Only Lacking the East Wind!

Sovereign Wushan chose to return to Huilong Temple. Sitting cross-legged in the sky above the temple, his aura surged powerfully, drawing sidelong glances from many onlookers once again. What on earth was this fellow trying to do? Today, Wushan was acting utterly baffling. No one could make sense of him! Yet Wushan did not need them to understand; if they actually did, it would only bring trouble. His only concern was that those two wouldn't take too long to come out. The moment they returned, they had rushed off to Dark Demon Ridge without even greeting him. He wasn't even sure if they might use a teleportation array to run away. Their return to Dark Demon Ridge was almost certainly for Dao Chess. …… While Sovereign Wushan drew the gazes of all the surrounding powerhouses, deep inside the divine temple at Dark Demon Ridge, within Dao Chess: Li Hao had already advanced to square 3,500. Kongji had breezed past square 4,000 and was now standing on square 4,200. The gap between them appeared to be closing, though Li Hao's pace had slowed considerably compared to before. Inside Li Hao's river world, tiny miniature realms grew increasingly vibrant. New, nascent domains were even beginning to form. Divine characters surfaced one after another, breathing in the power of the river to continuously refine and perfect the entire Dao of the river. Li Hao was overjoyed. Dao Chess, a sovereign weapon forged from a rank eight great world and once wielded by a rank nine Sovereign, was truly one of the greatest treasures of the current era. Across the entire chaos, it was quite possibly the most powerful sovereign weapon in existence. Although founded upon a rank eight universe, strictly speaking, it could qualify as a rank nine sovereign weapon. The Human King's saber might only be a rank seven sovereign weapon. Other powerful Sovereigns rarely used sovereign weapons, and even when they did, those armaments were not excessively mighty. Even the Longevity Sword Venerable possessed no physical blade, merely transforming his Great Dao into a sword. A sovereign weapon like Dao Chess was meant primarily for comprehending the Dao. Naturally, its assistance to Li Hao and Kongji was immense. Even an ancient rank eight Sovereign of Tianfang like the Dark Envoy had failed to reach the very end. Li Hao's miniature realms were steadily developing. His rudimentary Dao net—which had previously looked cruder than a tangle of dried tree roots—was being filled and reinforced as he advanced through square after square. The phantom had once remarked that if Li Hao were willing to cultivate here indefinitely, reaching rank six was guaranteed, and rank seven was entirely within reach. Clearly, Dao Chess possessed boundless power. Neither Li Hao nor Kongji spoke a word. They vied quietly with each other, matching step for step, square for square. In truth, neither had proposed a competition. The reality, however, was that both had their pride. Back when Li Hao had entered Dao Chess alongside that rank five Sovereign from the Absolute Darkness Great World, he hadn't even bothered paying attention to him. Today, the man on the other side was Kongji! Since it was Kongji, Li Hao felt a spark of competitiveness. While his cultivation realm lagged behind Kongji's, Li Hao believed his comprehension of the Dao was by no means inferior. He had acquired an extraordinary share of fortuitous encounters! Furthermore, with the power of Time in his hands, he could perceive opportunities invisible to ordinary men. How could he fall behind Kongji in traversing Dao Chess? He wouldn't dare claim his grasp of the Dao net surpassed that of a rank seven, but among mid-rank Sovereigns, Li Hao felt confident that his understanding was second to none. Earlier, when Li Hao had slain a rank six Sovereign, Kongji, unwilling to be outdone, immediately killed two! Li Hao had also stood a chance of slaying two, only for Yan Fang of Senlan to ruin the opportunity. In that case, let them see who could go further in Dao Chess today! Li Hao had started from square 2,000 while Kongji had started from square 3,000, but that hardly mattered. Starting points might differ, but one's ultimate limit was never determined by where one began. Li Hao glanced sideways at Kongji. Past square 4,000 already. There was still quite a distance between them. He stepped into another square, quickly immersing himself in comprehension and drawing upon the Great Dao power within, striving to birth new divine character stars and fuse them into the embryonic forms of new worlds. Next to him, Kongji wore an indifferent expression. In reality, he was anything but calm. When he first met Li Hao, Kongji had been a rank four Sovereign while Li Hao was merely at rank one. Now, Kongji was rank six, and Li Hao was rank four. Both had advanced at staggering speeds! Barely two years had passed since their first encounter—a mere blink of an eye for a Sovereign. However, their starting foundations had been entirely different! Kongji had originally been a rank five Sovereign who merely rebuilt his foundation, whereas Li Hao had truly started from scratch. Now that both were mid-rank Sovereigns, the difference between them had shrunk far more than