Chaotic Battle

The Human King was actually being hunted? Who would dare hunt the Human King right now? Li Hao found it baffling. As things stood, the chances of all the high-rank Sovereigns in the Eastern Region joining forces were slim, and the probability of them taking the risk to corner and kill the Human King at this exact moment was not very high either. Despite his confusion, he still led his companions toward that direction. Right at this moment... the Thunder Emperor suddenly frowned and looked toward the east. His expression darkened slightly as he said in a heavy voice, "The Thunder Realm seems to have been breached!" Even though the world was little more than an empty shell, it was still the Thunder Realm, and he was its World Lord. Now that the realm had been broken, he could still sense that someone had shattered the Thunder Realm. Li Hao frowned slightly. Their departure had been unknown to anyone, which meant that there were many experts attacking the Thunder Realm—experts who possessed absolute confidence that they could take them down, bold enough to launch a direct assault on the realm. And yet... on one hand, they were besieging the Human King; on the other, they were besieging the Thunder Realm, all while having to guard against the Dragon Lord and Xinwu. What was going on? Had the major powers of the East formed an alliance? If so, he had truly underestimated them. The speed of their alliance was far too fast. Back in the Four Regions, Red Moon had dragged things out for ages just to unite several seventh-rank worlds. How could they be so swift this time? This turn of events somewhat exceeded Li Hao's expectations. He furrowed his brows. An alliance of Eastern experts was not good news for him. "Never mind that for now. Let's find the Human King first!" Li Hao said no more, his expression grim. He had just been preparing to construct the Myriad Dao Pavilion. If all the Eastern powerhouses had truly banded together, it would disrupt his entire plan. *** The Thunder Realm. Five eighth-rank Sovereigns wore dark, somber expressions. It was completely deserted. The Thunder Realm had been breached, yet... there was not a ghost in sight. "They're gone." "Where did they go?" "You're asking me?" The eighth-rank Sovereigns all frowned. They had actually run away! Crucially, they had even abandoned an eighth-rank world. In their minds, the Thunder Realm was of paramount importance; commanding home advantage was key for an eighth-rank Sovereign to dominate. Now, the enemy had cast aside their very home base. This... what incredible audacity! "Well, it's good that they're gone..." "Perhaps they went to another region?" "Or are they hiding in the shadows?" "..." The eighth-rank Sovereigns exchanged glances. At this moment, they felt no relief, but rather a mounting pressure. The disappearance of this group was by no means a good thing. Originally, this group had already exposed themselves. Yet who could have imagined that in the blink of an eye, they had vanished, forsaking their world entirely? Even though its energy had been drained dry, no matter how much energy one extracted, it could never match the power of sitting within one's native world. "Then what do we do now?" The crowd looked at one another. They had only managed to reach an agreement to strike together with great difficulty. Now that the targets were gone, were they supposed to just go back? Then all their previous deliberations would turn into a joke. The eighth-rank Sovereign from the Extreme Ice World suddenly spoke up: "How about... we go take a look at the Four Regions?" As soon as these words were uttered, the Sovereigns' hearts stirred slightly. The Four Regions? Long Zhan's territory. The Chaos clan was formidable. Rumor had it that Black Tiger had also stepped into the eighth rank, while Long Zhan and Red Moon were both eighth rank. That made three eighth-rank experts, not to mention a considerable number of seventh-rank Sovereigns, and Long Zhan possessed terrifying combat power... Even though they had gathered five eighth-rank and over a dozen seventh-rank Sovereigns on this side, going to the Four Regions where the enemy held the home advantage... would that really work? In fact, it would be extremely perilous! "The Four Regions are still dominated by the human race after all. Though the Chaos beasts rule them now, there are still plenty of human experts... at least dozens of seventh-rank Sovereigns. If battle truly breaks out and those human experts are willing to step in, even if Long Zhan is mighty, we need not fear him!" "Furthermore, the Tianfang World is in the Four Regions! Now that worlds like Xinwu, Silver Moon, and Bright Light have all departed, the Four Regions are actually quite empty..." Someone offered this suggestion, and another added in a low voice: "Why not go all the way? Call a few more eighth-rank Sovereigns and head into the Four Regions. If we can eliminate Long Zhan, that would be ideal! Sitting atop the Four Regions, that fellow is a significant threat!" "The Four Regions sit right in the east. If we conquer them, we can also guard the Tianfang World—able to attack or retreat at will..." It was rare for the Eastern experts to unite. Trying to track down Li Hao and the others right now was not