Farewell

Tianfang. On this journey, Li Hao intended to take Silver Moon with him. The four rank seven Sovereigns would not leave immediately; instead, they would stay behind for a time to provide cover for Li Hao and the others before departing one after another. …… The East World Gate. Of the Four Great Regions, the Dragon Domain lay in the east. Li Hao knew very little about the Dragon Domain, though he did possess a map. Sword Venerable and Li Zhu were not particularly familiar with it either, as Xinwu had risen far too quickly. At this moment, it was actually the Senlan World Lord who knew something about the Dragon Domain, having lived for countless years as a veteran rank six Sovereign. "The Dragon Domain is mainly home to two major factions: first, the Chaos Beasts, and second, the Monster Race!" He looked at Li Hao and explained briefly, "Chaos Beasts and the Monster Race are not the same thing. Do you know the difference?" The Monster Race was the Monster Race, and Chaos Beasts were Chaos Beasts. The Monster Race could be considered Chaos Beasts that had mutated after entering a world, or beasts indigenous to a world that had cultivated to gain sapience. Li Hao looked toward Senlan, and the Senlan World Lord continued, "The biggest distinction between the two lies in the fact that Chaos Beasts can internalize worlds within their bodies. Behemoths of Chaos possess an almost instinctual innate ability: swallowing worlds!" He glanced at the Black Panther. "World Lord Black Panther likely wasn't originally a Behemoth of Chaos. Of course, it can be considered a descendant of one... Its ancestor is said to be Xinwu's Heavenly Dog Sovereign. The Heavenly Dog... might very well be like the Cang Emperor, both being a type of Chaos Beast." Li Hao was puzzled. "If it entered a world, wouldn't a Chaos Beast also be considered part of the Monster Race?" "Aside from that point, the difference between the Monster Race and Chaos Beasts lies in another aspect... their Dao principles!" The Senlan World Lord did not elaborate on that, finding it hard to define the Heavenly Dog and the Cang Emperor. Instead, he explained, "Even upon reaching rank seven or eight, Chaos Beasts still primarily practice the Chaos Dao..." Li Hao was taken aback. Primarily practicing the Chaos Dao? "The Chaos Dao... that doesn't enter a Great Dao Cosmos!" The Senlan World Lord nodded. "Indeed. However, those of rank seven and eight are somewhat different... Put it this way: in the Dragon Domain, every Great World occupied by a Chaos Beast was seized by force!" Li Hao frowned. Seized by force? "Chaos Beasts do not cultivate the Dao of Worlds. They are born in chaos, and by nature, they cannot integrate into a Great Dao Cosmos. They can only grow outside in the chaos. Once they reach a certain stage, they seize Great Worlds! Alternatively, they might parasitize a Great Dao Cosmos right from the start, or parasitize a world and disguise themselves as members of the Monster Race... In short, Chaos Beasts cannot give birth to a Great Dao Cosmos on their own. They can only rely on plunder!" "The Monster Race, on the other hand, can integrate into a world, grow alongside it, and naturally give birth to their own Great Dao Cosmos... Thus, the worlds where the Monster Race resides may very well have been created by themselves." This was the greatest distinction between the two. Chaos Beasts lacked the ability to give birth to a Great Dao Cosmos; like Sword Venerable, they could only generate a similar Dao domain rather than an actual Great Dao Cosmos. This time, Li Hao understood. Frowning slightly, he said, "Senior, are you saying that in the Dragon Domain, the worlds dominated by Chaos Beasts were all created by others? That must mean Chaos Beasts possess terrifying combat power—otherwise, how could they seize an entire universe intact?" "Correct!" The Senlan World Lord nodded. "They are born in chaos and raised in chaos. To us, the Chaos Dao is chaotic and impure, but they have grown accustomed to it for generations. Consequently, their Chaos Dao is extraordinarily formidable. In clashes between those of the same rank, Chaos Beasts are generally stronger!" "If they manage to step into rank seven... you've already seen Sword Venerable. Those who have generated their own Dao domains are exceedingly powerful. Without a home-field advantage and the backing of a world, we are usually no match for them." "The same holds true for Chaos Beasts. Once a rank seven World Lord leaves their native world and encounters them in the chaos, they are often outmatched... As a result, it is easy for them to be killed, their worlds stripped away and usurped!" Li Hao's brows furrowed. The Senlan World Lord continued, "I don't know an immense amount about the Dragon Domain either. Exactly how many Great Worlds exist there... I cannot say for sure, but the number is substantial. Vast numbers of the Monster Race and Chaos Beasts gather there. Among