The Dragon Region.
The Dragon World.
Great dragons were numerous here. Although dragons were Chaos Beasts, their reproductive habits had fundamentally changed ever since the Dragon Lord conquered the Dragon World and settled here. Normally, it was extraordinarily difficult for Chaos Beasts to produce offspring, but the Dragon Lord, utilizing his mighty power, had intervened to allow the dragons—whose bloodlines were historically sparse—to thrive and multiply in the Dragon World.
Not only that, the current Dragon Lord was an individual of immense perseverance. Originally, the dragons' path had consisted purely of the Chaos Dao, but today, they commanded the myriad Daos in their entirety.
Dragons could cultivate any Great Dao.
At present, the dragon race had formally begun transitioning into a native monster race, no longer strictly pure Chaos Beasts. Only a handful of high-ranking dragon elders still maintained their status as Chaos Beasts.
Being a Chaos Beast had both advantages and disadvantages. They could devour worlds and cultivate chaos, but siring descendants was exceedingly difficult. The rigors of the Chaos Dao combined with the inherent difficulty powerful beings faced in producing heirs meant that millions or even tens of millions of years might pass before a single descendant was born. Consequently, the number of Chaos Beasts was perpetually dwindling.
Today, however, the dragons in the Dragon World alone numbered a million strong!
For a rank eight Great World, a million souls was sparse in the extreme, but for a chaos race... could a clan with a population of a million still be considered Chaos Beasts?
It was simply incredible!
At this moment, the Red Moon Sovereign walked through the Dragon World, nodding slightly. At his side, a rank seven dragon served as his guide.
Seeing the Red Moon Sovereign look toward the young dragons, the dragon guide smiled with a hint of pride. "Lord Dragon Lord possesses peerless Dao methods. We dragons were once extraordinarily rare in the chaos, and it is said that the rarer a creature is, the stronger it becomes... Yet today, our dragon race sits firmly as the foremost clan of Chaos Beasts. Not only is the Dragon Lord the strongest among the chaos races, but our dragon race is also the most numerous..."
The Red Moon Sovereign smiled and gave a slight nod. He glanced at the dragon realm's heaven and earth, then surveyed the living beings in all directions, raising an eyebrow. "The Dragon Lord truly possesses fine methods! I see that every great dragon keeps many humans enslaved... Does this mean you have employed grafting techniques?"
The rank seven dragon smiled as well. "The Dao Sovereign has keen eyes!"
He offered no further explanation.
After all, the Red Moon Sovereign was human... though within the chaos, such distinctions rarely mattered. The Red Moon Sovereign was merely the human leader of the Red Moon World. Across different worlds, who cared what race anyone was?
Still, the dragons had indeed enslaved an immense number of humans.
Countless, in fact!
Humans were born in virtually every world. Moreover, humans reproduced at an astonishing, incomprehensible rate, numbering beyond calculation. Of course, talented humans were exceedingly rare, whereas dragons were inherently gifted.
At this moment, the Red Moon Sovereign looked around, deep in thought.
Fascinating!
This was his first time in the Dragon World. One intriguing aspect of this realm was that these great dragons mythologized themselves, turning themselves into totems to harvest faith. They divided humans into distinct tribes, having each group cultivate a single method.
In doing so, every human effectively provided a dragon with Dao source and Dao methods.
Ultimately, these humans would serve as nourishment for the dragon presiding over their tribe.
The path of faith was a fairly common method in the chaos, but... The Red Moon Sovereign swept his gaze around once more. As a rank eight Sovereign, a single glance revealed a great deal.
He frowned slightly. "The stench of blood is rather heavy... There is no harm in dragons raising humans; this is the Dragon World, after all! However... excessive slaughter might cause friction. I do not mind, but if some sanctimonious human Sovereigns were to see this, an argument would undoubtedly erupt."
The rank seven dragon scoffed dismissively. "An argument? Who would dare?"
"Bright Light!"
The Red Moon Sovereign chuckled softly. "That fellow has always been self-righteous, proclaiming himself pure, holy, and bright!"
Only upon hearing mention of the Bright Light Sovereign did the rank seven dragon rein in his attitude, offering an explanation. "It is not as though we slaughter them routinely. It is just that recently, some dragon scions have been cultivating slaughter and blood vitality Daos... which require substantial slaughter. In truth, our Dragon World has a massive need for humans. A million dragons must gather Great Dao power, so slaughter is rare under ordinary circumstances."
He was not justifying this to Red Moon, but rather speaking out of concern that word spreading might incur the displeasure of so-called human leaders. It was not a daily slaughter, merely a temporary necessity over the past few days.
Evidently, Red Moon did not take it to heart either.
It was only killing a few humans.
The chaos lacked many things, but humans were never one of them. A small world easily housed tens of billions, while a Great World teemed with hundreds of billions or even trillions—a terrifying abundance. Even if countless worlds were extinguished and trillions of humans perished, practically no one cared.
There were simply far too many of them.
