Three days later, within the Thunder Domain.
Lightning flared across the firmament as the Thunder Emperor underwent his tribulation in midair.
The tribulation was not his own.
Over the past several days, however, he had also been undergoing a metamorphosis toward the eighth rank. Since his cultivation already focused on the power of lightning, this was the perfect opportunity to replenish the lightning energy within the realm. As for the power of destruction, he now possessed more than enough Great Dao energy to neutralize it.
Gradually, the lightning tribulation receded.
The Thunder Emperor landed, his aura subtly fluctuating. He let out a long breath, expelling the residual destructive energy from his body.
“Congratulations, Thunder Emperor!”
The Thunder Emperor looked up, a smile spreading across his face as he turned toward the gathered crowd. He chuckled and said, “I must thank the Silver Moon King for his generosity. Two seventh-rank worlds! Never in my life did I imagine such a day would come!”
Courtesy was mutual. Since the other party was so polite, he naturally reciprocated in kind.
Li Hao did not pursue the pleasantries further, instead tilting his head back to gaze at the sky. “This Thunder Domain truly lives up to its reputation. Any ordinary realm would have been torn to shreds within a few days of staying here. Only your Thunder Realm can hold its ground… No wonder there has been so little contact between the Four Directions Domain and the outside world.”
Over the past few days, lightning had converged repeatedly, even erupting once with eighth-rank bolts. Fortunately, the Thunder Emperor had formally broken through to the eighth rank and was fortified by the Thunder Realm’s home ground, allowing them to weather it at last.
Under such circumstances, hardly anyone would dare venture into the Thunder Domain while dragging an entire world behind them.
The Thunder Emperor nodded. “This is actually considered a calm period. Earlier, the chaos lightning tribulation siphoned away a great deal of the lightning power; otherwise, the tribulations here would be far more ferocious. At their peak, let alone eighth-rank experts, even ninth-rank Sovereigns might not be able to cross.”
He paused, then added, “There are also many chaos thunder pillars nearby. Those are the true crux of the Thunder Domain—far more terrifying, brimming with colossal quantities of destructive power. The entire architecture of the Thunder Domain arose from those pillars.”
“Chaos thunder pillars?”
“Indeed!”
Li Hao was somewhat surprised, as this was news to him. He nodded slightly.
The group was in high spirits, showing none of the anxiety typical of refugees taking shelter in the Thunder Domain. In fact, the stronger the lightning, the better; otherwise, the Dragon Lord would have stormed right in.
At this moment, Kongji’s cultivation had stabilized, and the Dao Chessboard was invigorated. Er Mao had set foot on solid ground this time, its four stubby little legs catching the curious attention of the Black Panther.
The two Dao Lords were also doing well. Though they had not yet broken into the seventh rank, they had advanced another step along the sixth-rank path.
The Black Panther was closing in on the sixth rank, though it still fell slightly short. This was primarily because too much world energy had dispersed, and the Thunder Realm’s advancement had consumed a considerable portion.
Yuan Shuo had seized the opportunity to cross into the fourth rank.
Now, Yuan Shuo, Lin Hongyu, and the Queen had all reached the fourth rank, while Southern Fist, Director Zhou, and several others were striding toward it.
Nearly everyone had made progress.
Not only that, but several new Sovereigns had emerged from the Silver Moon World. As the world reached the sixth rank, it opened up additional quotas, and now even members of the younger generation were advancing toward the Sovereign realm.
Overall, their collective strength had surged significantly.
Yet for Li Hao, his mountain of debts had hardly diminished.
Er Mao and Kongji were settled, but his debt to the Dao Chessboard had ballooned—he now owed an eighth-rank universe. His debt of a seventh-rank world to the Human King remained unpaid as well. He had previously thought he might acquire an extra seventh-rank world, but he had never expected to yield two entire worlds for the Thunder Master to devour.
The situation back then had been critical. Had the Dragon Lord not returned, once the Thunder Master broke into the eighth rank, Li Hao had intended to wipe out all the seventh-rank chaos beasts.
Alas, he had fallen one step short.
Otherwise, he would have gained six more worlds, and wealth would no longer have been an issue.
As for Li Hao himself, he remained at the sixth rank. A thousand worlds manifested around him; though no new domains had been added, these thousand worlds were now woven into a seamless whole, completely transformed compared to before.
As for that useless Sky Sword… despite devouring so many seventh-rank corpses, it had merely crept into the sixth rank. Li Hao was thoroughly disappointed.