them, the Dragon World occupied by the Dragon Race is the most powerful—a rank eight world!" "However, there is also a relatively powerful Great World there, at the peak of rank seven. Moreover, it has more than one rank seven Sovereign—reportedly three or four of them. It can be considered a quasi-rank eight world, and it is ruled by the Monster Race!" The Senlan World Lord thought for a moment and added, "It should be called the Iron-Eating World. It is dominated by indigenous monsters known as Iron-Eating Beasts, and they are quite formidable! They also have conflicts with the Dragon Race... While Chaos Beasts generally plunder worlds, indigenous monsters tend to focus on their clan's development and care more about the strength of their own world..." The Iron-Eating Clan? Li Hao froze, glancing toward Sword Venerable. Pandas? They didn't exist in the Silver Moon World, but during his travels through Xinwu, he seemed to recall such creatures. Seeing Li Hao look at him, Sword Venerable smiled. "It might not be a panda. Don't overthink it. The chaos is vast; every kind of creature exists." Fair enough. The Senlan World Lord continued, "The Dragon Domain isn't exactly peaceful. In earlier years, frequent battles broke out between the native Monster Race and the incoming Chaos Beasts. Later, when the Dragon Lord stepped into rank eight, he suppressed the native monsters, and both sides maintained a fragile balance." "There are actually worlds occupied by humans there as well, but... they generally keep a very low profile, avoiding any prominence. Once a world dominated by humans emerges, it is easily swallowed by Chaos Beasts!" "In the Four Regions, the other three are dominated by humans and similar beings. Only there are humans the weaker species." "Of course, even in worlds ruled by Chaos Beasts, humans still exist... but they are usually treated as slaves, with very low status." "If you wish to seek opportunities and seize some worlds... you can seize any world held by Chaos Beasts. After all, neither those worlds nor their Great Dao Universes originally belonged to them. But you must remember one thing..." The Senlan World Lord turned grave. "They are different from the Lord of Red Moon. When the Lord of Red Moon was separated from his Great Dao Cosmos, his strength was drastically diminished. But Chaos Beasts might not weaken when severed from a Great Dao Cosmos! Because their foundation has always been the Chaos Dao. To them, a Great Dao Cosmos serves only one purpose: purification and refinement!" "Their Dao and their Great Dao power are somewhat chaotic. Though powerful, they become even stronger once purified by a Great Dao world! Furthermore, one cannot determine the exact number of high-rank Sovereigns simply by looking at the Great Worlds. In the Dragon Domain, there is a portion of Chaos Beasts that have reached rank seven without ever seizing a Great Dao Cosmos. Those are pure Chaos Beasts, and such experts roam the chaos over there." Li Hao nodded repeatedly. The Senlan World Lord shared everything he knew, though he didn't know much more beyond that. He had never actually visited the region because it was far too perilous; over there, humans were the prey, easily devoured by monster beasts or Chaos Beasts. "Li Hao, are you truly set on going there?" At this moment, Sword Venerable spoke up. "The Dragon Domain hasn't descended into chaos yet, so opportunities to scavenge gains will be scarce. Meanwhile, Xinwu is operating in the Chiyang Domain... Even if you don't wish to move together with us, you could head to the Chiyang Domain instead. Your chances might be better there." In the Chiyang Domain, Xinwu was the prime target everyone was watching. Even with Li Hao present, a rank five Sovereign—even one capable of slaying a rank six—would not be the primary focus. There, more opportunities might present themselves. He felt a tinge of regret over Li Hao's decision. Li Hao smiled. "Xinwu has plenty of trouble on its hands right now. If we go, we might end up burdening you. It's better for us to split up—one in the east, one in the west, separated by a vast distance. That way, neither of us will interfere with the other." "Uncle Li, the Four Regions are vast, yet also very small... We are bound to meet again sooner or later!" Sword Venerable nodded and said no more. Sovereign Wushan, however, looked somewhat at a loss. Where should I go, then? Leaving Yunxiao and breaking free of its constraints had been for the sake of freedom. Yet now the chaos was in turmoil. He had held some attachments to Tianfang, but now Li Hao and the others were departing. He had no desire to head toward Xinwu, where he would eventually become someone else's vassal once more. So... where should I go? Xinwu was in the Chiyang Domain, Li Hao and his group were heading to the Dragon Domain, the Red Moon Domain was entirely desolate, and here in the Tianfang Domain, Yunxiao was bent on killing him... A touch