Even those self-proclaimed human leaders generally said nothing beyond uttering a few token condemnations. Could they truly go to war against a powerhouse like the Dragon World on behalf of unrelated strangers?
They belonged to different worlds; who could possibly care?
As long as they refrained from plundering humans from Great Worlds, or only took them in modest quantities, no one would make an issue of it.
The Red Moon Sovereign nodded with a faint smile. "It is still best to exercise a modicum of discretion... Of course, no one visits here under normal circumstances anyway. Hypocrites like Bright Light have destroyed countless worlds in secret, yet they pose as leaders of humanity. In truth, it is all for self-interest—utterly laughable."
The dragon laughed as well. "Dao Sovereign Bright Light does not enjoy a good reputation across the realms. If he wishes to be the leader of humanity, he lacks the qualifications!"
Red Moon chuckled too. That was indeed true.
Of course, others had helped fan those flames. After all, the power of light appeared holy and pure, and the Bright Light Sovereign was a rank eight Sovereign. If his reputation improved and he truly solidified his position as the leader of humanity... that would be a tremendous headache.
Red Moon, Yunxiao, and Bright Light—these rank eight Sovereigns were rarely depicted as virtuous figures in the folk tales of various human worlds.
Some of those tales were concocted by the Sovereigns of their own realms, while others drifted in from outside.
Regardless, humanity had never possessed a true, overarching leader to this day. Everyone tended their own territory. Figures like Bright Light could not be bothered to waste the effort; it was far too troublesome and far too complex.
This was not a single world, but countless worlds. Unless one genuinely harbored ambitions of uniting the chaos, expending such effort was entirely unprofitable.
As for drawing on faith power, it was certainly useful.
However... making people believe in you was exceptionally difficult.
At this moment, the Lord of Red Moon recalled something and smiled faintly. "Speaking of which, on my way here, near the edge of the Dragon Region, I encountered a small world that was rather amusing. Two human cultivators seemed to be spreading the path of faith, promoting belief in a Heavenly God... In that small world, they were slaughtering monsters and chaos creatures, earning the faith of enslaved humans through their butchery..."
At those words, the dragon abruptly halted. "Faith? Liberating humans? Dao Sovereign, could you point out their exact location? And... what is their strength?"
"Two half-step Sovereigns."
"Oh..."
Instantly, the dragon lost all interest. Half-step Sovereigns?
A joke!
This was the Dragon Region, home to countless chaos Sovereigns and monster Sovereigns, along with a massive number of high-rank Sovereigns. Where had two fools with mere half-step Sovereign strength come from, daring to run here to liberate humans?
Well, admittedly, this was indeed fertile ground.
The humans here were enslaved by countless monsters and Chaos Beasts, making them the easiest to win over, convert into believers, and forge into sources of faith.
The location was well-chosen, but that strength... was negligible.
Far too weak!
It was utterly impossible for them to stir up any waves. If they had been high-rank Sovereigns, this dragon might have harbored some concern, but half-step Sovereigns... though the title bore the word 'Sovereign,' they were nothing of the sort.
The Dragon World was a rank eight Great World. This rank seven Sovereign had initially assumed someone had breached a world within the Dragon Region. Hearing this now, he could not be bothered to care. It was a trivial matter; even small worlds had Sovereigns guarding them, who could easily crush the intruders.
Even if a world were breached, other Sovereigns were nearby.
Anyone below the Sovereign level was not worth a second glance.
The Red Moon Sovereign had not taken it seriously either; he had merely treated it as a curious spectacle. Passing by, he had caught a glimpse: they had accumulated quite a bit of faith power. Yet daring to slaughter Chaos Beasts and monsters in the Dragon Region to win human faith... he had to admit they possessed guts!
Others had contemplated such grandiose ideas before.
In the past, even high-rank Sovereigns had considered it.
After all, the Dragon Region encompassed countless worlds, predominantly ruled by chaos clans and the Monster Race. Some monsters were acceptable, born natively to worlds where humans, though low in status, could at least survive normally.
Other monsters treated humans entirely as blood food, granting them a status even lower than beasts in human worlds.
They devoured them whenever they grew hungry, eating whenever they pleased...
The humans here were the easiest to satisfy. The moment someone showed a willingness to rescue them, granting them a little status and strength, they would readily offer their faith. And this was not just one or two people—a single world held over ten billion humans, an unbelievable multitude!
If one could attain the Dao through faith here, rescuing countless trillions of humans, even having just a tenth of them believe would provide enough faith power to potentially elevate someone to the rank of a top-tier Sovereign!
Hundreds of thousands of years ago, a rank seven Sovereign had attempted to do just that... The result went without saying. Making too much noise and biting off more than he could chew, he was ultimately obliterated by the Dragon Lord, his soul shattered until not a speck of him remained.
The Chaos Beasts of the Dragon Region were far more united than the human Sovereigns of the other three regions, and the native monsters were relatively cohesive as well. That was precisely why the Chaos Beasts, despite their small numbers, were able to dominate an entire region.
