Li Hao, the Silver Moon King, severed Longxuan with a single strike of his sword!
The Dragon Domain erupted into an uproar.
Every seventh-rank world sensed the shockwaves. At this moment, the Dragon Domain, peaceful for so many years, began to tremble.
……
Within the Thunder Realm.
The Thunder Lord laughed uproariously. The Silver Moon King had truly exceeded all expectations. He had slain the Earth Dragon and killed Longxuan! It had been countless years since a seventh-rank Sovereign had fallen in the Dragon World, yet this time, two had died in one go!
As expected, Silver Moon truly shared the same lineage as Xinwu.
In the past, rumors said that the deaths of the seventh-rank Sovereigns in the Red Moon Domain were somehow connected to the Silver Moon King. No one had believed it back then, merely assuming that the Silver Moon King was tagging along while Xinwu stirred up chaos!
Yet today... he understood. It was not like that at all. These Silver Moon cultivators were chaos personified!
However, his laughter had barely faded when three seventh-rank auras manifested in the surroundings at once.
The Fire Phoenix Realm Lord appeared.
Her eyes were chillingly cold as she looked at the Thunder Lord, speaking in a frigid voice: "You... colluded with him long ago, didn't you?"
Otherwise, how could there be such a coincidence?
Could the timing truly be that exact?
A ripple passed through the Thunder Lord's eyes. "Fire Phoenix, the one-month deadline hasn't arrived yet."
"Do you take me for an idiot?"
The Fire Phoenix Realm Lord was exceedingly grim. At this point, who would still believe in some one-month deadline?
"Thunder Emperor, you are seeking your own death!"
"Originally, had you lived out your meager days, you might have had a chance to survive... But now... you are certain to die!"
"Surround and slay the cultivators of the Thunder Realm!"
Ripples spread across the Great Dao universe as the power of fire surged. The Fire Phoenix now knew this fellow had never intended to fight a one-on-one duel; he had only wanted to divert attention. At this moment, why would she wait any longer?
Kill the Thunder Lord!
Even if she could not kill him, she would completely suppress the Thunder Realm!
In an instant, over a hundred Sovereigns emerged nearby.
Waves of Sovereign might swept across the world.
Three seventh-rank Sovereigns held positions on three sides. Nearby, the three Great Worlds—Tongbao, Weihu, and Juxiang—rapidly shifted in this direction. Seventh-rank auras erupted from all three worlds as they moved to besiege the Thunder Realm!
The Thunder Lord cursed under his breath!
Among the four surrounding Great Worlds, the Fire Phoenix World alone had three seventh ranks. Of the remaining three, the Weihu World possessed two seventh-rank Sovereigns, while the other two each had one. That was a total of seven seventh-rank Sovereigns!
Moreover, the Fire Phoenix was at the peak of the seventh rank.
Seven against one!
He clearly stood no chance.
He wasted no words. It was obvious these creatures could no longer tolerate his existence. He swiftly took control of the Great World. The Thunder Realm, already half-visible and half-concealed, had half of its mass inside the Thunder Domain. At this moment, it hastily retracted toward the Thunder Domain.
Unable to win, his only option was to hide!
However, entering the Thunder Domain was far too perilous. Fortunately, he had acquired a considerable supply of Great Dao crystals this time, which could sustain him for a while to neutralize some of the chaos lightning tribulation power within the domain. Otherwise, he would never have dared to casually drag the world into the Thunder Domain!
"Fire Phoenix, come if you have the guts!"
The Thunder Lord bellowed coldly: "With Longxuan and the Earth Dragon dead, I doubt the Dragon Lord will fare well in the Three Regions! This emperor will return after you are all dead!"
Boom!
Lightning flared, lighting up heaven and earth as the entire Thunder Realm advanced rapidly toward the Thunder Domain.
He could not win this fight; running was his only way out.
Yet at this moment, the Fire Phoenix Realm Lord merely watched with cold eyes.
*Thunder Emperor, after all these years, do you truly believe we have simply sat idle and done nothing?*
Just as the Thunder Realm was about to vanish completely into the Thunder Domain, the realm suddenly seemed to halt. The entire world trembled violently.
Still standing at the realm gate, the Thunder Lord instantly looked down upon the world, surveying the entire Thunder Realm.
In a flash, his eyes turned bloodshot!
Within the realm, at the location of the world source, a sixth-rank Sovereign struck a punch that shattered nearly half of the world source. This caused the entire world to shudder violently, showing signs of entering deathly stillness.
It was not destroyed, only a portion of the world source was broken, setting the world on a trajectory toward dormancy. Such stillness could be revived.
The Thunder Emperor's expression changed instantly. Gritting his teeth, his voice carried utter disbelief: "I dared not trust anyone! After the Silver Moon King warned me, I even doubted myself, yet I never doubted you..."
After Li Hao warned him that there were more spies than he thought, he had indeed grown far more cautious. Over the years, he had treated every outsider as a spy.
One could say he had already gone to great lengths.
He had even harbored doubts about native Sovereigns.
Only toward one person had he shown no suspicion at all. Instead, he had placed redoubled trust in him, even stationing him near the world source. The world source was the origin of all life in the realm; once destroyed, the world would die.
It was of paramount importance!
