The East Has Arrived

Kongji was thoroughly depressed. Everywhere he went, he was hailed as an unrivaled genius. Yet that phantom hadn't spared him a second glance. Was a cultivator of Time really that impressive? Was Time truly so special? Was it really that amazing? All right, fine—it genuinely was extraordinary, and it really was amazing. Still, it left him feeling helpless! A cultivator of three dual-polarity Daos had actually been spurned today. Such a thing was practically unheard of. Under normal circumstances, even a cultivator of a single dual-polarity Dao was a coveted treasure everywhere. Li Hao smiled and said nothing more. If he kept talking, Kongji might sink into a total funk. After all, Kongji had reached square 6,999, only for the phantom to deny him any face. "Let's go!" Li Hao said. "If we don't leave now, Senior Wushan is going to lose his mind." "Just walk out like this?" Kongji asked suspiciously. "If we head out now, aren't you afraid of being targeted?" "No problem!" Li Hao smiled. "With Senior Wushan out there, do you really think people can spy on us that easily?" *Fair point.* Kongji said nothing more. The two strode out of the great hall, heading straight for the outside world. As for the borrowed power, it would last only one minute, so there was no rush to use it immediately. As for what else Li Hao planned to do during that one minute aside from opening the Great Dao Universe... With rank seven strength, hoping to slay another rank seven Sovereign was virtually impossible. Kongji couldn't begin to guess his intentions. …… Outside Dark Demon Ridge. Wushan was still bickering back and forth with powerhouses gathered from every direction. Suddenly, Wushan felt a stirring in his heart. The two were finally coming out! They were out at last! Those two bastards had stayed inside for seven whole days. These past seven days had been excruciatingly hard to endure. If they hadn't emerged soon, he genuinely would have fled. Breathing a sigh of relief, his formidable aura surged even more ferociously, sweeping across the surrounding void. Wushan's voice was arctic, shaking heaven and earth. "Get lost, all of you! Unless you have absolute certainty of slaying me, dreaming of seizing Dark Demon Ridge is pure delusion!" This was both a stern warning and a secret message. He was telling those two fellows: *If you didn't hurry out, someone was already preparing to kill me and seize Dark Demon Ridge. Dao Chess seems to be right here in the ridge.* As for whether the two could read between the lines... If they couldn't grasp that much, they were utter fools who deserved whatever came to them. …… Naturally, Li Hao and Kongji understood. Kongji transmitted his voice, "Looks like the situation is rather grim. Perhaps we shouldn't have entered seclusion for seven whole days. With things as they are... powerhouses across all of Tianfang are probably watching this place." "The more people, the better. A larger crowd means more chaos, and chaos creates opportunity!" Li Hao was actually eager for more people to arrive; fewer people would work against them. If there were too few, people would slip right into the Great Dao Universe, and how could they stir up a real scene then? With a massive crowd, everyone would have to fight it out first. "Senior Wushan!" Li Hao sent a voice transmission, completely unconcerned about interception. After all, wasn't Wushan standing right outside? "Leave immediately... We'll talk later!" Wushan quickly replied via voice transmission. Even though he had never seen Li Hao in person, they had communicated previously. He knew the speaker was the Silver Moon King. Judging from his aura, he was rank four—not bad at all. Word had it that this fellow had slain rank four and even rank five Sovereigns over by Red Moon! As for killing rank six Sovereigns, news of that had not yet spread. "Leave? No, I'm here to tell Senior that I've come to fulfill our agreement and open the Great Dao Universe for you..." "Now?" "Yes." Wushan cursed violently in his heart! *You bastard!* *Opening the Great Dao Universe now?!* He instantly saw through Li Hao's intentions. Powerful experts surrounded them on all sides. Opening the Great Dao Universe right now... Dammit, was Li Hao sure that Wushan would be the one entering? Furthermore, the original agreement stated that Li Hao would open the Great Dao Universe for him... It never specified that he had to be alone. Was Li Hao taking advantage of a loophole? "Senior, rest assured! Silver Moon is still inside the Great Dao Universe. Even if I disregarded you, I would never let others enter haphazardly. Wouldn't that be sending Silver Moon to its doom?" Hearing this, Wushan relaxed slightly. *True.* The Silver Moon World was still inside. Then why did it have to be now? Wouldn't it be better if the two of them slipped away quietly, waited until the crowds dispersed or abandoned Dark Demon Ridge, and then entered together in secret? "When will you open it, then?" "In a little while!" Li Hao transmitted. "Hold the line for a bit longer, Senior! Also... I need Senior to do me a small favor..." "What favor?" "I will open a small gateway into the Tianfang Universe. Senior can seize the initiative and guard the gateway! But... you must hold it until at least one specific person arrives." "The Red Moon Sovereign?" "Yes." *I fucking knew it!