Seeing that the rank seven dragon seemed unconcerned, Red Moon chuckled softly. "Old Bright Light once suggested that Red Moon, Yunxiao, and several other factions join forces to invade the Dragon Region and liberate the humans here. The power of light spreads most easily and wins believers with the greatest ease. Once successful, that fellow might actually have a chance of becoming the second rank nine Sovereign of the Four Regions..."
He was relentlessly dropping poison into the well regarding the Bright Light Sovereign!
No matter the subject, he dragged the Bright Light Sovereign into it.
The rank seven dragon found it awkward to respond.
Right at that moment, a dragon roar resounded through heaven and earth. In an instant, a figure appeared—not in dragon form, but transformed into a man, manifesting before Red Moon with a commanding presence and immense martial vigor.
A resonant, deep voice boomed, "Red Moon, do you desire Bright Light's death that desperately?"
The Red Moon Sovereign smiled. "Dragon Lord, I speak only the truth! The power of light is indeed suited for proselytizing. To ordinary mortals who cannot perceive the essence of the Dao, who only see the shallowest surface, whatever is bright, white, and seemingly pure is inherently good! Yet how does the power of light differ from any other Great Dao? It is merely glamorous on the surface; in secret... who is truly better than whom? If Old Man Bright Light ever seeks to spread his faith... the Dragon Region will be his primary target!"
"He would need the ability first!"
Hands clasped behind his back, the Dragon Lord chuckled softly. "My Dragon Region does not boast many powerhouses—merely one rank eight and several dozen rank sevens. At a single command from this king... all are willing to march to war. The chaos race drifted through the void for so long before finally securing a sanctuary... Why, does your human race find that an eyesore?"
"Hahaha, I never said that. I personally do not care in the slightest..."
The Red Moon Sovereign laughed. "I am a lone soul now. Even my own world is gone, so why would I care about such things? I was referring to Bright Light."
The Dragon Lord smiled as well. "You make no mention of Xinwu, yet harp ceaselessly on Bright Light... Could it be that you intend to kill Bright Light first?"
"Why not?"
The Red Moon Sovereign chuckled. "If we do not kill him, he will continue stirring up trouble and keeping everyone on edge. If we commit all our strength to fighting Xinwu and that fellow strikes us from behind, that would be a genuine disaster! If you wish to destroy Xinwu... it is best to wipe out Bright Light first! Afterward, we can commit fully to annihilating Xinwu!"
At this, he added, "The Xinwu Human King—Dragon Lord, do you truly have no thoughts regarding his title?"
The Dragon Lord sneered. "He is the Xinwu Human King, not the Human King of the Chaos! What, do you hope to use that to persuade me to battle Xinwu?"
What did a Human King matter?
A Human King would only claim to be the king of Xinwu's humans. Could it be that every human across the entire chaos was his subject?
Even Fang Ping would not claim that!
Not because he lacked the courage, but because that man had never contemplated saving a sea of unrelated strangers. They did not know one another, shared no ties, and did not even hail from the same world. Granted, they all had two eyes, two ears, and a mouth... but what of it?
If Red Moon thought he could use that to persuade him to fight Xinwu to the death, he was sorely mistaken.
Seeing that this failed to move him, the Red Moon Sovereign could only say, "Xinwu is a dire threat..."
"As long as my Dragon Region does not step outside its borders, we possess dozens of high-rank Sovereigns... far more dependable than your so-called Red Moon Alliance. However formidable Xinwu may be, can they breach my Dragon Region?"
The Dragon Lord said calmly, "Occupying one region is enough for my Dragon Region. We have no desire to unite the chaos, nor the means to achieve it. Your human ambitions burn far fiercer than those of our chaos race! That is why you feel a fatal crisis... whereas we face no great threat. As for extreme yang vitality, they have set their sights on the Chiyang World. Once they claim Chiyang, will they care about a mere rank seven world? The Vajra World is also of extreme yang and unyielding firmness, but once Chiyang falls, the Human King will likely covet Bright Light next; he will not come my way!"
The Red Moon Sovereign raised an eyebrow. "And what of Tianfang? If the Dragon Lord refuses to join hands today, then tomorrow, when Tianfang World opens... do not blame everyone for showing no courtesy to the chaos race!"
Having failed with gentle persuasion, he resorted to veiled threats.
If you insist on sitting atop the mountain watching the tigers fight, then once Tianfang World opened, the human Sovereigns would all turn against you.
The Dragon Lord chuckled softly, noncommittal.
Once you and Xinwu fight to the death and a batch of Sovereigns perish—many rank sevens have already fallen, and you, Red Moon, have been reduced to a stray dog—let a few more rank eights die... When that time comes, with my Dragon Region united, would we truly fear you?
Red Moon's desire to drag him into action was far too simplistic.
