Returning to Tianfang

Within the chaotic void. The party fled continuously, hiding in burrowed hollows one after another. Only when the coast was clear would they slip out and move to the next refuge. Digging tunnels through the chaos proved its true worth in moments like this. Inside one of the subterranean cavities, the group stayed deathly silent, none of them daring to breathe loudly. Today had been thrilling. They had directly confronted a rank eight Sovereign! Li Hao, Kongji, and the Sword Venerable remained utterly quiet, lost in their own thoughts. Many considerations weighed on Li Hao's mind. In the end, several unexpected variables had disrupted their plan, the greatest being that Red Moon had deployed two high-rank Sovereigns simultaneously! If the Senlan World Lord had not chosen to act at the critical juncture, they might have suffered a disastrous setback. Even when they posed as Xinwu, the Lord of Red Moon had shown every intention of fighting Xinwu head-on without backing down. Xinwu—even when ostensibly present—had failed to deter him. They had underestimated his resolve! A rank eight Sovereign was far bolder than anticipated. Because the Lord of Red Moon had previously hesitated several times before descending, Li Hao had miscalculated, assuming the enemy would definitely keep at least one high-rank Sovereign behind. Of course, the final outcome had still aligned with expectations, perhaps turning out even slightly better than projected. The worst-case scenario had been Li Hao dying once, betting that the Lord of Red Moon would not discover the secrets of life and death, leaving Li Hao the chance to reincarnate and revive. Fortunately, that drastic card had gone unplayed. At this moment, Li Hao felt another prick of concern. He worried that King Huai and the other two might buckle under the immense pressure. Yet he could only force the thought down. All three Sovereigns who had stayed behind would have to endure tremendous strain. On the bright side, the Senlan World Lord had made an exceedingly shrewd move at the final juncture. It was not a forced submission after being subdued. Rather, under conditions where he was fully capable of resisting, he had used Xinwu as a pretext to voluntarily merge into Red Moon. Not only did this defuse immediate trouble, it might even earn him a measure of trust. After a long time, hearing no disturbance from the outside world, Li Hao let out a soft breath. "Not bad." The Sword Venerable, also somewhat tense until now, nodded. "Mm. No pursuit. He's likely busy integrating Senlan. We really have to thank the Senlan World Lord for his lightning-fast reaction this time. Otherwise... things would have been thorny." At the crucial moment, their collaborator had adapted the plan on his own initiative. Had the Senlan World Lord followed the original plan and stubbornly held out, the Lord of Red Moon might not have prioritized suppressing him. Instead, he might have temporarily abandoned Senlan to crush Li Hao and the others first. That would have spelled disaster! The Sword Venerable smiled. "We killed multiple rank six Sovereigns this time. It wasn't a loss!" During this battle, the three of them had slain plenty of foes without reaping any immediate spoils—all the benefits had gone to the Senlan World Lord. Earlier, it had felt like an absolute loss! Now, however, the scales felt much more balanced. It was no loss at all. The man's actions had played a pivotal role in their overarching scheme to raid Red Moon's home base, balancing the books entirely. To the side, Er Mao cast a lazy glance over the group, then looked at Li Hao. "Nothing more to do with us, right?" He wanted to sleep! Er Mao had actually been nervous as well. Impersonating the Big Cat was no simple feat. Aura and appearance were trivial matters, but lacking the true strength behind them had made it quite terrifying. Li Hao nodded. "Senior may rest. In this operation, every person was a vital link. Without everyone, I wouldn't have possessed the audacity to provoke a rank eight. Thank you all for taking this risk and placing your trust in me!" It had been far too perilous! They had come within a hair's breadth of total annihilation. Without another word, Er Mao slipped straight back into the river. The preliminary phase was complete, but what lay ahead was the true crux. If the Lord of Red Moon refused to leave afterward... no matter how flawless the scheme was, would anyone dare enter Red Moon's native territory? Even if he did leave, he could return or descend at any moment. Unless Tianfang presented sufficient temptation and an immense commotion, why would the Lord of Red Moon depart so readily? If the plan on Tianfang's side failed to proceed smoothly... Then this entire venture would have benefited only two individuals: the Senlan World Lord and the Lord of Red Moon. No matter how many foes Li Hao and his allies had slaughtered, all of them had ultimately been devoured by the Senlan World Lord, whose power then merged into the Red Moon realm. In the grand scheme of things, Red Moon had merely lost a few rank sixes in exchange for gaining a rank seven and dozens of lower-ranking Sovereigns. It was not a loss for them at all. It would also stabilize and expand their Great Dao Universe. Once Senlan was thoroughly integrated, it might even nurture one or two new rank sevens to offset earlier casualties, offering Red Moon a swift path back to its peak. At this moment, the Sword Venerable still voiced a regret: "A pity Xinwu's main territory