Everyone was doing their utmost to withstand the Dao resonance phantoms.
Countless phantoms manifested between heaven and earth, suppressing all four directions.
Yet at this moment, Li Hao paid them no heed.
He, too, was watching.
Sitting cross-legged deep within the Great Dao cosmos, divine light spilled from his eyes as he looked toward the world source faintly emerging like a pulsing heart.
Thump! Thump!
As the world source beat, the world revived at high speed. Meanwhile, the unfortunate Kongji was on the verge of being extinguished by his own power of nirvana... perhaps destined to become the first person ever to be wiped out by his own technique.
"So many Great Dao crystals!"
Li Hao murmured. He saw them—countless Great Dao crystals, an overwhelming sea of them.
How many?
Billions?
Tens of billions?
Right now, he was desperate to know the exact number. Sitting at the center of the Great Dao cosmos, his voice boomed, shaking heaven and earth. "Martial Uncle Southern Fist, count them! Exactly how many Great Dao crystals are there?"
*Fuck!*
Southern Fist nearly spat out a string of curses. What kind of time was this? Couldn't he do something sensible for once?
"Come down here and count them yourself!" Southern Fist bellowed. "Get down here and kill this blasted thing, and they'll all be yours!"
At a time like this, who in their right mind would care about counting them?
Normally, seeing even a single Great Dao crystal would make someone want to swallow it whole. But seeing them today... it was sickening, maddening! There were too many, and the dense energy was threatening to blow them apart!
Where would I find the time to count them?
Where would I find the mood!
Even if someone wanted to count money until their fingers cramped, they still needed to stay alive first!
*I'm about to croak! I really feel like I'm breaking through to rank three! Once I reach rank three, I'll rapidly surge to the peak of rank three... and I might become the first Sovereign in history to explode from being overstuffed.*
*What a tragedy!*
*Others beg for energy and can't get any, yet here I am, about to be stuffed to death!*
More crucially, he couldn't escape right now. The entire realm seemed to be suppressed by the dragon daoist phantom from Coiling Dragon Well. It was stationed there to prevent any powerhouse from breaching the area and destroying the world source.
Coiling Dragon Daoist of Coiling Dragon Well was a rank seven physical Sovereign. His phantom sat in place precisely as a deterrent.
With Sword Venerable and the others suppressed, none of them could offer help even if they wanted to.
"Count them!" Li Hao called out once more.
Cursing under his breath, Southern Fist nevertheless began scanning and tallying them bit by bit...
Nearby, Director Zhou was speechless. Seeing Southern Fist actually counting, he also quickly extended his perception to investigate, swiftly reporting back, "Roughly eight billion pieces, assuming they are the same size as the one you gave us earlier."
Eight billion!
That was an astonishingly vast amount!
Above, Li Hao nodded. Eight billion was indeed immense. Of course, he wasn't someone who had never seen the world; the energy from the worlds and crystals he had previously incinerated added up to over ten billion as well.
Thus, he wasn't overly shocked.
Sitting in the Great Dao cosmos and sensing his surroundings, he pondered for a moment before calling out again, "Director Zhou, help me check one more thing. How much chaos power does this world source absorb per minute, and how many Great Dao crystals does it convert?"
Director Zhou frowned.
Yet he said nothing, immediately focusing his perception. The world source had in fact been continuously drawing energy from the chaos; otherwise, it would never have been able to sustain and replenish a rank nine world.
A minute?
That was too long!
Director Zhou probed briefly, and after roughly ten seconds, he quickly spoke: "The rate at which it draws chaotic power isn't exceedingly fast... perhaps I cannot perceive the whole of it, but in ten seconds, it condenses roughly one Great Dao crystal..."
A rank one Sovereign needed a full day to condense one, yet this was the source of a rank nine world. Condensing one every ten seconds was not considered particularly fast.
Li Hao quickly calculated and murmured, "Around 3.1 million a year? To maintain the operation of a rank nine world, according to what I saw earlier, consumes roughly one million a year. That excludes what cultivators absorb... Previously, across the forty sub-domains, there were many Sovereigns. The pure energy consumed by their cultivation probably amounted to another million or so Great Dao crystals annually..."
Li Hao muttered to himself, "So in other words, roughly one million could be saved each year?"
It could roughly maintain such a figure.
If it could sustain that number, then in ten thousand years, it would accumulate ten billion Great Dao crystals.
And Tianfang had been gone for a million years.
Wouldn't that leave behind a trillion Great Dao crystals?
That was a staggering, astronomical figure.
Yet right now, fewer than ten billion Great Dao crystals remained near the world source. If during this period no one had come to harvest them, no one could harvest them, no top-tier Sovereigns had absorbed them, and no such nirvana event had ever taken place...
Then where had the remaining nine hundred billion Great Dao crystals gone?
After all, Tianfang had produced no native Sovereigns.
Without native Sovereigns being born, and with the Great Dao cosmos in nirvana, the newly generated Great Dao power—aside from routine dispersal and maintenance—should not have vanished. It should have been stored near the world source.
Down below, the others were hovering between life and death, while up above, Li Hao was working through a math problem.
By this point, Kongji was on the verge of being destroyed by his own nirvana power, yet he managed to maintain his composure and called out, "Haoyue, what are you trying to calculate? Tianfang had some extra expenditures! In the early years, when Tianfang was thrown into turmoil, people attempted to seize it... The world of Tianfang seems to have activated self-defense measures. Of course, I don't know the exact details, but that must have incurred a heavy cost."