Furthermore, the moment he acted and drove his world into battle, Xinwu would inevitably treat him as their primary target. The Dragon Lord was no fool; given Xinwu's temperament, his involvement would pose far too grave a threat to them.
Under those circumstances, could Xinwu rest before beating him to death?
You, Red Moon Sovereign, are free and unburdened—a rogue cultivator who can simply flee if the Four Regions become untenable. Crossing the Chaos Thunder Tribulation to the outside world would hardly be difficult for you.
Yet we possess a vast foundation and empire; could we simply up and flee?
Seeing that he remained impervious to both soft and hard approaches, the Red Moon Sovereign did not grow angry, continuing, "If the troubles of the Four Regions remain unresolved... and complete chaos erupts... someone might very well collude with Sovereigns from the outside!"
The Red Moon Sovereign smiled faintly. "Those of us in the Four Regions are old acquaintances, after all. Troubles we can resolve ourselves are best handled among ourselves. If certain parties are pushed to the brink and invite a host of outside Sovereigns... someone among them might take offense at the dragons enslaving trillions of humans! Bear in mind, humanity reigns supreme in the outside world as well. Within the Four Regions, everyone governs their own domain, but outsiders... if they arrive, they might very well attempt to shatter the balance of the Dragon Region. If things go awry, they can simply flee; their foundations are not rooted here!"
Powerhouses native to the Four Regions had their own properties here, so none would recklessly antagonize the Dragon Region; failure would mean losing everything!
Outsiders, however, seeing countless humans enslaved here, might decide to make a move... If they failed, they could just run. No matter how powerful the Dragon Lord was, could he chase them outside and raze their home domains?
The Dragon Lord's brow furrowed slightly. He stared at Red Moon for a long moment before saying in a low voice, "The 'someone' you speak of is yourself, isn't it?"
"Your Red Moon World is gone, so it seems you no longer have any reservations. Red Moon, you wouldn't be entertaining such thoughts, would you?"
Killing intent began to churn!
This man had lost his home; if he truly set his mind on causing havoc in the Dragon Region and fleeing if things went south, it would indeed prove troublesome.
The Lord of Red Moon smiled. "How could that be? I actually find being a rogue cultivator quite pleasant—unburdened by concerns. Previously, being tied down by my world caused me to be targeted time and again. Now, I am free and uninhibited... I harbor no such thoughts. I was referring to Chiyang and Yunxiao. Chiyang is besieged by peril, yet no one steps forward to aid him. Tell me, if pushed to desperation, will he follow my path and simply watch his world be destroyed?"
The Dragon Lord raised an eyebrow. That was indeed a valid point.
If outsiders were invited in, matters would become genuinely unruly.
Here, everyone understood one another's backgrounds and knew precisely where each other's homes were. If outsiders arrived... the Dragon Region would inevitably face endless trouble. Furthermore, the chaos race, along with the Monster Race, were regarded by many as treasures.
At this moment, Red Moon's words genuinely swayed him.
As he pondered, Red Moon spoke again. "Moreover, if Chiyang is truly taken by Xinwu, Xinwu will become a rank eight world. The Human King and the Cang Emperor will simultaneously advance to rank eight... Two rank eights joining hands, borrowing each other's strength, might even... unite the Four Regions. At that time, can the Dragon Region truly withstand them?"
"As for the Dragon Lord's claim of not provoking them... does Xinwu care whether you provoke them or not?"
He chuckled softly. "The Human King is overbearing to the extreme. If he does not see you, the Dragon Lord, slaughtering and enslaving humans, that is one thing. But if he truly sees it... do you believe that a man who styles himself the King of Humanity will spare you?"
The Dragon Lord stared at him coldly.
The Red Moon Sovereign smiled again. "Of course, I am merely offering a reminder... Still, Xinwu is too young, and young people are hot-blooded! We have grown accustomed to such sights, but they are not yet used to them... Seeing countless humans dying miserable deaths and being used as blood food, heh, just wait and see whether that Human King intervenes!"
Would he intervene?
It was hard to say for others, but given the Human King's arrogant temperament—acting as though the chaos were second and he were first—he only refrained because he was unaware of the situation here. Once he knew, could he stay his hand?
When I kill people, that is my prerogative!
However, you monsters are forbidden from killing them or enslaving humans. His sense of empathy ran extraordinarily deep, a fact readily apparent from the Human King's character.
The Dragon Lord cast a sideways glance at him and sneered. "Red Moon, it seems losing your world has only made your tongue sharper. With nothing left to fear, your thoughts grow ever more audacious."
The Lord of Red Moon smiled without a word.
Having reached this point, what thoughts could he harbor aside from seeking vengeance?
You harbor reservations; you have concerns. I have none.
Even my Great Dao Cosmos is gone!
Of course, Xinwu had to be destroyed, but that crucial figure, the Silver Moon King, had to die even more!
He had to die without a burial place!
Xinwu was the chief culprit, but the Silver Moon King was a pivotal factor as well. That fellow had actually breached his world, infiltrated the Great Dao Cosmos, and dismantled his Dao of Desire—it was utterly infuriating... and utterly terrifying.
