Fire Phoenix Pavilion.
They had arranged an immense courtyard estate for Li Hao, complete with pavilions, terraces, and towers—it almost seemed to encompass its own pocket space.
A rank five Sovereign was well worth such treatment.
Though not supreme overlords, rank fives were merely one step away from rank six. Most rank sixes were busily striving to reach rank seven, while rank sevens rarely intervened in battle directly. Thus, rank five Sovereigns formed the foremost vanguard of actual combat power in the chaos—commonly known as the spearhead generals among Sovereigns.
Any stronger, and they would be the pinnacle force beneath the clash of great worlds. Neither too high nor too low, their status was just right.
At the moment, Li Hao cared little for his surroundings. He simply glanced around... and frowned again. A race of chaos beasts renowned for disorder was now dwelling in a place built with brocade-like splendor, ornate bridges, and flowing streams.
This hardly suited the identity of chaos beasts.
He looked no further. In his current guise as the chaos beast Black Panther, he likewise had no reason to mind the accommodations. He merely sat in silent cultivation, circulating his art to draw in the Great Dao power of the surrounding area.
The Great Dao power here was exceptionally dense.
As Black Panther cultivated, channeling the Five Animals Secret Art, the power of the five elements surged into him frantically, predominantly of the water element. The foundation of this fellow had originally been the Nine-Fold Forging Force inherited from Liu Long, which was water-based.
Secondarily cultivating the Five Animals Secret Art, he devoured the powers of all five elements.
Li Hao did not know whether anyone was still watching him, nor did he care. In the chaos, cultivating five-element power was arguably the most common path of cultivation. Silver Moon's Five Animals Secret Art was practically unheard of.
His teacher had been too weak and had never possessed the opportunity to showcase it.
As for Li Hao, he had displayed five-element power in the past, but only in an ordinary manner. What made him memorable was his swordsmanship and that fleeting moment of condensing heaven and earth, which none truly understood.
The five elements were far too common.
...
Up in the aerial city.
Princess Feng Yan had returned.
Her mother, the Empress, was occupied with other matters—preparing to deal with a rank seven great world that was currently the only human great world in the Dragon Region: the Thunder Realm.
Recruiting a rank five Sovereign was not something her mother needed to fret over.
Even if the newcomer were the Heavenly Dog, that rank six powerhouse of Xinwu, it would still not warrant her mother's personal concern.
Princess Feng Yan could make the decision on her own; her earlier claim of needing to report upward had merely been an excuse to buy time with Li Hao.
Yet considering her own youth, she weighed the matter carefully...
Princess Feng Yan made her way toward another colossal palace manor within the aerial city.
Before long, she arrived before the mansion's gates.
The titanic front entrance was magnificent and bathed in golden brilliance, grander even than the Fire Phoenix royal court. This was where the Dragon race's powerhouse was stationed within the Fire Phoenix World.
Outsiders only knew that a Dragon powerhouse was garrisoned in the Fire Phoenix World, supposedly to help suppress external foes and prevent the open world from being raided.
What outsiders did not know was that the one stationed here was an apex powerhouse of the Dragon race.
"Feng Yan requests an audience with the Venerable!"
"Enter."
Lotus blossoms bloomed beneath her feet as golden light rippled across the path ahead.
Feng Yan strode inside.
She soon walked straight into the grand hall. Inside, an old man whose aura was completely imperceptible was pouring tea and drinking at his leisure. Seeing Feng Yan enter, he smiled. "In some great worlds of the human race, experts dislike drinking wine and refrain from drinking blood; instead, they fancy drinking tea. They often claim our chaos race and the demon races feed on raw flesh and blood, dismissing us as mere beasts!"
"When the Dragon Lord heard this in his early years, he was incensed. Drinking blood strengthens oneself, replenishes vitality, tempers the body, and fortifies blood qi... This is natural selection, the law of survival for the chaos race!"
"Yet once the Dragon Lord stepped into rank eight and unified the Dragon Region, he remarked that certain habits of the human race were worth emulating. As the saying goes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will emerge victorious in a hundred battles. The chaotic domains are countless, yet humans hold the mainstream. Be it the four outer domains or the wider expanses, humans maintain supremacy... Why is that?"
Feng Yan was already accustomed to the old man's ways. In the Fire Phoenix World, this old man almost never revealed his true form, appearing year-round in human guise. He mimicked everything human: eating, drinking tea, playing chess, wearing garments, and planting flowers...
He was not the only one. Rumor had it that several top figures in the Dragon World had adopted such habits, all emulating the Dragon Lord.
Humans stood proud beneath heaven and earth.
They dominated the chaos!
Though chaos beasts were individually mighty, they were suppressed by humans, confined to remote corners, wandering the chaos without relying on anyone. The Dragon Lord had ventured deep among humans to learn their strengths, determined to reform the chaos race.
Now, his efforts were beginning to bear fruit.
The Fire Phoenix World was deeply influenced as well.
"Grand Venerable!"
Feng Yan wasted no time and politely cut straight to the chase: "Will our Dragon Region participate in the war against Xinwu?"