"Was the cost high? Converted into Great Dao crystals, how many would have to be burned?"
"At least ten billion per incident, certainly..."
Li Hao nodded. The numbers still didn't match. Even at ten billion a time, ten incidents would be considered frequent. After several repulsions, invaders would naturally cease attacking.
Ten incidents would only consume a hundred billion.
What about the remaining eight hundred billion or more?
Where did it go?
A masterless rank nine world... or rather, a rank nine world devoid of native powerhouses, continuously operating while its Great Dao lay in nirvana, had generated an immense quantity of Great Dao crystals... yet they had vanished without a trace.
Nearly nine hundred billion Great Dao crystals!
That was no minor sum.
It was an astronomical fortune!
It seemed no one had realized anything was amiss because nobody knew just how many Great Dao crystals a rank nine world source could produce. But now that the world source had emerged, judging by its absorption speed, it was fully capable of generating that much.
Ordinary people who saw nearly ten billion Great Dao crystals gathered near the world source would be utterly dazzled. Who would have the presence of mind to care about how quickly it absorbed energy?
No matter how fast it was, condensing one crystal every ten seconds seemed utterly trivial before a hoard of ten billion. Who would pay close attention?
Moreover, the situation was perilous. If not for Li Hao's immense prestige, Southern Fist and Director Zhou would have beaten him black and blue.
Yet if someone did pay attention, they would discover that the numbers did not add up at all.
The discrepancy was far too vast!
The world source was still burning Great Dao crystals to suppress the many powerhouses. Kongji was on the verge of dying from backlash, yet Li Hao remained engrossed in simple arithmetic.
If all went smoothly, how many Sovereigns could nine hundred billion Great Dao crystals cultivate?
A massive number!
How many Great Dao crystals would an ordinary rank seven Sovereign consume to reach rank seven?
An anomaly like Li Hao didn't count; he was nurturing an entire world, which made his consumption staggering. Merely stepping from rank four to rank five had cost him billions. By that rate, reaching rank seven might require an astronomical figure.
Yet for an ordinary cultivator like the Senlan World Lord... excluding anomalies like Sword Venerable...
Li Hao suddenly called out, "Senior Senlan, from the start of your cultivation until today, if fully converted into Great Dao crystals, how many have you consumed?"
The Senlan World Lord was currently struggling against suppression. Hearing this, he froze for a moment.
Who on earth would deliberately calculate such a thing?
His breakthrough from rank six to rank seven hadn't consumed all that much—roughly a billion or so—but that was aided by the natural Great Dao power generated within the Great Dao cosmos. Without that...
Calculating from the very beginning to the present, he answered, "At least ten billion or more!"
"What about reaching rank eight? Disregarding Dao comprehension and considering only advancement consumption!"
"At least another ten billion!"
A rank eight required at least twenty billion or more.
A rank seven required at least ten billion.
A rank six would require roughly half of a rank seven's, since advancing to rank seven was the largest hurdle, so call it five billion.
As for the levels below that, the consumption was comparatively modest.
During Tianfang's peak, there had likely been more than two rank eight experts—probably three or four. Cultivating from nothing to rank eight, several of them combined would consume over a hundred billion.
Tianfang had at least ten rank sevens, which would consume over a hundred billion as well.
There were also numerous rank six Sovereigns. Tianfang had possessed far too many Sovereigns, as evidenced by its Dao resonance sites. Li Hao observed and counted them one by one. Disregarding those that remained unactivated or had been entirely destroyed... the sites emerging right now numbered in the hundreds.
For so many Sovereigns to cultivate from nothing to that level would require roughly five hundred billion—about fifty times what Silver Moon had consumed previously, since Silver Moon had no mighty Sovereigns, only weaker ones.
That brought the total to around seven hundred billion. Factor in other miscellaneous expenditures and a rank nine Sovereign...
Perhaps that accounted for the missing amount.
The nine-hundred-billion deficit was fully explained.
In other words, only if an entirely new generation of identical Tianfang Sovereigns were born would the accumulation of all these years be exhausted.
All of this without even factoring in the bottlenecks of advancement.
"Haoyue, I can't hold out much longer..."
At this moment, Kongji had no choice but to speak. He wanted to know what on earth Li Hao was scheming.
Li Hao exhaled, looking at the Space Dao source before him—an immense, deadened celestial body. This was the Dao source of the Lord of Tianfang, the core of the Great Dao, left behind here.
The world source was missing a vast quantity of Great Dao crystal energy, and that energy... happened to be just enough to revive every single Sovereign across the entire Great Dao cosmos, starting from scratch.
Two possibilities!
First, somewhere out there, an enormous reserve of Great Dao crystals existed, sufficient to instantly restore the entire world of Tianfang to its peak at the time of their departure—an instantaneous recovery, reviving the entire Great Dao cosmos!
Second, there were two Great Dao cosmoses, just like the Silver Moon Cosmos or the Yin-Yang Cosmos, existing in two facets.
The other facet was an intact Great Dao cosmos that maintained the same peak power.
All the energy accumulated and expended over these million years was precisely enough to supply the full, simultaneous return of the powerhouses of Tianfang World!
Whichever it was... it indicated that Tianfang's powerhouses could return at any moment.
They only needed their wills to return!
