An Encounter

The Sifang Domain was in complete disarray, every faction plotting its own moves. The Dragon Lord’s tripartite alliance schemed against Bright Light, while Neo-Martial set another trap to ambuscade Yunxiao. Over in the Dragon Domain, the Thunder World and the demon race each waited for the other to make the first move. Meanwhile, Fire Phoenix World and the other worlds of the Chaos Alliance pressed everyone to take action, hoping to draw the snake from its hole. Deceit and intrigue permeated the entire Sifang Domain. …… Li Hao’s contingent, on the other hand, enjoyed smooth sailing, flying straight toward the territory of the Dragon World. Whatever schemes were brewing across the four directions had nothing to do with Li Hao anymore. Devour the world! That was Li Hao’s goal: reach the sixth rank as fast as possible to withstand, or even slay, seventh-rank experts, and join the supreme clashes of the Sifang Domain. That was his true purpose. Along the way, several worlds drifted across their path. Li Hao’s group easily conquered a few, but Li Hao was dissatisfied. This pace was simply too slow. These worlds were scattered; taking down just one cost an entire day. At this rate, who knew how long it would take to swallow dozens or hundreds of worlds? Was one day really that long? Not at all. In the chaos, launching a raid, seizing a world, and completing its conquest within a single day was an astonishing feat. If that was considered slow, no one else could claim any efficiency whatsoever. What were a few years or decades in the vastness of chaos? “Too slow!” Having breached three worlds in succession, Li Hao halted. He frowned slightly, betraying his impatience. Around him, the experts were in high spirits, running wild like untamed horses. None of them felt it was slow; they only felt liberated. “Slow?” Kongji was taken aback and looked at Li Hao. Was this slow? It was fast by any standard. They had raced all the way from the border between the Dragon and Phoenix territories. In three days, they had already breached three worlds. Worlds did not drift side by side; there were always vast distances between them. In a single day, they had to travel, locate their target, breach it, and sweep the battlefield... Conquering three worlds in three days, and he still thought it wasn't fast enough? The previous battle had been a special circumstance where all the enemies were gathered together. Now, everyone was scattered. Maintaining a pace of one world per day in the chaos was already unfathomably fast—it could even be called lightning warfare. “This won’t do!” Li Hao frowned. “At this rate, it will take me at least a year to reach the sixth rank!” A year... Kongji remained silent. Was a year really slow? Perhaps. Yet on second thought, it made sense. Would the war over in the Chiyang Domain truly last an entire year? Not necessarily. If the war concluded on the Dragon Lord’s side and he returned swiftly, it would be troublesome if Li Hao hadn't reached the sixth rank and he himself hadn't attained the seventh rank. But in Kongji’s eyes, their current speed was already the absolute limit. Everyone was exerting themselves to the utmost—traveling, slaughtering, raiding, and clearing the battlefields without wasting a breath. Beside them, Lin Hongyu spoke with a cool expression: “Why not split up? We now possess considerable combat strength. We could divide into several squads, each led by a middle-rank Sovereign, to raid different directions simultaneously. That would multiply our efficiency!” “Too dangerous,” Li Hao replied, shaking his head. “The Dragon Domain does not lack experts. There could easily be rogue sixth- or seventh-rank cultivators out there...” Today, Yuan Shuo was in rare high spirits and joined the discussion: “Then why not do what we did before? Impersonate some realm lord or other, summon the Sovereigns of the surrounding worlds, and wipe them out all at once!” Easy to say, but who would they impersonate? What everyone wanted was the same as before: an entire flock of Sovereigns rushing in together so everyone could take action. Over the past few days, although some had fought during the assaults on the three worlds, it had lacked the thrill of before. Many could only watch from the sidelines. They had no chance to participate! As a result, they couldn't test their strength personally. Li Hao remained silent, lost in thought. After a long pause, he suddenly asked, “Kongji, what kind of treasure in the chaos can draw supreme experts together...?” “A treasure?” Kongji pondered for a moment and shook his head. “Unless it’s a world like Tianfang that can empower Sovereigns, or...” Kongji’s eyes flickered with realization. “Or, a sixth-rank