The old man smiled. "Do you wish to join the battle?"
"Wherever the Dragon Lord points, our Fire Phoenix race shall follow!"
The old man chuckled and nodded. "The Fire Phoenix race is our Dragon race's staunchest ally. Were anyone else to ask, I would merely tell them to wait for the opportune moment. Since you are the one asking, the answer is... we must fight!"
A guaranteed fight!
Feng Yan felt a surge of excitement, quickly following up: "In that case, do we now need to recruit troops and gather forces from all directions?"
"The decisive factor remains high-rank Sovereigns—they are the key to victory. Of course, any other Sovereigns that can be rallied should naturally be brought into the fold."
"I wish to recruit a rank five Sovereign from an outer domain. Does the Grand Venerable believe that bestowing a rank six world and allowing him sole guardianship over a hundred worlds is worth the price?"
Hearing this, the old man smiled. "If you deem it worthwhile, then it is. However... an ordinary rank five Sovereign is hardly worth such a price. If he is exceptionally strong, then perhaps he is. It depends on his prowess and whether his Great Dao holds promise of reaching rank seven..."
In his eyes, this was a trivial affair.
The Fire Phoenix World was a rank seven great world; such minor matters were hardly worth mentioning.
Princess Feng Yan had come in person to consult him—he was uncertain whether it was to show respect to the Dragon race or if she had other motives.
"I am worried... that he might be Xinwu's Heavenly Dog in disguise!"
Feng Yan spoke the truth. "Otherwise, were he merely an ordinary rank five Sovereign, I could have enlisted him myself. Now that my mother has gone to address the Thunder Realm, I intended to sign a Great Dao covenant with him. Yet recalling how the Red Moon World recently suffered catastrophic losses through a Great Dao covenant... I worry that my youth leaves my judgment incomplete. Therefore, when concluding the contract, I hope the Grand Venerable can appear to bear witness."
So that was it!
"A hound cultivator?"
"Yes."
Now the old man understood. He had not been paying close attention lately and had only just learned of the situation. Amused, he said, "You are likely overthinking it. It is said that Xinwu's Heavenly Dog recently appeared in the Chiyang Domain. That hound was exceedingly arrogant, swallowing a rank six world whole, slaying several Sovereigns, and barking defiantly at a rank seven world lord. In the end, a rank seven world lord shattered his tail, sending him fleeing in disarray... Right now, he should still be recuperating in Xinwu."
Feng Yan clicked her tongue in amazement!
"He dared provoke a rank seven?"
"Indeed."
Feng Yan was herself a peak rank six Sovereign, fully aware of how terrifying rank seven Sovereigns were. Perplexed, she asked, "Grand Venerable, why is it that Xinwu's powerhouses, like the Sword Venerable and the Heavenly Dog, can fight rank sevens while still at rank six?"
She could not understand it.
The Fire Phoenix World was also mighty, and she was considered one of the foremost among its rank six Sovereigns. Yet if asked to fight a rank seven to the death, she frankly possessed no confidence whatsoever.
Yet Xinwu had produced more than one such figure.
"Xinwu... the Yin-Yang World is extraordinary."
The old man pondered before replying, "As for the precise reason, even I do not know. I only know... Xinwu may have originally been a rank nine world... Naturally, I merely heard the Dragon Lord mention it in passing."
"Rank nine?"
"Not quite that simple... Even the Dragon Lord could not say for sure. He merely gathered some observations back in Tianfang. According to the Dragon Lord, the world of Xinwu might have existed long ago—perhaps even a million years ago. Living beings were born there, mighty beyond measure, who once entered Tianfang and interacted with the powerhouses of Tianfang..."
The old man sighed wistfully. "Yet according to intelligence gathered from the people of Xinwu, they claim their world has existed for a mere hundred-odd thousand years..."
Those fellows from Xinwu either genuinely did not know or were deliberately concealing the truth.
A million years ago, someone had already emerged from their world to interact with Tianfang's powerhouses, and perhaps even with the Lord of Tianfang himself...
How could their world have been born only a hundred-odd thousand years ago?
Thus, he was not surprised by Xinwu's present display, nor was the Dragon Lord. The Dragon Lord had deduced that Xinwu, much like Tianfang, once harbored rank eight and rank nine powerhouses who, like the Lord of Tianfang, departed with their people.
They had left behind an empty world.
However, Tianfang's powerhouses had left the Tianfang World intact, whereas Xinwu's might have stripped away all energy, leaving behind a completely hollow husk...
All of this had been deduced by the Dragon Lord from scattered clues.
The old man added, "Hence, Xinwu's Great Dao Universe, the Yin-Yang Universe, and the Dao of Source might very well be a rank nine Great Dao Universe! Naturally, it has not yet fully awakened..."
Feng Yan was shaken. "Xinwu is a rank nine world?"
"Based on current deductions... it should be."
The old man nodded. Otherwise, he could find no explanation. He trusted the Dragon Lord's deductions; if the Dragon Lord said so, it meant that cultivators from the world of Xinwu truly existed a million years ago.
