The King of Ten Thousand Daos

The Human King had called Li Hao heartless. Li Hao, however, had never felt that way. Of course, what a person struggled most to see clearly was himself. Li Hao simply believed that vast as the world was, one didn't have to remain bound to a single place. The four seas were home—where could one not go, and where could one not stay? What did dominating the east or ruling Chaos truly matter? Silver Moon had always stayed by his side; did that count as heartless? Of course, even if it didn't remain by his side, it wouldn't really matter as long as it was safe. Li Hao felt attachment toward Silver Moon, but not an overwhelming reluctance to part. All feasts under heaven eventually came to an end; it was merely that the world was currently in turmoil and Silver Moon lacked the strength to protect itself. Thus, things had to be this way for now. If one day it could protect itself—or become like Xinwu, able to establish a footing in Chaos even without the Human King—why would it have to remain tied to him? The Human King had bound himself in chains of his own making. Then again, the Human King swaggered arrogantly the moment he stepped outside and was nearly beaten to death... Going back to seek some comfort was understandable. His masters, his friends, his beloved, his family—they could all offer him comfort. The Martial King, the Sword Venerable, the Queen of the Human King, even the Cang Emperor—they could all console him. Yet for Silver Moon... if I am defeated, who can console me? In Silver Moon, there had long been no one left who could give me any comfort. Even Teacher can no longer do so. The east was in utter chaos! On the way to the Medium World Alliance City, Li Hao traversed heaven and earth, discovering countless worlds currently in migration. Those with Chaos beasts were driving them to haul their worlds; those without were seeing their powerhouses straining with all their might to drag their worlds along. Domains that were once scattered were now converging. Several seventh-rank and even eighth-rank worlds had begun seeking self-preservation. The east had descended into chaos! It was more chaotic and terrifying than the other three regions. In a mere span of days, far too many eighth-rank Sovereigns had perished, and now Samsara had fled. Of the sixteen eighth-rank great worlds, Samsara, Sun Moon, Split Earth, Heluo, and Gemini were all gone. Among them, Samsara, Gemini, and Sun Moon each possessed more than one eighth-rank Sovereign and ranked near the very top. Now, within the remaining eleven eighth-rank great worlds, only fifteen eighth-rank Sovereigns were left. This was also the entirety of all known eighth-ranks in the east at present. Officially ranking first was now the Extreme Ice World, anchored by three eighth-ranks... provided, of course, that the two Extreme Ice Sovereigns who had gone to the Four Regions could safely return. On Xinwu's side, there were the Human King, the Cang Emperor, Bright, and the Supreme. With several seventh-ranks bound to advance from this battle, it was only natural for them to leap into the position of the east's foremost faction. Without realizing it, only a few days after stepping out of the Four Regions, they had become the number one power in the east—almost ridiculous to think about. Moreover, Xinwu had secured two great worlds this time: Heluo and Sun Moon. Even if no new eighth-ranks emerged, many seventh-ranks were bound to be born. ... As for Li Hao, his harvest this time was by no means small. A full four eighth-rank Sovereigns had died. Fusheng had self-detonated, but the remaining three had been slain, their Great Dao power almost entirely preserved. Meanwhile, Er Mao had received Big Cat's gift: the Split Earth World. There was also the Great Dao Book gifted by the Supreme. It likely wasn't the original, but it was certainly a formidable replica. Beyond that lay the most critical element: the power of rules. Yes, the power of rules from the future. Even a single wisp was enough. To Li Hao, this was an entirely new power. Of course, it probably existed in the present as well, but he might glean some enlightenment on how to transform the current disordered power into orderly power. Everyone had suffered injuries in this battle, but for powerhouses, so long as they didn't die, wounds weren't a major issue. Teacher had nearly been swatted to death by Fusheng, yet he was now full of vigor once more. The Human King had been battered by several eighth-ranks until his flesh and blood were stripped away entirely, but from the looks of it, he would recover completely before long. Li Hao had used a great deal of the power of time. Although the thunder tribulation was no longer a threat, excessive use of time severely drained his lifespan—hardly worth the cost. Now, Li Hao also gained some insight. Time was a Dao, a unique Dao, an exceptionally powerful Dao. Why did every use consume so much lifespan power? It could only be said that this Dao of Time was not constructed by himself and did not fully belong to him, which