world that is about to give birth to a Great Dao universe. When that happens, whether people want to watch the spectacle, seize it, or scavenge some scraps—much like Tianfang—everyone will be interested. “If a sixth-rank world is on the verge of advancing to the seventh rank... You saw Senlan back then. That world already had a Great Dao universe and an established master! But if a naturally formed, currently masterless Great Dao universe is about to be born... once word gets out, it will instantly attract countless Sovereigns!” Li Hao smiled! He cast an appreciative smile at Kongji, looked around at the others, and then turned to Qian Wuliang and Hong Yitang, his smile turning brilliant. “Exactly! That’s it! We can’t go on like this; it’s too slow. We’ll find the strongest local sixth-rank world, fake the fluctuations of an impending Great Dao universe advancing to the seventh rank, and let the power of a Great Dao universe spill outward. Those obvious fluctuations will inevitably lure countless experts to investigate...” “Could it attract a seventh-rank Sovereign?” someone asked solemnly. Li Hao’s eyes sparkled. “That would be even better! If it really draws a seventh-rank... At present, a seventh-rank expert wouldn't rashly drag their entire world along. A seventh-rank outside their native world? Then we... slaughter them!” Everyone's hearts tightened! Slaughter a seventh-rank! They had done it once before, slaying Sovereign Qishui. Though they had succeeded, it had involved several unexpected variables. While they were thinking, Li Hao unfurled a map. It wasn't the one from Red Moon, but one he had obtained from Fire Phoenix World. Fire Phoenix World had few details on the Dragon World, but several sixth-rank worlds were marked. The annotations were rudimentary, merely stating they were sixth-rank worlds and warning not to provoke them. They gave no specifics. Li Hao scanned it quickly and said, “My Silver Moon Great Dao Universe is currently a dual fifth-rank Great Dao universe, no weaker than Senlan before its advancement, and it matches the fluctuations of a newly born Dao universe... The Dao of Silver Moon is currently dominated by the Sword Dao, but a Great Dao universe contains all myriad Daos. It will be hard for anyone to tell which Dao predominates. “Let’s pick a world situated somewhat far from other seventh-rank worlds...” Looking back and forth, he pointed at a spot. “Here!” Everyone looked and gasped inwardly. What a lunatic. What audacity. That was the core region of the Dragon World territory—the very spot the Dragon World had vacated! Several sixth-rank worlds were clustered nearby. Being able to reside so close to the Dragon World meant they were direct subordinates and true vassals of the Dragon World. Naturally, no other seventh-rank worlds existed where the Dragon World had originally stood. Li Hao looked at the group with a smile. “We will rush there at top speed, seize a sixth-rank world, and begin fabricating the illusion of advancement... Ling Yue, your task is to stir up the surrounding chaotic energy to create the spectacle of a world's ascension. Make the commotion huge—the bigger, the better! “Two Dao Lords, your task is to radiate the fluctuations of the Great Dao universe, spreading them wildly. The more intense, the better... For now, do not worry about being discovered; our only worry should be that no one notices. I want every world in the Dragon Domain to perceive that a world here is advancing!” Taking a deep breath, Li Hao added, “In addition, I need four Sovereigns stationed in four directions to monitor the movements of the surrounding powerful worlds. We cannot allow anyone to approach silently. It is extremely dangerous... but someone must do it. “Take an illusory world with you as a communication tool. It will conveniently extend the reach of the River of Time...” He looked around at the crowd. “Which four Sovereigns are willing to make the trip, act as sentries, and give me early warning?” If a seventh-rank world mobilized and shifted toward them, the commotion would be immense and could easily be spotted, giving Li Hao early warning to prepare. However, it was perilous. If caught, death was virtually guaranteed. The group exchanged glances. Soon, the Black Panther wagged its tail. With its superior stealth, it could easily secure one direction... However, the Black Panther was a fifth-rank Sovereign and the world master; the Silver Moon World might need to advance during this period, so Li Hao was reluctant to let it leave. He preferred weaker Sovereigns to serve as outposts. Before he could decide on candidates, Liu Long spoke up: “I’ll hold one side. If danger arises and a seventh-rank crosses over with