In the Tianfang Great World, time trickled by.
Li Hao stepped out from their hiding place. In the Huilong Temple area, vast numbers of cultivators were taking cover; no one dared step out to face the oppressive aura of so many Sovereigns.
The atmosphere grew increasingly terrifying.
Li Hao looked up at the sky.
Beside him, Kongji was also a bit nervous. The opening of the Tianfang Great Dao would inevitably serve as an explosive fuse. Even though they were hiding in the shadows, it did not mean opening it would be safe.
Turning his head, Kongji was slightly taken aback.
Subtle changes had come over Li Hao’s body, and a faint wisp of sword intent surfaced around him. Sword Venerable?
Kongji was stunned for an instant. *He’s impersonating Sword Venerable?*
He gave it some thought... Perhaps that wasn’t a bad idea. Sword Venerable had fled from the direction of Red Moon, so his arrival here wouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, Red Moon wasn't excessively far, and both Li Hao and Kongji had flown back. Given how formidable Sword Venerable was, it was only natural he could make it here too.
Li Hao glanced around. Right now, he could not see the other Sovereigns, but he could sense their auras.
Soon, his gaze locked onto an expert stationed toward the rear.
*Huilong!*
Li Hao muttered inwardly. Back at Dark Demon Ridge, this fellow had isolated the world several times and even organized a squad to hunt Sword Venerable. Although it had ultimately yielded nothing, now that Sword Venerable had appeared with no Red Moon powerhouses present, picking Huilong as the primary target to strike down aligned perfectly with Sword Venerable’s personality.
Since he was going to open the Great Dao Universe, slaying a rank six to consecrate the banner was an absolute necessity.
Was a rogue cultivator like Huilong strong?
Previously, Li Hao had thought he was strong. But after slaying the rogue cultivator Yu Xiu, Huilong seemed merely average.
It had been two years since he entered the chaos. Aside from Red Moon, he didn't have many enemies, but Sovereign Huilong certainly counted as one.
"In a moment, I’ll slaughter Huilong first to kick off the show for everyone!"
Li Hao smiled and turned to Kongji. "Brother Kongji, the only thing you need to do now is create a Nirvana realm in an empty spot to snuff out the teleportation fluctuations. As for the rest... I won't need your help here."
Kongji nodded without insisting on doing more.
Furthermore, with his father nearby, showing his face was not wise; people might easily mistake it as the stance of the Bright God Realm.
Extinguishing teleportation fluctuations was no simple task either.
Although a Nirvana realm could accomplish it, its range was limited. Moreover, with so many Sovereigns present, the risk of exposure made it quite dangerous.
"Then I’ll head over first... and do my best to avoid the southern domain..."
"Alright."
Kongji said no more and swiftly departed. With the power of Nirvana at his disposal, his ability to conceal himself was exceptionally potent. Right now, most Sovereigns had their attention fixed on Wushan, so few paid heed to other cultivators in the Huilong Domain.
Li Hao also flickered and vanished from his spot.
The innermost circle consisted almost entirely of rank seven Sovereigns.
The rank six ones were all on the outer perimeter.
And Sovereign Huilong was not far from Sovereign Shenhai.
The Sovereigns of Huilong Temple had been slaughtered almost clean by Li Hao. Currently, Sovereign Huilong was accompanied by only one rank five Sovereign and two rank four Sovereigns. These constituted the entirety of Huilong Temple’s remaining Sovereigns, though their quality was decent.
Li Hao walked toward the outer perimeter at a brisk pace.
Some Sovereigns who had been watching Wushan noticed Li Hao. A few felt slightly puzzled: who was audacious enough to wander around while rank seven Sovereigns were locked in a standoff?
Li Hao did not deliberately conceal himself. To rank seven Sovereigns, hiding would only look suspicious and make one an easy target.
Walking out openly also made it easier for Kongji to slip away.
Noticing that someone’s aura seemed to lock onto him, Li Hao ignored it and simply withdrew toward the perimeter. Seeing this, some gave up further observation, assuming he was merely a rogue Sovereign from the Huilong Temple area who had sensed the impending danger and wanted to leave early.
***
At this moment, Sovereign Huilong was still conversing via voice transmission with the Sovereigns beside him.
"This Sovereign Wushan... sigh... Of all places, why did he have to occupy Huilong Temple? Given the current situation, if a fight truly breaks out, Huilong Temple is done for!"
Sovereign Huilong felt thoroughly helpless.
Lately, it felt as though luck had completely abandoned him.
Over the past two years, Huilong Temple had first experienced a surge in strength: the number of Sovereigns under its banner increased, Kongji broke through to rank five, and they absorbed several Sovereigns from the Absolute Darkness Great World along with neighboring Sovereigns.