They didn't need to bring energy back with them. As long as their wills returned, they could instantly resurrect. Their comprehension of the Dao remained intact, and sufficient energy was prepared... They could instantly manifest within the Great Dao cosmos, regaining their peak combat strength in the blink of an eye!
Was this a contingency left behind by the Lord of Tianfang?
A safeguard just in case?
And it just so happened that during this turbulent era, enough energy had finally been amassed for everyone to return?
Thoughts flashed wildly through Li Hao's mind.
Where had they gone?
Even a rank nine Sovereign had prepared for the possibility of failure, getting ready to lead everyone back... even bracing for the outcome where their physical bodies and energy were utterly destroyed?
If they had been killed shortly after departing, the world source would not have been able to gather so much energy in time.
This required time to accumulate.
A million years!
A masterless world needed a million years to hoard the energy required for their return.
Or had they planned from the very beginning to return a million years later?
How could anyone predict events a million years into the future?
Unless... the Lord of Tianfang had extended along the River of Time to a million years later and witnessed something. But how was that possible?
He was the Lord of Space, not Time.
However... a simple tracing back or drifting forward was possible. Tracing backward was far easier; Li Hao had once traced back to the powerhouses of Tianfang. Drifting forward into the future was infinitely more difficult, and the outcome was never singular.
*Wait!*
The next instant, Li Hao froze. *Yes, tracing backward!*
*I once traced time backward to Fire Daoist and the others, exactly one million years from now. Based on my experience roaming Xinwu back then, perhaps a supreme expert like the Lord of Tianfang also noticed someone peering into the world a million years ago.*
Following the river, there was no need to spy on specific details; one only needed to determine that the fellow manipulating time came from a million years in the future!
*The energy for their return happened to finish gathering at this exact juncture... Could it be related to me?*
Li Hao thought to himself, a rather conceited notion.
*Related to me!*
Yet the thought refused to leave him.
He had borrowed power from Tianfang's powerhouses multiple times, and crucially, they had all lent it generously.
Fire Daoist had done so, as had the Water cultivator. Two of the Five Elements Emissaries had effortlessly lent their power to Li Hao, and Coiling Dragon Daoist had even elucidated the Great Dao to him.
They had also mentioned... that if they met many years later, Li Hao might have to pay a tremendous price to repay them.
At this moment, fragments of memory resurfaced in his mind.
A tremendous price... just how great a price?
Did it pertain to their return?
What could an existence as mighty as the Lord of Tianfang possibly need from him?
"Li Hao!"
Just then, Southern Fist shrieked in terror, "I'm rank three!"
Never before had he feared a breakthrough so acutely. Panicking completely, he dropped all formalities and called Li Hao by name. Normally he would feign polite deference and call him Marquis, but now, he was shouting his name outright!
*What are you doing up there?!*
*Help!*
*We're about to be stuffed to death, and you still haven't come down to save us?!*
*Even if I don't explode, your good buddy Kongji looks like he's about to kick the bucket! Aren't you going to help him?!*
Looking at the massive star before him, Li Hao furrowed his brows slightly. "Is Tianfang about to return? Did all the people you took with you perish in battle, leaving only remnant wills, and now you want me to guide them back? If so... forgive my bluntness, but that's far too difficult! I don't know where they are... From here, I can only use certain Dao resonance sites to trace back a million years. Don't tell me I need to pull them back through the fleeting interactions we had a million years ago... You've got to be kidding me!"
"I only borrowed power twice—once at rank six, once at rank seven—and listened to Dao lectures twice... Don't mess with me."
Li Hao shook his head repeatedly.
Of course, these were merely his own conjectures... Perhaps he was overestimating his own importance; perhaps the other party had never counted on him at all, and he was simply overthinking it.
Or perhaps Tianfang truly possessed a second Great Dao cosmos that no one had ever discovered.
The Lord of Tianfang might have simply wanted the realm's powerhouses to master dual Daos.
Two Great Dao cosmoses, waiting for the day of unification.
Once merged... perhaps everyone would experience a breakthrough.
Deducing this, Li Hao felt immense wariness toward this dormant Great Dao cosmos. Tianfang was by no means a benevolent place. Even though he had borrowed power and comprehended Dao principles here in the past, his heart was now filled with profound caution!
*I can't shake the feeling... that the moment I first peered into Coiling Dragon Daoist's Dao through Coiling Dragon Well, I might have fallen into the schemes of ancient figures from a million years ago.*
*If so... one has to admit, they are truly terrifying.*
Of course, it was also tied to his excessive reliance on time, having borrowed power here multiple times in the past.
"Li Hao!"
Southern Fist was genuinely desperate, roaring once more.
Li Hao rolled his eyes. "What are you shouting for? Kongji is practically dead and he isn't howling like you! Reaching rank three just saved you who knows how much cultivation time. Instead of celebrating, you keep screeching like a lunatic!"
Hearing Li Hao say this, Southern Fist suddenly went quiet.
Li Hao wouldn't stand by and watch them die!
Did that mean... the danger wasn't actually that severe?
The others remained relatively calm. Knowing Li Hao's character, they knew he would never abandon them. Since he hadn't descended yet, he naturally had his own plans. Only Southern Fist made a habit of bellowing over nothing.
Couldn't he see that no one else was panicking?
...
In truth, Li Hao had ways to resolve the crisis before him... The issue wasn't overly complicated; at worst, he could reverse time. However, reversing time on such a grand scale might force him through a fifth life-and-death nirvana cycle, which was hardly worthwhile.