their world, I’ll warn you in advance... My only worry is that if they advance silently, I won't be able to detect them!” As soon as Liu Long spoke, another voice chimed in: “I'm fast. I’ll take one direction!” Thunderbolt Leg didn't enjoy the best reputation in the martial forest, but he was straightforward and decisive when it mattered. Without another word, he volunteered for one outpost. In truth, everyone understood Li Hao’s mindset. It was best for the sentries to be weaker individuals with lower potential, because the others might need to advance... The ongoing battles and the devouring of other worlds were golden opportunities, opportunities the perimeter sentries would miss entirely. Both Liu Long and Thunderbolt Leg clearly understood this; their potential was limited. Over there, Golden Spear spoke: “I’ll watch one side too!” No sooner had he spoken than Redwood chimed in hurriedly: “Marquis, I can take root on one side! As a demon plant, my senses are sharper. I can guard one outpost!” Li Hao was somewhat surprised. He wasn't surprised by the other three—they were Silver Moon martial masters who understood his thoughts. This Redwood, however... Redwood was exceedingly eager. It had also reached the Sovereign rank. From a demon plant nearly trapped to death in the ruins, an Immortal-realm demon plant, to a Sovereign who had proven its Dao, it had reached the pinnacle of its existence. It didn't know if Neo-Martial currently had demon plant Sovereigns, but there had been none back in the old days. Now, Silver Moon had several demon plant Sovereigns. There was itself, Little Tree, and General Locust. Compared to the Neo-Martial era, where not a single demon plant Sovereign had emerged over countless years, this was already incredible. Yet Redwood was no longer satisfied. It had always been bound in partnership with Lin Hongyu. Now, Lin Hongyu’s standing seemed somewhat precarious. The Queen had made rapid progress recently, and though Li Hao had never shown romantic interest in her... Still, this wouldn't do. Redwood was one of the few shrewd minds among the demon plants. Stationing oneself on sentry duty was thankless and made one miss opportunities and fortunes, but it depended on who one was working for. This was Li Hao! Had he ever mistreated anyone? Even if it truly missed out on advancement... at the very least, it represented Lin Hongyu. By volunteering for sentry duty and giving up all chance of advancement, both Li Hao and Lin Hongyu would remember its sacrifice. Thus, terrified that someone would steal the opportunity, Redwood spoke swiftly: “My Lord, I cultivate the Chaos Dao and the Dao of Turmoil. As a demon plant, I am quite similar to chaos beasts! Even if I encounter a chaos beast, it might not discern my true identity and might think I belong to the chaos lineage!” It then added, “My Lord, I believe it’s best if humans don't show themselves rashly. It’s too perilous! If discovered, ninety-nine percent of them will be slain... In contrast, demon beasts and demon plants are far safer! Even if discovered by other experts, they might not care. Furthermore, we carry the aura of great worlds; they might mistake us for Sovereigns of some great world...” Li Hao’s heart stirred. Before he could speak, Li Fuhai of the demon race suddenly chimed in: “Indeed, I agree! Why not let me, Redwood, Di Wei, and General Locust handle the four outposts?” This was also an opportunity for the recruits from Neo-Martial. Li Fuhai seized the moment and said, “We are of the demon race, and demon plants are even closer to the chaos lineage. As for demons... there are five demon great worlds here, and we haven't fallen out yet. There is only one human great world, and it belongs to the lightning element... If a human appears, they will be targeted immediately! “Marquis, not only is it safer for us to step forward, but we demons can also better adapt to the chaotic environment...” Li Hao’s eyes flickered, and he nodded. “Very well, the four of you it is!” Liu Long opened his mouth to speak, but Li Hao cut him off: “Enough, it’s settled! You four will head to the four quadrants. If you encounter a seventh-rank world arriving, don't think about anything else. Use the illusory worlds I give you to connect to the River of Time and notify me directly! “This time, I also intend to spread the River of Time throughout the Dragon Domain to facilitate communication and control!” Li Hao continued, “Move quickly to your positions. Once you arrive, simply place your illusory world into the chaos!” He marked four positions on the map and added, “You four... won't get lost, will you?” “...” The four Sovereigns were struck speechless. Get lost? Of course not! We’re not the