of melancholy rose in his heart. Soon, he pushed it aside. Hadn't he left Yunxiao precisely for freedom? Li Hao and the others had placed no constraints on him. Having repaid his prior favor, parting ways now was just right. Li Hao glanced nearby at Silver Moon, which had already been swallowed into the Black Panther's belly. The Black Panther could not swallow a world without changing in the slightest like the Cang Emperor. Having swallowed Silver Moon, its body had swelled to several hundred meters in length, appearing gigantic to those present. In the vastness of the chaos, however, several hundred meters was barely noticeable. Looking up once more at Tianfang World, Li Hao stood. "Seniors, all banquets must come to an end! Coming and going is the very nature of chaos! I look forward to our next meeting. Today... I take my leave!" "Take care!" "Safe travels!" The four Sovereigns spoke one after another. The Senlan World Lord offered a few words of caution as well. Soon, he too would have to return to his own world. Senlan had grown to rank seven, and though it was concealed for now, those with keen eyes might still find it. Even if Li Hao hadn't chosen to leave now, Senlan would have had to depart shortly. Li Hao said nothing more. At his side stood only a few figures: the Black Panther and Kongji. The rest had returned to the Silver Moon World, which now rested safely inside the Black Panther's belly. He stepped out of the world gate into the chaos. Turning his back to Tianfang, he waved a hand in farewell. In the chaos, time lost its meaning. Though they had grown strong, they were still insignificant within this boundless void. They could not yet be considered rulers of a region, let alone overlords. The true overlords of the chaos were the rank eight Sovereigns. The Human King of Xinwu might count as one. Yet none of them were. In truth, everyone was merely struggling to survive. And this was merely the Four Regions—which themselves were only a fraction of the chaos, not its entirety. Just how vast the chaos truly was, no one could say. Over the years, figures like Sword Venerable had traversed only the Tianfang and Red Moon Domains; exceedingly few experts had ever ventured beyond the Four Regions. Even the several rank eight Sovereigns merely ran rampant within the Four Regions. None seemed to have considered expanding outward, instead centering their struggles for supremacy entirely around the Four Regions, as though these four domains were the very core of heaven and earth. …… Li Hao had departed. In the immense world, only four people remained. Sword Venerable spoke up. "Fellow Daoists, are you interested in allying with Xinwu?" Wushan was at the peak of rank seven and an unattached Sovereign; joining Xinwu would be simple for him. As for the Senlan World Lord, moving his world might be cumbersome, but concealing it and aligning with Xinwu wouldn't be overly difficult either. Recruiting these two would be quite advantageous. Though Xinwu was rarely fond of making allies, the Human King had met both of them. He had stepped in to help save Wushan and had once protected the Senlan World Lord's path, effectively acknowledging them. Li Hao's judgment had clearly been sound. Even the Human King regarded them with respect. Wushan shook his head. "No. Now that young friend Li Hao has left, I will watch over this place for a few days, and then I will take my leave!" He looked in another direction, toward Yunxiao. After a long silence, Wushan murmured softly, "All these years, I have toiled incessantly for Yunxiao... In this vast chaos, I haven't even traveled through all Four Regions. Perhaps... I will wander and take a look around. When the day comes that the Tianfang Cosmos opens once more, perhaps... I will return." The Senlan World Lord also declined the offer. "I must return to Senlan! This time, a number of Sovereigns wish to join my world. Senlan has expanded, and I haven't returned to inspect it, nor have I tended to those who fell in battle... I must go back and see to all of it." Sword Venerable did not press the matter, nodding in understanding. "Then let us stand guard here for ten days! At Li Hao's speed, ten days should see him completely clear of the Tianfang Domain. By then, finding him will be exceedingly difficult." Besides, others would not necessarily be willing to expend the time and effort to hunt down Li Hao specifically. After all, in their eyes, he was not a fatal threat. The others nodded in agreement. Sword Venerable glanced at Li Zhu and transmitted a message: "Are you returning?" Li Zhu's expression remained tranquil, offering no immediate reply. He had left Xinwu many years ago. After Xinwu ventured into the chaos, he stayed there for several decades before departing, wandering the chaos solely to break through to rank seven. Now, his wish had been fulfilled; he had formally entered rank seven. Return? Xinwu was currently facing grave peril... its targets