The Outer Chaos.
In a single day, the Gemini World in the East had fallen, Samsara World had suffered crippling blows, and Xiaochen World was gone. Xiaochen, a seventh-rank world, had once been a regional hegemon in its own right, yet now that it had vanished, nobody even spared it a glance.
Of course, Xiaochen World was somewhat special. Even though it was only seventh-rank, Sovereign Xiaochen had in truth governed a vassal world of Huntian World—an important piece planted deep in the East. Its destruction naturally stirred some waves.
Originally, in the contest for supremacy in the East, Samsara had stood an excellent chance. But now, with three of its eighth-rank sovereigns dead, it would be virtually impossible for them to ever claim dominion over the East.
Instead, Extreme Ice World, previously ranked second, had inexplicably become the foremost power in the East. Overseen by three eighth-rank powerhouses, its world lord, Extreme Ice Sovereign, commanded over five thousand Dao principles in sheer power, firmly establishing him as a peak eighth-rank sovereign.
Yet the East at this moment held little appetite for hegemony.
Panic gripped everyone's hearts!
Xinwu, Silver Moon, the Dragon Domain, Bright Light...
The powers hailing from the Four Regions were all viewed with profound wariness. In the eyes of the Outer Region experts, these newcomers were nothing short of bandits!
The Xinwu Human King continued his wanderings through the Outer Region.
Those who caught sight of his tracks were scared out of their wits. Worlds he passed by were filled with shock and dread. In this Outer Region, wherever the Human King went, he stirred up fresh waves of turmoil.
As for the area surrounding the Thunder Realm, no one dared cause trouble for the time being. Both Wushan and the Thunder Lord had revealed eighth-rank strength; ordinary worlds had no desire to court death.
...
Inside the Thunder Realm.
At this moment, the Thunder Lord had quite a headache.
The Thunder Realm was vast, and having devoured an eighth-rank sovereign, it had truly stepped into the eighth rank. Such a world was extremely difficult to compress or haul away. Consequently... having a world anchored here made for far too conspicuous a target.
Meanwhile, Li Hao's aim and intention this time was clearly to remain concealed—to let the Human King and his peers draw the spotlight while they operated in the shadows, quietly building their strength. In light of that, the Thunder Realm's presence had become an awkward burden.
Devour it?
Then what of the living beings within the Thunder Realm?
What of its sovereigns?
Turn them all into wandering rogue cultivators?
To plummet from an eighth-rank world to wandering cultivators right after breaking through—he feared they would not be able to bear the shock.
The Thunder Lord was troubled, and Realm Lord Senlan was just as vexed.
When they left the Four Regions, the Four Regions had been thrown into chaos. Yet barely days after emerging... the Outer Region was in upheaval as well. Realm Lord Senlan now understood completely: it wasn't any specific region that was inherently restless, but rather, wherever people like Li Hao and the Human King went, turmoil was inevitable.
The dilemma weighing on the Thunder Lord was something he, too, had to confront.
Unlike Wushan and the others, both he and the Thunder Emperor were tied to their worlds.
Were they to abandon their worlds just to stick with Li Hao?
Relocate all their inhabitants into Sovereign Lingyue's Divine Kingdom?
Or move them into the Dali Realm?
Or perhaps house them temporarily within the Silver Moon World?
No matter the option, both world lords found it unpalatable. They felt they would be letting down their people. Wherever they went, they would be living under someone else's roof. What was more, civilization would stall, order would crumble, and from then on, their people would be rootless wanderers without a homeland.
Yes, a homeland.
In the chaos, that concept was rather faint, but every world bred its own people. As long as their native world existed, their foundation remained. But once it was gone, they would truly be without a home.
The Human King still had Xinwu; Li Hao still had Silver Moon. That was their backing and assurance.
Abandon it?
Though both high-rank sovereigns were decisive figures, they hesitated now. It was an agonizing choice.
...
Samsara.
Just as Li Hao's side was caught in this dilemma, over in Samsara World...
This sudden turn of events had dealt Samsara an unbearable, irreparable blow. It had cost them their chance at Eastern hegemony; worse, it might well become the spark that triggered Samsara's complete destruction!
At this moment, Samsara Sovereign wore a profoundly grim expression.
The Human King and his allies were all still alive.
The trouble would not necessarily end here.
The East had lacked a hegemon for years and had never been unified. Of the sixteen eighth-rank great worlds, only fifteen remained now. Even with Samsara severely wounded and many worlds sensing trouble ahead, none had any genuine desire to join forces.
Everyone told themselves that the attackers might not target them—after all, they had struck Samsara and Gemini because of preexisting vendettas.
Yet was having no vendettas truly enough?