Under normal circumstances, the world lord held direct control over it. If the Dao Lord and the world lord were one and the same person, then the Dao Lord controlled it. However, the Thunder Emperor had to confront a multitude of powerful enemies outside. To push the Thunder Realm into the Thunder Domain, it was best to have someone assist him. While he manipulated the Great Dao universe, having someone help control the world's power would make the process much faster.
Yet now... the person he trusted most had damaged the world source, leaving the entire world in a state of semi-stillness.
He was not a chaos beast and lacked the ability to swallow and carry a world within himself.
With the world brought to a standstill, he had no way to push it forward and escape into the Thunder Domain.
At this moment, the Thunder Lord found it nearly impossible to believe. Who was this sixth-rank Sovereign?
He was half a mentor to him!
A Sovereign with even greater seniority than himself, who had assisted him continually before he became the Thunder Lord. Yet now... he truly could not fathom it.
Near the world source, the elderly sixth-rank Sovereign wore an expression etched with age and deep emotion. He said softly, "I will not claim that the Thunder Realm can hold out no longer, nor will I say this was done to save the Thunder Realm... nor will I claim that defecting to the chaos beasts would be any better... I only... wish to say that the Thunder Realm has become your burden. Leave! Sever yourself from the Great Dao universe and become an unaffiliated cultivator. You will still be the invincible Thunder Emperor!"
The old man did not want to say more, nor was he willing to say more.
*Just leave!*
The Thunder Realm had no future left. Years of blockade and encirclement had caused the realm to spend far more than it produced; it had long become a burden to the Thunder Lord. Had anyone ever seen a seventh-rank Sovereign trade his own Dao charm crystals just to obtain Great Dao crystals?
The Thunder Lord was that Sovereign.
Even an unaffiliated cultivator would never be reduced to such depths.
No one had ever heard of someone using their own Dao charm crystals just to exchange for a meager few Great Dao crystals. For a seventh rank, this was an enormous joke.
*Just leave!*
Sever yourself from the Great Dao universe, surrender the Thunder Realm, and whether you wander the Three Regions or venture beyond the Thunder Domain, a seventh-rank Sovereign—and a lightning-attribute one at that—can thrive anywhere.
Yet here... there was no future whatsoever.
The Thunder Lord's eyes turned freezing cold. "I call you Teacher, and this will be the last time! You... cannot make any decisions on my behalf! Even if you wished to do this, you should have asked me!"
He was consumed by boundless fury, mixed with profound sorrow.
Even his own mentor held no faith in the future and had succumbed to despair.
Whether it was truly to grant him release or to defect to the chaos race... at this moment, he felt only sorrow and helplessness. He had been betrayed by his own mentor!
"The Silver Moon King killed two seventh ranks, and Xinwu is locked in fierce battle with the Dragon Lord! My Thunder Realm still has a chance!"
He roared in madness, brimming with endless disappointment!
Just moments ago, he had been in high spirits.
Now, not a shred of good cheer remained.
He had believed there was still hope.
Yet in everyone else's eyes, there was actually... no hope at all.
Not a single ray of hope.
Nearby stood seven seventh-rank Sovereigns, three of whom were world lords. The Thunder Realm was utterly depleted. Re-entering the Thunder Domain would merely be a dying struggle. Rather than doing that, it was better to... surrender here and now!
By surrendering to the Fire Phoenix at this juncture, the Thunder Lord could sever his ties with the Great Dao universe, enter the Thunder Domain, and traverse it as a lightning Sovereign. They would not pursue him, and he would finally find release!
On the perimeter, the Fire Phoenix Realm Lord smiled, her voice resounding across heaven and earth: "Thunder Emperor, a wise man submits to circumstances! If you withdraw now, our original offer still stands: we want only the Thunder Realm, not your life! Nor do we want the lives of the humans and Sovereigns of the Thunder Realm!"
"If you want Great Dao crystals, Sovereign weapons, or worlds, we can give them all to you!"
"If you foolishly attempt to destroy the entire Thunder Realm, those humans and Sovereigns who have fought for you and guarded you for so many years... will you have the heart to kill them?"
The Thunder Lord's body trembled.
In that fleeting instant, he had truly harbored the intent to destroy the Thunder Realm rather than let the chaos beasts claim it.
Yet the Fire Phoenix Realm Lord's words struck straight at his heart!
The Thunder Realm!
Tens of billions of mortals and dozens of Sovereigns had followed him for countless years, enduring nothing but hardship without enjoying a single good day...
Constantly hiding and fleeing, with no cultivation resources even for Sovereigns—one could easily imagine how miserable it was.
Every one of them had suffered the ravages of destructive power, which erupted at intervals, leaving some dead and others lingering on the brink of death.
If he destroyed the world... what would become of them?
His eyes still burned with anger, despair, and agony.
At this moment, Sovereign after Sovereign appeared. Some wore conflicted expressions, some glared with fury, while others bellowed at the top of their lungs: "We would rather die than submit!"
"We will never become captives and slaves to beasts!"
In the end, there were still those unwilling to live on their knees.
Yet... many more Sovereigns remained silent.
Some of them were native Sovereigns who had followed the Thunder Emperor in battle all along. But... it had been too many years.
Being here was simply too painful.