guaranteed to yield results. Since that was the case... it would be far better and cleaner to strike the Four Regions. Strength in numbers! With few people, they wouldn't dare, for Long Zhan was too strong. But with many... Someone suggested, "The Extreme Ice Sovereign is no weaker than the Samsara Sovereign. Having him stay behind to guard is a bit of a waste..." Twelve eighth-rank Great Worlds had joined hands! There were fully sixteen eighth-rank Sovereigns and a vast host of seventh-rank Sovereigns. Adding the involvement of several seventh-rank worlds, if they were truly willing to go all out, they could definitely obliterate the Four Regions. Yet, in the end, some experts had to stay behind. They couldn't all leave; if someone took advantage of the void to raid their homes, it would be disastrous. Sixteen eighth-rank Sovereigns across twelve worlds—by rights, twelve should stay behind. However, several of these eighth-rank worlds were very close to one another. At this stage, provided there was mutual trust, one person staying behind could look after several Great Worlds. "Are we really going?" "Why not?" "..." The eighth-rank Sovereigns discussed among themselves. At this moment, their ambitions surged. Since they were already out and had reached an accord... then they might as well cooperate. Returning empty-handed now would leave a bitter taste in their mouths. "Then... let's call a few more fellow Daoists. Long Zhan will never expect us to reach an agreement so quickly, nor that we would set aside Xinwu and Silver Moon to march into the Four Regions... Since that's the case, let's go! Catch him completely off guard!" The Sovereigns grew excited. Things had already reached this point, so what more was there to say? Time to strike! The East had never possessed an overarching overlord. Perhaps through this joint effort, an overlord would finally emerge to formally contend for dominion against the other three territories. "Then I... shall notify the World Lord!" The other Sovereign from the Extreme Ice World was also tempted. If they could take down the Four Regions, it might be the Extreme Ice World's opportunity—an opportunity to become the true overlord of the East. By defeating Long Zhan and borrowing the combined might of the various worlds to slay him, the harvest would be immense! A powerhouse like Long Zhan remained a threat even if he stayed put. If he emerged, judging from his previous battle with the Samsara Sovereign, he was an unimaginably colossal threat. Since everyone was gathered here, they might as well seize the chance to wipe him out! *** At this moment, Li Hao had not yet reached the Human King's battlefield. Over in the Extreme Ice Realm, the Extreme Ice Sovereign suddenly vanished from his world. Simultaneously, two more eighth-rank Sovereigns set out from neighboring eighth-rank worlds. In this instant, fully eight eighth-rank Sovereigns mobilized, heading straight for the Four Regions. Unable to find Li Hao and his group, they would go after the Four Regions instead! As for Xinwu, precautions still had to be taken, but with fully eight eighth-rank Sovereigns and numerous seventh-rank Sovereigns staying behind, and an agreement in place, it wasn't overly dangerous. *** Meanwhile, outside the Extreme Ice World, where the Xinwu World had remained stationed. The Supreme's eyes flickered slightly. Beside him, a cat was growing increasingly anxious: "Are we still not leaving? Forget about this place! Fang Ping seems to be under siege..." Although the Human King had detached himself from Xinwu, that did not mean their connection was completely severed. In truth, as soon as the Human King fell under siege, the Cang Cat had sensed it and kept wanting to go to his rescue, yet the Supreme had not budged. The Cang Cat was burning with impatience! Had it not needed this fellow to move together, it would have left on its own long ago. The Supreme glanced toward the Extreme Ice World. Two eighth-rank Sovereigns had left, leaving only one behind. As things stood, that world was the greatest threat in the entire East. As for why Fang Ping was under siege, and by whom, he was not entirely clear, but it certainly had something to do with Samsara. This also meant that Samsara was unable to participate here. Or should they go to Samsara? With thoughts rising in his mind, the Supreme looked at the Extreme Ice World, pondering for a moment. He seemed not in the least worried about the Human King, saying slowly after a pause, "Launch a full assault on the Extreme Ice World..." Beside him, the Bright Light Sovereign frowned slightly. "They don't seem to be heading off to deal with the Human King, and the Silver Moon King and his group have also left. With eight eighth-rank Sovereigns mobilizing... I suspect they might be heading to the Four Regions to deal with Long Zhan!" Since they were targeting Long Zhan, why bother attacking the Extreme Ice World right now? If that provoked the Extreme Ice Sovereign and the others to return, it would cause endless trouble. It would be far better to borrow a knife to kill; Long Zhan was an enduring threat anyway. Why help Long Zhan out of a bind? The Supreme looked back in the direction of the Four Regions and said in a heavy voice after a moment, "We must stop them