"With the great tides shifting... the East remains this fragmented. Sooner or later, it will be completely devoured by others... And those outsiders will never rest content or resign themselves to being suppressed by Huntian and the rest..."
Samsara Sovereign looked at the group of seventh-rank sovereigns before him. Quite a few seventh ranks still remained.
Moreover, though the death of three eighth ranks had destabilized their Dao power, making it difficult to produce an eighth rank in the short term, given enough time, Samsara World was powerful enough that it would very likely give birth to eighth-rank sovereigns again.
Perhaps even more than one.
Yet... could he afford to wait that long?
"Fusheng and the others have fallen..."
Samsara Sovereign spoke with heavy gravity. "Long Zhan's strength is formidable, and that Xinwu Human King was able to kill Fusheng and the rest; his battle prowess is not to be underestimated either. While he might not match me, the gap isn't very large... And so far as I know, these people are all remarkably young! That new King of Silver Moon, Li Hao, is horrifyingly young. Earlier, he arrived at Gemini in an instant and obliterated seventh ranks. Such methods... are extraordinary!"
Below, several seventh-rank sovereigns looked solemn, though they did not quite grasp what Samsara Sovereign was driving at.
After a brief silence, Samsara Sovereign continued, "The position of Eastern hegemon is likely out of reach. In fact, our Samsara World faces the peril of destruction! Meanwhile, Extreme Ice and the others are indecisive. While taking action earlier carried risks, the fact that they didn't make the slightest move shows... when real crisis strikes, those fellows will likely lose their heads..."
Extreme Ice and the other worlds hadn't intervened this time, which seemed fine on the surface since they suffered no losses.
Yet if they acted like this once, they would act like this every time. The eighth-rank worlds of the East would never have what it took to claim hegemony.
"Now, a single tree cannot make a forest..."
Samsara Sovereign went quiet for a moment, then spoke slowly: "I am inclined to ally with Huntian of the West... or even... submit to him!"
Everyone was shocked!
Yet Samsara Sovereign regained his composure. As the foremost powerhouse of the East, he was not so easily plunged into despair. But this sudden crisis had made him feel the threat of total annihilation.
The fall of three eighth ranks and the sheer incompetence of the other eighth-rank sovereigns in the East had shown him one thing: the East was no longer peaceful, nor was it safe.
Within the Four Regions, Long Zhan was also stirring. His attack this time had not necessarily been to assist the Human King and the others, but rather... to weaken the strength of the East.
Unfortunately, the fools in the East only looked out for their own doorsteps.
In the prior battle, not a single eighth rank had joined the fray, not even a single seventh rank; they had all merely looked on.
Samsara Sovereign said in a low voice, "Of course, as the price, I will require Huntian World to provide a vast quantity of resources and the power of life and death, so that I may leverage Samsara and see if Fusheng and the others can be revived!"
"We will let Samsara become Huntian's proxy in the East... Though Huntian will pay a steep price, from then on, he will have his deepest roots planted in the East! We can also keep the dragons from breaking out of the Four Regions..."
The seventh-rank sovereigns exchanged glances, and one asked in a whisper, "World Lord, can Fusheng and the others... still be... revived?"
Samsara Sovereign replied gravely, "I command Samsara, an emperor of life and death! Though the three are dead, their Great Daos severed and their stars shattered, their foundation remains... So long as Samsara World stands unvanquished, they have a sliver of hope! Everyone now believes our Samsara has suffered a devastating blow. If we can revive them right now, our Samsara... still has a chance!"
He looked toward the west, where three powers contested for supremacy.
Huntian, Chunqiu, and Wuxing were all vying across their regions. If the west sought to unify the chaos, the East would likely be their final territory. Thus, the foremost problem Huntian faced was a pincer attack from the North and South!
Yet if Huntian had his own men, his own allies in the East... he would stand a much better chance.
Would Huntian agree?
Most likely.
Furthermore, over the years, Huntian had let Sovereign Xiaochen remain active in the East, wooing various parties. Perhaps... other eighth-rank worlds had already cast their lots with him, and certainly not a few seventh-rank worlds.
If these forces could be unified, they might surpass what came before.
It was just that he, too, would have to pay a price.
With a myriad of thoughts swirling in his mind, Samsara Sovereign could hardly say whether he felt regret or something else. Looking back at the crowd, he said quietly, "Fellow Daoists, do you have any objections?"
Hearing this, everyone knew his mind was made up.
Some felt dejected and sighed, "Our Samsara World has dominated the East for so many years, and now..."
He could not finish his sentence.
Samsara Sovereign maintained a steady mindset, replying calmly, "Things have come to this; sighing serves no purpose. We can only save ourselves!"
Looking remarkably composed, he turned toward the west once more. After a brief silence, he added, "Regardless, Samsara still exists! If Huntian wishes to unify heaven and earth, he will likely need my assistance... Our Samsara still has a chance!"