There were no cultivation resources, lightning tribulations frequently loomed overhead, and destructive power constantly devoured them, tormenting their bodies, wills, and minds. They could see no hope—not even now.
The Thunder Emperor looked at them, gritted his teeth, and turned his gaze back to the old man beside the world source, his voice low: "If you wanted to surrender... you could have told me. Why... make the decision for those of us who refuse to submit?"
The old man sighed softly. "Because... we knew you would never agree."
"So that gives you the right to damage the world source?"
The Thunder Emperor's aura shook heaven and earth. In the next instant, he ground his teeth and let out a furious roar as the Great Dao universe surged. With a thunderous boom, the old man below experienced a slight change in expression, before finally letting out a long sigh.
Boom!
The Great Dao snapped!
In the presence of a Dao Lord, a Great Dao situated within the Thunder Realm that chose to betray had no power to resist and was doomed to die.
He was not Wushan; he lacked Wushan's formidable strength to withstand the execution of the Dao source.
In this moment, the Thunder Lord still chose to strike!
Outside, the Fire Phoenix Realm Lord's expression shifted slightly.
The Thunder Lord still intended to resist!
She did not fear resistance; what she feared was him going mad and destroying the entire Thunder Realm.
Having directly executed the sixth-rank Sovereign, the Thunder Emperor's eyes were icy, concealing a hint of agony. *If you had told me you wished to surrender... I would have let you go and allowed you to yield.*
*You were my mentor. If you wanted to leave, I certainly would not have stopped you.*
*Not just you!*
For those native Sovereigns who had battled and held out beside him for so many years, if they could endure no longer, he could truly understand. If they wished to go... they could all leave.
Yet why... did you have to resort to betrayal?
With the world source damaged, the Thunder Realm was left with no choice.
Some Sovereigns turned pale as death, yet the Thunder Lord merely sighed. "Those who wish to leave... may go. Just inform me, and I will extract your Daos. Right now, the Thunder Realm is weak and cannot spare much Great Dao power for you... Every departing Sovereign may take thirty million Great Dao crystals..."
Some froze, while others could hardly believe their ears.
The Thunder Lord had just slain his own mentor!
Would he... truly allow them to leave?
At that moment, the Thunder Lord shouted loudly: "Fire Phoenix! I will never surrender! However... I will not stop others from yielding... Whether they surrender to you or go their own way, let them choose for themselves!"
Outside, the Fire Phoenix Sovereign's eyes flickered, and a faint smile appeared on her face.
A good thing!
The Thunder Lord had reached the end of his rope.
With fewer Sovereigns, the Great Dao universe would inevitably weaken significantly. This was another way of wearing down the Thunder Lord. If many Sovereigns departed from the already feeble Thunder Realm, it would become weaker still!
That way, the Thunder Lord would have far less capital to drag them down with him.
"Thunder Emperor, as I have said, I do not wish to kill you... nor do I wish to kill anyone from the Thunder Realm... Those who wish to join my Fire Phoenix World may become external elders. We have over a hundred external Sovereigns, including many humans... If they wish to leave, I will not stop them either. It is just that the Four Regions are currently in turmoil, and the future of an unaffiliated cultivator is exceedingly bleak..."
The Thunder Lord sat aloft above the Thunder Realm, uttering not a word.
His eyes were dead and still.
These people currently feared only one thing: that he would destroy the entire Thunder Realm. That was why they were willing to negotiate with him. In reality, once the Thunder Realm could no longer move, he had lost all capital to maneuver against them!
Seven seventh-rank Sovereigns... even if they simply charged into the Thunder Realm together, they possessed more than enough power to kill him.
From his earlier joy to his current despair.
It had all hinged on a single thought!
The Thunder Emperor mocked himself inwardly. *To think I was full of confidence, believing that the Silver Moon King's explosive strike and killing of seventh ranks would inevitably cause turmoil, giving me my opportunity right at this moment...*
*Now, it has all vanished like floating clouds!*
"Those who want to leave, go!"
The Thunder Emperor's voice echoed in all directions. "What are you still waiting for?"
He smiled faintly. "Over the years, you have come to know me. Since I said... you may leave, I will not make things difficult for you!"
Among the dozens of Sovereigns, a few eventually bowed slightly toward the Thunder Emperor with conflicted expressions and flew outward. At that moment, their Daos separated from the Thunder Realm's universe, restoring their freedom.
A torrent of Great Dao crystals surged toward them.
Thirty million Great Dao crystals—this was the farewell gift the Thunder Emperor bestowed upon them. He did not blame them; he could only blame himself for being too weak to give them hope.
He had executed his mentor solely because his mentor had not consulted him and had forced a choiceless decision upon the entire Thunder Realm.
That decision was betrayal!
One Sovereign after another departed, some in great torment, some numb, and some sighing deeply...
Gradually, roughly half of the already sparse Sovereigns had left.
Within this vast seventh-rank Great World, only about twenty Sovereigns remained at this moment.
Such numbers were inferior even to some medium worlds; stronger fifth-rank worlds might well possess just as many Sovereigns.
When Senlan was at the sixth rank, it had boasted thirty to forty Sovereigns.
The Thunder Lord glanced at the remaining figures. His Great Dao universe had weakened considerably. Looking at those who stayed, he smiled bitterly: "Why didn't you leave?"