from dealing with Long Zhan. I worry that if those fellows go to the Four Regions, it will be like throwing meat buns to a dog—they'll never return, and it will only bolster Long Zhan's strength! Eight eighth-rank Sovereigns and over a dozen seventh-rank Sovereigns... if they are all slaughtered there, Long Zhan's faction will gain several new eighth-rank powerhouses at the very least..." The Bright Light Sovereign froze. "Fully eight eighth-ranks!" Are you serious? Do you truly believe those people will be killed by Long Zhan? What a joke! Long Zhan's side had only three eighth-rank combatants. Even if Long Zhan could fight three at once, that still wouldn't be enough. This Xinwu Supreme was actually... actually worried that those experts were heading to their deaths, delivering benefits straight to the enemy? How could that be possible? Nonsense. Of course, once those Sovereigns arrived, their combat prowess would decline somewhat since they were away from their native domains, whereas Chaos beasts fought equally well anywhere and wouldn't be weakened. Even so, with eight eighth-rank Sovereigns dispatched, Long Zhan and his allies were bound to suffer. The Bright Light Sovereign felt rather disgruntled by the Supreme's excessive overestimation of Long Zhan. Moreover, ever since leaving the Four Regions, he had followed this man without participating in any battles or gaining any benefits, even tying down his own Bright Light World. Resentment had already been simmering in his heart. Now, launching a sneak attack on Extreme Ice just to relieve the pressure on Long Zhan made him even less willing. It was just as the Blood Sovereign had said. Once you arrived in Xinwu, whether you were a realm lord or an eighth-rank Sovereign, the people of Xinwu wouldn't show much deference; you could only follow their arrangements. With the Supreme here, it was all the more so. The Bright Light Sovereign had virtually no say in decision-making. This rubbed him the wrong way, but living under someone else's roof left him helpless. Then he thought of his son, who was operating alongside Li Hao and seemed to have reaped abundant benefits, having already broken through to the seventh rank. The thought only depressed him further. The Supreme sensed his dissatisfaction. After a moment of thought, he explained, "Long Zhan is powerful; that is the first point. Second, the Dragon World itself is formidable. Long Zhan opened his own Dao domain, so who inherited the Dragon World? That successor may very well have stepped into the eighth rank! If so, the dragon race has four eighth-rank cultivators... Furthermore, those Sovereigns will have to pass through the Thunder Domain, which will deplete their strength, leaving them below their peak. Long Zhan alone can take on several of them..." "Then let them slaughter each other! Perhaps they will both suffer heavy losses!" The Bright Light Sovereign gritted his teeth, his expression somber. "If push comes to shove, we can head over too, flanking their retreat. If both sides are crippled, we strike! And if that won't do, the Human King is in danger—wouldn't it be better to rescue the Human King first?" In any case, he refused to attack the Extreme Ice World right now. Doing so would only make things comfortable for Long Zhan, which he despised. The Human King was under siege, and you don't even care? You're entirely fixated on the Extreme Ice World. At this moment, the Bright Light Sovereign even began to doubt the Xinwu Supreme: were you trying to get the Human King killed so you could become the sole king of Xinwu? Meanwhile, countless thoughts raced through the Supreme's mind. He genuinely believed that if those people went, they would likely be slaughtered by Long Zhan, which would only swell Long Zhan's strength. Although the Bright Light Sovereign thought it impossible, he was convinced of it. Since that was the case, keeping those Sovereigns stationed here would actually curb Long Zhan's expansion. He was thinking of the grand scheme of things, not whether this would temporarily aid Long Zhan. Yet the Bright Light Sovereign was also someone he needed to win over, and there were natural advantages to keeping him on their side. Right now, the other man clearly felt that such far-flung, long-term calculations might be useless. Nor was he willing to besiege Extreme Ice to relieve Long Zhan. The Supreme's thoughts churned. Even though he knew letting Extreme Ice and the others proceed might allow Long Zhan to take advantage, he quickly made up his mind and said, "Then let us head to the Samsara World!" He chuckled. "Fang Ping is not so easily killed. He has survived hundreds of battles; how could he die so easily? His pursuers must be tied to Samsara. Since Brother Bright Light is unwilling to relieve Long Zhan, then why not... go to Samsara!" With that, the Bright Light Sovereign felt much better, feeling that his opinion was valued. Who said the Xinwu Supreme was overbearing? He wasn't so bad! Look, as soon as I voiced my displeasure, he yielded. Now satisfied, he immediately said, "Rescuing the Human King is naturally more important than dealing with Extreme Ice. If we besiege Samsara and force the Samsara Sovereign to return, even if we cannot conquer Samsara, we can help the Human King