The Path of Ten Thousand Worlds

The Thunder Realm remained. Yet its interior was already barren and empty, stripped of everything. Just as the various worlds of the East were joining forces to march upon the Thunder Realm, Li Hao had already led his people away. They slipped off in utter silence. Unlike the Human King's ostentatious flair, Li Hao moved so quietly that no one took notice. Having stepped into the seventh rank, his concealment arts were sharper than ever. By his side were several new companions. A cohort of high-rank sovereigns came and went with ease. Without their worlds weighing them down, both the Thunder Emperor and the Senlan World Lord had made some headway in their cultivation. Naturally, when it came to peak combat strength, neither could match the days when they held court in their native domains and could rally their world's collective might. Even so, concentrating great power within their own persons left them not far behind their former peaks. Li Hao now had a substantial number of powerhouses at his command. Even so, what he lacked most was a foundational pillar of strength. Among the eighth-rankers, Dao Chess, Wushan, and the Thunder Emperor were all on the weaker end of the spectrum—a fact all three would readily admit. Either they had broken through too recently, or, like Dao Chess, had attained the Dao as an artifact spirit whose purpose lay in support rather than slaughter, leaving his offensive might relatively modest. If the three eighth-ranks joined forces, they might be able to fight the Human King, but they were likely still inferior to the Samsara Sovereign, and even more so compared to the Dragon Lord. Yet the Human King was merely a newly ascended eighth-rank himself. Given time, the three of them would probably struggle to match him at all. …… The chaotic void. The Sixth Heaven. This time, Li Hao did not take his companions through the Upper Three Heavens, where running into high-rank sovereigns was all too easy. By traveling the Middle Three Heavens, they would largely avoid such encounters, for rarely did any high-rank sovereign deign to walk the lower six heavens. Though no physical barrier barred the way, the divisions in people's minds had partitioned the worlds. This journey led southward. Li Hao still wished to see the South. Along the way, they would seek a suitable location to establish a chaos universe, gather vast amounts of chaos power, comprehend various Great Daos, and absorb more lineages to complete the architecture of ten thousand worlds. Because the goal of this journey was neither slaughter nor conquest, quite a few people accompanied them. Among them were several Yinyue martial masters. Aside from those still in secluded cultivation within the Dali World, Li Hao allowed anyone willing to venture outside to join. Likewise, sovereigns from the Thunder Realm and the Senlan World who preferred not to slumber in stasis were free to step forth, and Li Hao placed no obstacle in their way. In the Four Regions, such a large contingent of sovereigns would have caused a massive stir and drawn countless eyes. But in the Outer Chaos, an entourage of sovereigns traveling together hardly turned heads. The outer realms held vastly more worlds than the Four Regions ever did. Moreover, with the recent turmoil across the chaos, few sovereigns dared travel alone. More often than not, the sovereigns of a world moved as a collective, whether to gather resources or to collect chaos energy. In the Outer Chaos, cultivating sovereigns faced few worlds in the Upper Three Heavens, where chaos energy was exceptionally rich. Vast reserves of chaos power accumulated along the barriers between the layers. For sovereigns who dared not cross into higher strata, gathering chaos power at the thresholds proved far easier. Consequently, the barriers and desolate islands between the Sixth and Seventh Heavens were populated by numerous sovereigns who cultivated there, drawing in chaos power to refine their own Great Daos. Having shed the desire for conquest, Li Hao and his party felt their mindsets shift, growing comparatively relaxed. They cared little about whether the Thunder Realm would fall under attack. At this moment, separated by a heavenly layer, everything in the Upper Three Heavens seemed entirely detached from the denizens of the Middle Three Heavens. In the East, the fall of the eighth-rank Gemini Universe and the grievous wounding of the eighth-rank Samsara World seemed to affect only the hegemonic factions. For everyone else, life carried on as usual. None of it concerned them. Li Hao also discovered that both order and vitality were far better in the Middle Three Heavens than in the upper reaches. Sovereigns here were noticeably more peaceful and far less overbearing. Along the road, one could encounter sovereigns who did not immediately bristle with extreme suspicion; some would even initiate a brief exchange. Back in the Four Regions, and in the Upper Three Heavens of the Outer Chaos, Li Hao had witnessed only the cold, unvarnished law of the jungle. Here, things were considerably better. The Sixth Heaven was ostensibly meant only for sixth-rank worlds. Yet even when sovereigns from the Lower Three Heavens entered, hardly anyone took offense. The middle- and low-rank sovereigns were far less rigid and chilling in their enforcement of hierarchy than their high-rank counterparts. Li Hao and his companions strolled through the void as though walking on flat