Alternatively, he could forcibly shatter the Great Dao stars corresponding to certain Dao resonance sites, which might disperse the phantoms. Yet the price could be catastrophic—it might cause him to be marked by an ancient entity!
Drawing the attention of a rank nine expert would invite endless trouble!
The predicament wasn't critical yet. The most pathetic victim was Kongji. Lacking sufficient Great Dao crystals, once he was wiped out by the power of nirvana, he might never resurrect due to the energy deficit.
Thoughts flickered one by one... Or perhaps, through the Space Star before him, he could establish a dialogue with that mysterious powerhouse whose whereabouts were unknown?
And then... incur another favor from him?
A favor from a rank nine!
To put his own life on the line for a mere handful of Great Dao crystals?
Li Hao glanced at the Great Dao star. Earlier, he had sensed being watched, which was why he had come here. He had constantly felt eyes upon him, but if the Lord of Tianfang was truly observing him, could he really have detected it so easily?
Another thought surfaced.
Taking a deep breath, Li Hao stepped out of the Great Dao cosmos.
The cosmos rippled slightly.
He emerged into Tianfang World.
Paying no heed to anyone, the Time Star hovered before him, freezing all the Dao resonance phantoms that attempted to obstruct his path. Treading through the void, he headed straight for the realm gate.
...
Outside the realm.
The three rank eight powerhouses were all on edge.
The Lord of Bright Light was anxious out of necessity, while the other two rank eights were eager and restless, itching to make a move.
Just then... a realm gate suddenly swung open.
A figure walked out of Tianfang.
Everyone turned their gaze toward Li Hao. The Lord of Red Moon instantly flushed with fury, his eyes turning icy. He recognized this man—the Silver Moon King! That very day, it was this man who had breached the Red Moon Great Dao Cosmos and dismantled his core Dao source, forcing him to sever it!
"You dare show yourself?"
The Lord of Red Moon's aura fluctuated violently, his oppressive might shaking heaven and earth.
Li Hao showed no panic, simply pointing behind him. "Right now, Daoist Kongji is in mortal peril, and we are working on a way to save him... Four rank seven Sovereigns are not truly helpless; they merely refrain from fighting back, causing the world's resistance to grow stronger and stronger... But if you dare attack, the Lord of Bright Light is right here. If Sovereign Red Moon believes you and the Lord of Yunxiao can withstand the combined might of four rank sevens—no, five rank sevens and one rank eight—then by all means, make your move against me!"
The Lord of Red Moon's gaze turned chillingly cold!
Li Hao continued, "I have come out today because I wish to negotiate a deal with all of you... to save Kongji!"
At these words, the Lord of Bright Light couldn't help feeling exasperated, his voice deep and low: "Let me in! With me there, no problem is a problem!"
Li Hao looked at the Lord of Bright Light. "The world's backlash can be great or small—something we did not anticipate beforehand... As of now, the phantom of the Lord of Tianfang has yet to appear. Once it does, it might subject Senior Bright Light to the backlash as well! At that point, it would only harm Brother Kongji and grant these two, along with the experts lurking in the shadows, an opportunity..."
The Lord of Bright Light frowned slightly. *I don't give a damn!*
The one inside was his own son.
Did he need this kid to lecture him?
He knew full well what consequences might follow.
Yet his son was on the verge of perishing, which was the real catastrophe.
Li Hao added, "As I said, I wish to strike a deal with all of you seniors... including the Lord of Bright Light! In truth, Brother Kongji does not wish to rely perpetually on the Bright God Realm. After all, the Bright God Realm does not belong to Sovereign Bright Light alone, but to everyone within it."
Just as Red Moon was about to speak, Li Hao cut him off swiftly: "This time, the Dao resonances have fully manifested, bringing both advantages and disadvantages! You have all seen the disadvantages, but there are benefits as well!"
"Aren't you curious how I am able to open the Tianfang Great Dao Cosmos at will?"
The crowd stirred. The Lord of Red Moon sneered, "You obtained some of Tianfang's legacies and acquired a portion of its heritage power, allowing you to open it naturally. Does that even require asking?"
Li Hao nodded and replied briskly, "Senior has a keen eye!"
The Lord of Red Moon felt mocked. Did such an obvious conclusion require a keen eye?
Did this brat take rank eight Sovereigns for fools?
"Today, the Dao resonance sites have all emerged, briefly revived with the aid of the world source!"
Li Hao spoke rapidly: "And as everyone knows, the Tianfang Cosmos is dormant. I understand Senior Red Moon's desire to kill us, but not everyone cares solely about our deaths. Some are far more interested in opening and reviving the Tianfang Cosmos!"
"To Sovereign Yunxiao, to the rank seven world lords, and even to Senior Red Moon, a revived rank nine cosmos is the true prize everyone seeks! Right now, while the Dao resonances are temporarily revived... if you seniors are willing to lend a hand, suppress these phantoms, and channel their power into their corresponding stars in the Tianfang Great Dao Cosmos, it will accelerate the cosmos's revival!"
The Lord of Red Moon let out a cold laugh. "You want to borrow our strength to resolve your crisis and revive the Tianfang Cosmos in the process? What a brilliant scheme! You certainly have some nerve!"
Li Hao nodded. "That is precisely my intent!"