break free!" A great move! He had no objections to this. The Supreme said no more, casting a pensive glance at the Extreme Ice World... He then thought: if Long Zhan truly killed those people, perhaps... he might have time to step in ahead of schedule and seize those eighth-rank worlds! With that realization, the plan felt acceptable. Without another word, he looked toward the Big Cat. The Big Cat had long been impatient; very quickly, it drove the Xinwu World forward, hurtling straight toward Samsara. *** Meanwhile. Amid the void. Blade light flashed, chaos trembled, and the emptiness roared! The Human King coughed up blood and cursed inwardly. Bastards. These fellows were extraordinarily troublesome. Aside from the immensely powerful Samsara Sovereign, another unfamiliar eighth-rank expert was also remarkably tough—that was the crux. The other three eighth-rank Sovereigns, having been killed once before, were complete weaklings. He feared them not in the least! Yet now, obstructed by the Samsara Sovereign and joined by that robust expert whose physical body was unimaginably durable, his avenues of retreat had been cut off multiple times. The Human King was having a rough time; this was genuinely troublesome. Even escaping had become difficult. At this point, he could only place his hopes on the Big Cat's side—either they came to his aid, or... attacked Samsara's homeland. Or failing that, a massive battle breaking out elsewhere would suffice. In short, if no chaos was stirred up, he might truly trip up and fall today. Though cursing internally, his mouth remained unyielding. Despite the peril, he continued his ceaseless taunts: "Samsara, who did you sell your ass to? First you revive three eighth-rank Sovereigns, then you get an eighth-rank supervisor sent to keep watch over you. Just who did you sell out to?" "Huntian? Chunqiu? Or Five Elements?" "Definitely not Five Elements; they only have five eighth-ranks, and this fellow clearly isn't one of them... This brute seems to be a Chaos beast as well. Did you sell your ass to Chunqiu of the monster race?" The Human King burst into laughter. "Or did you sell it to Huntian?" Behind him, the Samsara Sovereign remained placid. He simply continued deploying his Dao domain, hemming in the Human King to deny him any chance of escape. As for a few insults... as long as he killed his foe, what did words matter? Besides, though the Human King's words were vulgar, the truth was essentially that. Even if it wasn't as repulsive as he made it sound, yielding to Huntian was submitting as a vassal. He had already lost face, so why care about appearances now? To the side, the Fusheng Sovereign looked livid, grinding his teeth. "Fang Ping, you're at death's door, yet you still dare be so arrogant!" Having been slain by the Human King last time, forcing Samsara to submit to Huntian, he was filled with venomous hatred. Today, this insolent brute was finally surrounded. He felt he could finally avenge his humiliation! The power of life and death manifested. The countless vengeful spirits from before had been exhausted, and against an expert like the Human King, they were of little use anyway. Thus, he abandoned that tactic, instead uniting the Daos of life and death alongside the other two eighth-rank Sovereigns, siphoning vitality and dispersing deathly qi. They transformed the entire expanse into a purgatory! The Human King's face was slightly pale, but his grin remained radiant. Even if he truly died in battle, he would never show a hint of despair—why give his enemies that satisfaction? He laughed uproariously. "Grandson, if you want to kill your grandfather, you're still too green! Last time I cleaved you apart with one strike, did that feel good? Care for another taste?" "On the brink of death, you can only talk big!" Fusheng was furious. Behind him, the Samsara Sovereign remained utterly silent, merely maintaining his Dao domain to pin down the Human King, while the eighth-rank Sovereign from the Huntian World also kept quiet. This burly man was remarkably a Chaos beast, possessing a terrifyingly durable physique. He was currently the greatest obstacle preventing the Human King from breaking through head-on. Were it not for this brute's obstruction, a desperate gamble might have allowed the Human King to slay another eighth-rank Sovereign, easing the pressure and letting him escape. Yet against this creature, a full-power slash could wound him, but slaying him was as difficult as ascending to heaven. The Human King cursed under his breath. Old Zhang and the others probably assumed he could hold out—after all, they hadn't expected the enemy to bring so many eighth-rank Sovereigns. Fully five of them, and tailored to counter him. His explosive power was immense, but against an eighth-rank combatant with such a formidable body, that explosive force lost its equilibrium. Unleashing a strike drastically increased the difficulty of recovery, which would only wear him down continuously. Boom! A deafening explosion rang out as the Chaos beast threw a punch. That single blow actually cracked the Human King's blade! Forged over many years, the Human King's blade was exceedingly sturdy; even when slaying eighth-rank Sovereigns, it had never fractured. Yet today, a fracture