anyone might expect. At present, Kongji believed he was definitely stronger than Li Hao. As long as Li Hao refrained from borrowing the power of Time or channeling the might of rank sevens, Li Hao could not match him. Yet once Li Hao fully perfected his miniature realms and broke through to rank five, the tables would turn. Kongji might be a Sovereign of six Daos and two poles, but Li Hao was a Sovereign who integrated myriad worlds while wielding Time itself. Even without borrowed strength, Kongji might no longer be a match for him! That was a source of immense pressure! Kongji appeared placid on the surface, but his pride reached to the heavens. He hadn't placed someone like Sovereign Huilong in his eyes at all. Among rank six Sovereigns, there were hardly any he truly took seriously. Yet Li Hao had the potential to become invincible among mid-rank Sovereigns. How could Kongji take that lying down? Seeing Li Hao accelerate, Kongji quickened his pace as well. The powers of his six Daos rotated in unison; life and death, extinction and resurgence erupted to their utmost limits. Li Hao sought to comprehend myriad Daos, whereas Kongji attempted to forcefully fuse these Daos together. The paths they walked were fundamentally distinct. Square 4,300, square 4,400… Gradually, Kongji's speed slowed down. He had encountered a few intriguing Daos. Although he still wished to stay ahead of Li Hao, he couldn't afford to rush purely for the sake of winning. He chose to halt and ponder them thoroughly. From the corner of his eye, he shot a few glances at Li Hao and curled his lip. Li Hao definitely wasn't taking the time to comprehend them! Rushing just to win? Hmph! What kind of skill was that? Whatever, he wouldn't stoop to his level. In this manner, by the time Kongji emerged from square 4,500, Li Hao had unexpectedly broken past square 4,000. With that breakthrough, Li Hao's aura underwent a distinct change! The Dao within the 4,000th square proved exceptionally beneficial to Li Hao. In Dao Chess, every thousandth square contained a special Dao. The one Li Hao encountered at square 4,000 seemed to be a Dao of Purification, remarkably unique. Breaking his silence, Li Hao suddenly spoke up: "Brother Kongji, did you gain any insights from the Dao at square 4,000?" Kongji turned his head. *Heh, trying to show off?* *Flaunting?* *Just because you crossed square 4,000?* *What's the big deal! I passed it long ago!* Of course, keeping these thoughts to himself, Kongji smiled and nodded. "A few insights. What about you?" "It's quite remarkable!" Li Hao said. "A Dao of Purification…" "Huh?" Kongji froze. Clearing away his wandering thoughts, he furrowed his brows slightly. "Purification? Did we comprehend the same Dao?" With that, he turned toward the phantom. "Senior, are the Daos within Dao Chess identical for Brother Haoyue and me?" "They are the same," the phantom replied. "Dao Chess possesses only a single layout. Naturally, individual comprehension differs, so slight variations may arise. That is perfectly normal." Kongji remained puzzled. "Even if there are variations, the fundamental nature of the Dao shouldn't be completely different… Haoyue, you comprehended purification?" "Yes. What about you?" Li Hao was equally curious. Could they truly be different? Kongji shook his head. "What I sensed was not purification, but isolation." Isolation? Li Hao was stunned. What was going on? If the Dao they comprehended was the same, even with variations, how could the difference be this vast? "Brother Kongji, could you… display this isolation of yours?" Kongji nodded. A faint Dao intent surfaced around him, ethereal and untainted by the mortal world, as if he had severed all ties with the mundane realm and stood poised to ascend as an immortal. Kongji spoke: "No speck of dust settles upon the form; myriad arts are cut away and repelled! This Dao isolates internal from external, functioning as a defensive art—pure, detached, and free of defilement!" He smiled faintly. "Even if myriad Daos crash upon me, I can deflect and discharge them. That is the Dao of Isolation." Turning to Li Hao, he added, "Is your so-called purification similar to mine, remaining unstained by mortal dust? If so… how could that be called purification…" The phantom nodded slightly. *Myriad arts touch not the form!* It truly was a Dao of Isolation, remarkably powerful, serving as an exceptional defensive method. To isolate myriad Daos! The phantom possessed some understanding of the Dao at square 4,000. Although Kongji's comprehension wasn't entirely identical to those before him, what he had grasped was undeniably potent. He was truly an exceptional talent! As for Li Hao… what on earth had he comprehended? Li Hao raised his eyebrows slightly. "Isolation… defense? I don't see it that way. In fact, I believe Brother Kongji has confused the internal with the external, mistaking the core foundation. This Dao is not an art of defense! By acting this way, you merely cut off the exchange between inside and outside… While it offers defensive utility, its effect is only so-so." "My purification is entirely different. It refines oneself and purifies one's own Dao!" With that, Dao intent surfaced over Li Hao's body. An instant later, myriad Daos converged, immediately triggering a peculiar transformation. As the Daos fused in the blink of an eye, acupoints illuminated across Li Hao's form until the final acupoint manifested at his rear. *Boom!