isn't nearby!" Li Hao had truly engineered an enormous opening. Had their own strength not fallen short, the moment the Lord of Red Moon and Sovereign Aihong both appeared would have offered a prime chance to shatter the enemy's homeworld. Even now, he felt lingering regret over the missed opportunity. Li Hao chuckled inwardly, glancing at the Sword Venerable. He himself felt no regret whatsoever. To put it bluntly, if Red Moon were truly pulverized by Xinwu, where would his Silver Moon faction go to plunder resources? Xinwu was excessively powerful and boasted far too many experts. A single Sword Venerable required astronomical resources. If Xinwu took it all, would there be any share left for Silver Moon? It was far better that Xinwu was not around. Of course, Li Hao would never say such things aloud. He simply nodded. "Indeed, it is somewhat regrettable." Without dwelling on the topic, he quickly changed the subject. "Now, everyone will remain in this vicinity while I return to Tianfang..." "I'll accompany you!" Kongji spoke up. "I probably need to communicate with my father. My identity has likely been exposed. The Lord of Red Moon will almost certainly view Bright Light as an imaginary enemy now. My father doesn't know yet, so I have to inform him in advance." This was indeed necessary. Li Hao nodded. The Sword Venerable wanted to go as well, but before he could speak, Li Hao said, "Uncle Li is too formidable and easily attracts scrutiny. It's best if you don't leave. Conceal yourself near here as much as possible so you can serve as our anchor coordinates. Once I successfully lure the Lord of Red Moon away, I may teleport over at high speed. "Therefore, Uncle Li has another vital mission: establish an anchor! Lock onto a concealed position near the Red Moon World that will allow us to descend swiftly and launch a surprise assault on Red Moon!" Upon hearing this, the Sword Venerable nodded slowly. This task was far from simple. It required locating a suitable position near the Red Moon Great World, burrowing into the chaos while evading the perception and surveillance of the Red Moon realm. Li Hao added, "There is also the matter of the three major worlds neighboring Red Moon!" Li Hao's expression turned solemn. "During this incident, the Sovereigns of those three worlds were stirring restlessly. The Lord of Red Moon must have noticed. Moving forward, he will definitely make a move—either deepening their alliance, moving against them, or driving them away! "Expelling them would be ideal. What I fear most is their alliance deepening. Uncle Li, please keep an eye on them." The Sword Venerable nodded, his demeanor turning equally serious. "True enough. Across those three worlds, there are four rank seven Sovereigns, all very close to Red Moon. They bear watching." Even the Lord of Red Moon had grown wary, fearing those figures might actually be bold enough to strike the Red Moon World. Until the threat of those three worlds was neutralized, no matter how enticing Tianfang was, the Lord of Red Moon might not necessarily leave. At the same time, another worry crossed the Sword Venerable's mind. "It will take you some time to reach Tianfang. Senlan's integration is underway... could the Senlan World Lord undergo a change of heart during this process? Red Moon's Dao is the Dao of Desire. By merging into Red Moon, he must inevitably endure that baptism, making him susceptible to its influence." Li Hao shook his head. "It's hard to say. However, his actions today were enough to earn our trust. Solely on the basis of his quick wit and his audacity in striking at a rank eight, we owe the Senlan World Lord a degree of faith." A reasonable degree of trust was essential; one could not suspect everything. Based on what had transpired today, Li Hao was willing to wager that the man would not succumb to that influence. Friends were forged through actions. Without a shred of trust, how could one ever make friends? Traveling through the chaos, one could not treat everyone as an enemy, nor could everyone be a friend. The chaos was vast; refusing to make allies would lead nowhere. Looking at their current situation, without the help of a friend like Kongji, Li Hao would never have possessed the capital to scheme against a rank eight world. Likewise, the Senlan World Lord's response today convinced Li Hao that forging alliances where appropriate was feasible. Beyond them, in the Tianfang World, there was also Wushan from the Yunxiao World, who wished to break away from Yunxiao. He, too, could become an ally. Li Hao believed that as a roamer of the Jianghu venturing abroad, making reliable friends was always beneficial. The people of Xinwu seemed averse to making friends in the chaos, but that was because Xinwu possessed absolute confidence and backing. Silver Moon had neither. To establish a foothold in the chaos, they naturally needed as many friends and as few enemies as possible. He said nothing more, unwilling to waste any time. The overall plan was only halfway through. Whether they could reap the greatest spoils depended entirely on what came next. If the next steps proceeded smoothly, that would be the true harvest. For now... they had gained virtually nothing. Not only had they reaped no rewards, but they had also depleted a good deal of their reserves. Whether himself, Kongji, or the Sword Venerable... all of them were flat broke right now. If Kongji had possessed any source of Bright Light, he wouldn't have stooped to consuming that little flower. "No