appeared. The Human King's face flushed with blood. He snorted coldly, no longer in the mood to spew insults. His gaze shifted continuously, searching for an opening to break through, yet none presented itself. The Samsara Sovereign was far more composed than last time; he remained strictly on the perimeter, laying down his Dao domain to suppress the Human King. With such a top-tier powerhouse holding the perimeter, all paths of retreat were completely sealed. *** The clash between the two sides was earth-shaking, yet under the Samsara Sovereign's careful containment, the shockwaves hardly spread outward. Unless someone was nearby, it was nearly impossible to detect. This was why Li Hao and his companions had not noticed it directly, learning of it only through the Mid-Worlds Alliance. Originally, Li Hao had come with the mindset of a spectator. Yet when he sensed the situation from afar... he came to an abrupt halt, his expression changing. "How can this be?" Li Hao frowned. The three eighth-rank Sovereigns had actually been resurrected! Indeed, as he drew close to the battlefield, he discovered that the three fallen eighth-rank Sovereigns of the Samsara World had returned to life. Not only that, but there was another figure beyond the Samsara Realm's four eighth-rank Sovereigns! It seemed... to be a Chaos beast! Li Hao's brow furrowed tightly. Far away, the Samsara Sovereign, who was currently trapping the Human King, suddenly glanced toward the perimeter, his brows knitting in solemnity. What was going on? What were the Extreme Ice worlds doing? This time, the Extreme Ice Sovereign and the others had joined forces to surround and kill the experts of the Thunder Realm. Why... did he seem to sense the aura of the Silver Moon King? Was the other party nearby? Thoughts raced through the Samsara Sovereign's mind, yet he made no sound, keeping everything in order. If they came, so be it! He had prepared for reinforcements, though he had anticipated Xinwu, not this group. Now, before Xinwu had even shown up, these people had arrived first. *** "Hiss!" Sovereign Wushan couldn't help sucking in a cold breath. He had seen it too—far in the distance, the surrounded Human King was drenched in blood, looking... utterly battered! A powerhouse as domineering as the Human King, who had provoked countless formidable foes across the Four Regions, had never shown such a wretched state. Yet today... they were witnessing him covered in blood. "Five eighth-rank Sovereigns... how did they resurrect..." Sovereign Wushan was alarmed. Li Hao glanced over and said gravely, "The Life and Death Dao!" As long as the price paid was high enough, a master of the Life and Death Dao like the Samsara Sovereign had a chance of resurrecting fallen eighth-rank Sovereigns—especially those native to his own world. If Li Hao could do it back then, this man naturally could as well. However, Li Hao hadn't expected the enemy to possess enough resources to revive three eighth-rank Sovereigns... What an astronomical price that must have cost! No wonder even the Human King had fallen into this trap. "Do we strike?" Wushan quickly said, "Five eighth-rank Sovereigns... Dao Chess, the Thunder Emperor, and I can each take on one... The others can gang up on one. That should work..." Even if they couldn't slay the enemies, they could at least rescue the Human King. Li Hao thought the same. Five eighth-rank Sovereigns on the move were formidable, and a powerhouse like the Samsara Sovereign was among them. Without Long Zhan, they might not be able to kill them, but breaking the encirclement was feasible. Li Hao and his group swiftly approached the battlefield. Ambushing five eighth-rank Sovereigns was far too difficult. Li Hao had never planned on an ambush! Yet just as he was about to draw close, Dao Chess's expression changed slightly, and Er Mao's fur stood on end. Sensing danger, Li Hao instantly tore through the void, whisking everyone away in a flash! In that split second, a tremendous blast shattered the heavens where they had just stood! Silently, several powerful figures manifested between heaven and earth. They... had been lying in wait nearby the entire time. Seeing this, the Samsara Sovereign frowned slightly, then chuckled. "The Silver Moon King truly lives up to his reputation, escaping our ambush so effortlessly... This was originally prepared for the Xinwu Supreme and the Cang Emperor. What a pity they didn't come!" Having stepped into the River of Time, Li Hao reappeared a short distance away, his expression darkening. Three eighth-ranks! Another three eighth-ranks! Fully eight eighth-rank Sovereigns! Where on earth did these other three come from? Five was already beyond imagination, so where did three more eighth-rank Sovereigns emerge from? As if realizing something, Li Hao's face shifted, and he said in a low voice, "You... submitted to a major faction?" Evidently, these three eighth-ranks either hailed from that faction or were its hidden agents in the East. Eight eighth-rank Sovereigns! Simply inconceivable! The Samsara Sovereign had prepared exhaustively to ensure the Human King's death. Such strength was enough to surround and slaughter any single faction. They had merely come to watch the show and perhaps lend a hand to the Human