Yet in the blink of an eye, Kongji fled, and the other Sovereigns of Huilong Temple were wiped out.
After finally waiting for high-rank Sovereign reinforcements from the Yunxiao World, in a flash, Wushan appeared poised to break away from Yunxiao. And before that matter could even be settled, these people were preparing to fight on Huilong Temple’s territory.
Once the high-rank Sovereigns clashed, Huilong Temple would most likely be reduced to rubble.
The foundation he had spent so many years painstakingly building was gone in an instant.
As for advancing to rank seven in Tianfang... now it seemed as illusory as the moon reflected in water. Previously, the rank seven and rank eight lords had not come to Tianfang, leading him to think they didn't care much. But good heavens, at the slightest disturbance, every single one of them had arrived!
Just then, Sovereign Shenhai’s voice transmission came from ahead: "Huilong, don't just stand idle! It looks like a Sovereign came out of the Huilong Temple area... Wushan didn't stop him. Go find out what’s going on—what trick Wushan is playing, and whether there are any developments at Dark Demon Ridge!"
As a rank seven Sovereign, he naturally didn't need to handle such mundane chores himself; Huilong would suffice.
Sovereign Huilong cursed inwardly. *I’m a rank six Sovereign after all; you really don't give me any face.*
Then again, were there still other Sovereigns in the Huilong Temple area?
How had he not known?
He was the nominal master of Huilong Temple after all, even if Wushan had driven him away for a time. Had this person entered from the southern world gate?
At a time like this, a Sovereign dared to wander around... Setting aside rank sevens, anyone below rank seven was truly reckless and tired of living.
Once battle erupted, anyone below rank seven was cannon fodder.
Cursing aside, Huilong promptly transmitted: "Understood, I’ll go right away!"
Shenhai didn't even bother replying. He had no mood to entertain this fellow right now.
***
Sovereign Huilong glanced at the companions beside him and transmitted: "Let’s go see who came out of Huilong Temple. In passing... let’s get farther away from here. Once that person moves farther out, we’ll catch up."
This suited him well!
Being too close to the rank seven circle brought immense pressure. If Sovereign Shenhai hadn't been in front, he wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere near here; the oppressive aura of those rank sevens made him thoroughly uncomfortable.
At this moment, he wasn't the only one; several other factions had also received similar orders.
A Sovereign had walked out of Huilong Temple.
Judging from his aura... he was likely a mid-rank Sovereign. Of course, Li Hao had applied some slight concealment—not overly pronounced, but for rank seven Sovereigns, a single sweep was enough to tell whether someone was high-rank or not.
***
Li Hao did not move quickly. He had wondered whether high-rank Sovereigns would step in to stop him, but reality proved that at this stage, high-rank Sovereigns would not act lightly, lest they trigger misunderstandings, provoke a brawl, and ignite the powder keg.
Only after leaving the rank seven circle did Li Hao sense Sovereigns approaching from the front, left, and right.
He even sensed Sovereign Huilong’s aura.
What a stroke of luck!
Li Hao continued forward. After walking for a bit, the void rippled, and several Sovereigns arrived. Someone looked toward Li Hao. A faint sword intent lingered on him, but appearances were useless to examine—they held little value.
The Sovereign blocking the way was about to speak when his brow furrowed.
In a flash, Huilong and his companions arrived.
Huilong glanced at the Sovereigns gathered around—some showed their faces, while others watched from the shadows. Raising an eyebrow, he smiled: "Fellow Daoists, this is my Huilong Temple’s territory after all... Right now, the situation inside Huilong Temple remains unclear. Since this Fellow Daoist just emerged from Huilong Temple, I’d like to speak with him first... This is also Lord Shenhai’s wish!"
He had no interest in clashing with these people; invoking his ties to an eighth-rank Great Dao universe was enough to suppress them.
With that, he turned to Li Hao and smiled: "Fellow Daoist, I am Huilong! You’ve just emerged from Huilong Temple, and I apologize for failing to welcome you properly. Currently, the Huilong area is rather complicated... Would it be convenient to speak for a moment?"
As he spoke, he sized Li Hao up from head to toe, feeling slightly puzzled.
*Have I seen this person before?*
It wasn't a matter of appearance, but rather a faint, familiar aura.
After all, he had met Li Hao before. As a rank six Sovereign, even if Li Hao had altered his presence, he hadn't changed his fundamental origin. To Huilong, while he couldn't recognize him at first glance, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen this person.
Of course, having lived for so long, having met various Sovereigns was completely normal.
Li Hao looked at him, exhaled, and nodded: "Certainly! I also sensed the overwhelming pressure over Huilong Temple, which is why I thought to leave early. I have long heard of Fellow Daoist Huilong’s renown. In earlier years, I actually saw you, but... with your rank six power, you have likely forgotten."