and nearly all of its powerhouses were fully exposed. Right now, every powerhouse in the Four Regions had their eyes fixed on Xinwu... After pondering for a moment, Li Zhu sent back, "I will not return... but I will go to the Chiyang Domain!" Hearing this, Sword Venerable pressed no further. As you wish. A rank seven Li Zhu going to the Chiyang Domain would not rendezvous with Xinwu directly, but neither would he sit idle. His technique of Stealing the Sky and Swapping the Sun was formidable, first-rate at masking his tracks. A hidden rank seven expert might very well prove far more useful. …… Because the four rank seven Sovereigns remained, and because not much time had passed since Li Hao claimed Tianfang, even the Sovereigns observing from the periphery paid little attention. The high-rank Sovereigns had all departed! Having obtained their Great Dao stars, who would linger here any longer? Without high-rank Sovereigns present, discerning Li Hao's movements was nearly impossible. Leaving Tianfang behind. Seen from afar, Tianfang still stood majestically between heaven and earth. Kongji felt a trace of reluctance. "Operating alongside several rank seven experts was actually quite comfortable; there was no need to shoulder every burden alone... Of course, it also lacked a bit of the independent spirit of adventure! Brother Haoyue, once I step into rank seven... will we also part ways?" "Probably," Li Hao replied offhandedly. He pulled out a map, examined it, and looked ahead. "Moving straight forward at full speed, we should enter the Dragon Domain's perimeter in about eight or nine days. I truly envy those Great Dao Masters—within the coverage of their cosmos, they can arrive anywhere in an instant..." Rank seven and eight Sovereigns were remarkably fast. They did not traverse the raw chaos; instead, they traveled rapidly through the reach of their Great Dao Cosmos. Of course, this carried risks: if someone pinpointed the exact location of their Great Dao Cosmos, it could be forcefully breached. Kongji paid him no mind, casting a backward glance as well. Bright Light... once I step into rank seven, perhaps I will return. Father, at this stage, opposing Xinwu is hardly a wise choice. He had met and conversed with the Human King, Sword Venerable, and Li Zhu—they were a terrifyingly formidable group. While Bright Light was not weak, clashing head-on with Xinwu would bring little advantage. Without further words, the two men and one dog sped swiftly through the dim, murky chaos. …… Ten days later. The four rank seven Sovereigns suddenly emerged together, frightening the surrounding scout Sovereigns out of their wits and making them think some major catastrophe had struck. Yet the four Sovereigns vanished from the spot almost instantly, disappearing from Tianfang without a trace. Not a soul dared to track these rank seven Sovereigns; every one of them was an overwhelmingly terrifying existence. …… A moment later. The Lord of Yunxiao was the first to arrive. Tianfang was already completely deserted. When the Lord of Yunxiao stepped into Tianfang with a solemn and cautious air... the entire world was so quiet it felt almost dead. Not a single person remained! Looking upon the utterly vacant Tianfang World, the Lord of Yunxiao stood dazed for a long time. They're gone? Earlier, he had been discussing how to assault Tianfang and slay the Silver Moon King... Yet the other party, having killed two rank seven experts to seize Tianfang last time, seemed to have done so solely to let Kongji undergo a bout of extinction. Once the extinction concluded, the group had simply left. Before long, Bright Light Sovereign arrived as well. Gazing at the empty Tianfang World, Bright Light Sovereign remained silent for a while. Without sparing a glance at the Lord of Yunxiao, he turned and left directly. The Lord of Yunxiao watched his retreating figure for a moment, let out a chuckle, glanced once more at Tianfang, shook his head slightly, and vanished instantly. At present, the Tianfang Cosmos had not revived. Tianfang had lost even its lands of Dao resonance. Unless the day came when the Great Dao Cosmos awakened, lingering here was meaningless. As various powerhouses scouted the area, it was confirmed: Silver Moon had indeed vanished. And the four Sovereigns had scattered in different directions. Soon, scouts caught wind of Sword Venerable's movements—he was heading toward the Chiyang Domain, presumably to rendezvous with Xinwu. In an instant, the Chiyang Domain became the focal point of everyone's attention. As for Wushan and the others, though formidable, they were now separated from Sword Venerable's faction. Wandering alone, even a rank seven Sovereign could not overturn the broader situation. Tianfang ceased to be the center of attention. As for whether Tianfang would revive and when, those who held the Great Dao stars knew best. At this stage... the priority was eradicating the great threat that was