time to lose! Brother Kongji, let us depart at once!" Li Hao turned toward the others. "Follow Senior Sword Venerable from here on out. Exercise caution, and obey his commands in all matters!" Turning back to the Sword Venerable, he said, "Uncle Li, I entrust them to you!" Feeling somewhat helpless, the Sword Venerable nodded. Truthfully, he was not keen on babysitting them. Though there were several of them, their individual strength was modest. Keeping them close was somewhat inconvenient. He much preferred teaming up with figures like Li Hao, who could unleash tremendous combat power at critical junctures and possessed sharp minds that constantly delivered pleasant surprises. Alas... such individuals were exceedingly rare in the chaos. In reality, Qian Wuliang and the others were not weak. They were rank three Sovereigns and Dao Lords, representing top-tier entities in the eyes of rogue cultivators. Li Hao said no more, stepping out of the hollow alongside Kongji. After scouting their surroundings, the two swiftly vanished into the void. *** Within the chaos. Kongji glanced back in the direction they had left, sending a mental transmission: "Xinwu and Red Moon are mortal enemies. To be honest, the Sword Venerable might not be unable to contact Xinwu. If he could reach them, it wouldn't just be about plundering—there would be an immense chance of working with our plan to dismantle Red Moon's home base in a single stroke!" He wondered why Li Hao had avoided mentioning this. Had it slipped his mind, or... had he intentionally bypassed it? The Sword Venerable's earlier expression of regret had carried a subtle hint of a prompt. Yet Li Hao had completely ignored the opening. "And what would we stand to gain from that?" Li Hao countered. Kongji froze slightly. Li Hao continued, "Brother Kongji, Red Moon is currently my mortal enemy—and naturally, yours as well now! Xinwu possesses an overbearing style. We are merely rank four and rank six. I am willing to lean closer to Xinwu, but in the end, we remain independent entities! "Right now, the chaos is in turmoil, and Red Moon represents a colossal foundation for us to grow stronger. By slowly shaving away and carving up Red Moon piece by piece, this massive chunk of meat can feed us for a very long time! "If Xinwu genuinely wipes it out, will there be any opportunity left for you and me? The most crucial point is... Red Moon is no longer a match for Xinwu!" Li Hao explained further, "If Red Moon still posed an existential, mortal threat to Xinwu, we should naturally call upon Xinwu without hesitation to obliterate them! However, having lost three rank seven Sovereigns in one go, Red Moon's strength has been severely crippled. They have transitioned from active invaders to defensive posture. Under these circumstances, why invite Xinwu to deal with them?" Kongji fell silent for a while before murmuring, "Yet neither you nor I possess the ability to deal with a rank eight. Forget a rank eight—we can't even handle a rank seven!" They had no means of swallowing Red Moon in a single bite. "No rush!" Li Hao smiled. "What is there to rush? As long as we can take a massive bite of meat this time, advancing to rank five will be effortless for me, and even rank six will be within reach. As for Brother Kongji, reaching the peak of rank six will be child's play, if not rank seven outright! Meanwhile, the other Sovereigns of my Silver Moon—the two Dao Lords—stand a good chance of stepping into the middle ranks. Middle-rank Dao Lords aren't weak either..." When that time came, opportunities would naturally present themselves. With that, he added, "Furthermore, there is Dao Chess!" *Dao Chess?* Kongji's heart stirred. Li Hao glanced at him. "Returning to Tianfang this time, we can seek out Dao Chess and see if we can enter it again to comprehend the Dao. I believe both of us are entirely different from before! Dao Chess is itself a rank eight Great Dao Universe... Brother Kongji, don't you lack a Great Dao Universe of your own?" Kongji froze, struck speechless for a long time! What did he mean? A tremor ran through his mind. A rank eight universe! Li Hao continued, "You might wish to pioneer your own Great Dao Universe, but even if you do, where will you find the energy to open one without sufficient reserves? Bright Light is undeniably strong, but could your father dump the entire foundation of the Bright God Realm onto you alone? If his own world ceases functioning, even if he agreed, the other Sovereigns of the Bright God Realm never would! "The Red Moon Great World might not be enough to sate all of us. As for Dao Chess... if we can secure its backing, that will be an additional rank eight Great Dao Universe. By then, it will at least suffice to thoroughly feed you, me, and the Sword Venerable! "If the three of us wish to attain rank seven, the commotion will be staggering. I suspect it will far surpass the disturbance and consumption of the Senlan World Lord's breakthrough. Would slaying a mere handful of rank sixes suffice? "Without devouring a Great Dao Universe, how could we possibly advance?" Kongji nodded. "Your family is exceedingly wealthy, but could your father pull out an entire Great Dao Universe for you?" Kongji remained silent. Naturally, he could not. If a Great Dao Universe truly became available, the Bright World would devour it itself; how could it ever fall to him? There were plenty of rank seven Great Dao Universes in the chaos. Yet one could hardly imitate Xinwu, attacking everyone in sight. Even Xinwu did not dare slaughter indiscriminately across the chaos; they targeted only allies of Red Moon. As arrogant as the Xinwu Human King was, upon entering the Tianfang Region, he could not go on a mindless rampage either. He needed a justifiable pretext—such as the other party provoking him first. Otherwise, reckless slaughter would invite a joint encirclement from every faction. Pondering carefully, Kongji realized something with a start... *It turns out I'm not that rich after all.