* Wushan cursed in fury! *Fuck!* *Are you insane?!* If Li Hao opened a small gateway and Wushan guarded it, the first to arrive would undoubtedly be the two rank eights, the Lord of Bright Light and the Lord of Yunxiao. Next would likely be Sovereign Chiyang or the Dragon Lord. Whether the Lord of Red Moon could even make it was an open question. Even if he did come, he would almost certainly arrive last. Holding out until he arrived... How long would that take? Did Li Hao think those rank eights were pushovers? People would die! He would genuinely die! "This was not part of our agreement!" Wushan snapped irritably. That wasn't what they had agreed upon. He refused to accept this! Doing this would skyrocket his danger. It was far too hazardous. "As for the Lord of Bright Light... I will have Kongji contact him to entangle the Lord of Yunxiao... That brings an advantage: once Senior breaks away from Yunxiao, it will save you considerable trouble!" Wushan shuddered. Kongji... the Lord of Bright Light! Could this... actually work? If the Lord of Bright Light truly pinned down Yunxiao, it would indeed be the perfect opportunity for him to sever ties with Yunxiao. "In addition... I will do my best to persuade the Human King to join me in holding back the other rank seven Sovereigns, buying Senior more time and greater opportunity!" *Would the Human King listen to you?* Wushan thought skeptically. Besides, what use was your intervention? You are merely a rank four. If you stepped in, it would be far less effective than Kongji taking action. "Senior, as long as you stall until the Lord of Red Moon arrives... even if Senior fails to claim the Tianfang Great Universe this time, I will offer Senior another opportunity next time!" If Wushan couldn't hold out and allowed other rank eights to enter first, the Great Dao Universe would seal immediately... By then, whether the Lord of Red Moon came or not would be irrelevant. Wushan had to hold the line! He had to guard the rift and keep everyone else from entering. Wushan weighed the pros and cons rapidly. The danger was immense! Of course, if things played out as Li Hao said and both the Lord of Bright Light and the Xinwu Human King could withstand a wave... Despite the danger, it wasn't entirely unthinkable. "However, would the Lord of Bright Light abandon entering the Great Dao Universe just for his son? That universe is his hope of reaching rank nine... Do you think rank nine matters more, or his son?" What if the Lord of Bright Light refused to follow the plan? Wouldn't everything be ruined? "We will try our best. If there is truly no other way... then Senior and the others can enter the Great Dao Universe together. No one is asking you to hold on to the death!" Wushan pondered for a moment before transmitting, "Fine... But there is one more thing. If possible, let that Sovereign Qishui through on her own... I want to slaughter that woman! I will seize her Great Dao Universe and strip her energy to repay Yunxiao!" "……" *You still have time to think about this right now?* Li Hao was somewhat speechless, but after reflecting on it, he smiled. Having principles wasn't a bad thing. The fact that Wushan still cared about this meant he possessed a moral baseline. As for whether it would succeed, that was hard to tell. Li Hao didn't know Sovereign Qishui, but he understood the significance of her having a Great Dao Universe. A rank seven Great Dao Master! For a cultivator who wasn't a Dao Master to kill such an expert was extraordinarily difficult! Even the Human King had exerted immense effort to slay the Lord of Extreme Darkness. Without an ideal opportunity, the difficulty was staggering. "All right, I'll see what I can do..." As long as Wushan was willing to agree and hold the line, that was enough. The rest depended on Wushan himself. …… Li Hao turned toward Kongji with a hint of doubt. "Can your father... really agree to this?" To be frank, he felt Wushan's concerns were well-founded. If a son died, one could always have another. Besides, Kongji wasn't dead; he was standing right here and wasn't facing mortal danger. Would his father abandon the chance to enter the Great Dao Universe over a single sentence from his son, just to go fight the Lord of Yunxiao? Was that even possible? Kongji, however, brimmed with confidence. "Don't worry, relax!" *Fine. Since you're so confident, I have nothing to say.* "Then how do you contact him?" "Just wait and see. If my father is near Tianfang, contacting him will be easy. If not... we'll find another way." At this moment, Kongji had regained some pride. *See? No matter how formidable your Dao of Time is, my father is a rank eight!* *Where's your father?* *Even if the Xinwu Human King were your father—which he isn't—he's not a rank eight.