"So that's how it is!"
Feng Yan felt enlightened. No wonder Xinwu's experts were so formidable—they possessed the foundation of a rank nine world.
Of course, there was no concrete proof, but if the Dragon Lord claimed it, then it must be true.
"Then that black dog Sovereign is not the Heavenly Dog..."
"Most likely not."
The old man could not be entirely certain either. He chuckled softly. "Were he the Heavenly Dog, the Chiyang Domain would be his golden opportunity right now—an opportunity to step into rank seven. Coming to our territory would offer him no such chance. Xinwu urgently requires experts to break into rank seven. Why would they cast out a peak rank six capable of engaging rank sevens at a time like this, instead of gathering every expert abroad to wage war in the Chiyang Domain?"
Feng Yan nodded. "Then I was indeed overthinking."
"Even so, one must take precautions against all eventualities."
The old man gave a gentle laugh. "It is commendable that you considered all this; you have matured considerably. You are already at the peak of rank six, with great prospects of stepping into rank seven. Cultivating some forces of your own at this juncture is only proper."
Feng Yan's expression shifted slightly.
The old man smiled reassuringly. "Do not worry, and do not misunderstand. The Fire Phoenix World is certainly not your final stop. If you can step into rank seven..."
A deeply meaningful smile crept onto his face. "Then your future will surely surpass your mother's!"
The daughter of the Dragon Lord, combining dragon and phoenix in auspicious unity.
A peak rank six!
Once she broke through to rank seven, merging the twin bloodlines into a rank seven Sovereign, she would even stand a chance of inheriting the Dragon Lord's eternal hegemony... Naturally, the Dragon Lord would not perish, but Feng Yan was far more outstanding than the Dragon Lord's other current progeny.
Her mother had continually groomed her. In contrast, the dragon princes in the Dragon World had fewer chances to distinguish themselves due to the abundance of experts there, giving them less of an opportunity than Feng Yan, who operated independently outside.
The old man added, "If a rank five Sovereign possesses a sound foundation, advancing to rank six is not overly difficult. Gathering some rank sixes from outside races before you step into rank seven is well worth the effort."
As for the rank sixes of the Fire Phoenix World, they formed the Lord of Fire Phoenix's foundation, not Feng Yan's.
The old man was looking further ahead: the Phoenix race could not be permitted to hold too dominant a sway within the Dragon World.
In truth, he preferred that Feng Yan recruit experts from other lineages. Otherwise, if Feng Yan wished to enter the Dragon World accompanied exclusively by Phoenix powerhouses, she would meet fierce opposition!
Having obtained the old man's approval, Feng Yan smiled. "I understand then. Feng Yan knows what to do."
"Good."
The old man nodded. "Notify me when you sign the Great Dao covenant; I shall go in person just to be safe. A Great Dao covenant must never be signed lightly, though binding a rank five Sovereign is indeed worth the trouble. Still, be wary of loopholes. Even someone as mighty as the rank eight Red Moon Sovereign suffered a bitter defeat last time."
At the mention of that figure, the old man could not help but chuckle.
He had been too confident, too arrogant.
Recklessly entering a covenant and dragging along the Lord of Senlan, he had been utterly swindled. Not only was he deceived, but four rank seven Sovereigns across three rank seven worlds had all been led to their deaths!
After that single battle, out of all those experts from the four worlds, only a lone rogue rank eight had survived. Had it not been for the Great Dao alliance, they could never have suffered such catastrophic devastation.
"Feng Yan understands."
The Fire Phoenix princess nodded. Coming to see this elder was partly to probe the Dragon race's attitude toward the Fire Phoenix World recruiting powerhouses, and partly out of concern over potential pitfalls. People had not paid much heed to Great Dao covenants before, but that recent incident had given everyone a fright.
With this seasoned, prudent rank seven of the Dragon race overseeing matters, her worries were set to rest.
...
Li Hao waited for more than a day.
The other party seemed to be deliberately stalling. It was not until the third day that Feng Yan reappeared, looking somewhat apologetic. "The Dao Lord has gone abroad and has not yet returned; I apologize for neglecting you these past few days! Fortunately, I consulted several elders and obtained everyone's approval... However, there are a few conditions. I wonder if Fellow Daoist can accept them."
Li Hao said in a deep voice, "Whatever the conditions, speak freely."
"First... several elders of my Fire Phoenix World wish to spar with you. They are all rank five."
Li Hao remained silent, pondered for a moment, and said, "What else?"
"Second, Fellow Daoist stated that you nurture a rank five world within yourself. Are there other Sovereigns residing within that world? An elder of our realm wishes to enter and inspect it... Of course, I know this is somewhat presumptuous. But rest assured, our elder will merely observe from outside the world. We are primarily concerned that hostile experts might be lurking within..."
At this point, Feng Yan assumed an apologetic demeanor, seemingly embarrassed. "This has always been the standard rule. Any Sovereign bearing a world must undergo this scrutiny; it is not targeted at you alone."