ground. Sovereigns came and went all around. Some glanced their way, while others ignored them entirely and tended to their own business, drawing no undue attention. A few sovereigns even trailed behind them, perhaps assuming that traveling alongside a large contingent was safer, completely unbothered by the possibility that this mighty group might turn and strike them. It was quite an intriguing sight. "It looks like there might be a desolate island ahead." A chaotic desolate island was a trading bazaar situated between the boundaries. Sovereigns came and went in steady streams, and quite a few had fallen in behind Li Hao's group, likely heading toward the market island as well. None of Li Hao's company knew the Outer Chaos well. Sovereign Kang Han, who had previously served as their guide, had been released by Li Hao. Now, none of them were familiar with the terrain, knowing only the cardinal directions as they made their way southward. At this moment, walking beside Li Hao was not any of the usual figures, but Ju Ao, an outsider unfamiliar even to some of the Yinyue martial masters. A true foreign transplant. Ever since breaking through to become a sovereign, Ju Ao had spent his days mingling in Yinyue. This time, he too had chosen to step out. Having attained the sovereign realm, Ju Ao's ambitions were modest. He harbored no dreams of reaching the middle ranks, let alone the high ranks. Having served for many years as a guide—or rather, a servant to sovereigns—at Huilong Temple, Ju Ao had no other business on this journey. Unlike the other Yinyue martial masters who goggled in every direction, Ju Ao kept his eyes trained on Li Hao's every move. He behaved every bit like a devoted manservant or steward. Li Hao had told him there was no need for such subservience, but Ju Ao had insisted, and Li Hao had dropped the matter. Hearing Li Hao speak, Ju Ao hurriedly said, "Milord, allow me to go ahead and inquire..." By his old habits, he should have inquired long ago. He had simply been hesitant to wander off unannounced. In the East, Li Hao's group was practically on the wanted list. Leaving abruptly might have caused Li Hao to misunderstand. Though he doubted Li Hao would think ill of him, Ju Ao was exceptionally cautious, always giving prior notice before taking a step away. "Very well. Be careful." Li Hao gave a slight nod, and Ju Ao departed without delay. Beside them, Kongji chuckled. "With so many of us, anyone would mistake us for the children of some major world lord traveling with an entourage of sovereigns. In years past, I never experienced such pomp myself." As the son of an eighth-rank powerhouse, Kongji had known many sovereigns in the Bright Light World. Whenever he went out, he was usually assigned sovereigns as Dao protectors. But his solitary temperament meant he rarely brought a grand escort, and later on, only a single attendant served as his liaison. Even so, Kongji knew that when the scions of certain high-rank sovereigns went abroad, they would surround themselves with a flock of sovereigns simply for prestige. "The storybooks always say that in situations like this, you're bound to run into some obnoxious second-generation cultivators looking for trouble. Brother Haoyue, if we cross paths with one, shouldn't we take the chance to... thrash the youngster, and then beat up the old man?" Li Hao laughed. "Where on earth did you read such storybooks, Brother Kongji? Anyone walking the chaos is at the sovereign level. Finding someone who picks fights for no reason is exceedingly rare. We've traveled the void for quite a while now, and though sovereigns can be foolish or shrewd, have we ever met one who picked a fight in the void unprovoked?" Sovereigns came in all stripes: strong, weak, wise, and foolish. Yet no matter how foolish a sovereign might be, in all his years walking the chaos, Li Hao had never encountered a second-generation sovereign picking a fight out of sheer arrogance. At this level of existence, such behavior was practically unheard of. They had not met many offspring of high-rank sovereigns, but figures like Kongji either ignored you or became friends. Even the daughter of the Fire Phoenix had been remarkably polite when they first met, even if they ultimately became enemies. None had ever gone looking for trouble unprompted. Kongji laughed, conceding the point. "That's true enough." "Quite a pity, then," he added with a grin. "I would almost welcome a few. If we want to achieve our goal, we'll need vast amounts of world power and Dao power. We don't go looking for trouble, but if someone comes looking for us, pulling off a quick heist wouldn't hurt." Li Hao chuckled. This fellow truly was different from before. "Let's walk and see first." Li Hao did not pursue the joke. Scanning their surroundings, he mused, "I'm beginning to grasp the true meaning behind the Nine Heavens." Previously, he had held no clear perception of it. Now, however, thoughts were beginning to take shape. He spoke slowly, "Artificially dividing the Nine Heavens... earlier, I felt it was pointless, completely redundant. But looking at it now, it does have its merits. Everyone here shares a comparable level. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. "In the Four Regions, high-level worlds were mixed with middle- and low-level worlds. As a result, the lesser worlds living near higher worlds spent their days trembling in fear, constantly at risk of being swallowed whole, constantly facing high-rank powerhouses—forced to become either vassals or fodder. "Here, even if their standing seems lower on paper, artificially segregating the higher worlds allows these middle and lower worlds, and these sovereigns, to live with greater ease and freedom..." On the surface, the rules appeared far stricter, the hierarchy far more pronounced. Li Hao had previously considered this unjust, a violation of fairness. Yet walking through the Middle Three Heavens made him realize... it was actually quite sensible. His original aspiration had been universal fairness, a great harmony across the chaos. Looking back now, that had been rather naive. As a martial master from the jianghu, he should have known that wherever people congregated, there would be a jianghu. A universal harmony across all of existence was impossible. Thus, the best approach was to artificially separate the tiers. When the strong interacted with the strong, or when the strong ventured into the realms of the weak, certain punitive measures had to be put in place. That way, when the powerful entered the territory of the weak, they could not strike at will. And the weak, knowing that the strong would pay a price yet still possessed the ability to kill them, would maintain healthy reverence without rashly courting disaster or living in paralyzing dread. For instance, if seventh- and eighth-rank experts from the Upper Three Heavens wished to visit the Middle Three Heavens, they could come and converse. But if the energy they unleashed exceeded a certain threshold, triggering chaos lightning tribulations would serve as a fine restraint. It would prevent the strong from acting with complete impunity without placing so suffocating a constraint on them that they could not set foot in certain places at all. At this moment, fresh ideas began to take root in Li Hao's mind. Furthermore, the strife between worlds—the big fish eating the little fish, the little fish eating the shrimp—was hardly a healthy dynamic. No matter how many worlds existed, they could not endure endless mutual devouring. The one saving grace of the chaos was that it could give birth to worlds naturally. Because of that, no matter how many were lost, the impact never felt absolute; given enough time, the numbers would naturally recover. However... Li Hao realized that if his own pseudo-chaos could not naturally spawn new worlds, allowing such devouring to occur would inevitably reduce the entire chaos to a single world before long. He had to make powerhouses understand that devouring worlds was not the true path of cultivation, and he had to eliminate that possibility at its root. For example, he could endow worlds with the capacity for self-destruction, so that if one were targeted for consumption, it would obliterate itself. He should also grant each realm the power of self-defense and natural restriction. The moment an outsider appeared, realm suppression would manifest—and that power needed to be formidable enough to suppress most experts. Li Hao fell into deep contemplation. Reading ten thousand scrolls was never as good as traveling ten thousand li. Walking and contemplating as he went, Li Hao sought only to refine his pseudo-chaos world, building the realm of his ideals rather than reproducing the chaos of today. The present chaos was far too disordered. Big fish eating little fish, little fish eating shrimp was an eternal truth. Yet within this chaos, the practice was far too blatant, rampant, and unbridled, dispensing with even the thinnest veneer of propriety. Countless worlds were devoured. Even in the Outer Chaos, with its division of the Nine Heavens, the practical effect was minimal. The strong still did as they pleased. Every strong expert had risen from weakness. By rights, restricting the strong was its own form of unfairness. Yet when the strong could not govern themselves, only external measures could impose restraint. Thoughts surfaced in endless succession. Before long, Ju Ao returned. He had just spoken with several sovereigns trailing behind them. Returning to Li Hao's side, he said hurriedly, "Milord, ahead lies Mid-Worlds Alliance City! "This desolate island is quite famous across both the Lower and Middle Three Heavens! It's a trading bazaar island launched jointly by several powerful sixth-rank worlds. There's more than one; they're scattered everywhere, serving as favored hubs for middle- and low-rank sovereigns. It's relatively secure and offers certain guarantees. "The middle and small worlds formed alliances to protect themselves. Normally, they keep a low profile, but the moment any of them comes under attack, their collective response is faster than even some great world alliances! It was established precisely to prevent great worlds from swallowing them whole..." Li Hao nodded slightly. That was sensible. Ju Ao added eagerly, "Milord, in this Mid-Worlds Alliance City, there is a place that you might find quite interesting." Li Hao turned his head. Ju Ao explained, "It's said that in Mid-Worlds Alliance City, there is typically a Dao Discussion Arena. Sovereigns who harbor doubts regarding their own Dao can enter to seek guidance and exchange insights... Such places are rare, but they do exist. To impose order, participants can conceal their identities, and entering requires paying a fee in Great Dao crystals. The cost is steep, which keeps out the rabble! "Supposedly, on certain desolate islands, one can even tour a Great Dao