Even my Dao source was dismantled.
Such a phenomenon was virtually unheard of.
Thinking of the Silver Moon King, he suddenly said, "Right, there is one more thing. Word from Tianfang says Silver Moon has evacuated. If they rendezvoused with Xinwu, they should have departed alongside Sword Venerable and the others, but they did not! If he remained in the Tianfang Region... joining with Bright Light would be a solid option. As for the Red Moon Domain... it is desolate now. Do you think that fellow might have come to the Dragon Region?"
"Oh?"
The Dragon Lord could not have cared less.
So what if he came?
As long as Xinwu had not arrived, it made no difference!
A mere rank five Sovereign, even if formidable enough to trade blows with rank sevens... what of it?
Red Moon surely wasn't expecting him to feel wary of this Silver Moon King as well, was he?
How absurd!
"Do not underestimate the Silver Moon King!"
Red Moon said with absolute indifference, "He is no simple figure. Can anyone who clashes with rank sevens while at rank five be simple? How long did it take the Human King to rise? How long do you think it will take him?"
"Oh, noted."
The Dragon Lord offered the same perfunctory reply.
So what?
The Lord of Red Moon spoke no further, disinclined to waste words. Silver Moon had very likely come here, but the Dragon Region was vast, and this was not his territory... He could not be bothered to investigate. If he tried searching here, the Dragon Lord would turn hostile on the spot!
It would be best if the Dragon Lord suffered a setback; that way, he would take the initiative to deal with Silver Moon.
That hateful Silver Moon!
The Lord of Red Moon also knew that matters had to be negotiated slowly, so he felt no rush. At this moment, he wished nothing more than for everyone else to suffer. Having endured a catastrophic loss himself, he found everyone an eyesore!
……
While the Lord of Red Moon conversed with the Dragon Lord, at the edge of the Dragon Region...
Within a small world.
A man and a woman were currently establishing their own kingdom. Not much time had passed, but both had once reigned as sovereigns and were intimately familiar with statecraft.
Moreover, they had discovered that the humans here were ridiculously easy to sway!
Grant them a few minor benefits, and they revered them as true gods!
They wept with gratitude—an experience unlike anything before. The Queen found it inconceivable. The people here were far too easy to deceive... no, far too easy to tame. This was simpler than ruling the Divine Kingdom.
Crucially, their faith was genuine!
In just a few short months, she had gathered hundreds of millions of believers, and their faith felt even more devout than that of the Divine Kingdom. It was almost beyond belief!
In the Divine Kingdom, it had taken generation after generation of cultivation to foster such faith.
Yet here... kill a single monster, and the local humans wept tears of gratitude, turning utterly fanatical, their devotion soaring to the absolute extreme. Impart a random cultivation technique, and they would knock their heads against the ground, pledging loyalty unto death...
This was practically a holy land for the path of faith!
Unbelievable!
Did no one in the chaos cultivate the path of faith?
If she could secure this small world, she felt that she and the King of Dali could attain the Dao and become Sovereigns directly through faith. If they captured a few more worlds, reaching rank two or rank three would be child's play!
If they continued sweeping forward... what would Li Hao amount to?
What rank was Li Hao right now?
Perhaps she and the King of Dali could soon enter the middle ranks, or even... the high ranks!
Astounding!
At this moment, however, the King of Dali felt somewhat uneasy. Having organized several affairs, he rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Looking at the Queen's delight, he sighed with a tinge of melancholy. "I'm feeling a bit apprehensive!"
"Why?"
The King of Dali sighed. "It's too easy, too insane! I feel... I'm already on the verge of attaining the Dao, the Emperor's Dao! Back in Dali, I governed diligently and worked tirelessly, yet the people of Dali never revered or admired me like this... Good grief, out here, even if I casually break wind, people treat it like a divine breeze... Aren't you afraid?"
"Afraid of what?"
The Queen's eyes flickered. "Fortune favors the bold! I know there must be hidden complications, perhaps... related to that so-called Dragon Lord. But if we had stayed in Tianfang, becoming Sovereigns would have been our absolute limit. Yet here... haven't you noticed? Attaining Sovereignhood is effortless for us now! What's more, our faith is surging frantically. I feel we could easily reach rank four, or even... higher! We won't interfere with each other: you pursue your Path of the People, and I'll pursue my Divine Path. Both of us might surpass Li Hao..."
Back in Silver Moon, Li Hao had suppressed them far too harshly!
Now that they were out, they felt like birds freed into the boundless sky. As for danger... what did that matter?
Even though the Sovereign of this small world was currently searching for them, she felt no fear. At worst, they would fight him head-on in a desperate clash!
It was still better than Li Hao!
Li Hao only knew how to scheme against people. Look how straightforward these monsters were—they openly challenged you to step outside and fight, with no need to worry about being schemed against or wondering whether every action was a trap!