The thing was simply hopeless.
With so many seventh-rank corpses—even if much of their Great Dao energy had dissipated—it could have at least advanced to a seventh-rank Sovereign weapon to prove its worth.
Instead, it was merely sixth-rank.
It was truly disheartening!
Li Hao set aside his grumbling, turning to the Thunder Master. “Thunder Emperor, how long does it take to cross the Thunder Domain?”
“Under normal circumstances, if one travels swiftly and encounters no major hazards, fifteen minutes at most. But once a crisis strikes, it is impossible to say—one might be trapped and slain by the Thunder Domain entirely!”
The Thunder Master continued, “Furthermore, that is only within the Thunder Domain itself. If you wish to exit, you must pass through several thunder pillars, which is exceedingly dangerous. Years ago, I attempted to leave and take the Thunder Realm with me. But the thunder pillars erupted, nearly obliterating the realm, so I had no choice but to abandon the attempt and return to the Four Directions Domain.”
The Thunder Master sighed with a touch of nostalgia.
Of course, that had been in the past.
Now, he had broken through to the eighth rank!
At this point, the Thunder Master could not resist asking, “Fellow Daoist Haoyue, have you condensed the Dao of Destruction?”
Li Hao nodded.
Puzzled, the Thunder Master said, “Truth be told, experts in my Thunder Realm have also attempted to condense the Dao of Destruction, yet their resistance against chaos lightning tribulations was nowhere near as formidable as imagined. Why did it seem as though you emerged entirely unscathed when facing the seventh-rank tribulation?”
This had perplexed him all along.
He acknowledged that Li Hao was powerful.
However… during the tribulation earlier, others might not have noticed, but Li Hao had constantly shouldered the brunt of the lightning giant. Er Mao had helped devour tribulations for everyone else, yet it had spared Li Hao entirely.
Yet the seventh-rank lightning tribulation had barely seemed to affect Li Hao at all.
Why?
Was it due to the power of destruction?
Surely not.
Li Hao smiled and explained, “It is not merely the power of destruction, but the power of tribulation itself. A chaos lightning tribulation consists of at least eight thousand daos—at the very least, in my estimation. As of now, I have only uncovered a portion of them, but that fraction is enough to allow me to absorb massive amounts of chaos tribulation energy.”
He elaborated, “As an eighth-rank Sovereign yourself, you ought to realize that chaos lightning tribulations do not consist solely of destruction and lightning!”
The Thunder Master froze. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded. “That is true. I considered that before, but… I cannot disentangle them. To me, there is only lightning and destruction…”
Li Hao nodded. “It is indeed difficult to separate. I cannot cleanly dissect them either.”
The Thunder Master looked confused. If you cannot separate them, how can you neutralize their power?
Li Hao sat down cross-legged on the ground, heedless of whether the dirt was clean. Seeing this, the surrounding crowd grew intrigued and sat down with him. The Thunder Master felt slightly awkward, but seeing that everyone else was seated while he alone remained standing, he quickly took a seat as well.
Li Hao explained, “Lately, I have been trying to capture the power of chaos lightning tribulations and unravel them through time. When the seventh-rank tribulation struck me earlier, you might not have noticed, but I deployed the Time Star. Time is the convergence of myriad daos!”
“I used time to deconstruct the tribulation to a certain degree. Though it was not exhaustive, it was sufficient. That is why the tribulation inflicted limited damage upon me—because I had already disassembled a portion of its tribulation power!”
Though Li Hao had not yet stepped outside, several thoughts had coalesced in his mind. He continued, “The Thunder Domain must have been established by a supreme expert, likely a ninth-rank Sovereign—perhaps the Master of Tianfang, or perhaps a Tribulation Dao Lord. The chaos lightning tribulations here might not be natural manifestations of chaotic order; they may have been artificially drawn down.”
“A Tribulation Dao Lord?”
The Thunder Emperor was taken aback. Who was that?
Li Hao explained, “Just a conjecture. I was wondering earlier why chaos lightning tribulations would perpetually congregate here. Then you mentioned that numerous thunder pillars exist here, spawning the tribulations. Therefore, I suspect the thunder pillars are actually Dao lattices!”
“What?”
The Thunder Master was bewildered, failing to grasp the concept.
The Dao Chessboard, however, stirred slightly. “You mean… the Thunder Domain is a Sovereign weapon akin to me, where each pillar represents a Great Dao, together forming the power of tribulation?”