King, yet... they seemed to have walked into massive trouble. The Samsara Sovereign gave a soft laugh. "You are all very clever, but alas... clever people die faster! Do you need me to introduce these three Sovereigns? In this world, the people of the Four Regions are not the only ones who know how to join forces!" His expression turned cold. "The moment you killed Fusheng and the others, it meant... you were irreconcilable enemies of Samsara. Since that is the case... I cannot rest easy until you are dead! There are sixteen eighth-rank worlds in the East; twelve of them joined forces to besiege the Thunder Realm, though unfortunately, you were not among them... The Gemini World has fallen, and these three are the World Lords and Dao Lords of the remaining two eighth-rank worlds!" This was Huntian's foundation! Indeed, without making a sound, the Huntian World had already won over two eighth-rank worlds in the East. Had Gemini not fallen, there would have been three, and adding Samsara, fully four! Aside from Extreme Ice's cohort, the remaining few worlds had all thrown their lot in with Huntian. His absolute confidence that the Human King would be slain today stemmed from this very backing. Five eighth-rank Sovereigns weren't enough? Then how about eight? They had originally intended to deal with Xinwu in secret, yet Xinwu hadn't appeared; instead, Li Hao and his companions had arrived. Still, it made no difference. Although the arrival of three additional eighth-ranks might not guarantee wiping out Li Hao's group... leaving would no longer be so simple. He laughed softly, and in the next instant, the heavens and earth transformed. The originally empty chaos around them suddenly churned. In the blink of an eye, lines of Dao principles manifested in all directions, coalescing into a Dao domain. The reason he hadn't managed to kill the Human King after hunting him for so long was primarily because he hadn't joined the direct fray. Instead, he had been steadily constructing his Life and Death Dao Domain, his Samsara Dao Domain. Now, sinister gales swept through the surroundings. Countless vengeful spirits emerged, every single one radiating the aura of a Sovereign, and some even exuded the presence of the seventh rank! They were vastly more formidable than the spirits Fusheng had summoned that day. In the blink of an eye, they encircled Li Hao and his companions. The Samsara Sovereign smiled, while the Human King's expression finally changed. He couldn't help cursing, "Fuck, was that really necessary?" Eight eighth-ranks! If that were all, so be it, but there were also countless vengeful spirits—something this fellow hadn't displayed during his previous clash with Long Zhan. Things were terrible now! He couldn't help roaring toward Li Hao, "Get the hell out of here... go find people to save me..." Find whom? Find Old Zhang and the others. Before the encirclement was fully sealed, if they didn't leave now, they might never get another chance. He was truly out of luck this time; he hadn't expected the enemy to have more eighth-ranks in hiding! Seeing Li Hao and the others arrive earlier, he had thought victory was assured. In the end... the Human King reflected on his own mistake: he had grown careless and underestimated Samsara. It was mainly because this fellow had seemed so useless last time, letting Long Zhan kill an eighth-rank Sovereign right in front of him, making him look completely incompetent. Yet reality proved that the Samsara Sovereign, who had nearly become the overlord of the East, was no weakling. He had been caught off guard last time, but he had mounted a counterattack very quickly. Around Li Hao and his allies, the three eighth-rank Sovereigns swiftly closed in, their expressions cold as they stared at them like dead men, even after sensing three eighth-rank auras on this side. However... those three were merely newly promoted eighth-ranks, whereas they were World Lords and Dao Lords—veteran Sovereigns! Three against three, they could easily suppress them! As for Li Hao's cohort of seventh-rank Sovereigns, the Samsara Sovereign commanded countless phantoms, including several seventh-rank specters—all souls slain by the Samsara Sovereign over countless millennia! Now, they had all been reduced to phantoms. Those at the Sovereign level were virtually boundless. For the Samsara World to reach its current heights, it had slain countless Sovereigns and swallowed numerous realms over the years, doing so without drawing too much attention. Now, all those fallen Sovereigns had become vengeful spirits. Li Hao remained silent. His brows furrowed slightly. Could they leave? With the River of Time, since they hadn't formally engaged in combat yet, there was still an opportunity to break out of the encirclement. However, with eight eighth-rank Sovereigns present, if he left... the Human King would surely die. The Human King had miscalculated! Not just the Human King; Xinwu hadn't come either, likely never anticipating such an outcome. In truth, before arriving, Li Hao hadn't imagined it would come to this either. They had all underestimated the Samsara Sovereign. Their continuous streak of smooth sailing and success had led them to believe Samsara was nothing special. Having slain three of their eighth-rank