* Below rank seven, the Bright God Realm covered all his resources. His father would provide whatever he needed. Yet to step into rank seven, inheriting the family enterprise while his father still lived was nearly impossible. He couldn't very well curse his own father to drop dead anytime soon, could he? Previously, he had genuinely believed himself affluent. But after Li Hao's breakdown, he discovered... it was merely decent! Average at best! Better than those below, worse than those above. A comfortable petty-bourgeois level. Once upon a time, the crown prince of a rank eight great world had considered himself wealthy; now, he felt poor. "Then... regarding my previous agreement with the Sword Venerable where I only take twenty percent, was that too little? Should I... talk to him later and ask for thirty percent?" He suddenly felt he had been far too generous before. A split of thirty-thirty-forty seemed much more appropriate. Li Hao smiled. "That doesn't matter. As for Senior Sword Venerable, once our cooperation helps him reach rank seven or amass enough resources for rank seven, we will part ways. He will return to his Xinwu, and we will walk our own path." Once the Sword Venerable reached rank seven, Li Hao would no longer run around with him. Kongji was taken aback once more. Truthfully, people usually craved having those around them grow stronger and stronger. Yet Li Hao's stance was that once the Sword Venerable attained rank seven, even if he were willing to lead them, Li Hao would decline to follow. Li Hao preferred playing a decisive role within his own circle. The moment the Sword Venerable became a top-tier rank seven powerhouse, their utility would shrink to insignificance. They would become mere subordinates rather than equal partners. "In other words, even if you run into the Xinwu Human King during this trip to Tianfang... you won't operate alongside him?" "Right." Li Hao nodded. "He might not even look twice at me; I'm too weak! By the same token, I have no desire to become anyone's burden. Previously, you and I could assist the Sword Venerable, and he needed us. Once he becomes powerful enough not to need us, why would we trail after him?" Kongji sighed softly, nodding. "I actually share that sentiment. Otherwise..." *Otherwise, I could just stay by my father's side.* Independence was far better. *It took me five hundred years of contemplation to figure this out, yet Li Hao understood it in just a few days. Truly worthy of being my friend.* Some people failed to grasp this truth throughout their entire lives. *** Tianfang Great World. Things had quieted down considerably of late. Ever since Wushan and his peers slew the two Red Moon Sovereigns and lifted the seal on Tianfang, numerous Sovereigns had flooded into the realm. However, after sweeping through the world in their searches, they were left baffled. The previously manifested Great Dao Universe seemed to have vanished entirely. Without the Great Dao Universe serving as a catalyst, chaotic clashes naturally dwindled. Presently, everyone was scouring the realm, yet having searched Tianfang from end to end, they had found nothing. Conversely, intelligence had arrived from Red Moon's direction. The Senlan World Lord had stepped into rank seven and integrated into Red Moon. Meanwhile, the Xinwu Sword Venerable and the Silver Moon King had ambushed Red Moon, slaying several rank six Sovereigns... From the perspective of great world lords, Red Moon had not lost out; they had actually profited. Trading a few rank sixes for a rank seven universe was a massive windfall! At this moment, many onlookers felt a twinge of envy. Though Red Moon had suffered heavy losses earlier, this development was undeniably a huge gain. There was no need for sympathy. If anything, pity belonged to the Xinwu Sword Venerable and his comrades, who had toiled only to dress another's bride. They had gifted a massive advantage to the Senlan World Lord, slaying rank six Sovereigns only for the Senlan World Lord to intercept the spoils. As a result, the three rank seven Sovereigns Red Moon had lost were instantly offset by one replacement. Furthermore, once Senlan was thoroughly integrated and the realm stabilized, it could likely nurture another one or two rank sevens... By then, Red Moon would be fully restored. *** Huilong Temple. Wushan was still lingering here. He appeared somewhat aloof, seated alone. Nearby sat another rank seven Sovereign from Yunxiao. Ever since Wushan had expressed his desire to leave, the Yunxiao World Lord had not descended in person; instead, he had dispatched another rank seven from the realm to Tianfang as Yunxiao's representative. At this moment, that rank seven Sovereign gave a light chuckle. "Wushan, this Senlan World Lord is remarkably sensible. Hearing that the Lord of Red Moon appeared, he promptly chose to open his Great Dao Universe and merge into Red Moon. The allure of a rank eight world is immense indeed—even a rank seven world lord willingly submits... With the chaos in turmoil today, rank eight is the only true bedrock. Rank seven... is still too frail!" Though he spoke of the Senlan World Lord, his words carried pointed undertones. *Do you see?