Xinwu! …… The Chiyang Domain. Turbulence surged ceaselessly. Vast numbers of worlds began migrating, just as had happened in the Red Moon Domain. Because Xinwu had been extraordinarily active of late, these worlds did not gather near Chiyang World as the previous ones had near Red Moon World. Instead, they did the exact opposite: a cluster of rank seven Great Worlds congregated in a single location, deliberately avoiding Chiyang World. Last time, congregating around the primary world had allowed the enemy to sweep them up in one fell swoop. This time, the rank seven World Lords of the Chiyang Domain had their own plans. While Xinwu's objective was Chiyang World, they still had to be wary of collateral damage. Thus, these rank seven World Lords conferred and gathered together far from Chiyang World. Seven or eight rank seven Great Worlds, along with dozens of medium worlds, converged one after another. The worlds were linked almost head to tail, situated exceptionally close together. This was a lesson learned from the Red Moon Domain. Back then, the worlds of the Red Moon Domain had maintained some distance between them, leaving them unable to reinforce one another in time when crisis struck. Now, Chiyang World stood solitary and bare at the center of the Chiyang Domain. It wasn't that no worlds remained nearby, but rather that no strong worlds were left. Small worlds that lacked the ability or means to flee could only remain meekly in place, praying that Xinwu would deem them unworthy of attention. Chiyang World. The aura of extreme Yang permeated the air. The Lord of Chiyang resembled a blazing sun, radiating boundless brilliance. At this moment, however, he was not as calm as he appeared, inwardly lamenting his predicament. A rank eight world was immensely powerful, but Xinwu was no weakling. Xinwu possessed many Sovereigns, including numerous rank seven experts. With the Human King and the Cang Emperor joining forces, they were fully capable of matching a rank eight Sovereign. Moreover, the Sovereigns of Xinwu fought without fear of death. In an all-out clash, Chiyang World might not emerge victorious. Of course, if the enemy launched a direct assault, Sovereign Chiyang had no fear, backed by his home-field advantage. Yet at this juncture... more grim news arrived. Sovereign Chiyang spoke, "Over at Tianfang, the Silver Moon King has departed ahead of schedule. Where he went does not concern me. What concerns me far more is that Sword Venerable and the Catacombs King are about to return!" Two additional rank seven Sovereigns returning at once would cause Xinwu's strength to surge yet again! "Furthermore, Wushan and Senlan may not have truly departed; they might very well follow along. If so, gaining four rank seven experts at once would pose an unimaginable threat to my Chiyang!" Below, a gathering of Sovereigns frowned deeply. Who could have imagined that Xinwu, once suppressed by Red Moon, would turn the tables so rapidly in such a short span of time, even destroying Red Moon's stronghold? "My Lord, Xinwu currently seeks to annex our Chiyang to ascend to rank eight... If they truly achieve rank eight, they will become a threat to the entire Four Regions... Have Sovereigns Yunxiao, Red Moon, and the Dragon Lord made no moves?" Sovereign Chiyang's brow furrowed slightly. "Yunxiao is willing to come to our aid, but... his stance is that it would be best to first eliminate the grave threat of Bright Light. Otherwise, if he leaves recklessly and Bright Light Sovereign traps his stronghold or assaults Yunxiao... that would also spell disaster." He could understand that concern. Meanwhile, Red Moon had personally gone to the Dragon Domain to convince the Dragon Lord to steer his world over and fight alongside them. These were both positive developments. Yet the bad news was... the Dragon Lord might not come. For now, this remained a war among humans. Xinwu had not set foot in the Dragon Domain, making it the safest of the Four Regions. The Dragon Lord might well harbor intentions of sitting atop the mountain to watch the tigers fight, refusing an alliance until both sides battered each other bloody before intervening. At this moment, a rank seven Sovereign spoke up. "Then why not... seek reinforcements from another direction?" Another direction? The Chiyang Domain lay in the west, the westernmost of the Four Regions. If Red Moon and the others could not be relied upon, looking in another direction... meant looking further west. At these words, the Lord of Chiyang frowned slightly. After a long pause, he said slowly, "You mean... further west?" "Yes!" That rank seven Sovereign, knowing what Chiyang was weighing, said solemnly, "Dao Lord, Xinwu has already become a catastrophic threat!" Sovereign Chiyang fell silent for a moment before speaking. "I know. However... vast numbers of Chaos Great Pillars stand near the Four Regions! They form a unique chaotic peril teeming with Chaos lightning