was why he had to pay such a heavy price. If it were his own time, that probably wouldn't happen. Otherwise, how could there be any sense in cultivating the Dao of Time only to have one's own Dao drain away one's lifespan? Furthermore, time was inherently linked to lifespan, so how could it so easily deplete it? This sudden encounter had led Li Hao to do some self-reflection. Though he had entered the seventh rank, without using time, he was not extraordinarily formidable among seventh-ranks. One could only say he was someone of note, but far from invincible in the seventh rank! It wasn't that he lacked trump cards—the Sword of Tribulation was formidable—but no matter how strong a trump card was, it was impossible to slay an eighth-rank Sovereign with a single sword strike when he only possessed the power of a thousand worlds. That defied logic. His peak explosive force fell far short of an eighth-rank. Even if ten thousand Daos merged into one, he could not kill his opponent in one strike; no matter how potent the trump card, it was futile. At this stage, what he lacked was sheer power! Not techniques! "And... that person from the future who used the power of rules..." Thinking back to that figure from the future, Li Hao fell into deep thought. Did that person come from the pseudo-chaos he had yet to construct? The fact that they could cultivate the power of rules—did that mean rule power would be born the moment he constructed his chaos? And that person had said Li Hao left them some trouble... what kind of trouble? Was that person a seventh-rank or an eighth-rank? Judging from repelling Fusheng with a single sword strike, they possessed eighth-rank combat power, but that didn't necessarily make them an eighth-rank. Could they have been a seventh-rank? Because they were separated by space-time, Li Hao couldn't make an accurate judgment. Did that mean the future pseudo-chaos could reach the seventh or eighth rank? That was rather incredible. Was this person a being naturally born in the future, or did they emerge from the people he intended to relocate there? How on earth should the source of life for the pseudo-chaos be resolved? Seeing that person this time had strengthened Li Hao's resolve: *I can succeed. As for how to succeed, while I don't yet know, I certainly will... Currently, the crux still lies in how to make this pseudo-chaos give birth to life.* Through time? Thoughts flooded Li Hao's mind. At this moment, those around him remained completely silent, none disturbing Li Hao. Soon, Li Hao came back to his senses. Looking at everyone around him, he pondered and said, "This time, we obtained three eighth-rank corpses and one eighth-rank world... Senior Er Mao's world was gifted by Big Cat, so by rights it should belong to Er Mao." Er Mao rolled his eyes. *By rights? Meaning you aren't planning to go by rights now?* Indeed. Li Hao wasn't planning on going by rights. He smiled and said, "Er Mao has only just manifested into reality not long ago. Even if you swallow an eighth-rank world, you won't reach the eighth rank—it's not that simple. Consuming it now would be quite a waste... How about I borrow it for a while, Senior Er Mao?" "..." Er Mao was speechless for a while before muttering, "Suit yourself!" This fellow! Li Hao chuckled and continued, "Not just this world—I want to take all three corpses as well... This time, I want to formally advance Silver Moon to the seventh rank!" None of the others had any objections. Once Silver Moon formally stepped into the seventh rank, their side would gain two seventh-rank Sovereigns—genuine twin seventh-ranks who could even merge together, rather than merely two seventh-ranks born of a single world. Yet at this moment, Qian Wuliang and Hong Yitang both showed fluctuating expressions. In the end, Hong Yitang spoke up: "For Silver Moon to advance to the seventh rank... a lack of energy is one issue, but the second is that neither Qian Wuliang nor I have gained much insight into the seventh rank!" This was perhaps the first time he had taken the initiative to decline Li Hao's proposal. Instead of remaining silent, he directly rejected it, stating, "My view is that Old Devil Yuan has already constructed his Dao domain. In truth, he lacks energy, not comprehension! This time, I suggest prioritizing him, allowing his Dao domain to expand and completing his breakthrough into the seventh rank!" Li Hao looked at him, and Hong Yitang said earnestly, "Silver Moon has actually swallowed an immense amount of energy and isn't necessarily lacking much. The crux lies in Qian Wuliang and me. Currently, neither of us possesses the true ability to construct a Dao domain. Forcing an advancement to the seventh rank frankly won't accomplish much!" "Yuan Shuo, on the other hand, can truly advance to the seventh rank!" Having said this, he looked around and added, "As for the remaining energy, it can allow all the low-rank Sovereigns to reach the third rank! And the middle-rank Sovereigns to reach the sixth rank! Both of these stages are processes of energy