* Without delay, Kongji led Li Hao aside, found an empty hall, and casually sat down. After thinking it over, he retrieved an object from his Dao marks that resembled a Source of Bright Light. Infusing it with a wave of energy, the light source flickered moments later. Kongji waited calmly, remarking as he did, "Major worlds generally possess means of long-range communication, but they require a degree of proximity. Otherwise... one has to employ large-scale communication arrays, which cause significant commotion and might expose my father's location." Li Hao nodded, glancing at the object. It was indeed a fine treasure. He felt a twinge of envy. Currently, he had no way of contacting those far away in Red Moon. After entering the Chaos, Li Hao realized that communication was often a critical bottleneck. Information gaps inevitably arose from delays in communication. If only one could communicate freely across vast distances. After a short while, a phantom materialized atop the light source, its back turned toward Li Hao, obscuring its details. Seeing Kongji, the phantom breathed a sigh of relief. "It is good that you are safe." He had thought his son had vanished. Evidently, he had returned to Tianfang. "Father!" Kongji became far more formal, his face utterly solemn. "Father, I require your assistance with a matter." "Assistance?" "Yes." "What matter?" "I am currently inciting Sovereign Wushan to swiftly break away from Yunxiao, using the opening of the Tianfang Great Dao Universe as bait. This presents Father with the perfect opportunity to slay the Sovereign of Yunxiao. Such an occasion will not come again. Whether Father can restrain the urge to enter the Great Dao Universe and instead slay the Sovereign of Yunxiao... will be the crucial key!" "……" Li Hao stood stunned. *You... really know how to spin a tale!* Inciting Sovereign Wushan to defect from Yunxiao to give the Sovereign of Bright Light a chance to kill Yunxiao... Was it an opportunity? In truth, it actually could be counted as one! The Sovereign of Bright Light seemed slightly taken aback as well. "You... incited Wushan? Using the opening of the Tianfang Great Dao Universe as the price?" What was he babbling about? "Yes!" Kongji nodded. "Does Father believe I am incapable of such a thing?" "Indeed!" "……" Li Hao pretended not to hear, while Kongji looked thoroughly embarrassed. *Don't you know there's an outsider standing right here?* *You aren't giving me any face at all.* *It's fine if we speak this way in private, but saying it in front of my friend—do I not deserve some dignity?* Speechless, Kongji pressed on, "Father may not know, but I have already stepped into rank six! Furthermore, I now cultivate Life and Death, Nirvana and Resurgence, as well as Light and Darkness... Right now, I am laying plans to advance to rank seven. I have already persuaded numerous individuals, including the Xinwu Human King, to create opportunities for me!" "Father, surely you won't prove inferior to mere outsiders?" The Lord of Bright Light was startled once more. "Who?" "The Xinwu Human King!" "You?" "Yes!" "You possess such capability?" "Father..." Kongji was growing incensed! Thoroughly annoyed, he snapped, "The Silver Moon King and I are friends! Father should know this!" "Oh, I see. The Silver Moon King persuaded the Xinwu Human King? Does that mean the Tianfang Universe is connected to the Silver Moon King, or perhaps the Xinwu Human King? My foolish son, haven't you been played by Xinwu?" Kongji was utterly at a loss for words. *How did he jump to that conclusion?* *How could that be!* *Why does my father refuse to trust me?* He felt deeply aggrieved. Kongji was not someone who lived off his elder's laurels; why wouldn't his father place any faith in him? The Lord of Bright Light let out a sigh. "Though your talent is formidable, your dedication to the Dao unwavering, and your knowledge extensive, compared to those people, you lack one thing... worldly shrewdness and street smarts! From childhood to adulthood, you grew up beneath my shelter. Tianfang is the farthest you have ever traveled, and even in Tianfang, you had protectors. No one dared lay a finger on you." "Be it Xinwu or Silver Moon, they are worlds that clawed their way up from the gutter bit by bit. When dealing with such individuals, even if you are no younger than them—or even older—I cannot trust them, nor can I trust you! What you speak of is far too naive. Figures like Wushan and the Xinwu Human King are rare prodigies of their generation; would they be swayed so easily by your words? They must have their own schemes..." As expected of a veteran powerhouse, he saw through matters with piercing clarity. He knew his own son. Talent he had in spades, but... in terms of cunning and experience, he couldn't hold a candle to the young Li Hao. Li Hao had fought his way out of a small world through rivers of blood, whereas his own son, even after venturing outside the Bright God Realm, remained under his protection. To put it simply, his scheming was far too shallow! The Lord of Bright Light strongly suspected his