Human King. Li Hao was underestimating them. But then again, aside from Little Tree Di Wei, who was half a Neo-Martial demon plant, the others were demon plants and beasts from the Neo-Martial era. The Human King’s reputation was too notorious; Li Hao couldn't help asking. Seeing them shake their heads, Li Hao smiled. “Good. By the time you’re in position, we should be close to the heart of the Dragon World's territory... By the way, the eastern border borders the Thunder Domain, where only the Thunder World resides... Even so, we must remain vigilant. Redwood, you take the east. Now that the Dragon Lord has left, the Thunder World might make a move. Beware of them crossing over and disrupting my plans!” The four Sovereigns nodded in unison and memorized every detail. Then, Li Hao handed each of them an illusory world. All four were filled with energy. Unlike physical worlds, illusory worlds carried virtually no weight even when fully charged. They were pure Great Dao power, easily stored within their bodies. These four domains were linked to the Time Star. Placed in the four directions at moderate distances, they could maintain communication with Li Hao. This had become their most effective means of contact in the chaos! The four Sovereigns quickly vanished, heading in their respective directions. The Silver Moon martial masters felt somewhat crestfallen. The sentry mission had been snatched away by the Neo-Martial cultivators, making them look timid and incompetent. Li Hao glanced at them, well aware of what they were thinking, but merely smiled without a word. Over the past few days, internal competition within Silver Moon had been fierce. Everyone was desperate to prove themselves! Even Tianji and King Huai, those two notorious Neo-Martial Sovereigns, had actually been working over the past few days, whether merely going through the motions or otherwise... Every single one was terrified of being seen idling. The involution was intense! A good thing! Previously, everyone had been idle to the point of going mad, terrified they were useless and that Li Hao would stuff them into the Silver Moon World to retire alongside the mortals. Tianji had wanted to, but he couldn't bring himself to lose face. Well, he could swallow his pride, but as one of the few middle-rank Sovereigns, he feared that if he didn't pull his weight, he would be dragged out and beaten to death. After weighing it repeatedly, he decided it was better to exert some effort. “Let's go. Target: Tianhuang World!” Li Hao set their destination. This was a sixth-rank world whose exact details were unknown, except that it was very close to the Dragon World’s former position and likely a core vassal of the Dragon World. In the Dragon Domain, without real ability, how could one reside so close to the Dragon World? In that case, a world advancement here would seem perfectly natural. When a world advanced to the seventh rank, whether Sovereigns came to seize it, offer congratulations, or simply watch the spectacle, it would inevitably draw the attention of nearby worlds. Moreover, everyone assumed the Dragon Domain was safe, especially the territory of the Dragon World itself... They would have no misgivings. As for the seventh-rank worlds in the surrounding quadrants, they were far away and might not receive word in time. Even if they did, they might not come. Rashly entering the Dragon World’s domain, particularly the territory of an advancing seventh-rank world, was a major taboo for seventh-rank Sovereigns. It could easily provoke hostility from the Sovereigns of the Dragon World's territory! …… Li Hao didn't overthink it. He felt their current progress was simply too slow. Even if it took fakery, he had to fabricate a seventh-rank world! Only then could he gather Sovereigns at the fastest speed. As for the repercussions... that was no longer his concern. At this stage, there was no turning back. Exposure was inevitable sooner or later, so who cared? …… The territory of the Dragon World. Following the departure of the Dragon World, a massive void had been left in the central region. Even though the Dragon Lord had led his world away, no one dared occupy the Dragon World’s former grounds, despite the denser chaotic energy and the lingering traces of Dao rhythm. The Dragon World had merely set out on an expedition; it had not been destroyed. Who would dare claim its territory? Near the Dragon World were several sixth-rank worlds. These were the ones with the highest hopes of advancing to the seventh rank, and each of their realm lords was a pinnacle figure among the sixth rank. It was precisely because they had hopes of reaching the seventh rank that these chaos beasts were permitted to settle their