accumulation. We should learn from Xinwu and first accumulate a large pool of powerhouses at each threshold. Given the right opportunity, everyone will have a chance to cross over. Xinwu never lacked candidates to advance to the seventh rank; they only lacked the opportunity..." "Whatever remains should prioritize you—for constructing the upcoming Wandao Pavilion and fleshing out the small worlds you have opened..." He was deeply earnest, reiterating the issue of their comprehension: "Qian Wuliang and I have advanced too quickly. The seventh rank requires a period of settling. Yuan Shuo does not need that, because he has been consolidating his foundation all along. His talent is also exceptional—stronger than ours... If you forcibly elevate us just to have two more seventh-rank Sovereigns, I won't refuse, but it won't mean very much!" At this point, Qian Wuliang spoke up as well: "I spent a century in the Dali Realm..." Li Hao paused. *Only a hundred years?* That wasn't very long at all. It seemed sealing off a sixth-rank world hadn't yielded the expected results. Regrettably, he had broken it open prematurely; sealing it off again would demand an even greater price. Thinking this, he was curious to hear what Qian Wuliang had to say. Qian Wuliang continued, "Over these hundred years, I followed the Marquis's instructions to contemplate and integrate into the local world, and my gains were substantial! But precisely because of that, I know that for me to reach the seventh rank, as Brother Hong said, I still lack accumulation... This time, I also support Brother Hong's opinion..." Hong Yitang glanced at him. Previously, this fellow had called him Dean Hong, Senior Hong... this time, it was Brother Hong. A century in Dali had indeed brought some change to Qian Wuliang. Qian Wuliang himself might not have even noticed. He also seemed a bit less... sleazy than before? Interesting. It seemed his gains truly were not small. At this moment, Wushan chimed in: "I also think this is a sound idea! Fellow Daoist Yuan Shuo has constructed his own Dao domain, so he has a very high chance of stepping straight into the seventh rank! You also need to perfect your small worlds. Since upgrading once in the Dragon Domain, you haven't really refined them further; this time, you can round them out somewhat. As for Silver Moon, advancing naturally would be best!" He rarely intervened in Li Hao's arrangements. Yet this time, he too felt that forcibly boosting Silver Moon held little value. It was better to let Yuan Shuo advance, and also strengthen Li Hao himself. Li Hao's current strength was formidable, but in an environment where eighth-ranks were falling in heaps, it was no longer enough. Moreover, during Li Hao's exchanges with the Xinwu Human King, both the Human King and the Supreme on their side were eighth-ranks. Li Hao was very young—a junior compared to them—yet in Wushan's eyes, he was the core soul of their faction. Yet his strength lagged far behind, which wouldn't do! Equal dialogue required equal strength. Right now, their strength was not equal. Li Hao was slightly taken aback. He had grown accustomed to directing people. In the earlier days, he would seek everyone's opinions, but later he gradually grew used to making decisions on his own, mostly because no one ever opposed his suggestions anymore. It had been like that for a long time, and he had grown accustomed to it. Now, Hong Yitang, who never opposed him, had taken the lead in speaking against his plan, and even Qian Wuliang, who had always been obedient, agreed with Hong Yitang. Li Hao fell into contemplation. After a moment, he smiled and nodded. "Fair enough... Everyone's input should be heard. The reason we banded together was to huddle for warmth, to be safer and freer... If everyone feels this way, perhaps I was overthinking things." Qian Wuliang felt a touch apprehensive now and gave a dry cough before adding, "It's not that we're opposing the Marquis. We want to grow stronger too, it's just..." "I understand!" Li Hao chuckled. "You've spent a century settling yourself; there's no need to speak and act so cautiously. If you can step into the seventh rank on your own, that would be even more extraordinary." Qian Wuliang coughed awkwardly and said no more. Li Hao thought for a moment and turned to his teacher. Seeing him look over, Yuan Shuo showed no embarrassment at all and nodded: "I also think prioritizing my advancement to the seventh rank is right. Don't worry, count it as a loan—I'll pay it back sooner or later!" "...You really don't hold back, do you, Old Master?" Li Hao was speechless. Yuan Shuo retorted, "I got swatted flying and nearly killed with a single palm! Why should I hold back?" What was there to be polite about! Owe it for now; once he earned something later, he would pay it back. At present, he too felt he had the greatest chance of stepping into the seventh rank. There was no need for courtesy. If he earned it, he'd pay it back. If all else failed and he couldn't repay... you'd pay it! Indeed: raising a son prepared for old