* A loud roar erupted as an intensely foul surge of impure energy blasted out from his rear, purging every trace of impurity from his body. Li Hao's entire person seemed to become slightly translucent. Though thoroughly unrefined—even crude enough to make onlookers cringe—Kongji was taken aback, and even the phantom stared in bewilderment. Looking immensely refreshed, Li Hao chuckled. "Brother Kongji isolated internal from external, whereas I combined the two. It can still be considered isolation, but what I isolated wasn't arts, Daos, or myself—it was impurities!" "With one fart released, every speck of chaotic, turbid Dao was expelled… Though I haven't mastered it to the absolute limit yet, once perfected, the cleansing effect of this single expulsion will surpass any rebirth through marrow-cleansing!" "……" Kongji was dumbfounded for a long moment. He stared at Li Hao, eventually speaking: "Our insights seem to be polar opposites! Can this… truly expel discordant Daos?" "It can!" Kongji sighed with feeling. "How fascinating. The very same Dao can manifest in two diametrically opposed ways. Mine isolates the inner and outer, while yours exchanges them…" He didn't argue over whose was superior, nor did he claim his Dao was inferior to Li Hao's. Still, he couldn't help marveling at the contrast. Li Hao's approach was unconventional, but in terms of practical efficacy, it might genuinely be superior. His Dao of Isolation was an external art. Li Hao's Dao of Purification was an internal cultivation! The Dao at square 4,000 had produced two entirely different results. The phantom pondered and sensed both before finally speaking: "Young friend Li Hao's Dao is quite exceptional as well. Aside from being slightly unsightly, for a cultivator, it belongs to the realm of self-refinement. In my view, it may very well be a cut above Fellow Daoist Kongji's comprehension." Kongji was rendered speechless. *Was it really?* He didn't dispute it, merely thinking it over before saying, "This technique can only be practiced in secret. Otherwise… it looks terrible! Haoyue, could you perhaps change the method and expel it from another aperture…" Li Hao chuckled. "That won't do. If it came out through the eyes or mouth, it would be even more revolting. Don't forget, these are the foul impurities of the body! Leaving from down below is still tolerable. From the mouth… what, spewing filth?" "……" Kongji fell silent. That made sense. His interest was piqued. "This Dao is quite good. Later, I'll try comprehending it from your angle. Judging by your explanation, this Dao possesses multiple facets. It seems our understanding of the Dao still has blind spots." One Dao, multiple interpretations. Li Hao nodded. In truth, the Dao of Isolation wasn't bad either. One Dao with dual applications! It could defend outwardly and refine inwardly. It was just that farting was far too unsightly. At that thought, Li Hao chuckled. "This Dao isolates myriad Daos, exuding an immortal aura that stands proud between heaven and earth. Conversely, it purges repulsive filth… Calling it a fart sounds far too crude. This art refines the body and connects heaven and earth; the aperture that expels it should rightfully be named the Sky-Connecting Aperture!" "The Sky-Connecting Aperture?" Kongji couldn't help laughing. "What a waste of a grand name!" Li Hao laughed heartily. "Not at all! Who doesn't harbor impurities within their body? To expel filth gives this Dao profound purpose. The Sky-Connecting Aperture lives up to its name!" Reflecting on it, Kongji nodded. That was true! One art isolated myriad Daos, while the other cleansed the self—defending outwardly and refining inwardly to achieve a complete rebirth. The Dao of the 4,000th square was indeed far mightier than anticipated. Neither said anything more, returning to their cultivation. Watching them, the phantom sighed internally. *Cultivators!* Indeed, blindly adhering to standard cultivation yielded little promise. From a single Dao, two individuals had derived entirely contradictory results without coming into conflict. Instead, they embraced and integrated both insights; both truly possessed the heart of a cultivator. Had it been anyone else, they likely would have fought tooth and nail over who was right. What was the point of that? By fusing both sides and studying this Dao to its zenith, they might well forge an extraordinarily formidable art. A technique that cultivated both internal and external realms simultaneously! Watching the two press forward, the phantom sensed that both would likely reach square 6,000 this time around. As for square 7,000, that remained uncertain. If they could truly reach it, their ascent to rank seven was practically assured. Rank seven: high-rank Sovereigns, true powerhouses across the entire chaos. …… Three days passed in the blink of an eye. The Tianfang World was far from peaceful. Over these past few days, places of Dao resonance had been destroyed one after another. The various great worlds had not abandoned