He looked around at the crowd. "I can currently open the Tianfang Cosmos and occupy Tianfang World. That is the basis of this transaction! Otherwise, if I refuse to let you in, would you truly launch a full-scale assault right now?"
He chuckled softly. "If I do not open the Tianfang Cosmos, even if you shatter the Dao resonance phantoms, could you revive the stars?"
"Let us make a trade... You will enter Tianfang World one by one to defeat those mighty Dao resonance phantoms. I will help project their power into the corresponding stars... Once the stars begin to revive, you may relocate them into your own Great Dao cosmoses! In doing so, you Dao Lords will acquire the ability to open, and perhaps even revive, the Tianfang Cosmos!"
Relocating the corresponding Great Dao stars of the Tianfang Cosmos into their own Great Dao cosmoses.
Thereby gaining the ability to open the Tianfang Cosmos at any time.
The Lord of Yunxiao frowned slightly, while the Lord of Bright Light's eyes flickered, seemingly grasping Li Hao's intention. "Relocating Great Dao stars into our own cosmoses... We considered that before, but the stars could not be revived. They could only have a chance of reviving in Tianfang. Are you saying that this time, we can use the Dao resonance phantoms to revive the stars and take them away?"
Li Hao nodded. "Correct!"
"No entering all at once—only one by one?"
"Correct."
Li Hao looked at the Lord of Bright Light and smiled. "What do you say? Naturally, the first person to try can choose a rank eight Sovereign's phantom and project it into a rank eight Great Dao star. The stronger it is, the greater the opportunity! A phantom is merely a phantom; though powerful, a rank seven Sovereign can easily suppress it! I will have Sword Venerable and the others assist you... If the phantom of the Lord of Tianfang eventually manifests, I can even permit several rank eights to enter together, suppress his phantom, and directly revive the Space Dao source!"
"However, before the phantom of the Lord of Tianfang appears, you may only enter one by one. Is anyone willing to go in and give it a try?"
The Lord of Bright Light opened his mouth to speak, but the Lord of Red Moon sneered preemptively, "Who would fall for your trick? Entering one by one against four rank seven Sovereigns? The moment you seal the Great Dao cosmos and trap us inside, it becomes a four-on-one ambush. Whoever enters will die! Silver Moon King, are you trying to use this scheme to slaughter our fellow daoists?"
Li Hao shook his head. "If I did that, Kongji would die! Not only Kongji, but all the Sovereigns of my Silver Moon would be crushed by the backlash! To me, Kongji and the people of Silver Moon are far more important than killing a rank seven or rank eight... If not for that, why would I have poured all the resources and tens of billions of Great Dao crystals from the four worlds into Silver Moon after conquering Red Moon? Silver Moon produced over thirty Sovereigns in an astonishingly short time. You can imagine the sheer cost! Why would I, Li Hao, engage in such a self-destructive act just to kill one or two rank sevens?"
"Of course, if the Lord of Red Moon enters, perhaps... I really might do just that!"
Li Hao laughed softly. "Time is limited. If we truly cannot hold out, I will shut the Great Dao cosmos and order the four rank sevens to launch an all-out assault to break the current stalemate. Kongji will surely die... Senior Bright Light, I can only say I am sorry!"
Sovereign Bright Light frowned slightly. "I will go in first... to be the test subject!"
"That won't do. Senior has deep ties with us; the others might not believe it. Is anyone else willing to try? Silver Moon will not needlessly offend any high-ranking Sovereign other than the Lord of Red Moon!"
The Lord of Red Moon's expression was as cold as frost.
"Is no one truly willing to seize such an opportunity?" Li Hao spoke again.
Just then, a rank seven Sovereign stepped out from the darkness. He showed a trace of hesitation, but being the first to try carried relatively little danger.
Stepping forward, he paused briefly before speaking: "This seat is willing to try! Silver Moon King, according to your words, once I enter, Sword Venerable and the others will assist me in suppressing a Tianfang Sovereign's Dao resonance phantom. You will project it into the corresponding star within the Great Dao cosmos, and I may take that star with me. Correct?"
"Correct!"
The rank seven world lord asked solemnly, "After taking it, can you guarantee I will be able to open the Tianfang Cosmos at any time?"
Li Hao thought for a moment and said, "It should be possible... provided you can comprehend some of Tianfang's Dao. Before the corresponding Tianfang power within the star is exhausted, you will definitely be able to open it at will!"
"Because that is precisely how I accomplished it!"
The rank seven world lord took a gentle breath, seemingly having made up his mind.
Fortune favored the bold!
What harm was there in trying?
Who didn't covet the Tianfang Cosmos?
A moment later, he said, "I will enter... Furthermore, even if I wish to suppress a rank eight phantom, you will assist me?"
"Correct!"
"Silver Moon King... I hope you won't play any tricks..."
Still wary, the rank seven Sovereign said in a low voice, "We neutral rank seven worlds rarely participate in the struggles between powerful worlds like Xinwu, Red Moon, Yunxiao, and Bright Light. Thus, in the chaos today, Xinwu's enemies are only those rank eight worlds. But if you dare actively plot against us... I might suffer, but Xinwu will lose the trust of all worlds across the chaos... That would be stepping over dollars to pick up dimes!"