"I knew you looked familiar!"
Sovereign Huilong seized on the opening and laughed. It wasn't mere courtesy; the familiarity was real.
Since the other party was willing to talk amicably, that was for the best.
He was always slick and diplomatic, greeting everyone with a smile; avoiding a fallout was ideal.
Cupping his hands toward the surroundings, he said, "This Fellow Daoist has agreed... If the rest of you wish to know anything, you may invite him for a chat once I’ve finished..."
Around them, some remained silent, while others looked slightly displeased.
However, Huilong was a rank six Sovereign backed by Yunxiao, so no one directly objected.
Yet several voices sounded in Li Hao’s ears.
All were quite polite, merely inviting Li Hao for a chat. After all, he was just a Sovereign who had walked out of the Huilong area, not one of Wushan’s subordinates; he might not even know anything, and there was no need to make things unpleasant with a mid-rank Sovereign.
Li Hao replied to each of them via voice transmission.
Glancing at Huilong once more... it truly was a coincidence.
He rose into the air, flying straight toward Sovereign Huilong. Huilong still felt he must have genuinely seen Li Hao before, smiling as he asked, "May I ask how to address Fellow Daoist? You and I may have met... though as you know, making acquaintances in the chaos can sometimes be rather inconvenient..."
"Understood!"
Li Hao smiled. "Just call me Dragon Slayer!"
"..."
Sovereign Huilong frowned slightly. Li Hao explained: "Please don't misunderstand, Fellow Daoist... In my world, dragons were a scourge, so... that was the title the populace bestowed upon me. I didn't wish to mention it outside, but today it feels wrong to speak falsely, lest everyone think I’m hiding something. Thus, before Fellow Daoist, I speak the honest truth. If it causes offense, I truly apologize."
"No matter!"
Although Sovereign Huilong didn't care for the name, since that was what the man was called... Even the Dragon race hadn't picked a quarrel with him, so why should Huilong take offense?
Both were mid-rank Sovereigns, even if this person appeared to be only rank four.
Seeing that Huilong said nothing further and was leading him farther away, distancing them from the battle circle, Li Hao smiled inwardly.
*He’s being this cooperative?*
*Is he afraid that being too close to the rank sevens would make it inconvenient for me to strike?*
After flying for a while, Sovereign Huilong looked around and saw they were a fair distance from the rank sevens. Only then did he exhale: "There are too many rank sevens near Huilong Temple; the atmosphere is too stifling. In inviting you here, I had no other purpose than to ask how the situation inside the temple is right now, and whether there have been any changes at Dark Demon Ridge... Rumors outside claim that the opening of the Tianfang Universe might be related to Dark Demon Ridge."
Li Hao did not take up the topic. Looking around, he asked, "Fellow Daoist Huilong, I heard the Xinwu Human King has also arrived in Tianfang. Previously, you seemed to have organized a squad to kill Xinwu’s Sword Venerable. The Xinwu Human King never lets a grudge go; did he really not cause trouble for you?"
Sovereign Huilong frowned.
*What does he mean?*
*That’s ancient history!*
*Besides, didn't the expedition fail to happen?*
*What is there to retaliate over?*
Whether the Human King even knew about it was questionable.
*Is this guy deliberately picking a fight?*
He felt a prickle of displeasure!
Moreover, he dreaded having this brought up. Back when the Human King wasn't here, he naturally hadn't feared Xinwu. But the Human King was right here now and had slain rank sevens. Huilong was deeply wary of anyone dredging up the past, terrified that the Human King might overhear and ruthlessly execute him.
Just as he was about to speak, his expression suddenly shifted.
The aura of the man opposite him spiked massively in an instant! Li Hao wasted no more time. Sovereign Huilong was merely a minor player; a single jab was enough... Opening the show by slaying Huilong—the death of a rank six detonating Tianfang—befitted his identity... or rather, Sword Venerable’s identity.
Sovereign Huilong’s expression altered drastically as he sensed what was happening.
The opponent had clearly been only rank four, yet in a single instant, his aura skyrocketed.
Overcome with terror, Huilong turned to flee.
He cursed inwardly!
*What devilry is this!*
*Is every random Sovereign I bump into a hidden powerhouse?*
*Where did so many powerhouses come from these days?*
*Besides, I have an eighth-rank Great World at my back; how is it that just anyone dares to bully me? Has the deterrence of the Lord of Yunxiao dwindled this much?*
The disturbance here drew the attention of distant Sovereigns.
Minds of powerful Sovereigns extended over instantly. Sovereign Shenhai also turned back sharply, burning with rage.
*Who?*
The next moment, a colossal sword manifested in the sky.