It was exhilarating!
Danger existed everywhere, but this was a danger she was willing to embrace.
The King of Dali remained laden with worry. "I still can't set my mind at ease. It's not danger I fear, but rather: could we truly be the only ones to discover such a golden treasure trove?"
"..."
The Queen remained silent. Others had probably discovered it before, and in all likelihood... they had all died.
Who cared!
She wasn't stupid; naturally, she had considered these things. Yet... she still deemed it worthwhile.
She and the King of Dali had fled Tianfang shortly after being released from Silver Moon for the first time. Taking a massive gamble, they had hitched a ride with a Sovereign, handing over their entire fortunes just to have him escort them away.
Of course, it was also born of confidence—confidence that joining forces, she and the King of Dali would not necessarily fear a rank one Sovereign!
The two had no grand objective, only a single requirement: find a relatively peaceful place, preferably where they could develop steadily for a time. Both walked royal paths, so it was best to find a place where humans were oppressed and liberate them...
That rank one Sovereign had been quite conscientious, delivering them to this very spot. It was indeed a treasure trove, and the world master was not particularly strong—merely a rank one Sovereign who, while formidable locally, was nothing extraordinary.
It was a fine place, save for the fact that... it reportedly lay along the edge of the Dragon Region.
The King of Dali stopped dwelling on it, exhaling a breath. "Fine, let's not think about that. There are still many humans here, all enslaved. Having been enslaved for so long and subjected to endless torment, showing them the slightest kindness makes them pour their hearts out... If we use this place as our base... build it into our territory, and slay that world master, we will become the overlords here. We will finally have a home..."
In Silver Moon, Li Hao was the supreme authority, beneath whom stood a crowd of Silver Moon figures. The two of them had been pitiful, constantly schemed against by Li Hao. Here... let danger come as it may; they would finally be true leaders!
"That's the spirit!"
The Queen smiled. "You will be your Dali Emperor, and I will be my Heavenly God! Temporal rule and divine authority walking side by side! Once our territory expands and our strength grows, we will part ways as needed! You follow the Path of the People, and I follow the Divine Path!"
The King of Dali nodded. That matched his thoughts as well. In any case, he would not stay tied to the Queen forever; otherwise, would temporal rule take precedence, or divine authority?
"Then next... do we attain the Dao?"
"No rush!"
The Queen shook her head. "You must realize that because we are currently non-Sovereigns, they don't take us too seriously. If we become Sovereigns... they will attach immense importance to us!"
The Queen gave a soft laugh. "Besides, becoming rank one Sovereigns... is not our goal! We should learn from Li Daoheng and the others... Either don't become Sovereigns, or advance straight to rank three at the very least! Gathering boundless faith power, we can leap directly into rank three in one fell swoop!"
"By then, even if unforeseen events occur, two rank three Sovereigns acting together won't suffer any mishaps!"
The King of Dali nodded; that made sense.
The faith power here was extraordinarily dense.
Furthermore, winning the hearts of the people was far too simple. Now, whenever they imparted Dao methods, these people cultivated with undivided devotion, exceptionally agreeable to deal with. He even felt a little embarrassed.
In the past, the people of Dali had been vastly harder to please.
The two conferred a bit longer before returning to their work, brimming with drive—far more motivated than they had ever been in Silver Moon.
……
At this moment, a voice suddenly drifted from within the Black Panther's belly.
"Marquis, the King of Dali and the Western Queen... might also be in the Dragon Region!"
It was Qian Wuliang's voice.
Li Hao was somewhat surprised. "In the Dragon Region?"
"Yes."
"They are here?"
"Mm. In the Great Dao Cosmos, the stars belonging to them... seem to be drawing close!"
Li Hao felt quite surprised. How had those two wandered all the way to the Dragon Region?
It was quite a distance, after all!
They could certainly run.
Crucially, surviving until now was no small feat. The two of them had likely not yet attained Sovereignhood. Though they did not primarily cultivate the Silver Moon Dao, their stars would have shown some change had they become Sovereigns.
Running recklessly through the chaos as non-Sovereigns, reaching the Dragon Region teeming with Chaos Beasts, and still managing to survive... their vitality was truly tenacious.
"I wonder who they're tormenting now," Li Hao remarked. Qian Wuliang asked again, "Should we move closer to them?"
"Is it on the way?"
"If we head straight toward the Dragon World... it should be roughly on our route."
"Then that's fine... We'll leave it to chance. If we cross paths, we can take a look."
Li Hao did not deliberately seek them out. The two had clearly wanted to break free of him. Since they found him so tiresome... whether they met or not did not matter.
Risking death to flee Tianfang had genuinely exceeded Li Hao's expectations.
They had guts!
Presently, they approached a world. It appeared small, its aura suggesting roughly a rank three minor world. As the Black Panther drew near, a colossal beast suddenly emerged above the world.
It looked somewhat like a qilin, yet also resembled a dog...