tribulations! Moreover, it is exceedingly easy to lose one's bearings and become trapped within, or even obliterated outright by the Chaos lightning tribulations... Leaving aside whether one can even make it through, even if someone does, the powerhouses outside the Four Regions might not be willing to come in and aid us..." "Tianfang!" The rank seven Sovereign said with deep conviction, "Though we have had little contact with experts beyond the Four Regions, in earlier years, fortunate individuals occasionally managed to venture outside, and outsiders made their way in... A rank nine Great World is a pinnacle existence even beyond the Four Regions. In fact, among the Sovereigns who came from outside, few had ever even heard of a rank nine world!" "As long as we inform them that Tianfang is on the verge of revival... rank seven Sovereigns might hesitate, but rank eight Sovereigns will do the exact opposite. They will surely desire a share of the spoils to step into rank nine!" Rank nine was the mark of a true overlord. It wasn't that the Four Regions had zero contact with the outside world; there had been some. Formidable though the Chaos Great Pillars were, occasional individuals managed by chance to survive the lightning tribulations and enter or leave the Four Regions. Historically, however, though the several rank eight Sovereigns of the Four Regions engaged in ceaseless internal strife, they presented a united front against outsiders. Tianfang belonged to the Four Regions. Even if it revived, it had nothing to do with outsiders. Though external powerhouses harbored ambitions, traversing the lightning tribulations was immensely difficult. They could not mount a large-scale invasion and had to brave the danger alone; once besieged by the powerhouses of the Four Regions, even several rank eight experts would be slain. Thus, over countless years, though sporadic contact occurred, true top-tier powerhouses rarely ventured into the Four Regions. Likewise, the top-tier experts of the Four Regions rarely went outside—they could not take their worlds with them, and venturing out alone meant they could easily be torn to shreds by external powerhouses! Sovereign Chiyang looked at the speaker. "What made you think of seeking aid from the outside world?" The Sovereign replied solemnly, "A few days ago, an external Sovereign arrived near the Chaos Great Pillars. I happened to be nearby, made contact, and conversed with him... Reportedly, in the far reaches beyond, a new rank nine Sovereign may have emerged! It seems he is currently subjugating various regions, seeking to unify the chaos!" "That Sovereign didn't know the exact details, but reportedly, many rank seven and eight powerhouses beyond the Four Regions have begun gathering. Some have even brought up the Tianfang World within our Four Regions!" "Even if we do not seek them out, they may very well force their way in on their own... That being the case, my thought is that before others pay it much heed, our Chiyang can take the initiative and reach an understanding with those outside powerhouses!" Seize the initiative! Chiyang, after all, was a premier faction within the Four Regions. The Lord of Chiyang frowned slightly. "A rank nine Sovereign has emerged outside? The Four Regions have indeed grown somewhat out of touch... Still, even for a rank nine, attempting to unify the chaos universe is nothing short of a pipedream! Back then, the Lord of Tianfang was incomparably mighty, yet even he failed to unify the chaos... How dares a newly emerged rank nine be so arrogant?" Baffled though he was, he did not dwell on it, merely frowning as he continued, "Tianfang World is the greatest treasure of the Four Regions, and by all appearances, its revival is imminent!" Bringing in outside powerhouses at this juncture was something he was reluctant to do. The speaking Sovereign urged again, "Dao Lord, Xinwu has its sights set on us right now, yet Sovereigns Red Moon, Yunxiao, Bright Light, and the Dragon Lord delay their reinforcements. Perhaps... they too hope Xinwu and our Chiyang will destroy each other! With Xinwu tying us down, even if Tianfang truly revives, we will hardly have the chance to vie for its opportunities!" "In that case, why not muddy the waters?" "We are a native great faction, after all. Furthermore, Sovereigns coming from the outside cannot bring their worlds with them, meaning their strength will be somewhat diminished. Allying with us grants them local advantages, making a partnership mutually beneficial!" The Lord of Chiyang sank into contemplation. Collaborating with external factions was akin to negotiating with a tiger for its hide. Of course, their primary target remained Tianfang World. "Lately... is the Chaos Thunder Domain by the Chaos Great Pillars passable?" he asked. The Sovereign who had spoken nodded. "It has entered a rare period of calm unseen for years. While still troublesome, it is barely passable now. There is danger, but