Saying that, he suddenly waved his hand. A figure appeared before them—another sovereign, and an internal sovereign of Samsara World at that. At this moment, that person's face went deathly pale.
Appearing suddenly before a host of top-tier sovereigns filled him with dread.
Samsara Sovereign said nothing to him. He had long been aware of Huntian's spies and covert methods, having simply never bothered to act. Now, reaching out a hand, he made the man's aura boil, causing ripples to emanate from his body.
They began rippling out into the void.
No one knew how much time passed before an extraordinarily faint ripple emerged from an unknowable distance.
After a long silence, the ripple trembled slightly.
"Samsara?"
Samsara Sovereign sighed with emotion, then nodded after a pause. "It is I. Greetings, Fellow Daoist Huntian!"
The ripple paused for a moment.
After a long while, it vibrated again: "Fellow Daoist Samsara, you seek me for something?"
"You should already know of the changes in the East." Samsara did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point: "The experts of the Four Regions have emerged from the Thunder Domain, throwing the East into turmoil. To you, that might seem a good thing... but it may not truly be so! The situation in the East is complex. Within the Four Regions lie two secret realms—the Thunder Domain and the Tianfang World. They might even draw forth ninth-rank sovereigns!"
"Samsara World is willing to enter into an alliance with you. What I require is to revive three eighth-rank sovereigns and four seventh-rank sovereigns. I will need the corpses of multiple high-rank sovereigns, along with a vast sum of Great Dao crystals and world sources!"
"In return, Samsara can anchor the East and, at a crucial juncture, strike the flanks of the Northern and Southern lords alongside you!"
The faint ripple seemed to sink into contemplation.
After a long pause, a voice asked, "How much do you need?"
"Three eighth-rank corpses, four seventh-rank corpses. For world sources, I require three from high-rank worlds, and as many as possible from medium worlds! As for Great Dao crystals, one hundred billion!"
Huntian Sovereign seemed to be pondering, weighing the pros and cons.
After a long while, the ripples vibrated: "Eighth-rank corpses... I don't have that many..."
The demand wasn't excessively high, but it wasn't low either.
Seven corpses of high-rank sovereigns—seventh ranks were manageable, but as far as anyone knew, Huntian Sovereign had only killed a single eighth rank...
Yet Samsara Sovereign remained calm. "You should have them, Fellow Daoist!"
Had only one eighth rank truly died? In the West, there were many eighth-rank worlds—even more than in the East. Yet lately there had been little commotion there; everyone only knew that Huntian had ambushed and slain one eighth rank, with no major moves afterward.
Was that really the case?
"Fellow Daoist Samsara... you truly are..." Huntian Sovereign chuckled, and after a moment, his voice vibrated: "Very well, I can provide them to you. If you have any other requests, feel free to state them together."
"I need command over all of Huntian's forces in the East—they must obey my orders! We shall encircle Xinwu, Silver Moon, Bright Light, and the others, wiping them out, forcing them back into the Four Regions, or driving them out of the East and into the North and South..."
To Huntian Sovereign, this was actually favorable. He had already received word of what happened in the East.
After brief consideration, he quickly replied, "Agreed! If needed, I can even provide some reinforcement from my side... Soon, I will arrange for someone to deliver the items you require."
He made no mention of any Great Dao Covenant.
Seeing how readily he agreed, Samsara Sovereign brought it up himself: "And the Great Dao Covenant..."
"There is no need for a Great Dao Covenant. The chaos lightning tribulation... is not necessarily naturally born; it may have ties to the Lord of the Thunder Domain. Signing such a covenant is handing one's safety entirely over to another... and the other party might even become privy to the terms! If you don't mind, Fellow Daoist, you may sign a Huntian Covenant with me..."
Samsara Sovereign's heart stirred slightly.
A Great Dao Covenant was overseen by the chaos lightning tribulation. The chaos lightning tribulation permeated everywhere—wherever chaos existed, the lightning tribulation existed. It wasn't something where signing with anyone produced the exact same effect.
A Huntian Covenant?
Unless Huntian World could span the entire chaos, any place beyond its reach would render such an agreement meaningless.
Either Huntian Sovereign was confident he could eventually reach the East, or... at this very moment, he was already infiltrating various parts of the chaos.
Countless thoughts flashed through Samsara Sovereign's mind, yet he quickly agreed.
Huntian Sovereign then asked, "The one who fought you earlier was Long Zhan of the Dragon Clan?"
"It was him."
"What do you think of him, Fellow Daoist?"
"Formidable. He has condensed a Dao domain and possesses a little over six thousand Dao principles, but his physical body is inherently terrifying—nearing the power of seven thousand Dao principles!"