"Leave for what? We'll fight them to the bitter end!"
"At worst, we die!"
"These beasts take pleasure in devouring humans. Do you expect me to imitate those useless cowards and throw my lot in with these brutes?"
"My Thunder Realm is the only human Great World in the Dragon Domain! As long as the Thunder Realm stands, I will fight to the end!"
"..."
Some roared, while others burned with defiance!
They knew that staying behind meant certain death, but so what?
The Thunder Emperor smiled, then looked out over the entire world, sighing inwardly. *Yes, I can still fight, but what about them... what about these mortals?*
Though the Thunder Realm was sparsely populated, it still held ten billion humans.
These were all the citizens of the Thunder Realm.
Even if they surrendered, they might not meet a good end, but... must they be destroyed along with me?
Countless thoughts surged in his mind.
A moment later, his voice rang out again: "Fire Phoenix, you want to kill me and seize the Thunder Realm... This emperor will give you a chance!"
He laughed aloud: "Let us continue our wager! You and I shall sign a life-and-death agreement to duel to the death! If I lose, I die, but I will leave the Great Dao universe to you!"
"If I win... I will not kill you. You must surrender a sixth-rank world to let me relocate my people, and I... will still leave the Thunder Realm to you, while you must let us depart safely, bound by a Great Dao agreement!"
Outside, the Fire Phoenix Sovereign's eyes flickered slightly.
Win or lose, she would obtain the Thunder Realm.
An intact Thunder Realm!
If the other party won, he had only one condition: to take all the citizens of the Thunder Realm—those ten billion humans—along with those negligible Sovereigns.
Was that acceptable?
Naturally, she would rather annihilate them completely to eliminate future troubles. However... at this moment, this might be the optimal choice. The Thunder Lord had already lost the ability to carry the Thunder Realm away; he had no choice but to surrender it.
As for him actually winning and taking the mortals with him, what harm was there?
Besides, could he truly win?
The Fire Phoenix knew that the Thunder Lord remained unreconciled. He likely intended to kill her during the duel!
He claimed he would not kill her, but if an opportunity presented itself, he would surely risk the chaos lightning tribulation—after all, being of the lightning attribute, he still had a chance of killing her... But could the Thunder Lord actually kill her?
She saw right through his intentions!
The Fire Phoenix Realm Lord smiled: "Very well, I accept! We shall sign a Great Dao agreement; whoever violates it shall suffer the punishment of an eighth-rank chaos lightning tribulation! Thunder Lord, if you truly manage to defeat me, kill me, and survive an eighth-rank tribulation... even if I die, I will accept it!"
In truth, even without a duel, had the Thunder Lord offered to surrender the Great Dao universe in exchange for taking these people away, she likely would have agreed... though she would have pursued and hunted them down afterward.
Since the Thunder Lord had not proposed that, he clearly understood this reality. He preferred to take a gamble; perhaps he might even slay the Fire Phoenix.
At this stage, the Fire Phoenix Sovereign no longer cared about small details.
She had to slay the Thunder Lord!
Though she had played no part in the deaths of Longxuan and the Earth Dragon, nor in the disappearance of countless worlds in the Dragon World... that Silver Moon King had previously disguised himself as the Black Dog Sovereign and signed a Great Dao covenant with the Fire Phoenix World. The moment the chaos lightning tribulation appeared earlier, she had deduced where the problem lay.
Even though the Dragon Lord might not necessarily punish her for this... once the agreement Feng Yan signed with him came to light, the Dragon Lord would undoubtedly be disappointed.
That was something she could not tolerate.
She had to claim the Thunder Realm intact!
And... she had to slay the Thunder Emperor, uprooting all lingering troubles from the Thunder Realm.
"Thunder Emperor, I, Fire Phoenix, am not a heartless individual either. A Great Dao agreement can be signed. I can even promise you that whether you win or lose, the Sovereigns under your command may lead a sixth-rank world and depart together with those humans..."
The Fire Phoenix Sovereign smiled: "However, you... must stay behind this time!"
The Thunder Lord stared at her coldly. After a long pause, he smiled: "Agreed!"
"Good! Then let us sign the Great Dao covenant!"
The Fire Phoenix was overjoyed. Hundreds of thousands of years of campaigning against the Thunder Realm had yielded no success, yet it was finally being accomplished in her hands.
All the immense effort she had poured into the Thunder Realm over the years had not been in vain.
As for the Sovereign executed by the Thunder Emperor, she had paid a tremendous price to turn him. All that talk about doing it for the Thunder Emperor's sake... the Fire Phoenix could not be bothered to mention it. To buy that man off, she had expended unimaginable resources.
She had even promised him that once the deed was done, she would grant him control of a seventh-rank world. Of course, there was no need for that now, which saved her quite a bit of trouble.
……
Meanwhile, Li Hao had just slain a seventh-rank Sovereign, throwing the Dragon Domain into chaos.
The sudden turn of events in the Thunder Realm also delighted the chaos powerhouses in the surroundings.
The Thunder Realm was secured!
With the Thunder Realm taken, all seven seventh-rank Sovereigns would be freed up. At that point, it would not be too late to surround and kill the Silver Moon King. Trying to manage both fronts right now could easily result in failing at both.