"Inspect it?"
Li Hao voiced his displeasure. "The world is mine and has always resided within my belly. Who could sneak inside? You might as well just call me an enemy outright! While a world is no secret, if outsiders probe my world... wouldn't every last bit of my foundation be laid bare to you? If a cultivator has no secrets left, can he still be called a cultivator?"
"I know this measure is somewhat inappropriate... but it is the rule!"
This time, Feng Yan refused to yield. She smiled gently. "Fret not, Fellow Daoist. We mainly wish to detect the aura of a Great Dao Universe. So long as no aura of a Great Dao Universe exists, it proves no experts from other great worlds have infiltrated. That will suffice; we will not probe deeply."
Li Hao cursed inwardly. *I know that.*
The problem was, his world—the Silver Moon World—genuinely had a Great Dao Universe! How infuriating was that?
This was indeed troublesome!
Li Hao pondered for a long while before speaking: "It is not entirely out of the question... However, the inspector cannot be a mighty expert. At most... at most a rank five!"
Li Hao adopted an aggrieved tone. "Let alone a rank five, even a rank one Sovereign would suffice just to check for the aura of a Great Dao Universe. Otherwise, allowing a powerful expert into my belly would be handing my very life over to your mercy, leaving me powerless to resist..."
"Agreed!"
Feng Yan nodded; this posed no issue.
Since he consented, all was well.
Although the likelihood of him carrying a formidable world was slim, precautions were necessary. Were it truly a rank seven world, a mere rank five Sovereign could never carry it.
"Third, the Great Dao covenant can be signed and the territory granted, but you may not devour any world, nor may you delve deeply into any world. You may collect a portion of tribute, but it must not exceed twenty percent of the resources birthed by the world. Otherwise, not only will our realm hold you accountable, but the Dragon World will not permit such actions either."
"Fourth, you may not attack any cultivator of the Fire Phoenix World, including cultivators of the Chaos Alliance..."
Li Hao retorted crossly, "Then if the Fire Phoenix World goes to war with an alliance world one day, I cannot even fight back? I must stand by and let other experts strike me dead? Is Fellow Daoist Feng Yan so certain that tens of thousands of years will pass without any conflict with other alliance worlds?"
"..."
That was a fair point.
Feng Yan laughed and nodded. "Fellow Daoist's concern is reasonable. Then we shall restrict the clause solely to cultivators of the Fire Phoenix World..."
"That will not do either!"
Li Hao shook his head. "I came to serve the strong, not the weak! I will only agree not to strike against rank six and rank seven Sovereigns... Otherwise, if a weakling provokes a rank five Sovereign, am I expected to endure it? I came to serve powerhouses in exchange for resources, not to become a slave... If this is unacceptable, then forget it!"
"Likewise, a rank seven Sovereign could kill me with ease... so I dare not set any restrictions against them, nor would it have any meaning! However, among the rank six Sovereigns of the Fire Phoenix World, with the exception of the Princess, should any Sovereign attack me, they must simultaneously suffer the descent of heavenly lightning... Naturally, restricting it to a rank six lightning tribulation will suffice. It is merely a deterrent for self-preservation, not to take lives!"
Sovereign Feng Yan furrowed her brows slightly. "Meaning that aside from rank sevens and myself, anyone who attacks you—or should you attack any other rank six—will suffer lightning tribulation..."
"Correct!"
Li Hao said in a sullen voice, "I am, after all, a rank five Sovereign. I came to strengthen myself, not to serve as a slave to the Fire Phoenix World. If that were the case... why join the Fire Phoenix World at all? Under such harsh terms, what difference would there be in joining any other rank seven world? Everyone says the Fire Phoenix World embraces all rivers, yet the Princess's earlier stipulations were far too severe. If that is how it must be... I can only abandon this agreement..."
Feng Yan considered his words. This was her first time taking charge of recruiting a rank five Sovereign, and she lacked extensive experience. Thinking carefully, her demands had indeed been rather harsh.
Over the past few days, she had reviewed the records of several previously recruited rank five Sovereigns. In fact... some had not signed a Great Dao covenant at all.
Even those who had signed faced terms nowhere near this strict.
Of course, she had acted out of extreme caution, fearing a connection between this fellow and Xinwu...
After weighing the matter, excluding rank sevens and herself posed no problem.
"Fellow Daoist makes a fair point... Our Fire Phoenix World is not an oppressive domain. It is merely that the chaos has been turbulent of late, so..."
"Understood!"
Li Hao nodded and asked, "Does Fellow Daoist have any other requirements?"
"One more."
The Fire Phoenix princess let out a light laugh, appearing somewhat sheepish, yet she pressed on: "The agreed duration is thirty thousand years. Within this timeframe, if Fellow Daoist... I mean, if it is possible for you to step into rank seven, the duration must be extended to one hundred thousand years!"
Li Hao replied nonchalantly, "If I can step into rank seven in the Fire Phoenix World, let alone one hundred thousand years, what would five hundred thousand years matter? I thought it was something serious..."