worlds around the Dragon World. When the Dragon World breathed in chaotic energy and extended its Great Dao universe, refined chaotic energy was often channeled into the surrounding worlds. Tianhuang World. This sixth-rank world was not weak. Its realm lord was a giant lizard beast at the peak of the sixth rank, considered a collateral branch of the dragon race... Of course, whether it truly was, no one knew for certain, nor did anyone care. The world housed numerous Sovereigns and was one of the few worlds with a chance of stepping into the seventh rank. Within this world, many humans were currently contributing their blood and sweat to help it advance to the seventh rank. Compared to the worlds on the periphery, Tianhuang was far more prosperous. The suppression of humans was severe, but unlike the outer regions, it did not consist solely of slaughter and consumption. The exploitation here was centered on the Great Dao: every human was forced to cultivate diligently. They were made to comprehend different Daos. The Dragon World had previously offered guidance: to become a great world, the Great Dao had to be complete. The more varieties of Great Daos cultivated and the deeper the comprehension, the higher the hope of elevating the world to the seventh rank. Humans were extraordinarily gifted in this regard, as they could cultivate nearly any Dao. Chaos beasts, on the other hand, suffered restrictions; most cultivated a single inherited Dao, determined from the day they were born. In Tianhuang World, countless humans cultivated numbly every day, practicing the Dao techniques that the Lord of Tianhuang had gathered from various lands. Talented cultivators actually lived reasonably well here. Those without talent... vanished shortly. Yet talented cultivators faced immense torment of their own... Their greatest misery was that the chaos beasts cared for nothing else: if you had talent, you were forced to breed. Aren't you humans prolific? If you have talent, then breed—give birth to a hundred, a thousand, or even more... The offspring of talented cultivators would inherit some of that aptitude, which was far better than having untalented stock. Consequently, many human cultivators fell into absolute despair. When bearing children became an assigned quota, with an annual requirement enforced on pain of death... Under such conditions, both the talented and untalented were driven to despair. Moreover, the chaos beasts had no concept of human ethics. Breeding was breeding, regardless of partner. To cultivate greater talent, even siblings, fathers and daughters, or mothers and sons... The chaos beasts didn't care in the slightest! As a result, the entire Tianhuang World had become thoroughly deformed. Yet the results were remarkable. To the Lord of Tianhuang’s satisfaction, through this frantic exploitation over countless years, it could sense tangible changes occurring throughout the world. The Dao was growing more complete. Various Great Daos seemed to emerge within the world. Although it had not formally stepped into the seventh rank, the Lord of Tianhuang could already sense the budding of several Great Daos. Perhaps in a few more years, Tianhuang could officially advance to a seventh-rank world, and it could seize the opportunity to break through to the seventh rank in one fell swoop! In the entire chaos lineage, over a million years, only eleven seventh-rank worlds had ever been born, excluding the Dragon World itself. A new one emerged only once every hundred thousand years or so. The Lord of Tianhuang’s greatest yearning was for Tianhuang to become the chaos lineage’s twelfth seventh-rank world and thirteenth great world. Although the fellow from the neighboring Dilong World seemed to have already stepped into the seventh rank... that was merely his personal cultivation, a seventh-rank of chaos, not an advancement of his world. Even if he was a seventh-rank Sovereign, so what? Being a seventh-rank didn't mean your world would advance faster than mine! Once my world reaches the seventh rank, possessing a seventh-rank world will grant me far higher status than his. Recently, the departure of the Dragon World had made the Lord of Tianhuang even happier. With the Dragon World gone, massive amounts of chaotic energy from the surrounding region flooded into Tianhuang World, invigorating the entire realm. It seemed that without the Dragon World devouring chaotic energy, the ambient chaos here had grown far denser. Naturally, the Lord of Tianhuang remembered one thing... Before leaving, the Dragon World had secretly issued orders to several powerful surrounding worlds, warning them to watch out for a particular matter. After the Dragon World departed, the Thunder