Universe..." Li Hao started. "A Great Dao Universe?" "Indeed!" Ju Ao nodded. "That is one of the features many sovereigns love most. Naturally, it applies primarily to sixth-rank worlds that have given birth to a Great Dao Universe... and the price of admission is immense! Typically, each Mid-Worlds Alliance City is overseen by a sixth-rank Great Dao Universe world. If that world's lord is willing, they will permit select sovereigns to tour it, partly to attract rogue cultivators and partly to draw in other middle-tier worlds..." Li Hao's interest was piqued instantly. Though he had already reached the seventh rank, witnessed many great worlds, and even devoured several, he had never willingly toured someone else's Great Dao Universe as a visitor. In the Four Regions, no great world—not even Senlan when it was still a sixth-rank world—would ever rashly open its Great Dao Universe to outsiders. "Aren't they afraid someone will seize their Great Dao Universe by force?" Li Hao was somewhat bewildered, stunned by the sheer audacity of these factions. Were they truly not afraid? "I asked about that as well," Ju Ao said. "According to them, the Mid-Worlds Alliance unites a vast number of worlds, including many pseudo-great worlds of this kind. If one comes under attack, every member is obligated to join forces to eradicate the usurper. Even against a high-rank sovereign, where a single world might fail, multiple worlds working together can certainly hold their own..." Li Hao nodded. Ju Ao continued, "What's more, the fee is exorbitant. That's also born of necessity for such worlds: to step into the seventh rank, they require massive quantities of Great Dao crystals. Relying solely on their own world to absorb energy is far too slow. Opening their doors to outsiders lets them collect crystals to accelerate their world's advancement! Some of today's seventh-rank worlds were born precisely this way. Consequently, the Mid-Worlds Alliance commands considerable influence even among seventh-rank worlds. "Though those worlds have ascended, they remain on the weaker side of the seventh rank, so they huddle together for warmth and maintain close ties with the Mid-Worlds Alliance!" Li Hao mulled this over, thoroughly intrigued. Turning to the others, he smiled. "Shall we go take a look?" Beside him, the Thunder Emperor and his peers showed no objection. Wushan laughed and said, "You decide. Looking around is a rare experience. In the Four Regions, such an opportunity was unthinkable. Every sixth-rank world in the Four Regions kept itself tucked away as tightly as possible. Senlan probably knows that better than anyone—who would dare let an outside sovereign enter?" The Senlan World Lord said in a low voice, "In the Four Regions, sixth-rank worlds were few and far between, making it impossible to form a united front. Even if we had united, we couldn't match the great worlds, so vigilance was mandatory. Here, sixth-rank worlds exist in great numbers. If they join hands, they truly can contend with seventh-rank worlds, which earns them the right to open their Great Dao Universes." Li Hao and the others nodded. In any case, coming across an open Great Dao Universe put everyone in high spirits. Yet Ju Ao soon murmured cautiously, "Milord... I hear the price is not small!" "……" Silence fell over the group. Pay for entry? Did they... actually have money? They had conquered many worlds and seized countless Great Dao crystals, but their camp had many powerhouses, all of whom had recently broken through. Their consumption was astronomical. Despite their formidable strength, every last one of them was practically penniless. The group exchanged looks. Before long, a few eyes glinted with fierce light. Should they... pull off another heist? Li Hao considered for a moment, then laughed. "It's simple. We're a pack of high-rank sovereigns, and there's a Dao Discussion Arena right there, isn't there? We can go discuss the Dao with others and reap some gains, or offer pointers to other sovereigns... Why worry about money? If we're truly short on funds, our group alone could condense an astronomical sum of Great Dao crystals in a single day. Don't always jump straight to robbery." Hearing this, the others found it reasonable. Could a gathering of high-rank sovereigns truly be strapped for cash? If they genuinely set their minds to condensing Great Dao crystals, with so many high-rank experts working together, producing tens of thousands—even hundreds of thousands—in a single day was well within reach. To ordinary cultivators, that was an astronomical fortune. "Come, let us go see." Li Hao smiled. Perhaps this was precisely the sort of place he had hoped to find all along. Though these were mostly middle- and low-rank sovereigns, anyone who reached the sovereign realm possessed unique insights into their own Dao. For Li Hao's purposes, a multitude of middle- and low-rank sovereigns might prove far more valuable than a handful of high-rank experts. …… Just as Li Hao made his way toward the desolate island, a group of sovereigns outside the Thunder Realm was creeping forward with painstaking caution. In the distance, a realm stood silent, showing no signs of movement. Yet the sovereigns remained solemn. Li Hao's faction was formidable; by their intelligence, his camp possessed two eighth-ranks and a host of seventh-ranks. They were harder to deal with than the Gemini Universe. A reckless assault could easily incur heavy casualties, particularly