* *What does being a rank seven world lord amount to?* *Faced with a rank eight, one must still compromise and play the obedient grandson, submitting voluntarily without daring to resist.* Countless figures yearned to integrate, yet someone here was itching to leave! Sovereign Wushan was a top-tier figure even within the Yunxiao World, virtually the second-in-command beneath the World Lord. Before arriving, the World Lord had dropped veiled remarks that left this rank seven Sovereign thoroughly perplexed. Yes, everyone desired freedom; that was not inherently wrong! However, one had to consider the timing. During times of peace, it would have been fine. But now, the chaos was in upheaval, with high-rank Sovereigns dropping like flies. Within a short span, multiple rank sevens had perished. Insisting on defecting at such a juncture would leave both sides deeply aggrieved. Yunxiao would lose a peak rank seven powerhouse. And where would you, Wushan, go after severing ties with Yunxiao? Would you become Yunxiao's enemy? Would you join another great world? All of these remained dangerous unknowns! Look around—even now, having attained rank seven as the master of a Great Dao Universe, hadn't the Senlan World Lord still submitted to a rank eight universe? Wushan sipped his tea, his face impassive. Below, Sovereign Huilong and his associates pretended not to hear, terrified to make a sound. With two rank seven Sovereigns from the Yunxiao World holding down the fort here—one of them being Wushan, a peak rank seven powerhouse who had slain other rank sevens—how could Huilong dare utter a peep? Finishing his tea, Wushan cast a calm glance at his peer. "Shenhai, to each their own! In your own estimation, have my contributions to Yunxiao over all these years been sufficient to earn my freedom?" Sovereign Shenhai was struck dumb. *Sufficient?* He felt it was indeed sufficient, but... the circumstances were different. As a peak rank seven, your departure left the World Lord uneasy, and the Yunxiao domain would suffer a colossal loss. For a moment, he found it difficult to respond. *A free body...* *Are we not free right now?* Granted, with a World Lord above them, they were not as free as imagined. But in the eyes of outsiders, they were lofty, invincible entities. Take Huilong, for instance—a rank six Sovereign who still behaved like a timid grandchild before them. Huilong was considered an overlord here in Tianfang, reigning supreme over the southern domain of the four quarters, living freely... like hell he was! Even if you, Wushan, managed to break free, could you fare any better than him? Dropping the topic, Shenhai said, "You witnessed the manifestation of the Great Dao Universe before... Wushan, lately the Great Dao Universe has vanished without a trace! Do you think it's truly on the verge of reviving, or was it merely a fleeting flash in the pan that won't revive at all?" "It will sooner or later." *Nonsense!* *I know it will sooner or later, but how many years is 'sooner or later'?* *A million years?* He could not linger here indefinitely; it was a sheer waste of time. Helpless, he changed the subject: "By the way, that Divine Son of Bright Light, Ming Tang, was cultivating here earlier... yet there's been no word of him lately. Has he left?" News had spread from Red Moon's side. However, it made no mention of Kongji. Red Moon had clamped down on that information. Even after discovering Kongji's identity, they pretended ignorance for now. Otherwise, once the news leaked, the Bright God Realm might feel compelled to take an overt stance against them, even if they hadn't initially intended to! The Lord of Red Moon had suppressed the news. Those who knew the truth were mostly dead, and the survivors had been assimilated into Red Moon, making leaks nearly impossible. Sovereign Shenhai was curious whether the fellow was no longer around. As for Dark Demon Ridge, Sovereign Huilong was currently overseeing it. According to Huilong's intelligence, Kongji seemed to have abandoned his secluded cultivation there and vanished without a trace. "Not entirely sure." Wushan sipped his tea. He knew very well that the Silver Moon King was at Red Moon alongside the Sword Venerable, so Kongji was naturally with them as well. Sovereign Xingshen's demise earlier had likely been the handiwork of those three. Shortly after they teleported away, news of Xingshen's death had arrived. And now, the trio had stirred up another massive storm in Senlan, while Xinwu's Cang Emperor and his companions had shown no signs of activity... This proved that all of it had been orchestrated by those three, having little to do with Xinwu itself. Xinwu might no longer be in the Red Moon Domain. Where had they gone? Who knew. Perhaps they had come to Tianfang. "If there is still no word on the Great Dao Universe... staying here indefinitely won't solve anything. Wushan, if there is still no movement after a while, let's return together." "We'll see." Wushan was in no hurry; he had no desire to return. Shenhai's words clearly reflected not just his own thoughts, but likely those of the Yunxiao World Lord as well. Sovereign Shenhai frowned slightly. Refusing to return meant he was hell-bent on leaving. What a headache! *Wushan, do you truly not understand the World Lord's intention?