As he fled, Sovereign Huilong felt a bone-chilling cold. *Damn it, sword intent—such monstrous sword intent!*
*Who is it?*
*Could it be... Sword Venerable?*
*How is that possible...*
Just as the thought crossed his mind, a cold sneer resonated across all directions:
"Didn't you want to hunt me down? Allow me to grant your wish!"
"How dare you!"
In the distance, Sovereign Shenhai roared in fury. *This is... Xinwu’s Sword Venerable?*
*Why is he here?*
*Wasn't he reported to be in the Red Moon region not long ago?*
Of course, he had departed long ago, so arriving here was not out of the question. But for Xinwu’s Sword Venerable to emerge from the Huilong Temple area... did that mean Wushan had truly joined hands with Xinwu?
First the Human King, now Sword Venerable—this practically cemented Wushan’s collusion with Xinwu.
The ferocious sword intent erupted in an instant!
At this moment, Li Hao directly borrowed power. The body of Dao Chess was nearby, making it convenient; furthermore, it was alive, making it even more effortless. Besides, Li Hao had never feared rank six Sovereigns.
Even without borrowing power, he had no fear of Huilong.
Borrowing power was merely to make it quicker.
A longsword emerged, and Longevity Sword Intent surfaced directly. Though its core was different, how could outsiders tell?
***
At that moment, within the world barrier:
Someone’s gaze locked onto the scene instantly. The Human King frowned slightly. *Who dares impersonate Old Man Li?*
The next moment, he realized what was happening and raised an eyebrow. *Bold little fellow!*
*The new King of Silver Moon?*
*His imitation is actually quite close, but... impersonating him in front of me... Whatever. Old Man Li stayed behind in the Silver Moon World for many years; who knows if this new King of Silver Moon is one of his descendants? Who knows if Old Man Li had an illegitimate child or something.*
The Human King was merely curious: impersonating Old Man Li just to kill a rank six... did you have such a deep grudge against this rank six?
His strength seemed quite decent!
However, the power felt slightly... hollow and unstable.
Of course, the instantaneous burst almost touched rank seven. With such power, anyone who had never met Sword Venerable or exchanged blows with him would believe it was Old Man Li.
***
"It has begun!"
At another spot along the world barrier, Li Zhu exhaled. The good show was about to start.
This King of Silver Moon was evidently no easy mark either. After waiting for several days, the crucial spark for the chaos had finally arrived.
***
Huilong Temple.
Sovereign Wushan’s gaze flickered. *Is it starting?*
*This King of Silver Moon is truly vindictive!*
*He really rivals Xinwu in that regard. Sovereign Huilong supposedly had only a slight past grievance with him, yet this guy immediately goes for the kill!*
As the various factions reacted in their own ways:
That ray of sword light descended at staggering speed.
With the eruption of sword intent, formidable power swept across all directions. Sovereign Huilong turned pale with horror. If this was Sword Venerable... he knew he was no match. Sensing the terrifying sword intent erupting behind his back, he let out a furious roar!
A colossal dragon seemed to manifest over his body!
He was not of the Dragon race, but he cultivated a Dragon physique art that granted him an exceptionally tough body. A golden dragon coiled behind him, roaring toward the heavens as immense power erupted in an instant!
"Lord Shenhai!" Sovereign Huilong bellowed!
He cursed inwardly: *Rotten luck! With a crowd of rank sevens right here, you dare attack? Are you insane?!*
"Die!"
The sword fell. With a resounding blast, the ferocious sword intent obliterated the golden dragon! This sight shocked the Sovereigns who hadn't managed to rush over in time.
That had been the ultimate technique of a rank six Sovereign, possessing tremendous defense.
Yet Sword Venerable, who was also rank six, had shattered it with a single strike!
Rumors claimed Sword Venerable had battled rank sevens and even caused the fall of Sovereign Xingshen; it seemed those rumors weren't false after all.
What a terrifying sword!
In the distance, Sovereign Shenhai vanished instantly, traversing the void, fury blazing in his eyes. *What insolence!*
Right at that moment, a bloodcurdling scream tore through the heavens!
The sword slashed out, and a sword domain manifested!
Shattering the golden dragon, it instantly engulfed Sovereign Huilong. In utter terror, Huilong had no chance to counterattack. The sword landed completely, and with a booming blast, his physical body was ground to dust!
A Dao trace emerged!
It was actually a tiny golden dragon. Many felt their hearts stir: even his Dao trace took the form of a golden dragon; could Sovereign Huilong have ties to the Dragon Domain?
Before they could ponder further:
*Boom!*
A rank six Sovereign was completely blown apart in a single breath, his Dao trace shattered, and the sword domain swept through, swallowing everything. Aside from a rift left in the sky, nothing remained!