World from the adjacent Thunder Domain might refuse to resign itself, choosing to leave its domain and raid the Dragon World’s territory. The Thunder Lord was exceedingly formidable! Therefore, they had to be careful, though not overly alarmed. If the Thunder Lord truly appeared, the sleeping Dilong in the neighboring Dilong World would strike; he had stayed behind specifically to wait for him. As long as they pinned the Thunder Lord down, reinforcements would arrive quickly to eliminate him. What the Lord of Tianhuang and the others needed to do was control the flow of Great Dao crystals within their realms, ensuring not a single crystal fell into the hands of the Thunder World. It was common knowledge that the Thunder World desperately lacked Great Dao crystals! As long as the crystals were strictly controlled, even if the Thunder Lord arrived, he would be powerless. Having relied on the Dragon World for years, the surrounding realms had gradually formed a comprehensive defense system. Breaking through a sixth-rank world would not be easy for him! …… At the same time. Within the darkness. Faint arcs of lightning flickered in the void. A figure stood suspended in space, brow furrowed with gravity. The Thunder Lord! Yes, he had come out. He had no choice. Recently, Fire Phoenix World had severed all sources of Great Dao crystals for the Thunder World. Without Great Dao crystals, the Thunder World could not sustain itself. To make matters worse, the realm had originally stored some crystals... but unexpectedly, a trusted Sovereign had recently rebelled and destroyed the entire stockpile. “Fire Phoenix... Dragon Lord...” The Thunder Lord’s face was cold. He knew he was backed into a corner. Those bastards had intensified their pressure against him and the Thunder World. Now, it was no longer a covert scheme. It was an open trap! What will you choose, Thunder Lord? Will you come out or not? If you come out, where can you go? If you try to plunder Great Dao crystals... the moment you strike might be the hour of your death! He knew this, but he had no choice. He couldn't go in other directions; currently, the Dragon World’s territory seemed the safest. Yet... the Thunder Lord knew how terrifying the Dragon Lord was. Was his territory truly safe? He gazed at the glowing worlds scattered around him. All of them were sixth-rank worlds! Breaching a sixth-rank world might yield a decent haul of Great Dao crystals. However... the moment he breached one, he would likely be discovered in the blink of an eye and face a siege from all sides. A sixth-rank world’s stockpile of Great Dao crystals wouldn't be massive, and knowing he was desperate, the defenders had likely hidden or reduced them. The Thunder Lord had an agonizing headache. What should he do? A direct assault on a seventh-rank world was out of the question in the short term; he could only target these sixth-rank worlds. Yet... He was torn! These sixth-rank worlds didn't seem entirely safe either. Should he head further out to target weaker worlds? But even if he moved fast and breached one world per day... setting aside whether he’d be discovered and tracked, how many worlds would he have to conquer to satisfy the consumption of a seventh-rank great world? He had slipped out of the Thunder World undetected, but once his absence was noticed, the Thunder World might be besieged. He had to reap the greatest reward in the shortest time and return immediately. He could not afford to linger outside. To be safe, he didn't even dare release the aura of his Great Dao universe, lest powerful experts sense his presence and realize he had left his realm. Just as he was agonizing over which of these sixth-rank worlds was the wealthiest... his brow twitched. Looking in one direction, he noticed another chaos beast heading this way. A rather complex aura! The Thunder Lord peered into the distance, unable to see clearly. Who would come here at a time like this? With the Dragon Lord absent, recklessly moving worlds disrupted the deployment of the entire Dragon Domain. Weren't they afraid of being slain by the Dragon World’s experts? …… In the distance. The Black Panther steered the Silver Moon World, flanked by a cat—Er Mao! Er Mao was also steering a sixth-rank world. The two rapidly approached Tianhuang. At that moment, Kongji suddenly opened his eyes. Li Hao swept his gaze across the surroundings, his eyes flickering, and probed the perimeter. Kongji remained silent for a moment before transmitting: “Did you sense it?” “Yes,” Li Hao nodded, transmitting back. “It seems a powerhouse is watching us...” Kongji’s brow furrowed instantly. A seventh-rank? There was another seventh-rank in this vicinity? In terms of realm, he had