* *A peak rank seven Sovereign—unless you thoroughly abandon your power, how could the World Lord ever agree to let you walk away with the might of a rank seven?* As for slaying Hongyu earlier, Wushan had not surrendered the Great Dao power he acquired because he deemed it insufficient. Yielding it piecemeal was useless. He intended to keep it until he had accumulated enough energy to buy his freedom, hoping to secure the World Lord's consent. Sovereign Shenhai felt a throbbing headache. As a fellow member of Yunxiao, Wushan actually enjoyed great popularity in the Yunxiao World. Yunxiao possessed four rank seven Sovereigns. Everyone maintained decent relations with him, but... Wushan was not the World Lord after all. Shenhai deeply worried that if Wushan stubbornly insisted on departing, they might ultimately turn on each other, plunging Yunxiao into internal strife. That would make them a laughingstock. Seeing that Shenhai had fallen silent, Wushan paid him no further heed. Instead, his mind wandered. This time, the Red Moon faction could likely confirm that Xinwu's native territory was not near Red Moon. Otherwise, presented with such a golden opportunity, Xinwu would have definitely struck. Since they hadn't, Red Moon's greatest immediate threat was temporarily neutralized. The Xinwu Human King was not over there either; recently, someone had spotted him wandering near Tianfang, though no one knew what he was scheming. Now that Red Moon had annexed Senlan, stabilized its realm, and stationed two rank sevens at its core... would the Lord of Red Moon come to Tianfang? Granted, stabilizing the world would require a bit of time. Furthermore, the Silver Moon King, Kongji, and the others seemed to have drawn the short straw this time, walking away empty-handed... While the Senlan World Lord and the Red Moon World had profited, what were Li Hao and his companions planning? From what he knew of them, both Kongji and the Silver Moon King were outrageously audacious. Would they truly let the matter rest after gaining nothing? Or were they continuing to search for opportunities near Red Moon? Or perhaps... did they have other plans? *When will the Silver Moon King come to Tianfang to unlock the Great Dao Universe for me?* *I have already fulfilled my promise to him.* He had also declared to the Yunxiao World Lord his resolve to leave... He could have kept quiet, but he had chosen transparency. On one hand, it allowed Yunxiao to prepare; after all, it was his homeland, and he did not want his sudden departure to throw Yunxiao into chaos, leaving the World Lord unprepared and vulnerable to enemy plots. Even if they might fall out in the future, if his departure led to Yunxiao being blindsided and destroyed, it would be an unforgivable sin. Hence, Wushan had raised it proactively. On the other hand, it demonstrated his absolute resolve—burning his bridges to ensure he saw it through! Having brought it up, backing down now would cost him all face. He would become a laughingstock! Now, his thoughts were entirely consumed by when the Silver Moon King would arrive to unlock Tianfang's Dao. Regardless of success or failure, he had to give it a try! As he pondered, Sovereign Huilong spoke up timidly from below: "My lords, lately several experts have been liaising with various powers in Tianfang, hoping the factions will open up their places of Dao resonance to conduct experiments..." "What?" Wushan was still unaware, but Shenhai seemed to already know. He explained, "Some figures suspect that the emergence of Tianfang's Great Dao Universe might be linked to the destruction of places of Dao resonance. Previously, the destruction of the water and fire emissaries' places of Dao resonance coincided with the appearance of the Tianfang universe. "Now, a faction wishes to test this theory by systematically destroying more places of Dao resonance. Isn't Dark Demon Ridge the ancient cultivation ground of the Dark Envoy?" Shenhai smiled faintly. "Their intention is... to destroy them one by one to see if they can trigger the reemergence of Tianfang's Great Dao Universe." This idea had actually been floated before. However, places of Dao resonance were the primary reason Tianfang attracted so many Sovereigns. If they were all razed, Tianfang would become an empty shell. Previously, the numerous rogue Sovereigns had fiercely opposed it! After all, a rank nine Great Dao Universe had nothing to do with them. Now, however, the times had changed. Factions like Yunxiao and Bright Light were inclined to agree. With these great worlds taking the lead, what did rogue cultivators count for? Refuse? Did they dare? These places of Dao resonance held little value for great worlds anyway. What did an ancient rank eight's cultivation site matter? Their own world lords were rank eights, very much alive, and the cultivation grounds back home were far superior to these remnants! Since that was the case, why not destroy them to test the theory? Wushan frowned. He personally didn't care about the places of Dao resonance, but he knew Dark Demon Ridge was different. Dao Chess was likely located there—not just likely, but certain, or Kongji could never have teleported away previously. If Dark Demon Ridge were opened to the public or slated for destruction, Dao Chess would be exposed... When that happened, would the Silver Moon King and his allies still return? Dao Chess was the bait keeping them hooked. Frowning slightly, he declared, "Dark Demon Ridge will not be opened to outsiders for now!" "Why?" Shenhai was bewildered. Why? Everyone else had agreed; why