This was the pragmatic choice of the chaos race.
It had to be said that their goal was exceptionally clear. Had several seventh ranks truly broken off to hunt down Li Hao, the Thunder Lord might have made a desperate stand rather than choosing this path.
……
Deep within the Dragon Domain.
At this moment, the Silver Moon World was voraciously absorbing the corpse of the seventh-rank dragon, while Li Hao frowned slightly. He had seen and heard everything in the Thunder Realm, because he had previously integrated one of his own illusory worlds into the Queen's Great Dao star and presented it to the Thunder Emperor.
He had originally done so just in case.
In the end... Li Hao had not anticipated that the Thunder Realm, which had held out for so many years, would be breached from within at this precise moment. The world source was in semi-stillness. Reviving it was not terribly difficult... it merely required some Great Dao crystals and an expert skilled in the Dao of revival. For instance... Kongji.
However, outside the Thunder Realm right now stood a full seven seventh-rank Sovereigns, three of whom were world lords... Well, for the chaos race, the advantage of being a world lord was not massive, but it still provided some amplification.
Li Hao looked at the Silver Moon Universe still devouring Longxuan, then turned his gaze to the excited Kongji beside him... He smiled and suddenly asked, "Brother Kongji, if you were to face a seventh rank alone, do you have any confidence?"
"Me?"
Kongji fell into thought and shook his head: "I can hold out for a while, but as for killing one... I cannot do it. Even without talking about killing, if the fight drags on and my revival power can no longer restore me, I will definitely lose!"
He had enough self-awareness for that.
He could trade blows with a seventh rank and even hold his ground for a period, but over a prolonged battle, defeat was certain.
Li Hao nodded, then glanced at the two Dao Lords who were still devouring the essence. He spoke up: "If Silver Moon steps into the sixth rank, it will certainly be able to contend with a seventh rank. If you can as well, plus me... that is effectively three seventh ranks!"
Kongji's eyes shifted slightly.
"If you truly advance to the seventh rank... you will be far stronger than an ordinary seventh rank, right?"
"Naturally!"
Kongji chuckled: "If I can enter the seventh rank as a Sovereign of the Six Daos and Three Poles, while I wouldn't dare claim invincibility among seventh ranks, I could certainly suppress ordinary seventh-rank Sovereigns!"
A touch of madness surfaced in Li Hao's eyes: "In that case... do you dare try it once more?"
"Try what?"
"Seizing a Great World!"
Seize which Great World?
Kongji stared at him, but Li Hao let out a low chuckle: "Fire Phoenix!"
"Hmm?"
"The Fire Phoenix is about to battle the Thunder Emperor! A clash between two peak seventh-rank experts... The Thunder Emperor has agreed to yield the Thunder Realm. Right now, the Thunder Realm cannot move, and the Thunder Emperor, harboring the resolve to die, will surely battle her to the bitter end!"
"Meanwhile, we... can take advantage of the chaos to breach the Fire Phoenix World! They still have two seventh ranks holding the fort, alongside numerous external and native Sovereigns... But at this moment, their attention has been drawn by the Thunder Realm. While the Thunder Emperor and the Fire Phoenix fight, those Sovereigns are very likely to enter the Thunder Realm to seize control of it first. If we lay an ambush inside the Thunder Realm... we might just have a chance to kill a seventh rank!"
"If there is no opportunity... we take the chance to launch a fierce assault on the Fire Phoenix World!"
"And if there is still no opportunity... then... after the Thunder Emperor withdraws, we devour the Thunder Realm!"
Devour the Thunder Realm?
This... Kongji could not help but ask: "Is that... appropriate?"
Would that not be out of line?
Li Hao, however, said exasperatedly: "The Thunder Emperor has already agreed to hand over the Thunder Realm. If he truly surrenders it... should we just let the chaos beasts benefit? In truth, this is the safest method. Whether the Thunder Emperor wins or loses, he will surrender it. Since he signed a Great Dao agreement, to preserve those ten billion humans, he will most likely truly give it up... In that case, since he doesn't want to violate the covenant, we'll help him swallow and digest it!"
Kongji's heart stirred. It had to be said that this was indeed the safest approach.
There was no need to care about the Thunder Emperor's fate!
Whether he won or lost, he would withdraw from the Thunder Realm, leaving an inevitable window of opportunity. During that time, an ownerless world would be the easiest thing to devour!
No one would resist, and no one would fight back.
It could be devoured with utmost ease.
When the time came, the Fire Phoenix would probably weep.
Yet soon, Kongji added: "As for the Thunder Lord, I feel... if possible, we should still save him! He has held out in the Dragon Domain with the Thunder Realm for hundreds of thousands of years. It can't have been purely for his own safety; he would have fared much better as an unaffiliated cultivator. In my view, the Thunder Lord truly seems to be holding up a banner for humanity..."
All these years of encirclement had taken their toll; being an unaffiliated cultivator truly would have been far easier for him.
Yet he had consistently refused to abandon the Thunder Realm.
Clearly, his identity as the lord of the sole human Great World in the Dragon Domain was a key reason he refused to leave. Humanity across the entire Dragon Domain had almost lost all hope; as long as the Thunder Realm stood, there remained at least a glimmer of hope.