on the Thunder Realm's home turf, where the Thunder Emperor reigning over his native domain would be even more terrifying. This time, five eighth-ranks had mobilized, including an eighth-rank sovereign from the Extreme Ice World. At this moment, that sovereign was acting with supreme caution, sending transmissions in every direction with gravity in his voice. "Stay alert, everyone. The moment we make contact, strike like thunder! Slay the two eighth-ranks and the Yinyue King, Li Hao, first. Do not worry about trouble from Xinwu; the other factions are watching this place closely. If Xinwu intervenes, or if the Dragon Race interferes, others will join hands to block them!" The sovereigns stiffened with resolve. Soon, several sovereigns advanced toward the Thunder Realm, drawing nearer and nearer. Yet the closer they got, the more bewildered they became. They felt none of the oppressive weight of the Thunder Realm's Great Dao Universe. Could the Thunder Realm truly have left the surrounding area uncovered? For a great world, the domain enveloped by its Great Dao Universe served as its perimeter of reconnaissance. Were these people being extraordinarily arrogant, or were they so cautious that they had retracted the Great Dao Universe entirely into their native world to bolster its defenses? …… While the various factions were probing the Thunder Realm, the Samsara Sovereign appeared outside his own domain. He was traveling through the chaotic void, moving swiftly in a specific direction. Not long ago, someone had spotted the Human King. That arrogant madman had seemingly made no attempt to hide his trail—whether out of supreme confidence, sheer recklessness, or fearlessness toward ambushes by great experts. In that case, the Samsara Sovereign did not mind seeking him out to see, meet, and clash with him. With the Thunder Realm under siege, a massive commotion was inevitable. Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity to excise the festering tumor that was Xinwu as well! This time, the Samsara Sovereign led the way, with a large contingent of sovereigns following behind. He had truly steeled his heart—or rather, thrown caution to the wind—to the point of barely leaving any defenses around Samsara World. The three resurrected eighth-ranks trailed close behind him, accompanied by another eighth-rank sovereign from the West who represented Huntian. Five eighth-ranks! The Samsara Sovereign was formidable in his own right, and the envoy from the West was no weakling either. The Human King was undeniably fierce, and Xinwu might possess another eighth-rank or two, but... facing five eighth-ranks at once, could the Human King truly maintain his unbridled arrogance? Before long, the Samsara Sovereign sensed a domineering aura. The Human King was indeed brazen beyond measure; having just slaughtered several sovereigns of Samsara World, he had not concealed his presence in the slightest. …… Up ahead. The Human King was wandering casually through the void. Recently, he had visited several worlds, observed various domains, and traded blows with a few high-rank sovereigns. Naturally, most of these encounters were sparring matches—forced sparring, to be precise—through which he refined his own lineage. He had never intended to keep a low profile. His path was entirely different from Li Hao's. Discretion did not suit his nature. Ever since walking out of Xinwu, he had rarely known the meaning of restraint. Suddenly, the Human King glanced back over his shoulder, his brow furrowing slightly. *Samsara?* That fellow had abandoned Samsara World to hunt him down directly? This... was utterly mad. Samsara had lost its eighth-rank sovereigns, leaving only this one man. More importantly, Samsara World was rich in resources and ripe for the taking. Was he not afraid someone would raid his nest and carry off the whole pot? The Human King was genuinely perplexed. Even if he hadn't masked his movements, he had expected other worlds to potentially join forces against him. The Samsara Sovereign, by all rights, should have stayed home quietly licking his wounds. How could he step out so casually? Thus, the Human King had feared no sovereign in the East. Yet here was the Samsara Sovereign, hot on his heels. What a shocking turn of events! The Human King frowned, scanning the surrounding void. He sensed something amiss, yet he did not flee immediately, various thoughts tumbling through his mind. The Samsara Sovereign was undeniably powerful! In his previous clash with Long Zhan, though he had been somewhat suppressed, that did not mean he was weak. If he were weak, Long Zhan would have beaten him to death long ago. Yet he had escaped uninjured, merely forced to retreat after being outmatched. One had to remember that the Dragon Lord had wounded Sovereign Bright Light with just two punches. Clearly, the Samsara Sovereign was substantially stronger than Sovereign Bright Light. The Human King felt an itch in his hands. He had never truly fought an expert of this caliber. Even with the Dragon Lord earlier, they had only exchanged a single move, in which he had taken a slight loss. Even sensing that the other party had something up his sleeve, the Human King resolved to stand his ground and test himself against him—provided the Samsara Sovereign had truly come to settle a score. Of course, even if he hadn't... the Human King was not about to let this opportunity slip. The next instant, the Human King turned and