Li Hao nodded. “I am merely deducing based on what the Thunder Master said. Why would chaos lightning tribulations endure ceaselessly in this place? It is impossible for beings defying chaotic order to exist here without end, right? That leaves two possibilities. First, this place can generate chaos lightning tribulations on its own, which would be the doing of those thunder pillars. A thunder pillar is effectively an individual Dao woven into a Dao net—one pillar, one Great Dao. The entire Thunder Domain must possess at least eight thousand thunder pillars!”
“Second, a peerless expert—perhaps someone walking the Dao of Time or the Dao of Duality—has been continuously unfurling their Dao domain to draw down the chaos lightning tribulations. But that is rather unlikely, because tribulations do not normally erupt here unless someone intrudes.”
Li Hao reasoned, “Thus, I conclude that this Thunder Domain is actually an enlightenment ground! An enlightenment ground for the Dao of Tribulation. In the past, the Four Directions Domain may have given rise to a Tribulation Dao Lord, or perhaps the Master of Tianfang also mastered the Dao of Tribulation and arranged this Thunder Domain here. Of course, eight thousand daos is merely my estimate; I suspect the actual count might exceed nine thousand. The Dao of Space encompasses nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine Great Daos, and I doubt this Dao of Tribulation falls far short of Space.”
The Thunder Master was profoundly shaken. “You mean… this Thunder Domain was created for people to comprehend chaos lightning tribulations, and every single thunder pillar is a strand in the web of a Dao domain?”
As an eighth-rank Sovereign—even a newly minted one—he possessed profound insight into the Great Dao. Without such comprehension, he could never have reached the eighth rank.
Yet his heart now surged with shock.
Looking at Li Hao, he felt a twinge of doubt. You have never even stepped out there—can a conclusion drawn like this truly be accurate?
Li Hao nodded. “Otherwise, a place like the Thunder Domain could never have formed out of thin air. What intrigues me even more now is why the Four Directions Domain had to be hemmed in. Was it because of the Master of Tianfang, or for some other reason?”
“Furthermore…”
Li Hao pondered for a moment before continuing, “The world of Tianfang is on the verge of revival. Could the Thunder Domain have been established to protect Tianfang? To prevent powerful entities from intruding, thereby giving rise to this domain? Otherwise, countless experts from the outer domains would have torn Tianfang apart long ago.”
There were many powerful figures in the Four Directions Domain, but the outer domains held far more.
If nothing else, two eighth-rank Sovereigns had arrived casually from the outer domains not long ago. They could not possibly represent the full extent of the outer domains’ might; ninth-rank Sovereigns might very well exist out there.
Why, then, had they not entered the Four Directions Domain?
It was likely tied to the Thunder Domain.
Li Hao gazed into the distance, adding, “I am inclined to go out and investigate. Lately, I have been cultivating the Tribulation Sword Dao, but at present, it can only be called a Destruction Sword Dao, not a true Tribulation Sword Dao. If my hypothesis holds true, then in the future, chaos lightning tribulations will hardly be able to harm me!”
He had grown thoroughly sick of being struck.
Bolts blasted him at every turn; it was utterly infuriating.
If he could comprehend the Dao of Tribulation, whenever lightning struck, he could simply absorb it directly, putting an end to the nuisance.
Getting struck by lightning every day was maddening.
The Thunder Master could not help but interject, “However, the Dragon Lord might lead his experts into the Thunder Domain at any moment…”
Should we not be planning our escape?
How do you still have the leisure to linger here?
He actually wanted to head out into the outer domains.
The Four Directions Domain had confined him for far too long; he was sick of it. He had lived a wretched existence here, but once outside, he would be a whole new man! No one would know his humiliating past; they would only see that he was an eighth-rank Sovereign!
He could finally be a figure of prestige.
In the Dragon Domain, he had been utterly humiliated, suppressed day in and day out.
Li Hao analyzed the situation calmly. “It will not happen that quickly. I am not intimately familiar with the Dragon Lord, but he is certainly an overlord who schemes before acting—a true hegemon. One can tell as much from the followers beneath him. At this stage, barring any surprises, he will first placate his subordinates. Even if he attacks… his first target will not be me, but the demon race!”
“The demon race?”
The Thunder Master blurted, “We killed so many of his subordinates, and the Fire Phoenix was even one of his Dao companions! You truly believe he will attack the demon race before us?”
“Without a doubt!”