Li Hao considered this and nodded: "Mm, I will find a way. While they aren't paying attention to us right now, we will slip into the Thunder Realm!"
This was the stealthiest approach!
Otherwise, drawing close to the Fire Phoenix World right now would be exceedingly difficult, whereas the Thunder Realm and the Fire Phoenix World were currently right next to each other.
"Once Silver Moon advances... I will take you all through the river of time!"
Li Hao smiled: "A true traversal through the river of time—or rather, the river of memories. Those seventh ranks won't be able to detect it at all!"
"Then... I shall wait and see!"
Kongji was quite intrigued.
At this moment, the entire Silver Moon World shuddered, and the Great Dao universe suddenly surged. In an instant, the auras of the two Dao Lords began to climb. After devouring a seventh rank and consuming countless resources, Silver Moon finally stepped into the sixth rank on this day, alongside Li Hao!
Back in Tianfang, Li Hao had thought they could already make the breakthrough, but it had turned out they were still a fair distance away.
Today, they had finally advanced.
Li Hao was delighted, and Qian Wuliang and the others were ecstatic.
Li Hao promptly said: "Everyone, enter the Great Dao universe! Black Panther will swallow Silver Moon and carry it... We will travel the river of time and enter the Thunder Realm via my illusory world!"
Everyone instantly put aside their joy, their expressions turning solemn.
Li Hao declared in a deep voice: "This time, whether we devour Fire Phoenix or the Thunder Realm, Brother Kongji has lingered at the sixth rank for far too long. Our sole objective this time... is for Brother Kongji to attain the seventh rank! Everyone must exert their full strength toward this end... Without Brother Kongji's assistance, we would not be where we are today; I would not have reached the sixth rank, nor would my Silver Moon have reached the sixth rank!"
"Repaying kindness is the way of our Silver Moon martial artists. Do you all... understand?"
"Understood!"
Everyone shouted in unison!
Repaying kindness was the creed of jianghu martial artists. Indeed, without Kongji, it would have been difficult for them to reach this stage. Relying solely on Li Hao, it would have been hard to slay either the Earth Dragon or Longxuan.
Kongji's strength, his Domain of Stillness, his power of revival, and his healing abilities had aided everyone immensely.
At this point, Kongji felt somewhat embarrassed: "There's really no need. We were merely helping one another..."
He felt bashful, but Li Hao chuckled: "This is the heritage of our Silver Moon martial artists: kindness must be repaid. There is no need for modesty. You played an indispensable role in helping us get this far. If you don't advance to the seventh rank this time... we won't have the face to look at you!"
With those words, the Time Star manifested, now far more powerful than before.
A thousand worlds revolved around it!
The power of a thousand worlds converged into the Time Star, bringing forth an illusory river of memories—or what could be called the river of time.
Li Hao took a deep breath: "Let's go. Follow me into the Thunder Realm!"
He had left an illusory world inside the Thunder Realm.
Upon entering, the Thunder Emperor might sense it, but aside from him... no one else possessed the capability!
At this stage, even if the Thunder Emperor sensed them, he would say nothing; even if Li Hao and his group truly took the Thunder Realm, the Thunder Emperor likely would not mind.
This was precisely why Li Hao was bold enough to traverse the river of time directly.
……
The group swiftly entered the river.
Towering waves surged!
Several people swayed and trembled, while Li Hao led them, charging straight in one direction. The chaos outside seemed to turn into a hazy, illusory world, obscure and indistinct.
They even saw worlds intersected by this long river, while the chaos beasts within remained completely oblivious!
At this moment, everyone, including Kongji, felt immense awe!
This... the power of time was truly wondrous.
Walking along the river, Li Hao found it somewhat taxing, but their speed was astonishing. Time seemed to stand still as they forged ahead, crossing world after world. Soon, flickering lightning seemed to appear ahead!
……
At that very moment, outside the realm gate, the Thunder Lord, who was in the middle of signing the Great Dao agreement, furrowed his brows slightly.
The star he had left in his palace... was flickering.
He vaguely sensed something traversing the void toward him. As the lord of a seventh rank, the world still belonged to him for now, and a seventh-rank world possessed formidable defenses, wrapped on its periphery by the Great Dao universe.
He could even sense something shuttling through the Great Dao universe.
And its destination... was that star in his palace.
*Li Hao?*
His heart stirred. When Li Hao handed it to him last time, he had been apprehensive, accepting it only after they agreed that Li Hao would not harm the Thunder Realm.
*Could it be... he has arrived?*
*What kind of technique is this?*
*It's terrifying!*
The Thunder Emperor's gaze flickered. Yet entering the Thunder Realm at this moment was an exceedingly perilous endeavor—far too dangerous, for there were a full seven seventh-rank Sovereigns nearby!
With a thought, he looked at the Fire Phoenix Sovereign opposite him and said in a dark tone: "I can hand over the Thunder Realm. In fact... while you and I fight, the seventh ranks from your side may enter the Thunder Realm and take control of it!"
The Fire Phoenix Sovereign's eyes narrowed. *This... has this fellow truly gone mad? Is he not afraid that if I prove no match for him, someone will strike him from within?*
Of course, it would not come to that.
Doing so would cause too much damage to the Thunder Realm.