surged straight toward the direction of the aura. The pursuing Samsara Sovereign smiled faintly. "The Human King truly has guts!" Knowing he was approaching, the man had not fled, but had come out to meet him instead. Such audacity was rare. Soon, the Human King materialized. Looking across the void, he probed his surroundings once more, his eyes flickering with shifting thoughts before he laughed. "It seems the Samsara Sovereign has come solely for me. Aren't you afraid Yinyue will seize the chance to clean out your old nest? Or... has someone already moved to deal with them?" "Just as the Human King surmised. At this very moment, Extreme Ice and various other worlds are laying siege to the Thunder Realm." The Samsara Sovereign smiled, his gaze locked on the Human King. "They say the Human King's Dao of Yin and Yang has reached perfection, while I specialize in Life and Death! You went out of your way to provoke my Samsara World and slaughtered our experts. If you don't offer an accounting today, it simply won't do!" "Then what's there left to say?" The Human King barked out a laugh. Wasting no words, he instantly unfurled his internal world! The chaos seemed utterly severed! A saber slashed outward, manifesting Yin and Yang. Though he had parted ways with Xinwu, that did not mean he had abandoned Yin and Yang. Black and white alternated across the expanse, giving rise to the two polarities like a taiji diagram! As Yin and Yang intertwined, it felt as though one were plunged into the borderland between life and death. The Samsara Sovereign chuckled and held back no longer. The power of Life and Death surged forth, instantly transforming the heavens. Black and white shifted across his domain as well, and countless Dao principles manifested, suppressing the four directions. The moment the two titans clashed, the surrounding void seemed completely rent asunder. A barren chaotic boulder caught in the middle was blasted first by Yin and Yang, then inundated by Life and Death. Through the shifting of Yin and Yang and the cycle of Life and Death, the stone not only avoided destruction, but began showing signs of transmuting from lifeless rock into a living spirit! Neither combatant spared it a glance. The void convulsed as myriad Daos erupted in unison! Behind the Human King, illusory projections of himself manifested, each executing a saber strike like the simultaneous unleashing of ten thousand Daos. Yet beneath the cycle of Life and Death, countless phantom figures withered into deathly wraiths, dissolving into the chaos. The Human King struck relentlessly, his blade moving at terrifying speed as he pressed into close-quarters combat. After a brief exchange, the Human King let out a muffled grunt. Nursing slight injuries, he found himself pushed back. A gap indeed existed between them; though not insurmountable, he was indeed inferior to the Samsara Sovereign. Even so, while determining a victor was possible, deciding life and death was virtually out of the question. For Samsara to kill the Human King would be as difficult as ascending the heavens. Yet in the very next instant, the Human King abruptly withdrew his saber, wheeled around, and sprinted away, cursing loudly, "We agreed on a duel, and now you bring a mob to jump me? Have you no shame at all?!" He had sensed them. Even as he cursed, his expression turned grim. *Resurrected?!* He was not entirely shocked by the concept of resurrection, having performed it himself. But to revive eighth-rank sovereigns... what sort of staggering price did that require? And it wasn't just one, but three! Did the Samsara Sovereign truly possess the capital to resurrect three fallen eighth-rank sovereigns? That was something the Human King had never anticipated! This was massive trouble! Four eighth-ranks... no, there was another! Where had that one come from? With countless thoughts racing through his mind, the Human King wasted no time plunging into the void. In a one-on-one fight, he could hold his ground even if outmatched. But one against five... that was pure suicide. Arrogant he might be, but he was no fool. The next moment, an eighth-rank sovereign materialized directly in front of him, throwing a punch with a stone-cold expression to bar his path. The arrogant Human King would pay dearly for his insolence today! Behind him, the Samsara Sovereign remained silent. His Samsara Dao Domain unfurled to blot out the sky and shroud the void, engulfing the entire expanse around the Human King. A single palm struck out, unleashing Life and Death to pry open a passage that seemed intent on dragging him down into hell. Eighth-rank experts materialized in all directions. The Human King swung his saber fiercely, cleaving the vault of heaven open while cursing ceaselessly. Yet his foul mouth did not slow his flight in the slightest. Accustomed to running whenever outmatched, he maneuvered with uncanny slipperiness. Clashes erupted again and again across the void as the five eighth-ranks pursued him relentlessly, steadily tightening their cordon in an attempt to annihilate the Human King once and for all! …… Because the Dao Domain smothered the area, the commotion of their battle was nowhere near as loud as the previous one. This time, Li Hao sensed nothing of it. By now, Li Hao had arrived at Mid-Worlds Alliance City. While the Thunder Realm was surrounded and the Human King was being hunted, Li Hao was entirely in the dark. Instead, his attention was completely captivated by this city standing in the chaotic void. Walking and observing, he finally came to a halt before a venue that resembled an enclosed world. No guards stood watch. There were only rules inscribed upon a stone monument: *Entrants must pay 100,000 Great Dao crystals. Inside, sovereigns discuss the Dao, with public discussion areas and enclosed private spaces available upon invitation.