already reached the seventh rank, making him exceptionally sensitive to seventh-rank experts. Eighth-rank experts were harder to detect, but a seventh-rank’s probe was easy for him to catch. As for Li Hao, because myriad Daos converged within him, his cultivation realm was not low and his strength was formidable. Coupled with his broad comprehension of diverse Daos, he easily detected when someone was probing him. It wasn't an eighth-rank, but a seventh-rank Sovereign! “No aura of a Great Dao universe... Pretend we haven't noticed... Ling Yue, release a wisp of faith power. If it’s a seventh-rank Sovereign left behind by the Dragon World... we might as well draw the snake from its hole and kill it! “Everyone, get ready. A seventh-rank may be nearby. Who would have thought we'd run into a big fish the moment we arrived? If they really target us... we'll devour them!” A seventh-rank Sovereign! Yet neither Li Hao nor Kongji felt any fear. Chancing upon a seventh-rank disrupted their plans, but... if it truly was a seventh-rank, they would consume them! Slaying a seventh-rank powerhouse could yield immense rewards! If the target was the master of a great world, they could even breach their Great Dao universe and plunder it directly! Li Hao hardened his resolve! What a coincidence. The chaos was so vast, yet before his plan even started, he had run into one right after arriving? Could fate really be this coincidental? “Black Panther, Er Mao, steer toward the uninhabited zone... lure them into barren space. Brother Kongji, prepare your Nirvana Realm... It’s best if we can slay them silently!” “Rest assured!” A group of middle-rank Sovereigns was now discussing how to swiftly slaughter a seventh-rank, even planning to do so quietly without causing a commotion! The Time Star was already hovering in Li Hao’s palm. Since they were fighting a seventh-rank... this couldn't be treated as mere practice. They had to go all out and kill the enemy instantly. Time had to be deployed! …… In the darkness. The Thunder Lord observed at first, but after a moment, he froze. He faintly sensed a wisp of faith energy. Faith? Human faith? Huh? What was going on? He felt puzzled and suspicious. To find human faith within the Dragon World’s territory... could someone be worshiping a chaos beast? His mind raced. He knew the Dragon Lord had ordered the capture of a first-rank human faith Sovereign at the border, but reports said they were hunting a newly ascended first-rank Sovereign. Yet in his perception, there were two colossal chaos beasts. One was at the fifth rank, while the other... was it at the sixth rank? The aura was chaotic and indistinct; even as a seventh-rank Sovereign, he couldn't gauge it clearly. Of course, he didn't dare probe too aggressively, relying only on faint perception. The two chaos beasts suddenly changed direction, flying toward an uninhabited zone. Were they planning to settle in barren space? The Thunder Lord’s eyes gleamed. A good thing. Most of the sixth-rank worlds nearby were clustered together, making them difficult to strike without alerting the rest. But here... two newcomers had arrived, seemingly carrying worlds with them. Though one was likely a fifth-rank world, the other might carry a sixth-rank world. “They’re together... If I eliminate them instantly, the commotion won't be too large. If so, I can seize two worlds at once...” His gaze shifted, though he worried it might be a trap. Could it be this coincidental? Two chaos beasts popping up at this exact moment? And what was with that power of faith? Harboring doubts, he swiftly followed. Cold resolve gleamed in his eyes. Perhaps he had to take a risk; otherwise, the Thunder World would not survive! Even if it was a trap... he had to test the waters. He sensed no seventh-rank aura, meaning there shouldn't be any seventh-rank experts present. …… “Are they following?” Li Hao asked. Though his perception was sharp, it was slightly inferior to Kongji’s. Kongji sensed quietly for a long moment before nodding. “They're following. There is the aura of life!” He cultivated the dual polarities of life and death, nirvana and revival. He could easily detect fluctuations of vitality within his vicinity. Li Hao could as well, but his single Dao wasn't as potent as Kongji’s. Li Hao took a deep breath, a fierce look flashing across his face as he transmitted: “We must conceal our auras completely! Once the battle begins, I worry we might draw the attention of nearby experts. We go all out from the very start! Two Dao Lords, merge directly! Once merged, I will channel you through Time... We cannot underestimate a seventh-rank. Unleash our ultimate moves from the first strike and kill him!” At these words, the