Li Hao did not delay for a second, spinning around to deliver another slash!
The fleeing rank five and two rank fours—three mid-rank Sovereigns—simultaneously sensed mortal danger.
From afar, Sovereign Shenhai roared in fury: "You still dare kill?!"
"Noisy!"
Li Hao scoffed coldly. His sword domain erupted, instantly engulfing the three.
*Crack!*
A horizontal sweep!
"Ahhh!"
Screams erupted. The three Sovereigns were cleaved in half at the waist, and the moment their Dao traces appeared, the sword domain swallowed them whole!
This sequence unfolded too quickly.
So quickly that many found it utterly bizarre... Why had Sword Venerable suddenly appeared and killed without warning? What was the reason?
Even if he wanted to kill Huilong, why choose this exact moment?
Right then, Li Hao roared:
"What are you staring at? Attack! Slaughter Shenhai! I have already sensed my rank seven fortune approaching!"
*What?*
Just as everyone was bewildered, someone suddenly looked up at the sky, their expression shifting drastically.
"The Great Dao Universe..."
"What’s going on?"
"Why is it suddenly opening..."
The rapid chain of events left many unable to recover their senses. Li Hao was capitalizing entirely on the element of surprise.
At that moment, within the barrier, the young Human King raised an eyebrow.
*Little guy... talking to me, huh?*
*A rank seven fortune... real or fake?*
It wasn't Li Hao himself speaking, but Sword Venerable!
He knew Li Hao was acting on Sword Venerable’s behalf, masquerading as him right now.
Of course, it didn't matter!
In that split second, he smiled. How entertaining. This brat’s appearance had truly stirred the pot. Even more amusing... the power of Time seemed to have borrowed some strength that did not belong to him.
Very potent... yet quite hollow.
It wouldn't last long.
At this moment, he ignored the Great Dao Universe above. The universe had only manifested as a phantom and had not actually opened. Though it drew the gaze of many, the Human King didn't even look at it!
Shenhai... Yunxiao...
The Yunxiao Realm had previously allied with Red Moon. He hadn't known at first, but had heard rumors later, though he hadn't bothered addressing it recently. Who knew this kid would actually urge him to kill Shenhai... Delightful!
"Sever!"
A saber slashed straight down from within the world barrier!
The ferocious saber intent instantly drained the color from Sovereign Shenhai’s face as he rushed over. Ahead, Li Hao’s Dao domain spread as well, unleashing a sword strike whose overpowering sword intent caused Shenhai’s expression to twist violently!
*Damn it!*
*How could I have forgotten about the Human King?*
No matter how strong Sword Venerable was, Shenhai wouldn't fear him, but the Human King... had slain more than one rank seven!
Terrified, Shenhai fled through the void to evade the saber strike. But the colossal, all-encompassing saber intent from the sky locked onto him firmly, preventing him from breaking free!
Was this the Human King’s saber?
The entire world seemed to transform into a Yin-Yang grindstone. A Taiji diagram appeared around him, pinning him firmly in place. Previously, he had wondered why the Human King often killed rank sevens in a single strike!
Today, he understood!
Because... the Dao of Yin and Yang! The Human King’s saber wasn't merely the Dao of the saber; it carried the Dao of Yin and Yang, which acted like a grindstone, manifesting a vast domain that locked down the opponent completely!
To an enemy, this was a lethal threat!
You couldn't even flee!
Shenhai’s expression twisted, and nearby rank seven Sovereigns also blanched. The Human King had acted.
Simultaneously:
A vast, boundless aura spilled out from the surrounding void. An ethereal power of clouds and mist seemed to permeate the heavens and earth, causing the Yin-Yang grindstone pinning Sovereign Shenhai to begin crumbling!
An illusory figure gradually condensed in the void.
It was as if an entire universe was formally descending upon this place.
"Yunxiao!"
Many Sovereigns’ expressions shifted. The Lord of Yunxiao had directly descended!
And at this moment, the Tianfang Great Dao Universe in the sky grew increasingly vivid. Expressions shifted even further.
Right then, a great sun seemed to rise in the world. Far away, beside Sovereign Yaoyang, the void swirled like a vortex.
A Sovereign resembling a blazing sun gradually materialized.
His eyes carried sharp gleams.
Sovereign Yaoyang was also startled. The Lord of Bright Light had arrived so quickly—almost as if he had been waiting to descend all along.
Yunxiao had been fast, and the Lord of Bright Light was just as fast.
Two rank eight Sovereigns, appearing as if by appointment.
Of course, Yunxiao had no choice but to come. If he hadn't, Shenhai might have been cleaved to death by the Human King’s saber.
Even as the thought crossed minds—boom!
The massive saber crashed down!
Heaven and earth crumbled!