age, and raising a disciple was the exact same. Granted, his disciple was formidable and powerful now, but wasn't taking a disciple meant to have someone to rely on in old age? Even if this lad hadn't relied on him much. Between him and Li Hao, they had never stood on ceremony. Li Hao laughed despite himself and nodded. "Then we'll arrange it like this!" He paused, then added, "Whatever Xinwu does, I won't interfere. If they need help, I'll lend a hand. Naturally, I won't micromanage your individual plans either; if you're interested in taking part, I won't stop you. Moving forward, most of my energy will be placed on constructing the Wandao Illusory Realm. If the Medium World Alliance isn't willing to cooperate, the timing is ripe—we'll just build it ourselves!" He continued, "Additionally, Samsara has fled, and the hegemons of the other three regions will likely learn about what happened in the east very soon. Behind us, Long Zhan is eyeing us like a tiger watching its prey. In truth, the situation in the east isn't as secure as it seems. We currently face wolves before us and tigers behind... Still, the various factions won't make a decision to invade the east so quickly, so there will be a brief period of peace..." At this point, Li Hao looked at the crowd and mused, "We know almost nothing about the other three regions. I have some ideas now—we may need a few people to travel individually to gather intelligence and learn about the various factions." He hesitated briefly before adding, "Also, take some phantom worlds with you to construct paths along the River of Time. Of course, only for positioning purposes. Currently, there are still powerhouses who can sense the existence of time! Therefore, the River of Time will only be activated when needed. That way, we can establish the fastest, most convenient communication and teleportation network across the entire Chaos... Preparing for a rainy day, I suspect the other three regions might treat us as enemies as well!" Indeed, this time, Li Hao had formed some plans. It all stemmed from this sudden, abrupt battle! Beforehand, no one had known Samsara had aligned with Huntian, suddenly arriving with a host of eighth-ranks and catching everyone completely off guard—even catching the Xinwu Supreme unprepared. Even with some preparations in place, things had turned out like that; Li Hao and his group had basically taken things one step at a time without any arrangements at all. If the strike had been aimed at him this time, the outcome could have been disastrous! At his words, everyone exchanged glances, falling into contemplation. Li Hao continued, "Those who venture out, if they belong to Silver Moon, must detach from the Great Dao Universe and travel independently! Otherwise, their identities will easily be discovered. Furthermore, roaming around with the strength of a low- or middle-rank Sovereign offers little guarantee of safety, and carrying a phantom world could easily expose you—though that would require encountering top powerhouses..." Li Hao looked at the crowd. Someone stepped forward to volunteer—surprisingly, not the sensible ones Li Hao had expected, like Redwood. Instead, it was Southern Fist, who always loved going against the grain. Southern Fist was still at the peak of the third rank, but he was nearly at the fourth rank; Li Hao took a glance and saw he was close. At that moment, Southern Fist said bluntly, "Let's go together! Staying in Silver Moon or Dali doesn't do much good anyway. We're already Sovereigns, yet day in and day out we just huddle here. This time, against an eighth-rank, all of us joined forces and couldn't even stall him for an instant... utterly useless! Everyone ought to go out and roam! Broaden our horizons. Last time, we went to Tianfang, but only for a brief period and didn't see many top experts—a real shame!" "Since Silver Moon won't step into the seventh rank in the short term, staying behind won't accomplish much!" Southern Fist laughed heartily, carefree as ever. "Scatter everyone out, just like in Silver Moon Province back then when all of us martial masters went our separate ways! At crucial moments, we could still be of some use. Right now, even banding together we can't handle an eighth-rank... better to make ourselves actually useful." "Leave the opportunities to become Sovereigns to the juniors!" Becoming a Sovereign occupied a Sovereign slot in the Great Dao Universe. Currently, many juniors had reached the Dao Integration Realm, but the quota was full, making it difficult for new Sovereigns to be born. Unless Silver Moon crossed into the seventh rank. Without entering the seventh rank, the Great Dao Universe's Sovereigns were capped at this number. At this time, the Thunder Emperor also chimed in: "Some of the Sovereigns from my Thunder Realm... have also been tested. Fellow Daoist Li Hao saw it last time—those with wavering resolve all quit, and everyone left behind is a brother who can be trusted. As it is, they're just idling about... In that case, why not let a portion of the Thunder Realm