Huntian Sovereign remained silent for a moment before his voice vibrated again: "Fearsome! And... how is that Xinwu Human King, Fang Ping?"
"His blade cleaved Fusheng. It is hard to judge precisely, but he likely possesses the power of five thousand Dao principles as well."
"The Four Regions truly produce nothing but monstrosities!" Huntian Sovereign remarked with a sigh, then asked, "And what of the Thunder Emperor?"
"Not particularly strong. It was only by stroke of luck that he killed our world's wounded Mingsu. In my judgment, he has merely entered the eighth rank—a little over two thousand Dao principles' worth of power..."
Huntian Sovereign said nothing more about that. Such an eighth rank was unremarkable, nothing out of the ordinary.
At their level, assessing strength differed from ordinary standards. When everyone was an eighth rank, the simple label of "eighth rank" could hardly capture the vast disparities among experts. Hegemons across the regions each possessed their own assessment framework, and they were all largely similar.
"I hear that a derivative world of Xinwu, the Silver Moon World, also took part and killed Diyang. How is this person?"
"Decent... At the final moment, he stepped into the seventh rank, wielding some power of the chaos lightning tribulation... His Dao principle power is close to two thousand, bordering on a weak eighth rank, but probably not quite there yet..."
Samsara Sovereign answered, giving his assessment.
As the foremost expert in the East, his appraisal was quite accurate.
However, Samsara Sovereign added, "Still, I suspect that he... is skilled in some unusual Dao, giving off an impression somewhat like Chunqiu's Dao in the South."
"Something akin to Time?"
"Indeed."
"Now that is interesting!" Huntian Sovereign seemed to chuckle, or perhaps ponder, before saying after a long pause: "If you can capture him, it is best to take him alive! In recent years, Chunqiu has advanced rapidly, which is closely tied to his Dao principles. And so far as I know... what was needed back then might well have been a Dao Lord of Time... Moreover, Time might be able to bring back those who departed. In short, it is profoundly complex and troublesome!"
As the premier expert of the East, Samsara Sovereign was also privy to certain secrets. Seizing this rare opportunity to converse with the Western hegemon, he could not help asking, "Those Dao Lords who departed back then... are they still alive?"
"A portion of them are..." Huntian Sovereign did not conceal it, but neither did he elaborate, stating simply: "However, extricating themselves is no simple matter. Most are mired in absolute peril. Therefore, if you and I cannot step into the ninth rank—if one cannot reach the ninth rank in this era... a true ninth rank—it will be difficult to remain carefree in the chaos!"
"Whether it is your Life and Death, or Wuxing, or any other... to reach the ninth rank, one might have to shatter certain things. Do you understand?"
Samsara Sovereign fell silent for a moment, then nodded slightly. "I understand. You mean... certain individuals have become obstacles in our path?"
"More or less!" Huntian said a few more words before concluding: "They may all be waiting—waiting for a cultivator who can truly wield Time... to reverse heaven and earth, invert yin and yang... I do not know the details; I merely sensed certain concepts from the chaos, which may not be entirely accurate! Whether it is Chunqiu or this Silver Moon King, Li Hao, they might be the one being awaited, or they might not... None of that matters. What matters is that I, too, wish to see what Time truly is."
"I will do my best! Right now, they believe Samsara has been severely crippled. Once Fusheng and the others are revived in secret, if those outsiders grow ambitious, we might catch them completely off guard!"
"Good!"
...
The two hegemons conversed further, and soon the ripples faded.
Samsara Sovereign took a deep breath and fell silent. He merely gazed into the distance, casting a final glance toward the Four Regions.
*Long Zhan, do you also wish to claim a share of the spoils?*
*Even if I submit to Huntian of the West, I will never let you have your way! You drove out Xinwu and Silver Moon, siccing wolves on tigers and letting them sow chaos in all directions—a pretty daydream indeed!*
...
On this day, unbeknownst to outsiders—before anyone could even conceive of the possibility—Samsara Sovereign, this formidable hegemon, suffered a single defeat and immediately struck a deal with Huntian of the West.
No one would have believed he would compromise so easily. After all, Samsara had long been the foremost world in the East.
...
And on this very same day.
In the Thunder Realm.
The Thunder Lord finally came to a decision. Looking at Li Hao, he let out a breath and voiced his thoughts: "Fellow Daoist Li, you wish to establish a pseudo-chaos universe. I would like to reserve a world in advance to serve as the future home of my Thunder Realm..."
"Cultivating the Dao, reaching our level, we have already separated ourselves from mortal beings. Yet our very existence has interfered with the development of the entire world and the future of our entire race..."