son was being used as a pawn. Kongji frowned, deeply irritated. Some people were gentle and polite outside, possessing exceptional temperaments, yet when facing their parents, they constantly felt the urge to prove themselves and show that they were all grown up. Kongji was no exception. Feeling unhappy and defensive, he said, "Father, I am no longer a child! The version of me in your memory might still be from five hundred years ago! I have grown. I have accomplished many things you wouldn't dare imagine! Together with Xinwu's Sword Venerable and the Silver Moon King, we slayed Xingshen. I was one of the three primary combatants and played a pivotal role!" "In Senlan, I slaughtered numerous Sovereigns, killing two rank six Sovereigns at once, both of whom were direct subordinates of Red Moon!" "I am already rank six! Not only that, but I walk dual-polarity Daos—and more than one! I am confident that I can attain rank seven by my own strength! Father, I am no longer Mingtang, the one who left Bright Light five hundred years ago just to prove a point and wandered the Chaos! I am Kongji, and today, I am no nameless nobody in the Chaos!" "……" The Lord of Bright Light fell silent for a long moment. *He killed Xingshen, killed rank sixes...* *Had he grown up?* Perhaps. In his eyes, his son was simply too young and tender. Yet just as Kongji had stated, he had accomplished things his father had never dared imagine: mastering dual-polarity Daos, participating in the death of a rank seven... After a pause, the Lord of Bright Light asked, "Everything you said today, everything you've done—did someone instruct you to say this?" Kongji replied in frustration, "Why would anyone need to teach me? I am a thousand years old! I am not a child!" "Only a thousand years old..." the Lord of Bright Light sighed wistfully. A mere thousand years old—that was practically a toddler. Far too young. His tone made it sound as though his precious boy had just left swaddling clothes. To him, that was precisely how it felt. He had lived for far too long. Kongji could hold back no longer. "The Xinwu Human King is roughly twelve hundred years old, and the Silver Moon King is only in his twenties... Father, I am already a thousand years old!" "You are different from them. They did not have a powerful father... but you do!" Kongji refused to dwell on this further, snapping impatiently, "Will Father agree or not?" "Since my son has asked..." The Lord of Bright Light considered it for a moment before remarking placidly, "Then I shall agree! However... if anyone dares use this to plot against my son, the Bright God Realm will naturally seek vengeance!" These words were clearly not meant for Kongji. It seemed he knew someone was standing beside Kongji, and the warning was aimed squarely at Li Hao. Nearby, Li Hao simply shrugged. *I'm not afraid of that threat.* Besides, contacting the Lord of Bright Light hadn't been his idea; Kongji had insisted on it himself. Kongji clearly felt he had lost face before his friend. Out in the world, he was an elegant, refined, top-tier Sovereign deeply versed in the Great Dao, yet speaking with his father, he was treated like an ignorant child. It was utterly humiliating! Kongji exhaled slowly. "Father, once I reach rank seven or even rank eight... you will finally realize that I am not the naive child you think I am!" "Perhaps!" The Lord of Bright Light chuckled lightly. *Even if you reached rank nine... does that make you my father?* *Nonsense!* *If you aren't my child, does that make you my ancestor?* Kongji inhaled deeply, clearly understanding his father's unspoken thought, and ground his teeth. "Then it is settled. In addition, beware of the Xinwu Human King. He may not necessarily attack you, but... he requires supreme Yang energy! That is all..." He prepared to cut off the transmission. His old man's words had left him thoroughly embarrassed. The Lord of Bright Light said nothing more, only chiming in just before Kongji severed the connection, "Return home early. You've wandered outside for so many years, training here and there. Until you reach rank eight, you would be better off returning soon and attempting to take charge of Bright Light. Even though I won't be dying anytime soon... it's still better than drifting outside." "Understood!" Unwilling to say another word, Kongji abruptly cut the connection. Turning toward Li Hao, he looked somewhat sheepish. "My father..." "It's completely normal. No matter how old a child gets, they remain a child to their parents! Parents always think their children haven't grown up..." Li Hao smiled, a hint of melancholy in his eyes, before continuing with a grin, "In the past, I also thought I was an adult. My parents would nag me as if I were a child... Back then, I found it so annoying!" Later... he never had the chance to be annoyed again. The Lord of Bright Light had truly acted like a father just now, a far cry from the heartless, ruthless image one might expect of supreme experts. Li Hao couldn't help but chuckle. "Back in Silver Moon, popular novels and storytelling