The giant beast suddenly transmitted a mental fluctuation: "Sovereign approaching ahead, halt your steps!"
The beast's mental message continued: "Our realm is not open to outsiders. If you wish to rest, you may proceed further ahead to the Fire Phoenix Great World! The Fire Phoenix Great World is open to visitors and accommodates Sovereigns of the chaos race..."
A rank three world dared not open its gates to outsiders.
Moreover, the arrival appeared to be a middle-rank Sovereign—far too dangerous. The defender dared not let the Black Panther approach.
Drawing closer signified intent to invade.
Before the Black Panther could respond, the giant beast spoke again: "If Fellow Daoist is hungry... I can present ten million two-legged beasts for you to devour. Furthermore, if this is your first time entering the Dragon Region, allow me to remind you: within the Dragon Region, members of the chaos race are forbidden from killing one another. Otherwise, the dragon race will intervene!"
The Black Panther appeared puzzled. Two-legged beasts?
It let out a low growl. Below its ear, Li Hao looked at the Black Panther with mild confusion... What was up with this dog? You're already rank five; never mind not speaking aloud, why aren't you even willing to transmit mental fluctuations? What's going on?
The growl seemed to be a unique communication system among beasts. Li Hao could understand some of it, but transmitting messages this way was akin to displaying subtitles, with the sound being a growl... quite different from mental fluctuations.
The rank three giant beast took no offense. Certain Chaos Beasts simply preferred communicating this way; it was nothing unusual. It transmitted another mental message: "Fellow Daoist wishes to sample something fresh... without needing ten million? Very well... I shall select some of premium quality. Once you have finished, should you desire even better fare, you must visit a Great World; the quality of two-legged beasts is far superior there!"
With those words, world power rippled.
In a single instant, several dozen humans materialized outside the world.
These humans had delicate, tender skin. Though weak, they were all cultivators, exceedingly young, comprising handsome men and beautiful women. At this moment, every single one trembled in terror, frightened to the absolute extreme!
The giant beast spoke in human tongue, carrying boundless oppressive might. "Fortune smiles upon you today. A senior is passing by and wishes to taste something fresh... You two-legged beasts have yet to offer tribute this year. Originally, I planned to provide ten million humans as blood food for Senior, but Senior is not particularly hungry and requires only a few high-quality specimens... If you satisfy Senior, your tribe shall be exempt from offering blood food for the next century!"
At these words, though the terrified young men and women remained shaken, a faint sense of relief washed over them.
Exempt from tribute!
A century was a very long time.
Originally, ten million humans would have been offered as blood food; now, only several dozen of them were needed. At this moment, a slightly older youth trembled as he said, "We thank the Dao Lord for his grace... We... shall not dare disturb the exalted one's pleasure..."
By 'pleasure,' he meant not screaming in terror or losing control of their bladders when being eaten, as that would displease these monster beasts.
He felt sorrow, yet also deemed it worthwhile. Looking at the others, he spoke hurriedly: "Remember... do not... cry out. Do not... lose control... Even if you are terrified, think of our families... Ten million humans... today, only we are required..."
The crowd trembled, none uttering a sound.
The giant beast grew slightly impatient. As long as these two-legged beasts served the guest properly and let him eat contentedly, he would depart sooner.
A middle-rank Chaos Beast still... inspired some wariness.
Hurry up and get lost!
Only at this moment did the Black Panther and the others realize what 'two-legged beasts' truly meant.
Crucially... ten million at a whim!
Li Hao was stunned. He knew the chaos was steeped in slaughter and that the destruction of worlds was commonplace, easily wiping out tens of billions of lives and pulverizing entire worlds.
Yet... merely because a Chaos Beast passed by, they... they offered ten million humans to be devoured?
Treating them as an ordinary meal!
This...
He had visited many places and passed through numerous worlds. Even in the territory of a bitter enemy like the Lord of Red Moon, the Red Moon World treated its populace relatively well, needing population to cultivate and empower the Great Dao Cosmos!
They did not genuinely regard humans as food, nor did anyone harbor such an appetite.
Even tyrants merely exploited them, but... casually serving ten million people as blood food... this exceeded Li Hao's imagination.
In his mind, while humans here might not be the rulers... a world still required humans to cultivate and perfect the Great Dao. Even if their lives were miserable, they could at least survive.
Yet now...
Li Hao remained dazed for a moment. Beside him, Kongji frowned as well, transmitting his voice: "This is the first time I have learned of such a situation. In the past, however, my father once remarked that if anyone could establish faith in the Dragon Region and unite its human race... setting aside a rank nine Sovereign, if Bright Light could envelop the Dragon Region, reaching the peak of rank eight would be effortless for him..."
He had not understood back then, but now, he seemed to grasp it!
Kongji's brows knitted tightly.
Merely passing by a minor world prompted an offering of ten million people in sacrifice... Was the Dragon Region truly this bloody, chaotic, and cold-blooded?