Li Hao said decisively, “On our side, you devoured two great worlds and likely stepped into the eighth rank, which he surely realizes by now. As for me, I wielded time. With his strength, even if he did not deduce it before, he certainly knows now. Add to that Xinwu watching like a tiger stalking its prey… Though I do not know the exact state of Yunxiao and the other factions, they can no longer pose a major threat. That leaves us and Xinwu as his greatest hazards!”
“Naturally, he will eliminate the lesser threat first to bolster his own faction’s strength. The five demon worlds may boast eight seventh-rank Sovereigns, but frankly, once the Dragon Lord arrives, some of them might surrender on the spot.”
“Only the three experts of the Iron Eater Realm are resolved to resist to the end.”
“You could tell from when we pursued those chaos beasts earlier: several of them were reluctant to give chase and originally only meant to stall for time. They were forced into it by the Iron Eater Sovereign; otherwise, they might not have fought back at all.”
“Thus, the eight seventh-rank demon Sovereigns are actually the easiest faction to break.”
“If I were in his shoes, I would attack the demon race first as well!”
The Thunder Emperor thought it over and nodded. “That makes sense!”
He turned to Li Hao. “So your intention is… we go out and investigate first, and if we can gain insight into the chaos lightning tribulation, we then consider our way out?”
Li Hao nodded. “That is my plan. Of course, if the Thunder Master wishes to leave, or feels it is too perilous to linger here, you may take the Thunder Realm out first.”
“How could I do that!”
The Thunder Emperor promptly replied, “We are bound as one now… Besides, my breakthrough to the eighth rank was entirely thanks to your assistance. How could I abandon you and leave on my own?”
Li Hao smiled. “You are being too polite, Thunder Emperor. We each took what we needed, and you owe me nothing. This was merely a partnership where both sides benefited. I have always hoped that those who work with me reap rewards rather than walk away empty-handed.”
He paused, then added, “Naturally, if you stay, all the better. I am not particularly proficient in lightning, and lightning is one of the most vital components of the chaos lightning tribulation. With your assistance, it will be much easier for me to approach the thunder pillars and comprehend the power of the tribulation. Otherwise, it would be somewhat troublesome.”
“I will do whatever it takes!” the Thunder Master declared without hesitation. It was a minor matter.
Since Li Hao wanted to comprehend the tribulation power, he would naturally accompany him.
Yet in his heart, he could not help but sigh.
Running off to seek enlightenment at a critical juncture like this—he could not tell whether Li Hao was confident, arrogant, or if, in his eyes, pursuing the Dao was the sole necessity of cultivation, while killing enemies and seizing worlds were mere steps along the way.
Who could say for sure?
Li Hao then turned to the two Dao Lords. “The two of you should come with me as well…”
The two paused, slightly startled. “We are going too?”
Li Hao explained, “To tap into the potential of the Silver Moon Dao. Silver Moon is an alternation between the real and the illusory, yet neither path possesses a truly singular focus. In reality, there is a foundation—the real Dao is dominated by the sword, and the illusory Dao by emotions. However, their harmony and opposition are far less distinct than Yin and Yang…”
Li Hao pondered for a moment before adding, “Do you remember how, back when the power of the Red Moon invaded the Silver Moon Universe, it would inevitably provoke Dao lightning?”
The crowd nodded. Of course they remembered.
However… Qian Wuliang murmured, “Marquis, was that not the universe’s innate rejection of an external Dao that triggered the lightning?”
“Indeed. Regardless of rejection, does that not signify that the Dao of Lightning holds a crucial role within the Great Dao universe—within our Silver Moon Dao—acting as a form of chastisement? Yet why does our Silver Moon possess no formidable lightning cultivators?”
The Dao of Silver Moon was all-encompassing, incorporating every kind of Great Dao.
Yet hardly anyone cultivated the Dao of Lightning.
There had been one in the past—Ying Hongyue had cultivated lightning. But after Ying Hongyue was slain, virtually no one in all of Silver Moon practiced the Dao of Lightning.
Li Hao continued, “The Silver Moon Dao has always lagged behind Xinwu’s Yin and Yang. The Cang Emperor and the Human King can draw strength from one another or separate at will; fusing them is effortless, and untangling them is just as easy. But the two of you cannot merge as seamlessly as they do, nor can you stand apart as effectively.”