Sovereigns within the Silver Moon World felt both thrilled and nervous. Two Great Dao rivers surged into view. Sovereigns quickly took their positions, entering the Dao tributaries to stabilize them, while the two main Daos began intertwining and fusing into one. In Li Hao’s palm, Time swirled slowly. Facing a seventh-rank in the central region allowed no carelessness; he prepared to give everything without holding back in the slightest. Kongji also took a deep breath, primed to execute a lethal strike. …… Behind them. The Thunder Lord trailed along, waiting until they were far from other worlds before striking. At the same time, he kept watch to see if any seventh-rank Sovereign lurked in the shadows. Both sides were exceptionally cautious. The two giant beasts continued forward, nearly reaching the vicinity of the Thunder Domain. The Thunder Lord felt delight rather than alarm! Excellent! Heading that way brought them closer to the Thunder World. If anything went wrong, he could instantly retreat to his realm. Perfect! It seemed this was almost certainly not a trap. Perhaps once he obliterated them, no one else would ever know, since these chaos beasts hadn't originally belonged to this area. No one would notice their deaths. Just as his anticipation peaked, the two giant beasts halted in a pitch-black expanse. As the Thunder Lord observed, he suddenly frowned. The surroundings felt unnervingly silent. In the next instant, his expression shifted. Suddenly, time seemed to flow backward. The two chaos beasts that had been far ahead appeared right beside him in a flash. A pitch-black Dao domain of absolute nirvana manifested instantly. Time reversal! Indeed, time had reversed for a single instant. The Black Panther and Er Mao had snapped back to their earlier position, and in that moment of seamless coordination, Kongji unleashed his Dao domain, engulfing the foe. The Great Dao universe materialized, and the two Dao Lords fused into Time in the blink of an eye. Li Hao, draped in the river, struck instantly with a thunderous sword! Sword of a Thousand Worlds! Kongji unleashed the immense power of Great Nirvana, fusing the two polarities. The speed was unimaginable. Before the Thunder Lord could even evade the domain, he was trapped within the Nirvana Realm. In that split second, a sword descended from the heavens! Bent on killing, Li Hao unleashed his full might with that single strike! Yet the moment they clashed... both sides realized something was wrong. Arcs of lightning crackled—this was... the Thunder Lord? And the Thunder Lord was equally appalled: this was... a swordsman, a sword cultivator, not a chaos beast! Yet neither could pull back in time. The Thunder Lord let out a low roar and punched forward, lightning erupting with enough fury to crack the entire Nirvana Realm. He had no choice but to retaliate; otherwise, he might be killed! Who was this? The Sword Venerable? The Neo-Martial Sword Venerable? Yet rumors said the Sword Venerable had already reached the seventh rank, while this person had not... Lightning erupted as the Sword of a Thousand Worlds slashed down! Silently, the two forces collided. In that instant of contact, the Thunder Lord felt the crushing weight of countless worlds, the suppression of a Great Dao universe, and the restraint of multiple unique Great Daos... Without daring to unleash his own Great Dao universe, he was... suppressed in an instant! Inconceivable! What kind of brute strength was this? It was utterly savage! It felt as if hundreds of worlds had converged in an instant to smash down upon him. That raw force, coupled with razor-sharp sword intent, caused his entire body to ache with piercing pain! Who was this? And beside him was a sixth-rank who fought with the power to challenge a seventh-rank... When had the chaos become like this? Who on earth were they? In that split second, he didn't even have time to guess! Silent annihilation ensued; lightning scattered, and sword intent dissipated. The clash seemed evenly matched. Yet just as the Thunder Lord exhaled, a small flower materialized. Li Hao, who had just exhausted immense energy, swallowed it instantly... and his aura surged back to its peak in a breath. Another sword slashed down! Kongji’s aura instantly withered, yet pride colored his face. Restoring Li Hao was trivial. Did this fellow truly think they could only muster a single strike? “Slash!” “Stop—!” The Thunder Lord was horrified. He would have to unleash his Great Dao universe; otherwise, he might not be able to block this second sword! Where had these terrifying monsters sprung from? They were clearly only at the fifth and sixth ranks, yet he felt as if he had run into two seventh-rank experts! Fuck!