Sovereigns in one go, why would they worry about what the Samsara Sovereign could do? Even if they besieged the Human King... killing him would be as difficult as ascending to heaven! Reality proved... they had still overestimated themselves. An eighth-rank Sovereign—a peak eighth-rank and an aspiring overlord of the East—had suffered a setback against Long Zhan, leading Li Hao and his peers to look down on him. The price of that underestimation was... if they left now, the Human King was doomed! Beside him, the three eighth-rank combatants—Wushan, the Thunder Emperor, and Dao Chess—also looked grim. Kongji, Er Mao, and Senlan all wore heavy expressions. Everything had been going so smoothly... They had all come with the mindset of spectators, so how had they suddenly ended up surrounded? Li Hao said nothing. He glanced around, then suddenly looked toward the Human King, asking in a low voice, "Can the Supreme and the others still make it?" The Human King gasped for breath, dodging the brutal punch of the Chaos beast. For the first time, he chose evasion over a head-on collision, signaling that his stamina was flagging. Yet even now, he managed a booming laugh: "Don't know... Those fellows... probably think like me... that I fear no eighth-rank... and won't die here... They might not... come at all..." Perhaps they went to raid Samsara? Or perhaps they went to strike other eighth-rank worlds. But Old Zhang probably hadn't expected eight eighth-rank Sovereigns to show up either, right? In other words, reinforcements might not arrive. The Human King could have bluffed—if dealing with a third party, he would have lied, claiming reinforcements were imminent to intimidate Samsara and his allies. But... Silver Moon was considered his junior. Losing face before the Silver Moon King was one thing, but if these fellows truly believed Old Zhang and the others would arrive swiftly and thus refused to flee... a misjudgment of the situation could lead to the annihilation of their entire group! Therefore, the Human King did not lie. He felt a touch of self-mockery. He had weathered countless storms, only to stumble before this unremarkable fellow, Samsara. Yes, unremarkable—after seeing him defeated by Long Zhan last time, he hadn't thought much of the Samsara Sovereign. And now... he was trapped. At this moment, the Samsara Sovereign said nothing, remaining composed. He merely channeled the power of life and death continuously, reinforcing the surrounding Dao domain to trap both groups and crush them here! Only then could Samsara wash away its disgrace! "Kill them! Once they are dead, all the Dao power, the Great Dao crystals, everything... belongs to you, fellow Daoists. My Samsara World will not take a single coin!" The Samsara Sovereign's low voice echoed across the void, his face marked by ruthless detachment. Countless vengeful spirits surged toward Li Hao and his companions. Wushan and the others all turned to Li Hao in urgency. Fight, or flee? Once engaged and entangled, even with the River of Time... escaping would be tremendously difficult. Meanwhile, the Human King was clearly faltering. If he fell first... the five eighth-rank Sovereigns would instantly converge, and they would all be finished. Countless thoughts flashed madly through Li Hao's mind. Soon, he gave a light laugh: "Senior Human King... this time, you owe me!" With that, he barked, "Engage!" At this point, what choice was there but to fight? He swiftly sent a mental transmission to Er Mao: "Release the Silver Moon Sovereigns to deal with the vengeful spirits! If necessary, unseal Dali—all Sovereigns must join the battle!" His debts with the Human King had been settled last time. Yet Xinwu and Silver Moon were cut from the same cloth. What was more, when Silver Moon emerged from the Stargate, the Human King had risked his life to slay the Lord of Extreme Darkness, buying an opportunity for Silver Moon... Sometimes, favors and debts could never be truly squared away. Right now, he could not stand by and watch the Human King be slaughtered. A grueling battle might still offer a sliver of hope! Yet under these circumstances, even with a bitter fight, if the Human King fell, everything would collapse completely, and everyone might be wiped out. Eight eighth-rank Sovereigns... was far beyond their capacity, not something they could handle. Thoughts raced through Li Hao's mind. Beside him, the three eighth-rank Sovereigns exchanged glances. Though they felt... leaving the Human King to his fate was the wiser choice, none of them fled or disengaged. None of the three spoke a word. They all owed Li Hao immense debts of gratitude, and such debts were hard to repay. Wushan had attained the eighth rank thanks to Xinwu, while the Thunder Emperor and Dao Chess had reached the eighth rank thanks to Li Hao. To be acknowledged by Li Hao and treated as friends and fellow Daoists naturally meant they possessed commendable virtues. At this moment, the three eighth-rank experts cast aside all other considerations and made their moves! Thunder shattered the heavens, clouds and mist permeated the void, and thousands of Great Dao squares transformed into a cage, instantly teleporting straight toward the three eighth-rank Sovereigns. The six eighth-rank Sovereigns collided in