"To us, the meaning of a world's existence right now is to converge myriad Daos and step into the ninth rank! In reality, there is almost no hope of that. That is why there are plenty of eighth ranks across the chaos, but when it comes to the ninth rank, Huntian is the only one rumored to have reached it."
"I wish for young friend Kongji to seal all living beings of my Thunder Realm in nirvanic silence! I do not want them entering the Divine Kingdom; I only hope that when they awaken once more, the world they see will still be the Thunder Realm!"
The Thunder Lord had made up his mind, continuing, "The existence of our world has now become a shackle for us! The Thunder Realm and its Great Dao Universe have both stepped into the eighth rank... I will devour a portion of them, and the remainder, I wish to merge into one of the worlds within your Great Dao River... a Second Thunder Realm! To serve as the living domain for the people of my Thunder Realm in the future!"
A portion, he would absorb.
The other portion would merge directly into Li Hao's Thunder Realm, and that world, he would leave to the living beings of the Thunder Realm in the future.
Li Hao looked at him and said after a long silence, "Senior Thunder Emperor, there might be no need for this..."
"No!" the Thunder Emperor said solemnly. "The chaos has fallen into turmoil. It wasn't caused by you; rather... a million years of peace, coupled with the birth of a ninth rank, has made this an inevitability! In times of upheaval, none can transcend, and none can escape this great tribulation! Amidst a calamity befalling myriad worlds, could my Thunder Realm possibly remain aloof and unscathed?"
"In that case, it is better to... enter nirvanic silence first! If the duration is brief, perhaps hardly anyone will die before peace returns. If the duration is too long and the seal cannot be lifted for ages, then they will simply... perish in silence!"
Nirvanic silence could halt all activity, but Time alone would not stop; it would continue to flow.
Lifespan would still be consumed normally, merely at a slower pace.
Ten or eight years was nothing; a century might not matter either. But a millennium, ten millennia... those sealed in silence would likely have few survivors left.
Beside him, Realm Lord Senlan let out a sigh as well: "My Senlan Realm will follow suit! In the current climate, carrying a world makes for far too big and conspicuous a target!"
Li Hao nodded. That was indeed true.
Moreover, these were seventh- and eighth-rank great worlds; almost nobody could move them. Worlds like Silver Moon and Dali, on the other hand, were currently only sixth-rank and not considered high-rank worlds, so Er Mao and Black Panther could still carry them along.
Yet once Silver Moon broke into the seventh rank... Black Panther would no longer be able to haul it. In the end, it might also have to be kept within the pseudo-chaos and handled in the same manner.
"If both seniors have thought it through... I have no objection," Li Hao said. "It is just that advancing your worlds was no easy feat... it is a pity."
He felt some regret as well. Unless the two chose not to travel with him—yet both their worlds were now exposed; staying behind here would be far more dangerous.
The Thunder Lord smiled. "Things have already reached this point. Besides, it is far better than having our world destroyed. Had you not assisted us before, let alone reaching the eighth rank, the Thunder Realm would have been wiped out long ago!"
Realm Lord Senlan nodded as well.
His Senlan World was in the same predicament as the Thunder Realm. Had Li Hao and the others not intervened, the world would have been fused into Red Moon long ago. Since that was the case... this might turn out to be a better outcome.
By actively absorbing the Great Dao Universe and world power, they could bolster their own strength, while the rest would be merged into their chosen domains to strengthen them. That way, if they established a foothold here in the future, they would hold an advantage.
Li Hao did not dwell on it, soon nodding. "Then without further ado... this time, we can leave an empty shell behind for both worlds to serve as a disguise for a while. After sealing the worlds in nirvanic silence, we will absorb the Great Dao Universe and world power, leaving the outer husks right here. Under normal circumstances, outsiders won't dare investigate!"
"By the time someone launches an all-out assault and discovers it's just an empty shell, we will be long gone!"
In the East, though everyone had reaped benefits this time and slain numerous experts, it hardly meant the East was safe or that they were invincible. How could that be?
If the Thunder Realm remained here, it would inevitably be attacked and breached sooner or later. They might as well take advantage of the fact that the Eastern worlds had not yet reached a consensus to slip away first.
At this moment, Sovereign Wushan chuckled. "That's quite fine. Being a rogue cultivator has its merits! A world is good, but the restrictions it imposes are just as great. If we can find a secure place to open a pseudo-chaos, place the living beings of each world inside, and then seal off that chaos... it would be all the safer!"
Li Hao nodded. That was true.
However, such an endeavor could not be accomplished overnight.
"Then let us begin! Without delay—once the various factions react, the trouble will not be small."
"Alright!"
The group quickly sprang into action. Kongji was tasked with plunging both worlds into nirvanic silence, while the Thunder Emperor and Realm Lord Senlan began extracting Great Dao power while ensuring the outer shells remained outwardly intact.