was he objecting? Wushan said calmly, "It's not that it won't be opened, but it cannot be among the first batch. Leave it for last! Those fools want to destroy places of Dao resonance, severing the hopes of rogue cultivators and cutting off the peripheral roots of several great worlds. These grounds are vital for attracting rogue cultivators and nurturing external forces! If they must destroy them, fine, but begin elsewhere!" Sovereign Huilong looked exceedingly awkward. Truthfully, he opposed the destruction as well, but he had to brace himself and speak: "They... they say that the southern domain of Tianfang possesses the closest connection to the Great Dao Universe. On the previous two occasions, it was the destruction of southern places of Dao resonance that triggered the universe's appearance. And the strongest known place of Dao resonance in the south is Dark Demon Ridge. Therefore, they hope... to begin with Dark Demon Ridge." "Who are 'they'?" Wushan fixed his gaze on him. Huilong grew increasingly nervous. "It's... several great world lords, including... the Bright World!" He omitted one detail: Yunxiao had actually agreed as well. They had merely informed Wushan out of courtesy, never expecting him to care. Yet Wushan truly did care. Dammit all! This was a minor matter. Huilong didn't care, and the Yunxiao World Lord didn't care—if they could uncover the Great Dao Universe, all the better. What was Wushan fussing about? Or... had they hit the mark? Did Wushan know something, which was why he lingered at Huilong Temple without leaving, maintaining such an unhurried posture? It wasn't impossible! Others had harbored similar suspicions because Wushan had been the very first rank seven Sovereign to arrive after the Great Dao Universe manifested, even sealing off the Tianfang World for a time. Some suspected Wushan held insider knowledge. Had it not been for his terrifying strength and his feat of slaying a rank seven, someone would have pressed him for answers long ago. Sovereign Shenhai cast a thoughtful glance at him. *Could they have guessed correctly?* *Does destroying the southern places of Dao resonance truly reveal the Great Dao Universe? Can Dark Demon Ridge achieve this, which is why Wushan refuses to leave, casually holding his ground at Huilong Temple?* How bizarre! Wushan felt utterly helpless. The great world lords were no fools. Though their deduction was technically wrong, they had stumbled dangerously close to the truth by accident. If Dark Demon Ridge were destroyed, many secrets would be laid bare, including the rank nine aura from that day! Therefore, he could not allow them to destroy it. What a nuisance! Tianfang's universe was indeed related to these places of Dao resonance, but the connection was minimal. The true key lay with the Silver Moon King, though Li Hao might still need to draw upon the power of these grounds. "Just tell them I disagree. Test the other locations first!" Sovereign Shenhai frowned slightly. "However..." Wushan's brow furrowed. "There is no 'however'! What, are you and Huilong going to force my hand?" "..." Shenhai fell silent. Yet he grew all the more convinced that a connection truly existed. It seemed Wushan was truly set on parting ways with the Yunxiao Realm. Feeling a pang of regret, he rose and nodded. "Then we shall test other locations first. If that still yields nothing... Wushan, Dark Demon Ridge will inevitably be destroyed. That is not something a single rank seven can prevent! Right now, the Lord of Bright Light and many other great world lords, including factions from the Dragon Region and Chiyang Domain, have arrived. Powerful as Yunxiao is, it cannot withstand all sides!" *Withstand?* Wushan smiled faintly without responding. Yunxiao was probably itching to proceed as well. Why would they bother withstanding anyone? What a headache! He said nothing more. Sovereign Shenhai spoke: "Then we shall take our leave. Wushan, do you wish to come along and watch?" "No need!" "..." Wushan's refusal only cemented Shenhai's conviction that Wushan was certain this method was useless. He truly possessed inside information! He wasn't even bothering to hide it anymore. Without another word, Shenhai walked away. Sovereign Huilong cast a wary glance at Wushan before quickly following with the Sovereigns of Huilong Temple. Huilong Temple was backed by Yunxiao, not Wushan. Still, this man was someone they could not afford to offend. Now, within the cavernous hall, only Wushan remained... No, there was also a servant attending to him, pouring tea and wine. Wushan sipped his tea, ignoring the wine. After a moment, he glanced at the servant beside him. "When do you think those fellows will return?" "..." The servant looked terrified. Wushan asked calmly, "What, can't guess?" "N-no, my lord, I..." "Ju Ao, don't you understand them?" Ju Ao was frightened out of his wits. How could he possibly understand them? Ever since Li Hao and the others departed, he had actually wanted to flee Tianfang. Instead... Wushan had summoned him to serve as a personal attendant. Ju Ao was filled with trepidation, vaguely sensing that Divine Son Kongji and the Silver Moon King had some secret connection with Sovereign Wushan. More importantly, this was a rank seven Sovereign! He was terrified! "Currently, every faction is deducing that Dark Demon Ridge will soon become the focal point. At most one month. If they still haven't returned by then... I cannot make enemies of every faction just to protect Dark Demon Ridge!" Wushan