Clouds and mist swirled, and the Yunxiao Divine Palace seemed to manifest between heaven and earth, its countless halls shattering under the weight of this single strike!
The ferocious power swept across all directions, causing the entire world to shudder!
At the horizon, a figure emerged holding a long saber, wearing an untamed smile: "Yunxiao? An eighth-rank Sovereign?"
The Lord of Yunxiao looked very young and spoke without overbearing arrogance, his voice merely ethereal: "Human King, why strike at my Yunxiao Sovereign?"
The Human King scoffed: "Why? Because I feel like it. Got a problem?"
*Why? As if you don't know!*
*Your Yunxiao Realm isn't any good either.*
This time, the Human King did not flee. Instead, he stepped down from the void step by step, his formidable power sweeping across all directions. The Yin-Yang grindstone manifested, locking down the surrounding world. Looking at the Lord of Yunxiao, he licked his lips: "I’ve killed rank sevens, but never a rank eight! Today, I’ll slay Shenhai for fun. If you don't back off, I’ll butcher you too!"
Arrogant!
Even Li Hao had not expected the Human King to be arrogant to this degree.
Of course, right now, the more arrogant the Human King was, the better.
The powerhouses had descended... but it was not enough. Whether they descended or not had little to do with Li Hao. Li Hao looked up at the sky, sword intent erupting from his body, connecting heaven and earth!
In an instant, the Tianfang Universe became even clearer.
Li Hao laughed: "Human King, this Tianfang World has a predestined bond with me... Today, I will prove my rank seven Dao here! Hold these bastards off for me. Let no one step into the Tianfang Universe... This universe is mine!"
The Human King glanced over and smiled.
A deeply playful smile!
*What is this kid up to?*
*By the looks of it, the borrowed power has something to do with the Tianfang Universe. Is he deliberately opening it?*
*What is his goal?*
In an instant, countless thoughts crossed his mind.
*He wants me to hold off these powerhouses?*
Then again, Fang Ping never did business at a loss. He laughed brashly and unscrupulously: "Old Man Li, can you guarantee reaching rank seven? If you can... I’ll paint this place red with blood today... But if you can't..."
A chilling light flashed in his eyes!
*If you can't, little brat, you’ve brought me massive trouble, and I’ll settle the score with you later!*
"Eighty percent certainty!"
Li Hao laughed, both understanding each other implicitly.
At the same time, Li Hao roared: "Wushan, guard the surroundings for me! Once this is done, everything Xinwu promised you will be yours!"
Hearing this, Wushan, who was about to take to the air, cursed inwardly.
*This bastard!*
*Must you cement the accusation that I’m colluding with Xinwu?*
Of course, it didn't matter anymore!
Over there, the Lord of Yunxiao’s eyes turned icy: "Wushan!"
*Are you truly going to betray us?*
Wushan’s voice drifted over: "Realm Lord, today... Wushan departs from Yunxiao. Yunxiao is still my Yunxiao, as well as Realm Lord’s Yunxiao, but... my departure does not mean I disown Yunxiao. If Realm Lord still holds any affection for Wushan, please grant me your blessing. If I succeed, I will surely repay Yunxiao..."
The Lord of Yunxiao did not speak.
Sovereign Shenhai, however, flew into a rage: "Wushan, have you lost your mind? What time is it now, and you want to extract your Great Dao power? Bastard!"
*At this critical juncture, you want to leave?*
He roared: "Assist the Realm Lord in seizing the Great Dao Universe! Once Yunxiao steps into rank nine, you will be the first rank eight beneath Realm Lord!"
Wushan ignored him.
What he sought was not rank eight. What did Shenhai understand?
He paid no heed, shooting straight toward the sky. At this moment, the Great Dao Universe had manifested completely, though a rift had yet to open. Sovereign Wushan was extremely fast, and around him, the rank seven powerhouses could hold back no longer!
Who would wait?
One expert after another charged madly toward the sky. As for what connection the opening of this Great Dao Universe had with Sword Venerable... they couldn't care less!
Since it had appeared, that was the best possible outcome.
Li Hao also flew straight toward the sky. Seeing this, the Human King’s eyes flickered, and he swiftly ascended as well. Over there, the Lord of Bright Light rose without a word.
The Lord of Yunxiao, his face frigid, vanished from his spot.
At this moment, whether Wushan broke away was no longer the key issue. However, Wushan’s departure might disrupt his attempt to seize the Great Dao Universe—that was the crux. The Lord of Yunxiao’s gaze turned chilly.
Wushan lacked a sense of propriety!
He failed to see the big picture!
Right now, if Yunxiao succeeded in seizing it and their Great Dao reached rank nine, what harm would there be in letting him leave later?
Must he oppose him right at this moment?