Li Hao chuckled. "How could that be? Is there truly no trust left in the chaos? Today, I merely wish to resolve a crisis for mutual benefit. If you seniors suppress all the Dao resonance phantoms, we can also claim the billions of Great Dao crystals near the world source. It benefits both sides! Besides, Silver Moon calls the shots here, not Xinwu!"
He raised his voice once more: "Seniors, my name is Li Hao—the Silver Moon King you speak of... What I have spoken today contains not a single lie! My strength may be meager, but words spoken publicly by me are never false. This may be your first time transacting with me, so apprehension is natural. In the future, you will grow accustomed to it. I have always been a man of my word!"
The rank seven Sovereign arched an eyebrow. Words were cheap; no one believed them easily.
Yet... it was worth a shot!
If things went wrong, he could fight back. He wouldn't necessarily die.
"Very well, then I shall give it a try... Li Hao, I hope there will be opportunities for future cooperation!"
Offering a polite token of goodwill, he remained intensely cautious as he tore through the void and headed straight for the realm gate. Behind him, the Lord of Red Moon sneered, "In the chaos, anyone who trusts an enemy's words... will die a miserable death sooner or later!"
Li Hao remained placid. "If one trusts no one's words, they might end up just like Senior—losing their world, becoming a laughingstock, and being easily hunted by Xinwu!"
The Red Moon Sovereign's killing intent erupted instantly!
It surged straight toward Li Hao!
Li Hao retreated directly into the realm gate. "I am indeed no match for Senior... but Senior wishing to kill me... is impossible for now. If you disrupt my plans and cause Kongji's death, beware Senior Bright Light taking your life at all costs!"
"Offending Xinwu, and then offending Bright Light—a rogue rank eight is terrifying indeed... but if you spoil the plans of every rank seven and rank eight Sovereign present, Senior, you will die a horrific death!"
The Lord of Red Moon's eyes were frigid!
He glanced at his surroundings, fell silent for a long time, and finally sneered without another word.
He wanted to see... if this brat would truly let the others succeed!
Right now, only Li Hao possessed the method to open the Tianfang Cosmos. That was his leverage. If others didn't abandon Tianfang, they had no way of opening its cosmos at will. If everyone could open it... Tianfang World would instantly become a contested battleground for all powerhouses!
Even before it fully revived!
Would Li Hao truly be willing to part with it?
Would he truly surrender such an advantageous position just to rescue Kongji and save a few weak Sovereigns of Silver Moon?
He didn't believe it!
As for the Great Dao crystals near the world source... compared to a rank nine cosmos, even a fool knew which to choose!
Li Hao's objective was definitely not those crystals!
As he pondered, the rank seven world lord had already stepped through the realm gate with extreme tension.
Nearby stood Sword Venerable!
The rank seven world lord was extraordinarily wary and tense. Sword Venerable cast him a glance and said coldly, "What are you staring at? Choose which phantom you want, and make it quick!"
The rank seven world lord's face hardened, but he said nothing, glancing toward Dark Demon Ridge not far away. Currently, the convergence of light and dark had unleashed a Dao domain, suppressing the powerhouses. He said in a deep voice, "I want the phantom of the Dark Emissary!"
Sword Venerable wasted no words, stating directly, "Then I will entangle the Light phantom and suppress the Dao domain. Although the Dark Emissary's phantom carries a rank eight aura, its actual power is only around ordinary rank seven. As a rank seven world lord, going all out will be more than enough to suppress it!"
"Good!"
The Sovereign said no more.
When Sword Venerable's longsword erupted and a sword domain manifested, clashing directly with the Light Dao domain as his blade struck toward the Light phantom, the rank seven Sovereign's eyes flickered. Maintaining his guard, he charged straight toward Dark Demon Ridge.
Powerful rank seven might erupted, and a surge of darkness swept across the entire world!
*Boom!*
The Dark Emissary phantom instantly clashed with the rank seven Sovereign, violently shaking the entire world. After all, it was merely a phantom projection; before long, the rank seven world lord seized an opening, roared fiercely, and unleashed a mighty Dao river, suppressing and trapping the phantom!
Right then, Li Hao pointed his finger. The Great Dao cosmos opened, and a star emerged. Li Hao barked, "That one! Pour the Dark Emissary's power into it, and Senior may take that star!"
"I have to enter the Great Dao cosmos?"
The rank seven world lord grew anxious. Li Hao replied, "Naturally. I cannot suppress rank seven power; otherwise, there would be no need for Senior to act... Right now, we can only rely on Senior's own strength to seal that rank seven power within it!"
A fierce battle raged in his mind!
The rank seven Sovereign was torn. Though he had anticipated this beforehand, gazing into the pitch-black Great Dao cosmos still filled him with dread. What if Li Hao shut the Great Dao cosmos the moment he entered?
Wouldn't he be doomed?
Once the others left, four rank seven Sovereigns could enter and gang up on him... He would certainly die!
Li Hao sighed helplessly. "Then I will enter first. But my entering is useless; I can exit and open it at any time... I cannot serve as a hostage... If Senior fears danger, you may forfeit!"
The rank seven world lord hesitated, then gritted his teeth. *I'll risk it!*
The next instant, sweeping up the Dark Emissary's power, he shot straight into the Great Dao cosmos. In an instant, he reached the vicinity of a massive star and channeled the Dark Emissary's Dao resonance power into it. The star immediately began to glow with a dark radiance.
Casting caution to the wind, the rank seven world lord roared, unleashing his Dao river to wrap around the entire star!