brothers head out as well? In any case, our Great Dao Universe is gone!" The Senlan Sovereign added, "The same goes for my Senlan domain. Of course, not many on my side can be trusted, but rest assured, I will select a trustworthy, reliable group of Sovereigns to go out!" They all looked toward Li Hao. If people were to be sent out, their people would work as well. Staying behind right now was a waste. Besides, those Sovereigns weren't truly comfortable or free; whenever danger struck, they had to hide away. Better to send them out to forge their own paths! In any case, the outer regions were vast and rogue cultivators abounded. An extra batch of Sovereigns scattering across various locations wouldn't draw anyone's attention at all. Few who had reached the level of a Sovereign were truly fools. Li Hao thought of Xinwu. Many of Xinwu's Sovereigns were actually absent, likely out in the wider world. The Supreme probably had his own arrangements. Not only Xinwu—even the Dragon Lord had scattered many weaker Sovereigns outward. Of course, members of the Chaos race were conspicuous, so it was mainly absorbed human Sovereigns who were sent. That Hegemon Huntian had planted numerous agents in the east as well. Though Li Hao had no desire for hegemony, it had to be said: without making any preparations, one would be swallowed whole sooner or later! This unexpected encounter had heightened Li Hao's vigilance. A tiger might harbor no intent to harm man, yet man harbored the desire to slay the tiger. Reaching this stage, peace wasn't something you could have just by saying you wanted it. Li Hao nodded slightly. "Let's first head to the Medium World Alliance City and discuss this thoroughly. Once things are settled and we digest our gains, we will make detailed arrangements!" The others said no more and flew toward Alliance City No. 9. ... Alliance City No. 9. At this moment, the city lord, Sovereign Wanqiu, was filled with complicated emotions. She was both terrified and anxious. What was she afraid of? Afraid that Samsara would learn the truth. In this incident, it was she who had relayed the news of the Human King being besieged to Li Hao. In truth, Li Hao and his allies hadn't even known the battle had broken out. As it turned out... Sovereign Wanqiu had never anticipated it would lead to the fall of four eighth-ranks and a whole batch of seventh-ranks. If the Samsara Sovereign found out, would he ever spare her? Not just her—the entire Medium World Alliance would be dragged down! Truth be told, had she not leaked the news, the Human King might really have suffered a catastrophic defeat. Yet beforehand, she had never imagined the consequences would be this severe! Even less had she expected Li Hao's group to actually kill multiple eighth-ranks, or that Samsara had allied with Huntian and assembled a full eight eighth-ranks. If this got out, not just Samsara—the Huntian World itself would wipe the Medium World Alliance off the map. With things having come to this, Wanqiu could only pin her hopes on... the news not leaking out. *Li Hao and the others discovered it on their own, not through my tip-off.* Otherwise, she was truly finished. Forget being only a sixth-rank—even if she reached the eighth rank, she could not withstand retaliation from all sides. Terror and unease consumed her! Even though the battle had ceased, her panic remained. Not just her—several core members of the Medium World Alliance were also terrified, because they... knew part of the truth. They also knew the information had likely leaked from their end. Because the earlier news had spread through their channels, and immediately afterward, Sovereign Wanqiu had broadcast a high-level transmission searching for Sovereign Wanhua on behalf of the Silver Moon King seeking cooperation. And the Silver Moon King... had dashed off shortly after to slaughter the Samsara Sovereign and the others. If Wanqiu wasn't the informant, they wouldn't believe it even if killed! The crucial problem was that throwing Wanqiu under the bus wouldn't solve the issue. It was that the Medium World Alliance's system—its communication network—had exerted an enormous impact on the great worlds. Previously, great worlds might not have cared, but once this incident came to light, those formerly indifferent great worlds and hegemon factions might obliterate these medium worlds entirely! *Let's see you relay messages inside and out now!