"Furthermore, should Fellow Daoist step into rank seven, the tribulation lightning will be elevated to an eighth-rank lightning tribulation!"
The Fire Phoenix princess added this sentence.
She stared fixedly at Li Hao without another word.
This was the crux.
If you truly were the Heavenly Dog... and thought you could endure a seventh-rank lightning strike upon reaching rank seven without dying, you were sorely mistaken. The Heavenly Dog was a peak rank six capable of battling rank sevens; once he entered rank seven, he would likely have nothing to fear from seventh-rank lightning.
In that case... she would raise the stakes!
Li Hao remained completely unbothered. He was merely a rank five; let alone rank seven, even reaching rank six would be difficult. If he truly did reach rank seven, he would not fear an eighth-rank lightning tribulation anyway. He agreed with utter readiness: "Agreed!"
At this moment, the Fire Phoenix princess finally breathed a sigh of relief. Since he agreed so readily, there was little cause for suspicion.
Just as she relaxed, Li Hao said, "Since Fellow Daoist has set your terms, I also have a few modest requests... which I hope you will consider."
"Speak freely, Fellow Daoist."
The Fire Phoenix princess did not mind. The conditions she had imposed were quite stringent; it was only natural for the other party to have demands.
"First, a rank six water-element world, as you promised earlier. Second, a territory of one hundred worlds... of which small and medium worlds must make up at least sixty percent. I do not wish for my so-called fiefdom to consist entirely of unranked worlds."
"Third, within the boundaries of my territory, no outside Sovereigns may enter except for the native world lord Sovereigns, unless they have my permission... To say nothing of Sovereigns from other realms, even Sovereigns of the Fire Phoenix World may not enter. Anyone who trespasses must endure the baptism of lightning tribulation!"
"Hmm?"
The Fire Phoenix princess frowned and said softly, "Fellow Daoist, this... is somewhat improper, is it not? Barring outside Sovereigns is normal enough, but... after all, this is within Fire Phoenix territory. Sovereigns of our realm may roam the surroundings; barring them from entering... seems rather inappropriate!"
Li Hao thought for a moment and said, "Then... they may not enter casually without my permission. They must obtain my consent. Otherwise, I would worry constantly about being ambushed and slain by an expert one day..."
*How could that happen?*
The Fire Phoenix princess was speechless.
These rogue chaos beasts truly possessed a hyperactive sense of crisis.
"Agreed!"
Li Hao continued, "Also, for the initial ten years, I will not exert myself on behalf of the Fire Phoenix World. I need to digest the rank six world to prepare for advancement..."
"This is also fine!"
The Fire Phoenix princess agreed swiftly. Ten years was an exceedingly brief span.
For a rank five Sovereign to advance to rank six by absorbing a rank six great world, taking several centuries would be perfectly normal.
Ten years was negligible.
"One final point: within my territory, I may arrange the layout of the worlds as I see fit."
"What?"
The Fire Phoenix princess was puzzled. Li Hao explained, "For instance, gathering all the worlds together to encircle and guard my world! I can relocate the worlds... forming a protective perimeter..."
*You truly are something!*
The Fire Phoenix princess was utterly at a loss for words. Within Fire Phoenix territory, was he truly this terrified of death?
It was baffling!
If an expert truly came to kill him, those small and medium world lords would not be able to delay them for a second.
Still, this was no great issue.
Just huddling together for warmth!
"This is acceptable as well, though I must remind you: once a hundred worlds converge in one place, drawing massive amounts of chaotic energy, the surrounding area will quickly be drained dry..."
Li Hao smiled. "Simple enough. I'll just change locations every once in a while. Within the granted territory, I can move freely. Once this area is sucked dry, I'll just pack up and relocate..."
*Fine, so long as you don't find it exhausting!*
The Fire Phoenix princess had no objections to this either; it was a trivial matter. All the points Li Hao raised were minor.
"I agree!"
"Thank you, Princess!"
Li Hao chuckled. "It is a pity the Princess is unwilling to promise the resources needed to guarantee my breakthrough to rank six. Otherwise... I wouldn't mind extending my service to one hundred thousand years..."
The Fire Phoenix princess smiled without answering.
If he failed to advance indefinitely... that would be a nightmare. Although there was no insurmountable barrier between rank five and rank six, it was not unheard of for cultivators to remain permanently stuck.
Wouldn't the Fire Phoenix World be the sucker then?
In the past, no one would have cared about such potential traps. Now, however, everyone was hypervigilant regarding Great Dao covenants; every detail had to be scrutinized to avoid immense trouble.
"If Fellow Daoist has no further objections, we may sign the covenant at any time. Before that... you may need to accompany me to meet several Fire Phoenix elders..."
"Certainly!"
Li Hao remained perfectly calm.
*An audition, is it?*
*Fearing I'm a paper tiger... Who's afraid of that?*
...
One after the other, the two flew swiftly toward the aerial city suspended in the void.
A moment later, Li Hao descended onto an immense square. There were not many people present at the moment, only several Fire Phoenix elders—some in human form, others maintaining their true phoenix forms.