The next moment, in a state of extreme tension, he dragged the star and flew frantically toward the exit of the Great Dao cosmos, terrified that Li Hao would seal it shut.
Only when he flew out did cold sweat drench his back—an incredible reaction for a rank seven world lord!
Yet now... only wild ecstasy remained.
Without a word, his own Great Dao cosmos swung open. As the Dark Emissary star flickered, his cosmos forcibly suppressed and absorbed the star into itself!
The instant the star was absorbed... his heart stirred. Wild joy washed over him; he seemed to sense a faint connection to the Tianfang Cosmos.
At this stage, he might not be able to manipulate it.
Yet given a little time, he could easily comprehend some of the Dark Emissary's Dao, granting him the power to open the Tianfang Cosmos at will!
Overjoyed, he flew straight toward the realm gate, watching the four rank seven Sovereigns with intense vigilance... until he passed through the gate and entered the chaos, without anyone lifting a finger to stop him.
The next instant, ecstatic, he dove into his Great Dao cosmos and fled without another word!
"..."
Around the perimeter, mighty Sovereigns materialized one after another. Eyes flickered, and transmissions flew:
"The Dark Emissary star... he took it?"
"Nonsense, didn't you see it with your own eyes?"
"Damn it... Looking at his expression, he might... really be able to open the Tianfang Cosmos!"
"Last time, the stars were completely dead, so taking them was useless. This time, by using the power of the Dao resonance phantoms, it can be sealed directly inside. Even if it can't be opened infinitely, opening it once or twice is guaranteed... and once or twice is more than enough!"
Opening it daily served no purpose.
Being able to open it at critical moments was all that mattered.
In that instant, several rank seven Sovereigns stepped forward simultaneously, exchanging glances. Someone grew impatient and called out, "Silver Moon King, this seat is willing to enter!"
Li Hao replied, "One at a time! If you enter together, I worry you will make trouble inside... First come, first served. Rank eight or rank seven, it makes no difference; it's merely for opening the Great Dao cosmos, not for truly comprehending the Dao..."
With that, he pointed at a Sovereign. "This senior appeared first. You go!"
The rank seven Sovereign said nothing, darting straight for the realm gate.
With the first successful example, he cast all hesitation aside. The moment he entered, he didn't target the Light Emissary's phantom, because Sword Venerable was already suppressing it. If he took out the Light phantom, Sword Venerable would be completely freed.
That was too dangerous!
He flew straight toward the Senlan World Lord's location, shouting, "I want the Dao resonance projection of the Emissary of Extreme Yin!"
Li Hao spoke up: "That is only rank seven..."
"It is enough!"
The rank seven Sovereign didn't care in the slightest; he simply didn't want Sword Venerable fully unshackled.
Li Hao nodded. "Senior Senlan, lend him a hand!"
The Senlan World Lord said nothing, unleashing his power as Senlan Purgatory bore down to suppress the phantom of the Extreme Yang Emissary, leaving the visiting rank seven world lord to deal only with a rank seven phantom.
This time, the process was even swifter. Before long, another phantom was suppressed!
Li Hao similarly revealed a Great Dao star. Repeating the previous procedure, the Sovereign sealed the Dao resonance power into the star. Wild with joy, he dragged the star out of the Great Dao cosmos and swiftly incorporated the Extreme Yin star into his own cosmos.
Likewise, he sensed the connection and was overjoyed!
It truly could open the Tianfang Cosmos!
With two Sovereigns succeeding in succession, the others could no longer restrain themselves.
Even the Lord of Yunxiao grew restless. Glancing at the Lord of Red Moon, he transmitted, "Red Moon... it's too dangerous for you to enter. If I go in... do you think they will choose mutual destruction to keep me there, or...?"
He was somewhat worried, as both he and Red Moon held grudges against the people inside.
The Lord of Red Moon's gaze was dark and cold. After deliberating, he transmitted back, "If you and I... enter separately, and when one is in danger, the other goes all out to rescue him, there is still hope of taking a star!"
At this point, he no longer claimed he didn't care.
Possessing a star meant possessing the right to open the Tianfang Cosmos. As a Dao Lord, he understood this perfectly.
Because the Tianfang Cosmos was currently dormant and masterless, without an owner to control it, the Great Dao stars of these high-ranking Sovereigns could certainly open it. If not for the inability to recharge these stars last time, they would have done this long ago.
Last time, taking them away had been pointless.
This time was different; all the Dao resonance sites had revived under the influence of the world source.
While they hesitated, rank seven Sovereigns stepped forward one after another, wasting no more words. Soon, they began entering, suppressing those rank seven phantoms, and taking the stars away.
Star after star was claimed.
At this moment, Sword Venerable transmitted to Li Hao, "I should be able to suppress the Light Emissary projection on my own now. Should we stop letting them enter... or wait until Red Moon and his cohort enter, and ambush them?"
"No... let them take the stars!"
Li Hao replied via transmission, "Though these stars are dormant, they may not necessarily be dead!"
*What does that mean?*
Sword Venerable fell into deep thought. Li Hao seemed to be intentionally letting these experts take away the Great Dao stars of those mighty Sovereigns.
One by one, the Great Dao stars of Tianfang World's high-ranking Sovereigns were hauled away.
"Can these stars... truly open the Tianfang Cosmos?"