* If selling Wanqiu out could purchase peace, no one would mind doing so. The issue was that it wouldn't work. Thus, all the core members of the Medium World Alliance were drenched in dread and anxiety. Enormous trouble! Li Hao's faction was trouble, Xinwu was trouble, Samsara was trouble... Of course, now that Samsara had fled, there wouldn't be major trouble for the time being. Just as Sovereign Wanqiu was wallowing in melancholy, her expression flickered, immediately schooling itself into utmost deference: "Wanqiu congratulates seniors on... your glorious victory!" No matter what she thought inside, these people were the victors! As such... they now reigned supreme in the east. Strong as the Medium World Alliance might be, it could never match this group, leaving them no choice but to bow their heads. Before, there had at least been Samsara's coalition to counter them. Now that Samsara had fled, could the Extreme Ice World and its allies hope to contend with these vicious monsters? Hardly! Though plenty of eighth-ranks remained—even after several eighth-rank worlds were destroyed, eleven eighth-rank worlds and a full fifteen eighth-rank Sovereigns survived—what of fifteen eighth-ranks? Could they unite? Could they all rise up together in resistance? Between Xinwu and Silver Moon, the number of eighth-rank Sovereigns was already considerable. "You are too courteous. My thanks also go to Fellow Daoist Wanqiu for the intelligence." Li Hao led his people into view, a broad smile on his face. "Had you not informed me, I wouldn't have known the Human King was besieged! Nor did I anticipate that a full eight eighth-rank Sovereigns had been mobilized. Truly unexpected—we nearly took a terrible fall. Fortunately, Heaven watched over us..." *Heaven watched over you?* *What nonsense are you spouting!* *It was because you were too ruthless!* Sovereign Wanqiu was rendered speechless, but quickly seized upon a topic, hurriedly saying, "Senior, Elder Wanhua of the alliance has replied. He will be arriving shortly to discuss cooperation with Senior. Not just Elder Wanhua, but several other core elders of our alliance as well..." In truth, the reply had only just come through. Prior to this, it was unclear whether Sovereign Wanhua had received the message, but once Samsara fled and Li Hao's group slew those eighth-rank Sovereigns, this elusive Elder Wanhua, who normally left no trace of his whereabouts, promptly responded. He would arrive soon! Whether he had been scared into coming or had genuinely just received the message, Wanqiu couldn't say. But... at this juncture, she naturally wouldn't voice such thoughts. Hearing this, Li Hao looked pleased. "Then my thanks to Fellow Daoist for your support! As it happens, we also need some time to digest our spoils from the battle, so we shall stay here for a short while. Pardon the disturbance, Fellow Daoist Wanqiu!" "You honor me, Senior... Having the seniors stay in Alliance City No. 9 is my privilege!" Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at the people behind Li Hao, privately clicking her tongue in awe. They were all a pack of ruthless monsters. Definitely not people to provoke! At this moment, Li Hao seemed to recall something and asked, "By the way, that kunpeng beast who travelled alongside the Samsara Sovereign earlier—does Fellow Daoist Wanqiu know anything about him?" Wanqiu started, then quickly replied, "I cannot be entirely sure, but if he hails from Huntian's camp, he should be Emperor Pengcheng! Years ago, he allied with Sovereign Huntian. Later, when Sovereign Huntian entered the ninth rank, he became the leader governing the Chaos race and the monster race under Huntian's banner... Sovereign Huntian is human, and a portion of the Chaos race and monster race were reluctant to submit... With Emperor Pengcheng around, it sounds much better, at least in name." Li Hao nodded slightly. That Chaos beast possessed considerable strength—eighth-rank power with roughly 4,000 Dao principles, inferior to the Human King, but hardly among the weak for an eighth-rank. For the weak ones, one had to look at Wushan and his peers... Well, that was a bit insulting, so Li Hao naturally wouldn't say it aloud. This time, for the Samsara Domain to be relocated directly, it would have been impossible without that eighth-rank Chaos beast; the Samsara Domain might very well have been destroyed. It had to be said, at a time like this, the utility of an eighth-rank Chaos beast was fully demonstrated. Capable of attacking in offense and defending in retreat. Able to take a world and walk away directly! While eighth-ranks like the Samsara Sovereign could also move worlds, their speed was agonizingly slow. The Dragon Lord was an eighth-rank Chaos beast as well. The reason Li Hao asked was to see if there might be a connection with the Dragon Lord, given that both belonged to the Chaos race. "Fellow Daoist is knowledgeable about the west as well. The Medium World Alliance truly possesses formidable intelligence..." Li Hao remarked with sighing praise. Sovereign Wanqiu's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said, "It is merely that certain top experts enjoy great renown across Chaos, so we know a little. The distance is too vast; we only hear things through hearsay!" Li Hao had only made a passing comment. Seeing her alarmed state, he laughed. "Fellow Daoist misunderstands, I meant nothing by it... That aside, our ability to resolve this crisis was thanks to your intelligence. If your Great Dao Universe merely requires some Great Dao power to step into the seventh rank, perhaps... I can offer some assistance." The woman before him was also a world lord and a master of a Great Dao. Whether she could actually step into the seventh rank, Li Hao didn't know for sure. If it was simply a matter of energy, it had to be said that her single piece of intelligence was well worth Li Hao providing that energy. Even the Human King wouldn't be stingy once informed; without their intel, Li Hao might not have arrived in time. Sovereign Wanqiu felt a jolt of joy. *Is... is this appropriate?