while cursing violently in their hearts: *King Huai... might truly have betrayed them!* *Damn it! Is this a Xinwu man?!* *Fuck!* The two felt helpless and unsettled. Wasn't it said that Xinwu people would self-detonate rather than surrender? Even if this was an act... could anyone act this convincingly?! Little did they know that the claim that they were "mere rogue cultivators who know no secrets" had actually saved their lives! They were just rogue cultivators who knew nothing, and now they were effectively absorbed into Red Moon. What would be the point of killing them? King Huai's ability, despite being a mere rank two, to preserve his life through countless mortal perils was something ordinary Sovereigns could never truly comprehend.