scripts often depicted light as the villain—cold and merciless... Yet here you are, and your father seems quite decent." Kongji smiled. Then he sighed softly. "Novels, legends, and mythological tales naturally hold some grain of truth... They don't appear out of thin air. In the eyes of many, whether it is Bright Light, Darkness, Red Moon, or Yunxiao... which of these major worlds reached their current heights without boundless sin? Who among them doesn't have hands soaked in blood? What you see might not be the whole truth. From what I know, numerous small worlds harbor grim legends about the Lord of Bright Light, where his infamy runs deep... It's all the same. The Xinwu Human King seems decent in your eyes, but to the World Lords of certain small worlds in the Chaos who fear him, he will be remembered as utterly infamous years from now." Li Hao paused, then nodded. *True enough!* Leaving the subject aside, Li Hao smiled. "So, that part is settled?" "Yes." Putting those thoughts behind him, Kongji smiled as well. "I handled my father. Can you handle the Human King?" The Human King was hardly an easy man to negotiate with. "Don't worry, a single sentence will suffice once he appears. No problem at all!" Having traveled through Xinwu, Li Hao understood the Human King reasonably well. It wouldn't be an issue. Once he showed himself, a single sentence would do: *I will secure a rank seven opportunity for your Teacher Changsheng.* That alone would be more than enough. The Human King was fundamentally a man of profound passion and loyalty. Even if it meant giving up the Tianfang Great Dao Universe so the Longevity Sword Venerable could step into rank seven, he wouldn't mind in the slightest. That was who the Human King was! Therefore, there was no need for prior communication; the moment Li Hao revealed his identity, the Human King would naturally know what choice to make. "Then everything is arranged... It's just... there are far too many rank sevens right now..." "Numbers mean nothing. They aren't the primary force; they'll only jump on the bandwagon. Unless they see a clear opening, they probably won't dare make a move! Once the Lord of Red Moon arrives... it would be best if we can herd them all into the Tianfang Universe... Even if we can't, we must entangle them... to facilitate our actions!" Li Hao calculated swiftly. Reaching this stage, their plan was virtually at its climax. Having paid such an exorbitant price, expended months of effort, surrendered numerous benefits, and even used the Tianfang Universe as bait... They had deployed every available resource. If the plan still failed, it would simply mean heaven was not on their side. Without exaggeration, if their sweep of Red Moon yielded less than three billion Great Dao crystals, Li Hao would consider it an absolute loss! They had slain so many Sovereigns, including a vast number of rank sixes, relinquished the ripe Senlan World that was practically within their grasp, deliberately helped the World Lord of Senlan achieve his breakthrough, and burned multiple requests with Dao Chess... If they didn't harvest at least three billion crystals, the loss would be catastrophic! Three billion Great Dao crystals equated to roughly thirty medium worlds or three hundred small worlds... Phrased like that, the hurdle sounded monumental. But at this point, they could only gamble on the Red Moon Great Dao Universe and its world possessing vast reserves of Great Dao crystals. After all, Red Moon had destroyed countless worlds, including great worlds, and was renowned for relentless conquest! It was an aggressive, predatory world, not a peaceful one. …… Outside Huilong Temple. Both sides were still quarreling. Wushan was no longer anxious; he appeared exceedingly calm. Meanwhile, more and more Sovereigns gathered outside. Sovereigns emerged from every direction. Vaguely, some even detected the manifestation of a rank eight will—the Lord of Bright Light's! At this, even if the Lord of Yunxiao hadn't originally intended to project his will, he had no choice but to descend as well. Both were prepared to descend upon this place at any moment! In the shadows, the Human King watched the spectacle. He had guessed that the Silver Moon King might have arrived, but... even if he had, what then? Did Wushan have a partnership with that young fellow? The situation was exceedingly complicated. The Human King had deduced several things... yet he had not guessed that their true target was the Red Moon World. A rank eight great world simply seemed far too distant for the Silver Moon King. Had it been a rank six world like Senlan, his guess would have been far more accurate. …… Within the world barrier. Li Zhu was pondering as well. Everything was in place; the only thing missing was a spark—the most critical and essential element: the Tianfang Universe. Without the Tianfang Universe surfacing, a full-scale battle could not erupt. Once it appeared, however, all of Tianfang would instantly plunge into chaotic warfare! Chaotic warfare was his only chance. He had even considered forging