* *Can I really ask?* To them, they were only sixth-ranks after all. Not to mention eighth-ranks, even seventh-rank Sovereigns were beings they looked up to. Slaying a seventh-rank to fill one's own Great Dao Universe? What a joke! If killing a seventh-rank were that easy, they would already be seventh-ranks themselves. Yet... asking for benefits from a band of villains... was she tired of living? Furthermore, letting her advance to the seventh rank—would they treat her like a pig, fattening her up before slaughter? Thoughts raced through her mind, but the allure of the seventh rank was impossible to resist. Hesitant and torn, she finally ventured timidly, "Well... if... if Senior could... provide me with the corpse of a seventh-rank Sovereign and its Great Dao power, perhaps... I..." Li Hao blinked. "You only need a single seventh-rank Sovereign's corpse?" He turned his head to glance at Qian Wuliang and Hong Yitang. Both maintained deadpan expressions, pretending they hadn't seen him look. *Stop looking!* *Can we be compared?* Silver Moon had advanced too quickly, for one. Second, their foundation was insufficient, leading to considerable waste. Third, they possessed twin Dao universes, not a single Dao universe. Fourth, this woman before them had been stuck at the peak of the sixth rank for who knew how many years; she was probably just one step away from the threshold. Clearly, they understood what Li Hao was thinking. *Look at her!* Just one seventh-rank Sovereign's corpse and Great Dao power would suffice. Yet Silver Moon had devoured more than one seventh-rank universe, not to mention countless Great Dao power and Great Dao crystals. Meanwhile, Sovereign Wanqiu assumed she had been overly greedy and provoked everyone's anger, stammering hurriedly, "If it is inconvenient for Senior, it doesn't matter. It was my presumptuous request..." Li Hao smiled. "No, it's just... never mind. A seventh-rank Sovereign's corpse..." He mused, "Truth be told, I didn't kill any seventh-rank Sovereigns this time, whereas Xinwu slew quite a few..." Giving an eighth-rank corpse would be a bit wasteful. She only asked for a seventh-rank. With that in mind, Li Hao turned back toward Tianji. "Senior Tianji, I must trouble you to make a trip to Xinwu to request a seventh-rank corpse to reward Sovereign Wanqiu for her intel. The Human King will likely agree; it's a minor matter!" A seventh-rank corpse wasn't a Great Dao Universe; it was inconsequential. Hearing this, Tianji twitched his lips. *Why make me run errands?* *Really!* *I'm worried I'll get beaten up if I go back!* Yet since Li Hao had spoken, he had no choice but to mutter an assent. Rather disgruntled, he dragged along a reluctant King Huai. He certainly wasn't going alone—he'd take King Huai with him. Sovereign Wanqiu, meanwhile, was overwhelmed with delight. *Could... could they really get it for me?* Earlier, she had been fraught with unease, regretting having provided intel to these people. Now, all of that was cast to the back of her mind. Who cared about that anymore? Once she stepped into the seventh rank, she would count among the high echelons of Chaos! If one could reach the seventh rank, who cared about a bit of danger? "Thank you, Senior..." "Think nothing of it. No need to be polite." Li Hao smiled. "Then we shall rest here for a time. When Sovereign Wanhua arrives, Fellow Daoist may notify me!" "Without fail!" Li Hao said no more, vanishing from the spot with his entourage. The harvest this time was substantial. Better to digest it as soon as possible. If Teacher could seize this chance to step into the seventh rank, it would take a weight off Li Hao's mind. At the seventh rank, with a bit of caution, one could live comfortably in Chaos, even in the outer regions. Under normal circumstances, when a seventh-rank Sovereign traveled outside, eighth-rank Sovereigns wouldn't go out of their way to find trouble unless there was a deep grudge. Eighth rank was currently the ceiling of Chaos. As for the ninth rank, currently it was only rumored that Huntian had crossed into it; whether it was true remained open to question. ... On this day, Li Hao and his group began seclusion. Xinwu showed no movement either, evidently absorbing and digesting their spoils from this engagement. Meanwhile, in the Extreme Ice domains, a band of Sovereigns fled back in utter disarray that very day. No sooner had they returned than they received the worst possible news: a flock of Sovereigns had perished, several worlds were obliterated, and Samsara had fled! Between Xinwu and Silver Moon, the number of eighth-rank Sovereigns was a staggering seven! Granted, the remaining