“The Silver Moon Dao currently lacks a core…”
Li Hao considered his words carefully. “The Black Panther previously inherited a portion of the Demon Suppressing Emissary’s abilities. The Demon Suppressing Emissary wielded lightning power as well, capable of unleashing devastating lightning from its single horn! I have an idea: completely fuse the world and the dual Daos, forming a structure where two Daos encircle the world! As for the Silver Moon World, I hope the Black Panther can cultivate the power of lightning tribulation, using it as a core to unify the dual-Dao universe into a trinity!”
“Qian Wuliang will oversee the spiritual world, Martial Uncle Hong will govern the elemental world, and the Black Panther will uphold order. A lightning tribulation is a manifestation of order; the power of tribulation does not bring disaster, but order!”
At that moment, the two men and the hound turned to Li Hao, falling into deep contemplation.
The Black Panther felt somewhat dazed. Was it supposed to switch paths?
Cultivate the Dao of Order?
Or rather… the Dao of Tribulation?
Yet it understood very little of it. It knew how to wield lightning, having inherited some bloodline power, and the Demon Suppressing Emissary of Xinwu had indeed excelled in lightning. But the Black Panther’s true specialty lay in water.
Having reached the peak of the fifth rank, on the verge of the sixth, was it really viable to switch Daos now?
Li Hao looked at the three of them and continued, “My intention is to weave Silver Moon into a complete, unified whole, paving a smoother path to the seventh rank! Otherwise, Silver Moon cannot simply devour a few worlds and expect to break through.”
“Ascending to a seventh-rank world is no easy feat for Silver Moon, but if we can grasp the Dao of Tribulation, there may be hope!”
“The reason I want the Black Panther to try now is because if the thunder pillars are as I suspect—similar to the Dao Chessboard—then starting from scratch and comprehending from zero will not be too late! Back then, I knew very little about various Great Daos, yet Senior Dao Chessboard offered me tremendous aid!”
Li Hao turned to the Dao Chessboard. “Additionally… since Senior is here, I have an audacious request. I hope Senior will permit the Sovereigns of Silver Moon to enter the Dao Chessboard for enlightenment! Whatever resources are consumed, I will cover them in full. Senior Dao Chessboard embodies the Great Dao insights left behind by a ninth-rank Sovereign. For everyone here, this is a monumental opportunity. Mastering a single Dao can make one powerful, but one must still dabble in other Daos. Only by knowing oneself and one’s enemy can your horizons broaden, allowing you to reach the fourth rank and seventh rank that much sooner!”
The Dao Chessboard hesitated, then spoke after a moment of thought. “In truth, not everyone is suited to enter and seek enlightenment… I worry…”
Biting off more than one could chew!
Li Hao nodded. “I understand. But I… have faith in the martial masters of Silver Moon!”
He looked toward the crowd. “I am merely allowing you all to broaden your horizons; it does not mean you must pursue the path of combining myriad daos! What suits you best is truly the best. However, expanding your knowledge and widening your vision does not conflict with that. So long as you do not lose yourselves entirely and obsess over fusing myriad daos to reach the ninth rank, I believe this will bring only benefits and no harm!”
The martial masters of Silver Moon exchanged glances. Soon, Southern Fist chuckled. “Don’t worry. Even if you shoved myriad daos down my throat, I wouldn’t bother cultivating them! Still, Qian Wuliang and Hong Yitang could certainly use the practice. I’ve noticed those two know far too little; the insights they provide us are meager, while we’re constantly feeding them ours… What a raw deal!”
“…”
The two Dao Lords were left speechless. To be fair, he wasn't wrong!
Their own insights were indeed limited, and they had continually been pushed forward by the collective momentum of the others. There was little they could do about it.
Just then, Li Hao spoke again. “Martial Uncle Hong’s Dao converges the wills of the myriad people. You can take a page from the Xinwu Supreme’s path! As for Qian Wuliang…”
He studied Qian Wuliang for a long time before speaking slowly. “If I were you… waiting around indefinitely will lead nowhere. You need not fear me so deeply. So long as you do not act out of turn, I rarely punish anyone. You could make use of the Divine Kingdom… Actually, the Divine Kingdom is not ideal. I think you might collaborate with the King of Dali.”
The King of Dali blinked, taken aback. What does this have to do with me?
Qian Wuliang’s eyes flickered slightly. “Does the Marquis mean that because the mortals under the King of Dali do not revere deities and possess complex minds, they are relatively clever, cunning, and full of schemes… and therefore, I should immerse myself among them to seek enlightenment?”
Li Hao nodded.