a fake... Unfortunately, a Great Dao Universe was near impossible to counterfeit. Otherwise, given his temperament—or the Human King's—they would have manufactured a fake to entrap these Sovereigns. Outside Huilong Temple, beyond the rank seven Sovereigns, many mid-tier Sovereigns had congregated around the periphery. Some came to bolster the prestige of their great worlds, others to watch the commotion, and still others to fish for scraps... Sovereigns were plentiful throughout Tianfang. The Southern Region alone previously housed dozens of permanent Sovereigns; counting wandering cultivators, there were nearly a hundred Sovereigns in the Southern Region. The entire Tianfang World held far more Sovereigns than Senlan. Hundreds of Sovereigns! As for those at the Heavenly King Realm, they were innumerable! Presently, beyond the perimeter of Sovereigns, a number of Heavenly Kings had also assembled. Those daring enough to gather here were exceptionally bold, harborers of ulterior motives... the fall of Sovereigns! Once a Sovereign died, their Great Dao dissipated, dispersing boundless Dao power. To Heavenly Kings, a Sovereign's Dao was immensely potent; even skimming the barest scraps would grant them a feast. Who didn't yearn to attain the seat of a Sovereign? Normally, Sovereigns rarely died. Even when they did, it almost always occurred within the primal chaos. Even if not in the primal chaos, within an inhabited Dao world, their energy would be absorbed by the local Dao Master rather than scattering into the surroundings. But Tianfang was masterless, and Tianfang's Great Dao Universe would not absorb loose Dao power. If a Sovereign died here with no one absorbing the energy, their Sovereign power would disperse freely. To many, that represented an astronomical opportunity. Last time, when Li Hao allowed the Dao power of multiple Sovereigns to disperse, it had benefited numerous experts, causing a massive surge of Saint- and Heavenly King-level cultivators across Tianfang. Right now, over a hundred Sovereigns were gathered around Huilong Temple. Once a great battle erupted into a free-for-all among rank sevens and rank eights, low-tier Sovereigns would inevitably perish. If the combatants had no leisure to absorb the dispersing Dao power amidst the clash, it would become free for the taking. Everyone knew it was perilous, but so what? Where there was danger, there was fortune! Consequently, the outer perimeter swarmed with cultivators, including several individuals familiar to Li Hao, all lurking on the edges like tigers eyeing their prey, waiting for their chance. Yuan Shuo detected several familiar auras, but paid them no mind. Clustering together was too dangerous; dispersing was far wiser. He, too, sensed that the time had come. Yuan Shuo was well aware that all that was lacking was a spark. Right now, everyone was merely trading verbal barbs; the instant the Tianfang Universe opened, all-out war would explode... Yet he also knew that seemingly only Li Hao could open the Tianfang Universe. At this moment, he wasn't certain whether Li Hao had returned. If he had... Li Hao would definitely open it! Such an opportunity was exceedingly rare! Fishing in troubled waters was precisely Li Hao's specialty. …… Everyone was waiting. Meanwhile, within the Red Moon World, the Lord of Red Moon had been monitoring these developments continuously. Yet he did not sit idly by while waiting. Remaining active, he kept watch over the movements around Tianfang while using specialized methods to contact several powerhouses. The supreme experts of the three neighboring great worlds. Across a colossal projection screen, the Lord of Red Moon appeared far more composed than days prior, bearing a gentle smile. "The Alliance to Slay Wu still exists, in my view! Presently, the Xinwu Human King is in Tianfang, while the Xinwu homeland has vanished without a trace... Xinwu is a malignant tumor!" "I intend to travel to Tianfang and execute the Xinwu Human King... Regrettably, trouble plagues me at home." He sighed softly. "As you all know, three rank seven Sovereigns fell from my Red Moon in a single day, leaving our interior hollow. Even knowing the Xinwu Human King is in Tianfang, I have been unable to depart... I must guard against unforeseen perils!" The three rank seven Sovereigns merely listened, offering no easy replies. His inability to depart wasn't merely fear of a sneak attack from Xinwu; in truth, he feared their three factions as well. The Lord of Red Moon continued, "Now, owing to Wushan's actions, tension in Tianfang has reached a boiling point, as you all know! I have a proposal, and I wonder if you might be interested..." "Fellow Daoist Red Moon, speak plainly." Pondering briefly, the Red Moon Sovereign said slowly, "I wish to launch a surprise attack on the Xinwu Human King... Yet relying on myself alone might not guarantee his death. Therefore, I propose that you accompany me in descending upon Tianfang together. With the combined might of one rank eight and four rank sevens, the mere Xinwu Human King will undoubtedly perish!" *Subjugate the three major worlds?