eleven-world alliance still boasted fifteen eighth-ranks, far outnumbering the two factions, but... could they truly unite with one mind? Even if they could... they had just offended the Dragon Lord behind them. If pinched from both inside and out, what would they do? Last time, the Dragon Lord had already collaborated with both sides once. If that happened, they would be in dire straits. For a time, these eighth-rank Sovereigns were in deep agony. They couldn't fathom why the situation in the east had reversed in an instant, allowing outsiders from the Four Regions to seize an absolute advantage in the blink of an eye! Left with no choice, these eighth-rank Sovereigns could only hurriedly relocate their worlds, clustering together as much as possible. A portion of seventh-rank worlds also began swift migrations, seeking to form a grand alliance. This was to prevent Xinwu and Silver Moon from picking them off one by one! The entire east underwent rapid consolidation at a pace exceeding all expectations. ... Meanwhile. News was spreading swiftly. The hegemon factions of the south, west, and north soon received intelligence: Samsara of the east had been defeated and defected to Huntian; Xinwu and Silver Moon from the Four Regions had taken hold of the east; and a new hegemon was likely rising in the east! ... The West. At the farthest end. A boundlessly vast world. A seemingly ordinary middle-aged man gazed eastward. After a long time, he gave a faint chuckle: "To think that following the Master of Tianfang, people walking out from the Four Regions would stir up waves once again!" He didn't pay too much mind to the defeat this time. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing. His own people hadn't died, and Samsara was currently migrating in this direction, which would instead bolster the west's strength. It was just that they could no longer pinch the south and north from front and back as before. Of course, that Samsara fellow wouldn't truly be so obedient unless driven to utter desperation. Right now, it was actually a good thing. That crowd had driven Samsara into a corner with nowhere left to turn, which was indeed advantageous for him. As his words fell, an indistinct powerhouse beside him spoke slowly, "The Master of Tianfang was vastly stronger than them—hailed as the foremost powerhouse of that era, at the peak of the ninth rank! King of the Dao of Space: anywhere his eyes fell, he could shift at will, arriving in an instant... an unfathomable might!" "I was merely speaking in passing," Sovereign Huntian smiled. "After all, he is an old senior. Nowadays, those walking out of the Four Regions are all juniors. Achieving this much is already remarkable! And that Long Zhan—I actually met him once years ago. Even back then I sensed he was extraordinary, and today has proven my discernment..." "It is merely a pity... that Long Zhan is bent on leading the Chaos race onto a path of resurgence. Yet this Chaos is ultimately the domain of mankind. How could it be so easy!" Shaking his head slightly, Long Zhan's path was simply too difficult. If he let go of the Chaos race, he might still have a chance. But seeking to elevate the Chaos race above humanity was harder than ascending to the heavens! "It is said that the Silver Moon King, Li Hao, cultivates the Dao of Time..." Sovereign Huntian murmured thoughtfully, turning his gaze toward the south. "That fellow Chunqiu also claims to cultivate time, yet I know it is not true time, merely a unique technique. Do you think Chunqiu will be the first to launch an attack on the east?" "Shall I go and secretly capture that Silver Moon King..." The dark shadow responded. Sovereign Huntian pondered for a moment and shook his head: "Do not act rashly for now. In the east... Tianfang might not return, but the powerhouses of the Tianfang World may return one after another! This person walked out of the Four Regions and dabbles in time; he might well be the key to their return... Though I do not know the precise details, I once gathered some intelligence indicating he has deep ties to Tianfang... Do not be reckless. At present, those ninth-ranks who cannot return are not beings we can afford to provoke." The dark shadow nodded. "Then... let Chunqiu test the waters!" Sovereign Huntian smiled and nodded. Naturally, Chunqiu might not be foolish enough to try, but could he resist such a temptation? Time! Hailed as the true sovereign of the ninth rank, invincible under heaven. These words were not spoken by them, but by the Master of Tianfang in antiquity. The younger generations did not know, but Huntian was a veteran Sovereign; he knew. He had even laid eyes upon the Master of Tianfang! He had also seen how each of those ninth-rank Sovereigns who stood invincible under heaven were utterly eclipsed in the presence of the Master of Tianfang. That man, in that era, was truly invincible under heaven. Yet even he had said: Time... is the King of Ten Thousand Daos! Could someone truly cultivate Time? Or was it merely an imitation, like Chunqiu—just a peculiar Dao?