The mortals of the Divine Kingdom were comparatively pure-minded, whereas the people under the King of Dali were… well, their thoughts were intricate. Even after the Queen had relentlessly attempted to sway them, they had refused to place their faith in her, which proved just how complex they were.
As for the Dao of Emotion and the Dao of the Human Heart, Li Hao added, “I suggest that… so long as you are not afraid of splitting your psyche, you create several avatars to enter their midst, experiencing different lives, different roles, and different hearts. In your earlier days, your progress was swift because you rose from the very bottom and experienced the full spectrum of human existence. But by now, you have fallen behind…”
Qian Wuliang looked somewhat embarrassed. Li Hao continued, “This is not a reprimand. Everyone has progressed too quickly, which is entirely understandable! But you wish to walk the Dao of the Human Heart. If you do not immerse yourself deeply, how can you comprehend it? Qian Wuliang, I actually hold high hopes for you. I even believe your Dao may be the most extraordinary among everyone here—for the human heart is the hardest thing of all to master!”
“The Daos of others are simple, direct, and predictable. Even Space, Tribulation, and Time leave traces to follow. Only the human heart leaves no trace whatsoever!”
“The human heart encompasses far more than mere desire. Yet a single facet of it—the pure Dao of Desire—is sufficient to propel someone to the eighth rank. If you truly master the human heart, reaching the ninth rank is not out of the question. Though I am merely a sixth-rank Sovereign, I have witnessed countless Daos…”
“I originally thought that with Martial Uncle Hong being more pure-minded and you possessing more cunning and deeper Dao comprehension, you could spur Martial Uncle Hong forward and drive all of Silver Moon ahead… Yet so far, I have seen no sign of that.”
Qian Wuliang felt thoroughly sheepish. Li Hao continued, “You are far too wary of me… which serves no purpose. It is not as if I will interfere with your pursuit of enlightenment. So long as you do not slaughter indiscriminately, do as you see fit in your cultivation!”
Qian Wuliang took a deep breath. “Thank you for your guidance, Marquis!”
Li Hao nodded. “These are merely suggestions, not strict decrees. After all, what fits you best is truly the best. If you deem this viable, give it a try; if not, seek another method.”
“No, the Marquis is farsighted. I fully agree with your assessment!”
It was hard to tell whether Qian Wuliang was flattering him or being entirely earnest.
Yet there was genuine conviction in his tone. To perceive the human heart, manifest myriad avatars, blend into a complex world woven from thousands of realms, and experience diverse identities and roles…
Perhaps this truly was his opportunity.
The people of the Divine Kingdom were too simple and naive; there was little to learn from them. But the mortals ruled by the King of Dali were undoubtedly worth experiencing.
Why had the King of Dali failed to step into the Sovereign realm to this day?
Because he had not yet reconciled those mortals, nor had he earned their trust, their devotion, or their acceptance of him as their true sovereign.
The path the King of Dali walked was fraught with difficulty.
Had he chosen another road, he might have become a Sovereign long ago, but this path was arduous beyond measure!
Yet if he truly succeeded, advancing would be as effortless as drinking water—no slower than the Xinwu Supreme’s ascent, forging a path where the intricate will of the people converged into formidable power.
Furthermore, it was even more daunting than Xinwu’s circumstance. At least the people of Xinwu belonged to a single world and shared a baseline of mutual identity.
In contrast, the mortals under the King of Dali came from different worlds, speaking different tongues, bearing different customs, and raised in different civilizations. Aside from all being human, they shared virtually nothing in common.
Unifying such a disparate populace into a single entity made the King of Dali’s journey exceptionally difficult, yet Li Hao viewed it with great promise!
This path could not be rushed; it required a long, deliberate process.
Li Hao was even considering sealing the King of Dali inside, decoupling his time flow from the outside world, just like an isolated realm. By trading time, he could accelerate the fusion of the entire world!
This would hasten the integration process.
As for the martial cultivation of the mortals within, that was secondary. Unlike Silver Moon, which pursued raw power, the mortals of that world should pursue harmony and happiness, not military might.
Perhaps only after countless years, when the first generation had passed away, would subsequent generations gradually achieve true unity of heart.
With these thoughts in mind, Li Hao glanced at the King of Dali. Ever since Yuan Shuo broke through to the Sovereign realm and Silver Moon reached the sixth rank, nearly all the familiar veterans Li Hao knew had become Sovereigns.
That included his nominal junior sister Li Meng, junior brother Hu Hao, old friends like Hao Lianchuan and Wang Ming, and even Liu Long’s son, Liu Yin.