it is not insurmountable." "I hadn't paid it much attention," Sovereign Chiyang said, rubbing his temples. "With Xinwu causing such a ruckus, I nearly overlooked it. If it has entered a calm period, even if I don't seek them out, external powerhouses might still enter the Four Regions! Learning of this now isn't too late." After a moment's thought, he said, "I cannot leave right now, and the rank seven Sovereigns should also remain to defend Chiyang together... Is anyone willing to make a trip through the Chaos Thunder Domain to venture outside and make contact with those external powerhouses?" In the grand hall, the Sovereigns exchanged glances, all showing hints of trepidation. The Chaos Thunder Domain contained lightning tribulations. Chaos lightning tribulations, no less! Li Hao weathered tribulations as easily as having a meal, but to them, Chaos lightning tribulations were lethally perilous. Though unlike regular tribulations that relentlessly locked onto a target, the tribulations near the Chaos Great Pillars gathered strictly around the pillars themselves—once you passed through, the lightning no longer pursued you. Still, traversing that thunderous expanse was perilous in the extreme. A single misstep meant the danger of perishing. Sovereign Chiyang frowned slightly. "Whoever is willing to go may exclusively claim the power of three hundred million Great Dao crystals. If Chiyang succeeds in annexing Xinwu, multiple rank seven Sovereigns will inevitably be born, and you will receive priority consideration!" Though it was merely an empty promise for now, they were locked in a fight to the death with Xinwu; if they truly succeeded in annexing it... rank seven was a realm everyone yearned for. At this moment, a daring Sovereign stepped forward. "My Lord, I am willing to go!" He then added, "However, I am only of rank six. Those rank seven and eight Sovereigns may not deign to speak with me, nor might they believe I represent Chiyang!" Sovereign Chiyang nodded, a smile gracing his face. "Simple. I shall bestow upon you the power of Chiyang's Dao Source! If you can convince one or two rank eight Sovereigns to come... that will be more than enough!" Too many would be detrimental. With too many, the guests would usurp the host. The rank six Sovereign was overjoyed. The power of the Dao Source—pure Chiyang energy—would be of immense benefit whether for comprehension or absorption. As for the risk... staying behind carried risk all the same. Perhaps an even greater one! Xinwu clearly would not rest until it brought down Chiyang. Whether fighting Xinwu or seeking reinforcements, the danger was much the same. Sovereign Chiyang added, "Remember, keep this operation strictly confidential. Be cautious and do not let anyone discover you! Fellows like Red Moon might not be paying attention to matters beyond the Four Regions right now. They are all watching like tigers eyeing their prey, harboring countless schemes... If we can secretly bring in several powerhouses to bolster our ranks, and those fellows dare harbor designs on Chiyang... we will wipe them all out in one fell swoop!" "Understood!" The rank six Sovereign dared not say more. Sovereign Chiyang promptly bestowed a portion of Dao Source power upon him. The pure Chiyang energy would not only bolster his strength but also aid him in weathering the Chaos lightning tribulations to exit the Four Regions. Soon, this Sovereign departed. Gazing in the direction of his departure, the Lord of Chiyang pondered for a while before murmuring, "Calm periods in the thunder domain by the Chaos Great Pillars are exceedingly rare. For it to quiet down precisely when Tianfang is about to revive, almost as if encouraging outside powerhouses to enter Tianfang..." He couldn't help but ponder further. Was this merely a coincidence? Or was it no coincidence at all? A rank nine world was on the brink of revival, and the normally perilous thunder domain had settled down. Was it eager for everyone to come and fight for it? Moreover, a rank nine Sovereign had actually emerged in the outside world... Were there other rank nine Sovereigns in the chaos? The Lord of Chiyang did not know, but he was certain that previously, no rank nine Sovereign had existed in the regions neighboring the Four Regions. If one had, they would have marched on the Tianfang Domain long ago. A rank nine from outside was unifying the chaos and waging war across heaven and earth. Meanwhile, the Four Regions were engulfed in turmoil. In the past, though the chaos was turbulent, it had never been this troublesome. Sovereign Chiyang felt a headache coming on. Perhaps... he still had to find a way to devour Tianfang and ascend to rank nine. Only upon reaching rank nine would one possess the capital to truly roam the chaos unchecked. "The storm is brewing... When upheaval strikes, it brings opportunity for all. The chaos has been quiet for many years; now, all this unrest may well herald the imminent