Wushan and the others also pitched in to help.
Currently, Dali was sealed and Silver Moon was in the midst of internal cultivation; neither had stepped into the seventh rank. For now, Er Mao and Black Panther could still carry them, while those sealed in silence were temporarily moved into the Divine Kingdom.
Both the Thunder Emperor and Realm Lord Senlan felt deep reluctance.
Yet in times like these, this was perhaps the only way to secure a better chance of survival for the living beings of their two worlds.
...
Days passed, one after another.
Within Li Hao's Great Dao River, two worlds grew substantially stronger: the first was the Thunder Realm, and the second was the Senlan Realm. These were the domains chosen by the two world lords, one dominated by thunder power and the other by myriad-forest power.
Presently, among Li Hao's thousand worlds, the Dao of Tribulation was the strongest, having stepped into the seventh rank, while the Daos of his other domains were not particularly potent. But as the Thunder Emperor and Senlan Sovereign infused vast quantities of Great Dao power into their respective worlds, those two domains grew significantly stronger as well.
As for Li Hao himself, he spent these days primarily opening new worlds.
He opened small worlds and filled them with energy to continually empower them. To Li Hao, the power of a thousand worlds was already formidable, yet compared to the likes of Samsara, he was still far off.
Using domains as Dao principles was indeed stronger than the Dao principles of eighth-rank sovereigns under equal conditions, but... even at maximum stretch, the power of a thousand worlds could not double; it fell short of two thousand Dao principles.
Such strength still lagged behind an eighth rank, even a weak one.
Having broken into the seventh rank, Li Hao's strength had grown, but the increase had its limits. He had not yet reached the Human King's prior level, where he could truly suppress eighth ranks while still in the seventh rank.
Of course, Li Hao had only just made the breakthrough, and only in a single Dao at that. Falling short of the Human King was only natural. Yet in time, once he strengthened his thousand worlds—or even reached two thousand—things might be different.
...
At the same time.
Various factions were making their moves.
Within the Four Regions.
Inside the Tianfang World, the Dragon Lord was contemplating something, not venturing out again.
Beside him, the Lord of Red Moon seemed almost like a bodyguard, watching and observing nearby. While nominally acting as protection, he was in truth merely idling about; he had no idea what the Dragon Lord was studying or watching.
The Dragon Lord's clash with Samsara Sovereign had shaken him deeply. That fellow was truly terrifyingly strong.
As he pondered, numerous stars suddenly materialized before the Dragon Lord.
The Lord of Red Moon paused. Most of these stars gleamed with light, though a portion remained unawakened. These were... the stars brought out from the Tianfang Universe earlier.
Many had been distributed to seventh-rank sovereigns, yet the Dragon Lord had gathered quite a few back.
Was this fellow planning to enter the Tianfang Universe?
As he was wondering, the Dragon Lord suddenly spoke: "Tell me, if the Lord of Tianfang and the others are still alive, yet have delayed their return for so long, is it because they cannot return, or... because they have yet to achieve their objective, and thus remain lingering somewhere, unwilling to return?"
Red Moon Sovereign frowned slightly. "That..."
"Red Moon!" The Dragon Lord turned his head toward him and smiled. "You are an intelligent man. Fools died long ago!"
Red Moon Sovereign was speechless.
After a long pause, he said, "Perhaps they cannot return? Or perhaps returning would trigger some massive catastrophe? Back then, more than one ninth rank seemed to have departed. With so many supreme experts, they had virtually no rivals in the chaos. Since they were already invincible... could someone have slain them?"
The Dragon Lord nodded. "Then under what circumstances do you think all these ninth ranks would be unable to return?"
The Lord of Red Moon shook his head. "I do not know."
The Dragon Lord chuckled. "Either it is tied to the chaos itself, or to what lies beyond the ninth rank, or... internal strife? A clash between order and disorder? You are right; who could possibly know?"
Saying this, he looked at Red Moon. "Your Red Moon harbors deep blood feuds with both Xinwu and Silver Moon. Your Dao of Desire should, by rights, be immensely powerful, yet I feel no such greatness from you..."
The Lord of Red Moon remained silent. Was this a taunt?
The Dragon Lord quickly added, "The mortal heart is complex, and the heart of a cultivator is equally intricate. Everyone possesses desires; they permeate every corner. A Dao this potent has no reason to be so feeble!"
"Desire to grow stronger, desire to stay alive—everything is desire..."
"Red Moon!" The Dragon Lord looked at him once more. "How about I lend you a hand, and you lend me one in return?"
The Lord of Red Moon grew wary. "Dragon Lord... how do you want me to help you?"