their plan of razing these locations to draw forth the Great Dao Universe. The outcome, however, was an obvious failure. Not only had it failed, but it had also caused considerable casualties. Some places of Dao resonance retained residual intent from top-tier Sovereigns. When these people demolished the sites, they shattered that lingering intent, triggering violent explosions in several locations. A few low-rank Sovereigns had even perished. Yet compared to a rank nine Great Dao Universe, such losses were negligible, and hardly anyone cared. Death was death, so long as it wasn't their own. Recently, Sovereigns roamed rampant across all of Tianfang; they were everywhere. Meanwhile, Huilong Temple had become a restricted ground. A few individuals had attempted to scout Dark Demon Ridge, only to be crushed by Wushan before they could even step foot past Huilong Temple. One Sovereign had nearly been slain on the spot. It was clearly a probing effort. The result was unmistakable: Wushan refused to let anyone enter. Dark Demon Ridge might truly hold the key to uncovering the Great Dao Universe. Once the news spread, countless powerhouses began making tense, hurried preparations. …… Within the Red Moon World. The Lord of Red Moon was currently integrating the Senlan World. With the addition of Senlan's Sovereigns, Red Moon's recent losses were finally being replenished. They had lost over a dozen Sovereigns previously, including a substantial number of rank sixes. Now, though Senlan lacked many rank sixes, the assimilation of the world brought dozens of Sovereigns into the fold, strengthening the entire Great Dao Universe. Several figures on Red Moon's side were already showing signs of advancing. Although no new rank sevens had emerged yet, leaving only the Senlan World Lord and Sovereign Aihong at that tier, several peak rank sixes had already caught glimpses of rank seven Dao resonance. This indicated that once Senlan was completely integrated, Red Moon might see the birth of one or two new rank sevens. This smoothed away the Lord of Red Moon's previous irritability. His mood had improved drastically! Although the Sword Venerable and the others had not been found, and Xinwu's whereabouts remained unknown, one thing was certain: Xinwu was no longer near Red Moon. Otherwise, they would have struck by now. Losing three rank seven Sovereigns at once had thrown his mindset into disarray earlier. Now, gaining the Senlan World Lord—a world master of formidable combat strength—meant that while Red Moon's power remained somewhat diminished, it was on the verge of returning to its peak. Inside a colossal hall, the Lord of Red Moon sat high on his throne. Below him to the left and right sat the Senlan World Lord and Sovereign Aihong, followed by several rank six Sovereigns, including Yan Fang. At this moment, the Lord of Red Moon wore a long-absent smile. "Normally, Senlan's integration into our Red Moon should be proclaimed throughout the chaos, accompanied by grand celebrations across the realm! However… Xinwu's whereabouts remain unknown, and Tianfang is embroiled in chaos. Red Moon will refrain from drawing unwanted attention right now. Senlan, you don't mind, do you?" The Senlan World Lord shook his head. "Keeping a low profile is better." The Lord of Red Moon smiled and nodded. Earlier, when the Senlan World Lord had boldly moved to stop him, he had wanted nothing more than to slaughter the man. Now, he felt a measure of appreciation. The master of a great world truly was cut from a different cloth, possessing far more initiative and resolve than Red Moon's other rank sevens. Of course, this appreciation rested entirely on the fact that Senlan was integrating into Red Moon, making him one of their own. The Senlan World Lord could technically still break away… but once the fusion was complete, breaking away would be nearly impossible. Right now, he could still do so, but would the Lord of Red Moon worry about that? The integration was already underway. As the Lord of Red Moon, if the other man dared to pull away, he would struggle to even preserve his rank seven cultivation. A year or two from now, if he wished to sever ties, he would have to abandon all his energy. Would Senlan ever do that? Keeping these thoughts to himself, the Lord of Red Moon smiled and said, "Some time ago, Red Moon suffered setbacks, allowing Xinwu to seize the upper hand and make a mockery of us. Now that our strength has largely recovered, there are two pressing matters before us. First: locate Xinwu's foundation!" "Second: the upheaval in Tianfang!" "The first matter requires no further explanation. As for the second, the Great Dao Universe has surfaced in Tianfang. Previously, Hongyu and Jihuo went there… Unfortunately, they were slain by the joint efforts of those bastards, Wushan and Xinwu's Human King. As a result, our Red Moon has the least infiltration and understanding of Tianfang among all four surrounding domains." "Not long ago, Wushan struck again, battling Yaoyang fiercely, and Xinwu's Human King appeared right alongside him… Wushan quickly withdrew to guard Dark Demon Ridge. Rumors are spreading through Tianfang that Dark Demon Ridge is the key to unlocking the Great Dao Universe!" "Furthermore… Wushan may hope to unlock the Great Dao Universe and use the opportunity to break away from Yunxiao. Yunxiao hasn't bothered concealing this either. Since Sovereign Yunxiao released this information, it's either to plot against someone, or… it's genuine, meant to use the spread of rumors to prevent Wushan from defecting. If he does, his enemies will hunt him down!" As the lord of a rank eight world, he cared deeply about the events in Tianfang. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dispatched two rank sevens there in the first place. He simply hadn't anticipated such a catastrophic outcome. Now, Xinwu's Human King lingered there without leaving, and Wushan had likely allied with him. Currently, Dark Demon Ridge—potentially the crucial key to unlocking the Great Dao Universe—was firmly held by Wushan! As for a rank nine universe, the Lord of Red Moon could tolerate it falling into someone else's hands, such as Wushan's. But he could never tolerate it falling into the hands of the Human King. If the Human King claimed it and advanced to rank eight… The Lord of Red Moon knew all too well that if the Human King reached rank eight, he himself might not be his match. That was the unvarnished truth! In the chaos, strength was not measured by who was older. Advancing earlier or living longer did not make one stronger. Xinwu's Human King practiced dual cultivation of yin and yang, and his saber Dao had reached transcendental heights. Rumor had it that he didn't merely cultivate yin and yang, but had opened a new Dao and a new world within them! If such a monster truly reached rank eight, Red Moon would face dire trouble! He looked toward the two rank sevens. "Do you two believe our Red Moon should take part in the matters of Tianfang?" At these words, Sovereign Aihong's complexion changed! Two rank seven Sovereigns had just died there! If he were sent… frankly, he was terrified. Wushan and the Human King had both slain Red Moon's rank sevens. "My Lord… many great world masters have gathered there. It is said that rank eight Sovereigns like Chiyang, the Dragon Lord, Bright Light, and Yunxiao are all watching like tigers eyeing prey…" Aihong said in a low voice, "I believe that at this stage, we might be better off expending our efforts on subduing the three neighboring great worlds. While the others have their hands full, we can bring those four rank seven Sovereigns under our banner! Their current alliance is fragile; previously, they even prepared to attack our Red Moon…" In short, he had no desire to go. Instead, he hoped the Lord of Red Moon would abandon the idea as well, staying here to conquer the three nearby great worlds. That would hardly be inferior. More importantly, it was far safer. The three great worlds held only four rank seven Sovereigns between them. Red Moon possessed two rank sevens and a rank eight… They had a real chance of taking all three at once, and if they picked them off one by one, their chances were even higher! And it was completely safe. The Lord of Red Moon said nothing. Aihong's words were not without merit. However, he glanced at the Senlan World Lord and smiled faintly. "Senlan, what are your thoughts?" "Mine?" The Senlan World Lord seemed slightly surprised. He had only just joined, after all. He quickly replied, "Lord Red Moon speaks with reason, and Sovereign Aihong's points are equally valid! Tianfang is in turmoil, teeming with rank eights. Even if My Lord goes… success in claiming it is not guaranteed! Moreover, whether it will actually open is merely speculation, not certainty. It might require waiting decades, centuries, or even longer!" "Subduing the three neighboring worlds… seems more practical." After a brief pause, the Senlan World Lord added, "Of course, if Tianfang's Great Dao Universe truly opens… a rank nine Great Dao Universe…" He sighed with emotion. "If Red Moon misses it, whether another rank eight claims it or Xinwu's Human King takes it, either a rank nine will be born, or the Human King will step into rank eight!" Every word he uttered was completely obvious. Everyone present already understood this dilemma! That was why the Lord of Red Moon was hesitating. Aihong hurriedly spoke: "My Lord, why not subdue the three worlds first? If Tianfang's universe has not opened during that time, we will still have our chance…" The Lord of Red Moon nodded. The Senlan World Lord frowned slightly. "My only worry is… an unexpected turn of events midway through. If Tianfang's Great Dao Universe opens while we are in the middle of conquering them, do we abandon the conquest or rush to Tianfang? We must either focus entirely on one, or give up both! Otherwise, if Red Moon clashes with the three worlds and an upheaval occurs in Tianfang, does Lord Red Moon leave or stay? If you leave, the three worlds will counterattack. If you stay… you lose all opportunity in Tianfang, unable to extricate yourself!" Aihong's point was reasonable, but could anyone guarantee that Tianfang's Great Dao Universe wouldn't open during the conquest? If it did, and the three worlds were not yet conquered but rather thoroughly antagonized, heading to Tianfang then would spell massive trouble. And staying behind meant watching