There were also the members of the former Demon Hunt Squad…
Even those who had surrendered, such as Empress Dowager Shuiyun, had achieved Sovereign status.
Only the King of Dali, that former kingly hegemon, remained at the Dao Integration Realm.
Back then, he and the Queen had been the only two half-step Sovereigns beneath Li Hao. Yet now, he was the sole half-step Sovereign left among the old guard!
Of course, that 'back then' was merely three or four years ago.
Yet to everyone else, it felt like a lifetime had passed!
Since the topic had arisen, Li Hao addressed him directly: “King of Dali, I intend to seal your Dali Realm. Qian Wuliang will enter alongside you to assist in unifying those mortals, forging a truly unified dynasty… Culture, script, habits, customs, weights and measures—these matters are painstakingly tedious and time-consuming. They cannot be resolved overnight; ten years or a century would be entirely normal.”
“Once the Dali Realm is sealed, I will not provide you with external energy this time. Thus, your realm might make no progress whatsoever, and the same goes for you… Are you willing?”
He looked at the King of Dali, then swept his gaze across the assembly. “I said long ago that I wish to roam the world independently, yet I also hope… that you will not be left merely staring at my retreating back as I depart alone. I want everyone to keep pace.”
“I know I walk too fast, but I will wait for you. Now, nearly everyone I know has stepped into the Sovereign realm and gained longevity. As for the King of Dali, I hope he can journey further as well… Is anyone else willing to enter with him and offer assistance?”
Jiang Li rose and bowed slightly. “I am willing to assist my king!”
Li Hao nodded.
Just then, Director Zhao spoke up: “I would like to try as well—to witness the unification of mortals from different worlds, cultures, and civilizations. I have governed administration for many years; having overseen Silver Moon through five centuries, I should be able to lend the King of Dali some aid.”
One after another, several Sovereigns voiced their agreement.
The King of Dali’s expression grew complex. “So you mean… I take a group of people into the wilderness, and if I fail to achieve complete unity… and cannot attain the Sovereign Dao, I… need never come out again?”
Li Hao looked at him steadily.
The King of Dali sighed, then nodded. “Understood!”
If I cannot even accomplish this, what point is there in stepping out?
Everyone around me has become a Sovereign while I remain stagnant. This was the path I chose; no matter how difficult, I must see it through to the end!
Li Hao added, “In fact, it is not just the King of Dali. I hope more of you will enter that world to contemplate different Daos—including life and death, including faith. Lingyue’s faith is too ethereal and ungrounded; it requires the tempering of time! Lin Hongyu’s Dao of Death also demands time to construct. What you lack right now is not energy, nor opportunity, nor insight… but time!”
“I will suppress the Dali Realm with the Time Star, turning it into a unique pocket realm—a pocket realm of time!”
“A moment outside will be a year within. Aside from being unable to draw in external energy, sealing an entire sixth-rank world so thoroughly is something even seventh- or eighth-rank Sovereigns would struggle to achieve. Yet right now, we possess precisely this opportunity!”
It truly was a rare chance. He continued, “Everyone has advanced so rapidly. While I rejoice inwardly, I harbor quiet misgivings—the span has simply been too short! Even Xinwu’s meteoric rise took a thousand years. For Silver Moon, it has been a mere three years!”
“Frenzied devouring, frenzied slaughter—the only thing lacking is the seasoning of elapsed years!”
As for himself, Li Hao lacked no such thing.
He had journeyed through Xinwu, witnessed Tianfang, crossed life and death, and traversed reincarnation. Surviving a hundred desperate battles, he might biologically be only in his twenties, but mentally… he had long surpassed that age.
Even the Human King, across a thousand years of existence, might not have experienced more than he had. The Human King was not old; he was still young and full of fiery passion. Li Hao was biologically younger, yet mentally, he was perhaps even older.
At the side, the Thunder Emperor listened in silence.
A profound tremor shook his heart.
He leaves no one behind!
This Silver Moon King was unwilling to abandon a single companion, determined to see them all grow alongside him. How monstrously difficult was that?
How many seventh-rank Sovereigns existed in this vast expanse?
Yet the Silver Moon King harbored hopes that every one of these people would reach the seventh or eighth rank—it sounded utterly preposterous!
And yet… when Li Hao arranged paths and Daos uniquely suited to each individual, giving them the chance to walk and explore… the Thunder Master felt envy, tinged with a hint of shame. He had never done anything like this; the Sovereigns of his Thunder Realm simply followed the Dao of Lightning!