Towering waves of flame power billowed.
Among them were rank five and rank six Sovereigns.
Apart from these figures, several cultivators from outside races stood nearby. One glance showed they were not of the Fire Phoenix race, lacking dense flame power and bearing no sign of Great Dao Universe coverage.
Without preamble, Princess Feng Yan pointed at the cultivators in the square. "Pick any one of them to spar with, Fellow Daoist... A friendly exchange will suffice!"
Yet she sent a secret voice transmission: "If Fellow Daoist... cannot defeat even one, a rank six world is an immense temptation to them as well. Perhaps... I would have to reconsider whether to fulfill our agreement!"
Li Hao wasted no words. Operating Black Panther's physical form, he surveyed the Sovereigns. After a long moment, his gaze settled on a colossal, bear-like beast. Pointing a paw, he said, "I shall spar with this fellow Daoist!"
The giant bear cast a frigid glare at Li Hao.
Evidently, he felt slighted.
Both being rank five, this newcomer was certainly bold.
Without a word of nonsense, a massive, thick force surged from beneath the ground in the next instant. A tremendous vibration rippled upward with a deafening boom, as if heaven and earth were crumbling!
The giant bear instantly expanded into a thousand-meter-tall behemoth, slamming a paw down toward Li Hao!
Around the square, several experts watched on.
Someone chuckled via voice transmission: "This black dog Sovereign certainly knows how to pick. Although Brother Juli's Dao is straightforward, absolute strength overcomes all subtlety. His power is boundless; even a rank six Sovereign taking a direct hit from him would not feel pleasant..."
Though his Dao art was simple, the Dao of Chaos was inherently violent. Combined with the Dao of Colossal Strength, a single downward strike was enough to tear the earth apart.
Under Li Hao's control, Black Panther vanished in a flash.
In the next instant, the power of water diffused in all directions.
It seemed like a tempestuous tsunami!
Yet it moved soundlessly, leaving no trace of Black Panther. A moment later, the surrounding rank six Sovereigns felt a tremor in their hearts as Black Panther materialized out of thin air, his speed too swift to track.
In a split second, a canine paw emerged as rushing water roared, instantly layering together.
Wave upon wave!
A claw tore through the air!
*Boom!*
The bear's paw abruptly shifted direction to intercept, but Black Panther did not retreat, pressing forward with his claw. Seeing this, the onlookers shook their heads. Sovereign Juli's reaction speed was by no means slow. Furthermore, this black dog was weighed down by a world inside him; in truth, he was not necessarily faster than Juli.
Clashing head-on now... against a practitioner of the Dao of Colossal Strength.
Just as they thought this, the roar of churning waves shook the heavens! *Boom!*
With a thunderous crash, the dog's paw fractured slightly, and a cold gleam surfaced in the giant bear's eyes—his opponent was no match for him. Yet right at that moment, Black Panther let out a roar! *Boom!*
A second explosion rang out!
Followed by a third, a fourth...
The titanic waves stacked frantically!
Countless strands of surrounding Great Dao power were siphoned in an instant. The erupting waves, one behind another, stacked together madly.
"Water element..."
"And... stacking?"
"Intriguing!"
"It appears to be a stacking-type Dao art... but it demands an exceptionally strong physical vessel and can only burst forth briefly..."
"This black dog Sovereign seems to have tempered his body quite well..."
Amidst the discussion of several Fire Phoenix experts, accompanied by a final deafening roar, nine layers converged into one. With a resounding *crack*, the bear's paw blew apart!
Black Panther did not press further.
The giant bear looked at his shattered paw with a dark, grim expression. He said nothing more, silently stepping back as his paw began to regenerate.
Seeing this, Princess Feng Yan beamed.
Not bad at all!
Juli was considered one of the strongest among the rank five Sovereigns they had recruited, yet his formidable bear paw had been shattered by this newcomer, proving the black dog was even more powerful.
Granted, compared to Sovereigns backed by great worlds, he was still somewhat lacking.
Yet he was already quite impressive!
In that case, the price was well worth it.
"Well done!" Princess Feng Yan smiled. "Fellow Daoist Black Dog and Fellow Daoist Juli, you both fought hard... Brother Juli, you may head to the treasury to collect ten million Great Dao crystals to mend your injuries. We are all on the same side; it was merely a spar, so there is no need for hard feelings!"
"Thank you, Your Highness!"
A smile appeared on Sovereign Juli's face. Ten million Great Dao crystals was the equivalent of a minor world. Suffering a slight loss in a spar in exchange for ten million Great Dao crystals was quite a bargain.
Li Hao watched silently. They truly were generous.
Furthermore, these chaos beasts had mastered the art of wielding both the carrot and the stick with consummate skill. The previous assumption that they relied solely on brute force was utterly shattered in this moment.
Seeing is believing.
At this juncture, Princess Feng Yan spoke again: "The signing of a Great Dao covenant requires an elder expert to preside over it... Does Fellow Daoist know how to sign it?"