* One did not enter in the flesh; rather, one's spirit entered as an illusory projection, allowing participants to exchange Dao insights while concealing or revealing their identities as they saw fit. Each entrant had to pay 100,000 Great Dao crystals—no small sum. Naturally, for a sovereign, accumulating that much was not terribly difficult with a bit of time. Even a first-rank sovereign could scrape together the amount if they dedicated some effort to it. A portion of these Great Dao crystals was used to sustain the illusion realm, as concealing aura and presence across such a space required continuous fuel. The remaining portion was awarded to sovereigns who preached the Dao in public areas; if an orator earned wide acclaim from their peers, they received a share of crystals as a reward. "The Myriad Dao Pavilion!" Li Hao murmured the name, glancing at the horizontal plaque above the palace. This place was quite intriguing. Mists swirled about the area, drifting in and out of sight. A number of sovereigns lingered nearby, though it was difficult to probe one another. Their physical bodies remained in place while their spirits entered the illusion realm. Thus, while one knew that everyone inside the illusion was an actual cultivator present here, discerning their true identities was nearly impossible. "What a brilliant idea. A magnificent design!" Li Hao murmured in admiration, nodding once more. Beside him, Kongji and the others nodded in agreement. It was indeed a clever mechanism. Kongji remarked, "A pity it cannot cover a wider range. If it could encompass the entire chaos, so that anyone entering the illusion realm could converse under concealed identities, it would be far better! The propagation of the Great Dao would benefit tremendously..." Whoever had founded this Myriad Dao Pavilion was undoubtedly a true cultivator of the Dao, possessing remarkable vision. If this illusion realm could be expanded across the entire chaos, accessible from anywhere under an illusory guise, it would be an incredible boon for the spread of the Dao. For now, the limitations remained severe. The chaos was vast. Aside from certain apex worlds whose Great Dao Universes could span greater territories, nobody's Dao Domain could cover such astronomical distances. As such, realizing a realm-wide illusion was extraordinarily difficult. Yet Kongji's words caused Li Hao to freeze. "An illusion realm covering an immense range, allowing countless people to enter and discuss the Dao?" Li Hao paused, lost in thought. Instead of rushing into the Myriad Dao Pavilion, he looked at his companions, his mind churning, before suddenly speaking: "Tell me... what if I used the River of Time, anchoring it across a thousand worlds, to establish a colossal illusion realm spanning vast regions? Connecting every corner, allowing countless sovereigns to enter to debate the Dao or exchange insights... As the architect, wouldn't I be able to absorb Dao knowledge at an unprecedented pace?" The group started, all falling into deep thought. Soon, Sovereign Wushan frowned slightly. "Didn't you say that certain top-tier existences can sense the River of Time?" At the very least, the Dragon Lord had sensed it back then. If that were the case, the danger would be immense. If someone detected its presence and traced it back to its source, discovering the Time Star, the consequences would be dire. "That was before. Back then, my cultivation was modest, but now I've stepped into the seventh rank... Though my Dao of Time hasn't made drastic leaps, ordinary people would find it exceedingly difficult to locate the Time Star now..." Li Hao felt a genuine stir in his heart. "If I can construct such a domain... and partner with this Mid-Worlds Alliance, linking all their Myriad Dao Pavilions across every region... They have the clientele, and we need the Dao comprehension. Whatever their goal may be—whether resources, Dao insights, or something else—everything is negotiable. There doesn't have to be any conflict between us." The more he thought about it, the more enthralled he became. He continued, "I'll go inside and see for myself. If the rest of you are interested, you can join as well. Truly, hearing about something ten times is never as good as seeing it once. What I lack right now are foundational Daos. As for profound, high-level Daos, everyone by my side is a seventh- or eighth-rank sovereign, and I've glimpsed many ninth-rank Daos. It's the foundational Daos that I've only briefly brushed against through Dao Chess and the Thunder Territory..." A brilliant new concept took root in Li Hao's mind. His spirits soared. The Time Star and the River of Time might just have an entirely new purpose. In this vast chaos, middle- and low-rank sovereigns vastly outnumbered the high-ranks. If these people were willing to enter the River of Time at the cost of surrendering a portion of their Dao comprehension, would they agree? They likely would. To middle- and low-rank sovereigns, such an establishment could only be built by supreme experts. And supreme experts could