Furthermore, the agreement they were signing explicitly forbade other Sovereigns from interfering in their duel.
The Fire Phoenix Realm Lord smiled: "The Thunder Emperor is indeed reasonable! Naturally, there is no rush... We also believe that the Thunder Emperor will honor his word..."
Words were one thing, but if... you truly insisted on this, we would not hold back. We would seize control of the world first, and by then, it would be too late for you to regret it!
Could such a good deal truly exist?
"Thunder Emperor, what are your terms?"
Allowing seventh ranks to enter and take control of the world in advance was effectively total capitulation.
There had to be terms!
Sure enough, the Thunder Emperor said sullenly: "I want you to prepare a world in advance so my people can depart ahead of time... and take that world to the Three Regions..."
The Fire Phoenix Realm Lord frowned: "That is a trivial matter... but it will take some time!"
Right now, she would not permit the Thunder Emperor to stall for time!
So long as it did not waste time, whether they left or not was of no concern to her. Why would she care about a mere ten billion mortals?
Or those twenty weakened Sovereigns?
She truly did not care whether these people lived or died.
The Thunder Emperor underestimated her. Did he think she would willingly endure an eighth-rank tribulation just to kill those useless wretches?
The Thunder Emperor pondered for a moment, sighed, and nodded: "Then forget it. However, I still have one condition. If at a critical juncture, I..."
He sent a voice transmission: "*I admit defeat and surrender, you cannot kill me!*"
"..."
The Fire Phoenix Realm Lord smiled, her smile pregnant with meaning.
*He's actually... afraid of death!*
This was utterly beyond expectations.
The Thunder Emperor, who had just delivered grand, heroic speeches about fighting to the death, was actually afraid to die!
Hahaha!
Being afraid of death was wonderful. A Thunder Emperor who did not fear death was exceedingly difficult to handle; had he truly resolved to fight to the bitter end, even the Fire Phoenix Realm Lord would have been wary. But now, he was actually... afraid of death!
Heaven was truly aiding her!
As for his voice transmission, she naturally understood why—speaking it aloud would be too humiliating.
She was willing to grant the Thunder Emperor this shred of dignity; otherwise, if he flew into a rage out of humiliation and fought with reckless madness, it would be troublesome.
"Agreed!"
The Fire Phoenix Realm Lord was equally decisive. If you are willing to surrender, that is the best outcome!
With such a statement, there was hope.
She smiled, completely putting Li Hao and the others out of her mind. The deaths of the two seventh ranks would naturally be accounted for after this, but for now, the Thunder Realm had fallen entirely into her grasp!
Meanwhile, the Thunder Emperor wore a look of bittersweet emotion.
The reason he made this request... was because he saw a glimmer of hope once more... Li Hao and the others seemed to have entered his Thunder Realm.
As for whether it was truly hope... he would wait and see.
It was better than having no hope at all.
Furthermore, this would lower the enemy's guard. If a seventh rank truly entered the Thunder Realm to take over in advance, given that Li Hao and his group had slain Longxuan, they might... be able to ambush and kill a seventh rank!
If they killed one, while he tied down the Fire Phoenix, those people might have the confidence to quickly eliminate another seventh rank... Though the final outcome might still not be favorable, given the other world lords nearby.
Yet, there was still hope!
……
At this moment, Li Hao descended into a palace, where the star he had left behind glowed with radiance.
A Sovereign of the Thunder Realm was present here, but Li Hao instantly froze him in place.
Li Hao glanced around, sensing the environment, and shook his head: "The environment here is truly wretched; the destructive power is so dense. Living in such a world, one who knows would call it a seventh-rank Great World, while one who doesn't would think it's a prison!"
The mortals here suffered the onslaught of lightning power every single day; it was truly miserable.
At this moment, he looked outside and chuckled. The Thunder Lord was quite interesting; having likely sensed their arrival, he had actually proposed letting a seventh rank enter ahead of time.
Would the Fire Phoenix send a seventh rank?
If they did... things would become interesting!
If they could ambush and kill a seventh rank in advance, things would be much easier to handle. Even with four other seventh-rank Sovereigns nearby, what of it?
"Brother Kongji, let's go. First to the world source to repair it... If all else fails, we'll take the Thunder Realm and flee!"
Kongji asked puzzledly: "Can we get close?"
"He's about to lose his world anyway. Rest assured, even if we take it, it's better than leaving it to the enemy..."
Events unfolded just as Li Hao had predicted.
The group vanished into the void.
Soon, following the aura, they located the damaged world source.
It showed signs of deathly stillness,
as though on the verge of dying.
Nearby, the remnants of world power dispersed on their own as Li Hao and his companions approached. Clearly, the Thunder Lord had sensed their approach and did not interfere.
At this stage... if these fellows truly wanted to destroy the entire world source, he could not be bothered to care. In any case, the agreement he signed with the Fire Phoenix never forbade others from destroying it; that had nothing to do with him!
……
Li Hao inspected it for a moment, then looked at Kongji.
Kongji also observed it for a while, nodded, and chuckled via voice transmission: "Simple. The other party probably didn't want to strike too heavily and destroy the world completely. It's only slightly damaged and can be easily mended!"