helplessly as others claimed the prize! These were sincere, pragmatic words. Although Sovereign Aihong felt that this newcomer was opposing him right from the start, he held his tongue after a moment's thought. If such a scenario truly unfolded after he insisted on it today, the Lord of Red Moon would inevitably blame him, which would be disastrous. The Senlan World Lord's concern wasn't unfounded. What if timing truly proved that coincidental? The Lord of Red Moon naturally saw this clearly; otherwise, he wouldn't be conflicted. He spoke up: "Senlan's words carry weight… Yet ignoring both means missing the opportunity entirely. What I am weighing now is choosing one of the two… Either temporarily abandon the subjugation of the three worlds, or… give up on Tianfang!" He looked toward the assembly. "What do the rest of you think?" None of the others dared to utter a sound. At that moment, the Lord of Red Moon suddenly glanced toward a corner at a Sovereign who had curled himself into obscurity, speaking indifferently: "King Huai, what do you think?" The entire hall instantly fell dead silent, followed by countless glances of disdain. King Huai? That traitor from Xinwu! A shameless wretch who had thoroughly disgraced the dignity of a Sovereign, prostrating and kowtowing to the Lord of Red Moon before countless Sovereigns… Frankly, not even Red Moon's own Sovereigns had ever degraded themselves like that. Before reaching the Sovereign realm, some might have done so. But upon reaching this tier, no one behaved in such a manner, nor would the Lord of Red Moon demand it. Sovereigns had their pride. The bizarre thing was that the Lord of Red Moon hadn't killed him, and was now actually asking King Huai about such a critical matter… It was truly absurd. Looking nervous and uneasy, King Huai carefully stepped forward and threw himself prostrate on the ground, trembling as he spoke: "How could a lowly one like me dare participate in such momentous affairs? Yet since My Lord asks, this humble servant has only one point to offer… I know Xinwu far too well!" He hurried on: "My Lord, Xinwu has vanished without a trace. Previously, Tianji and I were bait cast out by Xinwu's Supreme. Yet when… when Lord Xingshen was slain, Xinwu never showed itself! That proves they abandoned us, and it proves they have a far greater objective—one far more important than a rank seven!" "Xinwu will undoubtedly become Red Moon's greatest peril!" Steeling himself, he continued, "Xinwu's greatest current dilemma is that while they have many powerhouses, many are unable to step into rank seven. It is not because they lack strength, Dao resonance, or foundation—some of Xinwu's figures possess terrifying talent!" "However, back during the battle against the Heavenly Emperor, countless people died. Later, the Human King revived them by reversing yin and yang, causing an imbalance in Xinwu's yin and yang. Their yang energy is severely deficient, leaving a portion of their Sovereigns starved of it…" "Now, Xinwu has disappeared, completely ignoring Red Moon's home territory… Had Xinwu's foundation still been located here… pardon my… pardon my blasphemy, but Red Moon's situation might be far worse than it is now!" "Therefore, whether it is Tianfang or the three worlds, I believe those are opportunities, whereas Xinwu is an existential threat!" He swallowed hard. "What My Lord should truly do is investigate which great world in the Four Regions belongs to the path of extreme, unyielding yang! Xinwu is ninety percent likely planning against such a world. The only other possibility is… they went to Tianfang, hoping to seize it! There are only these two possibilities." "Both could allow Xinwu to step into rank eight!" He raised his head, wearing an anxious expression. "The people of Xinwu are terrifying!" Someone sneered, "Have you been scared out of your wits? If Xinwu's people are so terrifying, why haven't I seen it?" As he spoke, he shot King Huai a look of deep contempt. *Aren't you from Xinwu yourself?* King Huai looked embarrassed, but quickly suppressed it, lowering his head. "My Lord must understand this: Xinwu's people… are exceedingly difficult to deal with! I cannot represent Xinwu; in truth, I am merely a Sovereign of the Yin-Yang World, not a true Xinwu Sovereign! The true Xinwu Sovereigns are the Human King, the Supreme, the Sword Venerable, the Blood Sovereign, and their lot—not people like Tianji and me." "I dare guarantee that Xinwu is definitely scheming toward an advancement, and that takes precedence over fighting Red Moon!" He looked toward the Lord of Red Moon. "My Lord seems… seems to have overlooked this… or perhaps My Lord already made arrangements and my knowledge is simply too shallow. But My Lord must uncover Xinwu's exact movements! The Sword Venerable and his companions were merely acting by chance; they do not represent the whereabouts of Xinwu's main force…" The Lord of Red Moon's eyes flickered. *Xinwu… is scheming against a world of extreme yang!