an instant. The Human King laughed heartily: "Thank you, everyone... If this daddy doesn't die today, I'll count you all as my friends... and repay you in full in the days to come!" None of them replied. They didn't have the luxury of the Human King's leisure to babble at a time like this. As soon as the experts clashed, the three realized... they fell short; they were inferior to the three veteran eighth-ranks. At the first clash, the sea of clouds nearly collapsed, the thunder was suppressed directly, and Dao Chess's true form trembled violently from a single blow. Sitting in the center, the Samsara Sovereign wore a faint smile. Purgatory manifested between heaven and earth, and two conduits appeared—one dark, continually pouring forth vast hordes of vengeful spirits, and one bright, madly siphoning the vitality of everyone present, draining their life force away. "I originally only wanted to trap Xinwu... but now, even Silver Moon is caught." The Samsara Sovereign smiled inwardly, his eyes landing on Li Hao. Time? It would be best to capture this fellow alive! He needed to study him, and Huntian would likely be very eager to examine this cultivator of the Dao of Time as well. He turned his gaze toward the eastern horizon, toward the Four Regions. Long Zhan, the humiliation you inflicted on me last time will also be wiped clean! *** At this moment, Li Hao had already struck, cleaving countless vengeful spirits apart with a single sword. Er Mao and Kongji attacked in turn, and numerous Silver Moon Sovereigns emerged without needing any explanation. Seeing the countless Sovereign-level vengeful spirits before them, the Silver Moon martial artists changed color, yet without a word, they launched into action! However, the situation was far worse than anticipated. Over on the other side, the Human King was suddenly sent flying backward, blasted by the eighth-rank Chaos beast's fist. His body was cracked all over, his saber shattered, and blood spewed uncontrollably from his mouth. With a sinister look in his eyes, the Fusheng Sovereign instantly struck with a palm, carving a bone-deep wound across the Human King's back. Having fought fiercely until now, the Human King was exhausted. To hold out this long under the siege of five eighth-rank Sovereigns—including a figure like Samsara—was already miraculous, a testament to his extraordinary power as a newly ascended eighth-rank Sovereign. Yet no matter how formidable, facing five eighth-rank Sovereigns had pushed him to his absolute limit. The Human King gave a low chuckle, seemingly indifferent. Glancing toward Li Hao's side, his inner world churned violently, and murder flashed in his eyes. If you want to kill me, you'll have to send a few to the grave with me! If a peak eighth-rank detonated himself, how many could he take down? As for Li Hao and the others, he wasn't too worried. Once he blew himself up and inflicted grievous casualties, these bastards would have no strength left to besiege Li Hao's group. It had been many years since he had faced such a crisis. Ever since emerging from Xinwu... he seemed to have lost this sense of impending doom. Thoughts floated through the Human King's mind. He felt a twinge of regret... he hadn't uncovered the truth behind the disappearance of Tianfang and the ancient experts. Aside from that, he had few regrets. And then there were Old Zhang and the Big Cat. Those fellows trusted him too much—so much that they assumed he was immortal. He had truly overplayed his hand this time! The Human King suddenly bellowed, "You lot, retreat!" Great Dao power surged violently, drawing in boundless chaotic force from all around. His inner world began to churn uncontrollably, causing even the Samsara Sovereign's expression to change. Self-detonation? At the eighth rank, as long as a sliver of life remained, almost no one would choose this path. Yet this Xinwu Human King was choosing to self-detonate before he was even pushed to absolute death? Damn it! Was he truly that insane? His face shifted slightly, and he struck with haste, unleashing vast amounts of Great Dao power. He could no longer afford to mind Li Hao's side; he had to thoroughly suppress the Human King first. If the Human King detonated, that powerhouse of the Chaos clan might survive, but the other three were already weakened. If they were killed again... resurrecting them would be as hard as ascending to heaven. Moreover, even if revived, they might rapidly die of old age. The moment he struck, heaven and earth shifted, and Samsara manifested. Countless streams of Great Dao power on the Human King's body instantly turned into deathly qi, partially dissipating. The Samsara Sovereign revealed his terrifying might. Yet the Human King laughed uproariously. Inverting yin and yang, that deathly qi transformed back into vibrant life in an instant, erupting into a tempest of turbulent Dao power on the verge of exploding! Over where he was slaying vengeful spirits, Li Hao snapped his head around, his expression changing. The Human King was far too resolute! Before reaching absolute collapse, he was already choosing to self-detonate. This guy was utterly ruthless... Wasn't Li Hao still trying to find a way out? Li Hao felt a sudden, massive headache. They were in immense trouble.