Li Hao shook his head.
"It is very simple... Fellow Daoist need only sever a small portion of your Dao source and fuse it into the covenant. I shall do the same with the Dao source of the Fire Phoenix World, merging them to bear mutual witness. The Dao source is the root of the Great Dao. Whether it is a Great Dao Universe or the chaotic Great Dao, the root of all Daos resides within the chaos! Thus, by offering up a portion of Great Dao power, the chaos itself will bear witness to everything!"
Controlling Black Panther, Li Hao nodded.
He knew this.
In truth, he possessed methods to bypass the covenant's restrictions, and deceiving a rank six would not be difficult. However... a rank seven was present here, so he had no intention of faking it.
Aside from using his own Dao source rather than Black Panther's, he genuinely planned to sign the agreement.
The other party wanted an expert to bear witness... which likely meant a rank seven.
Sure enough, in that very moment, an old man appeared soundlessly. He exuded no imposing aura, yet Li Hao's heart instantly chilled!
A rank seven Sovereign!
Surprisingly, it was not the Lord of Fire Phoenix, but... a member of the Dragon race. He sensed faint traces of a dragon's aura upon the elder.
The old man merely glanced at Black Panther and offered a faint smile without saying much. A Great Dao covenant scroll materialized before him as he looked first at Li Hao, then at Princess Feng Yan. "Look over the contents; they are all condensed from Dao characters. If there are no objections, Black Dog need only sever a portion of his Dao source, as will Feng Yan..."
Having said that, he fixed a deeply meaningful gaze upon Black Panther. "Whether it is your own Dao source, and whether it is a rank five Dao source, is something I can easily determine!"
Li Hao said nothing. At this moment, he was fully synchronized with Black Panther.
Black Panther had originally been possessed by him.
Presently, Black Panther had transformed into the Silver Moon Heaven's Will, his physical body entirely governed by Li Hao.
Li Hao remained silent. A moment later, a tiny, star-like object hovered before him, gleaming like a moon and shimmering with profoundly mysterious radiance...
The old man glanced at it, his eyes flickering slightly.
He studied Li Hao a bit longer. One's Dao source was a sacred taboo, not to be probed lightly by outsiders. Yet at this moment, even he felt an urge to investigate it deeply. This Dao source seemed to be a convergence of many Daos, far purer than the ordinary chaotic Great Dao.
It seemed as though it had been refined by a Great Dao Universe.
Moreover, more than one Dao had converged within it. It appeared to contain peculiar, unique Daos, lending the entire Dao source an aura of profound mystery.
"Sovereign Black Dog... is quite impressive."
The old man smiled and sent a voice transmission to Feng Yan: "A fine seed. What he cultivates is not purely the five-element Dao. It is inappropriate to probe his Dao source deeply, but it is indeed a rank five Dao source, seamlessly linked to Black Dog's aura... To my senses, even ordinary rank six Sovereigns might not possess a Dao source as dense as this black dog's..."
Feng Yan's heart stirred, and she transmitted back, "Is he the Heavenly Dog?"
"No. The Heavenly Dog primarily cultivates the Dao of Devouring, which can be identified at a glance—unless the Heavenly Dog completely altered his Great Dao... That is impossible. Had he done so, he would have stepped into rank seven long ago!"
Sovereign Feng Yan breathed a sigh of relief. So long as he was not the Heavenly Dog, all was well. Pleased, she transmitted, "Grand Venerable, does Black Dog have good prospects of reaching rank six?"
"Not high. The more mysterious and formidable his Dao, the greater the consumption. A single rank six world might not suffice..."
*No wonder!*
Feng Yan realized the truth. No wonder this fellow kept insisting that if she could guarantee his breakthrough to rank six, he would agree to far more conditions.
So that was why!
Truly cunning!
"The Grand Venerable means to say that it is not due to a lack of talent, but because his talent is too great, resulting in heavier consumption and a stronger Dao... which is why he struggles to enter rank six?"
"Indeed."
"That is a good thing..."
Feng Yan smiled. Without further hesitation, flame power surged from her body.
Vaguely, a universe seemed to manifest.
A towering pillar of fire rose into the air, condensing into a cluster of light. In the next instant, Li Hao's Dao source and the Fire Phoenix World's Dao source fused into the Great Dao scroll simultaneously.
Yet this was not all.
The Fire Phoenix princess let out a low cry. A world manifested in her palm and was instantly incinerated, serving as the sacrificial offering to seal the covenant.
In the unseen depths, a towering, imperious pressure vaguely materialized, as if a chaos lightning tribulation were on the verge of descending...
Li Hao's heart twitched. This was his first time signing a Great Dao covenant.
He truly felt the faint presence of a chaos lightning tribulation... How fascinating. The chaos lightning tribulation could actually bear witness to this? What was going on?
Was this also a rule of the chaos?
He had never paid attention to such things before.
In the next instant, a faint ripple swept across the area, washing over Li Hao and Princess Feng Yan. At this moment, a sense of clarity dawned upon Li Hao, as if the chaos itself were informing him: the covenant was sealed and could not be violated; violators would suffer lightning retribution!