eruption of a war among rank nines." …… The gazes of the powerhouses had shifted from the Four Regions to the realms beyond. All of this remained somewhat distant to Li Hao. He hadn't even traversed the entirety of the Four Regions, so he naturally wouldn't contemplate matters beyond them. In Red Moon World, he had recovered a map depicting several Great Worlds beyond the Four Regions. However, a ring encircling the Four Regions seemed to form a unique chaotic peril marked on the map as a thunder domain, which Li Hao hadn't examined in detail. In any case, he had no intention of stepping outside the Four Regions for now. Moving swiftly, Li Hao had by now crossed into the perimeter of the Dragon Domain. The most distinct marker separating the Dragon Domain from the Tianfang Domain was the difference in aura. Because the Tianfang Domain was dominated by humans, its chaotic aura was comparatively peaceful. The Dragon Domain, however, teemed with Chaos Beasts and the Monster Race. Here, the power of the Chaos Great Dao felt far more violent and explosive; ordinary Sovereigns entering for the first time would find it difficult to adapt. The power of the Great Dao was entirely too restless. Not only that, but in the Dragon Domain, one frequently encountered Behemoths of Chaos roaming the void, acting far more brazen and uninhibited. At this moment, the Black Panther no longer maintained its canine form. Instead, it had reverted to its original appearance—the form of the Chaos Beast it had once possessed: an ox, a Chaos Ox. Li Hao and Kongji, employing the technique of Stealing the Sky and Swapping the Sun, stood beneath one of the Black Panther's ears, observing the entire Dragon Domain. At several hundred meters long, the Black Panther was entirely inconspicuous in this place. It was, after all, a rank five Sovereign! Just moments ago, a rank three Chaos Beast roaming the void nearby had possessed a body thousands of meters long—and that was after compressing its size. Compared to it, the Black Panther was far smaller. "Black Panther, approach a Chaos Beast world and see if we can establish communication!" The Black Panther said nothing, glancing around before drifting in a particular direction. Chaos Beasts abounded here. For the Black Panther, being here was actually quite comfortable. Meanwhile, Li Hao closed his eyes, sensing the Chaos Great Dao of this region. The Chaos Dao was chaotic everywhere, but here, it was even more disorganized! Yet sensing it carefully... Li Hao made a few small discoveries. Though the Chaos Dao here was chaotic, its Great Dao power seemed considerably more robust. Perhaps because there were so many Chaos Beasts, the Chaos Dao in this place was thicker and more violent than elsewhere. Of course, within the void, aside from these Chaos Great Daos, one could also faintly detect relatively peaceful Dao power permeating the surroundings. That was likely the Great Dao power of the Monster Race. Furthermore, in the Dragon Domain, the worlds were far from low-key. In the distance, several worlds pulsed with surging auras, and colossal Chaos Beasts could even be seen coiling directly within the chaos. Unlike the other three regions, where even a rank eight Great World was merely imposing without being so flamboyant, the Dragon Domain exhibited a far stronger sense of territoriality. In the unimaginably distant void, a dragon seemed to coil across the entire expanse of heaven and earth. That location was almost certainly the Dragon World. Reportedly, the Dragon World boasted quite a few rank seven Sovereigns. Not all of them had been born from the world itself; because Chaos Beasts did not require a Great Dao Cosmos to reach rank seven, it was said the Dragon Lord had subdued several rank seven Chaos Beasts, though the truth remained unverified. Regardless, the Dragon World was quite likely the most powerful among all the rank eight worlds. Among humans, those who could step into rank seven on their own without a Great Dao Cosmos were exceedingly rare—high-rank rogue cultivators were almost nonexistent. Here, however, Chaos Beasts were all rogue cultivators. At this moment, Li Hao felt a surge of anticipation. He looked forward to encountering powerful Chaos Beasts—ideally of rank seven—so he could closely observe how these fellows stepped into rank seven. A rank seven Dao domain required at least several thousand intertwined Great Daos. Even for someone like Sword Venerable, stepping into rank seven was arduous. Could high-rank Chaos Beasts truly be more talented than Sword Venerable? Li Hao didn't believe that for a second. Which meant... Chaos Beasts possessed their own unique method of advancement. Perhaps they did not require thousands of Daos intertwined into a specialized Dao domain. If so, it would be of immense reference value to him. At this moment, Li Hao was filled with eager anticipation toward the Dragon Domain, without the slightest hint of nervousness.