* The Senlan World Lord glanced at King Huai, his gaze shifting slightly without a word. He had to admit the possibility was very real. Previously, everyone's attention had been drawn away by the Sword Venerable and the Human King, confirming only that they were no longer within the Red Moon Domain. Hearing King Huai frame it this way… Xinwu might indeed be plotting something massive! "A world of extreme yang?" the Lord of Red Moon murmured. "That is difficult to pinpoint. However, as far as I know, there are very few worlds of extreme yang in the chaos. The rank eight Chiyang World is one. Within the Chiyang Domain, there is also the rank seven Zhiyang World. Additionally, the Dragon Domain contains the rank seven Jingang World. Furthermore, the Bright Light World could also be considered part of the extreme yang path…" Was Xinwu scheming against one of these worlds? He furrowed his brows slightly. King Huai's reasoning wasn't baseless—on the contrary, it made tremendous sense! They could not afford to overlook the movements and whereabouts of Xinwu's core foundation! The Human King and the Sword Venerable might well be mere decoys cast out by their homeland to draw attention. Although the Human King was their leader, it was entirely normal for a leader to act as bait for the sake of Xinwu's advancement. He had previously set this matter aside, but now his interest was piqued. "King Huai, what do you suggest, then?" King Huai swallowed and spoke with utmost caution: "My Lord, right now… everyone assumes we have only two choices: Tianfang or subduing the three worlds. My thought is… why not… lay an ambush in a world of extreme yang? I believe Xinwu would find it difficult to breach a rank eight great world right now, but they would have high confidence against a rank seven. Therefore, between Zhiyang and Jingang, why not choose one to ambush? If Xinwu truly attacks, we can… strike at Xinwu!" "……" The entire hall was utterly silent. Many Sovereigns looked upon him with contempt. Several Sovereigns who had just joined from Senlan sneered repeatedly. Traitors were often far more vicious than outsiders! This King Huai was truly ruthless. He was a Xinwu native who understood them intimately, yet now he urged Red Moon to disregard everything else and attack Xinwu directly… If this succeeded and Xinwu's foundation was destroyed, even if the Human King remained outside, he wouldn't be able to stir up much trouble. However, Sovereign Aihong said coldly, "My Lord, King Huai's words are best taken with a grain of salt! The uncertainty is far too great! Moreover, one lies in the Chiyang Domain and the other in the Dragon Domain. Crossing domains with our forces offers no guarantee of success… If that is the case, choosing between the three worlds and Tianfang remains far wiser!" Setting aside whether King Huai spoke truth or falsehood, his proposal was nothing short of a massive gamble. Everything was purely King Huai's conjecture! For a low-rank Sovereign of Xinwu to presume to predict Xinwu's exact movements and plans was hard to believe. In fact, since he hailed from Xinwu, this might even be a trap! His credibility was abysmal! The Lord of Red Moon had genuinely felt tempted for a moment. But seeing Aihong's opposition, along with the disdain on the faces of the other Sovereigns, he pondered and asked, "What if Xinwu's target is the Bright Light World?" King Huai appeared nervous. "Then… then that would be in Tianfang! Of course, I find the Bright Light World unlikely…" "Why?" "First, it is a rank eight great world! Second, the Divine Son of Bright Light shares close ties with Li Hao, the King of Silver Moon, which means there is a chance of pulling them to Xinwu's side. Their relationship is exceptionally close. From what I know, when Lord Xingshen was slain, it may have been the Lord of Bright Light himself who intervened to teleport Divine Son Kongji there. Otherwise, he could never have arrived so quickly. That day, I even… vaguely sensed an overwhelmingly powerful aura!" King Huai continued, "From what I gathered, when the Sword Venerable crossed paths with Lord Xingshen, I later heard people say Divine Son Kongji was still physically present in the Tianfang Great World. Yet even for a rank seven Sovereign, rushing over would have taken time. Kongji arrived with astonishing speed… Could it be that the Lord of Bright Light personally delivered him?" "……" At these words, several Sovereigns who hadn't paid much attention earlier were visibly startled. *That's right!* According to reports and intelligence, Kongji had still been in the Tianfang Great World back then. Meanwhile, within the crowd, two rogue cultivators felt their hearts skip a beat… *Has King Huai… not betrayed us?