easily kill them if they wished; offering a sliver of Dao insight in exchange for what they sought was a bargain. "I have many high-rank sovereigns on my side. We can trade low-rank Dao comprehension for high-rank insights, pooling everyone's Dao comprehension together... Exchanging back and forth, trading with one another... That way, I can truly comprehend all ten thousand Daos." Had other sovereigns ever considered such a scheme? Perhaps, but executing it was nearly impossible, for no Great Dao Universe could truly blanket the entire chaos. It was simply too vast! Even the River of Time could not accomplish that right now. But if he scattered a thousand worlds across various regions as anchor points, the territory shrouded by those realms could serve as the coverage of the domain. It would be larger than any great world! Infinitely larger! Of course, at the beginning, no one would dare trust it—unless he brought in the established sovereign clientele of Mid-Worlds Alliance City. They had operated for years and possessed proven credibility. Idea after idea cascaded through Li Hao's mind. At this moment, he had zero interest in worrying about the Human King. He was utterly thrilled. When his spirit entered that illusory realm, his excitement only grew. Upon entry, he seemed to materialize in a wide square. He existed merely as a spiritual manifestation, ethereal and faint, surrounded by countless other phantom-like figures. At that moment, someone appeared to be lecturing on the Dao. Li Hao hurriedly pricked up his ears to listen. It was impossible to judge the speaker's cultivation from their aura alone, but anyone who entered was at least a sovereign, and every sovereign's Dao possessed unique merits. Currently, this person was lecturing on the Dao of Water, a foundational element. Scattered chuckles drifted from the surroundings, and several voices muttered in dissatisfaction, unimpressed by another basic lecture. Yet for Li Hao, this was his very first time experiencing such a thing. As a seventh-rank sovereign, he listened with rapt attention. "Water is both supreme rigidity and supreme softness! A single droplet, moving with sufficient speed, can pierce through a world—that is its rigidity! As for supreme softness, water takes ten thousand forms, merging into all things. A single punch can shatter mountains and cleave the earth, yet one cannot shatter a river with a single blow..." This sovereign was likely not particularly powerful, and the Dao he expounded was far from profound. To Li Hao, these were elementary facets of the Dao of Water. Yet hearing someone else articulate them felt remarkably eye-opening. He had traveled far and wide, listening to the sermons of countless high-rank sovereigns, but hearing a low-rank sovereign who specialized in water expound his insights had a distinct and refreshing flavor. Around him, several sovereigns were already growing impatient, finding the discourse far too shallow. Clearly, this lecture would not receive high ratings. Every sovereign who entered had the right to evaluate public speakers. If the ratings were high, the speaker would receive a generous reward in Great Dao crystals—the very reason many cultivators were willing to lecture publicly. If the ratings were poor, naturally, there would be no reward. After a time, the water sovereign withdrew his spirit in resignation, clearly aware that the audience was unimpressed and that his efforts had been in vain. Li Hao, however, felt a surge of quiet excitement. For a modest reward, a sovereign was willing to share their insights and bare their Dao. Moreover, because their identity remained shrouded in secrecy, no one knew who they were or where they came from... Safety was guaranteed. Was this not precisely the sort of venue and environment he had been searching for? In the Four Regions and the Outer Chaos, he had encountered far too many high-rank sovereigns and high-tier worlds, yet not a single one had given him this sensation. All he had ever felt was slaughter, plunder, and devouring... Yet here, in a gathering ground for middle-tier worlds, such a sanctuary existed. Modest though its scale might be, to Li Hao, this was perhaps the greatest harvest of his entire journey. Li Hao was overjoyed! In this instant, he saw hope for the perfection of the ten thousand Daos, and hope for the successful construction of his pseudo-chaos world. The prerequisite was building a domain vast enough to span across every quarter, granting sovereigns in the lower six heavens of the Outer Chaos the chance to enter at will, rather than forcing them to travel across the void to a specific location—for many sovereigns dared not leave their worlds lightly. "I might have found the right path..." Li Hao was wild with joy. Naturally, the endeavor would demand massive resources, including rewards for the lecturing sovereigns. Yet if he adopted their model—charging an entry fee and using those proceeds to compensate the speakers—his own expenditures would not be overwhelming. Idea after idea bloomed in rapid succession. At this moment, how could Li Hao spare any thought for whether the Human King was being besieged? Besides, he had never believed the Human King could be so easily cornered and killed. "Constructing an immense Dao Domain... the River of Time, blanketing the Eastern Region..." Once the thought took hold, Li Hao was hopelessly captivated. The path of ten thousand worlds might very well begin right here.