He felt a surge of fury!
Across Tianfang, formidable auras swept through all directions, and the Tianfang Universe instantly became fraught with peril.
***
In the Red Moon World.
Several Sovereigns were chatting idly when the Lord of Red Moon’s expression suddenly shifted. Looking into the distance, a faint will spread through the Great Dao Universe.
"The Tianfang Universe has manifested. Bright Light, Yunxiao, and the Human King have all descended... Sword Venerable appeared and slew Huilong with a single strike..."
The intelligence was relayed back in an instant.
It came from the scouts stationed in Tianfang, sent at considerable cost.
Two rank eights and a peak rank seven had all appeared.
The Lord of Red Moon’s expression changed slightly, and he took flight immediately, his voice echoing across the world: "Assemble immediately!"
Soon, powerful figures swiftly arrived.
They included the four rank seven Sovereigns from the three Great Worlds, among whom the Tianlan Great World had two rank sevens.
The Senlan World Lord and Sovereign Aihong also materialized in an instant.
Six rank seven Sovereigns!
The Lord of Red Moon wasted no words, stating rapidly: "The Tianfang Universe has appeared!"
So fast!
Fast enough to catch even him off guard. He inwardly rejoiced that he hadn't listened to Aihong and attacked the three Great Worlds; otherwise, they certainly wouldn't have finished subjugating them by now, leaving them in a dire predicament where they would have had to abandon Tianfang.
The Senlan World Lord’s earlier reminder had been quite sound.
Knowing time was of the essence, he said swiftly: "Aihong will stay to guard Red Moon... and the other three worlds!"
Saying this, he glanced at the Senlan World Lord.
Leaving Senlan behind didn't sit entirely well with him.
After all, they hadn't completely merged yet.
With a thought, he said briskly: "Senlan, along with the World Lords of Tianlan, Cangjiang, and Yueming, will depart with me. Lanyue will remain to assist Aihong in guarding the three worlds!"
Hearing this, the Senlan World Lord’s heart trembled.
*Damn it!*
*Big trouble!*
*How did this happen?*
It had been agreed earlier that he would bring the Sovereigns of the three Great Worlds. Yet at the critical moment... the Lord of Red Moon changed his mind. Had he noticed something, or was it purely a precaution?
Meanwhile, the three Great Worlds found the Lord of Red Moon’s decision acceptable.
Otherwise, leaving two Red Moon rank sevens behind would have unsettled them. Leaving one rank seven from the three worlds alongside Aihong aligned with everyone’s interests.
The Lord of Red Moon didn't necessarily distrust Senlan, but as a newly surrendered subordinate, he worried Senlan might clash with Aihong.
Furthermore, if none of the three worlds’ rank sevens stayed behind, their people might not cooperate.
In that case... he would bring Senlan along and leave the other rank seven from Tianlan.
In any case, both sides had signed the covenant.
As for the Senlan World Lord... he felt thoroughly helpless. Big trouble indeed.
*Once I leave, I cannot quickly dismantle Red Moon’s Great Dao Universe or destabilize the entire universe. When that happens... if Li Hao and the others return, what awaits them won't be a crippled Aihong, nor will they have my assistance to swiftly dispatch the enemy.*
*Instead, they will face two rank seven Sovereigns at full combat strength!*
*Even if the Lord of Red Moon doesn't return, two full-strength rank sevens... can Sword Venerable and the others really handle them?*
Earlier, he was still wondering if he could reap great spoils... Now, it was truly problematic.
This was completely unexpected!
The Senlan World Lord said nothing, maintaining a calm facade, though inwardly he was close to tears. Being beside the Lord of Red Moon, he couldn't show the slightest hint of distress. *King of Silver Moon, even I didn't foresee such a twist.*
The Lord of Red Moon paid no mind, declaring: "No time to lose... Move out at once! Act as circumstances dictate! Aihong, Lanyue, be vigilant. After all, Xinwu’s homeland has not yet revealed itself. But with the two of you presiding, even if they appear, as long as you hold out, we will return shortly!"
"Rest assured, my Lord!"
Sovereign Aihong was actually pleased. He was more than happy not to go to Tianfang, given how dangerous it was with so many rank sevens and rank eights congregating there.
Even if Xinwu’s homeland arrived, only Yang God and Cang Emperor were rank seven.
Two against two was far safer than over there.
Sovereign Lanyue of Tianlan, a rare female high-rank Sovereign, nodded slightly. She was the World Lord of Tianlan, while the Dao Lord was Sovereign Tianlan, whose strength surpassed hers.
Venturing far to Tianfang limited how much world power one could use, whereas Great Dao power was boundless, making a Dao Lord more suited for distant battles. Having her stay behind was more fitting.