* *Why bother right now!* An alliance was sufficient. Now that his attention was focused on Tianfang, even though two rank sevens guarded his realm... what if complications arose? If he brought these rank sevens along, they would serve as his aides while simultaneously relieving pressure on Red Moon! Killing two birds with one stone! The World Lord of Tianlan frowned slightly. "Descend upon Tianfang?" "Indeed!" The Lord of Red Moon smiled. "Are you not interested? A rank nine great world is on the verge of revival. Could it be... none of you harbor any ambitions toward it? If you do... this is the perfect opportunity!" "Fellow Daoist Red Moon jests. When a rank nine world revives, what business is it of us rank sevens..." The Red Moon Sovereign shook his head. "That is not necessarily true. At such times, everything hinges on fortune, luck, and Dao compatibility. Otherwise, why would so many rank seven Dao Masters be lingering there?" The Lord of Yueming stated grimly, "The crux is that if we go now, we cannot bring our great worlds with us. Should something go awry... and we cannot rush back in time, our worlds will be in grave peril!" Red Moon had two rank seven Sovereigns standing guard, so it naturally had nothing to fear, but they could not say the same. Take Yueming, for instance: he was the sole rank seven Sovereign. If he left and someone launched a surprise assault on his great world, the consequences would be dire. The Lord of Red Moon smiled. "The three great worlds can shift closer to Red Moon, guarded jointly by Aihong and Senlan. Unless a rank eight assaults them, breaching a great world is hardly so simple!" The others sank into deep contemplation. Were they interested in Tianfang? Of course they were! However, they did not dare place unconditional faith in the Lord of Red Moon. Their greatest fear was that before anyone else made a move, Red Moon would lure them away and strike their home realms. Two rank seven Sovereigns were more than enough to conquer them. Before they could even return, their homes would be gone! Without their home bases, even if the enemy couldn't immediately seize their Great Dao Universes, losing the billions of mortal souls cultivating the Dao would cause their Great Dao Universes to wither and languish... Without a massive stroke of fortune, even with a Great Dao Universe, they would soon decline into mere rogue cultivators. The Lord of Red Moon understood their skepticism. Yet taking them along was his optimal choice right now! Not only would Red Moon remain safe, but by taking several Sovereigns with him, he wouldn't need to fear a surprise attack from Xinwu while away. The Lord of Red Moon spoke once more: "Fellow Daoists... I comprehend your apprehension and share your concerns..." Pausing, he said solemnly, "Since we sincerely desire an alliance, a degree of mutual trust is essential!" He projected an aura of complete sincerity. "Since you cannot trust my word, let us establish a Great Dao alliance! Grounded upon our Dao sources, if anyone breaches the covenant, primal chaos lightning tribulations shall descend to obliterate their Dao sources... If you cannot even trust such a covenant... then our so-called alliance is utterly meaningless!" The others were taken aback. A primal chaos covenant! Such a thing truly existed. If violated, with the Dao source—the very root of a Great Dao Universe—as its foundation, primal chaos lightning tribulations would genuinely strike. The Lord of Yueming's heart stirred, and he spoke up: "A covenant... is not out of the question, provided the terms are straightforward: no one from the Red Moon Great World may harass our three worlds or harm any individual from our three worlds... Any breach will immediately trigger the lightning's wrath..." The Lord of Red Moon chuckled in disbelief. "Are you joking? A great world contains trillions of living beings; I cannot police every single soul... Let the restriction apply solely to rank seven Sovereigns! Naturally, counting myself, Red Moon has three... We three shall be bound by the covenant, and the same applies to you! Furthermore, there must be a time limit... a hundred-year pact!" *What a joke—every single person in the great world?* *If some random individual attacked you, wouldn't I be struck by lightning? I could be struck tens of thousands of times a day... reduced to ash!