* They knew the truth of this matter all too well! They knew exactly how Kongji had gotten there. It had also been an oversight on Li Hao's part. Both he and Kongji had forgotten that Kongji had publicly shown himself in Tianfang, only to appear in the Red Moon Domain in the blink of an eye! How had he gotten there? Why so fast? Though no one seemed to recall it now or notice the discrepancy, King Huai had proactively brought it up—and coupled it with a daring theory: that the Lord of Bright Light had delivered him personally! King Huai continued, "I have heard that the Lord of Bright Light cherishes his son deeply—his only son, in fact—and hopes he will inherit the Bright God Realm. Yet a rank eight master is an immortal, imperishable existence! If Divine Son Kongji remains in Bright Light, his limit is rank seven; it would be exceedingly difficult for him to make another major breakthrough and become rank eight… If he allies with Xinwu to annihilate Red Moon, it is… entirely possible Xinwu would yield Red Moon to him…" King Huai said nervously, "These are merely my deductions; they may not be true. Perhaps Kongji possessed other means of arriving swiftly, or the one in Tianfang was merely an avatar used as a diversion… Everything rests upon My Lord's judgment!" The Lord of Red Moon smiled. Looking at him, he suddenly chuckled. "Earlier, when Senlan advanced, you had a chance to break through as well, but I suppressed it. Do you resent me?" "No, no, not at all!" King Huai hurriedly replied. "To stay alive is my greatest desire!" "Hahaha!" The Lord of Red Moon laughed uproariously. Sweeping his hand, a surging torrent of Great Dao power swept over King Huai. He laughed, "You are truly an interesting fellow! To survive in Xinwu to this day proves you are no ordinary individual. Since you are merely half a step from rank three… I shall fulfill your wish today! King Huai, remain faithfully in Red Moon; Red Moon needs a clever man like you!" He found him thoroughly amusing! Though the man wasn't strong, what did that matter? Had he been too powerful, the Lord of Red Moon wouldn't have dared keep him. A leap from rank two to rank three was trivial. The next instant, King Huai's aura surged violently, breaking through the rank two bottleneck in an instant and stepping into rank three. He had already been on the verge of reaching it. Overjoyed, King Huai immediately threw himself to the ground. "Thank you, My Lord, for your benevolence!" "Hahaha, it is your own wit that earned it!" The Lord of Red Moon laughed. "However… Xinwu's whereabouts cannot be confirmed, making it difficult to judge, and those worlds of extreme yang reside in other domains… No matter. If we cannot destroy Xinwu, how about destroying the Human King?" He let out a chuckle, having seemingly reached a decision. According to King Huai's reasoning, if Bright Light was not Xinwu's target, then Xinwu's foundation was not in Tianfang… Which meant that over in Tianfang, Xinwu's Human King stood alone! Even if the two sides cooperated, an alliance was just an alliance; what did it matter? In that moment, the Lord of Red Moon made up his mind. He would set the three great worlds aside for now and scheme for Tianfang. Though he had hesitated earlier, his resolve was now firmly set! Of course, he had not followed the advice of either the Senlan World Lord or King Huai. Both were newly surrendered subordinates, and he would never trust them completely. In that case, he would proceed according to his own judgment! *Red Moon shall claim a share of Tianfang as well!* Killing the Human King would be the ideal outcome. Even if that proved impossible, Wushan wished to break away from Yunxiao, which the Lord of Yunxiao would never permit. That presented another opening. He had previously reached agreements with Yunxiao, only for Wushan to disrupt them. This time, he could negotiate once more. He did not reveal his plans aloud. Below, King Huai remained silent, but according to his judgment… this man would most likely head to Tianfang. As for the idea of him actually agreeing to ambush Xinwu… Ambush my foot! Did traveling between domains take no time? Xinwu had been plotting for who knew how long and might strike at any moment. If the Lord of Red Moon had chosen that path, he would have ended up empty-handed on all fronts—though, in that case, he might have preserved his home territory! *Mortals!* King Huai sighed internally. Toying with desires was never a good thing. The Dao of Red Moon amplified desires far too much; while influencing enemies, it constantly warped oneself as well. To the Lord of Red Moon, seizing Tianfang's Great Dao Universe and slaying the Human King offered the greatest possible reward! As the Lord of Desire, once a desire took root in his mind, it would inevitably expand without limit. Furthermore, what King Huai and the Senlan World Lord had said seemed reasonable, yet both subtly implied that going to Tianfang was pointless. Coming from two newly surrendered defectors, such counsel only triggered his contrarian nature, making him trust his own decision all the more. This man was certain to go to Tianfang! Half the grand plan was already accomplished! Now, all that was missing was a single catalyst: the true opening of Tianfang's Great Dao Universe to cement the Lord of Red Moon's conviction and make him believe his choice was entirely correct. *This is all I can do.* King Huai kept his head lowered, absorbing the Great Dao power to stabilize his realm while ignoring the envious, jealous, and disdainful gazes around him. *Disdain me all you want. Every single one of you… will die sooner or later!* *A pack of fools blind to their own ignorance!* *Did they think the Dao of Desire was something just anyone could cultivate?* Unless one was an unmatched genius possessing unyielding willpower, anyone who touched it was an idiot. The Lord of Red Moon could still suppress it somewhat, but these lesser Sovereigns stood no chance at all.