Earlier, when the Lord of Red Moon wanted to take them all, Tianlan had agreed.
Now, having her stay behind was even better.
After all, whether they could seize Tianfang was uncertain, but their home base had to be defended.
"Senlan, you have no objections, do you?"
The Lord of Red Moon said gravely: "This came up suddenly, and you haven't fully integrated into Red Moon yet. I was worried that if I left and no one suppressed the Great Dao, you might easily suffer harm. Keeping you by my side makes it easier to integrate into the Great Dao Universe..."
"My Lord speaks rightly. I have no objections!"
The Senlan World Lord smiled. "To witness a clash of powerhouses is also my dream!"
"Good. I feared you might be displeased..."
"How could I be!"
"Then say no more. Follow closely behind me. I will envelop us with the Great Dao to shift across space instantly and arrive at Tianfang without delay!"
With that, he unfolded his Great Dao Universe. Several rank seven Sovereigns felt their hearts stir, but before they could peek at anything, the group of five shifted across space and vanished!
As the Red Moon Universe enveloped them, the Sovereigns disappeared in the blink of an eye!
Not far away, the gathering Sovereigns... especially King Huai, felt their hearts drop at the sight.
*Holy crap!*
*Did this Red Moon Sovereign sense danger, or are eighth-rank Sovereigns simply blessed by chaotic destiny? What was firmly agreed upon changed at the very last moment!*
He had thought the three worlds and Red Moon would become ripe pickings for them, but two foreign rank sevens were left behind, while the Senlan World Lord was taken away!
King Huai grew anxious. This was trouble.
Nearby, Sovereign Yan Fang’s heart also thumped wildly. He knew some inside details: the World Lord had been taken away!
What should they do now?
***
Meanwhile, Tianfang had descended into utter chaos!
Everyone charged toward the sky, flying toward the Great Dao Universe. Auras crisscrossed heaven and earth. Li Hao also rapidly approached the Great Dao Universe, silently waiting for the Lord of Red Moon to descend!
Ideally within a minute, or things would get tricky.
As the master of an eighth-rank Great World, descending was actually quite fast. As long as Red Moon experts were present on this side, traveling through the Great Dao Universe without minding costs and losses allowed swift arrival.
And reality unfolded just as Li Hao expected.
Not long after the outbreak here, everyone sensed a formidable power converging. In the distance, near the world barrier, a Sovereign suddenly burst with a bang!
The power of Red Moon permeated in all directions!
Many cast their gazes over... The next moment, even the two rank eights changed color.
In that instant, five Sovereigns emerged near the world barrier.
And Li Hao... glancing sideways, grimaced.
*Senlan? Why is he here?*
Logically, Sovereign Senlan hadn't finished merging and should be in secluded cultivation. Besides, Red Moon needed at least two rank sevens holding the fort, and subjugating the three Great Worlds couldn't have been that fast...
Yet now, five Sovereigns had arrived—did that mean the three Great Worlds were already subjugated?
So fast?
In other words, one rank seven from the three worlds was left behind, along with Aihong—leaving two rank sevens back at Red Moon?
*I...*
Li Hao suddenly wanted to curse!
This change came too fast.
A perfect plan had been slightly derailed. Indeed, plans never kept up with changes. In an instant, thousands of thoughts flashed through his mind. Having two rank seven Sovereigns there was definitely bad news!
However, if they could succeed, it would be a tremendous boon—two rank sevens represented an enormous harvest. The problem was... taking them down wouldn't be easy!
One would have been manageable, especially with the Senlan World Lord’s cooperation.
Two... what a nightmare!
Li Hao’s mind raced, but he quickly adjusted his mindset. Senlan coming here might not necessarily be a bad thing!
When the east is dark, the west shines!
Senlan, Wushan, the Human King, plus himself, and perhaps even the Lord of Bright Light and Sovereign Yaoyang...
Together, wouldn't that make an extremely formidable force?
And Li Hao and Kongji were the crucial links among them!
Perhaps... they could deal Red Moon a heavy blow right here?
Or... He looked up at one person—Wushan!
*Old Wu, Tianfang is a dead realm after all. How about... I take you to have some fun in the three Great Worlds? Red Moon is hard to seize, but as for the three Great Worlds, while any single one is inferior to Tianfang, all three together aren't bad either!*
In this instant, many ideas surfaced in Li Hao’s mind.
Take it one step at a time. In any case, matters had come to this, and having paid such a huge price, walking away without a harvest was simply not an option.
In the distance, the Senlan World Lord also looked toward Li Hao in that first instant—or rather, toward Li Hao masquerading as Sword Venerable. His eyes flickered slightly. *Fortunately, you’re still here. Now that you’ve seen me arrive, abandon what you must!*
Chapter 493