The Fire Phoenix princess also revealed a broad smile, letting out a soft breath as her aura surged.
The Great Dao covenant before them shattered in an instant, scattering into the heavens and vanishing without a trace!
"Fellow Daoist Black Dog!"
The Fire Phoenix princess smiled radiantly. At this moment, this fellow had truly become her subordinate. A rank five Sovereign with fine talent—she had certainly picked up a bargain.
A medium world manifested in her hand, its volatility suppressed by her power, surging with water-element energy. "This is the world you requested. However... some of its world power has dissipated, and it contains no living inhabitants..."
Li Hao nodded. "It is more than enough!"
Sovereign Fire Phoenix smiled again. "Additionally... if you do not mind, could an elder enter your inner space... to conduct a brief inspection?"
Li Hao nodded; this had been agreed upon beforehand.
Without another word, he commanded Black Panther to open his maw wide. A Fire Phoenix elder, possessing rank five power, soared into the air, exchanged a glance with Princess Feng Yan, and swiftly flew into the gaping mouth!
In the blink of an eye, as though traversing space, the elder beheld a world.
The entire world appeared brimming with vitality.
He did not step inside, merely observing from the exterior. In the next instant, a peculiar power gathered in his hand, seemingly attuned to drawing out the presence of a Great Dao Universe!
This was the standard method for detecting the power of a Great Dao Universe.
Simultaneously, within the Silver Moon World, a faint power of quiescence blanketed the entire realm, thoroughly suppressing all Great Dao power.
Kongji cursed inwardly as well—what a nuisance.
Deep inside Silver Moon, a cat opened its maw wide, seemingly swallowing Silver Moon's twin Dao Universes straight into its belly, choking until its eyes rolled back!
*When is this going to end?*
...
Outside the world.
The rank five Sovereign conducted his inspection and detected no power of a Great Dao Universe whatsoever. What was more... the entire world was devoid of Sovereigns!
For a rank five world, that was quite unusual.
This black dog was truly ruthless.
Yet it made sense; some chaos beasts disliked other Sovereigns being born within their worlds. When a new Sovereign emerged, they would either devour them or slaughter them... Having no other Sovereigns was perfectly normal.
After continuing his search for a moment, the Fire Phoenix elder quickly withdrew.
...
Moments later, the elder emerged from Black Panther's mouth.
Looking toward Feng Yan, he shook his head slightly and transmitted: "It is a rank five world, brimming with vitality and very young... However... there are no Sovereigns within; they were likely all slaughtered by this black dog! It is a human world, possibly devoured in one of the other three domains."
"Did the black dog refine the world?"
"Yes, I sensed traces of a world consciousness... This world seems to possess decent potential; no wonder he was reluctant to devour it and brought it all the way here. It appears he truly intends to remain in the Dragon Region and rule as a local lord."
At this moment, Feng Yan felt completely relieved.
All was well!
To recruit a rank five Sovereign, she had taken immense precautions. Had it been her mother, matters might not have been so complicated. Still, this was fine—this was the very first rank five Sovereign she had personally brought under her wing!
In the next instant, she offered a brilliant smile. "Black Dog, all agreements are now in effect! Next, you may proceed to the Fire Phoenix Pavilion to collect the items you require, including learning about the knowledge and culture of the Fire Phoenix World. In our Fire Phoenix World, Sovereigns are not merely synonymous with slaughter; they are also... profoundly knowledgeable!"
Li Hao wore an expression of deep reluctance, appearing thoroughly displeased by this.
Feng Yan was not surprised by his reaction. She laughed and said, "You should know that the chaos race's ability to establish a foothold here relies not merely on martial might, but also on... many things beyond your imagination! Feng Shan, take Black Dog to receive some heritages... Afterward, you may head to your territory at any time, or remain in the Fire Phoenix World to devour the rank six world. If I have need of you, I shall summon you."
"Thank you, Princess!"
Li Hao spoke no further. A rank four Sovereign stepped forward to lead Li Hao, flying down toward the colossal city below. This Sovereign's attitude had noticeably shifted, becoming much warmer as he transmitted: "Senior Black Dog, you are the first Sovereign Her Highness has taken into her service in many years... Congratulations!"
Li Hao smiled and transmitted back, "Just trying to earn a living. Naturally, stepping into rank six is my life's ambition; I don't much care for being bound by rules..."
Sovereign Feng Shan said nothing more, merely smiling in silence.
*The covenant is signed; it is no longer up to you!*
*Taking the benefits without doing the work? How could such a thing be possible?*
The native Sovereigns of the Fire Phoenix World wished for nothing more than to recruit more Sovereigns. Once recruited, these outsiders would naturally be the ones thrown onto the front lines, significantly reducing the danger faced by native Fire Phoenix Sovereigns.
Seeing his cold demeanor now, Feng Shan thought nothing of it. When battle truly erupted... we will be far safer, while fellows like you can serve as cannon fodder!
Chapter 519