There were monsters in the other three regions as well, and certain Sovereigns targeted them, but... it was rarely like this.
In worlds like Silver Moon or Xinwu, humans ruled. Some enmity with monsters existed, yet it never reached the point of slaughtering all monsters for food.
In this chaos, humans remained the dominant race!
Yet here, were these monsters and Chaos Beasts truly so brazen?
Did no one human powerhouse step forward to intervene?
Thinking of this, he thought of his father—one of the few rank eight Sovereigns among humanity... who seemed to have done nothing either.
He had merely spoken of it!
After all, this was the Dragon Region, home to the Dragon Lord. For a rank eight Sovereign to antagonize a rank eight lord over a throng of unfamiliar, feeble humans from other worlds... apparently, it was not deemed worthwhile.
Kongji fell silent.
Yet... some matters were not a question of worth. Humans could be oppressed here; every world had its own way of surviving. But this manner of existence shattered his moral baseline.
Li Hao fell silent as well.
He had killed many people.
When he destroyed the four major worlds, vast numbers had perished. When war erupted, the dead might have numbered far more than ten million. Offering ten million people as blood food might seem no different...
Yet some things crossed a line.
Even if these humans belonged to another world, treating humanity as livestock for consumption... was a desecration of the entire human race!
Across the vast chaos and the Four Regions, worlds were countless, and human Sovereigns abounded, including a host of rank sevens and rank eights.
They definitely outnumbered those in the Dragon Region!
Did no one... even issue a warning?
Even without drawing blades, a mere word of warning from so many Sovereigns—just one sentence per person—would have prevented the Dragon Lord from acting so brazenly, wouldn't it?
At the very least, they should have maintained superficial pretenses, shouldn't they?
At this moment, countless thoughts crossed Li Hao's mind. He remembered when he first stepped out of the Silver Moon Province to wander the martial world, seeing people enslaved and flying into a righteous fury...
He remembered his code from those days: walking the world with a sword, sweeping away all injustice, acting purely according to his own conscience!
A martial master lived for bold vengeance and swift retribution!
After entering the chaos, he had encountered few true injustices. Even against Red Moon, they were merely enemies. You kill me, I kill you; death was natural for either side. He harbored no shared indignation, only the simple logic of mortal foes locked in combat.
There was no great righteousness to speak of, nor any injustice.
Xinwu was no paragon of virtue, nor was Red Moon, nor was Li Hao himself... Who was truly better than whom?
Yet here... sudden anger flared within him.
His long-tranquil heart abruptly surged with indignance.
You may enslave humans, oppress humans, rule humans... but having attained the Sovereign realm, do you still need to eat people to grow stronger?
Just like himself: could eating monsters make him stronger?
No!
At this stage, they no longer fed on mortal fare. Aside from Great Dao power, what else was worth consuming?
Merely to satisfy gluttonous appetite, not to grow stronger, not for any greater purpose, but purely for fleeting indulgence, they would offer ten million humans as food even to a passing Sovereign?
Within that placid heart, fury suddenly blazed!
Hateful! Deserving of death!
"Black Panther, ask it: if we visit other worlds, can we eat more and better fare... in all worlds!"
As if sensing his rage, the Black Panther let out another low roar.
Soon, the beast transmitted a mental message: "Naturally! Senior possesses extraordinary strength. Having traveled far, receiving a few two-legged beasts is only proper. If any world is petty enough to refuse, Senior may come find me. Though my world is poor, even if we must sell everything we own, we will make it up to Senior!"
The Black Panther remained silent.
Li Hao took a deep breath. "Accept these people and send them into the Silver Moon World. Let us go and see this so-called Fire Phoenix Great World..."
He did not linger, nor did he kill.
It was merely a rank three world; slaughtering them would change nothing. Just like years ago, he had not rushed into action, allowing a crowd in a mine to remain enslaved for a time.
If one acted... it had to be thorough, lest it invite even greater catastrophe.
He wanted to see whether this Dragon Region was truly as this creature claimed—devouring humans everywhere!
Originally, Li Hao had merely intended to observe the Daos of some Chaos Beasts. Now, however... his thoughts had shifted. His long-dormant heart was once again consumed by fury!
It had been a very long time since such turbulent waves had stirred within him.
Even breaching Red Moon had elicited only a casual laugh—nothing worth celebrating, nothing worth frenzy.
The Black Panther said nothing further, opening its maw. Among the several dozen youths, some trembled, while others were already ash-faced and vacant-eyed, neither crying nor struggling as they were swallowed into the panther's mouth.
The leading youth, however, cast a backward glance toward his world, filled with lingering attachment and sorrow.
If our deaths spare our tribe ten million lives... it is worth it!
All of this fell into Li Hao's eyes. He spoke no more, and the Black Panther lingered no longer, speeding straight toward the so-called Fire Phoenix Great World.
Behind them, the giant beast breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, a few dozen two-legged beasts had settled the matter. It had feared it would have to bleed profusely.
Chapter 512