The Dragon Lord took a deep breath. "Tianfang's revival requires vast reserves of Great Dao power, numerous components, and countless conditions... Devouring and cultivating through the desires of the weak is agonizingly slow. But what about the strong? What about a multitude of experts, or even... the desires of a ninth-rank powerhouse?"
He looked at the Lord of Red Moon. "Tell me, does the Lord of Tianfang desire the Tianfang Universe's revival or not? Either way, does he possess desire? Undoubtedly so... If so, what if I stimulate his desire, you devour the power of desire within it, and I absorb the power of Tianfang?"
The Lord of Red Moon's expression changed.
He understood.
This fellow suspected that the Lord of Tianfang was still alive, yet he was still scheming after the Tianfang Universe! He was no longer simply trying to inherit it; rather, he wanted to... lure the Lord of Tianfang into channeling a portion of his Great Dao power across for him to comprehend and cultivate, while his own role was to devour a portion of that desire.
As thoughts swirled in the Lord of Red Moon's mind, the Dragon Lord said softly, "Both Fang Ping and Li Hao are advancing at frightening speed. This time, Fang Ping killed Fusheng, and Li Hao killed Diyang... Red Moon, can you kill an eighth rank?"
The Lord of Red Moon fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.
It was difficult.
Or rather, nearly impossible.
Having lost his Great Dao Universe and his world, he had not managed to extract much power. Currently, he was barely maintaining eighth-rank strength. Slaying an eighth rank was far too difficult for him. It was already a blessing that he hadn't been killed by someone else.
"If you lack the confidence, they will kill you sooner or later!" The Dragon Lord smiled. "Are you unwilling to take a gamble?"
The Lord of Red Moon exhaled slowly. "It is far too dangerous. What you're proposing..."
This wasn't simply inheriting or comprehending; he wanted to forcibly devour, even actively baiting the other party to emerge! That was the Lord of Tianfang—even among ninth ranks, he must have been at the very peak.
Did he truly have no fear of death?
"It is precisely because it is dangerous that the rewards will be great. If you are always terrified of death, how will you ever gain anything? Li Hao, Fang Ping, and their lot take risks every single time, and their harvests are always massive... Are you... sure you don't want to try?"
Torn with hesitation, the Lord of Red Moon finally said, "And if... if the other party is trapped and ignores it... or worse, can return and descends directly..."
"Then we die!" the Dragon Lord said with absolute calm. "Evidently, we cannot match a true ninth rank, so death would be the only outcome! However, whether it is the Thunder Domain or Tianfang, they have existed here for a million years without anyone descending. Could it be that someone will descend this time? If our luck is truly that 'good,' then we simply wait for death!"
He smiled again. "Compared to the immediate crisis before us, don't you think worrying about that is looking a bit too far ahead?"
"So I... only devour the power of desire transmitted by the other party?"
"No... or perhaps you could put it that way, or call it an obsessive desire for revival. In short... in my eyes, whether the other party seeks revival or seeps power across, they have an objective and a desire, and you can consume it all!"
"If you don't make progress soon, with mere entry-level eighth-rank strength and less than three thousand Dao principles of power... in this chaos where eighth ranks run rampant, you have fallen completely behind!"
Hearing this, the Lord of Red Moon hesitated no longer and nodded. "I... can give it a try!"
"Very good." The Dragon Lord smiled. "There is no rush; you can prepare first and await the opportunity! Without absolute strength, stepping out of the Thunder Domain might spell our annihilation. For now, this is an opportunity—a rare moment of tranquility. Li Hao and his group out there have bought us time to develop."
The Lord of Red Moon was silent.
Had they?
Perhaps.
...
Time continued to flow.
During these days, the Xinwu Human King had not been idle either, wandering in all directions and filling countless powerhouses with dread.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Region, some eighth-rank worlds began to form an alliance.
Their progress was still slow.
Yet with a shared threat looming, those who once would never have joined hands were rapidly moving toward unity.
The vanishing of the Xinwu World was seen by many as a substantial menace.
Furthermore, the presence of the Thunder Realm left many experts uneasy; it was simply too close to them.
At the same time, Samsara had sealed its world and refused to emerge, seemingly still mired in the agony of losing three eighth-rank powerhouses. Consequently, under the leadership of Extreme Ice World, the various Eastern worlds took the initiative to unite, shutting Samsara out.
They discussed matters for many days.
In the end, a decision was reached.
Within an immaculate white palace in Extreme Ice World, the Extreme Ice World Lord considered the matter repeatedly before finally speaking: "Those who emerged from the Four Regions pose a tremendous threat. At present, the Xinwu Human King acts alone, yet his combat strength is exceptionally terrifying, and Xinwu's whereabouts are erratic, making it impossible to pin down... The Thunder Realm, however, sits right before our eyes!"