By comparison… the Sovereigns under his command had it rather rough.
At this moment, the King of Dali drew a deep breath, stood, and said, “Since you are willing to help me, I will not stand on ceremony. I… shall enter the Dali Realm and continue breaking new ground! If… I still cannot attain the Sovereign realm, I will simply grow old and die within. As for the others, if they wish to leave, you can guide them out!”
Watching his acquaintances step onto their respective Sovereign paths while he alone remained stuck, he had felt profound anxiety. Now that such an opportunity lay before him, he would seize it!
Li Hao added, “I once buried a Human Sovereign Star within the River of the Great Dao. Now, I shall plant it into the Dali Realm. If you truly find yourself at an impasse, unable to take another step… you may try walking that path!”
The King of Dali knew of that artifact; it had been condensed by the Queen, instantly channeling the trust and devotion of hundreds of billions of mortals—a terrifyingly potent force.
He inhaled deeply and nodded.
Li Hao said no more. A realm materialized from Er Mao’s belly. Without further words, the King of Dali and several other Sovereigns stepped into it one after another. Li Hao retrieved the Star Gate forged by Xinwu in days of old, sealing the gateway to this world.
A sixth-rank world, even with its portal shut, would not simply vanish into an alternate spacetime. To accomplish that, it required the suppression of the Time Star, cloaking the entire realm so it could sink deep into the depths of chaos and engender a dislocation of time and space.
The Thunder Emperor watched this spectacle, utterly captivated.
The Dao Chessboard, Kongji, and the others watched in silence, filled with awe and emotion. This Time Star truly was a magnificent treasure!
Li Hao stared at the Time Star as well.
After a long silence, he suddenly murmured, “I have always planned before acting, waiting for the day when my comprehension is complete before attempting to understand and reconstruct time… Perhaps I should advance the schedule and burn my bridges!”
What did he mean by that?
The crowd could make no sense of it.
Only Li Hao understood: perhaps the time had come to shatter time itself. Not immediately, but soon—otherwise, he might never step into the seventh rank, or worse, become entirely reliant on time to achieve it!
By then, he might no longer possess the sheer audacity to shatter time!
Before attaining the seventh rank, he had to break time apart and recast a time that truly belonged to him—or even if not time, a Dao domain of his own. Only then could he hope to genuinely perfect his Dao!
The Dragon Lord’s emergence had made Li Hao realize something: the Time Star forged by the Emperor of Battle Heaven at the sixth rank was not flawless. An opponent could detect its flaws because Battle Heaven had been too weak at the sixth rank, leaving certain Daos within the Time Star feeble and frail.
As an outsider, Li Hao had no way to mend or nurture those flaws. If he continued walking this Dao of Time, a grave issue would arise: he might push the entire Time Star to the ninth rank, yet even at the ninth rank, Li Hao would never truly understand what time was!
He could guide others in their cultivation, but no one could guide him. He could rely only on himself.
As these thoughts drifted through his mind, he suddenly turned toward a certain direction. A moment later, Er Mao and the Thunder Emperor snapped their gazes toward the exact same spot. The Thunder Emperor grew tense, while a strange expression crossed Li Hao’s face.
Er Mao looked even more peculiar, muttering, “That fellow…”
The Blood Sovereign!
Indeed, Li Hao sensed it as well—it had to be the Blood Sovereign drawing near. Within the Silver Moon World, or rather within the Sky Sword, subtle fluctuations had stirred.
The two characters for 'Battle Heaven' had previously been absorbed by the Sky Sword.
Now, they seemed to resonate.
That Sovereign, hailed as the Human King’s guiding mentor in martial arts—rumored to be the very one who had introduced the Human King to the martial path—was a legend Li Hao had heard of countless times but never met in person. Li Hao had caught glimpses of him several times within Xinwu’s past, but had never met him face to face. Today, he might finally have the chance.
“Xinwu…”
Li Hao murmured. Xinwu was truly a wondrous place, and the most miraculous part was that the Human King, the Supreme, the Blood Sovereign, and the Sword Venerable likely all knew of the Time Star’s existence—yet not a single one of them had cultivated it!
At this moment, he wished dearly to meet the Blood Sovereign and ask a single question: Why did you not cultivate it?
You were hailed as the reincarnation of the Emperor of Battle Heaven—why were you unwilling to inherit it?
What a truly fascinating group of people.
Chapter 540