* Restricting high-tier Sovereigns was the absolute limit. Moreover, there had to be a time constraint. Naturally, establishing this pact offered him an immense advantage: there were only three Sovereigns at rank seven or above in Red Moon, and the other worlds would find it nearly impossible to birth a new rank seven. Red Moon, however... had a very high chance! If they truly turned hostile, an action taken by a newly birthed rank seven Sovereign would not violate the covenant. He had factored this in as well. Had the timing not been so poor, he would have annexed the three great worlds long ago. Non-aggression? What a joke! The strong preyed upon the weak! When the opportunity presented itself, why wouldn't he devour them? He had thought of this, and naturally, the other Sovereigns anticipated it as well. The Lord of Cangjiang stated, "If Fellow Daoist Red Moon is truly sincere about concluding this covenant, include several rank six Sovereigns within your Red Moon territory as well!" "……" The Lord of Red Moon raised an eyebrow slightly. The Lord of Cangjiang said placidly, "After all... now that Red Moon has integrated Senlan, in my view, another rank seven or two may well emerge before long. For our rank seven great worlds, birthing another rank seven is simply too difficult!" No one was a fool! With that, he added, "Furthermore, should Red Moon violate the pact, a rank eight lightning tribulation must descend, whereas if we violate it, a rank seven lightning tribulation shall fall! Otherwise, if the tribulation's power is unspecified and amounts to low-tier lightning, the oath is pointless!" The Lord of Red Moon raised an eyebrow once more. None of these figures who had become World Lords were fools. On any other day, he would never have agreed. Today, however, he was deeply invested in the shifts at Tianfang. Moreover, the Xinwu Human King was indeed his target. In order to depart Red Moon swiftly and freely... A tactical concession was warranted. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded. "Very well! Additionally, if the Tianfang Universe truly opens... all of you must depart alongside me." "What of the Xinwu homeland...?" "Rest assured!" The Lord of Red Moon smiled. "They are not nearby. If they were, they would have struck long ago; last time was their golden opportunity! Having missed that chance, attempting to strike us now would demand far too high a price!" The enemy was definitely not in the vicinity. With that, he chuckled, "Besides, when a critical moment arrives, since we can leave, we can naturally return. It isn't as though we are barred from coming back!" If they could go, they could naturally return. Unless they were pinned down. Yet even if Xinwu harbored schemes, could a single Xinwu Human King hold back all of them? Preposterous! If Xinwu possessed that degree of strength, they would have charged in head-on long ago. "Then... it is settled!" After weighing the matter, the Sovereigns nodded. This was not a bad outcome; it constituted a formal covenant, and the fact that he accepted restrictions upon himself was already exceptionally rare! Previously, Red Moon had never actively proposed a Great Dao covenant, clearly regarding itself as superior and relying merely on verbal alliances without imposing restraints upon itself. Now, however, the deaths of three rank seven Sovereigns combined with the turmoil in Tianfang had forced him to make concessions. Soon, anchored by the sources of their Great Daos and witnessed by the primal chaos lightning tribulations, the four universes forged the Great Dao covenant! The three great worlds began migrating toward Red Moon. The distance shrank closer and closer! Watching this unfold from his hiding spot in the void, the Sword Venerable groaned inwardly. *Why are they moving so close to each other?* *Now we're in immense trouble!* Even if Li Hao succeeded, good grief, once they teleported back, counting Sovereign Senlan, there would be a full six rank seven Sovereigns... When that time came, they would be left weeping without tears! They had paid an enormous price to stage a surprise raid on Red Moon. Disaster! The Sword Venerable felt helpless; this was truly turning into a massive headache. …… Meanwhile, both the World Lord of Senlan and King Huai were utterly dumbfounded. King Huai remained ignorant of the finer details, but the World Lord of Senlan, as one of the bound parties, felt completely exasperated! *Is he... planning to deliver the three great worlds straight into their hands as well?* Judging by this posture, once the Lord of Red Moon departed, the powerhouses of the three great worlds would accompany him... He simply didn't know whether the Silver Moon King had made arrangements over in Tianfang. If four rank seven Sovereigns departed from here and arrived in Tianfang, trouble might brew. Of course, if one disregarded Tianfang, bringing these Sovereigns away meant all four worlds were clustered together... Crucially, aside from himself, only Aihong remained to guard them... This... might truly be an unfathomably colossal feast! *Tianfang... is about to erupt, isn't it?* He murmured inwardly, uncertain whether this would prove to be a magnificent feast or... a catastrophic abyss! If the Lord of Red Moon brought four rank seven Sovereigns as reinforcements, they might devour the entire Tianfang Universe. The Silver Moon King needed to beware of failing to steal the chicken and losing the rice instead, suffering devastating losses in the end while reaping nothing! After all, the sudden addition of four rank seven Sovereigns defied everyone's calculations. And right now, he had no way of sending word to Li Hao—he didn't possess any means of contacting him! All they could do was leave it to fate!