rose, sighing softly. "Cultivating the Dao is difficult, but cultivating the Dao of Unfettered Freedom is harder still! Ju Ao, walking the Chaos Dao is good. Though chaotic and impure, it offers more freedom. While more perilous and offering fewer fortuitous encounters... well, each path has its pros and cons!" The rank seven Sovereign chuckled softly. "Once you reach my level, dissatisfaction creeps in. Human desire is a terrifying thing. Red Moon's Dao is the Dao of Desire; their Sovereign brought about his own predicament precisely because his desires were too voracious, insisting on provoking Xinwu! Someone like me could comfortably remain high above the masses in Yunxiao, yet my desires are vast as well, delusionally seeking to obtain more... Perhaps my doom is drawing near!" Ju Ao vaguely grasped his meaning, his heart trembling even harder. A rank seven Sovereign! A peak rank seven powerhouse who had slain other rank sevens was telling him that excessive desire might cause even someone of his caliber to perish here. He had even prepared himself for that very outcome! "My lord..." Wushan said no more. There was little to discuss with a servant. Looking toward the sky, he murmured, "One month at most. If they don't return, I'll have to resort to other means! Red Moon is currently annexing Senlan, so there won't be much opportunity over there. Tianfang... still holds a chance!" With that, he turned and walked away, unconcerned with whatever Ju Ao might be thinking. Drenched in cold sweat, Ju Ao dared not move a muscle. This man... was terrifying! *** Meanwhile, Li Hao and Kongji were traveling at astonishing speed. Though still slower than a rank seven, they were far swifter than ordinary rank sixes, continuously shifting through the void as they rushed toward Tianfang. In a few days, they would arrive. Both were racing against the clock. They could not afford to give Red Moon too much time. If Red Moon completely swallowed Senlan, the months they had spent plotting would merely have served to strengthen their enemy, truly dressing another's bride. "Too slow!" Having experienced teleportation once, Kongji was thoroughly impatient. "A pity neither of us cultivates the spatial Dao. Otherwise, teleportation would be lightning-fast! Chaos is simply too vast, and space is exceedingly difficult to master... Small-world space is nothing like great-world space. A spatial Dao capable of teleporting through the chaos is truly terrifying!" Li Hao nodded slightly. Perhaps he ought to research space as well. Of course, there was no time for that now. "Set that aside. First, consider how we will slip into Tianfang!" Li Hao cut him off. Their identities could not be exposed on this trip; otherwise, Red Moon would deduce far too many things. "Should we have Uncle Yaoyang come receive us?" Li Hao shook his head. "I don't want more people knowing. Can you contact Wushan? If possible... let him create an opening for us. He is one of the few who knows the truth..." *Wushan?* From Kongji's perspective, people from the Bright World were naturally more trustworthy. However, since Li Hao suggested it, he did not object, nodding. "I'll give it a try. By the way... are you truly going to let Wushan enter the Great Dao Universe this time?" "Yes." "What if... he truly takes control of it?" "Then let him take control!" Li Hao stated, "The Great Dao Universe cannot revive right now anyway; it's merely an empty shell. Even if he takes control, he can only use it as an empty shell. To activate it, he will still need me! If he controls it, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. It might open up more avenues of cooperation in the future." Thoughtful, Kongji nodded. Li Hao was remarkably generous. A rank nine Great Dao Universe, relinquished just like that! In truth, Li Hao could have easily reneged on his promise. After all, Wushan had no way of forcing their hand! It had been a mere verbal promise. What could Wushan possibly do about it? The two accelerated again, ceasing conversation as their speed climbed. After another two or three days, Tianfang faintly appeared in the distance. However, the vicinity surrounding Tianfang was currently rife with hidden perils. Numerous great worlds might be lurking in the dark around here. Though invisible to the naked eye, one could vaguely sense several incomparably formidable auras. Great worlds were difficult to obscure; if great world lords brought their worlds along, even the chaos could not completely mask their presence. "We're here!" Li Hao exhaled. Now, it all came down to how they would slip inside. Meanwhile, Kongji attempted to transmit a message. Being so close to the great world, communication was feasible. He still had subordinates stationed in Tianfang, such as his rank five guard waiting for his return. *** Huilong Temple. Sovereign Wushan was meditating when his eyes suddenly snapped open. Outside, a Sovereign spoke with extreme deference: "Senior Wushan, my young master... requests that Senior go out to receive them. No one must learn of their return." Wushan's eyes lit up with brilliance! *Them?* *Has the Silver Moon King returned as well?* At this moment, an overwhelming surge of ecstasy washed over the rank seven Sovereign! *My fortuitous opportunity may have finally arrived!* In the next instant, a slight shiver ran through his heart. For the two of them to rush back to Tianfang from Red Moon with such haste, what were they scheming? Perhaps... it was going to be another wildly exhilarating endeavor!