"We must eradicate the Thunder Realm first, pull this thorn from our side, and restore peace to the East..."
After days of debate, they had decided: eliminate the Thunder Realm first! Otherwise, having an eighth-rank world stationed right there was far too problematic.
"The Silver Moon faction may have returned to the Thunder Realm as well, but their strength falls short of Xinwu's... Wushan and the Thunder Emperor are both eighth ranks, and they have multiple seventh ranks. If we wish to wipe them out, it must be with a thunderous strike..."
Extreme Ice Sovereign pondered for a moment and added, "Presently, we have only contacted twelve eighth-rank worlds and fourteen seventh-rank worlds. If we are truly to cooperate and eradicate them in one fell swoop, deploying five eighth ranks and over ten seventh ranks is the safest course... The rest will stay behind to guard their respective territories, lest Xinwu take advantage of the opening!"
Across twelve eighth-rank worlds, there were over fifteen eighth-rank sovereigns, but they couldn't all depart; that would be far too dangerous. A portion had to remain behind to guard their homes.
Five was definitely enough.
Pick the soft persimmon to squeeze; at present, the Silver Moon side was clearly softer.
Moreover, the Silver Moon King, Li Hao, had previously displayed unusual Dao methods—teleporting through the chaos without the coverage of a great world, directly traversing space. Such a technique posed an immense threat!
They had to eliminate this problem. Otherwise, great-world teleportation at least created spatial ripples, whereas his teleportation barely caused any disturbance at all. That was far too dangerous!
The threat was far greater!
While he was still weak, eradicating him early was the right course.
"Then do we need to notify Samsara?" someone asked.
Extreme Ice Sovereign was tempted to say that Samsara only had Samsara Sovereign left as an eighth rank and obviously wouldn't deploy him; moreover, Extreme Ice was now the head of the East.
Yet upon further reflection, he suddenly smiled and nodded. "Very well, send word. We understand Samsara's difficulties... As such, for this operation, Samsara Realm need only provide two or three seventh ranks to assist!"
That worked out nicely!
Let them contribute. If their eighth rank couldn't move, sending a few seventh ranks was fine. If they happened to die... weakening Samsara further would be all the better.
A consensus was swiftly reached.
The presence of Li Hao and his peers had repeatedly catalyzed alliances among others. This time was no different; the East, fractured for ages, was finally showing a tentative trend toward unity.
...
And at this moment, upon receiving the message, Samsara Sovereign let out a cold sneer. "It seems Extreme Ice wants to play the hegemon. Pity... that throne is not so easy to sit upon! Send people to assist him... Why settle for two or three? Send four seventh-rank sovereigns!"
He glanced at the somewhat weakened eighth-rank sovereigns beside him, his gaze flickering. After a long while, he said in a low voice, "While they deal with the Thunder Realm... we will... locate the Human King and ambush him if possible! Even if we cannot, we must dig out Xinwu and drive them away!"
Fusheng, newly revived, was filled with burning hatred. Gritting his teeth, he snarled, "I will kill that bastard!"
This time, Samsara Sovereign had paid an astronomical price to revive them.
Their combat prowess had suffered some loss, but at least they were alive and maintaining eighth-rank power.
Yet the cost was truly staggering: their lifespans were nearly halved. Although at the eighth rank they barely had to worry about lifespan under normal circumstances, they could now clearly sense that their remaining time was drastically reduced.
Add to that the eighth-rank corpses, seventh-rank corpses, vast mountains of Great Dao crystals, world sources...
Such expenditure was terrifying.
What was worse, Samsara had become a vassal to the Huntian World... Though nominally an alliance, to Fusheng, wasn't this vassalage?
Their dream of hegemony was shattered!
Samsara Sovereign glanced at Fusheng and said indifferently, "You have already died once; do not act on impulse again! Being revived once is possible, but a second or third time... even setting aside the resources, even if resources were abundant, the moment you are revived a second time, your lifespan might simply run dry and you would fall on the spot. As of now, you are all living on borrowed time. Do you understand?"
Though his hatred still burned, Fusheng could only nod.
This defeat had been devastating.
Moreover, deep down, he harbored fear toward the Human King.
Samsara Sovereign said no more, turning his gaze toward the distance where the Thunder Realm was situated. Extreme Ice and the others had debated for days, yet the Thunder Realm had neither fled nor vanished. What in the world were those fellows from the Four Regions thinking?
Did they believe the powerhouses of the East could never join forces against them?
To think that would be utterly naive.
In ordinary times it was impossible, but once an existential threat arose, cooperation became inevitable.
At this moment, Samsara Sovereign pushed the thought aside. Extreme Ice and the others taking on that group would save him a great deal of trouble.
Chapter 553