"They can. Infused with Tianfang's power, anyone with a slight grasp of the Dao can do it. They are all geniuses; otherwise, they wouldn't have become rank seven world lords... Opening it a few times is guaranteed."
*Doesn't that hand Tianfang over to others?*
Sword Venerable was puzzled, but asked no further.
Tianfang World was being seized for Li Hao anyway, to repay a favor. Since Li Hao didn't care... why should they?
At this moment, the rank seven Sovereigns took action in succession.
The Dao resonance phantoms across Tianfang World were subdued one by one... The world source seemed to grow anxious, attempting to counterattack, but to no avail. With each rank seven suppressing a phantom, retaliating accomplished little.
As these phantoms were suppressed, the world source trembled violently, finding it difficult even to continue reviving the entire world.
Kongji and the others finally caught their breath.
The pressure was far lighter than before!
Yet as they watched those powerhouses haul away Tianfang's Great Dao stars, everyone felt a pang of reluctance, regret, and sorrow, as though their own treasures were being snatched away.
Even Kongji couldn't help cursing inwardly. *Couldn't you have just asked my father for a billion Great Dao crystals?*
*Why hand over control of the Tianfang Cosmos!*
*Once these Dao Lords familiarize themselves with Tianfang's Dao and can open it at will, we will no longer hold sole dominion over Tianfang. In a few years at most, or a month or two at least, these people will surely comprehend the Dao!*
*Haoyue, what on earth are you thinking?*
Right at this moment, out in the chaos, the Lord of Bright Light cleared his throat lightly. "Ahem... may I enter?"
Seeing everyone obtaining stars while he had none, he couldn't sit still.
*Can't I go in to save my son?*
*And take a star while I'm at it?*
Suddenly, he felt a wave of embarrassment... As Mingtang's father, he had been trying to find a way to save his son... yet his help hadn't been needed. An outsider had stepped up to save his son, even sacrificing control over the entire Tianfang Cosmos to do so... It had to be said, as a father, he was in an intensely awkward position.
And now, he wanted to claim a star for himself... It was utterly embarrassing!
Li Hao nodded. "You may... However, it would be best for Senior Yaoyang to enter and claim one. As for Senior Bright Light... you should keep an eye on Senior Red Moon, lest someone goes mad with envy and suddenly attacks Tianfang!"
The Red Moon Sovereign's eyes grew chillingly dark!
Li Hao remained fearless, looking at the Red Moon Sovereign with a sneer. "Anyone may take one, except you! A person without a Great Dao cosmos of your own—if you take one and refuse to leave, it would be troublesome for me to deal with you!"
"You!"
The Lord of Red Moon was beside himself with rage. Li Hao said calmly, "Even Sovereign Yunxiao may take one... because he still possesses a rank eight cosmos and would not rashly risk staying behind. You are different... so don't even think about it!"
The Lord of Red Moon was consumed by fury, yet found nowhere to vent it, unable even to fully express his rage... His emotions were a tangled mess.
The Lord of Yunxiao, on the other hand, fell into contemplation.
*So... to ensure he can enter the Tianfang Cosmos, Red Moon will cooperate with me to secure a star?*
*Not bad!*
Otherwise, if the star were given to the Red Moon Sovereign, that fellow truly might refuse to leave the Tianfang Cosmos.
As the Sovereigns entered one after another, the Dao resonance phantoms across Tianfang World were suppressed one by one.
Stars were hauled away in succession.
Even Sovereign Yaoyang entered, suppressing the Light Emissary and freeing Sword Venerable. He wasn't overly guarded, knowing Kongji was here, but he felt rather sheepish as he claimed the Light Star.
Seeing that Kongji was no longer in mortal danger... he offered an awkward smile and fled with the star as if running for his life, deeply embarrassed.
*Our Divine Son of Bright Light falls into crisis, and we had to rely on an outsider paying a heavy price to save him... If word gets out, it will be utterly humiliating!*
*Worse yet, Big Brother had me take the Light Star, which makes it even more shameful!*
...
At this moment, Li Hao stared into the Great Dao cosmos. As a large number of stars were taken, the entire cosmos grew even more desolate and dead.
He cast his gaze toward the Space Star deep within, smiled faintly, and said nothing.
*This time... I don't owe you anything.*
...
At the same time.
Deep within the chaos.
Among the countless statues, the colossal stone giant with opened eyes seemed to witness everything. After a long silence, a faint chuckle drifted out.
"Interesting! Cultivators of time... are all so interesting..."
The next instant, he closed his eyes, looking no more.
He had thought this would be a fine opportunity, but it seemed... he would have to wait a little longer.
*Did he notice?*
*Not bad at all!*
*Still, to abandon the chance to command a rank nine cosmos—is there truly no regret?*
*If you had cooperated this time... perhaps you could have taken complete control of the Tianfang Cosmos. If you knew that, would you still be so composed?*
He wondered whether this youth would regret it if he knew the truth.
For a brief moment, he even felt an impulse to communicate with him and tell him: *What you gave up was not merely a few Dao resonances, but... the entire Tianfang Cosmos!*
*If you had been willing to cooperate with me this time, perhaps I would have told you how to fully revive Tianfang, how to take command of it, and how to ascend to the pinnacle in a single step!*
The thought surfaced, but was quickly suppressed.
Forget it!
The world within his eyes completely dissipated, peering no longer.
*Having abandoned this opportunity, if he wishes to meet me again, it will likely be... a very, very long time!*
Chapter 508