"That's good. Brother Kongji, mend it first... but leave the final portion untouched to keep it in a state of semi-stillness!"
Li Hao's smile grew even more radiant: "If a seventh-rank Sovereign from the Fire Phoenix World truly comes to inspect, they will definitely come here! We will kill them, exit the realm, battle the other seventh rank, and breach the Fire Phoenix World! At that point... we won't necessarily have to run today; perhaps we can battle the neighboring worlds!"
Among the seven seventh-rank Sovereigns, if they could kill one in advance, then slay another, while the Fire Phoenix and Thunder Lord remained entangled, that left four Sovereigns. Facing them would be himself, Kongji, and the two Dao Lords of Silver Moon... In a true clash, they would only be short by one!
Short by one, what was there to fear?
At this point, if they were short of one seventh-rank Sovereign, he could call for backup!
Call whom?
Dao Chess!
Whether the Tianfang Universe revived or not, that entity could come and go as it pleased. It simply disliked coming out normally, as stepping out would reveal an eighth-rank universe. But right now, why care about that?
If they succeeded today, his debt to Dao Chess, his debt to Kongji, his debt to Xinwu...
He could repay all his debts in a single breath!
He owed Dao Chess a seventh-rank universe, owed the Human King one, and Kongji needed one...
At that point, after three years in the chaos, aside from still owing a favor each to the Tianfang Fire Emissary, Sovereign Panlong, and the Water Emissary, he would owe no one anything! Er Mao might even be able to swallow several world sources to fully descend into reality and become a seventh-rank Sovereign!
At this thought, Li Hao's heart pounded... *Perhaps this is truly the only way!*
*Otherwise, once the Dragon Lord emerges, what chance will I have left?*
"Annihilate four more worlds!"
Last time, annihilating four worlds had benefited the Sword Venerable, Li Zhu, and Wushan. If they succeeded this time, Dao Chess could restore its ninth-rank Sovereign weapon power, Kongji could advance, one world could be repaid to the Human King, and the remaining one could be devoured by himself and Silver Moon.
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became.
Alternatively, keeping one world to temporarily house mortals would also work; an advanced Er Mao might be able to pull a seventh-rank Great World along.
All at once, greed surged in Li Hao's heart.
The Dao of desire?
No, this was not the interference of the Dao of desire, but rather... the necessity to truly establish a firm foothold in this chaos.
He gazed into the distance, looking toward Tianfang.
This time, the Human King and his companions definitely had their own objectives. If Tianfang was truly opened by them... then they were certainly making moves in the Three Regions right now. Li Hao felt a surge of excitement... *You might be attacking eighth-rank worlds, but I won't lag too far behind.*
*Let us see who reaps the greater harvest!*
"Senior Dao Chess!"
In this instant, he activated the Dao Chess imprint he had not used for a long time.
……
Inside the Tianfang Universe, total chaos reigned.
Countless Sovereigns were frantically hunting down one man and one cat. In the darkness, Dao Chess cowered cautiously, shivering with fear. *I haven't even returned to my peak; I only have seventh-rank power! The weakest of these Sovereigns are at the seventh rank!*
*Don't spot me. If they really run into me... I can only flee outside.*
*Yet fleeing outside might not be safe either.*
*This Human King can truly stir up trouble.*
Just as it was thinking this, a peculiar ripple suddenly transmitted over.
Huh?
Li Hao?
"Li Hao..."
Right now, the Great Dao universe was still sealed, yet Dao Chess could still receive messages as usual. This showed just how intimately connected it was to this universe.
"I need Senior's help! I won't mince words, as talking too much wastes Senior's energy... When I trigger the imprint again, Senior, please teleport over and help me hold off a seventh-rank Sovereign! Once the deed is done, Senior will be able to restore your peak power... You won't need to fear the obstruction of any Great World. As long as we succeed... no one will be able to stop us this time!"
What grand words!
Before Dao Chess could even respond, the ripple vanished.
Dao Chess trembled. *What is he up to now?*
*Can none of these people sit still?*
It peeked at the Human King and the Cang Emperor fleeing madly in the distance... *It's so dangerous here. Forget it, if he truly asks for my help, I'll... just go outside. Staying here keeps my heart in my throat.*
*This Human King and the Cang Emperor are thoroughly insane, constantly preventing those people from joining forces to break out of the realm.*
*What on earth are those two trying to do?*
*And where did Li Hao and his group run off to?*
*The Dragon Domain?*
*The Dragon Domain is perilous. Is there truly a great opportunity there?*
*Breaching a seventh-rank world?*
*That sounds decent, but compared to the Human King's group, it seems quite inferior—the scope isn't nearly as grand! Look at them, tangling with dozens of seventh- and eighth-rank Sovereigns!*
At this moment, Dao Chess's thoughts ran wild. On one hand, it admired the sheer madness and daring of the Human King and his companion; on the other, it thought that perhaps it was time to take refuge outside.
Yes, take refuge outside!
Over at Li Hao's side, with a seventh-rank world and joining forces with Li Hao and Kongji, there shouldn't be much danger. It should be fine.
If there was only one seventh-rank Sovereign, it could hold them off alone. But if there were two... that would be somewhat troublesome; fighting a seventh rank would still pose a considerable challenge for those two.
Chapter 534